Classic Vietnam & Mekong River Adventure

Optional Activities Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre Performance – Hanoi $6 USD per person – Watch a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show with beautiful live music and intricate puppets dancing in a water stage. Tran Quoc Pagoda Visit – Hanoi Visit one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam located on the eastern shore of Tay Ho. Learn about Tran Quoc’s history from the 17th-century stela found on site. View it later in the day, if you can – the tall structure is striking against the setting sun. Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu) Visit – Hanoi Visit this sprawling temple built to honour Confucius, sages, and scholars. Dedicated to learning, it housed the country’s first university in 1076. Explore its five courtyards, containing various gates, altars, sanctuaries, shrines, the stelae of doctors, and the Well of Heavenly Clarity. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum Visit – Hanoi Tour the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum built in the square where Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in 1945. Get in line to tour the grounds; queues of visitors come to pay their respects daily.

Junk boat – Ha Long Bay Skim across the water aboard this iconic traditional Asian sailboat. Ha Long Bay Overnight Cruise Board a traditional junk boat at Ha Long Bay harbour and cruise out onto serene waters. Marvel at massive limestone karst mountains jutting out of the water, creating unforgettable spectacular scenery. Swim, kayak or go cave exploring on one of the islands, if conditions are right. Indulge in fresh seafood meals with a variety of dishes to sample. Drift to sleep in a cozy cabin on board. On rare occasion Ha Long Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.

Private Vehicle Ha Long Bay – Hanoi 4hrs Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle. Free Time Hanoi Afternoon Spend a few hours exploring this beautiful capital city. Visit some shops, have a bia hoi on a street corner or grab a coffee in a lakeside café. Basic overnight train (beds) Hanoi – Huế 13hrs-14hrs Drive about 15 mins to the station and then board the southbound train for the overnight journey.

Tien Mu Pagoda Visit Visit Tien Mu, one of the tallest and, perhaps, most elegant pagodas in Vietnam, at seven storey’s high. Take a step back in time touring this historic temple – built more than 400 years ago along the north shore of the Perfume River, it has been the site of many political protests. Imperial Citadel Tour Tour this one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China’s Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War. Royal Tombs Visit Visit the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. Embracing the concept of Feng Shui, these tombs are extremely ornate and provide fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers. Optional Activities – Day 4 Motorbike Tour – Hue Hop on the back of a motorbike and let your professional driver take you out into the countryside. Explore rice paddy landscapes and see local villagers at work in the fields. Take in temples, shops, a scenic overlook or two, or, perhaps, an ancient covered bridge – routes can vary on these interesting rides. Accommodation Asia Hotel (or similar)

Your G for Good Moment: Oodles of Noodles Demonstration and Lunch Try some of the oodles of noodles (more than 26 types!) available in the city in this tasty cooking class. Run by G Adventures for Good partners, STREETS International, the class was developed exclusively for G Adventures. Former street youth that are part of this hospitality training program, will help you prepare and cook a number of different types of noodles. This program helps these youth practice their English, increasing their skill-set and opportunities available to them in the tourism industry. Enjoy your yummy creations while learning more about the local cuisine and this initiative which empowers street youth through skills and employment training. Optional Activities Hoi An Cooking Class – Hoi An $25 USD per person Take a cooking class to learn more about Vietnamese food and its distinct flavours. Tour the local market to buy fresh ingredients before preparing some popular regional dishes. Enjoy your creations when you’re done! Bike Rental Rent a bike from a local shop and head out to explore. Mỹ Sơn Excursion $30 USD per person Travel approximately one hour from Hoi An to arrive at My Son. Tour these Hindu temples built between the fourth and 14th centuries; the site is widely accepted as one of the most important Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. Learn about the architectural style and history of a site that’s often compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Burma. Tailor Shops Go home with some new (handmade!) clothes from one of Hoi An’s famous tailor shops. Walk the streets lined with hundreds of local shops that turn out gorgeous suits, dresses, winter coats, shoes, purses – almost anything – in a day’s time to create next season’s wardrobe. Accommodation Vinh Hung 2 Resort (or similar)

