Highlights of Vietnam - Cambodia tour

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), you will be warmly welcomed by your private driver and transferred to your hotel in Hanoi for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to relax after your journey or explore the capital on your own. You may take a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, discover the charming streets of the Old Quarter, or simply unwind at your hotel.

Enjoy a relaxing first day in Vietnam as you prepare for an exciting journey ahead through the highlights of Vietnam and Cambodia. Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, meet your tour guide and driver for a full-day tour of Hanoi.
Begin at the Ho Chi Minh Complex, where you will see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his Stilt House, the Presidential Palace from outside, and the One Pillar Pagoda. Then visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, set beside West Lake.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant, featuring traditional Vietnamese dishes.
In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university, before heading to Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. Take a one-hour cyclo ride through the Old Quarter, passing the narrow streets and shops that have long been part of Hanoi’s daily life. The day ends with a Water Puppet Show, a traditional form of Vietnamese theatre. Overnight in Hanoi.

09:00: Your private driver will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi and transfer you to Ha Long Bay.

11:30 – 12:00: Arrive at the harbor and board your cruise. After a welcome drink and a short safety briefing, check in to your cabin.

13:00: Enjoy lunch on board as the cruise sails through Ha Long Bay, passing iconic limestone islands and rock formations.

15:00: Visit Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave), known for its large chambers and impressive stalactite formations. Continue to Titov Island, where you can swim at the beach or climb to the summit for breathtaking views over the bay.

17:30: Return to the cruise and enjoy some free time on board. Depending on the cruise, afternoon activities may include a sunset gathering on the sundeck or a Vietnamese cooking demonstration.

19:00: Dinner is served on board. The evening is free to relax or take part in activities offered by the cruise, such as squid fishing.

Overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.

06:30: Start the morning on the sundeck with a Tai Chi session, a yoga practice, or some quiet time for meditation as the sun rises over Ha Long Bay.

07:00 – 07:30: Enjoy a light breakfast on board with coffee, tea, and pastries.

07:30 – 08:30: Visit Luon Cave by local bamboo boat or kayak, depending on the cruise program. Pass through the cave entrance into a lagoon surrounded by limestone cliffs.

09:30: Return to the cruise, pack your luggage, and check out of your cabin.

10:00 – 11:00: Enjoy brunch on board as the cruise makes its way back to the harbor, passing the limestone islands along the way.

11:30 – 12:00: Disembark at the port and meet your private driver for the transfer back to Hanoi.

Around 15:00: Arrive at your hotel in Hanoi. The rest of the day is free to relax, explore the city, or do some shopping.

Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast and hotel check-out, your driver will transfer you to Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) for your flight to Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. The flight takes approximately one hour.
Upon arrival at Phu Bai International Airport (HUI), meet your local guide and driver for the transfer into the city. Board a private boat for a trip along the Perfume River, with a stop at Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Hue’s best-known landmarks, overlooking the river from a hillside.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant featuring traditional Hue cuisine.
In the afternoon, visit the Hue Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City, once the centre of the Nguyen Dynasty’s royal court, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. Later, stop at Dong Ba Market to browse stalls selling local produce, regional specialties, and traditional handicrafts before transferring to your hotel. Overnight in Hue.

Hue City

Hue Imperial Citadel

Specialities and Restaurants in Hue

Enjoy a free morning in Hue. You may relax at the hotel, take a walk along the Perfume River, or try some of the city's specialties, such as Bun Bo Hue and traditional Hue cakes.

In the afternoon, check out of your hotel and depart for Hoi An by private vehicle with your guide and driver. Along the way, make a short stop at Lang Co Beach, known for its sandy shoreline and fishing village, before continuing through the Hai Van Tunnel and Da Nang to Hoi An.

Arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon and check in to your hotel. The rest of the evening is free to explore Hoi An Ancient Town, walk along the lantern-lit streets, browse the night market, or enjoy dinner at a riverside restaurant.

In the morning, meet your guide and driver for the drive to My Son Sanctuary, about one hour southwest of Hoi An. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was an important religious and political centre of the Champa Kingdom from the 4th to the 13th century. Walk among the remaining brick temples and towers while your guide explains their history, religious significance, and distinctive Cham architecture.

Return to Hoi An for lunch at Home Vietnamese Restaurant, known for its Vietnamese cuisine.

In the afternoon, explore Hoi An Ancient Town on foot. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge and discover the traditional wooden houses, Chinese assembly halls, temples, and pagodas that reflect the town’s history as a trading port. After the walking tour, enjoy free time to browse the shops, arrange custom-made clothing, or stop at a riverside café before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Hoi An.

Your driver will pick you up at your hotel in Hoi An and transfer you to Da Nang International Airport (DAD) for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), meet your local guide and driver and transfer to the city centre for lunch at a carefully selected restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace of South Vietnam and an important site in the country’s modern history. Continue to the Central Post Office and see the exterior of Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, both notable examples of French colonial architecture. 

