Gruppo di Massimo Porricelli

Day 1: 8 Aug Saigon arrival. Visit Cu Chi Tunnels & City tour of Saigon (B/-/-)     

Upon arrival, meet with our driver at airport for a private transfer to your hotel. Check in hotel, free time and relax.

08.00-08.30 Half-day excursion to the Cu Chi region and Cu Chi Tunnels in the afternoon to visit the vast underground network of tunnels built first as a defence against the French, and later expanded during the American (Vietnam) war. Return to Saigon and enjoy free time in Saigon.

In this essential highlights tour, visit the former Presidential Palace, which is now preserved as a museum, including the underground communications bunkers, headquarters for the Saigon Government during the American (Vietnam) War. Continue to visit Notre Dame, an impressive neo-Romanesque cathedral in the centre of city, the ‘wedding cake’ styled Hotel D’ville and Dong Khoi street, formerly the center of haute couture in Saigon when it was known as Rue Catinat.

Day 2: 09 Aug Saigon – Long An – Cho Lach (B/L/-) (25 – 45 km)      
08.00. After Vietnam Backroadas’ team meeting you at your hotels in HCMC, then you will have an hour driving to Long An’ countryside. This morning bike riding will allows you to see activities of farmers making handbags and growing vegetable on their own land. Starting to explore the land of Ben Tre with pleasrue cycling enjoying at your own pace whilst cycling through a gentle landscape to hotel in Cho Lach

Day 3: 10 Aug Cho Lach – Vinh Long – Can Tho (B/L/-) (30 – 80 km)
08.00. After your brekfast at homestay, jump back on your bike to cycle into the land of nursery plantation, ornamental trees and mingle with locals on paths amongts water palm by natural creeks. Get back on your bike after lunch to ride through gardens of rambutant and mangosteen and cross Co Chien River to Vinh Long town. Relax your legs and ride an hour on A/C van to Can Tho city.

Day 4: 11 Aug Can Tho – Long Xuyen – Chau Doc(B/L/-) (30 – 90 Km)
07.00 -07.30. The most popular of sightseeing but can not be missed in Can Tho is it’s real floating market and you really need to see the market in action. You are also stopping at land market of An Binh to find out it’s activities and all kinds of tropical fruit before a short transfer to rural Dist of Can Tho. An easy pedaling criss-cross vibrant villages with ferry crossings a system of natural river of the areas. In the afternoon, you will be riding deeper into and bicycling on paths along manmade canals as you are racing with water taxi, cargo boats and sampan boats to the same destination. The main mean transport over here is waterways, you can see many kinds of boat busily moving up and down on waterways. By your cycling this afternoon, you will crossing huge paddy fields and untouched countryside before stopping at stork garden. Visit the Bang Lang Stork garden before heading to Chau Doc. If the time permity, you can see also Vietnamese killing fields at Ba Chuc.

Day 5: 12 Aug Chau Doc – Phnompenh(B/-/-)              
07.00. Breakfast at hotel and walk to the pier to take the speed boat to Phnompenh. Arrival Phnom Penh and check in at hotel. This afternoon,  we visit the Toul Sleng Prison Museum and we continue to visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. Located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90kilograms and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha.

Day 6: 13 Aug Phnompenh-  Bus to Siem Reap(B/-/-) (7km)           

06.45. After breakfast at the hotel, you will be driven to the bus station to take the bus to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, our tour guide and driver will pick up and transfer you to hotel for check in. Depart from the hotel on the main road and cycling through Angkor pass check point and cycle to the main temple attraction for an extensive exploration of the magnificent 12th century Angkor Wat. You will realize why this great temple is simply unsurpassed by any other monument. Overnight in Siem Reap

Depart from the hotel on the main road and cycling through Angkor pass check point. Cycling through the shady road with a little pumping because of the a few pot-holes. There you will begin to see Kravan temple, Banteay Kdei, and stop at the famous Ta Phrom, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. Visit Ta Phrom (45 minutes-1 hour). It was built in 12th century by the famous King Jayavarvan VII indicated to his mother. While clearing back the forest archaeologists decided to leave the vegetation of Ta Phrom in place to serve as a reminder of how the original discoverers found it and the other Angkor temples. Many of the trees have grown around and through the remains and soar high above the temples.

Day 7: 14 Aug Grand Circuit Temples (25km by bicycle) (B/L/-) 
08.00. Today we will start an amazing cycling tour (23km) on the back and less used roads to Angkor Thom City. Using this way we get better and more authentic scenery of the traditional houses and fascinating architecture on stills. We visit the impressive West gate where our local guide will tell the interesting tales of the history once prevailed here. Continuing to the Bayon Temple (216 faces of Buddha), The Terrace of Elephants and ending the spin at the terrace of The Leper King, before cycling back to hotel via the South gate of Angkor Thom. An intriguing tour that set the scenery from a slightly different angle. Continue Cycling to see Kravan temple, Banteay Kdei, and stop at the famous Ta Phrom, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. Visit Ta Phrom (45 minutes-1 hour). It was built in 12th century by the famous King Jayavarvan VII indicated to his mother. While clearing back the forest archaeologists decided to leave the vegetation of Ta Phrom in place to serve as a reminder of how the original discoverers found it and the other Angkor temples. Many of the trees have grown around and through the remains and soar high above the temples. Return to town and you will take it easy by walking to the Siem Reap market for shopping or relax at the hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 8: 15 Aug Banteay Srei & One Thousand Lingas (45km by bicycle) (B/L/-) 
08.00. Breakfast at the hotel. Depart from the hotel on the main road. Arrive at Angkor Wat and turn left to the west. Continue to cycle 2km before turn right to the rural road.  The road is good for cycling as you can avoid the busy traffic but you can see rice field, village, pagoda. Arrive in Banteay Srei before lunch. Visit (45 minutes) Banteay Srei temple known as women citadel (built in 967 A.D dedicated to Brahma). While some of temples are impressive because of their sheer size, Banteay Srei stands alone in the quality of its construction and decoration. Its pink sandstone walls are decorated with what some consider the best carving of all, and still an excellent state of preservation preservation. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 9: 16 Aug Siem Reap – Flight to Hanoi (B/L/-)                                

