Are Vietnam, Cambodia and Indochina on your travel wish list? We have good news: Blue Horizon Travel is arranging a group trip to these incredible places. Experience the culture, food and incredible sights of these faraway lands with the help of an experienced tour guide! Here’s a look at the itinerary for our upcoming trip, planned for Jan. 15 to Jan. 27, 2018, with three optional extensions before and after the 12-night main tour.
After catching your flight, you’ll land in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, with a full day to discover and explore the city’s illustrious history on your own after getting to The Silk Path Hotel, right in the Old Quarter of the city. Guests will spend the next day checking out some of the most notable sites, including the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and the Ngoc Son Temple. There is also an hourlong cycle tour of the Old Quarter of the city, where tour guests will learn about traditional Vietnamese architecture.
Day three will take visitors to the countryside outside the city limits. A short drive away is Ninh Binh, where the tour includes another scenic bicycle ride around paddy fields and a visit to Vuon Thi Village. Meet the locals and discover the lifestyle and hospitality of the Northern people of Vietnam. Guests will learn how wet rice is cultivated, and cruise the Van Long reservoir while taking in the limestone cliffs.
The night returns guests to Hanoi, but day four will bring visitors back to these sights aboard a junk boat. Guests will float along through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, lined with rice paddies and limestone cliffs. The day includes a seafood lunch and swim in the Ha Long Bay aboard an Indochina Sails Premium Junk. After a night aboard the vessel, the fifth day starts with a cruise back to the wharf to check out of the hotel and onward to the city of Hue. This historic cultural center was the nation’s capital from 1802 to 1945, and was a central city, not only politically, but geographically throughout the Vietnam War. Guests can take a break at the hotel and then check out the city, explore the history of th region, and discover the beauty of the many recently restored areas of the city.
Day six moves guests on from Hue, starting with a morning boat cruise on the Perfume River and a visit to the Thein Mu Pagoda. Visitors will take in the mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc, followed by a visit to the Imperial Citadel and the Dong Ba Market. A drive along the coast will offer a glimpse of the incredible mountain ranges, as well as a stop in the village of Lang Co Beach. By evening, guests will arrive at Hội An, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, with history tracing back to the 15th century.
The seventh day will guide visitors through some of Hội An’s famous lantern workshops, even offering an opportunity for guests to learn how to make one. Then, a walking tour takes travelers on a trip through the World Heritage Site, where you’ll see an ancient merchant house, a 400-year old Japanese Covered Bridge, and a vibrant riverside market.
On day eight, the tour takes back to the air, starting with a morning flight to Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City. This cultural center is perhaps the best-known city in Vietnam, and still stands as the most populous city. Guests will visit the Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Chinatown, the Central Post Office and more before a dinner at the Indochine Restaurant in the city.
The next day of the main tour includes a drive to the amazing Cu Chi Tunnels, where Vietnamese guerrillas built tunnels and hideouts during the war. The day also includes a stop at a C-5 plane crash site and a stop at the site where the famous Saigon evacuation photo was taken. At the end of the day, visitors will meet with Vietnamese Veterans to learn more about the war.
The 10th day heads back to the air, heading to Cambodia and the city of Siem Reap. This capital city of the same-named province is the gateway to the Angkor region, boasting Chinese and colonial architecture. Guests can explore on their own in the afternoon and rest up for the next day, which takes guests to the Southern Gate of Angkor Thom and a variety of famous ruins. In the afternoon, guests visit Angkor Wat, perhaps the best-known temple, to explore the history and architecture before enjoying an unforgettable sunset over the mountains.
On the 12th day, the tour continues with tours of the Temple of Shiva, Banteay Samre Temple and Ta Prohm Temple. Later in the day, guests will stop at a monastery to experience a private good luck blessing ceremony before returning to Siem Reap for dinner with a Khmer traditional apsara dance show. The final morning offers guests a morning cruise on Tonle Sap Lake before heading back to the airport home.
If this doesn’t sound like enough time to take in all there is to see, you’re in luck. Guests can sign up for a two-night tour from Jan. 13 to Jan. 15 that covers more in-depth study of the Vietnam War in Hanoi; a four-day post tour drip to Laos; and a third optional trip to Thailand, either right after the main tour or the Laos addition.
Click here for more information on the tour and all the available options, or call us today at 800-939-4334 to book.
If this trip isn’t just right for you, our talented and experienced travel agents can help you create the perfect itinerary. Take a look at some of our other upcoming tours or learn more about our custom vacation packages online now.
