{"id":9932,"date":"2018-02-07T13:14:04","date_gmt":"2018-02-07T18:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/?page_id=9932"},"modified":"2022-10-16T11:48:38","modified_gmt":"2022-10-16T15:48:38","slug":"https-www-grandescapades-com-special-offers-uniworld-timelesswonders","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.grandescapades.com\/trip-of-a-lifetime\/https-www-grandescapades-com-special-offers-uniworld-timelesswonders\/","title":{"rendered":"SAIL THE MEKONG on a UNIWORLD LUXURY RIVER CRUISE!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Explore Timeless Wonders on a Cruise through Vietnam & Cambodia!<\/span><\/h1>\n

A fascinating, rewarding and multilayered 15-day adventure from HO-CHI-MINH to HANOI<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”9937″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyYnRuJTIwd3AtY29sb3Jib3gtaW5saW5lJTIwY2JveEVsZW1lbnQlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmNvbG9yJTNBJTIwJTIzZmZmJTNCJTIwYmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvciUzQSUyMCUyMzFmNmVlMyUzQiUyMGZvbnQtc2l6ZSUzQSUyMDIycHglM0IlMjBmb250LXdlaWdodCUzQSUyMGJvbGQlM0IlMjIlMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyJTIzY29udGFjdHBvcCUyMiUzRU1vcmUlMjBJbmZvJTIxJTIwJTNDaSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1pbmZvLWNpcmNsZSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmklM0UlM0MlMkZhJTNF[\/vc_raw_html][vc_custom_heading text=”Trip Highlights!” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23ffffff” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1518035716311{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background-color: #3979a9 !important;}”][vc_column_text]A fascinating, rewarding and multilayered adventure.<\/p>\n

Two of the most beautiful, historic and friendly places in all of Asia, dynamic Vietnam and pastoral Cambodia are intriguing studies in contrast. Each possesses its own unique charm and social traditions, its own tragic history and complex past. In many ways, a visit here is less about the sights you see than it is about the people you meet and the experiences you have along the way.<\/p>\n

Ho Chi Minh City offers a heady mixture of old and new while Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, surprises visitors with its charm. As the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, the Mekong teems with colorful floating villages and mementos of its French Colonial past. Phnom Penh, Cambodia\u2019s thriving capital, is fast-forwarding to the future yet retains a provincial intimacy. And colorful Siem Reap provides the gateway to the vast UNESCO-designated jungle temple complex of Angkor Wat.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Extensions” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23ffffff” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1518034665132{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background-color: #3979a9 !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

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    • BANGKOK, THAILAND<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Included in your 4-day stay:<\/p>\n

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      • 3 nights at the InterContinental Bangkok\u00a0(or similar)<\/li>\n
      • Breakfast daily and all service charges,\u00a0taxes and porterage<\/li>\n
      • Guided city tour<\/li>\n
      • English-speaking local expert<\/li>\n
      • All transfers, transportation and\u00a0intra-Asia flights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

         <\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        HA LONG BAY, VIETNAM<\/p>\n

        Included in your 3-day stay:<\/p>\n

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        • 1 night at the InterContinental Hanoi\u00a0Westlake (or similar)<\/li>\n
        • 1 night on a luxury junk in an outside\u00a0stateroom with all meals onboard<\/li>\n
        • Breakfast daily and all service charges,\u00a0taxes and porterage<\/li>\n
        • Visit to Sung S\u00f4t Cave and \ufb02oating village<\/li>\n
        • English-speaking local expert<\/li>\n
        • All transfers and transportation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

           <\/p>\n

          NOTE:\u00a0This extension is for cruise\/tours that begin or end in Hanoi.<\/p>\n

