From Ha Long Bay to Angkor City

Arrival at Hanoi Airport on flight XX. You’ll be greeted by our guide and driver, then transferred to the city (30 km – about 45 minutes by car).
Check in at your hotel (rooms available from 2:00 PM).

You’ll then visit Hoan Kiem Lake (“Lake of the Returned Sword”), the emblem of Hanoi, and nearby, Ngoc Son Temple (“Temple of the Jade Mountain”), located on the lake’s largest island. With its rich and varied architecture, this sacred site is a fascinating place of culture and worship.

Optional – Relaxing Massage
At the end of the day, unwind with a one-hour full-body massage using natural oils at a local spa — the perfect way to recover from your long flight and first impressions of Hanoi.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight: Hanoi

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, head towards Phu Tay Ho Temple, dedicated to Saint Mother Lieu Hanh — a revered figure in Vietnamese folk religion. This site is also a popular pilgrimage destination for locals and offers a beautiful view of West Lake, the largest lake in Hanoi (about 500 hectares).

Continue to visit Van Nien Pagoda, one of the most beautiful pagodas in the capital, before exploring the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays). This museum vividly presents around 15,000 objects illustrating the daily life, customs, and traditions of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. 

In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, founded in the 11th century (1070). This Confucian temple is one of Hanoi’s most significant cultural and historical landmarks and a fine example of traditional Vietnamese architecture.

Your tour continues with a walk across the historic Long Bien Bridge (formerly Paul Doumer Bridge), built by the Eiffel engineering workshops — a remarkable symbol of the city’s past.

Optional – Water Puppet Show
At the end of the day, enjoy a Water Puppet Show, a traditional Vietnamese art form accompanied by live folk music. The performance (about one hour) features charming scenes from rural life and ancient legends, including the tale of the dragon. Both simple and poetic, it’s a delightful experience not to be missed.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight: Hanoi

Morning:
Breakfast at your hotel. Depart for Ninh Binh (110 km – approx. 2 hours), one of Vietnam’s most picturesque regions, often called the “Inland Halong Bay” for its harmony of limestone karsts, rivers, plains, and wetlands.

Upon arrival, transfer to Van Long Nature Reserve, a stunning landscape covering nearly 3,000 hectares, home to diverse flora and fauna (457 plant species and 39 animal species).

Enjoy a leisurely bicycle ride (7–10 km, ~45–60 minutes) along the dikes and surrounding villages, immersing yourself in the rural life, rice paddies, and local hospitality.

Next, embark on a 1.5-hour rowboat ride through the reserve’s floating karst formations and waterways, observing unique aquatic plants and, with some luck, the rare Delacour’s langur, a primate endemic to northern Vietnam.

Continue to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam, to visit the Dinh and Le Dynasty Temples from the 10th century, famous for their intricate wood and stone carvings, preserved through the centuries.

Check in at your hotel in Ninh Binh. The rest of the day is free for personal exploration or to enjoy hotel amenities.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Dinner: At leisure.

Overnight: Ninh Binh

Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning, depart by road for Halong (200 km – about 4 hours). Upon arrival at Hon Gai pier around noon, complete the boarding formalities. Welcome drink, introduction of the crew, and presentation of the cruise program before settling into your cabin.

Lunch featuring fresh seafood is served as the boat begins its journey through Bai Tu Long Bay, sailing among thousands of limestone islands rising from turquoise waters — a landscape so breathtaking it feels like stepping into a mythical world.

Explore Thien Canh Son Cave.

Relax on the white sandy beach of Hon Co Island or enjoy kayaking (depending on your preference). Late in the afternoon, return to the boat and take in the magnificent sunset while the cruise heads to its overnight anchorage. Dinner featuring seafood specialties

Overnight stay on board in an air-conditioned cabin with a private bathroom

Overnight: Ha Long Bay

An early wake-up is recommended to enjoy the sunrise over the bay.
Optional Tai Chi session on the sundeck for early risers.

Breakfast on board while the crew weighs anchor and the cruise continues its navigation.
Visit the Vung Vieng fishing village in a traditional rowboat — meet local fishermen and observe the floating fish farms.

The cruise continues through the bay, and a buffet lunch is served on board as the boat heads back to the pier. After disembarkation at Hon Gai pier, transfer directly to Hanoi Airport for your flight to Hue.

Upon arrival in Hue, meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel. Check into your room. Dinner at leisure.

Overnight: Hue

After breakfast at the hotel, we begin a beautiful day exploring Hue.

The ancient capital, recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO, is considered a large living museum with a large number of historical monuments, imperial tombs, pagodas and temples.

Visit the Imperial Citadel, which was built between 1805 and 1832 by Emperor Gia Long. It covers an area of ​​5.2 km2. Its architecture is reminiscent of Eastern citadels, but it also features French inspiration.

The afternoon is devoted to visiting the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. Set amidst frangipani and pine trees, built to plans drawn up by the emperor himself, this sumptuous tomb remains one of Hue's most beautiful sites. It exudes tranquillity and is a model of traditional Vietnamese art.

