Southeast Asian Odyssey

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart by road to Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage area of outstanding natural beauty known for its limestone islands and glistening waters. Travel through the rich farmlands of the delta and witness the daily life of the Vietnamese villages.

Arrive in Ha Long and board a traditional junk boat, to begin your cruise along the bay with a welcome drink. Lunch on board. Pass by many fascinating islets and stop to visit local fishing villages, caves and limestone islands. Relax at your leisure on the sun deck. Dinner and overnight on board.

Please note: The cruise operator will choose ONE itinerary to either Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay. Itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions or local administration regulations. There will be no guide on board.

Early risers are invited to participate in a Tai Chi demonstration on the upper bridge. Afterwards a light breakfast will be served, and later, enjoy a splendid brunch aboard the boat. Continue to navigate through the myriad of islands and islets, paying a visit to the most notable of them.

By midday, bid farewell to the fascinating panorama of Ha Long Bay and head back to Hanoi. The rest of the day is at your leisure to soak up the atmosphere, do some souvenir shopping or continue discovering the city at your own pace. Overnight stay in Hanoi.

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, transfer to the airport to take your flight to Ho Chi Minh. This vibrant city, described as the ‘Pearl of the Far East’, boasts beautiful heritage buildings, friendly locals and exciting atmosphere!

Arrival at Tan Son Nhat International airport and meet your guide. The rest of the day is at your leisure to discover this fascinating city at your own pace. We recommend taking part in our optional half-day excursion to the underground city of Cu Chi* perfect, for history enthusiasts. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

*Optional excursion to Cu Chi (half-day, without lunch): explore the famous Cu Chi tunnels, located 40 miles northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. This underground city, built in 1948 by the Viet Minh to fight the French, includes living rooms, kitchens, warehouses, armories, hospitals, command centers.

Breakfast at the hotel. Embark on a full-day tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Visit Dong Khoi Street, appreciate the restored Opera House, and visit the Grand Hotel de Ville.

Be amazed by the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the impressive Central Post Office, designed by the architect Gustav Eiffel. In District 5 visit China Town and the iconic Thien Hau Temple, built in honour of the goddess of the sea.

Conclude your exciting excursio at the bustling Ben Thanh market. Return to the hotel and the enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Overnight stay in Ho Chi Minh City.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, the day is yours to explore at your leisure! We recommend taking part in our optional excursion to discover the magical Mekong Delta.* Overnight stay in Ho Chi Minh City.

*Optional Mekong Delta excursion: depart to Ben Tre province crossing Rach Mieu bridge. Hop on a motorized boat on the Ben Tre River. Stop at a brick kiln and visit a coconut processing workshop on the canal. Take a motorized cart or bicycle and pass by green rice fields and discover everyday life on the river. Take a rowing-boat along a water palm creek before you return to the pier.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you say goodbye to Vietnam and head by road to Cambodia! After breakfast, depart from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh on the Mekong Express and Giant Ibis bus. The journey takes you through the country, so sit back and enjoy the ride.

Arrive in Phnom Penh in the evening, transfer to your hotel for check-in and take the rest of the evening to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings. Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, set off on a poignant excursion to The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, for a moving insight into the rule of the Khmer Rouge. Understand this period in Cambodian history at the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and visit the notorious fields.

The rest of the day is at your leisure to continue exploring independently. We recommend an optional city tour to get to know Phnom Penh's most emblematic sights*. Overnight stay in Phnom Penh.

*Optional Phnom Penh City Tour: explore Cambodia’s capital and its major landmarks including the fascinating Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and a tranquil boat cruise along the Mekong River.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, catch the Giant Ibis/Mekong Express bus* from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. On arrival, meet your driver and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy exploring this vibrant city at your own pace as the rest of the day is at leisure. Why not head out to discover the well-known night market and Pub Street. Overnight stay in Siem Reap.

*The Giant Ibis/Mekong Express bus ride is approx. 200 miles and takes around 6 hours. Choose to take a flight from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap with Cambodia Angkor Air (1-hour flight), available for purchase in the next step of the booking process.

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, depart on a discovery of temples, toward Angkor Thom. The Bayon temple has 54 towers decorated with 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara. The Baphuon temple was built under the mandate of Jayavarman I.

