Itinerary
- Day 1
Phnom Penh
You'll arrive in Phnom Penh and have time to settle into your accommodation. If your flight gets in early, there's a chance to walk around the French colonial streets before the 6pm welcome meeting. Dinner that evening is with your group at a riverside restaurant where you can try local specialties like beef lok lak or fish amok.
Optional Activities
- Stroll the streets of Phnom Penh to view French colonial architecture
- Day 2
Phnom Penh
Today is a full city tour covering significant historical sites. You'll visit the Silver Pagoda inside the Royal Palace complex, then move on to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former school used during the Khmer Rouge period. The Killing Fields at Choeung Ek follows, where you'll see the stupa containing 8,000 human skulls. If interested, there's an optional visit to Wat Phnom temple. The evening is free to relax by the riverfront.
Included Activities
- Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda visit
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) visit
- The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek visit
Optional Activities
- Visit to Wat Phnom temple
Landmarks Silver Pagoda Royal Palace Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) Killing Fields of Choeung Ek Wat Phnom - Day 3
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
The drive to Siem Reap takes about 7 hours with stops along the way. You'll have lunch at a local village restaurant during the journey. After arriving, walk through the old market to browse silks, cottons, sarongs, and silver items while checking out the street food vendors. If you're interested, there's a shadow puppet show available this evening at a local restaurant, served with Cambodian amok curry.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at local village restaurant)
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk in Siem Reap
Optional Activities
- Visit to old market
- Shadow puppet show in the evening
- Day 4
Siem Reap
You have a full day at Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage site. An optional early sunrise visit to Angkor Wat can be arranged through your leader. During the day tour, you'll see Bayon temple with its 200+ carved smiling faces, ancient monasteries, and meet a Buddhist monk for a blessing ritual. Lunch is at Spoons Restaurant, a social enterprise training disadvantaged youth. You'll also visit Ta Prohm where nature has reclaimed the stone. Optional sunset viewing is available.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at The Spoon Restaurant and School, where disadvantaged youth learn hospitality skills)
Included Activities
- Angkor Temples guided tour
- One day Angkor Pass
- Monk Blessing ritual at ancient monastery
- Lunch at The Spoon Restaurant
Optional Activities
- Early sunrise visit to Angkor Wat before dawn
- Sunset view of the temples
Landmarks Angkor Wat Bayon Ta Prohm 
- Day 5
Siem Reap
After breakfast reflecting on the temples, head to Kampong Phluck, a lakeside village with wooden stilt houses built to handle seasonal flooding. You'll take a riverboat through mangrove forests and meet locals, then tour through rice fields and countryside around the traditional homes. Later, join a local family for sunset drinks and snacks at their place. The tour ends with a farewell dinner at a local restaurant celebrating Cambodian cuisine with your group.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner with fellow travellers at local restaurant with authentic Cambodian cuisine)
Included Activities
- Visit to Kampong Phluck lakeside village
- Countryside village walk & sunset drink with local family
- Farewell Dinner
Landmarks Kampong Phluck lakeside village - Day 6
Ho Chi Minh City
You'll arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and can visit Pham Ngu Lao Street's open-air market or Vinh Nghiem Pagoda if you get in early. The 6pm welcome meeting is where you'll meet your tour leader and fellow travelers. After that, head out as a group for dinner featuring fresh Vietnamese cuisine with herbs, lemongrass, and rich sauces.
