Day 1
Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City!
Morning/Afternoon
- Meet at Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, at 2:00 p.m to meet your fellow travelers.
- Your Trip Leader will meet you at the airport and then take included private transportation to our accommodations in the center of Ho Chi Minh.
- Relax after a long flight at your hotel or take a walk with your Trip Leader to explore Ben Thanh market, the Old Post Office, and Dong Khoi Street.
Evening
- Get to know your new friends over a delicious Vietnamese dinner. Savor the traditional cuisine of Vietnam with your group as you begin to settle into this side of the world.
Day 2
Vietnamese Cooking Class & Cu Chi Tunnels
Morning
- After breakfast, travel to an organic farm outside the city (~1.5-hour drive).
- Pick fresh vegetables and mushrooms straight from the garden that you’ll use for your cooking class with your Vietnamese Chef.
Afternoon
- Enjoy your homemade Southern Vietnamese lunch with your group.
- Afterward, enjoy an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels--one of the most important historic sites of the Vietnam war. This network of underground tunnels is 200km long complete with meeting rooms, medical and sanitary posts.
Evening
- Return back to Ho Chi Minh City and relax for the rest of the evening or enjoy the Ho Chi Minh nightlife with your group.
Day 3
Cycle the Mekong Delta
Morning
- Enjoy your final breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City before departing for the Vung Liem district in the Mekong Delta (~3.5-hour drive).
- Before leaving the city, join your Trip Leader for a guided walk through the alleyways of Cho Lon, Saigon’s original Chinatown.
- Stop for lunch in a local cafe along the way. (non-included)
Afternoon
- Arrive at your new lodge situated perfectly along the river.
- Cycle for 1-2 hours through the beautiful Vietnamese countryside. If you don’t like to cycle, you can follow along on a tuk tuk.
Evening
- Settle into your riverside lodge and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Mekong Delta.
Day 4
Vietnamese Cultural Immersion
Morning
- Wake up in the stunning Vietnamese countryside and enjoy breakfast with your group.
- Take a morning boat ride through the Mekong and reach a farmers market where locals sell vegetables, fruits, fish, & meat.
- Continue down the river to a local Cao Dai temple by the river, a coconut factory, and learn how locals make crafts from natural materials.
Afternoon
- Return to your riverside lodge for lunch.
- Spend some time relaxing at this beautiful location along the river.
- Float down the small canals of the Mekong Delta in the shadow of the surrounding water-coconut trees.
Evening
- Feast on some more delicious Vietnamese cuisine at your riverside lodge.
- After dinner, meet a former Viet Cong war veteran and interact with him as you listen to traditional songs about war.
Day 5
Welcome to Cambodia!
Morning
- Enjoy a relaxing morning or check out the local workshops in Vinh Long.
- Be sure to enjoy a final scenic walk along the river before departing for our next stop--Cambodia!
Afternoon
- Travel back to Ho Chi Minh City (~4-hour drive) with your group and catch a final Vietnamese meal before catching your included flight to Cambodia (~1.5 hour flight).
Evening
- Welcome to Cambodia!
- Take included transportation to your boutique hotel in Siem Reap.
- Wrap up your first night in a new country with a delicious dinner.
Day 6
Village Immersion in Siem Reap & Angkor Wat
Morning
- Start off your first morning in Cambodia by cycling to Bong Thom Village where you’ll visit Preah Dak--a local Cambodian market.
- Arrive at a villager’s house renowned for its production of Cambodia's famous rice noodles where you will assist in making the noodles and be able to eat a traditional Cambodian breakfast--Nom Bahn Cho
- Stop at another family home where villagers teach you how to make palm leaf handicrafts.
- Visit two temples called Banteay Samre and Phnom Bok as you cycle through picturesque rice paddies and palm trees. If you don’t like to cycle, there will be a tuk tuk available to transport you.
Afternoon
- Enjoy lunch in a small village that specializes in bamboo sticky rice production.
- Relax under a palm tree while indulging in delicious Cambodian snacks or take a swim in the restaurant’s pool to cool off.
- After lunch, you’ll visit Angkor Wat-–the biggest temple in the Angkor complex. Marvel at the architectural achievement of one of the largest religious monuments in the world.
Evening
- Finish the day by visiting Ta Prohm, a temple which has been covered by the surrounding jungle and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Enjoy the evening at your own pace and choose from one of several restaurants in Siem Reap
Day 7
Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple
Morning
- Travel by tuk tuk on a road surrounded by hundred-year-old trees to discover the legendary Angkor Complex.
- Visit Angkor Thom known as “the big city.”
- Admire Bayon Temple built around the 12th century and Baphuon, a temple mountain built in the 11th century.
- Discover the Terrace of the Elephants, with a length of 350 meters, was used for royal audiences and public ceremonies.
- Continue your visit to the Terrace of the Leper King, built in the 12th century, covered by magnificent Apsara sculptings.
Afternoon
- Return to Siem Reap town for lunch on your own.
- Travel outside of town to board onto a private boat for a tour of the floating villages on Tonle Sap.
Evening
- Enjoy another traditional Cambodian dinner with your group (not included) as you recount the experiences of the last few days.
- Check out the nightlife in Siem Reap before we depart to Battambang in the morning!
Day 8
Phnom Sampov & Battambang
Morning
- Choose to wake up early and experience the sunrise over the Angkor Temples by local tuk tuk (optional).
- After breakfast, travel to Battambang from Siem Reap (~4 hours drive)
- Stop at Sisophon Village, and learn observe the local craftsman sculpt impressive stone carvings.
Afternoon
- Arrive in Battambang and visit the Bat Caves at Phnom Sampov.
- Phnom Sampov is known for its "killing caves" from the Khmer Rouge era, and your Trip Leader will provide some more information about the Khmer Rouge’s impact on this region.
- Take a hike to the top of Phnom Sampov and soak in the magnificent views over the rice fields and surrounding countryside as millions of bats take flight out of the caves.
Evening
- Enjoy dinner at your boutique hotel in Battambang.
Day 9
Discover Battambang
Morning
- Discover Battambang’s beautiful countryside by tuk tuk.
- Start off at an ancient pagoda named Wat Balat, and drive past typical Cambodian houses that have been unchanged for generations.
- Observe the daily activities such as the preparation of sticky rice, custom knife making, and the preparation of the traditional fish paste prahok.
Afternoon
- Have the option of riding the famous Bamboo Train of Battambang or do a workshop at the Phare arts school.
- Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the famous sights of Battambang, visiting the central market or strolling along the riverside.
Evening
- After an eventful day, grab dinner with your group at a restaurant in Battambang where you’ll be able to try traditional Khmer dining.
Day 10
Siem Reap
Morning
- Begin the drive back to Siem Reap (~4-hour drive).
- Admire the traditional Khmer houses, the massive Tonle Sap Lake, and observe the stonemasons whose techniques have been passed down since the Angkorian era.
Afternoon
- Your final afternoon in Siem Reap is free for you to relax or immerse yourself further in everything the city has to offer.
Evening
- Enjoy your farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants in Siem Reap.
- Reflect on the cultural experiences of the last few days and enjoy one final night out with your group of travelers.
Day 11
Departure
Morning
- Enjoy the final morning at your leisure or do some last minute souvenir shopping.
- After checkout, you will take included private transportation to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) where you will arrive at 11:00 am for your flight back home.
- Stay in touch back home with the Under30Experiences Community!
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
Day 21
Day 22
Day 23