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From Vietnam to Cambodia, discover incredible diversity, delectable cuisines, dramatic histories and natural beauty. Travel to Cambodia and delve into the dramatic Khmer legacy in Phnom Penh and explore the intricate temples of Angkor Wat. Travel to Vietnam and view the country's colourful history on the busy streets of Ho Chi Minh City, and explore the colonial-era among the architecture of Hanoi. This trip offers places of breathtaking beauty, from the beaches of Nha Trang and the backwaters of the Mekong Delta, to the jungles of Cambodia and the wonder of Halong Bay. Add a mix of friendly locals and age-old traditions to ensure the ultimate Indochina experience.

NEW UPDATES FOR 2019
This trip will visit Phan Rang instead of Nha Trang.

Start
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Finish
Hanoi, Vietnam
Destinations
Cambodia, Vietnam
Style
Comfort
Theme
Explorer
Code
TKKHC
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Wander among the extravagantly decorated temples of Angkor and learn about the site’s rich interweaving of history and legend

  • Be seduced by the riverside charms of Phnom Penh

  • Enjoy a relaxing boat ride down the Mekong River before stopping to experience a slice

  • of local life at a family guesthouse. The cultural exchange is often the highlight of many travellers trips

  • Cruise among the islands off Nha Trang and meet the colourful array of fish waiting just below the surface.

  • Sail the mighty Perfume River of Hue

  • Spend an evening on the peaceful waters of Halong Bay

Is this trip right for you?

  • The bloody rule of the Khmer Rouge is a painful, but unavoidable, part of Cambodia's recent history we visit the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek which can be confronting. Please let your leader know if you do not want to visit these sights.

  • At your guesthouse in the Mekong Delta region, you’ll have simple twin share or double rooms. Amenities may be shared with cold water only. It’s not exactly the Hilton, but most travellers find it the highlight of their trip

  • This trip includes an overnight train journey. Carriages have 4 berth compartment bunk style beds, with shared amenities. While conditions on board are basic, not only are you able to wake up in a new location, you can also experience travelling like a local

  • Included boat trip from Nha Trang, also riding in a smaller basket boat, and with the opportunity for snorkelling. Let you leader know if you have any concerns about water based activities.

  • Vietnam average temperatures vary greatly between South and North. While there is no best time of year, it's best to check the seasonal patterns on our country information page, to gauge what the weather will be like.

Map of Classic Cambodia & Vietnam including Cambodia and Vietnam
Cambodia Phnom Penh Market
cambodia phnom pehn royal palace
cambodia ankor wat sunrise
vietnam ho chi minh city street pax locals
vietnam mekong ho chi minh city traveller river boat
vietnam nha trang landscape water basket
Vietnam hoi an leader street
vietnam hanoi street vendor
Vietnam halong bay leader
vietnam halong bay traveller bay view

Itinerary
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This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2018.
 View the 2019 itinerary

Sua s'dei! Welcome to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. You'll be met on arrival at Phnom Penh airport and transferred to your hotel. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm tonight - check with hotel reception for more information and have your insurance details and next of kin information ready for collection. If you have free time in the afternoon, perhaps stroll the streets of Phnom Penh and explore the city, taking in the interesting French colonial architecture. The National Museum, with its collection of classic Khmer craftsmanship, is well worth a visit. Dinner tonight will be at the restaurant run by the Friends organisation, a group which offers food, shelter, medical care, training and educational facilities for homeless, vulnerable or abandoned children. It's a great restaurant to support and the food is delicious – the Western and Asian fusion tapas dishes has put this restaurant on the must visit list.

Notes: Please provide us with your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to departure in order to arrange the transfer. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). If you plan to arrive earlier, the arrival transfer can only be offered in conjunction with pre-tour accommodation booked through Intrepid.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
Meals Included
  • Dinner

Today a full city tour introduces you to the sights of Phnom Penh, a city that lies near the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. The private quarters of the Royal Palace are home to King Sihamoni and are closed to the public. You will, however, be able to visit the Silver Pagoda that lies in the palace complex, which is the most sacred temple in the country. Phnom Penh remains a living relic of the country’s past struggles and successes. Your included visits to the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek tell the story of the tragic legacy of the Khmer Rouge. Tuol Sleng is a former school that served as a Khmer Rouge torture centre, and it’s estimated that more than 20,000 people were held and tortured here. The Choeung Ek Memorial is home to stupa made up of some 8,000 human skulls, marking the site of the infamous Killing Fields. This was the execution ground for the torture victims of Tuol Sleng, and standing in this peaceful setting it's almost unthinkable to imagine that to date nearly 9,000 corpses have been exhumed from the area. There is an optional visit to Wat Phnom, the temple that gave rise to the foundation of the city in the 15th century. An ideal way to spend your second evening here is to relax in a cafe by the riverfront.