          SAPA, VIETNAM<\/p>\n

          Included in your 5-day stay:<\/p>\n

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          • 1 night at the InterContinental Hanoi\u00a0Westlake (or similar)<\/li>\n
          • 3 nights at the Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa\u00a0(or similar)<\/li>\n
          • Breakfast daily and all service charges,\u00a0taxes and porterage<\/li>\n
          • Cross-cultural encounters with Vietnam\u2019s\u00a0ethnic hill tribes<\/li>\n
          • English-speaking local expert<\/li>\n
          • All transfers and transportation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            [\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyYnRuJTIwd3AtY29sb3Jib3gtaW5saW5lJTIwY2JveEVsZW1lbnQlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmNvbG9yJTNBJTIwJTIzZmZmJTNCJTIwYmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvciUzQSUyMCUyMzFmNmVlMyUzQiUyMGZvbnQtc2l6ZSUzQSUyMDIycHglM0IlMjBmb250LXdlaWdodCUzQSUyMGJvbGQlM0IlMjIlMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyJTIzY29udGFjdHBvcCUyMiUzRU1vcmUlMjBJbmZvJTIxJTIwJTNDaSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1pbmZvLWNpcmNsZSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmklM0UlM0MlMkZhJTNF[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”9944″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”][vc_single_image image=”9946″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”][vc_single_image image=”9947″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”][vc_single_image image=”9948″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator border_width=”2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Detailed Itinerary” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%23ffffff” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1502228596499{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background-color: #1e73be !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

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            DAY 1:\u00a0Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam<\/span><\/h3>\n

            Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. If your cruise\/tour package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to your luxury hotel. You will be greeted with a private check-in, welcome drink and information packet at the hotel. An elegant flower arrangement and fruit platter await you in your room. Tonight, consider popping out to explore the lively Ben Thanh Night Market or one of the city\u2019s quintessential evening caf\u00e9s\u2014either choice would mark a splendid start to your adventure.<\/p>\n

