Bay to Temples - Vietnam to Cambodia
Hanoi - Halong - Hue - Danang - Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

Itinerary

Day 1 - Hanoi - Halong

• Arrival in Hanoi
• By vehicle from Hanoi to Halong Bay: Journey east along Highway 5 across Hai Hung Province and around Halong Bay.
• Overnight in Halong

Day 2 - Halong - Hanoi

• Excursion by boat through Halong Bay (4 hours)
Cruise on a traditional wooden boat among the emerald waters and craggy limestone cliffs of Halong Bay, stopping at different islands to explore some of the many caves in this area. Sail past floating villages, fishermen casting their nets and pearl fisheries and observe the rhythms of daily life on the bay.
• By vehicle from Halong to Hanoi: Journey around Halong Bay to Hai Phong and west along Highway 5, across Hai Hung Province.
• Overnight in Hanoi

Day 3 - Hanoi

• Sightseeing in Hanoi
Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very attractive city with French style buildings and less traffic than other cities in Asia.
• One Pillar Pagoda: built by the Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. Constructed of wood on a single stone pillar, it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom.
• Temple of Litterature: founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, who dedicated it to Confucius in order to honor scholars and men of literary accomplishment.
• Hoan Kiem Lake: right in the heart of Hanoi, this lake contains an islet with the tiny Tortoise Pagoda, topped with a red star.
• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: in the tradition of Lenin and Stalin before him and Mao after him, the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh is a glass sarcophagus set deep in the bowels of a monumental edifice that has become a site of pilgrimage. The Mausoleum is open only in the mornings, and is closed on Mondays and Fridays. Every year, it closes in October and November for renovation and maintenance.

• Opera House: a magnificent 900-seat opera house built in 1911. (May be viewed from the outside only).
• St Joseph Cathedral: a neo-Gothic cathedral finished in 1886, it is noteworthy for its square towers, elaborate altar and stained-glass windows.
In the afternoon, visit one of the following museums:
• History Museum (Bao Tang Lich): once the museum of the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, is a building constructed of reinforced concrete completed in 1930. Exhibits include artefacts from Vietnam's turbulent history including some from prehistory, proto-Vietnamese civilisations, the Dong Son culture, the Oc-Eo culture and the Khmer Kingdoms.
• Museum of Ethnology: This museum brings to life the astonishing ethnic diversity in Vietnam, with art and artifacts from the 54 different ethnic groups that inhabit the country. Inside the museum are detailed descriptions of minority groups, with examples of their traditional clothing and way of life. Outside are faithful reconstructions of traditional longhouses, cemeteries and other distinctive ethnic buildings.
• Overnight in Hanoi

Day 4 - Hanoi - Hue

• Transfer
• Flight from Hanoi to Hue
• Transfer
• Sightseeing in the Old Imperial City
• Imperial City: located in the Citadel, it was built in the early 19th century and modeled after the Forbidden City in Peking. There are numerous palaces and temples within these walls, as well as towers, a library and a museum.
• Ngo Mon Gate: the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure, facing the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved for use by the emperor, as was the bridge across the lotus pond.
• Thai Hoa Palace: built in 1803 and moved to its present site in 1833, Thai Hoa Palace is a spacious hall with an ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns.
• Halls of the Mandarins: these buildings, in which the mandarins prepared for court ceremonies held in the Can Chanh Reception Hall, were restored in 1977.
• Nine Dynastic Urns: these were cast in 1835-36. Traditional ornamentation was then chiseled into the sides of the urns, each dedicated to a different Nguyen sovereign.
• Forbidden Purple City: this was reserved for the personal use of the emperor. The only servants allowed into the compound were eunuchs, who would pose no threat to the royal concubines. (Today the site is in ruins).Visit the Imperial Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
• Tu Duc Tomb: Emperor Tu Duc, who ruled Hue more than 100 years ago, built his tomb when he was still alive and used it for meditation, reading and theater performances. There are pavilions in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. The tomb was constructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc, who was the longest reigning Emperor, lived a luxurious life.Visit Dong Ba Market
• Dong Ba Market: a local market near the Imperial City
• Overnight in Hue