Included Activities
- Welcome Dinner
Optional Activities
- Visit Pham Ngu Lao Street open-air market
- Visit Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
Landmarks Vinh Nghiem Pagoda - Day 7
Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, you'll head out of the city to explore Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network stretching over 120km that served as a Viet Cong stronghold. You'll see trapdoors, living areas, kitchens, storage, hospitals, and command centers. Back in Ho Chi Minh City, visit the War Remnants Museum featuring military equipment including an F5A fighter and UH1-Huey helicopter. The afternoon is free to explore at your pace, perhaps visiting Notre Dame, the Post Office, or Reunification Palace.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cu Chi Tunnels visit
- War Remnants Museum visit
Optional Activities
- Visit Notre Dame
- Visit Post Office
- Visit Reunification Palace
Landmarks Cu Chi Tunnels War Remnants Museum Notre Dame Cathedral Central Post Office Reunification Palace - Day 8
Ben Tre, Mekong Delta
Travel south by private bus to Ben Tre, then board a traditional boat to explore the Mekong Delta's waterways. You'll sample fresh tropical fruits and visit local cottage industries. A home-cooked lunch at a family's home gives you a taste of local hospitality. Around sunset, you'll arrive at your guesthouse where you'll spend the night with locals and have a regional specialty dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch (Home-cooked Vietnamese-style lunch at a local family home in the Mekong Delta), Dinner (Dinner at guesthouse featuring regional specialties)
Included Activities
- Boat cruise with visits to local producers
- Home-cooked lunch in Mekong Delta
Landmarks Mekong Delta 
- Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City
Start with tropical fruits for breakfast, then head back to Ho Chi Minh City by bus, arriving in the late afternoon. The evening is yours to explore and find great food with fellow travelers. Your leader knows the best spots across all budgets, and you might check out one of the city's vibrant rooftop bars if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Tropical fruits from Mekong Delta)
Optional Activities
- Explore Ho Chi Minh City's restaurants and food scenes
- Visit rooftop bars
- Day 10
Hoi An
Take a short flight to Danang, then travel to Hoi An. After settling in, have a traditional Vietnamese lunch trying local specialties like mi quang or cao lau noodles. Your leader will guide you through the World Heritage-listed Old Town, showing you Chinese temples, Japanese pagodas, French-colonial houses, wooden shop-houses, and old canals. The afternoon is free to explore optional activities or simply soak up the atmosphere by browsing Hoi An Market for paintings, woodwork, ceramics, and lanterns.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Vietnamese lunch with local specialty mi quang or cao lau noodles)
Included Activities
- Old Town walking tour
Optional Activities
- Wander Hoi An Market
Landmarks Hoi An Old Town Hoi An Market 
- Day 11
Hoi An
Today is free for you to explore Hoi An and the surrounding area at your own pace. Rent a bicycle and head to nearby Cua Dai Beach, or book an Urban Adventure like Hoi An Boat and Bike for a guided countryside ride and sunset cruise on the Thu Bon River. Food lovers can arrange optional culinary experiences showcasing the Old Town's food scene. Your leader can help set up optional activities.
Optional Activities
- Bicycle rental to Cua Dai Beach
- Hoi An Boat & Bike guided tour
- Hoi An Food Adventure
Landmarks Cua Dai Beach Thu Bon River - Day 12
Hoi An
Another free day in this historic town. You could rise early to watch shoppers haggling over fresh fish, spices, and vegetables at the local produce market. Alternatively, arrange an optional Vietnamese cooking class or visit My Son, Vietnam's most important Cham archaeological site set in a verdant valley surrounded by hills. The temples here are World Heritage-listed and reflect the Cham civilization that flourished between the 4th and 12th centuries.
Optional Activities
- Early visit to local produce market
- Vietnamese cooking class
- Visit to My Son ruins
Landmarks My Son Cat's Tooth Mountain - Day 13
Hue
Drive north over the Hai Van Pass, a scenic mountainous highway with views of Lang Co Beach where you'll stop to grab lunch. Then arrive in Hue, Vietnam's former Imperial capital. Visit the Imperial Citadel and explore the Forbidden Purple City, once reserved for the emperor and concubines. The partially destroyed palaces from wartime bombing tell a fascinating story of the city. The evening is yours to relax and enjoy this historic place.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at Lang Co Beach)
Included Activities
- Imperial City entrance and guided visit
- Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc
Landmarks Hai Van Pass Lang Co Beach Imperial Citadel of Hue Forbidden Purple City - Day 14
Hue
