Explore Authentic of Vietnam and Cambodia in 11 Days

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, one of the most bustling cities in Vietnam!

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, you will meet your friendly tour guide and driver, then transfer to the hotel in the city center. Check into the hotel and relax.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Included: Airport pick-up and accommodation.

Have breakfast at your hotel before embarking on the full-day city tour.

We will pass the now-demolished wartime American Embassy before we visit the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until the end of April 1945. Close to the Palace, there are some beautiful French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office.

Have lunch at a local restaurant.

Ho Chi Minh City Tour

In the afternoon, visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum. Then we will continue our trip to Cho Lon, Saigon’s Chinatown, which is crammed with fascinating temples and mysterious, narrow lanes.

The city tour ends with a visit to the bustling Ben Thanh Market, where you can buy everything from clothes and food to souvenirs.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Have breakfast at the hotel before heading to Tay Ninh to see the ornate temple of Cai Dai and attend the fantastic mid-day service when the flowers fill the hall wearing colored robes, a symbol of the curious combination of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

Cu Chi Tunnels

In the afternoon, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. This immense network of underground passages was constructed in 1945 to protect the Viet Cong guerrillas from French attacks. They also served as living quarters, communications hubs, and supply routes with storage areas and hospitals.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Today, you will head out of the town to Vinh Long Province. Upon arrival, embark on a boat cruise around the tributaries of the mighty Mekong River, which is a great way to observe the local daily life. Along the way, we visit the vibrant floating market of Cai Be and many local cottage industries, including rice paper makers and bonsai nurseries.

You will have lunch with many seasonal fruits at an orchard.

Mekong Delta

Then, we will weave our way through the intricate network of canals, which are the lifeblood of the Mekong Delta, before we meet up with our vehicle for a short drive to Can Tho.

Overnight in Can Tho.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

This morning, we depart for Chau Doc and pass many rice fields fringed with palm trees, fruit orchards, and canals crammed with boats and rice barges. Arriving in Chau Doc we have time to stroll around. This is a tranquil town and less affected by the flash and glitz of Ho Chi Minh City’s fashionable young people although it is a major hub of trade along the Mekong.

Ba Chua Xu Temple – Chau Doc

In the afternoon, we will visit the popular tourist destinations in this region. Enjoy a boat trip on the Hau River to explore the fishing breeding houses and a Cham village. When disembarking, we discover the sacred Ba Chua Xu Temple and the nearby sanctuary of Tay An before ascending the Sam Mountain to watch the beautiful sunset over Cambodia and the mighty Mekong River.

Overnight in Chau Doc.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

After breakfast, we board an express boat for a trip along the Mekong River, crossing into Cambodia and continuing to the capital, Phnom Penh.

Royal Palace—Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh was considered the loveliest city of Indochina. Despite its recent turbulent history, it still maintains considerable charm. The private quarters of the Royal Palace are now home to the royal family and are therefore very close to the public. At the northern area of the palace grounds is Silver Pagoda, the most sacred shrine in the country. We visit both structures as well as the legendary temple of Wat Phnom which recites the history of Phnom Penh’s name.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

The sightseeing tour of Phnom Penh continues with a visit to the Royal University of Fine Arts, where young Cambodians learn about the ancient arts of their ancestors. The most interesting part of this structure is the Dance Academy. Here, many young children practice the graceful movements of the beautiful national dances.

Choeung Ek

Then, continue to the National Museum, dedicated exclusively to Khmer art and sculpture. The majority of the exhibits are art from the Angkor period (9th to 15th century), but some date from as early as the 4th century. The Toul Sleng Prison Museum and the notorious “Killing Fields” of Choeung Ek are not to be missed. A visit to these sights provides us with a deep insight into the painful bloody rule of the Khmer Rouge.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, dinner.

Today, wake up early for a transfer to Phnom Penh Pier. We will embark on an express boat and make our way up to the Tonle Sap River. The shallow Tonle Sap is the largest of Southeast Asia’s lakes. Depending on the season, our boat journey takes us anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to reach Siem Reap. This town is our base for visiting the world-famous temples of the ancient city of Angkor, which was the capital of the powerful Khmer Empire from 802 AD to 1350 AD.

Tonle Sap Lake

After checking into the hotel, we drive to the archeological area to visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom, famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, dinner.

Today, you will explore the Angkor Wat Complex in depth. The jungle-covered temple of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. Huge fig trees and gigantic creepers embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure, creating an impression of nature’s powerful forces reclaiming man’s creation. We explore this masterpiece as well as its surrounding temples of Banteay Kdei, Sra Srong, Ta Keo, Thommanon, and Chau Say Tevado. The grand circuit includes Preah Khan, the Kravan, Neak Pean, Krol Ko, Ta Som, East Mebon, and Pre Rup Temple.

Angkor Wat

In the afternoon, we will climb the ascend Phnom Bakheng Hill for a view of the spectacular sunset over these sandstone monuments.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Have breakfast at the hotel.

Drive out of the town on a newly paved road to the intricately carved and well-preserved temple of Banteay Srei. On the way, we will stop at the Preah Dark village and the river of 1000 Lingas, locally named Kbal Spean.

Banteay Srei Temple

Follow these with a visit to Banteay Samre Temple adorned with impressive reliefs depicting scenes of Vishnu as well as Krishna legends. We also have time today to explore the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya, which flourished in the late 9th and earlier 10th centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred to as the Rolous group.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Enjoy your last minute in the Vietnam and Cambodia 11-day tour. Then, your private car and driver will arrive to transfer you to the airport for your onward journey. As your unforgettable adventure with IDC Travel concludes, we bid you farewell and look forward to welcoming you back for future customized adventures.

Included: Airport drop-off and breakfast at the hotel.