Day 5 - Hue - Danang

• Visit the Thien Mu Pagoda with a boat trip on the Huong Giang river
• Thien Mu Pagoda: just outside of Hue, on the bank of the Perfume River, this was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Behind the main sanctuary of the pagoda is the Austin motorcar which transported the monk Thich Quang Duc to the site of his 1963 self-immolation.
• By vehicle from Hue to Danang
Journey south along Highway 1 past the Hai Van Pass and Lang Co.
• Hai Van Pass: the pass crosses over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that just into the South China Sea. It is an incredible mountainous stretch of highway with spectacular views.
• Lang Co: a pretty, island-like stretch of palm-shaded sand with a crystal-clear lagoon on one side and many km of beachfront facing the South China Sea.Sightseeing in Danang
Vietnam's fourth largest city marks the northern limits of Vietnam's tropical zone, boasting a pleasant year-round climate.

• Cham Museum: founded in 1915 by the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, the open-air collection of Cham sculpture is the finest in the world. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking.
• China Beach: made famous in the American TV series of the same name, it stretches for many kilometers north and south of the Marble Mountains. During the American War, soldiers were airlifted here for 'rest and relaxation'.
• Marble Mountains: Five stone hillocks, once islands, made of marble. Each is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. The largest and most famous, Thuy Son, has a number of natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. When the Champas ruled this area, these same caves were used as Hindu shrines.
• Overnight in Danang

Day 6 - Danang - Hoi An - Saigon

• Excursion by vehicle from Danang to Hoi An
Hoi An is a picturesque riverside town south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it was one of South East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It is good to see all the sites in Hoi An by walking around and/or by cyclo. You will vist five of the following sights.
• Quan Cong Temple: founded in 1653, this Chinese temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, whose partially gilt statue is in the central altar at the back of the sanctuary. Stone plaques on the walls list contributors to the contruction and repair of the temple.
• Phuoc Kien Pagoda: Chinese pagoda built around 1690 and then restored and enlarged in 1900. It is typical of the Chinese 'clans' that were established in the Hoi An area. The temple is dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Goddess of the Sea and Protector of Sailors and Fishermen).
• Japanese Covered Bridge: the first bridge on this site was constructed in 1593. It was built by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream. The bridge was provided with a roof so it could be used as a shelter from rain and sun.
• Diep Dong Nguyen House: built for a Chinese merchant, an ancestor of the present inhabitants, in the late 19th century. The front room on the ground floor was once a dispensary for Thuoc Bac (Chinese medicine).

• Tran Family Chapel: this house for worshipping ancestors was built about 200 years ago with donations from the family members. The Tran family traces its origins to China and moved to Vietnam around 1700. The architecture of the building reflects the influence of Chinese and Japanese styles.
• Sa Huynh Museum: located near the Japanese covered Bridge, it contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history.
• Trading Ceramics Museum: museum offering a display of old Hoi An ceramics.
• Quan Thang House: one of the oldest and nicest houses in Hoi An. There are some especially fine carvings on the wooden walls of the rooms around the courtyard.
• Phung Hung House: one family has been living here for already 8 generations. The house is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese style.
• Quang Dong Pagoda: this pagoda was open to all Chinese traders or seamen and is dedicated to Thien Hau – it’s a small chinese style temple with a lintel gate, a rockery courtyard and lucky animals depicted in statuary.
• Chua Chuc Thanh Pagoda: founded in 1454 by Minh Hai, a Buddhist monk from China, is the oldest pagoda in Hoi An. Among the antique ritual objects still in use are several bells, a stone gong two centuries old and a carp-shaped wooden gong said to be even older.Transfer
• Flight from Danang to Saigon
• Transfer
• Overnight in Saigon

Day 7 - Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

• Sightseeing in Saigon and Cholon (Chinatown)
Saigon is the largest of Vietnamese cities, with the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life visible everywhere. There are street markets, sidewalk cafes and sleek new bars. The city churns and bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. To the west of the city is District 5, the huge Chinese neighborhood called Cholon, which means 'Big Market'.
• Notre Dame Cathedral: built between 1877 and 1883 and set in the heart of Saigon's government quarter. It has a neo-Romanesque form and two high square towers, tipped with iron spires. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary.
• Central Post Office: a French-style building with a glass canopy and iron frame, situated next to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure was built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far the largest post office in Vietnam.
• City Hall: completed in 1908, also known as Hotel de Ville, and located at the northern end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard. With its ornate gingerbread façade, it looks like the town hall of a French town. (May be viewed from the outside only).
• Opera House: built around the turn of the century and first renovated in the 1940s, the building housed the lower division of the National Assembly. Today it is a Municipal Theatre and also known as the Saigon Concert Hall. (May be viewed from the outside only).
• Jade Emperor Pagoda: was a key meeting place for Chinese secret societies. It has very colorful and mysterious ambience.

