Vietnam & Cambodia Itinerary 14 days

Welcome to Vietnam! Upon landing, your driver will whisk you to our hotel in the classy French Quarter, and you can freshen up and enjoy the pool.

In the early evening, meet your fellow travelers and guide. A group of locals pull up at the hotel and invite you all to hop on the back of their scooters. They want to take you on an unconventional sightseeing tour! You weave through traffic, spotting the city's key sights and stopping off to find out more about the vibrant capital that balances tradition and modernity. In between, your hosts will stop off at their favorite street food stalls and invite you to a delicious first taste of fresh Vietnamese cuisine. This is the real Hanoi!

Awake to a leisurely morning in Hanoi. Do you feel like wandering to nearby Hoan Kiem Lake, or stop off at the charming little cafés of the Old Quarter to try the local's favourite, ice coffee?

Later, hop into a private van that will take you and your fellow travellers out of the bustling city to the lush countryside. We arrive in a remote village, nestled amongst plum trees, where the people of the H'mong ethnic group live. Your host family gives you a warm welcome to their home, where you will stay the night. They are keen to show you more about their lives and culture. How better to start than by exploring what locals eat? Together, you'll cook fresh delicacies, like the popular bamboo rice, and have the chance to sample delicious regional cuisine.

Our stay in Hang Kia is part of a community based tourism project. This means that by visiting, we are contributing to improving the lives of numerous families in the region. What a tasty way to have a positive impact!

In the morning, women from the village invite you to learn about their ancestral textile dying techniques. Try yourself at traditional Batik painting - you may be a hidden talent!

After lunch, say farewell to your kind hosts and head off through the hills. Your four-hour hike takes you through the lush green countryside, past rice fields and little houses on stilts. You are now wandering into the land of the White Thai people.

Later, check into your bungalows in a local ecolodge. The evening is free for you to take in your surroundings and refresh by the pool.

After breakfast, hop on bikes and head out to explore the region together. You'll pass hamlets, vegetable gardens, rice fields, and water buffalo, stopping off to chat with locals and take pictures. In the little village of Mai Hich enjoy a home cooked meal, which supports a community based tourism project.

Later, head back to the big city of Hanoi. After freshening up at the hotel, your guide invites you all to join him for a drink where locals meet: Bia hois are the local equivalent of a pub. At these little stands on a sidewalk, with simple plastic chairs and tables, people gather in the late afternoon to enjoy a freshly draughted rice beer. Cheers!

Today is the day: you're off to Halong Bay! Your boat to paradise awaits in the bay, with a delicious hot lunch welcoming you on arrival.

Cruising towards a more remote area of the bay, take in your magical surroundings from the sun deck. The programme on board depends on the time of the year and weather, but you will have the opportunity to visit a cave as well as explore a floating village or do some kayaking over the course of these 2 days.

Afterwards, watch the sun set on this unforgettable seascape, and enjoy a cooking demonstration by the onboard chefs before digging into a hearty dinner on board.

Wake up in your deluxe cabin with a stunning view of Halong Bay. Early birds can assemble on the sun deck for a morning tai chi lesson.

Your exploration of the bay continues, followed by a hearty brunch to refuel. We arrive back in the dock and make our way back to Hanoi. There, take some time out to explore by yourself, or join the guide on a visit to the Temple of Literature. Grab some dinner on your own (opt.), before meeting the group for the next big adventure: a night on the sleeper train!

Your overnight train pulls into the historical city of Hue just in time for breakfast. Dig into a hearty bon bo Hue, the tasty noodle soup preferred by locals, before setting off to explore Vietnam's imperial past. Visit Emperor Khai Dinh's tomb and the Forbidden City, located inside the walls of the Citadel - the best place to learn more about the daily life of Kings and their courts during this period.

For lunch, we visit nearby Kim Long ancient village, where a charming family prepare traditional rice cakes and dumplings for us, known as banh of Hue.

The afternoon is free for you to stroll around the town or relax. Those who wish can take part in an art workshop, in which they can try themselves at a new form of local art called Truc Chi, in which bamboo paper is carved (optional, USD25 per person).

Hue is a vibrant city, so those wanting a night out on the town are in the perfect place!

