A Mekong Adventure - 10 Days / 9 Nights

Ho Chi Minh City –Tay Ninh – Cu Chi – Chau Doc – Ho Chi Minh – Vinh Long – Can Tho – Chau Doc – Phnom Penh – Siem Reap

This tour offers to you the adventure trips on the Mekong River, to the nostalgic, lively and colorful cities of Vietnam, the awe- inspiring, solemn Angkor Complex in Cambodia. Experience the Indochina locals during enjoyable boat trips

Tour Highlights

• Exploring on a Vietnamese Cyclo or a rickshaw the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City, including Chinatown, temple and colonial buildings, market and streets
• Taking a drive through southern Vietnamese countryside to the Tay Ninh for Cao Dai Great Temple and Cu Chi Tunnels
• Boating to explore the Mekong Delta floating market, tropical fruit orchards at Binh Hoa Phuoc and enjoy seeing bamboo- basket making in Can Tho
• Taking a boat to the unique fish farms and stilt houses of the Cham minority in Chau Doc, and seeing the locals weaving their colorful traditional textiles
• Enjoying a drive up Sam Mountain and watching sunset over the Cambodian border
• Travelling to Phnom Penh, the city once considered one of the most beautiful in the Orient, with a colonial charm, national Museum, Silver Pagoda, the Royal Palace and Wat Phnom Hill
• Exploring the greatness of the Angkor Complex and the main temple ruins in Siem Reap: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Banteay Kdei, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei
  

Detailed Tour Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 2 - Ho Chi Minh City
A full day city tour of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, takes in the city’s bustling Chinatown and begins with a visit to the Thien Hau Temple, from where you will take a cyclo ride; the most appropriate and unusual way to explore Cholon, literally meaning ‘big market’. The ride will take you to the lively Binh Tay Market. Then visit a lacquerware factory to witness workers continuing a Vietnamese ancestral tradition. After lunch visit the War Museum and the former Presidential Palace, from there on you will go on foot (the car will be available at all times) to visit the major sights of colonial Ho Chi Minh City: the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotel, Opera House and City Hall. After this historical visit, enjoy some wonderful ice cream at Fanny’s, a quaint little parlor with a French atmosphere, before exploring the trendy boutiques on Ton That Thiep Street. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. (B)

Day 3 - Ho Chi Minh City - Tay Ninh - Cu Chi - Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy a morning drive through typical southern Vietnamese countryside to Tay Ninh Province in the west of Vietnam. At Tay Ninh visit the incredible Cao Dai Great Temple, with architecture that could have come straight from a Walt Disney fantasy and where all the major faiths of the world blend together in a unique religious cocktail. In the afternoon visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. (B,L)

Day 4 - Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh Long - Can Tho
Leave Ho Chi Minh City after breakfast for Vinh Long. On arrival at Cai Be board a boat to explore the floating market, typical of the Mekong Delta. Continue by boat to Binh Hoa Phuoc Island to visit orchards of tropical fruit and have lunch in the famous Bonsai garden of Mr Sau Giao. After lunch continue by boat to Vinh Long and then by road to Can Tho, 30km away. Check into Victoria Hotel on arrival in Can Tho. Leave the hotel mid-afternoon for Thot Not, 45km to the north of Can Tho. Visit the bamboo basket-making hamlet of Long Thanh before continuing to the Thot Not Stork Sanctuary. Watch from a viewing tower above the tree tops as thousands of egrets, herons and cormorants arrive to roost in the branches. Return to Can Tho in the late afternoon. Overnight in Victoria Can Tho Hotel. (B,L)

Day 5 - Can Tho - Chau Doc
After breakfast check out the hotel and head north-west to Chau Doc, situated on the Cambodian border. Transfer to Victoria Chau Doc Hotel on arrival. In the afternoon take a boat to visit the unique farms where fish are bred in wooden cages suspended under floating houses on the river. Continue by boat to visit a village of stilt houses belonging to the Cham minority where colourful traditional textiles are woven on old wooden looms. Return to dry land in time to drive up Sam Mountain to watch the sunset over the Cambodian border. Overnight in Victoria Chau Doc Hotel. (B)

Day 6 - Chau Doc - Phnom Penh
After breakfast board the Victoria speed boat to Phnom Penh. Visa formalities take about 45 minutes at the border and Cambodian visas must be issued before hand, as they are not available on the border at the present time. Continue by river to Phnom Penh. Meet your Exotissimo guide and transfer to hotel. This city was once considered one of the most beautiful in the Orient, and despite its recent turbulent history it still retains a colonial charm. A city tour includes the National Museum, the Silver Pagoda, the Royal Palace and Vat Phnom. Overnight in Phnom Penh. (B)

Day 7 - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap
Transfer to Pochentong Airport after breakfast for the morning flight to Siem Reap. Siem Reap is the base for exploring the fabled temples of Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer empire. Transfer to hotel on arrival before visiting the Roluos Group of temples including Preah Ko, Ba Kong and Lo Lei. In the afternoon visit the magnificent 12th century Angkor Wat. Return to hotel after watching the sunset over Angkor Wat. Overnight in Siem Reap. (B)

Day 8 - Siem Reap
An optional early start to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Return to the hotel for breakfast. A morning tour of the temples includes the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the famous Bayon, Baphoun, the Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon continue to Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, Chau Say Tevoda, Thommanon, and the fabulous Ta Prohm Temple, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. The day ends with a sunset at Phnom Bakheng. Overnight in Siem Reap. (B)

Day 9 - Siem Reap
After breakfast depart for a visit to Banteay Srei, Kbal Spean (River of 1000 Lingas) and Banteay Samre. In the afternoon, visit the “Grand Circuit” taking in Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan. Overnight in Siem Reap. (B)

Day 10 - Depart Siem Reap
After breakfast, take a boat trip on the great lake, Tonle Sap (July-February only) or visit the workshops of Artisans d’Angkor to see wood and stone carving or shop for souvenirs before a transfer to Siem Reap Airport for the onward departure flight. (B)

Note: This tour includes a 3-day Angkor Temple Pass. The speed boat is run on a ‘seat in coach’ basis with a minimum of 2 pax and departs from Chau Doc on Thursday and Saturday at 07:00. The boat service is only available for clients who stay at the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel. Private charter rates available on request from Exotissimo.

Note: We can arrange additional customized trips for you if the above itineray does not match your expectations.