Cambodia & Vietnam

We meet at O.R. Tambo International for our flight via Singapore to Siem Reap, Cambodia. An eventful journey to two of the world’s most colourful and cultural countries lies ahead.

Arrive in Siem Reap. Our guide meets us at the airport, and we are transferred to our hotel for a much-needed rest.

Located in the heart of Southeast Asia, Cambodia is a country of ancient wonders, epic history, lush landscapes and friendly people.

Cambodia is the modern successor state to the mighty Khmer Empire, which at one time ruled much of Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The rich legacy of the Khmers lives on today in the form of intricate, centuries-old temples that contrast with the chaotic but charming pulse of modern life. Siem Reap is best known as the gateway to the temples of Angkor, but as Cambodia’s second-largest city, it has much to offer visitors. In recent years, it has become a cultural and culinary hub, boasting many museums, galleries, markets, street food vendors and fine dining experiences. Just beyond the city limits lies a world of rice paddies, dense jungle and tranquil waterways.

Tomorrow, we start our exploration of this interesting, multi-faceted place, but tonight we rest and enjoy dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast, we leave the city for the floating village of Kompong Khleang on Tonlé Sap Lake.

Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and the main source of food and income for its surrounding communities, who have lived on its shores for many generations. Nearly half the fish consumed in Cambodia comes from Tonlé Sap.

During the wet season, the lake swells enormously with water from neighbouring rivers, engulfing its floodplains. Ingenuity and necessity have given rise to floating villages like Kompong Khleang, which solve the problem of seasonal flooding and displacement: when the lake rises, the village rises with it.

In Kompong Khleang, boats of all shapes and sizes zip between houses built on stilts or constructed on floating platforms tethered to poles. We travel between the houses by boat, observing the villagers as they go about their daily life. They hang laundry from the eaves of floating homes, burn cooking fires, bathe in the lake and send their children to school by boat. We enjoy a picnic lunch in a villager’s home.

In the afternoon we visit the sublime and beautiful temple of Angkor Wat. Built in the 12th century, the temple complex is the largest religious monument in the world, a sprawling, divinely conceived masterpiece.

We wander through the temple, taking in the intricate bas-reliefs and elaborate carvings adorning the walls and towers. The attention to detail and artistic skill is something to linger over.

The rest of the day is spent at leisure.

Kompong Khleang Floating Village

Temple of Angkor Wat

This morning, we discover the temple of Ta Prohm, another beautiful ruin from the Khmer Empire.

Abandoned and forgotten for centuries, Ta Prohm has been partially swallowed by the surrounding jungle.

Trees grow through its walls and twisting roots wind their way around the carvings and columns. Looking beyond the stranglehold of the encroaching jungle, we see beautiful carvings, bas-reliefs and intricate stonework.

The afternoon is spent at Angkor Thom, the remains of the last and most enduring capital of the Khmer Empire. We visit the Bayon, a temple decorated with 216 stone incarnations of the face of Avalokiteshvara, a bodhisattva who contains the compassion of all Buddhas. The mesmerising gaze of these gargantuan heads follows us as we discover the temple and its sights. We also see the Terrace of the Elephants, named for the carvings on its eastern face.

This evening we enjoy dinner at the hotel with an optional Apsara Dance Show. Wearing exquisite costumes and bejewelled golden headdresses, Apsara dancers use graceful hand gestures and flowing movements to convey folk myths and stories.

Ta Prohm Temple

Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple

Dinner at the Hotel with an Optional

Spend the morning at leisure relaxing at the resort or embark on an optional excursion to Kompong Khleang. Curious travellers can head into Siem Reap to discover the city.

For lunch, we head to Srah Srang, a striking 10thcentury reservoir and have lunch in a traditional Khmer House.

In the evening we fly to Hanoi in Northern Vietnam.

On arrival, we are met at the airport and transferred to our hotel.

Morning at Leisure

Optional Excursion to

Kompong Kleang

Picnic Lunch at Khmer House

Awake in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. This vibrant and bustling place is steeped in history and culture, with a unique blend of Vietnamese, French colonial and modern influences. In the city centre, ancient temples and pagodas sit alongside skyscrapers and French neoclassical buildings. Motorbikes weave through the traffic, vendors hawk their wares and the smell of Hanoi’s street food fills the air. The atmosphere is lively, frenetic and exciting.

We start our city tour with a visit to the 1000-yearold Temple of Literature. Dedicated to Confucius, the famous Chinese philosopher, the temple also hosts Vietnam’s first university, the Imperial Academy.

The temple features a series of manicured courtyards leading to brightly-painted pavilions with graceful, curved eaves.

We go to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which preserves and exhibits the historical and cultural values of Vietnam’s 54 distinct ethnic groups. In the museum’s Architectural Garden, life-size replicas of several traditional houses can be seen.

Next, we head to the historic heart of Hanoi, the Old Quarter. Centred around the picturesque, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter is a maze of narrow streets and alleys, lined with a mix of Vietnamese and French colonial houses. The Old Quarter is comprised of 36 streets, each named after the goods that were sold there in the past. We tour the area by cyclo, which is like a rickshaw but with the driver at the back, rather than the front.

The rest of the day is spent at leisure.

Tour of Hanoi: Temple of Literature,

Rest of the Day at Leisure

We leave the bustle of Hanoi behind for the magical Halong Bay. Here, hundreds of jagged limestone pillars and tiny islets, topped with tangled patches of jungle, rise from deep turquoise waters. Cruise ships and wooden junks, with amber sails unfurled in the wind, drift serenely through the surreal landscape.

