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Itinerary:
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Day 2: Hanoi – Quan Hoa – Ban Hang
Day 3: Ban Hang – Kho Muong
Day 4: Kho Muong – Village Hu
Day 5: Village Huou – Phu Doan – Tam Coc
Day 6: Tam Coc – Kenh Ga
Day 7: Tam Coc – Halong Bay
Day 8: Halonh Bay – Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi – Flight to Siem Reap
Day 10: River of a Thousand Lingas – Angkor
Day 11: Phnom Kulen
Day 12: Angkor
Day 13: Sieam Reap – Flight Departure
Itinerary details:
Day 1: HANOI ARRIVAL
Welcome to Hanoi airport. Transfer to downtown and transfer to hotel. First discovery by cyclo of the ancient cityand its thirty-six shopping streets. Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple. Enjoy puppet show. Welcome dinner. Overnight at hotel.
Day 2: HANOI – QUAN HOA – BAN HANG
Morning departure for Quan Hoa, near the border with Laos. After a hundred kilometers, the landscape becomes mountainous. We find the first "sugar loaves" covered with lush vegetation. Beginning of the hike on the land of hill tribe still living in autarky and remain faithful to the traditional way of life. In the late afternoon we reach the village of Chieng Hum, Thai ethnicity, with its houses on stilts. Homestay accommodation. We enjoy the late afternoon to discover the agricultural activity and the work of women, among others, weave their clothing. Dinner and overnight at the inhabitant.5 hour drive. 3 hours of walking.
Day 3: BAN HANG – KHO MUONG
First full day of hiking. We first discover beautiful landscapes: lush, limestone peaks, terraced fields, before crossing villages with thatched houses roofs. Overnight homestay.5-6 hours of walking.
Day 4: KHO MUONG –HIN VILLAGE
After visiting a cave with its great bats - very popular with locals as lucky - we ride through a humid jungle before returning to a beautiful village. We take the opportunity to discover the ingenious irrigation systems, especially large water wheels, used to power the rice fields. Then, by a well-marked path, we reach the village of Ban Hin where we spend the night. Overnight homestay.6 hours of walking.
Day 5: VILLAGE HUOU – PHU DOAN – TAM COC
Easy walk to Ban Pho Doan, then we take the mototaxis to join our bus Canh Nang. Lunch at a local restaurant then transfer to Ninh Binh. Rest time: foot massage done by blind (a project that allows people with disabilities to support themselves). Overnight at hotel.6 hr drive. 2 hours 30 minutes of walking.
Day 6: TAM COC – KENH GA
A varied day to discover the region Tam Coc, known as the "Ha Long Bay on land". We take to Kenh Ga, before making a sampan ride to the village surrounded by a complex system of canals. Then a beautiful bike tour in the heart of an impressive forest of limestone rocks. Arrival in Tam Coc in late afternoon and visit Thung Nang small rowing boat. Overnight at hotel in Tam Coc.3 hours biking at Kenh Ga. 2 hours sampan at Tam Coc.
Day 7: TAM COC – HALONG BAY
Drive to Halong Bay through the heart of the Red River Delta. At noon, we board a traditional boat for a cruise to discover the eighth wonder of the world, the fabulous Halong Bay, consisting of some two thousand islands and islets. In the evening, seafood meals and overnight on board.
190 km. 3-4 hour drive.
Day 8: HALONG BAY – HANOI
Morning visit a floating fishing village, then back to the pier where we find our bus. Back to Hanoi. Midday halt in the village of Yen Duc. Traditional meal prepared by the hostess. Puppet show on the water. Overnight at hotel.160 km. 3-4 hour drive.
Day 9: HANOI – FLIGHT TO SIEM REAP
This day dedicated to the visit of the city of Hanoi Temple of Literature, which is also the oldest university founded in the tenth century, Tran Quoc Pagoda, the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh as well as his modest house on stilts and the Ethnographic Museum (closed on Mondays). Transfer to the airport and Hanoi to Siem Reap.
Pick up at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Siem Reap, whose name means "Siamese defeated" was the favorite city of the Khmer emperors. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10: RIVER OF A THOUSAND LINGAS – ANGKOR
Day excursion to Kbal Spean (River of a Thousand Lingas). We reach the site after a 45 minute walk through the forest. Lunch at a local restaurant. We then visit Banteay Srei (Citadel of Women), dedicated to Siva and adorned with beautiful sculptures of pink sandstone. Then we discover Banteay Samre, completely restored before the war. It gives an idea of what looked like Angkor. Stop in a pagoda where we consult a monk about our future and where we participate in sarong, a purification ceremony. Once purified, we will enjoy a jasmine tea in the temple of the park. Transfer to Banteay Srei where we are greeted by a family of this small farming village. Dinner and overnight at the inhabitant.
Day 11: PHNOM KULEN
A transfer takes us along the foot of the cliff south of Phnom Kulen Mountains, 40 kilometers east of Angkor, towards Preah Khan. This is the starting point of our hike to the big lake: Tonle Sap. After crossing a bamboo forest, we see the cliff of Peuong Komnu on which appear in relief forms of the Angkor temples. Stop at Beng Mealea, a temple of the eleventh century guarded by a gap of 45 meters and extending over 18 hectares. Although the temple dates from the same period as those of Angkor, style illustrations, friezes and sculptures is very different. Much of the temple is surrounded by jungle, adding to the sense of mystery that exists on the premises. Return to Siem Reap. Overnight at hotel.
Day 12: ANGKOR
The tour starts with Angkor Thom, especially the "mountain temple" Bayon which dates from the late twelfth century, the Baphuon, imposing site of the French School of the Far East and Baksei Chamkrong the terrace of the Elephants, on which the king and his court attended the procession and the terrace of the Leper King, so called because of a statue of a judge of the underworld demonic appearance.We then visit Ta Prohm temple, mix of architecture and tropical nature combined in a very balanced proportions. Former monastery dating from 1186, Ta Prohm, the "ancestor Brahma", is one of the most important buildings of Angkor. We finally arrive at Angkor Wat, imposing "mountain temple", high in the twelfth century by King Suryavarman II. This shrine marking the peak of the Khmer kingdom, is by its plan of concentric walls, for the perfection of its proportions and the richness of its sculptural decoration, the greatest achievement of classical Khmer art. If the traveler should see only one monument at Angkor, this would be it! In the evening, we are seeing a typical Khmer dinner accompanied by an apsara dance show. We also take a foot massage. Overnight at hotel.
Day 13: SIEM REAP – FLIGHT DEPARTURE
According to flight schedules, free time and transfer to Siem Reap airport for the return flight.
