10 Days Southeast Asia Tour (ABSA10)

Today your amazing southeast Asia tour begins. You will board the outbound flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)(SGN). Enjoy the on board food, beverage and the entertainment.

Xin chao!

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon – the most dynamic city of Vietnam where modern high-rise buildings sit next to ancient temples. You are greeted at Tan Son Nhat International airport by flight. Airport transfer with guide to group hotel. Welcome Dinner at local restaurant.

The rest of day is free at your leisure for jet lag recovery.
Overnight in Saigon.

Our tour start in the afternoon with the visit to Reunification Palace. Next to the cathedral stands the Saigon Post Office, a classic French colonial structure, is still a functioning post office today and features huge ceilings, a giant portrait of Uncle Ho, and many beautiful details. Then, visit The People’s Committee Hall which were all built during the French colonial period. Continue to see The Municipal Theater of Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon Opera House, is an opera house in Ho Chi Minh City. It is an example of French Colonial architecture in Vietnam. And the last visit of the day is to Ben Thanh Market – a symbol of the city, stands in the center of District 1 packed to the rafters with everything from fruits to nuts, from tourist kitsch to true bargains, it is a definite must-see.

Afternoon head out to Cu Chi Tunnels. After an introductory video, viewing various mantraps, the remains of an American tank and numerous bomb craters, you will spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels to see how the Viet Cong survived in this underground network.

After breakfast, you are going to discover the Ben Tre Local Life.
We could end up feeling fruity as we cruise the Mekong River Islands! This area may be Vietnam’s ‘rice bowl’ but fruit orchards and coconut groves also thrive here. We’ll stop to see all the different uses for coconuts. A bicycle ride will bring us to the home of local antique collector, Uncle Six, who will show us how he climbs the coconut trees using just his bare hands. We can even try if we want! A rowing boat will take us along the water palm creek giving us a glimpse of daily life on the delta. Lunch will be an assortment of delicious dishes cooked by one of the locals of the Mekong Delta.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport and board the flight to Siem Reap. Siem Reap, a resort town in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th–15th centuries. Transfer to hotel and enjoy your free time.

Today, you are going to explore the Angkor.
The crowning jewel of Khmer architecture, Angkor Wat is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. After entering the main building, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyards before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside. On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones.
The fortified city of Angkor Thom covers an area of 10 square km. Enclosed by the walls and wide moat, the city includes many of Angkor’s most popular sights. Enter by the monumental South Gate over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons and gods, each carrying a giant naga. Continue to the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper Kings, former spaces for public ceremonies, both adorned with dramatic bas-reliefs. Visit the ruined Baphuon, Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas before continuing to the mysterious Bayon Temple. In this temple, one of the most popular and compelling in Angkor, explore the galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs and ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary, where you will find giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle.
Visit Ta Prohm, one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.
Watch the sunset over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple.

Today you will board the flight to Bangkok.

Sawadikap!
Welcome to Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. Up on Arrival, greeted by our local tour guide at the airport and transfer to your luxury hotel. Time to rest, relax and acclimate to your new time zone.

After breakfast, make your way to the Grand Palace, a “must see” for every visitor to Bangkok. Located close to the banks of the Chao Phraya River (The River of Kings) the Grand Palace is the perfect example of an ancient Siamese court. Within the compound is the Temple of The Emerald Buddha (Wat Pra Kaew) which houses Thailand most precious image of the Lord Buddha. The Emerald Buddha is believed to have supernatural powers and is dressed in robes according to the season by the King of Thailand himself.
Important: Please note that for visiting the Grand Palace you will be required to wear proper attire (no bare shoulder bare knees or strapless-heel shoes). Shoes must be removed before entering all temple buildings as a matter of respect. Return to your hotel and the rest of the day is free on your own.

Optional Evening Program: Asiatique Riverfront Night Market plus Thai Dinner and Classical Dance Show. ($39/person, minimum 2 to operate)

Today is free on your own. You can explore the city.

Or join the optional tour to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market with lunch ($75/person, minimum 4 participants, must be pre-booked)
Full Day Tour today: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, ride the speed boat along the canal to the colorful Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, observe how the ancient trading of wares is conducted between hundreds of local farmers and villagers aboard with fully loaded of all kinds of products including fruits, vegetables, dry goods, and freshly cooked food on the small Sampan boats. Continue to Kanchanaburi and visit War Cemetery, resting-place for over 6,000 Allied prisoners and an opportunity to take a short train ride across the bridge on the Kwai River. During WW II, Japan constructed the meter-gauge railway line from Ban Pong, Thailand to Thanbyuzayat Burma. The line passing through the scenic Three Pagodas Pass runs for 258 miles. This is now known as the Death Railway. The construction was done using Prisoners of War (POWs) and Asian slave laborers in October 1942 and was completed in a year. Due to the difficult terrain, thousands of laborers lost their lives. After lunch at local restaurant, we continue our trip to the Hellfire Pass, which is the name of a railway cutting on the former Burma Railway in Thailand built with forced labor during the Second World War, in part by Allied prisoners of war. Head to Bangkok in the evening.

Your amazing tour ends today. Our tour guide will say goodbye to you at the airport, home your sweet home.