Blue-Roads | Asia
-Vietnam and Cambodia are renowned for their natural beauty, ancient architecture and unique cultures - and this immersive journey of discovery combines the very best that both have to offer. Join us and let the enchanting cities, intriguing heritage and stunning tropical scenery of these diverse countries sweep you off your feet.
TOUR CODE:
BAHVCHR-0 Thank You for Choosing Blue-Roads
Thank you for choosing to travel with Back-Roads Touring. We can’t wait for you to join us on the mini-coach!
About Your Tour Notes THE BLUE-ROADS DIFFERENCE Enjoy a private cooking class at the famous KOTO restaurant in Ho Chi These tour notes contain everything you need to know Minh City before your tour departs – including where to meet, Sample the unique flavours of Hoi An what to bring with you and what you can expect to do on a street food tour on each day of your itinerary. You can also print this Tour the spectacular Angkor Wat document out, use it as a checklist and bring it with you temple complex with a stone on tour. conservation expert
Please Note: We recommend that you refresh TOUR CURRENCIES this document one week before your tour departs to ensure you have the most up-to-date + Vietnam - accommodation list and itinerary information + Cambodia - KHR available. Your Itinerary
DAY 1 | HANOI, VIETNAM
Our Vietnam and Cambodia Discovery tour will begin in Hanoi, a city whose history is almost tangible. From its colonial buildings to its Buddhist temples and ultra-modern skyscrapers, you can’t fail to be captivated by the Vietnamese capital’s intoxicating blend of old and new. This evening, we’ll get to know the group over our first taste of local cuisine at KOTO restaurant, a social enterprise that gives disadvantaged young people the chance to learn cooking and hospitality skills.
MEALS: Dinner
DAY 2 | HANOI
This morning we’ll visit the impressive, marble-clad Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the picturesque pagoda complex of the Temple of Literature. After lunch, we’ll take to three wheels (that is, traditional Vietnamese cyclos) and embark on a leisurely tour of the French colonial architecture in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. And this afternoon? We’ll meet a family that produces traditional papier- mâché masks and hear of their efforts to preserve their colourful craft for future generations to enjoy. After transferring back to the hotel, the evening will be yours to spend as you please.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 3 | HANOI - HALONG BAY
After one more breakfast at our hotel in Hanoi, we’ll make tracks to one of Vietnam’s most unforgettable World Heritage centres: the spectacular Halong Bay, where a traditional junk boat cruise awaits us. From towering limestone karsts topped with rainforest to intricate caves brimming with stalagmites and stalactites, the day will see us exploring some of the bay’s most picturesque nooks and crannies.* Later on, we’ll round off the evening in style: with a dinner under the stars on board the boat. *Please note: Our exact cruise itinerary is subject to change depending on season and weather conditions.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch Dinner DAY 4 | HALONG BAY - HANOI - DANANG - HOI AN
Tea, coffee and pastries will be available to snack on before we begin the day’s activities. After seeing some more of Halong Bay’s enchanting sights, we’ll make our way to Halong City, where we’ll transfer to the airport for the next leg of our tour. After a brief stop in Da Nang, we’ll move on to the final destination of the day: the beguiling city of Hoi An.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 5 | HOI AN
This morning will be yours to spend at your leisure before we gather together for a walking tour of Hoi An’s atmospheric Old Town. After exploring the area’s Japanese Covered Bridge, fascinating museums and historic assembly halls, we’ll take some time to try the local street food – including Vietnamese baguettes, cao lau noodles and a Hoi An specialty: chicken rice. Be sure to save some room though; you won’t want to miss out on tonight’s included dinner.
MEALS: Breakfast Dinner
DAY 6 | HOI AN - DA NANG - HO CHI MINH CITY
Today our journey will take us to vibrant Ho Chi Minh City, where we’ll hit the ground running on an afternoon tour of the largest Chinatown district in Vietnam. After stopping off at the Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Independence Palace, we’ll visit a craft beer brewery – where, following a tour, we’ll have the chance to raise a glass (or two). Thirsts quenched, we’ll return to the hotel for some well-earned rest and relaxation time.
MEALS: Breakfast
DAY 7 | HO CHI MINH CITY
After breakfast, it’s time to roll up your sleeves: a cooking class at KOTO restaurant is on the agenda! During the class, a talented local chef will let us in on the secrets behind some authentic local recipes before encouraging us to try them out for ourselves. This afternoon, you’ll have some free time to explore the city or unwind at the hotel before tomorrow’s flight to Cambodia.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch DAY 8 | HO CHI MINH CITY - PHNOM PENH
Mesmerising Phnom Penh is next. After touching down in Cambodia’s bustling capital, we’ll transfer to our hotel on the edge of the city’s vibrant art district – where you’ll be free to pull up a sun lounger at the pool or savour a glass of wine at the rooftop bar.