Optional Activities Thien Hau Pagoda Visit Visit the Thien Hau Pagoda, a beautiful temple in the Chinatown district of Ho Chi Minh City. Learn more about the customs associated with this 19th-century monument – it is dedicated to the goddess Thien Hau (the ‘Lady of the Sea’) who is worshipped in Chinese communities throughout Asia by those who depend on the sea for their livelihoods. Giac Vien Pagoda Visit Find this hidden pagoda behind some small alleyways – it’s a rare treat of a monument that has been spared the over-restoration that has been done to so many temples. Tour the inside of this 18th-century pagoda to see nearly 100 carvings of divine beings. Ben Thanh Market Wander this bustling market for more insight into Ho Chi Minh City. Pick up souvenirs, sample local cuisine, and experience local living. Learn a little history along the way; Ben Thanh started as a cluster of street vendors selling wares by the Saigon River, and was formalized into a true market in 1859. Reunification Palace Entry $2 USD per person Wander the historic halls of the Reunification Palace (Independence Palace), a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City. This former home of the South Vietnamese president during the Vietnam War became the location of the end of the war when a North Vietnamese tank pushed through the palace gates on April 30, 1975. Cholon Visit Take in the busy rhythm of daily life in Cholon, the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City. Tour the area full of teahouses, pagodas, and people, and learn a little more about the unique culture within the city. War Remnants Museum Visit $2 USD per person Visit the War Remnants Museum, a gut-wrenching but worthwhile experience that includes three storeys of exhibits and military hardware. Learn about the devastation that occurred in Saigon during the Vietnam War, a period that greatly contrasts the joy and liveliness of the Vietnamese people today. Accommodation Lotus Boutique Hotel (or similar)

Coconut Manufacturing Visit – Xã Thới Sơn Take local boats to Thoi Son Island to see a coconut product manufacturer, taste some local fruit and honey and meet traditional musicians. Cai Be Floating Market Visit  – Cái Bè 14:00-16:30 Afternoon Local boats will pull up alongside the Toum Tiou II to pick up the group and whisk everyone off to cruise around Cai Be Floating Market. Navigating the narrow Island canals is a unique experience, as the bustling market surrounds the boats. Vĩnh Trang Pagoda Visit – Mỹ Tho 08:00 Morning Explore the buddhist temple of Vĩnh Tràng. Known for its enormous buddha statues and peaceful surroundings. The monks here maintain an an ornate, gilded wood sanctuary, and tend to the impressive gardens.

Sam Mountain Visit – Châu Đôc, Thị Xã Châu Đôc Travel to Sam Mountain by private vehicle and enjoy views of the surrounding landscape from the summit. Sa Dec Visit – Sadek 06:30-08:00 Morning Stroll around the Sa Dec river bank and through the Sa Dec market. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating due to its unspoiled authenticity and the fact it remains relatively undisturbed by tourists. It provides a glimpse of traditional life on the Mekong, complete with tree lined streets and fading colonial villas.

Free Time – Phnom Penh Evening Explore Cambodia’s charming capital city. Border Crossing (Vietnam – Cambodia) – Xã Vĩnh Xương Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list. Phnom Penh Cyclo Tour – Phnom Penh 45m-1h Settle in a traditional cyclo and depart from Wat Phnom. Tour busy streets to soak up the real vibe of the city. Pass the post office and Van’s restaurant, both stunning colonial buildings, and make your way to the Royal Palace and National Museum. Go along the riverside road and take in the atmospheric cafes that line the street.

Optional Activities

Kampong Chhnang Visit – Kampong Chhnang, Chnok Tru Morning Located around 56 miles from Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chhnang is a very large fishing port on the Tonlé Sap. A lot of locals make a living from fish farming, a popular occupation in this area. Kampong Chhnang is also famous for its pottery ware, the style of which has not changed much for centuries and is distributed to the rest of the country. Wander through the local market, and head out to explore a family run brick factory to watch the process. Continue to visit the locals and observe the process of hand making pottery. Before heading back to the riverboat, explore a sugar palm farm where the Thnot tree (sugar palm) that abounds in the area is used to create a mellow tasting, caramel coloured sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine. Koh Chen Visit – Koh Chen, Kampong Chhnang Visit the small town of Koh Chen. Wander through the streets and visit family run silver and copper workshops. Watch the craftsmen and learn about the process. If possible, meet a Khmer Rouge survivor eager to share his story.