Notes: The Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and Killing Fields of Choeung Ek are major parts of the experience here, but if you don't wish to visit them, please inform your tour leader.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng Prison Museum (S21)
  • Phnom Penh - Choeung Ek (Killing Fields)
  • Phnom Penh - Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Take a short flight to Siem Reap (approximately 1 hour). The small but expanding town of Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor. This is the most popular destination for travellers in all of Cambodia, perhaps even in South East Asia. You'll probably notice a change of pace here, so take a walk and enjoy the atmosphere. A visit to the old market is a must, even if you're not looking for souvenirs; wandering through the stalls and surrounding shops the silks, cottons, sarongs, silver and statues are a riot of colour and a feast for the eyes; and there will be one for stomach too if you try some of the cheap, delicious street food. There's also a long tradition of shadow puppetry in the region, and if you're lucky you might catch a show at one of the local restaurants in the evening, perhaps while you're eating the specialty cuisine of Cambodia – amok, the name given to curry steam-cooked in banana leaves.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Spend a full day visiting the amazing temples of Angkor on a guided exploration. Angkor Wat is the largest and most complete structure, and the only one of Angkor's temples that has its entrance facing west – the others face east. Then there is Angkor Thom, the 'Great Royal City', a temple that is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone. Of all the temples visited today, Bayon temple is the centrepiece, with over 200 smiling carved faces and more than 50 gothic towers. For lunch you'll visit the Sala Bai Hotel School where underprivileged local youths learn skills that enable them to find gainful employment in the hospitality industry. After lunch you will head to the Ta Prohm temple, where nature has taken over again, with large trees embedded in the stone foundations of the structure. End the day with a sunset view of the temples: an extraordinary way to see the sun go down.

Notes: The Sala Bai Hotel School is closed on public and school holidays, so on these days an alternative restaurant will be used.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Siem Reap - Three Day Angkor Pass
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Temples Guided Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Embrace a very early start today if you wish to experience a sunrise visit to the Angkor complex (this is optional). Later in the morning, venture to the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), a organisation that rehabilitates animals that have fallen victim to wildlife trafficking and provides a breeding facility for highly endangered animal species. From here, continue onto Banteay Srei. You'll see it's not a huge temple, but thanks to its intricate stone carvings it is sometimes referred to as ‘the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art’. At this point you can either head back to your hotel or carry on exploring more temples, such as Preah Khan. This temple contains a maze of vaulted corridors and is another complex that has been largely reclaimed by the jungle. Your ticket for the Angkor ruins also lets you spend more time exploring this site. Otherwise you might like to take a free afternoon to explore the town or visit Tonle Sap Lake and its floating villages. If you have time, perhaps indulge in a traditional Khmer massage or a Khmer cooking class.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Temples Guided Tour
Optional Activities
  • Siem Reap - Khmer Cooking Class - USD25
  • Siem Reap - Khmer traditional massage - USD17
  • Siem Reap - Remork transport to Tonle Sap Lake - USD10
  • Siem Reap - Tonle Sap Lake Boat Trip - USD15
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

You will be transferred back to the airport, where you will say goodbye to Cambodia and fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Please note that you will be unescorted on this flight. Upon arrival you will be picked up from the airport and transferred to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

As this is a combination trip, your group leader and the composition of your group may change at this location. There will be a group meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary and you're welcome to attend, as this is a great chance to meet your new fellow travellers and your Vietnamese tour leader. This meeting is followed by a group meal out at fantastic local restaurant.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Start the day with a buffet breakfast at KOTO Restaurant, which is one of our Intrepid Foundation supported programs that teaches street children hospitality skills.

Next, drive for about three hours to Cai Be. Here you’ll board a boat to explore the canals of the Mekong Delta. The delta is known as ‘Vietnam’s rice bowl’ for its abundance of rice paddies, fruit and flower orchards. During the boat trip, you’ll stop to sample some of the fresh tropical fruit and visit some cottage industries in the area.

Around sunset you’ll make your way to your local guesthouse to spend a night with the locals and enjoy a wonderful meal of local specialties.
Accommodation
  • Guesthouse (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Ho Chi Minh City - KOTO breakfast
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Your guesthouse is operated by local hosts, with simple twin and double rooms. Bedding and mosquito nets are supplied. Bathroom facilities may be shared, and may only have cold water available.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City and take a walking tour in town. Experience the hustle and bustle of former Saigon and explore some of the city's more interesting sights such as the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Ho Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum
Optional Activities
  • Ho Chi Minh City - Reunification Palace - VND40000
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Make a day trip to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. This former Viet Cong stronghold provides an insight into the resourcefulness and tenacity of the Vietnamese people, and offers a glimpse of what like was like during the war.