MEALS: Breakfast
DAY 9 | PHNOM PENH
After tucking into breakfast, our first order of business will be a Phnom Penh city tour. We’ll pay a morning visit to the magnificent Royal Palace and extravagant Silver Pagoda before moving on to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields: a sobering and poignant reminder of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. We’ll then stop off at the Art Deco-styled Central Market before transferring back to the hotel for an afternoon of leisure time.
MEALS: Breakfast
DAY 10 | PHNOM PENH - TONLE SAP LAKE - SIEM REAP
After a short drive to the edge of Tonlé Sap Lake (the largest lake in Southeast Asia), we’ll continue our journey to Siem Reap: the gateway to Cambodia’s world-famous Angkor Wat temple complex.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 11 | SIEM REAP - ANGKOR WAT - SIEM REAP
Prepare to make some lifelong memories today: we’re off to explore the otherworldly temples of Angkor Wat with a leading stone conservation expert, who’ll uncover the mysteries behind how the site’s remarkable religious structures were carved and designed. After lunch, we’ll move on to the delightfully overgrown Ta Prohm temple – an atmospheric ruin filled with crumbling towers and wayward jungle tree roots. Our final evening together in this bewitching area will be spent aboard a magical sunset cruise along the moat of Angkor Thom, the last great capital of the Khmer empire.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch DAY 12 | SIEM REAP
After breakfast, we will say farewell and go our separate ways.
MEALS: Breakfast Tour Information
Meals Blue-Roads Travel App INCLUDED MEALS
Breakfast (B) is included daily. Why not check in for your tour using the Back- Some of your lunches and dinners are also Roads app? included, either in hotels or local restaurants. This handy tool allows you to view your These are indicated by (L) and (D) in the bookings, check your itinerary, see tour maps itinerary. and more – making it the perfect travel Please note that drinks will not always be companion for your Back-Roads trip. included. How to Download the Back-Roads app We will do our best to accommodate any specific dietary requirements you may have. 1. Launch the App Store or Google Play on Please ensure to make these clear to us your device before your tour begins so we can 2. Search ‘Back-Roads’ and click ‘OK’ communicate them to our hotels, restaurants 3. Select the Back-Roads app in the search and suppliers. results 4. Click the download/install button 5. The app should be installed in your device’s applications page
Other Information
Finances
CHANGING MONEY SPENDING MONEY CASH: Foreign money can be changed at Naturally, everyone’s spending varies. Many of banks, airports, railway and tube stations, and your meals are included in the price of your at major hotels (though at a less favourable tour, so this just leaves a few meals and your rate) personal spending to budget for. CREDIT CARDS: Visa and MasterCard are widely Tips for the Tour Leader and Driver are not accepted. American Express is only accepted in included. Tipping is entirely at your some larger establishments discretion; however, if you feel you have CASH MACHINES: ATMS are widely available received exceptional service, it is recommended that you tip £1-2/€ per day for Drivers and £4-5/€ per day for Tour Leaders.
Insurance Passports and Visas
You will need to take out full travel insurance We advise you either to carry a photocopy of before travelling with Back-Roads Touring. your passport (and visa, if applicable) with you Please ensure that you have adequate medical, while abroad, or to ensure that you leave a personal effects and cancellation cover. copy with relatives back at home. We recommend that you carry your insurance This will enable the local embassy or high details with you at all times. You may be asked commission to arrange a replacement if the to provide details of your medical insurance or original should be lost or stolen. a payment guarantee in some countries before If you do take copies with you on your trip, medical assistance can be provided. please ensure that you keep these separate Your insurance company may not assist you from your original documents. with your claim if the instructions given in the It is your responsibility to obtain any visas policy have not been followed. necessary to enable you to travel in Europe or Asia. Contact your local consular office for more information. Transport
We travel in premium mini-coaches equipped with comfortable seats, air conditioning and large windows for enjoying the view. With far more flexibility than a standard-size coach, we’re able to take the scenic route – winding through beautiful countryside to the heart of tiny villages and coastal towns. What to Bring
Suggested Packing List Wondering what to take with you on tour? Our packing list can be used as a guide. Please Note: What you pack will depend on the countries you’re visiting and the time of year you plan to travel. The following is a suggested clothing list only, based on our experience:
Sun hat Sunglasses Shorts/skirts Long-sleeved tops Short-sleeved tops Trousers Light jacket Waterproof jacket and Warm jacket umbrella Walking shoes/comfortable shoes Smart casual evening Sleepwear Swimwear and towel wear
Other things to pack:
Multi-use travel adapter Camera Batteries Phone Personal medication Sunscreen Paracetamol or aspirin
OPTIONALS TO CONSIDER:
Motion sickness tablets Anti-diarrhoea tablets Sewing kit Lip balm
That's it!
We look forward to seeing you on tour.