Continue to Ta Prohm, one of the most spectacular temples in the area, which has remained relatively the same as when it was discovered, and still retains much of its mystery.

In the afternoon, visit the most renowned and well known of all the temples, Angkor Wat. Established as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it's the largest religious monument globally and stands as a testament to the grandeur of the Khmer Empire. To bring this day of discover to a close, enjoy a magical sunset over Angkor Wat. Return to the hotel and overnight stay in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a day at your leisure, soaking up the ambience of Siem Reap, or perhaps exploring the sights at your own pace. We recommend an optional excursion to Phnom Kulen Mountain, a sacred pilgrimage site home to remote temples*. Overnight stay in Siem Reap.

*Optional half-day Phnom Kulen Mountain excursion: Phnom Kulen National Park, Cambodia's most sacred mountain, is 25 miles northeast of Siem Reap. A revered pilgrimage site, it features a modern pagoda with Angkor views, a 26-foot reclining Buddha, and a purifying Linga statue. Explore the River of One Thousand Lingas and a nearby waterfall, offering a refreshing swim.

Breakfast at the hotel. Spend the day at your leisure, exploring the lively city center. We recommend enjoying an optional excursion to a Blessing Ceremony at the pagoda and visit to Tonle Sap Lake* and an optional Tuk-Tuk Street Food tour**.

In the afternoon visit the Old Market (at the time those who took the first excursion return from the Lake). Overnight stay in Siem Reap.

*Optional Blessing Ceremony & visit to Tonle Sap Lake: Wat Damnak is one of the most beautiful pagodas, boasting French colonial architecture and a garden full of large statues. Participate in a private blessing ceremony, conducted by the local monks that live in the pagoda. Next, embark on a boat trip on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest in Southeast Asia, that can grow by ten fold during the rainy season.

**Optional Tuk-Tuk street food tour (night tour): immerse yourself in local culture and try all different types of local street food, snacks, fruit, fried insects...! To end this exciting excursion, head to a local restaurant to enjoy a traditional dinner, cooked by locals in true Cambodian style.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart the hotel this morning ready to take a flight to Bangkok. Touch down in the buzzing capital of Thailand and transfer to the hotel. 

Bangkok offers a variety of unique experiences, from its impressive temples and lively culture, to its exciting night markets and world-renowned cuisine. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure and begin discovering this fascinating city. Overnight stay in Bangkok.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, get ready to discover the city and its temples on an exciting tour of Bangkok! Begin along the main avenues to reach the vibrant Chinatown neighborhood.

Our first stop will be at Wat Traimit Temple, best known for housing a 5-ton solid gold Buddha loaded with history. Our next stop will be the Wat Pho Temple, home one of the largest reclining Buddhas in the world at over 150 feet long.

To finish the tour, head to a precious stone factory where you will see a demonstration of how local craftspeople make their products. We recommend an optional excursion to the Grand Palace* to learn more about the culture of this country. Return to the hotel and overnight stay in Bangkok.

*Optional excursion to the Grand Palace: discover this impressive complex, symbol of the city and former official residence of the King of Thailand between the 18th and mid-20th centuries. Also visit Wat Phra Kaew or Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most important in Thailand.

Please note: For the Grand Palace visit you should wear long pants that cover the ankles and a long-sleeved shirt.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, enjoy the day at leisure to continue exploring the capital. Why not head to some of its many markets, where you can sample some of its famous street food dishes. We recommend an exciting and entertaining optional excursion to visit the train market and floating market* or an optional trip to Ayutthaya**. Overnight stay in Bangkok. 

*Optional train market and floating market excursion: travel to Mae Klong where you’ll see a curious market installed on the train tracks. The merchants collect all the products in record time when a train passes! From there, head to the Klong Damnersaduak floating market in Ratchaburi province, considered the most important in the country.

**Optional Ayutthaya excursion (depart by bus + return by boat): discover Ayutthaya and its archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to Bang Pa-In, the official summer residence of Thailand royalty. Embark on a river cruise along the Chao Phraya River back to the city of Bangkok. A buffet lunch will be served on board (drinks not included). Arrive in Bangkok in the afternoon.

Please note: optional excursions on this day cannot be done together, you will only be able to choose one of them.