• Reunification Palace: this was the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president and was stormed by tanks on 30 April 1975, signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state.
• War Remnant Museum: collections of weapons and photographs from two Indochina wars are exhibited along with the original French 'Guillotine' brought here in the early 20th century.
• Ben Thanh Market: the central market of Saigon, its surrounding streets make up one of the city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly eaten, worn or used by the average resident of Saigon is available here.
• Giac Lam Pagoda: the oldest pagoda in Saigon, built at the end of the 17th century. Because the last reconstruction here was in 1900, the architecture, layout and ornamentation remain almost unaltered by the modernist renovations that have transformed so many other religious structures in Vietnam. Ten monks live in this pagoda, which also incorporates aspects of Taoism and Confucianism.
• Binh Tay Market: Cholon's main marketplace, much of the business conducted here is wholesale.
• Thien Hau Pagoda: built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century. The pagoda is one of the most active in Cholon and is dedicated to Thien Hau. It is said that she can travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she pleases.
• Overnight in Saigon

Day 8 - Saigon - Phnom Penh

• Transfer
• Flight from Saigon to Phnom Penh
• Arrival in Phnom Penh
• Transfer
• Sightseeing in Phnom Penh
Cambodia's capital sits at the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers. Considered the loveliest of the French-built cities of Indochina, it was founded as a small monastery in 1372 by a rich Khmer woman called Penh after she found four Buddha statues in a tree trunk on the banks of the Mekong. She set up the monastery on a nearby hill or "phnom" in Cambodian.
• Wat Phnom: a temple and location of the first pagoda on this site built in 1372 by Penh to house the four Buddha statues found on the banks of the Mekong. It is the only hill (27 meters) in the capital.
• Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda: the royal palace stands on the site of the former citadel, Bantey Kev (built in 1813). Visitors are not allowed in some portions of the grounds, as the palace is the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni. The silver pagoda is often called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Preah Kaeo after the statue housed there. The wooden temple was originally built by King Norodom in 1892 and inside, its floor is comprised of more than 5000 silver blocks which together weigh nearly 6 tons.

• National Museum: designed by a French archeologist and painter, George Groslier, in Khmer style in 1920 to exhibit works previously scattered throughout the country. It contains a collection of Khmer art including the beautiful 6th century bronze statue of Vishnu.
• Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide): formerly the Tuol Svay Prey High School, in 1975 it became the Khmer Rouge's main torture and interrogation center. It was known as Security Prison 21, or just S-21.
• Central (Russian) Market: Visit one of Phnom Penh's two great markets. The Central Market is located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building, and is filled with jewelry, fabrics and all types of souvenirs. The Russian Market is a sprawling labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, jewelry and more. Both are fascinating places to browse.
• Overnight in Phnom Penh

Day 9 - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

• Transfer
• Flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
• Transfer
• Sightseeing in Angkor: a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between 1131 and 1150. It was constructed over a period of 30 years and is world famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. In 1992 the UNESCO declared the monument and the whole city of Angkor a World Heritage Site.
• Visit Angkor Thom: a fortified Royal City (10 square kilometers) built by King Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181 to 1201. The city has five monumental gates and is encircled by a moat 100 meters wide. In the center of the walled city are the city’s most important monuments including Bayon, Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimeanakas with Royal Enclosure.
• Bayon: Jayavarman VII's temple mountain that stands at the center of Angkor Thom. It is one of the most popular of Angkor's monuments and a place of narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs and an amazing collection of towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces.
• Baphuon: the pyramid shape represents the mythical Mount Meru and marks the center of the city that was here before Angkor Thom.
• Phimeanakas: near the center of what was once the royal palace within Angkor Thom. Phimeanakas means ‘Celestial Palace’, though today there is not much left to indicate its former splendour.
• Former Royal Palace: nothing remains today except two pools that were used by royalty for washing.
• Terrace of Elephants: this terrace was used for viewing public ceremonies and was a base for the King’s grand audience hall. The famous lines of elephants are at either end of the retaining walls.
• Terrace of the Leper King: North of the Terrace of Elephants is a platform named ‘Terrace of the Leper King’. On the platform is a nude statue – one of Angkor’s mysteries.
• Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 10 - Siem Reap

