Glimpses Of Vietnam And Cambodia

Today, you will arrive in Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh Metropolis), Vietnam's most bustling city. Upon arriving at the airport, you will be transferred to the city centre to check into your accommodation. In the evening, we begin our city tour at the Reunification Palace, which served as a witness to the conclusion of the bloody Vietnam War in 1975. Today, the opulent structure houses a museum and a hall for important gatherings. One of the city's significant features is the colonial-styled Central Post Office, which is located near the Palace. Take a stroll along Nguyen Hue Street to photograph the Opera House (from the outside) and the Ho Chi Minh Committee (outside). Walking from here to Ben Thanh Market, one of Saigon's most iconic landmarks, to experience local life and browse for handcrafted items. Overnight in Saigon at a hotel.

Today, travel to My Tho and, upon arrival, aboard a boat to cruise along the majestic Mekong River, observing the lives of the locals who live along its banks. We make a sightseeing stop at one of the four islands in the region. Following that, you will board tiny boats rowed by locals through little cannels filled with water from coconut trees to visit local industries. There, you will be able to sample honey tea and watch how the locals make coconut candy milk, as well as test it and stroll around the garden where the villagers feed honeybees. After that, take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the village's peaceful roads. With the Elephant Ear fist, have a small lunch at a local eatery along the Mekong River. In the evening, return to Saigon with a stop at Vinh Trang pagoda, a well-known pogoda in the area with architecture influenced by Chinese, Cambodian, and French cultures. Overnight in Saigon at a hotel. (B/L)

Today, after breakfast, visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining Vietnam War memorials. There are 200 kilometres of tunnels beneath the ground, excavated by hand and occupied by Vietnamese guerilla troops throughout the battle. Prior to the Tet Offensive in 1968, the underground complex housed about 10,000 troops. It is still one of the most remarkable illustrations of how ferocious the conflict was at the time. You may even attempt crawling dozens of metres deep in the tunnel to get the whole experience. We were taken to the airport this afternoon for our journey to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, our representative will meet you at the airport and bring you to your accommodation. The rest of the day is free. In Phnom Penh, spend the night at the. (B)

Today, after breakfast, we will tour the colourful Khmer-style royal palace complex built in 1866 by King Norodom's Predecessors. Nearby lies the Silver Pagoda (the Emerald Buddha Temple), which has a plethora of Buddha Statues adorned with gold, diamond, gemstones, and silver. We will visit the Independence Monument and the National Museum, which is housed in a stunning Khmer architectural structure and has about 5000 art antiques made of bronze, wood, gold, silver, copper, sandstone, and other materials. We drive through a riverfront park where four rivers meet, including the mysterious Mekong. Climb the sacred hill of Phnom Daun Penh. This afternoon, we go to the Tuol Sleng jail, which is now a Genocide Museum and was the most secret component of the Khmer Rouge system. It's also known as S-21 (abbreviated for Security Office 21), the Khmer Rouge's primary security camp dedicated to the questioning and extermination of anti-Angkor elements. We leave the artefacts of Cambodia's horrible history behind and go shopping at the Russian market. Overnight in Phnom Penh at a hotel. (B)

You will be transferred to the airport this morning for your trip back home or to your next destination. (B)