08.00. Breakfast at hotel continue to visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. We take a boat trip in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. We spend the rest of day visiting the “Chantiers Ecoles – Les Artisans d’Angkor” which provides training to young Cambodians in an effort to revive the ancient Khmer traditions of stone carving and wood sculpting and transfer to airport for your flight to Hanoi. Arrival in Hanoi. Pick up no guide and transfer to the hotel. Free time in Hanoi.

Day 10: 17 Aug Hidden Hanoi biking – Hang out with Italian speaking students(B/-/-)

08.00. In the morning, you will be able to join our esclusive tour: Hidden Hanoi biking!

GET ON A BIKE, SEE THE CITY

AMO VIETNAM TRAVEL CHARITY – BIKING FOR BIKES Experience the city like the locals do!!!

Do you think that you could discover Hanoi like the local? A biking product of Amo Vietnam Travel called “Hidden Hanoi” was created by three young Hanoians in order to show you many other surprising secrets hidden  in  the  zigzag  alley  ways  in  Ngoc  Ha  Flower  village  and  discovering  many  former  traditional handicraft villages around West Lake which are now replaced beautiful villas and to a floating driving range in the Red River with its kumquat and peach blossoms.

From the mystifying shores of the red river to the dazzling old quarter, our cycling tours will take you through picturesque backstreets, narrow alleys and wide boulevards. Discover the soul of the city and meet real people.

“Hidden Hanoi Biking” surprising secrets hidden in the alleyways round the West Lake & Serene Ngoc Ha

Flower Village & Red Riverside.

In the afternoon, free time and make friends with Italian speaking students!

Day 11: 18 Aug Hanoi – Halong Bay  (B/L/B)                                           

08.00 – 08.30 Have breakfast in hotel and get on the Pullman to Halong Bay (180km about 3.5 hours) passing the countryside of the Red River Delta to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

A traditional style Vietnamese Junk Cruise is awaiting your arrival and will set sail at noon today for the 23 hours cruise on this magnificent bay. Lunch will be served on board amidst spectacular views of the bay. Afternoon will visit one of the largest caves in Halong Bay and a beach stop where you can swim in the refreshing waters of the South China Sea.

Tonight enjoy a fresh seafood dinner onboard your Junk.

Note: * The following Halong Bay itinerary is a sample for our standard service on a 3 star junk/ cruise.

Different programs are available through our luxury cruise itineraries (Please contact us for more details) *

Day 12: 19 Aug Halong Bay – Hanoi –  Flight to Danang – Hoi An (B/L/-)     

Participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply watch the sunrise over the magnificent bay. Enjoy your morning cup of coffee or juice before setting out to the nearby cave on a row boat. Watch for monkeys high on the cliff tops. Return back to the Junk where breakfast is served, while sailing around Bay Tu Long bay where the movie “Indochine” was filmed.

Your cruise will end at noon and you will meet a private car for the trip back to Hanoi and then transfer the Noi Bai airport for your flight to Danang where your driver will wait you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Hoi An. Check in hotel. Free time.

Dinner tonight is on your own, allowing you to explore and sample the culinary specialties of Hoi An at your own pace. And don’t forget that this is the town famed for its great tailors; so if you brought anything with you to be replicated—or want to have some traditional Vietnamese dresses made—this is the spot.

Note: The different of Amo Vietnam Travel’ tour is the maximum flexibility. You could have a choice to go back to Hanoi for further Shopping or visit one place: But Thap Pagoda or Tho Ha Village or Phu Lang Potery Village before the transfer to Noi Bai Airport.

Day 13: 20 Aug: Hoi An free(B/-/-)                                                                          

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel. Free time in Hoi An to explore the pretty city on your own.

Day14: 21 Aug: Hoi An free(B/-/-)                                                                           

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel. Free time in Hoi An to explore the pretty city on your own.

Day 15: 22 Aug Hoian – The Traditional Ancient Town – Hue (B/-/-)                          

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel. Free time on the beach

15.00. Pick up at your hotel and drive to Hue( no guide). On the way, we will stop to visit Cham Museum – The Finest collection of Cham art in the world. Check in hotel and free time a Hue.

Day 16: 23 Aug Hue – The Imperial City – Flight to Saigon(B/-/-)       

08.00. In the morning, enjoy a scenic boat trip on the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda or Heavenly Lady pagoda, one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue. Situated 4 km upstream on the banks of the Perfume River, it is an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601.

Visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue with the Purple Forbidden City.

The Hue Citadel is situated on the Northern bank of the Perfume River. It covers an area 500 ha and has a system of three circles of ramparts: Kinh Thanh Hue (Hue Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel). The Hue royal complex has been officially recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Minh Mang and Khai Dinh Royal Tomb, the Emperor of the

Imperial  City  built  his  own tomb during his  reign and today  you will  visit one  of the  most  beautiful mausoleums. Back to hotel, dinner is on your own and overnight in Hue.

18.00. Pick up at your hotel  and transfer to the airport to catch a flight from Hue to Saigon in late afternoon. Arrival in Saigon. Pick up and transfer to the hotel in Saigon.

Day 17: 24 Aug Saigon (B/-/-)

07.30. Pick up and private transfer to the International Airport and waiting for the departure flight.