Highlights of Vietnam and Cambodia

Arrive in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, famous for its rich culture, bustling life and colonial influences. Its small lakes, busy streets and secluded alleyways are all waiting to be explored. For those arriving on time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 5pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Hanoi at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), which is a 45-minute drive to the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will leave a note at the hotel reception to inform you of any essential information. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to walk around the peaceful shores of Hoan Kiem Lake.

This morning, we'll set out on a tour of the main sights of Hanoi. Architecturally styled like a French provincial town with tree-lined boulevards and low-built houses, the city is wonderfully nostalgic. Among the interesting sights are the charming One-Pillar Pagoda and the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh himself, a spartan-living and scholarly man, chose not to live in the Presidential Palace, he preferred instead a simple teak stilt house specially built for him on the grounds. In the afternoon, our tour leader will give you a map and instructions so you can discover the narrow lanes of the fascinating Old Quarter solo, where the streets are named after various crafts or specialities: Paper Street, Silk Street, Basket Street and so on. The shops themselves have very narrow frontages but are actually quite deep; they are known locally as tube shops. On the pavements, food vendors sell noodles, snacks and stir-fries from shoulder panniers. Take some time to really soak in your unique surroundings with the tempting smell of the food stalls mixing with the scent of incense from small temples dotted around.

This morning, we'll drive two-and-a-half hours to the south of Halong Bay for an overnight cruise on Lan Ha Bay - one of the most visually impressive landscapes in Southeast Asia. Lan Ha Bay is a picturesque and lesser-known gem located in the northeast of Vietnam which is renowned for its tranquil beauty and relatively untouched environment compared to its more famous neighbour, Halong Bay. The bay's waters are clearer and less crowded with cruise boats, offering a more peaceful and intimate experience. We'll board our boat around midday and enjoy a delicious lunch featuring Vietnamese and international cuisine as the ship sets sail, offering panoramic views of the limestone karsts and emerald waters. In the afternoon, we'll visit Viet Hai Village, a quiet traditional settlement tucket away on Cat Ba Island. Here we'll have the opportunity to experience daily local life. For those who prefer to stay onboard, there will be a chance to relax at the Piano Lounge or unwind at the spa. Dinner aboard this evening will be taken on the sundeck (weather dependant). We'll spend the night aboard our boat, where you'll be accommodated in en suite twin-share cabins. Each cabin boasts large picture windows and modern air conditioning, providing a truly special experience. Please note that the boat is not exclusive to our group, and we'll be sharing it with other tourists.

If you're an early riser, take the opportunity to practice Tai Chi on the deck while admiring the serene landscape of the bay. Continue cruising along the green limestone islands and islets, many of which are uninhabited. Observe the floating villages and fishermen carrying out their everyday activities. We'll then set out to explore the remarkable Dark and Bright Cave, a striking frog-jaw shaped cave with shimmering stalactites which we reach by rowing boat with a local guide. We'll have a late breakfast before disembarking at around 10:30 and returning to Hanoi. Whilst in Hanoi we have use of day rooms to freshen up before the evening where we'll board the Reunification Express for our overnight rail journey south, to Danang, staying in comfortable four-berth cabins. Passing through some of Vietnam's most breathtaking landscapes, it's an authentic and practical way to travel. That being said, amenities are fairly basic. While we try to ensure our group stays together, at times we might have to share cabins with local travellers. As part of our commitment to sustainability, we choose to travel by train instead of flying - cutting carbon emissions and enjoying a more authentic experience of local life along the way.

The train is scheduled to arrive around lunchtime into Danang, where we'll then make the short transfer by road to Hoi An. The historic merchant town of Hoi An was one of the busiest international trading ports of Southeast Asia. It attracted merchants from Japan, China, and Europe, including the Portuguese. Today, it retains much of its historic character, with many old buildings well preserved. After some time to freshen up, we'll set off on foot for a walking tour through this charming port town. We'll visit the famous Japanese Bridge, along with some of the Chinese temples and grand meeting halls. The traditional wooden houses are an interesting feature in this town and offer us some wonderful photographic opportunities.

Today is left free to explore and soak up Hoi An's unique atmosphere. There are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants and it's a great place to buy souvenirs, have clothing tailored or simply watch the world go by in a riverside café. You might like to take an optional excursion to the holiest and most evocative of Vietnam's Cham sites, My Son. The Chams were dynastic lords who rejected the authority of China in 2AD and established their own kingdom. For 1,000 years, they managed to stave off attacks by the Vietnamese and Chinese, before being overcome by the Vietnamese in the 15th century. Alternatively, if you'd prefer to stay in Hoi An, you can take part in a cookery course. Here you can learn the secrets to sumptuous Vietnamese cuisine and sample your own creations for lunch. We also have a chance to go out in a Vietnamese 'basket boat' - a circular boat constructed from bamboo that takes some practice to row!

