A tour designed around two countries: the canals of the Mekong Delta, dawn over the temples of Angkor, the beaches of Koh Rong Samloem, then Ha Long Bay by junk, with a driver-guide and transfers arranged end to end.
The itinerary
The idea behind this tour: three short flights link the region's highlights without fatigue. A private driver-guide opens up southern Vietnam and its delta, local guides accompany you in Angkor and Phnom Penh, an island in the Gulf of Thailand provides the beach interlude, before Hanoi and two days of cruising in Ha Long Bay.
The budget shown is an estimate, flights included: each itinerary is then tailored to your wishes and the season, at a fair price.
01Days 1 to 2
You land in Ho Chi Minh City, where your private driver-guide is waiting at the airport. On to My Tho and a first cruise on the Mekong: artisans' workshops, honey tea, rowboats through the narrow canals. The next day, Ben Tre unfolds by bicycle or tuk-tuk among coconut groves and orchards, lunch with a local family included, before the floating market of Cai Be.
02Days 3 to 4
A short flight connects Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, gateway to the temples of Angkor. A first afternoon at the Bayon and its towers of smiling faces, then on the Terrace of the Elephants at Angkor Thom. The next day, up before dawn to watch Angkor Wat mirrored in its pools, then through its galleries of bas-reliefs, before Ta Prohm, overrun by the roots of giant fig trees. In the evening, Siem Reap's night markets.
03Day 5
A second flight reaches Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. In the afternoon, a local guide leads you to the Royal Palace and its gilded roofs, then the Silver Pagoda, paved with thousands of solid silver tiles. Then come the National Museum and its collection of Khmer art, the Art Deco Central Market, and a walk along Sisowath Quay, where the Mekong meets the Tonlé Sap. A Khmer dinner in town.
04Days 6 to 7
The road leaves Phnom Penh through rice paddies and villages to Sihanoukville, where a fast boat races to Koh Rong Samloem, in the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Two days on island time: white sand fringed with jungle, swimming, then, as the mood takes you, snorkeling over the coral, kayaking to the coves, or walking beneath the trees. In the evening, dinner with your feet in the sand, under the stars.
05Day 8
Back by boat to Sihanoukville, then a flight to Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital. Your hotel sits in the heart of the Old Quarter: lively lanes, the ebb and flow of scooters, colonial facades side by side with temples. Depending on your arrival time, a first stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake or through the quarter of the 36 guilds, stronghold of the artisans. In the evening, a table of contemporary Vietnamese cooking.
06Days 9 to 10
From Hanoi, the road leads to the pier, then a fast boat reaches Cat Ba Island, gateway to UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay. Two days of private cruising among karst pinnacles rising from an emerald sea: a seafood lunch on board, kayaking beneath the cliffs, hidden caves and lagoons, swimming in the protected coves. The night is spent on a fitted junk or on Cat Ba, facing the panorama.
07Day 11
The final morning belongs to Hanoi: the lanes of the 36 guilds quarter, between traditional shophouses and quiet temples, then, as you please, the Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius, or the Museum of Ethnology. One last loop around Hoan Kiem Lake, and your taxi heads for the airport and the international flight home, journal full, from the delta to the bay.
The budget, line by line
Geneva to Ho Chi Minh City, returning from Hanoi, plus the short hops between stages.
A private driver-guide in southern Vietnam, then private taxis and arranged transfers at every stage.
Charming hotels, a seaside resort on Koh Rong Samloem, a traditional junk in Ha Long Bay.
Passionate guides accompany you in Angkor, Phnom Penh, Hanoi, and Ha Long Bay.
Cruises on the Mekong and in Ha Long Bay, the temples of Angkor: the highlights are booked in advance.
A team reachable before and during the trip, to fine-tune each stage with ease.
Budget quoted on request, based on the season, the level of accommodations, and your wishes: tell us about your trip.
This trip has its own film: the footage we brought back from scouting it on location.
Watch the film of this trip
