Best of Cambodia & South Vietnam

Welcome to South Vietnam! Kick off your epic adventure getting amongst the hustle of Vietnam’s metropolitan city, Ho Chi Minh. Formerly known as Saigon, this city is a bubbling pot of energy, hidden gems and a cultural blend of old meets new! Join your guide and new tour mates in the hotel lobby for an informal meeting at 6.00pm. Then, hit the streets for an optional tour group dinner, enjoy a cold beer at Bui Vien or head to Ben Thanh Market for some night shopping.

Rise and Shine, it’s time to farewell Ho Chi Minh city and head towards the mighty Mekong River! Snag a window seat and soak in the views on a 2-hour drive to Cai Be. On arrival at Cai Be, hop on board the wooden boat and kick back as you cruise past lush green islands of the mighty Mekong. Enjoy lunch on board. Cruise past small river-side towns like Vinh Long and learn of the typical rural life on the Mekong. Your day cruising will end in Can Tho with free time to explore the buzzing town, lively waterfront, and quaint backstreets!

No place gives a better insight into life on the river than the floating markets in Cai Rang. After filling up on breakfast at your hotel, take a boat ride 6km from Can Tho to visit the fascinating markets, where hundreds of wooden rowboats trade everything from rice and clothing to exotic fruits on the river. Wander around the markets by foot and visit the nearby Orchard Garden. Then, continue on to Chau Doc for a boat tour of the Tra Su Sanctuary – home to an array of tropical birds and splendid canals deep in the forest of the Mekong. Finish up your day in Chau Doc town and rest up before we cross the border for Cambodia bright and early tomorrow morning!

Goodbye Vietnam, Hello Cambodia! Set an early alarm for your 7.00am transfer via public speed boat to Cambodia’s capital city, Phnom Penh. Rest up on the way and arrive in Phnom Penh by 1.00pm with plenty of time to explore the fascinating city on a guided city tour in the afternoon. First up, one of the most popular attractions in the city – the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda complex! Built in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom, the palace is amongst the most impressive Khmer-style designs in Cambodia. Then, visit the Independence Monument and Wat Phnom Temple – where you’ll score some epic views over the city! Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh to learn about a tragic period.

Today we’re off to Battambang. Delve further into history as we continue to the ancient Cambodian Capital of the Khmer Empire – Phnom Udong! In the city, you’ll find two large hills with incredible views across the countryside. Atop the twin humps stands several impressive stupas that survived bombing from both the Americans and Khmer Rouge during Cambodia’s recent wars. After soaking in the views, continue on to Kompong Chhnang for a stop at a local pottery village. This village is famous for producing traditional Khmer pottery, a craft passed down through generations for over 1,500 years! As night falls over South-East Asia, we’ll head towards the Phnom Sampeau Mountains to witness thousands of nocturnal bats take flight through the caves. It’s something quite spectacular to sit at the foot of Battambang’s Phnom Sampeou caves as the sun sinks into the horizon and a stream of thousands of bats parade through the caves and zoom across the night sky. Be sure to bring your camera!

Ever ridden on a Bamboo Train before? All aboard as we take an 8km journey through the scenic countryside and rice fields of Battambang. This Bamboo Train was set up by villagers to facilitate the transportation of goods and people. It’s basic but effective with a single bamboo platform, 4 wheels, and a small motor. Then, get your hiking shoes on and camera ready for a visit to the 11th-century Angkorian temple of Phnom Banan. The 350+ step climb is well worth it, with peaceful views across the countryside waiting at the top! Soak up these picture-perfect scenes. In the afternoon, we’ll leave Battambang and drive towards Siem Reap. Stopping at Puok District to visit a silk shop, a fascinating way to learn about Cambodian silk. Here we will spend some time learning about the process of creating silk, harvesting mulberry, and the life cycle of the silkworm. Tonight we recommend a full night’s rest, before the long-awaited visit to the world-famous Angkor Wat temples tomorrow!

Prepare for one awe-inspiring day at the world’s largest temple complex – Angkor Wat! First up you’ll visit Angkor Thom’s South Gate to see the intricate Bayon Temple. This temple is famous for its Elephant Terraces and 54 towers decorated with over 200 enormous smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara. Then, we’ll return to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed temple of Angkor Wat to marvel at the prized heart and soul of Cambodia. Snap some beautiful pictures of the temple as it reflects across its impressive moat. Then, wander through the outer gallery walls as your local guide narrates stories from Hindu mythology. Tonight we’ll head out in Siem Reap to witness some of Cambodia’s most talented performers at the Phare Circus! This uniquely modern circus provides young students and graduate performers the opportunity to hone their skills and earn a decent wage doing what they love!

Just like that, it’s over! Our trip will end in Siem Reap after we say our goodbyes to strangers who quickly became friends. Enjoy a final breakfast together before hotel check-out at 11.00am.