Essential Vietnam & Cambodia

G Adventures · 17 days

4.7

20 Reviews

Duration

17 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Budget

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

A wide-ranging adventure showcasing the region’s natural wonders and fascinating cultures, this 17-day trip offers a combination of guided excursions and free time to explore beaches, ruins, urban culture, and awe-inspiring landscapes.

Includes

Activities

Your G for Good Moment: Oodles of Noodles, Hoi An Your G for Good Moment: Local Khmer Meal, Siem Reap Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group Your Discover Moment: Hoi An Your Discover Moment: Ho Chi Minh City
Halong Bay caves entrance
Halong Bay boat cruise with seafood lunch and dinner
Imperial Citadel and Tomb entrance (Huế)
Cu Chi Tunnels entrance and tour
Cyclo tour (Phnom Penh)
Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek (Killing Fields) entrance and guide
Two-day Angkor Wat complex entry and guide, including sunrise tour (Siem Reap)
Internal flight
All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodation

Hotels (14 nts), sleeper train (1 nt), junk boat (1 nt).

15 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners

Transport

Train, air-conditioned bus, plane, walking, tuk-tuk, cyclo, boat.

Group Leader

CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.

Highlights

Sail on a junk boat through Halong Bay
Sip iced coffee in Ho Chi Minh City
Float through the Mekong Delta
Enjoy sunrise over breathtaking Angkor Wat

Trip Details

Duration

17 days

Transportation

Train, air-conditioned bus, plane, walking, tuk-tuk, cyclo, boat.

Guide Language

English

Starts

Hanoi, Vietnam

Finishes

Bangkok, Thailand

Accommodations

Budget

Travel Style

Classic, Budget

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi

Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities today until an evening welcome meeting. After the meeting, opt for dinner out with the group.

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.Accommodation - Chalcedony Hotel

Day 2: Hanoi/Ha Long

Enjoy a Ha Long Bay cruise on a junk boat with visits to a cave and an island lookout. Savour a seafood lunch and dinner.
Drive to Bai Chay harbour, the jumping off point for Ha Long Bay. Thousands of islands with intricate cave systems rise dramatically from the waters. Sail past limestone karst mountains in the junk boat and stop to visit some of the islands and caves.

In the evening, devour a seafood dinner, then opt to enjoy a drink on deck under the stars.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Climb aboard and make friends with your seatmate en route to the next stop.Transport - Skim across the water aboard this iconic traditional Asian sailboat.Activity - Board a traditional junk boat at Ha Long Bay harbour and cruise out onto serene waters. Marvel at massive limestone karst mountains jutting out of the water, creating unforgettable spectacular scenery. Swim, kayak or go cave exploring on one of the islands, if conditions are right. Indulge in fresh seafood meals with a variety of dishes to sample. Drift to sleep in a cozy cabin on board. On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.Accommodation - Ha Long Bay Overnight Boat

Day 3: Ha Long/Huế

Enjoy breakfast and lunch on board before sailing back to the port and return to Hanoi. Enjoy some time in the city before an overnight train to Hue.
Interested in local cuisine? Opt to pre-book the "Hanoi Foodie Culture Tour" activity on the checkout page to include this optional on your tour.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Free_time - Spend a few hours exploring this beautiful capital city. Visit some shops, have a bia hoi on a street corner or grab a coffee in a lakeside café.Transport - Drive about 15 mins to the station and then board the southbound train for the overnight journey.

Day 4: Huế

Pull into Hue early in the morning and dive right into the city, starting with a guided tour of the Imperial Citadel, Royal Tomb and Tien Mu Pagoda. The rest of the day, you are free to explore the city how you'd like.
Arrive early to Hue, once the imperial capital of Vietnam. Start the day with a visit to the Tien Mu Pagoda followed by a visit to the tomb of one of Vietnam's former emperors. After, opt for a vegetarian lunch at a local nunnery.

While in the city, try some local Hue specialties such as banh khoai (Hue savoury pancakes), and banh bot loc boc tom thit (thin rice paper filled with meat and shrimp). Wash it all down with a Hue beer.