We're starting the day early, catching our flight to Saigon. After a quick drive to Danang Airport, we'll land in Ho Chi Minh City - known as Saigon to the locals - and head straight to the incredible Mekong Delta. This region is one of Vietnam's most unique spots, with its winding rivers, lush coconut palms, and charming villages that feel like stepping into another world. We'll take a boat cruise to visit Mrs. Nam's home, where you can watch rice paper being made the traditional way. Then, take a short walking tour of up to 4-kilometer. Along the way, visit Mr. and Mrs. Chin, who'll treat us to refreshments, including Mrs. Chin's famous Banh Tieu (a traditional doughnut). We'll return to the boat and make a stop at local workshops where you can watch artisans create unique Delta specialties. Our guesthouse is nestled in a lovely garden, complete with a cozy lounge and dining room. The rooms are en-suite and decorated in traditional style. After settling in, we'll join a Vietnamese cooking class, followed by a delicious home-cooked dinner. To top off the evening, our hosts may even treat us to some traditional dancing and singing.

Enjoy a relaxed morning at the guesthouse before heading to the local library. Afterward, we'll take a scenic boat ride to a local pottery factory, where you can watch skilled artisans create beautiful pieces using traditional techniques. You might even get a chance to try making your own pottery. After enjoying the calm and rural charm of the Delta, we'll head back to Ho Chi Minh City, bringing with us the unique experiences and memories from the Mekong region.

This morning, we'll dive into the sights of Old Saigon. Along the way, our tour leader will point out landmarks like the stunning Notre Dame Cathedral, the grand General Post Office, and some iconic French Colonial hotels like The Continental Hotel. Next, we'll visit the Independence Palace - also called the Reunification Hall - and the powerful War Remnants Museum, which offers a gripping look at Vietnam's turbulent history. The afternoon is free for you to explore the city at your own leisure.

This morning, we take a short drive out to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, which formed an incredible underground command base for 10,000 Viet Cong troops and were a major part of the 1968 Tet Offensive. The site offers a fascinating insight into the resourcefulness of the Vietnamese. If you're brave enough, you can crawl through a small, specially adapted section of the and sample the claustrophobic conditions in which the Viet Cong lived. Afterwards, we'll continue north to cross the border into Cambodia. Border formalities take place at Moc Bai (Vietnam) and Bavet (Cambodia) crossing point. Our final destination is Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Our total driving time today is five to six hours including stops.

Phnom Penh is now a lively city, complete with trendy river-side restaurants and bars, a warm welcoming atmosphere and smiling friendly locals. Accompanied by a local guide, we'll visit the National Museum, a treasure trove of beautifully preserved carvings and lintels rescued from Angkor; the glittering Royal Palace Silver Pagoda as well as the temple of Wat Phnom before having some free time in the city. This afternoon there are several optional tours, you may wish to visit the emotive Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, formerly a high school that became the Khmer Rouge's main torture and interrogation centre; and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek - where the memorial stupa is a glass tower filled with human skulls - a gruesome reminder of the scale of Pol Pot's atrocities. Alternatively there is the option to join for a delightful half-day culinary experience, where you will learn to cook traditional Khmer dishes at the renowned Banana Cooking Class. The expert Cambodian chef will guide you through selecting fresh ingredients from a local market and demonstrate tried-and-true Khmer cooking techniques.

We set off into the countryside this morning, driving out of the city and towards Siem Reap stopping off at Spider Village along the way. The drive is very picturesque, taking us through rural Cambodia, past vast rice fields and through stilted villages. After checking into our base in Siem Reap for the next three days, we set off towards the vast Tonle Sap Lake. Here, we'll board our charter boat for a leisurely cruise through a floating village, where we'll see floating houses, riverside markets and an array of locally made boats.

Angkor was once a series of cities, built between the 9th and the 13th centuries by the Khmer kings, with a population of 750,000 in its heyday. The Angkor complex is spread out over 155 square kilometres, scattered with carved stone temples, elegant sculptures and incredible bas reliefs. We'll visit the Rolous group, which are some of the earliest temples. In the afternoon, we'll make the one-hour drive to visit Banteay Srei, a small but beautiful temple with exquisite carvings. Finally, we'll end the day at East Mebon, with a visit to Pre Rup temple to watch the sunset. Our exact programme over the next two days might change slightly at our tour guide's discretion.

We'll continue to explore today with a visit to the temples of King Jayavarman Vll, reputedly Angkor's greatest king. The fortified city of Angkor Thom, which he built at the end of the 12th century, is enclosed by a square wall with five monumental gates decorated with stone elephant trunks. Originally, crocodiles inhabited the moat and huge statues of 54 different gods protected each gate. The city contains another of Angkor's true gems - The Bayon. Although not as impressive as Angkor Wat from a distance, The Bayon is nevertheless incredible for its maze of corridors, gothic style towers and magical central temples. A highlight for many is a visit to the atmospheric temple of Ta Prohm, where the film Tomb Raider was filmed, lying half consumed by the jungle. We'll leave the best known and most breathtaking of all the sights, Angkor Wat, for last - where we'll stay until the sun sets on the last night of our adventure.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Siem Reap. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Siem Reap at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Siem Reap International Airport (SAI), which is approximately 60-80 minutes from the hotel. If you have time, you might choose to browse the old market for some last-minute bargains or visit the APOPO Museum.