This evening, board an overnight train to Nha Trang. Conditions are basic on these trains and they may be a little dirtier than what you’re used to, however overnight trains are the best way to brush shoulders with the locals and make the best use of your time. Most trains have a dining carriage serving simple food, but some travellers like to take some food for the journey.
Accommodation
  • Overnight sleeper train (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnels
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
There are shared hotel rooms available this afternoon before your overnight train journey. There is one room for up to to 4 members of the group. Single supplements do not apply to day use rooms.
Sleeper trains typically have four or six berth compartments with bench seats that convert into sleeping bunks. A sheet, pillow and blanket are provided, although some travellers prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. Depending on the configuration of the group, you may have to share with people of different genders or passengers who aren’t part of the group.

Arrive in Nha Trang and transfer to your hotel. Nha Trang has been referred to as the ‘Cannes of the Orient’ because of its beautiful beaches and cosmopolitan vibe. Enjoy a free day in Nha Trang. Perhaps you’d like to soak up more sun on the beaches, or make an optional visit to the nearby Po Nagar Cham Towers. This archaeological site dates back to the middle ages and is dedicated to the indigenous goddess Yan Po Nagar.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Nha Trang - Mud baths - VND280000
  • Nha Trang - Po Nagar Cham Tower - VND22000
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Prior to standard hotel check in this morning, shared day use rooms are provided with one room for up to 4 members of the group.

Today you’ll go on a boat trip to some of the nearby islands and visit a fishing village. You’ll also have plenty of free time to go swimming and snorkelling, and you’ll be treated to a seafood buffet on the cruise.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hon Mun Island - Snorkelling
  • Nha Trang - Boat trip
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Take a short flight to Danang and then travel by minibus for one hour to Hoi An.

The rest of the day is free for you to do some optional activities or soak up the ambience of the place. You may like to wander Hoi An Market and the street stalls selling paintings, woodwork, ceramics, lanterns and much more. It’s also famous for its talented tailors who can make beautiful items to order within a few hours.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Your leader will take you on a walk around the Old Town. The city was a major trading port with the west from the 17th century onwards, and has a various architectural influences from Europe, China and Vietnam. Today the city is being restored and looks exactly like it did over a century ago.

The afternoon is free. You can rent a bicycle and take a trip out to the nearby beach. There’s also an optional Urban Adventure including a countryside bike ride and finishing up with a cruise along the Thu Bon River.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
Optional Activities
  • Hoi An - Street Food By Night Urban Adventure - USD28
  • Hoi An - Hoi An Boat & Bike Urban Adventure - USD51
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Enjoy a free day in Hoi An.

If you can muster an early rise this morning, head to the local produce market to watch animated shoppers haggling over fresh fish, spices and vegetables. Your leader can help you arrange an optional Vietnamese cooking course. Perhaps visit the ruins of My Son, Vietnam's most important Cham site. Set in a verdant valley, surrounded by hills and overlooked by the massive Cat's Tooth Mountain, the elaborate World Heritage-listed temples here reflect the rich cultural traditions of the Cham civilisation that flourished in this region between the 4th and 12th century.

Make the most of your last day in Hoi An by doing any activities you couldn’t fit into your schedule yesterday.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Hoi An - My Son Cham day trip - USD35
  • Hoi An - Hoi An Walking & Cooking Class Urban Adventure - USD49
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Continue on your journey today and drive over the spectacular Hai Van Pass, an incredibly scenic and mountainous stretch of highway with views of Lang Co Beach. Make a stop at beautiful Lang Co for an optional lunch.

Arrive in Hue, Vietnam’s former Imperial capital. Here you’ll visit the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City which was almost entirely destroyed by bomb blasts during the war.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hue - Imperial Citadel
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

After a local breakfast of bun bo hue take a cruise along the Perfume River. You’ll stop off at the Thien Mu Pagoda, and see an active Buddhist monastery dating back to 1601. One of the most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk who set himself alight to protest against the treatment of Buddhists. You’ll also visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, with its lake, frangipani and pine trees.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hue - Perfume River cruise & Thien Mu Pagoda
  • Hue - Royal tomb
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
Special Information
Perfume River Cruises may not be available during festival season. During these times you’ll travel by land to reach the activities.
During your trip to Hue, you’re likely to visit a Buddhist nunnery or monastery for lunch. The lunch helps to provide economic support to these institutions, which rely on donations to survive, and gives you an insight into the unique traditions and food of Vietnamese Buddhism.

