Vietnam beauty and Siem Reap Mystery

Upon arrival, our Authentik Travel’s tour guide and driver will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel in the city center.
After briefing tour, our tour guide will give you some first information about our country
Overnight in Saigon.

Meet our tour guide and driver at your htoel to enjoy a full day city tour.

Visit the Reunification palace (or the war memorials Museum), Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office inspired by Orsay Station in Paris.
Then, transfer to Cho Lon District to discover its old quarter, Binh Tay Market and the colorful Quan Am pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in the city. Its architecture and decorations have remained since its construction.

Return to Saigon city for a walk in the city center visiting sites like the former Catinat streets, the Opera house, City Hall as well as Ben Thanh market.
Overnight in Saigon.

Get picked up from your hotel and transfer to Cai Be ( 120km – 2.5 hour driving). Visit Cao Dai temple on route.

Upon arrival, embark on a boat trip on a branch of the Mekong River to Vinh Long. Experience the rhythm of life on the legendary Mekong River with a visit to Cai Be floating market and the orchid canals .
Visit crafts workshops of rice, popcorn, coconut caramel and rice cake.
Cycle or walk on the village paths to discover the ancient and beautiful Phu Chau pagoda where serenity reigns and meet the local people.

Enjoy  lunch in an open air restaurant where you can taste a famous local specialty, the Elephant ear fish. Then enjoy tasting delicious fruits while rowing a small rowboat in the canals shaded by the fruit trees.
Continue your boat trip to Vinh Long and meet our driver at the pier for a transfer to Can Tho. Arrive in Can Tho in the late afternoon.  Check in at your hotel and relax.

Enjoy free time on your own to discover the city located on the Mekong River.
Stay overnight in Can Tho.
 

Have breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the pier for a boat trip to visit Cai Rang floating market, the largest and most lively market in the Mekong Delta.

There are so many colors and smells in the bubbling atmosphere where hundreds of sampans are filled with goods such as rice, fruits, and craft products. Everything is shown to sell from the early morning.
Leave the market and continue the boat trip through the canals and visit a fruit garden (Option - replace the garden with the nursery field by the river)
Head back to An Binh Market which is full of fish, fruits and vegetables.

Stop at Binh Thuy ancient house which contains the orchid garden where “The Lover” was filmed.
Transfer back to Saigon and arrive in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Saigon
 

Transfer to airport for flight to Danang, pick up and transfer to Hoian ancient town.

Enjoy a city tour in Hoian ancient town which is listed in the Heritage of Humans.

Some real treasures that need to be discovered are Hoian Museum, Japanese bridge, China Town, Quan Thang ancient house, the local market and the old busy port of the 15th century for the international boats from China, Netherlands, Japan, and Poland.
Finally, visit the Thang Loi silk factory, known as a good establishment in Hoian to have tailor-made silk clothes.

In the evening, Embark on a small boat in Hoian town then depart to Thu Bon River which was once a very busy exchange place for a lot of international ships throughout the 15th century. The boat trip will take you along the river. This is a good chance for you to appreciate the landscape of the peaceful village by the river bank and admire the fishermen’s activities on the river. Enjoy the sunset in the late afternoon from April to November.
Overnight at Hoian.

Get picked up from you hotel in Hoian Town and transfer to Thanh Ha village, located 2km from the town.
The village is known for its pottery restoration activities and we can view the village’s pottery in the ancient house in the town. There are still 23 families who have done pottery as their main job since the 16th century. 

After the visit to Thanh Ha, we will discover the village’s private porcelain museum.
Then the boat trip will take us to Kim Bong village. On the boat, you will immerse yourselves into the comfortable fresh air and enjoy the idyllic landscapes on both sides of the river.
This village has long been known for its wood carving. At first, the artisans inherited the techniques from the northern Vietnamese. Later, from business exchange, they could successfully adopt the know-how of Chinese and Japanese sculptures and cultivate their own style.

Stroll around the village to understand their daily life and visit a carpenter's workshop to admire their talent. It is possible to buy some wood products for your souvenirs.
Return to Hoian town by boat.

