Tour and vacation among Vietnam and Cambodia

Arrival in Hanoi, meeting with the assistants and transfer to the hotel. The afternoon is devoted to the visit of the most classical places of the "cultural" capital city of Vietnam.

Passing the imposing Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, we'll go inside the park of the Presidential Palace, nearby it is possible to admire the wonderful One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049, and Dien Huu Pagoda to the opposite side.

Van Mieu, the Confucian Temple of Literature, was the oldest Asian university, it dates back to 1070. In the heart of the city, it is possible to admire the Lake of the Restored Sword and its island on which the Temple of the Jade Mountain is located.

On the theatre located on the shore of the Lake of the Restored Sword it is possible to attend the Water Puppet Show, a unique show, in which wooden puppets, accompanied by suggestive music and dance on the water. The show tells about ancient traditional stories, daily-life scenes and poetic popular legends.

Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast and transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay.

After a break in an exposition of locally produced silk, pottery and stone sculptures, we'll reach Halong Bay, considered the world 8th wonder by many. We'll visit the bay on board a traditional and restored wooden junk, which follows a path among hundred islands, islets, cliffs and rocks. Here it is possible to admire stunning caves, where stalagmite and stalactite design amazing sceneries.

Second breakfast, dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast and visit of the bay in the morning. Brunch on board. Transfer to Hanoi airport in the afternoon and flight towards Saigon. Transfer to the hotel, overnight.

Half day visiting Cu Chi, the famous underground city. Vietcong people created an incredible net composed by storage rooms, dormitories, armories, kitchens, infirmaries and underground places of command. Each site  is connected to the other sites through 250 km of galleries and tunnels, which resisted against bombings and attacks of the American troops. In the forest there are some structures accessible to the public and suggestive dummies representing armed Vietcongs which control the place from some strategic points.

During the journey to Saigon, it is necessary to take a break in a family farm producting tortillas made with rice flour. The estate is surrounded by lush rice fields and precious gum tree plantations, which were planted in the early years of the last century by the French. Arrival in Saigon and second breakfast.

The afternoon is devoted to a half day visit of the colonial aspects of Saigon. The tour starts with the visit to the War Remnants Museum. After discovering the square where the Independence Place designed by Gustave Eiffel and the Cathedral of Notre Dame are located, we'll visit one of the most important holy places, where you'll be impressed by the deep calm and religious silence, Thien Hau. It is the most precious and venerated temple of the Cantonese Community of Cho Lon. The shrine is devoted to Muzu, which is the godness who protects merchants and sailors. Still today, she is venerated in a place perfumed with incense.

The tour ends enjoying shopping in the commercial areas nearby, in particular from Dong Khoi, the "Rue Catinat" of the old French colonists, up to the square of the large Ben Thanh Market.

Today we'll visit the region of Cai Be on Mekong Delta. Small local boats are waiting for us to sail along the busy river branches and reach the floating village, where fruits, vegetables and handicraft products are sold. Visit of a cozy familiar farm where puffed rice, candies, palm sugar candies and rice crackers are produced according to ancient traditional techniques.

Second breakfast. We'll move westwards towards Chau Doc. Along the route it is possible to admire characteristical landscapes on the Delta and the populations that live on the banks. Arrival in Chau Doc.

Breakfast and departure by motorboat. We'll move along the canal that connects Bassac to Lower Mekong, then we'll move northwards to reach the customs between Vietnam and Cambodia.

The navigation continues to the amazing fluvial landscapes rich in crops and villages inhabitated by different populations, that make the passage from a country to another clear. Arrival in Phnom Penh after 5 hours. Lunch in hotel.

Half day is devoted to the visit of the "classical" part of Phnom Penh, capital city of Cambodia. The tour includes the visit to the National Museum, precious chest enclosing the masterpieces of Khmer sculptures from 5th to 13th century, and the area of the Royal Palace with its Throne Hall, where also nowadays the king holds his hearings, and the near complex of Silver Pagoda.

We'll pass Tonle Sap to reach Skun, capital city of "fried spiders". Then, the tour continues to Kuk Nokor sanctuary, a perfectly conserved Khmer temple belonging to the 11th century.

Passing through a picturesque valley cut by tributaries of the Great Lake, we'll reach Kompong Thom. Visit of the archaeological site of Sambor Prei Kuk, former Isanapura, capital city of the kingdom of Cenla during the 7th century. It is a wide archaeological area surrounded by forests still quite unknown. Here it is possible to observe many small brick temples surrounded by nature. It is possible to admire the classical beauty of Yeay Poan in the Southern Group, but also the incredible charm of the lonely Prasat Chrey and the enigmatic Asram Moha Rsi. Passing along the lagoons of Prei Pros, we'll reach Konpong Kdei, where Jayavarman VII ordered to build a large dam.

Lunch in a typical resaurant. Arrival in Siem Reap in the evening.

Visit the temples of Prasat Kravan-Banteay and Kdei-Srah Sran.

One of the holiest constructions in Angkor is the Prasat Kravan built in 921. It presents 5 elegant brick-sanctuaries devoted to the god Vishnu, they are located on the East base, the "Holy Sword" temple, the monastery Nateay Kdei and the "monastic cell citadel", the swimming pool for public ablutions and Srah Srang. Visit the temples of Mebon-Pre Rup Prah Khan-Neak Pean.

Bricks were largely used to built Mebon in 952. It is a temple erected on an artificial islet in the heart of a pond in Western Baray. Only after 9 years, the king Rajendravarman ordered the construction of Pre Rup, an imposing ocher mountain-temple. Listed in the period of Jayavarman VII are the majestic Buddhist sanctuary of Prah Khan, the enigmatic and suggestive holy ponds of Neak Pean and the "Interwoven Snakes". Lunch in a typical restaurant.

Visit Angkor Thom. The fortified citadel of Angkor Thom, with its imposing walls and gorgeous monumental gates built at the end of XII thanks to King Jayavaram VII, hosts the Bayon Temple, the most enigmatic and suggestive example of Khmer temples. Realistic and expressive bas-relifs surround 24 sanctuary-towers. Each tower top boasts one stone face, oriented according to a cardianl point. The faces project the image of Bodhisattva Lokeshvara. Lunch in a typical restaurant.

Transfer to the airport: end of services.