Explore Indochina

Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam.

Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 1.

You can arrive at any time as there are no activities planned until this important meeting; please ask the hotel reception where it will take place. 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're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader.

The capital of Vietnam is a charming city with a population of around four million. Hanoi is famous for its beautiful lakes, shaded boulevards, verdant public parks and its thriving old town centre, which is an architectural museum piece with blocks of ochre buildings retaining the air of a 1930s provincial French town. As Vietnam develops to compete with other South-East Asian countries, the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake reflects the contrasts of modern office buildings, old Buddhist temples and the tangle of ancient streets in its still surface.

If you arrive early, why not get your first taste of Vietnam exploring the lovely, laidback capital. You can stroll the tree-lined boulevards to get a sense of the old days, wander the Old Quarter to uncover ancient temples and a rich, religious culture or head to the Temple of Literature, an oasis of calm right at the heart of Hanoi.

Drive through the Red River Delta to Halong Bay (approx 4 hrs), stopping en route for refreshments at a handicraft village run by disabled people.

Halong Bay is a breathtaking secluded harbour with 2,000 limestone islands rising from the emerald waters of Bac Bo Gulf. One of Vietnam's most scenic regions, this area of about 1,500 sq km is dotted with innumerable beaches and grottos, created over thousands of years by waves and wind.

Board our boat and cruise the breathtaking bay with its limestone karsts rising from the clear emerald waters. We enjoy a sumptuous seafood lunch on board, explore some of the limestone caves in the area and go swimming during the warmer months.

Stay on the beautiful and relaxing Cat Ba Island. The lovely foreshore is a great place to sip an evening beer and watch the sunset.

Included Activities

• Boat cruise

Get up early and make a day of it with a guided tour of Cat Ba National Park or enjoy a peaceful kayak exploring Lan Han Bay.

Travel by ferry to Haiphong.

Drive back to Hanoi (approx 3 hrs).

Take a walking tour of the Old Quarter. You'll visit the Dong Xuan market, the biggest wholesale market in northern Vietnam, stroll through the ancient '36 streets' where you can discover an amazing selection of shops selling everything from souvenirs to exquisite silk clothing, beautifully embroidered tablecloths. Your leader will point out some of the unique architecture around Hoan Kiem Lake and the myths and legends of the lake.

Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, which includes the One Pillar Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Board an overnight train bound for Hue. Although conditions are basic, overnight trains are a true Intrepid experience and the best way to travel long distances with the locals. Sleeper trains typically have four berth compartments (occasionally six berth depending on seasonal variations), which have bench seats that convert into sleeping bunks. A sheet, pillow and blanket are provided, although some travelers prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. On occasion, passengers of different genders will be required to share a compartment and there will be occasions where you'll be sharing with local travelers or travellers who are not part of your group. Most trains have a dining carriage serving simple food, but some travelers take the opportunity to stock up on fresh bread, cheese and fruit prior to departure.

Included Activities

• Walking tour
  Optional Activities
  • Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Museum, Hanoi - VND50000.00
  • Water puppet show, Hanoi - VND60000.00
  • Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi - VND20000.00
  • Army Museum, Hanoi - VND20000.00
  • Hoa Lo 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison, Hanoi - VND15000.00
  • Temple of Literature, Hanoi - VND10000.00
  • Women's Museum, Hanoi - VND30000.00
  • Museum of Ethnology, Hanoi - VND25000.00

The pace of life is slow and tranquillity prevails in Hue - the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Founded as a royal city in 1687, it's the gateway to the treasures of Vietnam's royal past.

Visit the Imperial Citadel, including the Forbidden Purple City. The latter was almost totally destroyed during the American War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping holes left by bombs give an idea of the destruction wreaked upon the country during the war.

Enjoy a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. The trip includes a visit to Thien Mu Pagoda, considered by many to be the unofficial symbol of Hue. It's an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601. One of the most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk who, in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime. We also visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, with its central lake set amid a grove of frangipani and pine trees, and we may visit what many believe to be the most majestic of all the royal tombs, Minh Mang.