            DAY 2:\u00a0Ho Chi Minh City<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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            As Asia\u2019s \u201ccomeback kid,\u201d there\u2019s something so invigorating about Ho Chi Minh City, a busting metropolis with a youthful and innovative energy\u2014and no wonder, given that more than half the population is younger than 35. Embrace the dynamic spirit of the city formerly known as Saigon on today\u2019s panoramic tour. \u00a0 History melds with the boisterous present in Vietnam\u2019s largest city, where skyscrapers tower over ancient temples and motorbikes putter along picturesque alleys. It was founded in 1690; became the capital of French Cochinchina in the 1860s, when it was known as Saigon; and acquired its modern moniker in 1976, when it was named for Communist leader Ho Chi Minh.<\/div>\n
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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Dynamic Ho Chi Minh City<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Dynamic Ho Chi Minh City<\/div>\n
            A landmark in Vietnamese history is the first destination on your panoramic city tour today, as you travel the city\u2019s busy streets, passing elegant French Colonial buildings and bustling shopping centers. On April 30, 1975, a North Vietnamese army tank crashed through the gates of the building now called the Reunification Palace, symbolizing the downfall of the South Vietnamese government and the end of the Vietnam War. It\u2019s a modern structure, commissioned in 1962 by the president of South Vietnam after his own air force tried to kill him by bombing the 19th-century French palace that had stood on the site. As you will see when you step inside, he intended to enjoy living here: It has a cinema and a nightclub\u2014and, not too surprisingly, a spacious bomb shelter. A few blocks away, two monuments from the colonial days still stand: the lofty General Post Office, designed by Gustav Eiffel (of tower fame), and, across the street, twin-towered Notre Dame Cathedral, built entirely with materials shipped from France. Your motorcoach will carry you past other remnants of French colonial glory\u2014the Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater (also known as the Saigon Opera House, built in 1901 and modeled on Paris\u2019s Petit Palais) and the City Hall (based on the H\u00f4tel de Ville in Paris)\u2014as well as the contemporary American consulate. But the day includes more than sightseeing: Visit a lacquer showroom to learn a bit about the history and cultural significance of a craft that has been practiced in Vietnam for at least 700 years before enjoying lunch on your own.\u00a0Ho Chi Minh City is famous for the excellence of its food, which reflects, inevitably, a certain French influence combined with the unique flavors of the region. Tonight you\u2019ll be treated to a special Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant, featuring an exquisitely presented traditional meal and complimentary wine\u2014a delightful start for your exciting Southeast Asian adventure.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 3:\u00a0Ho Chi Minh City, Transfer to My Tho (Embark)<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Ready for an adventure? Today\u2019s featured excursion provides a fascinating glimpse of the Viet Cong\u2019s vast network of incredibly narrow, booby-trapped tunnels dating from the Vietnam War. If you dare, you can even climb down inside for an up-close look.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Vestiges of war\u2014C\u00fa Chi Tunnels<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Vestiges of war\u2014C\u00fa Chi Tunnels<\/div>\n
            Explore a fascinating aspect of Vietnam\u2019s long struggle to free itself from Western control. Begun by the Viet Minh on the outskirts of Saigon in 1945, as shelter from French air raids, these tunnels were expanded in the 1960s by the Viet Cong, who extended them for many miles. A network of booby-trapped tunnels led to underground chambers where people lived\u2014in considerable privation, generally\u2014wounds were treated and children were taught. Only a small stretch of this network is open to the public, but if you\u2019re venturesome, you may climb down into a tunnel for an up-close look (and we do mean close\u2014don\u2019t expect to stand upright).\u00a0Following lunch, you\u2019ll be taken to your ship\u2014your elegant home for the next seven nights\u2014and set sail on the beautiful Mekong. Onboard your ship this evening, savor a delicious Vietnamese-themed dinner.<\/div>\n
            <\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 4:\u00a0Cai Be, Vinh Long<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Get set for an authentic slice of daily life along the Mekong with visits to two quintessentially Vietnamese locales, Vinh Long and Cai Be, which you\u2019ll see by trishaw and by sampan. Meet village elders, experience the lively floating market and visit workshops creating products made from rice. \u00a0 Today\u2019s itinerary features two towns that have been shaped by the Mekong in this agrarian but densely populated region, Vinh Long and Cai Be.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Village life on the Mekong<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Village life on the Mekong<\/div>\n
