Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam Explorer

Itinerary

• Day 1: Bangkok

  Welcome to Bangkok! Upon your arrival, your guide will greet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

  Bangkok

• Day 2: Bangkok - Grand Palace

  In the early morning, stroll around the colorful flower and vegetable market and take a deep breath on the fragrance of the beautiful blossom and fresh fruit! Next, head to the gorgeous and luxurious Grand Palace. Wat Phra Kaew inside the palace is the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand.

  After a delicious lunch, start your leisurely long-tail boat tour along the canal. The final stop is fantastic Wat Arun, a temple whose design is very different from the others in Bangkok.

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• Day 3: Bangkok - Train Market

  Your morning tour will commence from the Train Market in suburban Bangkok. The market is well-known for its delicious seafood and the noticeable train tracks running right through the middle, clearing the market when a train passes through! This will be followed by a trip to the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, where you can taste various delicious local snacks including sticky rice and hot soup with fish balls. You will then head back to Bangkok, where you will spend the remaining time at the Jim Thompson House, which features a large collection of artwork from the prominent American silk-merchant and entrepreneur Jim Thompson.

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• Day 4: Bangkok - Siem Reap

  Enjoy a small break before leaving for the airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, your local guide will greet you and accompany you to your hotel for check-in. You will enjoy the rest of the day in this historical city at leisure.

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• Day 5: Siem Reap - Angkor Wat

  Today, head out for a visit to the well-known South Gate of Angkor Thom, which features giant statues lined up in procession with gods on one side and demons on the other. Continue to the Bayon Temple, known for its two impressive sets of bas-reliefs, presenting an unusual combination of mythological, historical and mundane scenes, and go on to visit the Elephant Terraces. In the afternoon, explore the most breathtaking monument at Angkor, the huge Angkor Wat ancient complex-built in the 12th Century as the funerary temple of Suryavarnam II. With its surreal bas-reliefs, Angkor never fails to impress its visitors. Later, proceed to the Bakheng Hill (Bakheng Temple), where you will marvel at the unparalleled sunset over Angkor Wat and the surrounding jungle landscape.

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• Day 6: Siem Reap Highlights

  In the early morning, you can appreciate the impressive sunrise overlooking Angkor Wat. Later, you will have your breakfast at the hotel or can opt to eat out. After this, visit some local villages before heading for one of the best-known tourist sites-the Banteay Srei Temple, famed for its remarkable preservation and the impressive decorative carvings. Later, enjoy an exotic spread for your lunch at a local restaurant. The rest of your day will be enriched by a visit to the ancient Ta Prohm Temple with trees growing out of the ruins and nestled in jungle surroundings and the Ta Keo Temple, possibly the first to be built entirely of sandstone by the Khmers.

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• Day 7: Siem Reap - Tonle Sap Lake - Ho Chi Minh City

  In the morning, embark on a journey to the exotic Khmer Village, where you can take in the scenic rice field, lovely palm trees and fresh air-you will totally immerse yourself in this wonderful land. As the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, the Tonle Sap Lake will make your next memorable trip, as you can have the chance to see the real life of the local fishermen, floating houses, and children playing with big snakes! After lunch, you will fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon your arrival, you will be met by your local guide and taken to your hotel for check-in. You'll then be free for the rest of the day.

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• Day 8: Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnels - Ho Chi Minh City

  Starting the day, you will take part in an incredible underground trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a gigantic underground network established by the Vietcong during the Vietnam-American War or War of Independence as it is known in the country. Then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City for five other famous tourist sites-the Ben Thanh Market, the War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace (formerly the Presidential Palace), the Old Saigon Post Office and the Dong Khoi Street, which is home to many French colonial-era buildings-all of which show the many changes in Ho Chi Minh City's vibrant history.

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• Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City

  Today, head out for the day-long Mekong Delta cycling tour, before taking a two-hour drive to Cai Be. While in the delta, you can enjoy numerous thrilling activities. You can commence a boat trip to visit the famous Cai Be Floating Market, a charming representation of local life-abundant and multifarious goods are sold and transacted from boats, followed by an island trip to see how coconut candies, popcorn, and rice paper are produced there. Later, you will have a chance to taste the local cuisine with a local family, arranged especially for you. After lunch, you will discover the mysterious village on a bike ride, where you could meet hospitable local farmers and learn how rice is grown (please note this depends on the season).

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• Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi City Tour

  Before flying to Hanoi, there will be a short interval. As soon as you arrive, you will embark on the following trips in succession: the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda. Then have lunch at a local restaurant before heading to your hotel for check-in. In the afternoon, proceed to the Old Quarter of Hanoi, which is known for its rich history, distinctive architecture and abundant range of products where you can also experience local life by rickshaw. As one of the major scenic spots in the city, you will be enchanted by the serene Hoan Kiem Lake, where you can enjoy the traditional Water Puppet Show.

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• Day 11: Hanoi - Halong Bay

  Today, the ethereal Halong Bay cruise will provide a splendid and memorable excursion for you. You will arrive at Halong Bay after a three-hour drive from Hanoi. Designated as a World Heritage Site in 1994, with nearly 2,000 limestone islands dotted along the coastline, Halong Bay boasts a beautiful natural landscape. During the cruise, you will experience traditional sampans, unique grottos, thick forests and hidden coves. If you would like to enrich your journey further, a number of optional activities are also available, including kayaking, swimming, and diving.

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• Day 12: Halong Bay - Hanoi

  You will continue your morning excursion of the magnificent Halong Bay. After brunch, you will be met at the pier and driven back to the hotel at about 4 pm. The rest of the day can be spent at your own leisure in Vietnam.

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• Day 13: Hanoi, Departure

  Enjoy some free time before you transfer to the airport for your flight home.

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