Tripology

International Flight

Enjoy your trip to Vietnam

Hotel

Arrival in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) - Transfer - Overnight in Saigon.
Hotel: Amara Saigon Hotel Ho Chi Minh City

Historical and Educational Tours

Saigon is the largest of Vietnamese cities, and one will see the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life everywhere. There are street markets, pavement cafes and sleek new cafes and pubs. The city churns and bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture.

Historical and Educational Tours

Built between 1877 and 1883, is set in the heart of Saigon's government quarter. It has a neo-Romanesque form and two high square towers, tipped with iron spires. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the virgin

Historical and Educational Tours

This is a French-style building with its glass canopy and iron frame right next to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure was built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far the largest post office in Vietnam.

Historical and Educational Tours

Completed 1908, also known as “Hotel de Ville” at the northern end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard. With it’s ornate gingerbread facade it looks like the town hall of a French town. **view from outside only**

Historical and Educational Tours

Built around the turn of the century and first renovated in the 1940s, the building housed the lower division of the National Assembly. Today it is a Municipal Theatre and also known as “Saigon Concert Hall”. **view from outside only**

Historical and Educational Tours

This was the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president and was stormed by tanks on April 30, 1975 signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state.

Historical and Educational Tours

Collections of weapons and photographs from 2 Indochina wars are exhibited along with the original French 'Guillotine' brought here in the early 20th century.

Historical and Educational Tours

This is the central market of Saigon and the market and the surrounding streets make up one of the city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly eaten, worn or used by the average resident of Saigon is available here.

Historical and Educational Tours

Known as 'Rue Catinet' during the French years, this is a main shopping street in the centre of Saigon where there is a lot of choice of handicrafts and laquerware.

Historical and Educational Tours

CU CHI TUNNELS: Cu Chi was an important base during the American War, because of its strategic location. The Vietcong built a 200km long network of tunnels connecting command posts, hospitals, shelter and weapon factories. Dug out of hard laterite by hand tools without the use of cement, this amazing network was never discovered.

This town serves as the headquarters of one of Vietnam's religions, Caodism. The Caodai Great Temple at the sect's Holy See is one of the most striking structures in all of Asia and was built between 1933 and 1955. The area's dominant geographic feature is Nui Ba Den (Black Lady Mountain), which towers 850m above the surrounding plains.

Historical and Educational Tours

From Saigon, transfer to My Tho, a bustling town in the rich agricultural region of the Mekong Delta and visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, a beautiful temple and a sanctuary for orphans and other needy children. Afterwards board a local boat to explore the islands of the Mekong, stopping at a fruit orchard to enjoy fruit and tea while listening to local music. The trip also includes a brief sampan ride through the tiny waterways that thread the island. Continue onwards to another island and visit a bee farm, with an optional horse cart ride to a typical local house to sample homemade honey tea.

Historical and Educational Tours

HOAN KIEM LAKE: located in the centre of the city this is an enchanting body of water. Legend has it that in the mid-15th century, Heaven gave Emperor Ly Thai To a magical sword which he used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. One day whilst boating on the lake a giant golden tortoise grabbed the sward. Since then, the lake has been known as the 'Lake of the Restored Sword'.
Visit the One Pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot Thu Du)

Historical and Educational Tours

Built in 1049 by Emperor Ly Thai Tong and restored in 1922, then burned by the French in 1954 and restored in 1955. The pagoda which is a Buddhist representation of the world in the form of a lotus coming out of the water, contains a statue of Quan An, the Goddess of Mercy.

Historical and Educational Tours

A peaceful series of walled courtyards and graceful gateways, this monument is one of the best-preserved examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, this was also the site of Vietnam’s first university. In one courtyard, giant stone tortoises bear stelae on their backs, listing the accomplishments of graduating scholars.

Historical and Educational Tours

Discover the old quarter of Hanoi by cyclo. It is also called 36 streets, most of which are named after the crafts or merchandise traditionally sold there.
Visit a Water Puppet Show
WATER PUPPET SHOW: a fantastic art form originating in northern Vietnam, best seen in Hanoi. The Municipal Water Puppet Theater is located on the Shore of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Historical and Educational Tours

Cruise on a traditional wooden boat among the emerald waters and craggy limestone cliffs of Halong Bay, stopping at different islands to explore some of the many caves in this area. Sail past floating villages, fishermen casting their nets and pearl fisheries and observe the rhythms of daily life on the bay.

