Family Discovery Vietnam and Angkor Wat Extension

Arrive in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, which is 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 head to the Old Quarter and explore the maze of narrow lanes that are named after the various crafts of Hanoi's artisans. The pavements around here are filled with food sellers tempting you with steaming noodles, snacks and stir-fried delights, too.

This morning, our tour leader will lead us on a sightseeing tour of Hanoi, visiting the One-Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literatures and the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. The afternoon step into the world of traditional Vietnamese water puppetry with a special visit to a master puppeteer's home, meet an artist from a family with seven generations of water puppetry heritage and discover the fascinating history behind this unique art form. Enjoying an intimate live performance, then experience the magic for yourself by stepping into the water to touch and control the puppets. You'll also learn how these handcrafted puppets are made and gain deeper insight into one of Vietnam's most treasured cultural traditions. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy Hanoi at night.

Leaving Hanoi after breakfast, we'll hop on our bus and take the new expressway to the Gulf of Tonkin and the breath taking scenery of Lan Ha Bay. A picturesque and lesser-known gem adjacent to the famous Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay is celebrated for its tranquil waters and relatively untouched environment, offering a more peaceful and intimate experience. The bay is scattered with secluded beaches, hidden lagoons, and grottoes waiting to be explored. We'll board our premium junk 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. We have the chance to stop and take an excursion to Viet Hai village, a primitive, tranquil location with precious traditional cultural values. Here you will have a chance to explore locals living their daily lives, visit fish lakes, bee houses and ancient houses. For those who do not wish to join the excursion an afternoon tea will be served on board in the piano lounge. Dinner this evening is served on board where you will received a Michelin-standard dinner on the sun deck (weather dependent) with a live band. We'll spend the night aboard our superb junk, 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 are an early riser you may wish to start your day off with a taichi session on the sundeck, before a light breakfast. After our light breakfast we head off the boat to explore the Dark and Bright cave, a frog-shaped cave with sparkling stalactites in various shapes and sizes on the arch-shaped ceiling. Returning to our boat, we'll continue our cruise in the bay and enjoy a brunch served onboard. Returning to Tuan Chau pier, we'll re-join our vehicle and drive back to Hanoi and the rest of the afternoon is free. If you'd like to freshen up before we catch the Reunification Express sleeper train to Hue, there will be two day-use hotel rooms available for our group. Tonight, we'll travel in soft sleeper compartments, with four passengers sharing each compartment. All bedding is provided. Please note, breakfast will not be included on the train, it's advisable to pick up snacks for the morning before we board the train.

Arriving in Hue this morning, we head out to see some of the highlights of this historic city including a visit to the Royal Palace and the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, home to the oldest monastery in the city. We'll also visit the house of a national champion kite flier for Vietnam where we'll learn how to make traditional Vietnamese kites. We'll then take our completed kites to the nearby Citadel grounds, home to the Imperial City, to try them out.

Enjoy a scenic boat cruise downstream to Tien Non Village (approximately 1 hour), where your countryside adventure begins. Set off on a leisurely cycling journey along quiet village lanes and lush rice fields to Thanh Tien Village, renowned for its beautifully handcrafted paper flowers traditionally used for worship. Continue cycling at a relaxed pace to Sinh Village. Here, visit a local family known for preserving the traditional art of woodblock painting. Learn about this unique craft and enjoy a hands-on experience creating your own piece alongside skilled local artisans.(total cycling distance is approximately 6km). Bid farewell to Sinh Village and continue by bus to Kinh Van An (approximately 20 km) where we'll visit a martial arts school that practices the Vietnamese art of Kinh Van for a martial arts demonstration. The school's owner's ancestors were chosen to guard the Vietnamese king and he now teaches this ancient art. Afterwards, journey onward to Hoi An via the scenic Hai Van Pass - one of Vietnam's most spectacular coastal roads. Enjoy breathtaking views along the 3-hour drive (121 km), including a stop at the summit of the pass for photos and sightseeing.

The morning is free to wander through the historic heart of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, taking in the wonderfully preserved buildings of what was once one of the busiest trading outposts in Southeast Asia. We recommend an early morning visit to Hoi An's fish market - the perfect setting for snapping some colourful photographs and interacting with the locals. You might also like to visit the city's famous Japanese Bridge, before wandering through the traditional wooden houses and Chinese temples. This afternoon, you could hire bicycles and explore the surrounding countryside, take a gentle river cruise, spend time at the beach, or take the chance to visit some of Hoi An's famous tailor shops.

This morning, we set off towards Danang. Our journey takes us past the five peaks of the Marble Mountains, originally believed to have been islands that were said to represent the five elements of water, wood, fire, gold and earth. On arrival in Danang, we'll board the morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Landing in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), we'll head out to explore an area formally known as District 3 by cyclo (cycle carriages with a seat at the front). We'll turn off the main thoroughfare and into the maze of narrow streets of this bustling district on foot. We then hop off our cyclo and set off on foot where our walk takes us past ramshackle shopfronts, through local markets selling anything from colourful fruit to bootleg DVDs, and past houses, churches and schools, all squeezed into the small buildings that line the narrow alleys. Finally, we'll stop at a local stall for a traditional Vietnamese coffee (brewed coffee served sweet with condensed milk) where we can also sample 'Banh Mi' - a Vietnamese take on the humble French baguette - freshly baked and packed with a combo of traditional and more exotic ingredients. Our walk winds up at the so-called 'secret weapons' bunker'. A small unassuming 'tube house' with a trap door in the floor that hides a basement stocked full of rifles, grenades and ammunition. The bunker played a key role in the TET Offensive of 1968, it was the base from which the Viet Cong's "Team 5" launched their assault, and its location was only revealed after the end of the war. We'll have some time to explore the house and bunker, filled with decommissioned weapons and photographs, news clippings and memorabilia from the wartime.

