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Nik's 17 day Cambodia & South Vietnam trip
Nik likes relaxed travels, and visiting places off the beaten path. We planned a 17 day trip for him.....
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With 3 weeks on their hands, Sonia and Eric wanted to travel in Vietnam and see its highlights. Despite its tapering length, they requested for only one internal flight as they are conscious of their carbon footprint. Added to this were their interests in nature and desire for time away from the cities.
Their trip started and ended in big cities, but there was loads of nature packed in between. They visited the hill station of Dalat, stayed in the countryside surrounding Hoi An and Hue, and went caving in Phong Nha. They explored the Ninh Binh landscape by row boats, and the countryside on bikes. The cherry on their cake was a 2-day cruise at Halong Bay, which was a highlight of their journey.
For backpackers, we arrange a mix of bus and train journeys, with some overnight & boat travel. Spend a bit on shared minivan or private transfers to & from Halong Bay, and a flight from Da Lat to Hoi An. We arrange for mostly hostel dorm stays & a private room or B&B in Hoi An and Halong Bay. Activities are not included.
We arrange for one overnight train ride, two daytime buses, three car journeys & one flight. We book budget hotels & BnBs, with a few private rooms in hostels. We can also arrange a 3 day 2 night island experience for you at Halong Bay & city tours by cycle or scooter in a few main cities.
We arrange for one or two flights, one very comfortable night train journey, and private cars for travelling around. You stay in boutique hotels and BnBs, and go on the cruise at Halong Bay. We can arrange for guides for some of the car journeys, namely while visiting the DMZ.
We arrange for two flights, a comfortable night train journey & private cars for transportation. We choose boutique hotels & resorts and book a luxury cruise at Halong Bay. We can also arrange for guided sightseeing & provide a guide for all your car journeys, namely in the DMZ & Ninh Binh.
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is one of Vietnam's most energetic cities. It presents a seamless blend of past and present; a dynamic energy propels it forward, while remnants of its past lie among skyscrapers and shopping malls. It's also Vietnam's culinary capital, so make sure you sample the deliciousness of Vietnamese cuisine.
This hill town in South Vietnam is known as The City of Eternal Spring, and for good reason. The French first visited as its temperature never went over 24°C, and today the pleasant weather is accompanied with French architecture and coffee plantations in its surroundings.
Once a port town, Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and bears Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese and French architectural influences. Relaxing scenery and beaches are both within easy reach, and a vehicle ban in it's Old Town makes exploring its 800+ preserved buildings on foot enjoyable.
Hue was home to 13 Nguyen emperors for nearly 150 years, and each of them left behind a piece of history. Walk through its Citadel and Imperial Enclosure that even today echo its glorious past. There is much to do within and outside Hue, and all the while the royals of the past oversee their city, guarding it from their tombs on its outskirts.
Phong Nha is definitely among the top three adventure spots of Southeast Asia. With a system of caves (including the biggest cave in the world) chiselled into its mountains, its trek-friendly jungles and its lagoons offering some surreal kayaking experiences, this off-beat spot and National Park are a paradise waiting to be explored.
Ninh Binh in North Vietnam is home to the famous Tam Coc-Trang An complex of karst formations rising up from the ground. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is best experienced with a boat ride, with rice paddies on either side, water beneath the boat, and karsts surrounding you. It's transforming rice paddies in harvest season are gorgeous to behold.
Easily accessible from Hanoi, Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts tourists from across the world. The overnight cruise here is a once-in-a-lifetime unforgettable experience. Spend a night on a junk, float among the natural karst formations that tower above you, and discover gorgeous caves and hidden lagoons.
Hanoi's past as the capital of Emperor Ly Thai and later of French Indochina has given it much to boast of. Remnants of French and Chinese occupation peek out at you between the streets, as the present-day capital of Vietnam plays catch up, leaving the horrors of its history behind yet retaining the heritage influences.