Continue your visit to Tu Hieu Pagoda, near the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc. The pagoda exudes serenity. It also houses a community of monks that remains very active.

Overnight: Hue

In the morning, drive to the village of Thanh Thuy. You will pass through rice fields and villages before reaching the Thanh Toan Bridge. It is one of the few covered bridges in Vietnam that has great artistic, historical, cultural, and touristic value.

Then, visit the local market and walk through the village to meet the locals, and discover the family clan worship houses.

Then, transfer to Hoi An (150km - 3h30 drive). On the way, discover the An Bang cemetery (the Vietnamese call the place “the ghost town”). Many Catholic tombs built and financed by Vietnamese exiles in the United States give the site a very special atmosphere.

Halfway there, climb the Son Tra Peninsula, a place rarely visited by tourists but simply magnificent. Visit the Lady Buddha Pagoda overlooking the city of Da Nang.

Then, visit the Champa archaeological museum, which houses a large collection of sculptures from the now-extinct Cham Kingdom civilization.

Arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon. The day ends at leisure for your own exploration.

Overnight: Hoi An

Breakfast at the hotel.
At 8:00 AM, depart from the hotel to Cua Dai Port, where you’ll board a boat to Cham Island (Cu Lao Cham), a UNESCO-recognized World Biosphere Reserve of Hoi An. The island boasts a rich ecosystem with diverse species, including the precious yen bird (swiftlet), known for its edible nests.

After a 30-minute boat ride, you’ll arrive at Cu Lao Cham, a large area made up of several small islands located about 25 nautical miles off the coast. Here, you can enjoy the refreshing sea breeze, pristine white sand, clear turquoise waters, and stunning natural scenery — as well as observe the daily life of the local fishing villagers.

Cham Island was once an important trading port for the Cham kings and foreign merchants, and it is mentioned in many historical Vietnamese records.

Spend half a day at Lang Beach, visiting several interesting sites such as Au Thuyen – a shelter for boats during storms – and the ancient Hai Tang Pagoda. Then, enjoy a snorkelling session guided by a professional team to explore the colourful marine life beneath the waves.

A short boat transfer takes you to Bai Chong Beach, where a seafood lunch will be served. Relax and unwind afterward with some free time for swimming and sunbathing.

Return by boat to Cua Dai Port, then transfer back to your hotel.
In the late afternoon, enjoy free time for your own exploration of Hoi An.

Dinner at leisure.

Overnight: Hoi An

In the morning, transfer to Danang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), you'll be met by your guide. Transfer to the city.

Walking tour for the orientation of the historical sites of the city: The former Saigon Post Office with its beautiful iron-framed glass roof, the work of Gustave Eiffel, Notre-Dame Cathedral which is located in the center of a square and therefore well highlighted, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Catinat Street at the time of the French colony of Indochina) with all its luxury boutiques and its entertainment.
Installation at the hotel (room available from 1:30 p.m.)

Afternoon, visit Giac Lam Pagoda, one of the most beautiful and oldest pagodas in Saigon.

Stroll through the heart of Cho Lon's old Chinatown and its Binh Tay market. This neighbourhood is home to 500,000 Hoa people, the descendants of the Chinese.

Return to the hotel. On the way, discover the Ngoc Hoang Temple, which pays homage to the Jade Emperor. With its polychrome and monumental sculptures, its meticulous mosaics, its fragrant incense, and its small, tranquil garden, it is one of the most beautiful temples in the city.

Free time to relax.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Early departure by road to Cai Be, located 110 km (2.5 hours drive) south of Saigon.

Embark on a boat trip on the Mekong, passing through the floating markets of Cai Be, where you can admire the fruit and vegetable stalls.

Stop on an island, visit the factories where delicious little coconut candies, popcorn, rice cakes, etc., are made. Walk through the orchards and taste tropical fruits.

Lunch in a bonsai garden or in an old house. You will taste the famous “elephant ear” fish.

The tour continues with a ride in a small sampan through the shaded arroyos to Vinh Long. During the walk, you will come across many small boats carrying fruit, vegetables, and fish.

In the late afternoon, transfer by road to Can Tho (70km-1h30), an important rice-growing center in the Mekong Delta, nicknamed the Capital of the West and located on the banks of Hau Giang, the southernmost arm of the Mekong.

In the evening, stroll along the Ninh Kieu quays, along the river.

Overnight: Can Tho

In the morning, embark on a boat ride along the peaceful Cai Nong Canal before discovering the Cai Rang floating market, which is busier early in the morning. Here, seasonal agricultural products are mainly sold, as well as various everyday products. Each boat announces what it is selling using a pole with the product on the end.

Visit a rice processing workshop, a traditional noodle factory and then the Le Binh covered market, a very lively fish and vegetable market on the banks of the Mekong.