            Chinese herbal-medicine shops, French Colonial houses and Buddhist temples mingle with modern offices on the streets of Vinh Long, the capital of Vinh Long province. The range of buildings hints at the changes that the region has seen. Hop into a trishaw for a ride through these streets, crossing over some of the many canals that lace through the town, on your way to meet some of the village elders, who will tell you about their experiences living life on the delta. Vinh Long is a gateway to some of the region\u2019s most colorful destinations: Step aboard a sampan\u2014the style of this vessel is traditional, but the one you\u2019ll board is much more luxurious than those generally used on these waters\u2014and join the locals thronging the harbor of Cai Be. At the floating market here, merchants advertise their wares by attaching a sample\u2014such as a watermelon, a coconut or a bunch of bananas\u2014to a tall bamboo pole so their potential customers can easily see what they\u2019re selling. It\u2019s a colorful and lively scene, typical of Mekong Delta towns, though few similar villages feature a handsome French Gothic\u2013style cathedral as a background. You\u2019ll sail into the town and land near the An Kiet House, built early in the 19th century for a member of the royal family. Its ornately carved antique screens and furnishings give you an idea of how wealthy Southern Vietnamese families lived. While you\u2019re on solid ground, take a look at another aspect of life of the delta: Vietnam is one of the world\u2019s largest producers and exporters of rice, and the Mekong Delta is known as the country\u2019s \u201crice bowl.\u201d You\u2019ll learn all about this staple food and its importance to the region as you visit a local establishment where workers make everything from rice paper and rice wine to traditional rice candy.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 5:\u00a0Sa Dec, Gieng Island, Cruising the Mekong River<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Dip into Vietnam\u2019s colorful and culturally eclectic past in Sac Dec\u2014the former haunt of author Marguerite Duras\u2014and the island of Gieng, which boasts a rather unexpected array of Catholic churches and monasteries. \u00a0 Two very different destinations await you today: busy Sa Dec and peaceful Gieng Island. Both reflect Vietnam\u2019s multicultural history.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Sampans and colonial romance<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Sampans and colonial romance<\/div>\n
            Take to Sa Dec\u2019s narrow canals just as the locals do. Children frolic in the water, fishermen ply their trade, and women care for their families. From here, you\u2019ll head into town, where you will walk through a crowded and colorful local market\u2014stands sell everything from snake blood, fresh fish, clothing and flowers to mangosteens\u2014 on your way to the romantic, lacelike Huynh Thuy Le House, a late-19th-century home made famous by best-selling French novelist Marguerite Duras. Duras spent her teen years in Sa Dec, and her prize-winning novel, The Lover, is said to be based on her doomed love affair with Huynh Thuy Le, the son of a wealthy Chinese landowner. Sail from bustling Sa Dec to serene Gieng Island to dip into another aspect of Vietnam\u2019s past: The triangle-shaped island is home to a surprising array of 19th-century Catholic churches and monasteries that date to an era when it was the largest Catholic parish in Vietnam. Though the Franciscan monastery and the Providence nunnery have been largely abandoned, stately Gieng Island Church is still in daily use. Some records indicate that the graceful French baroque-style church predates the famous basilica in Ho Chi Minh City, but it\u2019s more likely that it was built in the 1870s. Regardless of origin or the ups and downs the Catholic community has experienced over the years, the church remains a beautiful tribute to the faith of its founders.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 6:\u00a0Tan Chau, Evergreen Isl, Cruising the Mekong River<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            More authentic encounters await you today, starting with a sampan ride through the floating villages lining the banks of the great river. Stop at a temple devoted to Vietnam\u2019s homegrown religion, then hop aboard a rickshaw for a ride to a factory that makes handwoven reed baskets. \u00a0Later, cruise through the canals to Evergreen Island, where village houses are built on stilts. \u00a0 Thousands of boats ply the waters of the Mekong\u2014wooden cargo boats, water taxis, dredges, fishing craft. Traditional and modern elements mingle in this region, but the river rules everything.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Daily life on the great delta<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Daily life on the great delta<\/div>\n
            In the Mekong Delta, hardworking residents live and labor on the water, harvesting what the delta gives them and turning it into products they can sell to earn a living or food they can eat, wasting nothing. Today you\u2019ll get a taste of this way of life during a sampan tour that carries you through the floating villages that line the banks of the great river to the town of Tan Chau. Stop at a temple devoted to Vietnam\u2019s homegrown religion Cao Dai (a faith that incorporates most major world religions, including Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, as well as a pantheon of saints that range from Joan of Arc to Thomas Jefferson and Victor Hugo); an image of the Divine Eye appears in every temple, and each color that decorates the temple has a specific meaning. After visiting the temple, hop aboard a rickshaw for a ride to a factory where you can watch baskets and mats being handwoven from reeds grown on the delta, and check out a floating fish farm. The raising and harvesting of seafood is one of Vietnam\u2019s fastest-growing industries, and you\u2019ll be amazed by the efficiency and ingenuity on display. You may even get a chance to feed the fish. Then return to your sampan to cruise through the canals to Evergreen Island, where a rickshaw ride through the village reveals traditional houses built on stilts, an essential precaution during the rainy season, when the Mekong rises and spills into all of the towns that line the river.\u00a0This afternoon, you\u2019ll cross the Vietnamese border, and tomorrow you\u2019ll awake in Phnom Penh, Cambodia\u2019s capital city, for the next leg of your exciting journey.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 7:\u00a0Phnom Penh<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Once considered the loveliest of Indochina\u2019s French-built cities, Phnom Penh has somehow retained much of its charm despite all the political and cultural turmoil of the 20th century. See how this fascinating city is rediscovering itself with an insightful panoramic tour and time to explore on your own. \u00a0 Founded in the 15th century, Phnom Penh is the thriving capital of the kingdom of Cambodia. It stands at the juncture of three rivers and is divided into three distinct districts: the French colonial area, a handsome residential district and a rapidly changing Old Town.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Cambodia\u2019s capital\u2014Phnom Penh<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Cambodia\u2019s capital\u2014Phnom Penh<\/div>\n
