Cambodia & Vietnam - Adventure & Culture

Hello Saigon !

Blessed with a ravishing coastline, emerald-green mountains, breathtaking national parks, dynamic cities, outstanding cultural interest and one of the world’s best cuisines, Vietnam has it all.

And welcome to Cambodia

Ascend to the realm of the gods, Angkor Wat. Then "descend into hell" at Tuol Sleng Prison. With a history both inspiring and depressing, Cambodia delivers an intoxicating present.

Our New Year's Trip and Double Feature: Vietnam & Cambodia

Included:
All local ground transportation and connections as a group
ALL accommodations in 3 to 4 star and top rated hotels
All entrance fees to activities specified on the itinerary
English Speaking Guides at all scheduled activities
All breakfasts included and provided by the hotels

Not included: Lunch, dinners, and tipping for the week ($45)
Your domestic and international airline tickets

Price: TBA

Deposit to hold your spot: $200
Questions/ RSVP: Igor@DynamicOutdoors.com

Wednesday, Dec 25 or Thursday, Dec 26 - Depart from New York/ NYC
(Any flight time convenient for you)

Friday, Dec 27 - Arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh (ភ្នំ ពេញ): the name can’t help but conjure up an image of the exotic. The glimmering spires of the Royal Palace, the fluttering saffron of the monks’ robes and the luscious location on the banks of the mighty Mekong – this is the Asia many daydream about from afar.
Cambodia’s capital can be an assault on the senses. Motorbikes whiz through laneways without a thought for pedestrians; markets exude pungent scents; and all the while the sounds of life – of commerce, of survival – reverberate through the streets. But this is all part of the attraction.
Once the ‘Pearl of Asia’, Phnom Penh’s shine was tarnished by the impact of war and revolution. But the city has since risen from the ashes to take its place among the hip capitals of the region, with an alluring cafe culture, bustling bars and a world-class food scene.

Saturday, Dec 28 - Phnom Penh to Siem Reap/ Angkor Wat

After breakfast, free time to explore and shop on your own to discover what you may have missed the day before. Suggested visit to the Royal Palace, the official residence of King Sihamoni.
With its classic Khmer roofs and ornate gilding, the Royal Palace dominates the diminutive skyline of Phnom Penh. It's a striking structure near the riverfront, bearing a remarkable likeness to its counterpart in Bangkok. Visitors are allowed to visit only the throne hall and a clutch of buildings surrounding it. Adjacent to the palace, the Silver Pagoda complex is also open to the public.

After lunch, we will transfer and fly to Siem Reap/ Angkor Wat
The life-support system and gateway for the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap (see-em ree-ep; សៀមរាប) was always destined for great things. Visitors come here to see the temples, of course, but there is plenty to do in and around the city when you're templed out. Siem Reap has reinvented itself as the epicenter of chic Cambodia, with everything from backpacker party pads to hip hotels, world-class wining and dining across a range of cuisines, sumptuous spas, great shopping, local tours to suit both foodies and adventurers, and a creative cultural scene that includes Cambodia's leading circus.

Sunday, Dec 29 - Siem Reap/ Angkor Wat

Full day to explore: Welcome to heaven on earth. Angkor (ប្រាសាទអង្គរ) is the earthly representation of Mt Meru, the Mt Olympus of the Hindu faith and the abode of ancient gods. The temples are the perfect fusion of creative ambition and spiritual devotion. The Cambodian ‘god-kings’ of old each strove to better their ancestors in size, scale and symmetry, culminating in the world’s largest religious building, Angkor Wat.
The temples of Angkor are a source of inspiration and national pride to all Khmers as they struggle to rebuild their lives after the years of terror and trauma. Today, the temples are a point of pilgrimage for all Cambodians, and no traveler to the region will want to miss their extravagant beauty. Angkor is one of the world’s foremost ancient sites, with the epic proportions of the Great Wall of China, the detail and intricacy of the Taj Mahal, and the symbolism and symmetry of the pyramids, all rolled into one.

Monday, Dec 30 - Siem Reap to Saigon

For those eager to get up; Watch the sun rise over the Angkor Temples to reveal the beauty in the early morning sunlight.
After breakfast, free time to explore Siem Reap and shop on your own.

After lunch, we will transfer and fly to Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh City
Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City: Increasingly international but still unmistakable Vietnamese, the former Saigon's visceral energy will delight big-city devotees. HCMC doesn't inspire neutrality: either you'll be drawn into its thrilling vortex, hypnotized by the perpetual whir of its orbiting motorbikes, or you'll find the whole experience overwhelming. Let's dive in and let's be rewarded with a wealth of history, delicious food and a vibrant nightlife that sets the standard for Vietnam. The heat is always on in Saigon; let's loosen our collars and enjoy.

Tuesday, Dec 31 - Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh City - Happy New Year !

Full day to explore: Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is Vietnam at its most dizzying: a high-octane city of commerce and culture that has driven the country forward with its pulsating energy. A chaotic whirl, the city breathes life and vitality into all who settle here, and visitors cannot help but be hauled along for the ride.
From the finest of hotels to the cheapest of guesthouses, the classiest of restaurants to the tastiest of street stalls, the choicest of boutiques to the scrum of the markets, HCMC is a city of energy and discovery.
Wander through timeless alleys to incense-infused temples before negotiating chic designer malls beneath sleek 21st-century skyscrapers. The ghosts of the past live on in buildings that one generation ago witnessed a city in turmoil, but now the real beauty of the former Saigon’s urban collage is the seamless blending of these two worlds into one exciting mass.