Halong Bay’s network of islets, caves, grottos and arches is best explored by boat, so we board the Indochina Sails Premium, an elegant wooden cruise ship. We enjoy a late lunch on board and take in the views from the ship’s panoramic deck, preferably with a cocktail in hand.

In the evening, dinner is served on board the ship which offers a delicious seafood menu. We sleep in luxurious ensuite cabins decorated in Vietnamese style.

Watching the sunrise over the towering rock columns of Halong Bay it’s easy to see why this ethereal place holds mystical significance for the Vietnamese.

After a late breakfast on board, we disembark at the pier around 11:00 am. We fly from Cat Bi Airport in Haiphong to Da Nang, the closest airport to Hoi An.

Graceful, historic and delightful, Hoi An is ticketed as Vietnam’s most charming city. Once a major port, it boasts a wonderful mix of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and French architecture which reflects the city’s rich heritage. Hoi An is famous for its skilled tailors who can custom make anything from suits to dresses quickly, cheaply and well. At night, colourful lanterns are hung in the streets, creating a magical and romantic atmosphere.

On arrival in Hoi An, our guide meets us at the airport, and we are transferred to the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we embark on a Vietnamese culinary experience under the guidance of an expert chef. We start at a local market where we learn about the seasonal foods on display, what to choose and how to haggle with the vendors. We continue to Tra Que Village, an organic farm on the outskirts of Hoi An. Here we explore the herb gardens and learn about traditional farming techniques as well as the relationship between Vietnamese food and medicine.

We gather some fresh herbs from the farm and take part in a cooking class, picking up some new cooking techniques and recipes along the way. Afterwards, we enjoy the delicious Vietnamese lunch we have prepared.

We return to Hoi An to explore the Old Town. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the Old Town is beautifully preserved, with buildings dating back to the 16th century. The buildings are adorned with intricate carvings and decorations, and painted in muted shades of yellow, pink and blue.

We see the Japanese Bridge, the symbol of Hoi An; the Chinese Quan Cong Temple and the Phung Hung Chinese-style trading house.

Dinner is spent at leisure.

Vietnamese Cooking Class

Tour of Hoi An Old Town

Dinner at Leisure

This morning we have some free time in Hoi An to discover the city at our own pace.

Later we travel to Da Nang Airport for our flight to Saigon, located on the southern tip of Vietnam.

Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh City or HCMC, is the largest city in Vietnam and a buzzing, energetic metropolis. Like the rest of Vietnam, Saigon wears its tumultuous past well. Visitors are greeted with towering skyscrapers, swarms of motorbikes and a charming dash of French colonial and Vietnamese architecture. Saigon is the epitome of organised chaos, balanced by the warm and welcoming nature of its people.

On arrival, we visit the French Quarter. The French ruled Vietnam for more than 20 years, leaving an undeniable cultural and historical mark on the country. We visit Dong Khoi Street, home to the most famous landmarks of French rule, including the Old Saigon Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral.

We are transferred to our hotel where we have dinner tonight.

Leisure Time in Hoi An

Tour of the French Quarter in Saigon

This morning, we head north of Saigon to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This 121 km long network of connecting tunnels was used extensively by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The tunnels served as communications and supply routes, hiding places, hospitals, living quarters, kitchens and weapons caches for the North Vietnamese fighters in their resistance against the American forces.

We learn about the harsh realities of life in the tunnels, the horrors of the war and the role the tunnels played in the eventual withdrawal of the U.S. from Vietnam.

We return to Saigon to see the Reunification Palace, the site of the Fall of Saigon that ended the Vietnam War, on 30 April 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates. We visit the remarkable War Remnants Museum which documents the events and atrocities of the war from a Vietnamese perspective.

We step away from this defining chapter in Vietnam’s history and visit Cho Lon, Saigon’s Chinatown. Cho Lon is home to a large population of ethnic Chinese whose presence in the area dates back to the 16th century.

Culturally and architecturally, the area is completely different to the rest of Saigon. Landmarks to visit include the beautiful Thien Hau Pagoda and the lively Binh Tay Market.

Tonight, we dine at the hotel.

Cu Chi Tunnels

Reunification Palace

War Remnants Museum

Cho Lon Districtr

We trade the vibrancy of Saigon for the tranquillity of the Mekong Delta. Known as “the rice bowl of Vietnam,” the Mekong Delta is a patchwork of green fields and sleepy villages. Boats, houses and markets float on the innumerable rivers, canals and streams which cut through the landscape as they flow towards the South China Sea.

We explore the Ben Tre River by motorboat. We stop to learn more about some of the trades typical of the area: brickmaking and coconut processing. We visit families in the Cai Son and Thanh Nhon channels to learn how Vietnamese sleeping mats are made. We sample some of the tropical fruits grown in the region and enjoy a cup of tea.

Next, we bicycle, or take a motor cart, through the fields and fruit orchards to our lunch spot at a local house. We end our tour with a trip along some of the smaller river channels by rowboat.

We return to Saigon and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Tonight, we gather at the Sky Bar Restaurant of the Majestic Hotel for a farewell dinner.

Excursion to Bre Tre River,

Mekong Delta

Farewell Dinner

With our tour rapidly drawing to a close, we make the most of a morning at leisure in Saigon with lastminute sightseeing excursions.

Late afternoon, we leave the hotel for our departing flight to Johannesburg via Singapore

We arrive at O.R. Tambo International after an enlightening tour of Cambodia and Vietnam. The intricate facades of Angkor’s temples, the majestic limestone towers of Halong Bay and the twinkling lights of Saigon by night are food the soul that will remain with us for years to come. Seagull Travel & Tours hopes to see you again soon.