Then, a bike ride through the countryside through typical villages, off the beaten track, to discover local daily life and meet local people. Visit an orchard where we taste exotic fruits.

Then, departure for an excursion to the Tra Su bird sanctuary (135 km/2h30), a flooded forest – a typical forest type in the South of Vietnam with 845 hectares of surface area where 140 species of plants, 11 species of animals and 23 species of fish live.

Take a sampan ride through the peaceful canals, discovering different species of rare birds. Walk along the tree-lined paths, animated by birdsong.

Continue to Chau Doc (30 km/45 min).

Overnight: Chau Doc

Transfer to Chau Doc pier to take the speedboat to Phnom Penh (5-hour cruise). Upon arrival at Phnom Penh port, you will be met at the exit by your local guide, then transferred to the hotel for check-in.

Afternoon, departure for the visit to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, located at the confluence of the four branches of the Mekong. It is a small historic and charming city dating back more than 600 years, with large avenues, and it is the cultural, political, social and economic center. On the program, you will discover:

• The Independence Monument commemorates the end of the French protectorate in Cambodia in 1953 and also pays tribute to the souls of the fighters who paid with their lives for the country's freedom.
• The Royal Palace, built in 1866 by King Norodo, consists of different structures grouped within an enclosure, like that of a pagoda
• The Silver Pagoda houses masterpieces such as a solid gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds and weighing 90 kg, as well as an emerald and Baccarat crystal Buddha dating from the 17th century.
• The National Museum of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, a superb example of Khmer architecture that was officially inaugurated in 1920, mainly exhibits sculptures dating from different periods of Cambodian history.
• Wat Phnom, a pagoda in the city center and erected on an artificial hill which houses sacred relics, a symbol of the capital, Phnom Penh.

Overnight: Phnom Penh

Transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (approximately a 5-hour drive) via the RN6. This ancient road, already used by the Khmers centuries ago, will take you to Kompong Kdei, where you will discover a magnificent Angkorian bridge: Spean Praptos, or Praptos Bridge. It has more than twenty arches and offers an incredible panorama of the surrounding countryside.

You'll then quickly reach Kompong Thom province. En route, you'll pass through the town of Skuon, or Spiderville, where you can try the local specialty: fried tarantula.

Arrive in Siem Reap midday. Check into your hotel.

The end of the day is free for your own exploration.

Overnight: Siem Reap

The morning begins with the most iconic of all temples: Angkor Wat. Construction began during the reign of Suryavarman in the 12th century. The complex covers nearly 210 hectares and reveals to visitors the majesty and beauty of its impressive architecture, its sandstone bas-reliefs, and its representations of Vishnu and other Buddhist deities.

Afternoon, visit Banteay Srei, a temple built in the 10th century. Dedicated to Shiva, also known as the Citadel of Women, it is renowned for the finesse of its pink sandstone lintels depicting Aspara dancers or scenes from Hindu mythology.

On the way back, visit Sras Srang, the “Ablutions pool” and the Buddhist temple Ta Prohm, where nature reclaims its rights, and giant roots surround the monuments.

In the late afternoon, departure to reach Phnom Bakheng to watch the sunset over Angkor Wat.

Overnight: Siem Reap

Departure by tuk-tuk to Preah Khan, a temple built in 1191 in honour of the first Mahayana Buddhist king of Angkor. It is remarkable for its vaulted corridors, its sculpted friezes, and above all because nature is omnipresent there: lichen covers the bas-relief,s and the cheese trees serve as supports for a large part of the temple.

Visit the Neak Pean temple. This island-temple, also called "Tangled Nagas," sits at the center of a large pool, itself adjoined by four smaller pools that symbolize Anavatapta, a sacred lake in the Himalayas. Visit the Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda temples, built in the 12th century. Their Devatas, these female deities, as well as their sandstone lintels, are of rare finesse.

In the afternoon, explore Angkor Thom, the Great City. This architectural splendour abounds in symbolism. There are numerous monuments to see, including the Bayon, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King, and countless sculpted figures. The grandeur and foundations of Khmer civilization are encapsulated in this extraordinary place.

Overnight: Siem Reap

Departure to Prei Monti Village for an unusual discovery of Cambodian life. A bike ride through the heart of the villages, passing vegetable plantations, rice paddies, and a local market.

You will then continue your journey to the great Tonlé Sap lake and your boat to the village of Kompong Phluk. You will sail for a few moments and then reach the heart of this astonishing medieval floating village, where the houses stand proudly on stilts more than seven meters above the water level of the lake.

You'll have the opportunity to observe life in this lakeside village. Stop at one of the village's houses to learn more about the lives of fishermen on the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, a veritable inland sea: fishing techniques, and private crocodile breeding grounds.

Each year, the water level of the lake varies from 4 to 8 m, flooding all the lands and forests of this region (from August to February). Depending on the season, we can enter these flooded forests using wooden canoes or take a walk there.

Drive back to Siem Reap. Free time until transfer to the airport for your departure flight.