Fly from Hue to Vietnam’s charming capital of Hanoi. This afternoon, take a half-day tour of Hanoi that captures the beauty and the history of the laid-back, tree-lined capital. You’ll visit major sights including the Temple of Literature and One Pillar Pagoda. You’ll also pass by the Hoan Kiem Lake and enter the ’36 Streets’ of the historic Old Quarter.

If you have some free time this afternoon, you may like to visit the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. This Museum plays a crucial role in maintaining and promoting the cultural heritage of Vietnam’s ethnic communities.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hanoi - Temple of Literature
  • Hanoi - Old Quarter Tour
  • Hanoi - One Pillar Pagoda & HCM stilt house
Optional Activities
  • Hanoi - Fine Arts Museum - VND30000
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Travel by private minibus for about four hours to the spectacular World Heritage site of Halong Bay. This is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful places, a secluded bay of emerald waters flecked with sandstone islands and caves. Go on a cruise to explore the rock formations and caves and in the warmer months, go for a swim or perhaps go kayaking out on the bay.

You’ll spend the night on the boat. The sailing junk has twin-share cabins with air-conditioning and private facilities. There's also a dining room and bar where you’ll enjoy all of your meals, including a lavish seafood buffet for lunch.
Accommodation
  • Overnight boat (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Halong Bay - Overnight boat cruise
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
It is recommended to pack a smaller overnight bag to take to Halong Bay for ease of boarding and disembarking. You can store your main luggage in Hanoi for tonight.

Kayaking and swimming is restricted to designated zones within the bay.

There are restrictions on the number of boats that are permitted to stay in the bay overnight, sometimes resulting in a shortage. To ensure all Intrepid travellers can enjoy the experience of a night on the water, occasionally you will stay on a larger boat (with approximately 12 cabins) and share your boat with another group. Or your group may be split across different vessels, in which case an Intrepid group leader will be present on each boat, and the route taken and inclusions on board will remain the same.

Drive for about four hours back to Hanoi. Along the way, you’ll stop at Dong Trieu Factory to watch locals creating ceramic art pieces.

On return to Hanoi this afternoon enjoy a unique water-puppet performance hosted by a family, who are experts in this art form.

Enjoy a final dinner with your fellow travellers.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hanoi - Local water puppet performance
Optional Activities
  • Hanoi - Hoa Lo 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison - VND30000
  • Hanoi - Museum of Ethnology - VND180000
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time.
Optional Activities
  • Hanoi - Hanoi Street Food By Night Urban Adventure - USD31
  • Hanoi - Citadels, Karsts & Cycle Urban Adventure - USD88
  • Hanoi - Village Discovery by Bike Urban Adventure - USD33
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Meals

19 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners

Transport

Boat, Bus, Overnight sleeper train, Plane, Private Bus, Private vehicle, Taxi

Accommodation

Guesthouse (1 night), Hotel (16 nights), Overnight boat (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)

Included activities

  • Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
  • Phnom Penh - Tuol Sleng Prison Museum (S21)
  • Phnom Penh - Choeung Ek (Killing Fields)
  • Phnom Penh - Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
  • Siem Reap - Three Day Angkor Pass
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Temples Guided Tour
  • Siem Reap - Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity
  • Ho Chi Minh City - KOTO breakfast
  • Ho Chi Minh City - War Remnants Museum
  • Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi Tunnels
  • Hon Mun Island - Snorkelling
  • Nha Trang - Boat trip
  • Hoi An - Old Town walking tour
  • Hue - Imperial Citadel
  • Hue - Perfume River cruise & Thien Mu Pagoda
  • Hue - Royal tomb
  • Hanoi - Temple of Literature
  • Hanoi - Old Quarter Tour
  • Hanoi - One Pillar Pagoda & HCM stilt house
  • Halong Bay - Overnight boat cruise
  • Hanoi - Local water puppet performance

Dates & availability

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Important notes

1. Passport Details: Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport), for internal flights and train tickets. Ticketing fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket.
2. An airport arrival transfer is included. Please provide your flight details at the time of booking.
3. A Single Supplement to have your own room is available on this trip and excludes nights 7 (guesthouse), 9 (overnight train), 18 (overnight boat), and day use rooms on Days 9 & 10, where you will be in shared accommodation.

NEW UPDATES FOR 2019
This trip will visit Phan Rang instead of Nha Trang.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

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