9 Days World Heritage Sites Explorer

Day 01: Ha Noi - Arrival

On arrival at Ha Noi Airport, you are greeted by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer.

Ha Noi – The capital of Vietnam, also known that “The cradle of Vietnam’s culture”. Lies besides modern constructions are many hidden gems that still retain their charm and culture from thousands years ago.

Depending on your arrival flight schedule, you either have the opportunity to rest at your hotel if the room is available (please note the check-in time is at 14.00 pm), or take your own exploration of the town.

Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 02: Ha Noi - Discovery (B)

Today, we start our exploration of Ha Noi, seeing the most notable landmark of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (close on Mon. and Fri. and Oct. to Nov). This imposing marble and granite monument was built towards Ba Dinh Square. We follow the footpath to the One Pillar Pagoda rising from the center of a square lotus pond, ascending on a single pillar and resembling a blossoming lotus flower.

The next place will be the fascinating Ethnology Museum (closed Mondays), which is both a research center and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. As an alternative to the Ethnology Museum, visit the highly acclaimed Hoa Lo Prison which was once known as “Ha Noi Hilton”

We continue the trip to the Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university, constructed in the 11th century, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam's past.

After that, visit Ha Noi’s Old Quarter also known as the ‘36 streets’. Take a walking tour through charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It's a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities.

The final touch of the day is a Water Puppet show. This is a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 03: Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay – Cruise (B/L/D)

 After breakfast, take a 3.5 hour drive to Ha Long Bay, one of the World Natural Heritages recognized by UNESCO with thousands of spectacular limestone islands rising from the clear, emerald sea in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Upon arrival, welcome aboard. Enjoy a welcome drink before check-in your cabin. While the boat is passing many rocky islets, caves, floating villages and beaches, a tasty lunch will be served on board with fresh seafood. Relax on the sundeck.

 Later on, the boat moves to a quiet area to dock for overnight stay. Dinner with Vietnamese food is served on board.

Overnight stay on board

Note: The itinerary of boats in Ha Long may change without prior notice depending on situation.

Day 04: Ha Long Bay - Fly to Da Nang – Hoi An (Brunch)

The boat cruises around Ha Long Bay, passes by many islets named by their shapes such as Dog, Incense Urn, Fighting Cock, Finger, etc. Breakfast or brunch is served while the boat then continues cruising towards the wharf.

After disembarkation, travel back to Ha Noi city then go straight to the airport for flight to Da Nang.

Upon arrival, you are met and driven to Hoi An town, known in the past under its name "Faifo", was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 05: Hoi An - City discovery & lantern making(B)

After breakfast, we enjoy the morning walking tour to explore the tiny town of Hoi An with stops at a 400 year – old Japanese Bridge. This structure was first constructed in 1590s by the Japanese traders to link them with the Chinese quarters. We head towards the typical Phung Hung House, a gem with a mixture of Japanese and Chinese architectural elements.

Continue visiting the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, which is one of the five well-known halls in Hoi An and dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of sea who protects sailors from danger.

The next visit is to the home of a craftsman in the old streets. Here you’ll have a brief introduction to the history, shapes and colors of the lantern, as well as stages of making them. After that you can make a lantern on your own, decorate, pack and keep it as a souvenir of your time in Hoi An.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 06: Hoi an – Danang - Fly to Siem Reap (B)

Free time till being transferred to the airport for the flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival at Siem Reap international airport, meet our guide who is waiting for us right outside of the arrival terminal. Transferring to our hotel and checking into our hotel’s room. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 07: Siem Reap – City discovery by tuk tuk (B)

The full day tour will acquaint us with Angkor Silk Farm. 15 km west of Siem Reap, where you can witness the entire process of silk creation from the breeding process and life cycle of the silkworm to the spinning of the silk, the dying process and the creation of beautiful silk weavings on wooden hand looms.

Next place will be visit is the Angkor National Museum, a showpiece on the Khmer civilisation and the majesty of Angkor. The rich collection of Angkorian artifacts remains a very useful experience for first-time visitors, putting the story of Angkor and the Khmer empire in context before exploring the temples. 

After lunch (at your own expense) you will proceed to visit Psar Chaa to the Old Market. Bustling with energy and activity, Siem Reap’s Old Market is teeming with souvenir shops, pubs, bars, and restaurants catering to backpackers and tourists. Final place isit Wat Bo Temple - one of the oldest pagodas in Siem Reap, Cambodia and has a number of well-preserved wall paintings from the 19th century. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 08: Angkor Temples - Angkor Temples (B)

Today, set off to encounter the beautiful temples which are considered Angkor's jewel. 