Today is your day to relax, enjoy the beach and take in all you've experienced in the last few days. We do have a special morning activity planned for those who like, but if you want to lay in, go ahead!

Early birds set their alarm to wake them before dawn. We head to Dam Chuon lagoon and take a local boat to Tam Giang, home to fishing communities. Watch the beautiful sunrise over the lagoon. We reach the wholesale fish market, where fishermen are unloading their catch from the night. Our guide picks the freshest seafood and asks a local chef to cook some tasty traditional Vietnamese pancakes with it. Along with a cup of tea, this is our breakfast today. We continue to the Japanese bridge of Tanh Toan. There, a local street vendor often performs a cappella folk songs. Are we in luck to hear her today?

Heading back to the hotel, we pick up the rest of the gang who stayed in bed. Together, we go to Phu Thuan beach and relax in our gorgeous seaside accommodation for the rest of the day.

Enjoy your breakfast by the beach before an adventurous trek in the jungle.

We head to beautiful Bach Ma National Park, where we take an exciting 2.5-hour hike, climbing up rocks and down ladders to get to the best spots. We'll pass by several lakes - anyone fancy jumping in to refresh themselves? We pass by the top of the 350m high Rhododendron Waterfalls and take a break for a picnic lunch.

In the early afternoon, we drive down the mountain and continue our journey passing by Lang Co Bay and the scenic Hai Van Pass. We reach Cam Thanh mangrove, where a local wooden boat awaits.

We cruise along the river into the sunset. Feel like an emperor or empress as the ancient city of Hoi An appears in the distance, with a thousand colourful lanterns lighting the scene for our arrival. Welcome to Hoi An, one of Vietnam's most picturesque cities.

Be warned: today you may lose your heart to the charming town of Hoi An. Stroll through the ancient streets while your guide tells you more about the old port town. Get your bearings, stopping off for delicious bites to eat.

The afternoon is yours to enjoy in this friendly town. Would you like to drink Vietnamese coffee with a view of the river? Head to An Bang beach for a little sizzle? Rent a bike to explore?

In the evening, we recommend checking out the bustling night market where you can find souvenirs to take home.

There is one more spectacular sight to see in Vietnam before we head to Cambodia: the mangrove and coco palm forests of the region! Choose whether you prefer to explore them from a kayak or SUP (Stand Up Paddle). We paddle through the beautiful scenery to Cam Kim island, where we stop off to visit Duy Vinh commune. Here, thanks to a tourism project, locals can earn a living while keeping the traditional craft of sedge mattress weaving alive.

Head back to Hoi An for some last shopping and packing before you fly to Siem Reap. Arriving in the Cambodian capital, meet your guide and hear their tips for where to spend your free evening in this lovely town.

Are you ready for a day you'll never forget? Today you get to visit the largest religious monument in the world, legendary Angkor Wat!

Originally built in the 12th century to honour a Hindu God, the 1.6 square km (0.6 miles) large complex is now one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world. It holds 72 major monuments, some of which the jungle tried to claim for itself, covering them in roots. Channel your inner Lara Croft as you recognise Ta Prohm Temple, in which the movie Tomb Raider was partially filmed.

Other buildings sport intricate decorations which tell thousands of stories. Lose yourself and your sense of time as you spend the day exploring Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom and other areas of the fantastic Angkor Wat on bike and on foot.

Before we leave, let's learn some skills to take home: we're taking a Cambodian cookery class. We hop on tuk-tuks and travel to the countryside. We have time for a wander around the village and meet a local family that show us their herb garden and tell us about food related superstitions in the regional Khmer culture. Then it's time to put on our aprons and roll up our sleeves at a gorgeous outdoor cookery school. After cooking several local dishes, we sit down in the garden to enjoy the fruits of our labour together.

The afternoon is free for you to spend in Siem Reap, before we end our trip with a very special final hurrah. We soar into the sky in a balloon - which is attached to the ground by ropes - and from this bird's eye view, we watch the sun set over majestic Angkor Wat, as we reflect on the many magical moments of this trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.

It's your final morning in South East Asia. Take the chance to do some final shopping and pack your bags, before being taken to the airport. On the plane, drift off to sleep while planning your next dinner party with friends, where you can share your new cookery skills and your memories of your trip to Vietnam & Cambodia.