            A cyclo (cycle rickshaw) will whisk you down wide boulevards laid out by French colonial administrators in the 1860s, when Cambodia was part of French Indochina, past old French-influenced buildings, beautiful pagodas and (with a bit of luck) saffron-robed monks, on your way to the Royal Palace. Spacious grounds\u2014you might notice a resemblance to formal French parterres\u2014are home to a group of structures featuring classic Khmer architecture. Each one has a specific function: The Throne Hall, with its spires and flying celestials, hosts royal coronations, while the Moonlight Pavilion was intended as a venue for dance performances (but is now used for receptions). The famed Temple of the Emerald Buddha, commonly known as the Silver Pagoda, boasts a floor-covering of 5,329 silver tiles. In the center of the pagoda are both an emerald and a gold Buddha statue (the latter of which is studded with nearly 10,000 diamonds). You\u2019ll also tour the National Museum, which features an incomparable collection of the nation\u2019s archaeological and artistic treasures. Following lunch onboard, enjoy the afternoon and evening at leisure, taking in the shopping and lively entertainment venues of Phnom Penh.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 8:\u00a0Phnom Penh, Cruising the Mekong River<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Today\u2019s featured excursion may be the most profound and memorable experience of your entire journey. You\u2019ll learn about the infamous Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge and visit a former school-turned-prison that is now a genocide museum.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            The Killing Fields\u2014tragedy and reconciliation in Cambodia<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            The Killing Fields\u2014tragedy and reconciliation in Cambodia<\/div>\n
            It\u2019s hard to reconcile the pastoral serenity of the orchards and rice fields surrounding Choeung Ek with the horrific mass executions that took place here during the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge, yet the memorial stupa filled with the skulls of Pol Pot\u2019s victims tells the tale. These were the Killing Fields, where more than 17,000 men, women and children were slaughtered and buried in mass graves. First, however, they were tortured in Security Prison 21 (also known as S-21), a former high school on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, now the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which you will also visit today. The guards and staff of the prison were mostly adolescent males\u2014aged 15 to 19\u2014among whom was a young photographer whose job was to document the prisoners. Though many of his photos were destroyed, 6,000 of them remain, displayed on the walls here; as you look at these portraits, you\u2019ll see grief, fear and defiance\u2014and you\u2019ll be heartbroken to learn that out of the thousands held here, only seven survived. Those who were killed at Choeung Ek were just a small fraction of the almost two million Cambodians who died in a three-year period between 1975 and the beginning of 1979.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 9:\u00a0Angkor Ban, Wat Hanchey<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            If yesterday was an exploration of Cambodia\u2019s dark past, today is a celebration of the country\u2019s bright future. You\u2019ll meet young children at a local school and friendly villagers in their homes, and have a rare opportunity to receive a special water blessing from Buddhist monks. \u00a0 The mighty river carries you into the Cambodian countryside today, giving you an opportunity to meet and chat with locals.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Cambodia\u2019s vibrant cultural life<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Cambodia\u2019s vibrant cultural life<\/div>\n
            Be ready to answer questions when you visit a local school\u2014because the children love to practice their English\u2014and deepen your understanding of Cambodia when you meet villagers in their homes. You may encounter more children when you stop at a beautifully situated temple complex on a hilltop. Wat Hanchey has incredible views of the Mekong River\u2014you get a real sense of just how huge the river is as you see it stretch into the distance, looking more like a great lake than a river. The complex itself is a remarkable mixture of the ancient and the new: An eighth-century Angkor temple and a modern Buddhist temple share the area\u2014along with playful gibbons and enormous, colorfully painted concrete statues. Before your departure you\u2019ll receive a traditional water blessing from the local monks\u2014one of the most personal and touching moments you\u2019ll experience on this journey.\u00a0To mark the end of this special day, and to commemorate your last evening onboard the ship, you\u2019ll be treated to a decadent Cambodian-themed dinner. Take your place in the dining room and enjoy delectable dishes prepared in the style of those once served to Cambodian royalty.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 10:\u00a0Kampong Cham (Disembark), Transfer to Siem Reap<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Siem Reap is your base for exploring Angkor Wat, the heart of the ancient Khmer empire. The city has an allure all its own, with sprawling markets, a lively dining scene and enticing street food. \u00a0 You\u2019ll disembark in the morning and transfer via executive motorcoach to Siem Reap, a place name that means, literally, \u201cDefeat of Siam\u201d\u2014which tells you something of its history. It is the gateway to Angkor, the legendary archaeological site.<\/p>\n

