Overview
Find inspiration at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple, the world’s largest religious structure. A local Laotian family welcomes you into their home for dinner. read more Explore the hundreds of Buddhas found in the Pak Ou Caves. This is an incomparable mosaic of culture and history that unfolds within the blink of an eye.
Explorations
4 Star
Premium
5-99 Years
24
Fully Guided
COL425
Itinerary
Arrive today in Hanoi. Layers of the city's complex past can be found interwoven into its modern culture. Known for its French colonial architecture, tree-lined streets, and vibrant street food scene, Hanoi is Vietnam's dynamic capital and second most populous city. As arrival times will vary, there is no scheduled sightseeing today. Spend the day as you wish, exploring the city independently.
Start your morning with a city tour of Hanoi and the Old Quarter. Visit Ba Dinh Square and the Temple of Literature. Follow the meandering streets, decorated with temples and pagodas, and feast on the history before you. After working up an appetite, enjoy a walking food tour featuring some of Vietnam's most famous dishes such as banh mi and pho. Enjoy coffee and views of Hoan Kiem Lake – the “Lake of the Restored Sword” – at a rooftop café.
Later this evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Today you may choose to start your day early by joining your Tour Manager and locals as they practice tai chi at a local park. After, visit the infamous Hoa Lo Prison. This historic site, dubbed the “Hanoi Hilton” by American POWs, is now a museum that tells the story of colonial history from the Vietnamese perspective.
Following your visit, sit down with a local veteran from the Vietnam War to chat and connect with him as he recounts his history. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you see fit. You may choose to join an optional tour to see the famous water puppets of Hanoi followed by dinner.
Journey to Ha Long Bay and board a charming junk boat for an overnight cruise - the perfect vantage point for soaking up the landscape. Once on board, enjoy fresh seafood as you sail past vistas of low green mountains, small villages, hundreds of islands, and limestone peaks jutting out from the sea.
Disembark to discover the wonders of nature, history, and archaeology. Back on board, sit back and relax as the sounds and peaceful sway of the boat lull you to sleep.
Your day begins with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck at sunrise.
After a light breakfast we head off to visit Sung Sot cave, one of the many limestone grottos accessible by boat in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage that is Halong Bay. It is time to say farewell to this stunning natural wonder and cruise back to the mainland. Fly to Da Nang and travel to Hoi An (UNESCO), an ancient trading port.
Start your day with a walking tour of the old town, stroll by the ornate Chinese-style temple Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, the famous 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge and the vibrant market on the banks of the Thu Bon. Finish with an introduction to the local tailoring culture in Hoi An, a tradition dating back to the days of the silk route.
See the process of making cotton and silk cloth, and you may even choose to have some tailor-made clothes made. Enjoy a free afternoon to walk along the canals that cut through Ancient Town on your own, uncovering a preserved history interwoven into the modern way of life. Perhaps you'll visit an art gallery, wander through a cultural museum, or go shopping for the perfect souvenir, before joining the group for a local dinner.
Explore the flavors of Hoi An. Board a basket boat and journey along the Co Co River for an immersive cooking class. Learn how to catch seafood in the river and grind rice into flour. Use your ingredients to cook four classic local dishes which you'll enjoy for lunch. Try your hand at crafting a traditional Vietnamese lantern at a local workshop, a beautiful symbol of Hoi An's heritage. Soak up the local atmosphere with a free afternoon and evening.
Leave Hoi An and fly to Ho Chi Minh City, the energetic urban capital formerly known as Saigon. On an eye-opening city tour, you'll see the Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Reunification Palace. Head over to explore treasures from local vendors on display at the Old Market in District 1.
Take to the waters of the famous Mekong Delta. As you sail along, your guide will delve into the history and culture of the region. Discover the region's cottage industry with a visit to a coconut candy factory and learn how this confection is made. Enjoy lunch featuring southern Vietnamese cuisine before traveling back to Ho Chi Minh City.
This evening you might choose to go on an optional Saigon after-dark tour by Vespa, where you'll experience the city's vibrant nightlife, street food, and hidden gems from the back of a vintage scooter.
Spend your morning at the Cu Chi Tunnels, a maze of underground passageways used as hideouts by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in metropolitan Ho Chi Minh City before your dinner at a local restaurant.
This afternoon, board your flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia's gateway to the wonders of Angkor. In this ancient city, you'll discover a world where colonial and Chinese architecture melds into a sophisticated urban and culinary scene.
Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant accompanied by a traditional Khmer dance performance.
Depart for a sunrise at Angkor Wat, a perfect example of classic Khmer architecture. Enter its eastern gate and exit to the west, watching the sunlight dance along stones.
Later, visit Ta Prohm, a sprawling monastic complex that is overgrown with jungle. At Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmers, visit the Terrace of the Leper King and the temples of Baphuon and Bayon, 11th- and 12th-century masterpieces at the center of the city.
