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Day 0
Overnight Flight
Begin with an overnight flight to Vietnam.
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Day 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Tour Begins
Arrive in historic Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon.
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Day 2
Ho Chi Minh City
Tour the city’s colonial landmarks including the Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and Opera House • Visit the Reunification Palace where the Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon • Learn more about the lasting effects of this struggle at the War Remnants Museum • Join your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at a rooftop garden that was a popular hangout for American military officials and war correspondents.
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Day 4
Ho Chi Minh City - Hoi An
Fly to Da Nang • Stop at China Beach where American troops landed during the war • Venture to Hoi An, an ancient merchant trading port and a UNESCO World Heritage site • Enjoy a cyclo tour of the preserved town • See the Tan Ky Old House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Chua Ong Pagoda and a 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge • Take advantage of the option to have a suit or dress made by one of Hoi An’s world-famous tailors.
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Day 5
Hoi An
Today’s cooking class begins at a local market • Interact with vendors and learn about traditional ingredients • Follow the Thu Bon river to the cooking school and observe local life along the way • Visit the school’s herb garden • Discover the art of plate decorating and prepare five traditional Vietnamese dishes.
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Day 6
Hoi An - Hue
Take an optional sunrise photography class and observe fishermen bringing in their catch in the dawn light • Travel to Hue, the Imperial capital city, via the panoramic Hai Van Pass • En route, savour a seafood lunch at Lang Co fishing village • Arrive in Hue, home of the Nguyen dynasty and a UNESCO World Heritage site • Visit the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc • Tonight, enjoy a lavish royal feast.
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Day 7
Hue - Hanoi
Cruise on the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda • Visit the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City • Enjoy a vegetarian lunch at a local monastery and converse with monks to learn about their daily life • Later, fly to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam • Enjoy a dinner that showcases authentic flavours in an environment reminiscent of local markets.
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Day 8
Hanoi
Explore the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university • Enjoy lunch at a non-profit restaurant that empowers underprivileged children, training them with new skills • Continue to Hoa Lo Prison (aka the Hanoi Hilton), where American POWs were detained • Stroll along Hoan Kiem Lake and through the craft guild streets in the nearby old quartre • Enjoy a traditional Water Puppet performance.
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Day 10
Hanoi - Halong Bay
Drive to Halong Bay for your overnight cruise on a luxury junk boat • Savour a welcome drink and lunch on board • Marvel at the thousands of limestone islands that dot these waters • Transfer to a sampan and visit a floating fishing village • Watch the sunset before sharing a seafood feast.
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Day 11
Halong Bay - Luang Prabang, Laos
Join a sunrise tai chi class on deck as the fog lifts, revealing the morning light • Explore an ancient cave on a nearby island • Enjoy brunch on board and cruise back to the harbour • From Hanoi, fly to Luang Prabang • Tonight, enjoy a tasting menu sampling local Laotian delicacies.
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Day 12
Luang Prabang
Visit an elephant village nestled in a lush jungle valley on the banks of a river • Learn how mahouts train their elephants • Opt to take an elephant ride • Proceed to the three-tiered Kuang Si waterfall and have a picnic lunch • Stop at a local village to learn the traditions of ethnic minorities • Attend a traditional Baci ceremony, a “calling of the soul” reserved for special events • Share a communal dinner with your fellow well-wishers.
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Day 14
Luang Prabang - Siem Reap, Cambodia
Fly to Siem Reap and visit Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious building and the symbol of Cambodia • Marvel at the stone carvings and bas-reliefs that decorate this 12th century complex, a prime example of classical Khmer architecture • Perhaps choose to remain at Angkor Wat until sunset when the golden light creates an awe-inspiring sight • Enjoy a traditional Apsara show with dinner.
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Day 15
Siem Reap
Explore the ancient ruins of Angkor Thom, famous for the Bayon temple and its colossal stone-carved faces • Continue to the haunting Ta Prohm temple, overgrown by creeping jungle • Enjoy a Khmer lunch set in a traditional wooden house • Meet local school children at the JWOC Community Center* • Visit Artisans d’Angkor which teaches young Cambodians to revive ancient traditions like stone carving.
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Day 17
Siem Reap - Phnom Penh
Travel to Phnom Penh and enjoy lunch at a non-profit restaurant that trains and employs former Cambodian street children • Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed in a notorious Khmer Rouge prison • Continue to the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda • Enjoy a farewell dinner at a highly-acclaimed restaurant.
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Day 18
Phnom Penh - Tour Ends
Fly home with memories of an unforgettable journey.
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