Depart from Hoian ancient town to Hue. Drive along the coastline and arrive in Danang. Enjoy a walk to My Khe beach where you can enjoy the view of giant Goodness of Mercy statues in the Linh Ung Pagoda. Take photos of fishermen by the beach and visit the Cham Museum which preserves the most important Cham culture collections in the world.

Continue to Hue on the Mandarin Road via Sea Cloud Pass (Hai Van Pass). Stop on the top of the pass to enjoy the breathtaking view to the ocean and Da Nang city.
Arrive in Hue and check in to your hotel.

 

Transfer to the pier by the Perfume River bank to embark a Royal boat trip to the villages in the East of the city. This is an opportunity to discover the local life on the both sides of this poetic river.

Upon arrival in Tien Nom village, disembark for a bike ride (or  motorbike) in the countryside through three villages: Tien Nom, Thanh Tien and Sinh village.  The trip will immerse you into the daily rhythm of life in the villages.
In Tien Non Village, meet the villagers working on the fields and vegetable gardens. Then, visit a family worship house in the village.

Next, reach Thanh Tien village, an artificial paper flower village dating back 400 years. Besides the rural works, they make paper flowers for the New Year festival to offer their ancestors the best wishes. Visit Mr. Hieu’s family, one of the well-known artisans in the village to learn how to make paper flowers under his instruction. 

Keep going to Sinh Village, a cradle of 400 year folklore prints in Hue. Meet Mr. Phuoc who will explain the techniques of traditional prints. You will find beautiful souvenirs on this trip.
Finally, take the boat back to the city.

In the afternoon, visit Thien Mu Pagoda,  one of the oldest pagodas in Hue, dating back to 1601. This is the spiritual highlight of the city and well known for its majestic octagon tower and beautiful view of the Perfume River.
Then, continue to the most anticipated site in Hue, Hue citadel, the only vestige symbol for what was once the imperial city of Vietnam. It is inspired by the fortification of Vauban. The city is composed of three parts: Kinh Thanh (the Capital city), Hoang Thanh (the Imperial city) and Cam Thanh (the Forbidden City). The most beautiful sites in Hue are concentrated in this area including the flag tower, the South gate, the palace of supreme Harmony, the Dynasty temple area and the settlement area. 
Back to your hotel in the late afternoon.

At 8.00, transfer upstream of the Perfume river to visit the emperor, Minh Mang's tomb, an architectural masterpiece that harmoniously highlights the nature and imperial religious works.

After that, we will voyage along the Perfume River to Thuy Bieu Village taking in the picturesque landscapes on both sides. After 1 hour, we arrive in Thuy Bieu known for its divine grapefruit trees where you can take a bike around the village under the shade of the grapefruit trees and enjoy their pleasant perfume aroma and the harvested straw. The peaceful atmosphere is in every corner of the village.

Then, visit a temple dedicated to the village protector, a traditional garden house built several centuries ago. This is a wonderful opportunity to stop for great photos and interact with the villagers working in the gardens and vegetable fields which should not be missed. 

Lunch is served at Mrs. Loan in the village of Thuy Bieu.
In the afternoon, take a short flight to Hanoi. On arrival, our tour guide and driver will welcome you and transfer to your hotel in the city center.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Exploring the Temple of Literature or Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, the outstanding Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, visiting the French Quarter, and discovering the Hanoi Old Quarter

9:00 AM: Get picked up by tour guide to the Temple of Literature which was built under the Ly dynasty in the 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching Royal children. Enjoy a walk in the garden to the city’s symbol Khue Van Cac. You will then visit the World Heritage "stone steles” which shows the names of outstanding students. Continue to explore the Quoc Tu Giam which is considered the first national university of Vietnam.

The next stop is the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into Vietnamese culture through traditional costumes, tools, musical instruments, and traditional houses of many ethnic groups. To fully explore this interesting museum, it takes you around two hours. 

In the afternoon, visit (outside) Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum before continuing the day with a walking tour in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Start with a small pagoda named Ba Da quietly located in a small alley - only a few steps from the Hanoi Great Cathedral, built by French colonialism in the 19th century. Your tour guide takes you to typical streets of Hanoi, such as Lan Ong Street, which sells traditional medicine, and Lo Ren Street, where metal items are produced. Stop to visit the Dong Xuan Central Market - the largest in Hanoi. Continue walking to the famous area for night activities and street food - Ta Hien Street, where you can see the vibrant streets with a lot of amazing local foods and drinks. Try to taste some for an unforgettable experience.

