Vietnam & Cambodia Yoga Tour

Welcome to Hanoi - the charming capital city of Vietnam!
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), you will be warmly welcomed by the tour guide and transfer to check in by the standard time at 14:00. 
After a short rest, you will visit visit Hoan Kiem Lake which means "Lake of the Returned". This is a lake in the historical center of the capital of Hanoi. It serves as a focal point for locals. Legend has it that King Le Loi handed over a magic sword called Heaven's Will, which brought him victory in his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty back to the Golden Turtle God in the lake. The Tortoise Tower (Thap Rua) standing on a small island near the center of the lake is linked to the legend. Then, visit the Ngoc Son Temple and the Rising Sun Bridge. The temple was erected in the 18th century. It honors the 13th-century military leader Tran Hung Dao who distinguished himself in the fight against the Yuan (Mongol invaders), Van Xuong, a scholar and Nguyen Van Sieu, a Confucian master and famous writer in charge of repairs made to the temple in 1864. In the evening, enjoy a one-hour Cyclo Ride to explore the capital city. The city is a blend of long-established traditions and modern imprints of Western colonization. Tree-lined boulevards and colonial buildings give the city a touch of Western elegance, while crowded blocks of tiny old houses and narrow lanes bear the charm of past centuries. Our day will end with a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam. 
Overnight in Hanoi
Please note: Hotel check in time is from 14.00
 

After breakfast and check out hotel, you will be transferred to Pu Luong Nature Reserve via a breathtaking mountain pass. You will enjoy the panoramic view of the whole valley along the way. Then, you will arrive at Pu Luong Retreat in time for a delicious lunch with local dishes. 
After lunch, you will check in the room and have some free time to explore the beautiful retreat with its captivating views of the surrounding and tranquil setting. This afternoon, you will get close to village life and interact with locals living in the hills above the Retreat. Glimpse at daily life, walk around working farmland and rice fields, and get to know more about the local culture. Overnight in Pu Luong Retreat. 

Wake up with the first light of sunrise to practice yoga under the expert guidance of a Vietnamese Yoga Master. Unravel the mysteries of age-old art and learn about the science of Yoga — the perfect path to achieve balance between the mind and body.  
This is a common and easy walk around the most beautiful valley of rice terraces in front of the Retreat. We start to descend into the beautiful valley facing the Retreat where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Then we will walk through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque Uoi village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera will not be able to sit still when you see the panorama view of the village from above.      
Continue walk down hill to a local home, where you can take rest then take a cycle to go cycling around Lan village. If time permits, we will visit a local family where we can learn about their traditional brocade weaving (not guaranteed). Cycling through the rice paddies and village to village, bridge to brigde to expolre more the scenic landscapes surround. You will end up at Hieu Village (the stunning village in the area), you will have a good chance to enjoy the Hieu waterfall, the sole one in the reserve. Ride back to the local home, where the car pick-up point. You will be transferred back to Puluong retreat later. 
Overnight in Pu Luong
Note: 
Group 1-3 pax: the visits will be on walking or cycling from/to the retreat. (1 option throught out the day)
Group 4 pax up: the visit & transportation will be arranged as per program. 
 

Wake up early for the second yoga exercise following the instruction of the local master (Vietnamese master). 
After breakfast and check out the Retreat, you will get closer to the village life and interact with locals living upon the hills above the Retreat. You will get to know the daily life of the locals, walk around working farm land and rice fields, and learn to make rice wine and weave colorful textiles. 
After lunch at the retreat, you will return to Hanoi. Rest of the day is at your leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
 

If you wish to see how the Hanoi people rise and shine in the morning, wake up early and run to a lake close by your hotel, you can join an exciting scene of hundreds of locals, passionately attentive in their morning exercises of Tai Chi quan, jogging, martial arts, classical dance and so on. 
After breakfast at the hotel, we will head to Halong Bay, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO since 1994 and 2006, and check-in our overnight boat. Enjoy a trip on Halong with stops to visit caves or to swim and enjoy the sunset on the sea. Dinner with fresh seafood! Overnight onboard.
*The itinerary above is subject to change without prior notice and depends on weather conditions! Our guide will not escort you on board. There will be an English-speaking cruise manager who will take care of all passengers during the trip in Ha Long, accompanied by his staff.
 

Situated in the “Eastern Sea”, so you may guess how miraculous it is seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. The boat will take us to go about marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent, including the Fisherman’s Head, Turtle, the Sail, the Incense Burner Rock, the cute Sea Dog Rock or Cock Fighting Rocks and so on. 
Return to the Wharf to be back to Hanoi at midday. Arrive in the city around 3-4pm. Overnight in Hanoi.
 

Suggested flight Hanoi to Siem Reap via VN 839 at 17.05-18.50
You will need to wake up early for your third yoga exercise following the instruction of the local master (Vietnamese master). After breakfast, you will enjoy a relaxing morning in the capital city. Check out from the hotel will be at noon time then you will be transferred to the airport for flight to Siem Reap - Treasure of Cambodia Kingdom. 
Upon arrival, you will be picked up by the local tour guide and transferred to check in at the hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap.
 

After breakfast at hotel, you will explore South Gate of Angkor Thom known as Big Angkor, three-kilometer-square-walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire. The famous Bayon Temple was an architectural muddle in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century. Terrace of the Elephants is an impressive, two and a half meter tall, 300-meter-long terrace wall adorned with carved elephants and gradual that spans the heart of Angkor Thom in front of Baphuon - a huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas - impressive rite and sandstone pyramid.
Terrace of the Leper King is at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants, a double terrace wall with deeply carved nag as demons and other mythological beings. Last, you will visit Ta Prohm Temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty. Giant trees have grown here for centuries. 
This afternoon, you will visit Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia's ancient temple is one of the wonders of the oriental world. Masterpieces of decorative details as well as of architectural style, its awe-inspiring ruins survive as a testament to the spectacular achievements of Southeast Asia's greatest civilization. It is a replica of the universe according to the Hindu mythology. It is composed by the Mount Meru surrounded by the continents and the oceans. Its extraordinary bas-reliefs describe some Khmer epics and myths. Angkor Wat's five famous towers rise into the sky, a geometrical arrangement of numerous galleries, adorned with beliefs and the stone images of celestial Apsara dancers as well as portals, chambers, and courtyards. 
Our day will end with magnnificant sunset at Phnom Bakheng hills.  
In the evening, we will enjoy a buffet dinner with Apsara dance show - a taste of classical Khmer culture. 
Overnight in Siem Reap.
 

Wake up early for your four and last yoga exercise at Wat Svay Romeat Pagoda, following the instruction of the local master (Khmer master). 
After the exercise, you will return to the hotel for breakfast and a short rest. This morning, you will visit Wat Thmei (Killing Field) which contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. You will then continue to visit the "Les Artisans d'Angkor - Chantiers Ecole" the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts. Then, you will visit Wat Bo, a highly respected pagoda founded in the 18th Century, which contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be from late 19th Century. Let’s continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, which is also called the “Old Market” where anything and everything is for sale.
In the afternoon, you will visit Floating Villages located ten kilometers south of Siem Reap. Then, you will take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here, you will see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life on the Tonle Sap. Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, you will be at leisure until check out from the hotel (the standard check out time is at 12:00) and transfer to the airport for your onward flight. End of services.
Please note: Hotel check out time is before 12.00.