Optional Activities

• Imperial Citadel, Hue - VND55000.00
• Perfume River cruise and Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue - VND180000.00
• Royal tomb, Hue - VND55000.00
• Bike hike (1 day), Hue - VND60000.00

Travelling by bus, leave Hue and head south through coastal rice paddies to the fishing village of Lang Co, before traversing the spectacularly mountainous Hai Van Pass. After a brief visit to the beautiful China Beach, arrive at Hoi An (approx 4 hours).

Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An is being beautifully restored and preserved. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of South-East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did more than a century ago and it retains the feel of centuries past, making it the sort of place that grows on you the more you explore it.

It's also a shopping mecca - with much to browse and buy. Choose from original paintings, handcraft woodwork, ceramics, embroidery, lanterns and more. Hoi An has also become famous for its tailoring - with a great variety of fabrics and tailors to choose from. Bring your favourite piece of clothing or even just a picture, and you'll be able to have it copied.

There's no better way to explore the peaceful countryside of Hoi An than by bike.

Included Activities

• Bike tour
  Optional Activities
  • Ancient Town, Hoi An - VND90000.00
  • My Son Cham Ruins including car transport & guide, Hoi An - VND800000.00
  • Thu Bon River boat trip, Hoi An - VND100000.00

Take a day train south to Nha Trang (approx 9 hrs).

Once referred to as the 'Cannes of the Orient', Nha Trang's sandy palm-lined beach and island-dotted bay still make an idyllic picture, and a cosmopolitan feel prevails in the town itself.

You have a couple of days to swim in the crystal-clear warm waters on a snorkelling or scuba diving trip to the nearby islands. Squeeze in a trip to the local hot springs for some thermal therapy.

Board an overnight train bound for Ho Chi Minh City.

Optional Activities

• Mud baths (including taxi), Nha Trang - VND280000.00
• Boa Dai Villa (including taxi), Nha Trang - VND120000.00

Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is characterised by a vast array of sights and sounds; a fascinating blend of old and new, East and West. The huge number of people rushing about their daily lives in Vietnam's largest city gives it a dynamic atmosphere and the French influence is evident in the excellent baguettes and coffee on offer. Much of the city's life takes place on the busy streets lined with shops, stalls and vendors with their wares spread out on the footpath, selling everything from soup to sophisticated electronics.

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 travelers.

Optional Activities

• Cyclo tour, Ho Chi Minh City - VND60000.00
• Cu Chi Tunnels, Ho Chi Minh City - VND80000.00
• Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh City - VND30000.00
• War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City - VND15000.00

Travel by public bus through rural Vietnam and Cambodia to Phnom Penh (approx 6-7 hrs).

Head out to the Choeung Ek Memorial, where a stupa made up of some 8,000 human skulls marks 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 9000 corpses have been exhumed from the area.

Learn about a brighter period in Cambodian history with a visit to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.

Check out the National Museum. Housed in a beautiful traditional building, it contains many outstanding examples of Khmer craftsmanship.

Explore Wat Phnom, a peaceful temple situated on a hill for which the city is named. According to legend, a 14th-century woman named Penh found sacred Buddhist objects in the nearby river and placed them here on the small hill.

Consider taking in the sites by cyclo! Tours generally take in the following: central market, US Embassy, Wat Phnom, Mekong river front, independence monument, finishing at the Royal Palace.

If you're in the mood for shopping, stop in at the art deco-designed Psar Thmei (Central Market) which is a great place for browsing, or travel out to Psar Tuol Tom Pong (the Russian Market) for the best range of local souvenirs.

Optional Activities

• Killing Fields of Choueng Ek, Phnom Penh - USD2.00
• Transport to Choeung Ek, Phnom Penh - USD10.00
• Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh - USD6.25
• National Museum, Phnom Penh - USD3.00
• Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh - USD2.00
• Cyclo tour, Phnom Penh - USD3.00

A public bus takes us to Sihanoukville (approx 3 hrs).

Named for the Cambodian royal family, Sihanoukville has miles of beaches and warm, welcoming people.

