Southeast Asia Family Adventure

Arrive in the heat, hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, an exciting, absorbing city where scooters pack the streets and temples stand alongside modern developments. Around 6pm, say xin chào to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Our hotel is in the heart of this incredible city. Your tour leader then ensures a big Vietnamese welcome by arranging a group dinner at a local restaurant . Want extra time in Ho Chi Minh? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We depart early to beat the traffic as we head to the Cu Chi tunnels, located two hours outside the city. Used by the Viet Cong, the network covers three levels and approximately 150mi (240km) of tunnels. Exploring Cu Chi gives us an indication of the tenacity of the Vietnamese people and the conditions that both Vietnamese and American troops had to endure. Originally the tunnels were very narrow but some have been widened to allow visitors to explore the system. We can crawl through them and are introduced to life below ground as we visit makeshift kitchens, bedrooms and even an underground hospital. People with claustrophobia may prefer to stay outside in the sunshine. The afternoon is free for exploration and there are several interesting things to see and do – the Saigon River, Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral are all within easy walking distance. There is also time to visit the War Remnants Museum with an interesting (if a little gruesome) photographic record of the Vietnam/American War.

This morning, we leave the busy city for the rice bowl of Vietnam: the Mekong Delta. We’ll be struck by the fertility of the land; fruit, vegetables, rice, fish farms, duck farms, there is cottage industry everywhere, all fuelled by the amazing network of waterways. We visit the interesting Cai Be floating market to see local industry in action. Recently, Cai Be is becoming less crowded and smaller as fruit trading is mostly now done by trucks. However, this is still a great opportunity to see a local market and traditional trade conducted on a smaller scale. A short boat ride then takes us from Vinh Long to our island homestay. The evening is tranquil as we have dinner at the homestay and enjoy Delta hospitality. We spend the night sleeping at a modest guesthouse built in the style of a local house. Bedding, a mosquito net and a small towel are provided. We have the chance to try local dishes cooked by our hosts for the night.

After breakfast at the homestay, we transfer by boat back to Vinh Long then to Cai Rang floating market, one of the biggest in the Delta; the colour and fragrance of the market is sure to be remembered! We then continue to Chau Doc; close to Cambodia, it is an important trading town due to its border position and has a spot in the foothills of the picturesque Sam Mountain. An optional trip to the mountain provides wonderful views of the Mekong Delta and Cambodia.

After breakfast, we leave Chau Doc for the Tinh Bien/Phnom Den land border, where we see a change of pace as we cross into rural Cambodia. We then travel to the picturesque riverside town of Kampot (approximate transfer time excluding immigration process is 3hr to 3hr 30min). Along the way, we stop at La Plantation pepper farm in the Kampot province. Upon arrival in Kampot, we check into our centrally located hotel, our base for the next two nights. Afterwards, the group takes an orientation walk along the Kampot River and there is the option to enjoy a sunset river cruise before an optional group dinner. Please note: E-visas are not currently accepted at the Tinh Bien/Phnom Den land border; however, you can get a visa on arrival at the crossing. You need to provide a passport photo and pay in US dollars.

This morning, we drive (approximately 25 minutes) to the resort town of Kep and first stop for a short visit to Kep Mountain in the national park for wonderful coastal views. The town still bears the scars of civil war with the ghost-like remains of old villas. After, the group jumps on a boat for the short trip to Koh Tonsai (Rabbit Island). Palm tree fringed with a small beach, this island is the perfect place to swim in warm water or relax on the sand for the day. Alternatively, you may wish to spend the day relaxing on Kep beach instead and enjoying your pick of the day’s catch from one of the seafront seafood shacks. Your tour leader can advise locally about both options.

This morning, if we didn’t do it yesterday, we journey to the countryside surrounding Kep to see rural Cambodia. In the afternoon, we travel from our seaside home to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, which sits on the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Tonle Bassac rivers. To get our bearings, we take a sunset cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) trip. We finish with dinner at a local restaurant along the banks of the river offering traditional Khmer cuisine.

The tour ends in Bangkok this morning and we bid our farewells. If you’d like a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.