• Sightseeing in Angkor
• Visit Banteay Srei Temple: built in the late 10th century, it is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. The temple is square with entrances on the east and west. Of main interest are the three central towers which are decorated with male and female divinities and beautiful filigree relief work.
• Banteay Samre: built in the middle of the 12th century under Suryavarman II, and dedicated to the god Vishnu.
• Ta Phrom: one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.
• Prasat Kravan: the five brick towers were built for Hindu worship in 921 and are notable for the bas-reliefs cut into the bricks on the interior walls.
• Banteay Kdei: a massive Buddhist temple dating from the second half of the 12th century. It is surrounded by four concentric walls, the outer walls measuring 500 by 700 meters.Visit Ta Keo
• Ta Keo: built by Jayavarman V who ruled from 968 to 1001), it was the first Angkorian monument built entirely of sandstone and was dedicated to Shiva. The summit of the central tower is 50 meters high and is surrounded by four lower towers.
• Thommanon: temple which mirrors Chau Say Tevoda (just to the north), as it was built around the same time and has a similar plan. It is also dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.
• Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 11 - Siem Reap

• Transfer

Prices

USD p.p Booking Var A Var B Var C All prices are per person in USD, based on twin-sharing in double rooms in the default hotel for the listed category. Above prices are subject to US$14/Person airport tax for all international flights out of Vietnam from 1 November 2006 which will be calculated as a seperate service on top of the international airfares in all quotations and invoices. * Meal plan: ABF. ** Reduction for 3rd pax in triple room Var. A:$69; Var. B:$80; Var. C:$274 *** Child reduction (sharing bed of parents): under 2 years FOC; under 12 years -30%. NOTE: The itinerary can slightly change according to the season, local conditions, climate, flight schedules and room availability. Hotel Var A Var B Var C Halong Bay Sunlight Hotel Superior Van Hai Hotel ROH Halong Pearl SUP room Mithrin SUP room Halong Plaza SUP room Heritage Halong SUP room Tuan Chau DLX Pine Hill Hanoi Phuc Loi Hotel Standard Ha Long Hotel Hanoi ROH Prince Hanoi Hotel ROH Huy Hoang 1 2nd Class Ocean Hotel ROH Green Park Hotel ROH Melia Hotel Deluxe Nikko Hotel Hanoi ROH-Leisure Sofitel Plaza Hanoi Deluxe Hue Imperial Garden Hotel Deluxe Ngoc Huong Hotel ROH Hue Heritage ROH Huong Giang Hotel Superior Gardenview Saigon Morin Hotel Superior Imperial Hotel Deluxe City View La Residence Hotel And Spa Superior Danang Bamboo Green SUP room Daesco Hotel Superior Faifo Hotel ROH Royal SUP room Saigon Tourane SUP room Furama Garden View Sandy Beach Resort Deluxe Garden View Saigon Saigon Star Hotel ROH Saigon Royal Hotel ROH Bong Sen Annex Economy Chancery Hotel Standard Room Vien Dong Hotel ROH Windsor Plaza Hotel Executive Moevenpick Hotel Saigon Superior Equatorial Hotel Deluxe Phnom Penh New York Hotel Standard Princess Hotel Phnom Penh Standard The Juliana Hotel Superior Inter Continental Hotel Deluxe Siem Reap Monica Angkor Hotel Standard Soria Moria Boutique Hotel Standard Nokor Phnom Hotel Standard Angkor Holiday Hotel Deluxe Standard Borei Angkor Hotel Deluxe Khemara Angkor Hotel ROH Lotus Angkor Hotel Deluxe Angkor Palace Resort & Spa Deluxe Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa Superior We will confirm one of the hotels mentioned above according to the selected category. Please note that compulsory gala dinners and peak season surcharges may apply during peak periods surrounding the public holidays of Christmas and New Year - these surcharges will be confirmed at the time of booking. Included in the price:(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) Accommodation and meals as described (please note that some hotels provide only CBF). All transfers within the journey, including pick-up at airport. Domestic airfares as states in the itinerary in economy class. All entrance fees. English, French or German speaking guides (other languages available upon request). Not included in the price: Visa fees. Airport taxes.

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