Return to the city center and take a break before attending the water puppet show, a unique performance that originated in the 11th century. These shows depict the daily life, culture, and beliefs of the Vietnamese people through puppets moving on water. The performance often includes traditional music as well.

Come back to the hotel. End of the day​

8.30am, pick up and transfer to Halong Bay
12h30 – 13h00          Embark Cruise followed by a short cruise briefing.
13h30 – 14h30          Savor a delectable lunch on cruises among the limestone islands.
15h00 – 16h00          Explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave – the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay.
16h00 – 17h00          Cruising to Titov island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Titov or climb up to the top of the island for a panorama view of Halong Bay.
17h00 – 17h30          Return to the main boat and continue cruising to the quiet area while enjoy beautiful seascape on the way.
17h30 – 19h00          Enjoy Sunset Party on sundeck and admire the best moments of the day when the sun starts to set.
19h00                        Dinner is served. Socialize with other guests, take part in board games, fish for squid, or just laze around.
Overnight on board.

06h30 – 07h00          Start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt.
07h00 – 07h30          Have breakfast on board and enjoy the peaceful morning of Halong Bay.
08h30 – 09h30          Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Drum Cave.
09h45 Return to the boat. Freshen up and check out of your cabin.
10h00 – 10h30          Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more.
10h30 – 11h30          While heading back to the harbor, watch the fruit carving demonstration and participate in the Cooking Class before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch.
11h45 – 12h00          Disembark the cruise and take a transfer back to Hanoi and directly to airport for a short flight to  Siem Reap.

Upon arrival, our local tour guide will welcome you at small charming Siem Reap international airport and transfer a short distance to the down town. Check in your hotel and enjoy a briefing tour as well as some first information about this beautiful region.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast at your hotel, meet our tour guide and enjoy a full day discovering the mysterious Angkor complex temples, starting from the South Gate of Angkor Thom, known as Big Angkor, the last capital of Angkor Empire surrounded by a wall and moat.

Bayon temple is in the heart of Angkor Thom. It is a special architecture with 54 towers and 4 smiling face statues. All are impressive bas-relief. 
Our guide will lead you to the Terrace of Elephant. This is a terrace wall adorned with carved elephants Followed by Baphuon – a huge temple mountain and Terrace of the Leper King – a double wall carved with many mythological beings.

Traveling out of Angkor Thom and through the jungle will lead us to the sacred Ta Prohm temple ruin which is a great combination between human genius and natural beauty. Admire giant trees which have grown here for centuries. This is also the place where the “Tomb Raider” was filmed.
Lunch will be served in the restaurant by the Srah Srang Lake.
In the afternoon, discover Angkor Wat temple, the largest Khmer temple and the finest example of architecture and Angkorian art.

Enjoy the sunset from the Phnom Bakeng hill before returning to your hotel for dinner and relaxation.
Stay overnight in Siem Reap.
 

Meet our tour guide and driver at your hotel and enjoy a trip to Rolous Group. This is the ancient capital of King Indravarman I during 877AD – 889AD, also known as the birth place of the classical Khmer art and Architecture.
Among the Roluos Group temples, there are some of the earliest permanent structures built by the Khmer empire, dating from the late 9th century. Some were totally built with bricks, others built with laterite or sandstone.
In the afternoon, visit Bantey Srei temple known as the Women’s citadel and a cradle of the Angkor’s finest stone carving.
The temple is a masterpiece built with red sandstone.
Return to Siem Reap and relax
 

Transfer to Tonle Sap Lake, located 10km from the city center. On arrival, embark a boat and discover the largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia, known as one of the world’s most varied and productive ecosystems the region that has always been of central importance for Cambodia's food provision.

Discover the beauty of the water landscape and local life on the lake, visit a floating village and enjoy the encounters with the locals.

Back to hotel and free to relax in the afternoon or discover the local Siem Reap market for your souvenirs before going home.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

Free till transfer to airport for your flight home or next destinations.

Tour ends.