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            \u00a0DAY 11:\u00a0Siem Reap<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Today is a Bucket List Moment kind of day, as you unleash your inner Indiana Jones and explore the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, a gigantic religious complex that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Regarded as the pinnacle of the dazzling, inventive culture that flourished in medieval Cambodia, it is one of the most spectacular monuments you will ever lay eyes on. \u00a0 The next two days are devoted to the astonishing Angkor Wat complex.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Amazing Angkor Wat<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Amazing Angkor Wat<\/div>\n
            Every aspect of Angkor Wat had religious meaning to its builders 900 years ago: the great rectangular moat, the main gate facing the west, the towers topped with stone lotuses, the huge smiling stone heads, the layout of the lanes and buildings. The largest religious monument in the world, magnificent Angkor Wat is the single most recognizable landmark in Cambodia. It is simply breathtaking in both size and scope and boasts the longest continuous bas-relief in the world. Although Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its importance is so immeasurable, several other conservation organizations have been enlisted to help ensure its protection. And yet, Angkor Wat is just one piece of this enormous complex at the heart of the ancient Khmer Empire (which ruled this region between the ninth and 12th centuries). It was part of a roughly 250-square-mile (64,749-hectare) city that has largely disappeared into the jungle, though excavation efforts are ongoing (recent laser imaging has revealed another, even larger nearby city under the jungle floor that was linked to the temple city).<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
            Today\u2019s lunch will be on your own. \u00a0 NOTE: Order of sightseeing may change on Days 11 and 12. Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 12:\u00a0Siem Reap<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Today you will enter the spectacular remnants of Angkor Thom, the royal city. Prepare to be amazed! Built during the heyday of the Khmer dynasty in the 12th century, this extraordinary complex of Hindu and Buddhist monuments was once lost to the world for many years, hidden under dense jungle vines.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursions:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            South gate of Angkor Thom Bayon and Ta Prohm<\/div>\n
            Apsara show and dinner<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            South gate of Angkor Thom Bayon and Ta Prohm<\/div>\n
            Today you will enter the spectacular remnants of Angkor Thom, the royal city. Once a huge, square city, Angkor Thom was founded in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII after his people\u2019s previous capital had been overrun by the Chams. You can still see the defensive measures that surrounded the city\u2014in fact, you\u2019ll enter through one, crossing over the moat and passing between the stone figures lining the lane leading to the intricately decorated south gate in the great wall around Angkor Thom. The king\u2019s palace, made of wood, has long since vanished, but the ruins that remain are astonishing, including the pyramidal temple of Bayon, with the enormous carved heads that have become an iconic symbol of the Angkor archaeological area. You\u2019ll also visit the temples of Bantey Srei and Bantey Samre.\u00a0You\u2019ll have some time for lunch on your own before heading to the amazing \u201cjungle temple\u201d of Ta Prohm. Unlike the other Angkor temples, which have been painstakingly excavated and restored, Ta Prohm has been left almost as it was found. Massive trees grow like magic out of stone walls and roofs, their tentacle-like roots pouring over doorways and stretching across courtyards. This manmade wonder has been reclaimed by the jungle over the course of many centuries, and exploring it is sure to bring out the adventurer in you.\u00a0From Ta Prohm, you\u2019ll move on to the unfinished temple of Ta Keo. Legend has it that construction on Ta Keo was suspended when the temple was struck by lightning\u2014an event that was considered a bad omen.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Apsara show and dinner<\/div>\n
            After an exciting day of sightseeing, you\u2019ll indulge in a lavish dinner with an Apsara dance show. Apsara is the traditional Khmer dance form that tells stories and conveys messages using ornate costumes, graceful movements, codified facial expressions, and distinctive hand and foot positions. The many Apsara figures that adorn Angkor and pre-Angkor temples you\u2019ve just visited testify to the dance form\u2019s long and esteemed history.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
            NOTE: Order of sightseeing may change on Days 11 and 12. Temple visits are subject to change due to factors beyond our control.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 13:\u00a0Siem Reap, Fly to Hanoi<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Today you’ll fly from Siem Reap to Hanoi and check into your luxury hotel, where you’ll be greeted with a private check-in and a welcome briefing with complimentary drinks. The remainder of your time today is yours to spend at leisure in Vietnam’s charming capital city.<\/p>\n

