Beauty of Southern Vietnam & Cambodia Through Water Way

   Today, start city tour with a visit to the War Remnants Museum, which features an extensive collection of exhibits including weaponry, photos and documentation on Vietnam’s wars with the French and Americans and the Reunification Palace, which was formerly the South Vietnam President’s residence and symbol of the Southern Administration’s reign until end of April 1975. Next, stop at the Notre Dame Cathedral, a neo-Romanesque cathedral constructed between 1877 and 1883 using bricks from Marseilles and stained-glass windows from Chartres. Afterwards, stroll around Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Roman cathedral built by the colonial French with materials entirely imported from Marseilles.

   Afternoon, continue on to the Old Saigon Post Office, former US Embassy and Cholon, the Chinatown with its Quan Am Pagoda and the Emperor Jade Pagoda (Phuoc Hai), one of the most interesting pagodas in Vietnam. It was built in 1909 by the Cantonese community. It’s filled with smoky incense and fantastic carved figurines and still buzzing with worshipers, many lounging in the front gardens.

   Morning, drive to Tay Ninh province, 99 km Northwest of Ho Chi Minh City to visit the Great Temple also known as The Holy See Temple of a rare religion named Cao Dai native to the province. Cao Dai was established in 1926 as a monotheistic religion with its meaning names “Way of the Highest Lord” and its symbol of the left eye standing for Highest Lord’s clairvoyant power and wisdom. However it incorporates some aspects of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and even Catholicism. The Great Temple, which was built in 1933, has a unique cross-architectural style akin to the religion’s blended nature.

   Afternoon, continue transfer to Cu Chi, the Northern most suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City. Discover the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, which were once a major underground hideout and resistance base of Viet Cong forces during the two wars against the French and the Americans. The tunnels, entirely hand-dug, formed a highly intricate network of interlinked multilevel passageways at times stretched as far as the Cambodian border and totaling over 120 km in length. Its complexity was beyond imagination containing meeting rooms, kitchens, wells, clinics, schools, depots, trenches and emergency exits all aimed for guerrilla warfare. The tunnels were deep and strong enough to withstand destructive bombings and self-contained enough to outlast prolonged sieges.

   Morning, you will be picked up and travel past miles of flat rice fields, along a bustling road to the Mekong Delta, the world’s largest delta and Vietnam's largest rice bowl.

   On arrival in My Tho City, board a motorboat and navigate through intricate canals while observing the local daily life up close as well as the landscape of waterways and lush islands. Land on Thoi Son Island where you can listen to Southern traditional music performed by native artists. Next, you will change to a paddle boat to cruise through the narrow canals and visit households with traditional occupations of home-based coconut candy and rice-wine making. Continue travel by motorized boat to another island to visit a bee farm and taste tea with fresh honey from the beehives and enjoy fresh fruits. On the return to My Tho, stop to visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, a prominent local Buddhist structure built in 1850 with a unique architectural mixture of Vietnamese, Roman, Chinese and Cambodian styles characterized by a highly ornate façade. You might enjoy a lovely lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant
Afternoon, transfer to Can Tho, check in your hotel and spend time at leisure.

   Morning, depart Ninh Kieu wharf by shuttle-boat, you can see bustling activities along Can Tho riverbanks. Particularly, you may know how local people go fishing with plenty of fish traps and how they transport passengers as well as products by the waterway. Approaching Cai Rang floating market, you witness the trading activities in the past using a traditional “offering pole” exchanging consumer goods hanging on the pole for Mekong fruit and vegetables with local sellers. Keep cruising and moving into the small canals called Rach Nho for more sightseeing and close observation of the Southern countryside lifestyle. Return to Ninh Kieu Quay. Then you are transferred to Chau Doc city, check in hotel & free in the rest of day

   Morning, transfer to Chau Doc Pier, take speed boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh.

   The speed boat time is approximately 6 hours. Start from Chau Doc at 6:00 AM and arrive in Phnom Penh at 12:00AM Arrival in Phnom Penh, warm welcome by our tour guide then transfer to hotel for check in. Free & easy by yourselves

   Begin a half morning city tour with a visit to the Victory Monument, and the National Museum (called as Musee des Beaux-Arts). Next, you’ll visit a French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The museum contains a collection of Khmer art - notably sculptures – from throughout the ages. You’ll also discover the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda, located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside includes a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90 kilograms and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha.

   Afternoon, continue to visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S 21) then explore the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, the driving distance is approximately 15Km from the city. You’ll visit as well Russian market (Psah Tuol Thom Pong), a lively outdoor market where you will find antiquities, silver and gold jewelry, gems, silk, kramas, stone and wood carvings, T-Shirts, CDs and lots of other local souvenirs. End of day stop at the Central market and in right time to views over the tree-lined avenues of the city during sunset

   Morning, we today drive to Siem Reap. The driving distance is approximately 6 hours

   En route, stop to see an ancient bridge called “Spean Kompong Kdei” that was built in the 13th century and it is 87 meters long. The balustrades are carved to look like the bodies of giant snakes. Upon arrive Siem Reap transfer to hotel for check in.

   In the morning, visit to the antique capital of Angkor Thom, built in the 12th century: the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

   After a short your rest, you will visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag. This masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond. End of day take a relaxing stopover at Prasat Chrung visiting Tadev Hole and temple with the best Sunset. Return to your hotel and end of the tour