Wednesday, Jan 1 - Saigon to Danang/ Hoi An

After breakfast, free time to explore Saigon and shop on your own.
After lunch, we will transfer and fly to Danang and transfer to Hoi An
Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage, and the 21st-century curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent.

The face of the Old Town has preserved its incredible legacy of tottering Japanese merchant houses, Chinese temples and ancient tea warehouses – though, of course, residents and rice fields have been gradually replaced by tourist businesses. Lounge bars, boutique hotels, travel agents and a glut of tailor shops are very much part of the scene here. And yet, down by the market and over on Cam Nam Island, you’ll find life has changed little. Travel a few kilometres further – you’ll find some superb bicycle, motorbike and boat trips – and some of central Vietnam’s most enticingly laid-back scenery and beaches are within easy reach.
Evening dinner by the lantern lit canal and overnight in wonderful Hoi An

Thursday, Jan 2 - Danang/ Hoi An to Hue

After breakfast, we have the option to spend a little bit more time in Hoi An or transfer to Danang with free time to explore and shop on your own. Nowhere in Vietnam is changing as fast as Danang. For decades it had a reputation as a provincial backwater, but big changes are ongoing. Stroll along the Han riverfront and you'll find gleaming new modernist hotels, and apartments and restaurants are emerging. Spectacular bridges now span the river, and in the north of the city, the landmark new D-City is rising from the flatlands. Venture south and the entire Danang Beach strip is booming with hotel and resort developments. After lunch, we will transfer Hue to explore this amazing ocean front town.

Pronounced ‘hway’, this deeply evocative capital of the Nguyen emperors still resonates with the glories of imperial Vietnam, even though many of its finest buildings were destroyed during the American War.
Hue owes its charm partly to its location on the Perfume River – picturesque on a clear day, atmospheric even in less flattering weather. Today the city blends new and old as sleek modern hotels tower over crumbling 19th-century Citadel walls. A few touts are a minor hassle, but Hue remains a tranquil, conservative city with just the right concentration of nightlife.
Evening dinner and overnight in Hue

Friday, Jan 3 - Hue to Hanoi

After breakfast, we will transfer and fly to Hanoi
Let's dive into Hanoi and get agreeably lost in the city's centuries-old Old Quarter, a frantic commercial labyrinth where echoes of the past are filtered and framed by a thoroughly 21st-century energy.
Let's discover Vietnam's culinary flavors and aromas at the street level, perched on a tiny chair eating iconic Hanoi dishes like pho bo, bun cha and banh cuon. Later at night, join the socializing throngs enjoying refreshingly crisp bia hoi at makeshift street corner bars.

Saturday, Jan 4 - Hanoi & Halong Bay

Full day to explore: Vietnam's capital races to make up for time lost to the ravages of war and a government that as recently as the 1990s kept the outside world at bay. Its streets surge with scooters vying for right of way amid the din of constantly blaring horns, and all around layers of history reveal periods of French and Chinese occupation – offering a glimpse into the resilience of ambitious, proud Hanoians.
Negotiate a passage past the ubiquitous knock-off merchants and you’ll find the original streets of the Old Quarter. Defiant real-deal farmers hawk their wares, while city folk breakfast on noodles, practise t’ai chi at dawn on the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake, or play chess with goateed grandfathers.
Dine on the wild and wonderful at every corner, sample market wares, and uncover an evolving arts scene. Meet the people, delve into the past and witness the awakening of a Hanoi on the move.
Evening transfer to Halong Bay

Sunday, Jan 5 - Halong Bay

Towering limestone pillars and tiny islets topped by forest rise from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Halong translates as 'where the dragon descends into the sea' and legend tells that this mystical seascape was created when a great mountain dragon charged towards the coast, its flailing tail gouging out valleys and crevasses. As the creature plunged into the sea, the area filled with water leaving only the pinnacles visible. The geological explanation of karst erosion may be more prosaic, but doesn't make this seascape any less poetic.
Designated a World Heritage site in 1994, Halong Bay's spectacular scatter of islands, dotted with wind- and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty and, unsurprisingly, northern Vietnam's number one tourism hub. Sprawling Halong City is the bay's main gateway.
Late afternoon transfer back to Hanoi

Monday, Jan 6 - Hanoi & end of itinerary

For you to enjoy a full day in Hanoi, we recommend a late evening or overnight departure flight back to NYC.
We will certainly have a hotel room to leave luggage and shower before transfer and take off.

Cancellation Policy:
If you cancel more than 60 days before the date of travel, you would receive a refund minus $200
If you cancel less than 60 days before the date of travel, you would receive 75% refund
If you cancel less than 45 days before the date of travel, you would receive 50% refund
If you cancel less than 30 days before the date of travel, you would receive 25% refund
If you cancel less than 15 days before the date of travel, there won't be a refund possible unless we find replacement for you !

We always highly recommend to take out travel insurance:
travelguard.com, csatravelprotection.com, travelex.com