ID 13: Angkor wat, Mekong & Vietnam beach 13 days

Itinerary in Brief:

Day 1: Siem reap arrival (D)
Day 2: Siem reap – Angkor wat (B, L)
Day 3: Siem reap tour (B, L)
Day 4: Siem reap – Phnompenh (B, L, D)
Day 5: Phnompenh – Chau doc (B)
Day 6: Chau doc – Can Tho – Le cochinchine boat (B, L, D)
Day 7: Caibe – Saigon (B)
Day 8: Saigon city – Cu chi tunnel (B, L)
Day 9: Saigon – Phan thiet Mui ne beach (B)
Day 10: Mui ne relaxation (B)
Day 11: Muine – Saigon (B)
Day 12: Saigon departure (B)

Itinerary in Details:

Day 1: Siem reap arrival (D)
Upon arrival in Siem Reap, you will be pick up from the airport and transfer to the hotel in Siem Reap, check in, relax. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Siem Reap.

Day 2: Siem reap – Angkor tour (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning, visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond.
Afternoon, take elephant ride to Bayon temple, passing through the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century), Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Sunset at Angkor Wat.

Day 3: Siem reap – Angkor tour (B, L)
An early bird special:
Transfer to the archaeological site for the sunrise from the Phnom Bakheng, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat Or sunrise at Srah Srang.
Return to the hotel for breakfast.
Morning, transfer to Banteay Srei temple (10th C), regarded as the jewel in the crown of Classical Khmer Art. Continue to Ta Prohm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery.
In the afternoon, you continue your temple visits to Preah Khan. Built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Prea Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som and Banteay Samre, built in the third quarter of the 12th century. It consists of a central temple with four wings preceded by a hall and accompanied by two libraries, the southern example remarkably well preserved. Two concentric walls enclose the ensemble. 

Day 4: Siem Reap - Phnom Penh (B, L, D)
Morning, we will be transfer to airport for the flight to Phnompenh. Arrival transfer to the hotel. We then head out to Tonle Bati. Visit the laterite temple of Ta Prohm built by King Jayavarman VII (ruled 1181 to 1201), on the site of a 6th century Khmer shrine. The main sanctuary consists of five chambers with in each is a lingam. Then, visit Yeay Peau temple, named after King Ta Prohm's mother, located 150m north of Ta Prohm. Visit a silk weaving village before proceeding to Prasat Neang Khmao. Visit Prasat Neang Khmao, the temple of the Black Virgin (10th century). Return to Phnom Penh. Overnight at the hotel in Phnom Penh.

Day 5: Phnom Penh - Chau Doc (B)
A visit to Phnom Penh is a very interesting experience indeed. It is a city with an interesting pulse and it gives you a very true taste of Asia. We will visit the Wats Phnom, National museum, silver Pagoda and Royal Palace. 12:00 we will embark on a boat trip to Chau Doc. The boat takes you around 4,5 hours. Arriving Chau Doc, Check in, relax.

Day 6: Chau Doc - Can Tho - Le cochinchine boat (B, L, D)
Morning drive to Cantho for boarding Le Cochinchine Cruise
12h30 Boarding LE COCHINCHINE boat at NINHKIEU jetty
A small boat take you to explore the CaiRang market one of the most bustling floating markets in Mekong Delta with hundreds of small boats barging and jostling for space as owners attempt to sell their goods. A small boat will take you through the palm-shaded creek to see local houses and green orchards
Return the boat. Then the cruise continue to Caibe via Tra On
Leisurely cruise down the Mekong while enyoying the beautiful scenery. Lunch on board
After lunch disembark then A pleasant walk on the footpaths of the countryside to discover tropical fruit orchards and the local people's activities, especially somes orchards (orange grove) with its famer and sample various tropical fruits in LACH village
Then return the boat to cruise to Caibe. Enjoy the magnificent sunset on the Co Chien river
Dinner and overnight on board in Caibe.

Day 7: Cai be - Sai gon (B)
After breakfast on board over splendid sunrise on the Mekong.
Explore the lively Cai Be floating market in early morning.
Walking  for visit the handicraft village of the local people.Sightseeing the old house and sample various tropical fruits
A small boat trip through rivulets of Tan Phong islands.A pleasant walk on the footpaths of the village to discover tropical fruit orchards
10h00 Disembark in Cai be then take back the car for Saigon, check in, relax. Overnight at the hotel in Sai gon.

Day 8: Sai gon city – Cu chi tunnel (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, we then  take city tour of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, visit to  Reunification Palace, then visit War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral. General Post Office. Afternoon, drive to visit the Cu chi Tunnels. At the height of the Vietnam war, the tunnel system stretched from the outskirts of Saigon  all the way to the Cambodian border of over 250 kilometers of tunnels. The tunnel system, built over 25 years starting in the 1940s, let the Viet Minh and, later, the Viet Cong, control a huge rural area. It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers. In places, it was several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years.... getting married, giving birth, going to school. The ground here is hard clay, which made this whole thing possible. But even so, the planning and construction was incredible. People dug all this with hand tools, filling reed baskets and dumping the dirt into bomb craters. They installed large vents so they could hear approaching helicopters, smaller vents for air and baffled vents to dissipate cooking smoke. There were also hidden  trap doors and gruesomely effective bamboo-stake booby traps. Today, the trees and bushes have grown back. And since 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for visitors.

Day 9: Sai gon – Phan thiet – Mui ne beach (B)
This morning, take our train to Phan Thiet.
The train sets out at the Saigon station at 7:30am. The journey takes around four hours, passes through the bustling city of Bien Hoa before cutting through dense rubber plantations. Closer to Phan Thiet the terrain changes to arid semi-desert with cactus plants and strange looking dragon fruit trees.
Upon arrival, transfer to your resort in Mui ne. The next days is free to relax by the pool or on the sandy beach. Overnight in Mui ne.

Day 10: Muine relaxation (B)
A full day at leisure in the resort or on the beach.
For the more active, golf is available nearby. Overnight in Muine.

Day 11: Mui ne relaxation (B)
Morning at leisure in the resort or on the beach.
Afternoon, dirve back to Saigon. Overnight at the hotel in Saigon.

Day 12: Saigon departure (B)
Free at leisure before transfer to the airport for your next flight. End of tour.

Accommodation Options

Tour includes:
• All accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotel
• 2 days 1 night on Le cochinchine boat in Mekong River
• All tours & transfers in private air-conditioned vehicle
• Private English  speaking guide  during guided time
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary at local restaurant with local foods (B = breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Boat cruise as stated
• Flight Ticket  Siem reap – Phnompenh
• Speed boat ticket Phnompenh – Chau doc
• Entrance fees and permits for all sights visited
• Mineral water & towel
• Government taxes & Service charges

Tour excludes:
• International flights that not mentioned above
• International departure tax
• Vietnam visa
• Cambodia Visa (available at the airport at 20 USD/person)
• Meals not indicated in the itinerary
• Surcharge on 24,31 December and Lunar New Year
• Personal travel insurance (Compulsory)
• Personal expenses such as Telephone and Laundry bills
• Tips and gratuities