After the city tour, check in to your hotel. The rest of the evening is free to explore the surrounding area or visit one of the city’s night markets. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Depart Ho Chi Minh City for Ben Tre, known for its coconut groves and network of canals in the Mekong Delta.
Upon arrival, board a motorboat to explore the river and its waterways. Then transfer to a hand-rowed sampan and travel along narrow canals shaded by coconut palms. Along the way, visit local family workshops to see how traditional sleeping mats are woven and coconut candy is made.
Enjoy lunch at a garden restaurant in the village, featuring regional dishes including crispy deep-fried elephant ear fish, served with rice paper and fresh herbs.
In the afternoon, visit Dong Tam Snake Farm, a centre for snake breeding, conservation, and research. Continue to Vinh Trang Pagoda in My Tho, known for its combination of Vietnamese, Chinese, and European architectural influences.
From My Tho, continue by road to Can Tho. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure. Overnight in Can Tho.

Mekong Delta

Best Homestays in Mekong Delta

Ben Tre

Start early with a boat trip to Cai Rang Floating Market, one of the best-known floating markets in the Mekong Delta. The market is busiest between 5:30 AM and 7:30 AM, when vendors gather on the river to trade fresh fruit, vegetables, and other produce.
While at the market, try a bowl of hu tieu, a southern Vietnamese noodle soup often served from boats. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay tasted the dish during his visit to Cai Rang, and it later featured in a MasterChef challenge.
Continue along the waterways to see more of the riverside communities. If time permits, visit a rice noodle workshop to learn how the noodles are made and take a short walk through a nearby village, where you may see traditional bamboo monkey bridges.
Enjoy lunch before transferring by private vehicle to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City for your flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Upon arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport (KTI), meet your Cambodian guide and driver and transfer to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the evening is free to relax or explore the city independently. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

At 8:00 AM, meet your guide and driver at the hotel for a full-day tour of Phnom Penh. Begin with the Royal Palace, the official residence of Cambodia’s King, and the Silver Pagoda, known for its collection of Buddha statues. Continue to Wat Phnom, a historic Buddhist temple associated with the founding of the city. You will also see the Independence Monument and the recently unveiled statue of King Father Norodom Sihanouk.

If the timing is suitable, visit a local temple to observe Buddhist monks chanting before lunch. Please note that this experience is subject to the temple’s schedule and cannot be guaranteed.

Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Phnom Penh.

In the afternoon, visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), a former school that became a prison and interrogation centre under the Khmer Rouge regime. The exhibits document the persecution and suffering of those detained there. Continue to Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, one of the sites where prisoners from S-21 and others were executed. These visits offer insight into Cambodia’s tragic history under the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979.

At around 5:00 PM, return to your hotel. The rest of the evening is free at leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap, the gateway to the magnificent temples of Angkor. The flight takes approximately one hour. Upon arrival at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI), meet your local guide and driver and transfer to your hotel for check-in.
In the afternoon, visit Les Artisans d’Angkor (Chantiers-Écoles), an organization dedicated to preserving and reviving traditional Khmer craftsmanship while providing vocational training for young Cambodians. Take a guided walk through the workshops to see artisans at work in stone carving, wood carving, lacquerware, and silk painting. Learn how these traditional techniques are passed on to a new generation of skilled craftspeople.
After the visit, return to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore Siem Reap independently, perhaps browsing the markets or visiting the Pub Street area in the evening. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Angkor Complex

Restaurants in Siem Reap

Siem Reap Province

Spend the day exploring the remarkable temples of the Angkor complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin at Angkor Thom, the ancient walled city of the Khmer Empire. Enter through the West Gate, a less frequently used entrance, before exploring the city’s most important monuments.
Visit Bayon Temple, known for its towers carved with large stone faces, followed by the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King, both reflecting the artistic and architectural achievements of the Khmer Empire.

Enjoy lunch at a restaurant near the temple complex.
In the afternoon, explore Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most famous temple and one of the world’s largest religious monuments. Admire its distinctive towers, detailed bas-reliefs, and extensive galleries while your guide explains the temple’s history and religious significance.
Later in the afternoon, head to Phnom Bakheng, a hilltop temple offering views over the surrounding forest and Angkor Wat. If weather and access conditions permit, enjoy the sunset before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap.

In the morning, drive through the Cambodian countryside to Banteay Srei, often referred to as the “Citadel of the Women.” Built from pink-red sandstone, this 10th-century temple is renowned for its finely detailed carvings, considered among the finest examples of classical Khmer art. On the way back, stop at Banteay Samré, a well-preserved temple known for its distinctive architecture and detailed stonework.

Enjoy lunch at a restaurant near the temple complex.
In the afternoon, visit Ta Prohm, famously featured in the film Tomb Raider. Here, enormous tree roots grow over ancient stone walls and towers, creating one of the most distinctive sights in the Angkor complex. Continue to Prasat Kravan, known for its unusual brick towers and interior brick reliefs depicting Hindu deities. Then stop at Srah Srang, a former royal reservoir, before exploring Banteay Kdei, a Buddhist temple complex surrounded by several concentric walls.
After the visits, return to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and spend the remaining time at leisure, depending on your flight schedule. When it is time to depart, your driver will transfer you to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) for your onward flight.

We hope you have enjoyed discovering Vietnam and Cambodia with us. Thank you for choosing WaytoVietnam Travel for your journey across Indochina. We wish you a safe flight home and look forward to welcoming you back again in the future!