Take a boat to one of the nearby islands, where you're free to enjoy a barbecue lunch and relax among swaying palms, white sands and blue waters.

Make a trip out to the Ream National Park - 21 hectares of coastal mangrove forest, which hosts a great variety of animal and bird species.

TRIP CHANGE 2012:
For departures from 1 January 2012 we'll be staying in Sihanoukville for 2 nights only, and this itinerary will be 1 day shorter = 25 days.

Optional Activities

• Island boat trip, Sihanoukville - USD15.00
• Ream National Park, Sihanoukville - USD5.00

Take a local bus to Phnom Penh (approx 4 hrs).

Why not indulge in a traditional massage at the Seeing Hands Massage parlours - they are some of the best in the city and your patronage supports the visually impaired masseurs, whose years of training are sure to work wonders on muscle aches and pains.

Optional Activities

• Traditional Khmer massage, Phnom Penh - USD10.00

Catch a public bus to the riverside town of Kompong Cham (approx 4 hrs).

This peaceful town was once an important trading hub and is now a great opportunity to experience life in small-town Cambodia.

Explore the serene 11th-century Wat Nokor.

Hire a bike to explore the rural island of Koh Paen, linked to Kompong Cham by an elaborate bamboo bridge (passable only in the dry season, take a ferry in the wet). The locals here make their living fishing, growing tobacco and sesame so it's a good place to go for a closer look at Cambodia's cottage industry.

A little further afield are the twin 'mountain temples' of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei.

Optional Activities

• Wat Nokor, Kompong Cham - USD1.00
• Bike hire, Kompong Cham - USD2.00
• Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, Kompong Cham - USD10.00

Take a public bus to Siem Reap (approx 5 hrs). Experience rural Cambodia along the way and take the opportunity to sample the local cuisine of Skun... deep fried spiders!

The small but expanding town of Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor. It's markets are a great place to shop or to try some cheap, delicious street food.

Visit the world-famous Angkor complex. These temples were built between the 9th and 13th centuries when the Khmer empire was the pre-eminent influence in South-East Asia. The temples were believed to represent the cosmic world and were set in perfect balance, symmetry and composition. The intricately carved bas-reliefs and architectural designs are mind-blowing and there are spectacular photographic opportunities at any time of day - watching a sunrise or sunset is a must. The ruins are scattered over an area of some 160 sq km, but the main cluster of temples is close to Siem Reap so you'll have plenty of time to fully appreciate the great archaeological sites of Angkor Wat, the Bayon and the jungle-covered Ta Prohm.

Depending on the season there may be a chance to visit Tonle Sap Lake for a look at local life.

Optional Activities

• 1-Day Angkor Pass, Siem Reap - USD20.00
• 3-Day Angkor Pass, Siem Reap - USD40.00
• Remork to Angkor complex, Siem Reap - USD15.00
• Boat trip, Tonle Sap Lake - USD15.00
• Remork to Tonle Sap Lake, Siem Reap - USD10.00
• Khmer cooking class, Siem Reap - USD15.00

It's a long drive from Siem Reap to Bangkok (approx. 8-9 hours including border crossing and lunch)

Thailand's bustling capital, Bangkok is famous for its tuk tuks, khlong boats and street vendors serving up delicious Thai food.

Bangkok has so much to offer those with time to explore - why not take a riverboat to Chinatown and explore the crowded streets, or wander down the tourist mecca of Khao San Road; pay a visit to Wat Pho, home to the country's largest reclining Buddha and keeper of the magic behind Thai massage; explore the magnificent Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; travel by longtail boat down the Chao Phraya River to explore the famous 'khlongs' (canals) of Bangkok. Life along these canals seems a world away from the chaotic streets of the capital.

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart our accommodation at any time. Please check the 'Finishing Point Hotel' section for checkout times and luggage storage possibilities.

Optional Activities

• Grand Palace, Bangkok - THB400.00
• Khlong (canal) tour, Bangkok - THB800.00
• Wat Pho, Bangkok - THB50.00