Opt to pre-book the "Hue Motorbike Tour" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Visit Tien Mu, one of the tallest and, perhaps, most elegant pagodas in Vietnam, at seven storeys high. Take a step back in time touring this historic temple - built more than 400 years ago along the north shore of the Perfume River, it has been the site of many political protests.Activity - Tour this one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China's Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War.Activity - Visit the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. Embracing the concept of Feng Shui, these tombs are extremely ornate and provide fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers.Accommodation - Asia Hotel

Day 5: Huế/Hoi An

Drive the Hai Van pass. Take advantage of Hoi An's many options over the 2.5 days in town. Opt for a cooking class, riverboat trip, bike ride, beach time, tailor visit or My Son ruins.
Cross the Hai Van Pass (weather permitting), with fantastic views in all directions, before arriving to Hoi An in the afternoon.

With three nights here, there's plenty of time to explore all this charming town has to offer.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Free_time - Use free time in this quaint town to explore any way you like.Accommodation - Uptown Hoi An Hotel

Day 6: Hoi An

Explore all Hoi An has to offer. Dive into the culture, hang out on the beach or get clothes tailor-made in one of the many shops around town. Enjoy a noodle making demonstration and lunch at Oodles of Noodles, a G Adventures-supported project.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Try some of the oodles of noodles (more than 26 types!) available in the city in this tasty cooking class. Run by our G for Good partners, STREETS International, this class was developed exclusively for G Adventures. Former street youth that are part of this hospitality training program, will help you prepare and cook a number of different types of noodles. This program helps these youth practice their English, increasing their skill-set and opportunities available to them in the tourism industry. Enjoy your yummy creations while learning more about the local cuisine and this initiative which empowers street youth through skills and employment training.Free_time - Explore this charming city.Accommodation - Uptown Hoi An Hotel

Day 7: Hoi An

Spend a free day exploring all Hoi An has to offer.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Enjoy free time in this charming town.Accommodation - Uptown Hoi An Hotel

Day 8: Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City

Fly from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City with free time to explore this hectic and amazing city.
Drive to Da Nang for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, once the capital of South Vietnam and the country's commercial centre. Start exploring the small alleys and busy streets, keeping an eye out for laquerware shops and delicious local food stalls.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Accommodation - Amory Hotel

Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City

Take a guided tour of famous Cu Chi Tunnels in the morning. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy free time.
Use free time to visit the Thien Hau and Giac Vien pagodas and stroll through the immense Ben Thanh Market. The Reunification Palace, the city's Chinese quarter of Cholon, and the War Remnants Museum are also well worth a visit.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Take a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. Try crawling through some of the tunnels (if you’re not claustrophobic). These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces. Free_time - Enjoy free time to explore this hectic city any way you like.Accommodation - Amory Hotel

Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City

Spend today free in Ho Chi Minh City. Opt to take a boat cruise through the villages, islands, and markets of the Mekong Delta, and visit traditional candy factories. Or if you prefer, head to the famed Cu Chi Tunnels for an underground tour.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Enjoy a free day to explore Ho Chi Minh City.Accommodation - Amory Hotel

Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City/Phnom Penh

Travel day with border crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia. Enjoy a cyclo tour through the city.
Drive to the border and cross into Cambodia. Continue on to the capital, Phnom Penh, and enjoy a cyclo ride through the city for a street-level perspective.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.Activity - Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Settle in a traditional cyclo and depart from Wat Phnom. Tour busy streets to soak up the real vibe of the city. Pass the post office and Van's restaurant, both stunning colonial buildings, and make your way to the Royal Palace and National Museum. Go along the riverside road and take in the atmospheric cafes that line the street.Accommodation - Pacific Hotel

Day 12: Phnom Penh

Guided tour of Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 Prison) and Choeung Ek (Killing Fields). Opt to visit the Royal Palace, the National Museum or the Central Market.
Meet a local guide to learn more about the dark side of Cambodian history. Visit to Choeung Ek, the site of the infamous Killing Fields. After, visit Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 Prison), the notorious Khmer Rouge prison where thousands of Cambodians perished.