The day starts with the visit to Ta Prohm, perhaps most popularly known as The Tomb Raider temple. This beautiful temple is overgrown with fig trees, giving it a haunting yet exotic atmosphere. 

Get inside the reinforced city of Angkor Thom to admire the mysterious Bayon temple, crowned with the large number of serene faces sculpted on its towers. Also, take this chance to learn more about the intricate carvings of the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. 

Wind your way to Angkor Wat, one of the modern wonders of the world. Be amazed by the sheer size of the temple and learn how the Khmer Empire prospered between the 9th and 13th Century, around the time when the temple was built.

Final touch of the day is a performance by Phare, the Cambodian Circus. An hour-long Khmer cultural show, professional artists mix traditional and modern forms of theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion to perform a story about Cambodian lives and society. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 9: Siem Reap - Tonle Sap lake – Departure (B)

Today, drive 20-25 minutes toward South of Siem Reap along scenic roads to the floating village of Chong Kneas on the great Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Stop along the way to capture the peaceful countryside scenery or interact with the locals to gain insight into the rural lifestyle. Then, embark on a local wooden boat and set out on a relaxing and insightful cruise exploring the floating villages where more than a thousand families live and make their living. Observe the floating schools, markets, police stations, and the traditional way of living. 

However, the activities of the boat trip will depend on your scheduled flight. Trip ends after being transferred to the airport for your next destination.

List of our hotels:

The hotels offered by Horizon Vietnam Travel are classified from 02 to 05 stars at the international standard, and comfortable with all the required services.

+ Standard Category: 2 stars. The rooms are correct, clean, and equipped with a bathroom, satellite television, and air conditioning.

+ Superior category 3 stars. The rooms are generally spacious, and the services and facilities are more numerous.

+ First class category: 4 stars. The rooms are luxurious and spacious and have a wide choice of quality services.

+ Deluxe Category: 4-5 stars. Hotels are of excellent comfort and have a wide range of excellent services. (swimming pool, spa, jacuzzi…).

+ On the other hand, we have developed fair tourism, through contact with the local population, the possibility of sleeping with the locals and sharing their daily life. The conditions of these accommodations that we offer you are well insured and with the best possible conditions.

Our services include:

• Private transportation with air-conditioned vehicle
• Accommodation in the planned hotels or similar in the program with daily breakfast as mentioned 
• Meals are provided in local restaurants of typical Vietnamese cuisine (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner included)
• The English-speaking guide for each city.
• All entry fees to tourist sites
• All the permission to enter the tourist areas
• Boat tours as described in the program
• 02 bottles of mineral water of 0,5 (l)/person/day
• Other services as mentioned in the program (bicycle, boat trip, etc...)
• All fees for all other services as clearly described in the program above.

Our services exclude:

• Airfare on all domestic and international flights (quote separately)
• Drinks and surcharge for special requests on foods and meals
• Entrance fees, guide service during free time & other personal expenses
• Surcharge for public holidays (if any)
• Surcharge for other language-speaking tour guides (upon request)
• Travel insurance 
• Vietnam visa stamping fees 
• All other services are not stated in the program.

More information:

Horizon Vietnam Travel gives you an estimated price per person on our website for the group of six people in low season with standard 2 and 3-star hotels.

The price of this trip varies according to the services chosen (category of accommodation, activities during the trip,...), the tourist seasonality of the year (Christmas and end of year holiday, Lunar New Year holiday in Vietnam), the booking delays and especially the number of participants of your group you wish to travel with.

Please note that Horizon Vietnam Travel only organizes private "tailor-made" trips for groups from 2 persons. We generally propose an offer including all the services on the spot from your arrival until your departure.

Depending on your wishes and your budget, this tour can be adapted and modified in terms of duration, content and departure date.

HORIZON VIETNAM TRAVEL calculates its prices as closely as possible in order to guarantee you the best price/quality ratio.

Our advice: the earlier you book, the better your chances of getting good rates, especially for air services, think about it!

Note: The price of international flights is not included in this estimate.

Please note that this tour is only a first draft and you can also customize it according to your wishes. We remain at your disposal to build your trip perfectly to your expectations and your budget

To obtain a detailed and personalized estimate, please contact us to request an estimate.