After breakfast this morning, we'll head out to visit the infamous Cu Chi tunnels. First constructed by the Vietnamese during their colonial war with the French, the tunnels served as an underground command base for 10,000 Viet Cong troops during the Vietnam War. The afternoon is free for you to explore more at your own pace.

Leaving the city behind us this morning, we'll drive to the Mekong Delta and catch a boat to the start point of our cycle ride. We'll cycle for around 10-12 kilometres/6-7 miles along the flat Cai Thia village path with views of the delta as we wind our way around its tributaries. The route is often shaded which is helpful to combat the humidity (the boat can pick up cyclists at various stopping points if required). Along the way, we'll visit Mrs Nam's home who will show us how to make rice paper in the traditional way and Mr and Mrs Chin's home who will treat us to refreshments that include her famous 'Banh Tieu' (traditional doughnut). We'll return to the boat where we'll have lunch onboard and sail close to our night stop. Transferring from our cruise boat to a sampan craft, which is a small traditional boat that is regularly used by the villagers to travel along the delta, we'll complete our journey to our homestay close by. Our homestay is set in a lovely garden with a main lounge area and dining room. Accommodation is en-suite (shower and toilet) with traditional décor throughout. After settling in, we'll have a Vietnamese cooking lesson in the early evening followed by a delicious homecooked meal.

Leaving the homestay behind, we'll cruise back along the Mekong Delta, a vast network of rivers and islands that crisscross agricultural villages, paddy fields and mangrove swamps. Along the way we will make a stop off at a local pottery factory with the chance to purchase local products before setting sail again down the Mekong Delta. After our visit, we'll drive on to Chau Doc on the border of Vietnam and Cambodia via the emerald green wetlands of Tra Su where we'll top for a boat trip in Tra Su Cajeput Forest.

Driving to the jetty in Chau Doc this morning, we'll board an early morning boat to Phnom Penh, a four-and-a-half-hour river journey that takes us up the Tien River into neighbouring Cambodia. Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, meet and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, you will take a leisurely walk, approximately five minutes, from the hotel to visit the majestic Royal Palace and the adjacent Silver Pagoda, two of Cambodia's most iconic landmarks reflecting the country's royal heritage and spiritual traditions. After exploring the palace grounds, the walk continues for another several minutes from the Elephant Gate to Botum Pagoda, located just next to the Royal Palace. Here, guests will take part in a private monk blessing ceremony, a peaceful and intimate experience that offers prayers for good health, happiness, and protection. During the ceremony, guests will also receive a traditional red blessing thread, symbolizing peace and safe travels, while gaining insight into Cambodian Buddhist customs. Following the blessing, you will hop aboard a traditional tuk-tuk and ride to Phnom Penh's vibrant Central Market (Phsar Thmey), a striking Art Deco landmark and one of the city's most energetic commercial hubs. A guided walk through the bustling market reveals stalls filled with colourful textiles, handicrafts, souvenirs, spices, and local delicacies. Along the way, guests will enjoy a tasting of Cambodia's seasonal tropical fruits, such as mango, mangosteen, rambutan, longan, and, when in season, the famously pungent durian. After enjoying the flavours and atmosphere of the market, return to the hotel by tuk-tuk.

After breakfast, depart Phnom Penh for Siem Reap by private vehicle, covering a total distance of approximately 320 kilometres, which takes around 5 to 6 hours by road depending on traffic and stops. The first stop along the way is at Skun, a small town famously known as “Spider Village" located about 75 kilometres from Phnom Penh. Here, you can explore a lively local market where deep-fried tarantulas, crickets, and other edible insects are sold. Continuing the journey, before reaching Siem Reap, you will make a detour to visit Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake. The villages are known for their stilted houses, floating schools, and fascinating views of life on the water. You take guided boat trip on the lake offering a closer look at daily life on Tonle Sap and its ecological importance to Cambodia. Upon arrival in Siem Reap in the late afternoon, you will visit the APOPO Visitor Centre, where you will learn about the extraordinary work being done by trained HeroRATs (African giant pouched rats) to detect landmines and unexploded ordnance. In the evening, there is an option to see a performance by the Phare Cambodian Circus. More than just a circus, this is a powerful mix of theatre, acrobatics, dance, and live music - performed by talented young artists from disadvantaged backgrounds. It's a highlight for many visitors and a memorable celebration of Cambodian creativity and resilience.

Travelling by local tuk-tuk, this morning we'll visit three of the most famous temple sites - Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat. The fortified city of Angkor Thom was originally built at the end of the 12th Century and was a formidable sight in its day; surrounded by eight-metre walls, towering gates and a crocodile-filled moat. We also visit the atmospheric ruins at Ta Phrom, made famous in the Tomb Raider film and then finish the day viewing the beautiful setting of Angkor Wat, without doubt, the most renowned and impressive of Siem Reap's jungle temples.

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 Angkor International Airport (SAI), which is a 60-minute drive from the hotel.