Start your day with an Impact Moment experience at the Visitor Center of APOPO, where “hero rats” are trained to navigate minefields and save lives. Learn about the country's history with war and meet the professional rats at a demonstration. Then travel to the village of Preah Dak to learn about daily life and see how Nom Banh Jok (rice noodles) are created.
Get a peek into the local culture at the palm sugar market, where tree sap is gathered and cooked for sugar. Make your way to Les Chantiers Ecoles, where local apprentices are trained in fine arts, and peruse the different workshops of sculpture, carving, and more. You may choose to end your day with a visit to Phare, the Cambodian Circus.
This morning, visit the Kompong Khleang floating village and see the stilt houses and floating homes. Board a flight to Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. Get acquainted with the city with your guide. Then, venture into a lively outdoor market at night, and see a bustling cluster of vendors selling local street foods, baked goods, paper lamps, and textiles.
Hop into a tuk tuk with a guide and make your way to the city center, including a visit to the National Museum – the former Royal Palace. Continue to Wat Xieng Thong monastery, decorated in eye-catching gold. Meander along the Nam Khan River to Wat Khili, highlighting the local culture and history. After lunch, cruise to the Pak Ou Caves, shrouded in mystery and home to thousands of Buddha statues. End your day with a home-hosted dinner and traditional Baci ceremony – celebrating a significant event in someone's life.
Journey to a traditional Hmong hill tribe village in Ban Long Lao and learn about this ethnic group and their way of life. Set out on a hike through lush jungle and panoramic mountain scenery to the incredible Kuang Si Waterfall. Return to Luang Prabang for lunch in a local restaurant.
You may choose to rise early and begin your day with a traditional alms offering to local monks. After breakfast back at the hotel, continue to the airport. Board your flight to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. A feast for the senses, this bustling city on the banks of the Chao Phraya River blends cosmopolitan sophistication with a strong sense of history and tradition.
Tonight, join your fellow travelers and toast to the end of your adventure on a Klong dinner cruise.
Return home with memories of your travels through the kingdoms of Southeast Asia.
Trip Inclusions
- Visit with a Vietnam war veteran and learn about the war from his perspective.
- Explore Hanoi's historic Old Quarter on an exciting walking tour.
- See the Cu Chi Tunnels, a maze of underground passageways used by the Viet Cong.
- Cruise along the famous Mekong Delta, rich with natural wonders.
- Overnight on a junk boat and cruise the waters of Ha Long Bay.
- Explore incredible Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious structure.
- Learn the secrets of Vietnamese cooking during an interactive class.
- A local Laotian family welcomes you into their home for dinner.
- Sample several famous Vietnamese dishes on a walking food tour.
- This tour includes moderate physical activity. The itinerary blends some longer days with shorter days and more leisure time. Walking tours, as well as walking slightly longer distances, up stairs or on uneven walking surfaces should be expected.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
Operator
Choosing Collette comes with benefits that take your guided travel experience to another level. Our inclusive tours provide you more value for your money and more of what makes travel special. Let us show you the world!
With a maximum of 24, dive deeper into your destination & access places and experiences that larger groups can’t. Read more
Collette Explorations tours are highly inclusive by design — so travellers can focus on the experience, not everything else. Read more
Over 100 years of experience helps us provide you with the best journey for the best value. Read more
Purchase Collette's Travel Protection Plan, & you can cancel for any reason and get your money back! Read more
Private, chauffeur service is included for all air-inclusive Collette bookings. Read more
Trip Optionals
- Location: Hanoi. Cost: $59.
- Attend a traditional water puppet show in Hanoi, a long-standing local art form that offers insight into Vietnamese folklore and rural life. Long ago, these water puppet shows were performed in flooded rice fields, but today this tradition continues in a modern theatre. Lacquered wooden puppets glide across the water’s surface, accompanied by live traditional music, as short scenes depict everyday village life, animals, and familiar legends. After the performance, enjoy dinner at a local Hanoi restaurant. Duration approximately 3 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 4 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.
- Location: Bangkok. Cost: $49.
- More than just a circus, Phare is Siem Reap’s most unique and authentic evening entertainment. Phare performers use theater, music, dance, and modern circus arts to tell the story of Cambodia, from a modern and historical perspective. The young artists will astonish you with their energy, emotion, enthusiasm and talent. Duration approximately 1 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 2 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.
- Location: Ho Chi Minh City. Cost: $119.
- At night, step into the past and explore Saigon, a cultural hub known today as Ho Chi Minh City. Travel the streets by vintage Vespa, coasting into another time as the lights and energy transform the city. See how the traces of historical Saigon have become interwoven into modern life, with heritage shining through traditional flavors and recipes. Get a taste of the culture as you sample a variety of food and drinks, perusing the local restaurants for authentic flavors and Saigon favorites. Get an intimate perspective on the area as you zoom through the city at night, passing by must-see sights that the city is known for. Duration approximately 4 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 1 passenger(s) is required to operate this option. All food and drinks are included, and travelers will ride as a passenger with a skilled driver.
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Collette Explorations (2026-27)
Dates & Pricing
USD
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Inquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Collette. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
