Grand Tour of Vietnam & Cambodia

We depart London Heathrow on an overnight flight direct to
Hanoi, Vietnam's bustling capital, arriving on Day
2. In the afternoon we begin our sightseeing tour of the
city, with a traditional cyclo ride to Hanoi's Old
Quarter, past Hoàn Kiém Lake. We return to the hotel for dinner
this evening

We continue exploring Hanoi before we transfer to iconic Halong
Bay. An extraordinary collection of limestone karst rock formations
and islands dotted amongst emerald waters, this area of outstanding
natural beauty is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here we begin one
of the highlights of the tour as we board our luxury junk for an
overnight cruise. We travel through the incredibly scenic Halong
Bay, enjoying lunch and dinner on board as we sail through the
beautiful bay.

As the sun rises over the glorious panorama this morning, you
could try Tai Chi on deck. After breakfast we visit one of the
bay's typical limestone grottos, before we sail back to shore. From
here we transfer back to Hanoi, stopping en-route at Dong Trieu
Pottery Village. This evening, we visit a Water Puppet Theatre,
where we are treated to a performance of this traditional
Vietnamese art form. Tonight we join the overnight sleeper service
to Hue, in twoberth compartments.

On Day 5 our early arrival in Hue gives us a
full day to explore. We embark on a cruise on the famous 'Perfume
River' to the magnificent seven-storied Thien Mu Pagoda. We
continue to the immense Imperial Citadel, whose impressive six
miles of walls contain the Imperial and the Purple Forbidden
City.

Today we travel south by train from Hue to Danang, on one of the
most beautiful stretches of line in Vietnam. We wend our way
through the thick, verdant landscape, emerging onto a dramatic
coastline, where the steep mountains tumble down to the pristine
beaches fringing the South China Sea. We leave the train in Danang
and transfer by coach to Hoi An.

The charming riverside town of Hoi An is famed for its beautiful
old buildings and its history as a merchant trading post. This
morning we discover the old town on a walking tour, during which we
see the 400-year old Japanese covered bridge, Tan Ky merchant
house, and the vibrant local market. After lunch in a local
restaurant, we make our way to the Xu Dang Trong Art Centre where
you will try your hand at lantern making. The rest of your
afternoon is at leisure to explore the lively streets and the
myriad of tradesmen offering made to measure clothing and custom
made shoes, or perhaps just absorb the relaxed atmosphere and
unwind in the beautiful surroundings of our hotel.

Leaving Hoi An, we transfer by coach to Danang for the train to
the vibrant coastal resort of Nha Trang, passing rice paddies and
mighty oxen working the countryside. We check in to our hotel,
located on the beachfront, for a one night stay.
On Day 9 we transfer by train to Saigon,
on arrival we make our way to the Grand Hotel where we will stay
for the next 2 nights.

We travel to the Cu Chi tunnels, and visit the vast underground
complex utilised by the Viet Cong during the war against the US. At
its height, this system stretched for almost 250 km towards the
Cambodian border, and contained field hospitals, weapons factories,
kitchens, and living quarters. Our visit gives a real insight to
life during this period. After lunch, we make our way back to
Saigon enjoying a tour of the city en-route to the hotel before
spending the evening at leisure.

We travel west by coach to the Mekong Delta, a wonder of nature
where the enormous Mekong River splits into branches on its way to
the South China Sea. We travel by boat to get a glimpse of the
communities which make their living here, and stop at the floating
market of Cai Be, before crossing a lower branch of the Mekong
River. Later we reach Can Tho, and stay here for two nights on the
Mekong's banks. Day 12 you have the full day
at leisure to explore Can Tho.

This morning we visit Cai Rang, one of the world's largest
floating markets. After time to explore, we transfer to Cao Lanh
for our onwards boat journey through the Mekong Delta, and into
Cambodia. We arrive in Phnom Penh, the country's exciting capital,
known as the 'Pearl of Asia', situated at the meeting point for
three great rivers - the Mekong, the Tonle Sap and the Bassac.

On Day 14, we explore Phnom Penh. Despite its
chequered recent history, Phnom Penh is a wonderful place, home to
a number of ornate golden temples. Today's full-day sightseeing
tour introduces us to some of the city's main sights. We see the
Silver Pagoda, the grand Royal Palace, the National Museum and
Central Market. We later visit the moving Tuol Sleng - a museum
dedicated to the history of the Khmer Rouge regime.

We journey by road to Siem Reap today, pausing en-route at Sa
Dec, a peaceful city made up of rustic colonial houses and
tree-lined avenues, where Marguerite Duras set his
semi-autobiographical novel, 'The Lovers.' On Day
16 we visit the world-famous Angkor Wat temple, a source
of true national pride and the world's largest religious structure.
During our time here we visit Ta Prohm, a temple within the
complex. We continue by tuk-tuk to the abandoned city of Angkor
Thom.

We enjoy a final visit to some of Cambodia's most beautiful
temples today ahead of lunch at a local restaurant. After, we
transfer to the airport for our flight back to London. Travelling
via Hanoi, we arrive on Day 18.

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature
the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown
above.