Hotel

Transfer - Flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap. - Arrival in Siem Reap - Transfer to hotel in Siem Reap.
Hotel: Borei Angkor Hotel Siem Reap

Historical and Educational Tours

The fortified city of ANGKOR THOM covers an area of 10 square km. Enclosed by a wall and wide moats, the city includes many of Angkor's most popular sights. Enter by the monumental SOUTH GATE over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons and gods, each carrying a giant naga. Continue to the TERRACE OF THE ELEPHANTS and the TERRACE OF THE LEPER KINGS, former spaces for public cermonies, both adorned with dramatic bas reliefs. Visit the ruined BAPHUON, ROYAL ENCLOSURE and PHIMEANAKAS before continuing to the mysterious BAYON TEMPLE. In this temple, one of the most popular and compelling in Angkor, explore the galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs and ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary, where you will find giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle.

Historical and Educational Tours

The crowning jewel of Khmer architecture, ANGKOR WAT is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. As you enter the main building, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyard before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside. On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous "Churning of the Ocean of Milk". Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones.

Historical and Educational Tours

TA PROHM: one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.
Visit a temple for sunset
Watch the sun set over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple.

Historical and Educational Tours

Sightseeing in Angkor - Visit Banteay Srei Temple
Seemingly miniature in comparison to the other Angkor temples, BANTEAY SREI is considered to be the jewel of classical Khmer art. Built in pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. Because of its small size, fairy-like atmosphere and extraordinary examples of Khmer sculpture, this temple is often a favorite with visitors.

Historical and Educational Tours

BANTEAY SAMRE is a mid-12th century temple dedicated to the god Vishnu.

Historical and Educational Tours

Journey to South-West of Siem Reap at the northern end of the Tonle Sap Lake. It is located on a mountain 137 meters (449 feet) high.
Climb the steep stairs and curved path up the rocky slope to a modern temple complex at the top of the hill. Walk through the courtyard to the left and up a short flight of steps to the entrance. The walk affords a fine view of the lake and surrounding area. Because of the climb and the heat, it is best to visit this temple early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Historical and Educational Tours

TONLE SAP (Great Lake). Located in the heart of Cambodia, this extraordinary lake swells up to seven times its original size during the monsoon season. Its ecosystem is one of the richest and most diverse in the region. This boat trip will explore the floating fishing villages that live at the edges of the lake, passing submerged forests and fishing farms.

Historical and Educational Tours

PREAH KHAN: a temple built by King Jayavarman VII with towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors in a jungle setting. Preah Khan covers a very large area but the temple itself is enclosed within a rectangular wall of around 700 by 800 meters.

Historical and Educational Tours

NEAK PEAN: built by King Jayavarman VII (ruled 1181 to 1201), it is a Buddhist temple consisting of a square pool with four smaller square pools arranged on each axis. In the centre of the large central pool is a circular island encircled by two nagas with intertwined tails.

Historical and Educational Tours

PRE RUP: built by Rajendravarman II (ruled 944 to 968), it consists of a pyramid shaped temple with the upper-most of the three tiers carrying five square shrines arranged as a quincunx. The name means & quot;turning the body" and refers to the traditional method of cremation.

Historical and Educational Tours

TA SOM: built in the late 12th century by Jayavarman VII for his teacher, Som. Ta Som means "old Som".

Historical and Educational Tours

EASTERN MEBON: temple erected by Rajendravarman (ruled from 944 to 968), it is located on a former islet in the centre of the Eastern Baray. The base of the temple is guarded at its corners by stone figures of harnessed elephants.

Historical and Educational Tours

This morning, take a boat ride along the ‘River of Kings’, and its quiet canals. Visit Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). After visit the Royal Palace to see Dusit Hall (Funeral Hall) and the holy Wat Phra Kaew (Emerald Buddha). Afternoon at leisure. In the evening, enjoy a Thai dinner at the renowned Sala Rim Nam restaurant with cultural dance and music performance.

Historical and Educational Tours

This morning, enjoy an excursion to the countryside of Thailand and visit the famous Damoen Saduak floating market. Afternoon and evening, at leisure

Historical and Educational Tours

Today's memorable excursion begins with a river cruise to the ancient Siam Capital of Ayuthaya, one of Thailand's historical and majestic highlights. Serving as the Thai capital for 417 years (1350-1767: Kingdom of Ayutthaya), it was once glorified as one of the biggest cities in the world and a Southeast Asia center for civilizations. Visit Bang Pa-in (Summer Palace) and ruins of the Ancient City of Ayuthaya. Return to Bangkok by car

International Flight

ransfer to the airport for your departure flight back to Los Angeles