Start with a local breakfast of bun bo hue, a spiced beef noodle soup. Explore Hue's historical highlights including the 1601 Thien Mu Pagoda, an active Buddhist monastery. Lunch is a vegetarian feast at a local nunnery. You'll tour Emperor Tu Duc's royal tomb set among a lake, frangipani, and pine trees. After this full day, the evening is yours to discover why Hue is known for its culinary scene.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Local breakfast of bun bo hue, a spiced beef noodle soup), Lunch (Delicious vegetarian feast at a local Buddhist nunnery)
Included Activities
- Thien Mu Pagoda visit
- Vegetarian lunch at Buddhist nunnery
- Royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc visit
Landmarks Thien Mu Pagoda Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc - Day 15
Hanoi
After breakfast, fly from Hue to Hanoi. Enjoy lunch at KOTO restaurant, an Intrepid Foundation-supported program that trains disadvantaged youth in hospitality. Take a half-day tour capturing the beauty and history of this laidback, tree-lined capital. You'll visit the Temple of Literature and One Pillar Pagoda, pass by Hoan Kiem Lake, and explore the '36 Streets' of the Old Quarter, where each lane traditionally sells a specific product like silk, bamboo, ceramics, or kitchen items.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (KOTO restaurant, an Intrepid Foundation supported program teaching disadvantaged youth hospitality skills)
Included Activities
- KOTO lunch
- One Pillar Pagoda & HCM stilt house
- Temple of Literature
- Old Quarter Tour
Landmarks Temple of Literature One Pillar Pagoda Hoan Kiem Lake Old Quarter - Day 16
Ninh Binh
Depart Hanoi for UNESCO-protected Ninh Binh, often called 'Ha Long Bay on land' with its winding river between towering limestone mountains. Visit the 10th century Dinh and Le Temples dedicated to two Vietnamese kings. Head to a local home for traditional Vietnamese lunch with grilled beef wrapped in guise leaves, spring rolls, and fried fish with tomato sauce. The day ends with a rowboat cruise along Van Long wetland, paddling past dramatic limestone peaks and rice paddies with lotus ponds.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Vietnamese lunch at local home including grilled beef wrapped in guise leaves, spring rolls, and fried fish with tomato sauce)
Included Activities
- Hoa Lu
- Home Cooked Lunch
- Van Long wetland rowboat cruise
Landmarks Dinh Temple Le Temple Van Long 
- Day 17
Ninh Binh
Skip the alarm and explore Ninh Binh at your own pace this morning. In the afternoon, head to the action-packed Thung Nham ecotourism zone just outside town. Take a traditional rowboat through northern Vietnam's largest natural bird garden, floating past towering mountains surrounded by lush greenery and bird species. You'll explore cave systems including But Cave and Tien Ca Cave, then visit spiritual sights featuring a thousand-year-old banyan tree, Gii Dai Temple, and Linh Than Mieu before finishing at Thung Nham flower paradise.
Included Activities
- Thung Nham Ecotourism Zone
- Natural bird garden rowboat tour
- But Cave and Tien Ca Cave exploration
- Thousand-year-old banyan tree, Gii Dai Temple, Linh Than Mieu visit
Landmarks Thung Nham Ecotourism Zone But Cave Tien Ca Cave Gii Dai Temple - Day 18
Halong Bay
Travel by private minibus to Halong Bay, a World Heritage-listed site with emerald waters dotted with sandstone islands and caves. Cruise to explore Surprise Cave and surrounding rock formations. In warmer months, optional kayaking or swimming is available from Ti Top Island. This evening, spend the night on a traditional sailing junk boat with twin-share air-conditioned cabins and private facilities. All meals are on board including fresh seafood lunch and dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Fresh seafood lunch on traditional sailing junk boat), Dinner (Fresh seafood dinner on traditional sailing junk boat)
Included Activities
- Halong Bay overnight boat cruise
- Surprise Cave exploration
Optional Activities
- Kayaking (warmer months)
- Swimming from Ti Top Island (warmer months)
Landmarks Halong Bay Surprise Cave Ti Top Island 
- Day 19
Hanoi
Wake to scenic Halong Bay views from your boat and enjoy the turquoise waters one last time before heading back to Hanoi. Stop at Dong Trieu Factory to watch locals creating ceramic art pieces. Upon arrival in Hanoi, experience a unique water-puppet performance hosted by a local expert family. Gather with your group for dinner and try traditional Cha Ca La Vong, a fish dish with fresh herbs and noodles, as you reminisce about your Vietnam adventure.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Group dinner with traditional Cha Ca La Vong, a fish dish with fresh herbs and noodles)
Included Activities
- Halong Bay scenic morning viewing
- Dong Trieu Factory ceramic art visit
- Local water puppet performance
- Group dinner
Landmarks Dong Trieu Factory - Day 20
Hanoi
Your adventure ends after breakfast today with no activities planned. This gives you time to depart at your own pace. If you'd like to stay longer in Hanoi, additional accommodation can be arranged based on availability.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Extended stay in Hanoi (subject to availability)