Enjoy a free afternoon to sightsee. Opt to explore the city's many sights: the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum. With time, choose to visit the Russian Market, Wat Phnom or sip a drink at a riverside café.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Learn more about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge visiting the killing fields of Choeung Ek; the grounds now stand as a powerful memorial filled with victims’ skulls and mass graves. Tour this sombre, yet serene, site with a guide.Activity - Learn about the dark history and devastation that occurred at Security Prison 21 (S-21); the prison, used by the Khmer Rouge regime, is now Tuol Sleng Museum. Take a guided tour to hear the stories behind the sombre photos lining the museum walls.Free_time - Use free time to customize your experience and see the sights that interest you most.Accommodation - Pacific Hotel

Day 13: Phnom Penh/Siem Reap

Drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, the home base for exploring incredible Angkor Wat.
Opt to pre-book the "Phare Circus" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Drive through the beautiful Cambodian countryside.Accommodation - Grand Bayon Siem Reap Hotel

Day 14: Siem Reap

Watch the sun rise over the massive Angkor temple complex with a guided tour. Opt to visit the Tonlé Sap floating village and the Angkor National Museum. Enjoy a traditional meal of Khmer food at a G Adventures for Good-supported project.
Spend two days exploring Angkor, the former capital of the Khmer kingdom and one of the wonders of the archaeological world. See some of the highlights of this ancient capital, like sunrise at the magnificent temple of Angkor Wat, the enigmatic Bayon within the walled city of Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm, also known as the 'Tomb Raider' temple.

Enjoy a traditional meal to learn about Khmer food and meet some friendly locals. Alternating locations of our included local meal means we can support multiple small businesses and projects in the area. Each experience is truly unique and memorable.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Follow a local expert through the massive grounds of Angkor Wat for 2 days. You'll have the opportunity to go in and out of the complex, resting at the hottest part of the day.Free_time - Enjoy free time in Siem Reap.Activity - Depending on the day of the week your tour visits Siem Reap, you will either enjoy a traditional meal at the G Adventures-supported New Hope project or in a local home in a nearby village. With so many travellers coming through this area, alternating experiences helps to allow multiple small businesses to flourish. Both experiences are truly unique and memorable. The New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant, an initiative kickstarted by G Adventures, provides skill-building opportunities to marginalized community members. The project also funds the adjacent free community school and health centre. Meals at Phila's house support the education of underprivileged children in the area. Visit either project – both run by locals – and see how they have supported positive change in the community.Accommodation - Grand Bayon Siem Reap Hotel

Day 15: Siem Reap

Spend another day exploring the temples of Angkor. In the afternoon, opt to going further afield in Siem Reap.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Enjoy another day touring the impressive ancient ruins with a local guide.Free_time - Get out and explore.Accommodation - Grand Bayon Siem Reap Hotel

Day 16: Siem Reap/Bangkok

Fly from Cambodia to Thailand. Enjoy the rest of the day to explore bustling Bangkok as you wish.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Free_time - Spend the rest of the day at leisure in Bangkok.Accommodation - Hotel Royal Bangkok @ Chinatown

Day 17: Bangkok

Depart at any time.
Not ready to leave this vibrant city? Extend your stay with post-tour accommodation – your CEO can give you a hand.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusions

Flights to and from origin and destinations
Airport transfers (unless otherwise stated)
Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
Recommended gratuities/tipping
Optional activities/tours
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.

Important Information

Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We will do our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling.

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.

Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

From
AUD $3469

AUD $2,775

(Tour only)

Offer ends 01 Apr, 2026 Per Person Standard

Duration: 17 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 14 Jun 2026

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Customer Reviews

Overall Rating

Excellent

4.5

Guide

Excellent

4.5

Itinerary

Excellent

4.5

Accommodations

Excellent

4.5

Transportation

Excellent

4.5

Tour Operator

Excellent

4.5

Food

Excellent

4.5

5.0

Peter P.

Traveled, November 2023

12/31/2023

G Adventures provides well-organized tours, hassle-free and with good experiences.

4.0

Janette W.

Traveled, November 2023

12/31/2023

I would certainly recommend G Adventures, but would make sure they look into travel times between each destination.

Tour Operator

G Adventures, founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip, is a global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours that emphasize authentic, sustainable, and culturally immersive experiences. Originally launched as GAP Adventures (“Great Adventure People”), the company pioneered the concept of community-driven travel by offering affordable trips that connect travelers with local communities while minimizing environmental impact. Today, G Adventures operates in more than 100 countries, offering a wide range of itineraries across themes such as active adventures, wildlife, wellness, family, and National Geographic–partnered tours, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible tourism and social enterprise through its Planeterra Foundation.

In Business Since 1990

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