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            \u00a0DAY 14:\u00a0Hanoi<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            With its tree-lined streets and graceful old architecture, traditional culture and fabulous street food, multifaceted Hanoi is a heady mixture of old and new, timeless and trendy. \u00a0 The capital of Vietnam, millennium-old Hanoi gracefully mixes the old and new. French Colonial mansions line handsome boulevards, lakes and parks invite lingering, and modern office buildings tell of economic revival.<\/p>\n

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            Featured Excursion:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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            Atmospheric Hanoi<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            Atmospheric Hanoi<\/div>\n
            Spend the day exploring a city some call Asia\u2019s most beautiful. You\u2019ll visit a complex honoring Ho Chi Minh, founder of modern Vietnam, that contains his residence, a museum devoted to his life, and the famous One Pillar Pagoda, which has been built and rebuilt since 1049. Also on the agenda: the Temple of Literature, originally built as a Confucian temple in 1070 AD. Six years later on the same grounds, Vietnam\u2019s first university was founded to educate members of the nobility. Four hundred years later, the university opened its doors to gifted students from throughout the land, teaching them the principles of Confucianism for another 300 years. Today you can experience Confucian tranquility among its beautiful gardens and pavilions. You can see another aspect of Vietnam\u2019s history if you step into one of the dank cells at the notorious \u201cHanoi Hilton,\u201d as Hoa Lo, a French colonial\u2013era prison, was known to the American pilots who were held there as prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. Much of the original prison has been demolished, but the remnants are now a museum. \u00a0 After an included lunch, it\u2019s time to hop aboard an electric car for a tour of colonial Hanoi. The city\u2019s elegant, tree-lined boulevards and weathered colonial buildings are sure to delight you, as are the affable street vendors selling everything from flowers to ice cream off the backs of their bicycles.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
            Tonight, you\u2019ll be treated to a special Farewell Dinner with complimentary wine at a local restaurant featuring live music and an authentic northern Vietnamese dining experience. It\u2019s the perfect combination of delectable fare, warm atmosphere and traditional entertainment\u2014a fitting finale for such a remarkable adventure.<\/div>\n
            \u00a0DAY 15:\u00a0Depart Hanoi<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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            If your cruise\/tour package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Hanoi\u2019s Noi Bai International Airport for your flight home or continue your tour with an extraordinary Ha Long Bay optional extension program or unique Sapa optional extension program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

            [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDYSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyYnRuJTIwd3AtY29sb3Jib3gtaW5saW5lJTIwY2JveEVsZW1lbnQlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmNvbG9yJTNBJTIwJTIzZmZmJTNCJTIwYmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvciUzQSUyMCUyMzFmNmVlMyUzQiUyMGZvbnQtc2l6ZSUzQSUyMDIycHglM0IlMjBmb250LXdlaWdodCUzQSUyMGJvbGQlM0IlMjIlMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyJTIzY29udGFjdHBvcCUyMiUzRU1vcmUlMjBJbmZvJTIxJTIwJTNDaSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyZmElMjBmYS1pbmZvLWNpcmNsZSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmklM0UlM0MlMkZhJTNF[\/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]*For pricing and availability contact Grand Escapades Travel.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\r\n