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Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 2:00 p.m. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers. Due to arrivals throughout the day, group Orientation will be held tomorrow.
Afternoon: Hotel check-in available from 2:00 p.m. Check in to the hotel, relax and freshen up before dinner. The designated group flight arrives later than 5:00 pm tonight, and many participants will be arriving even later. Orientation will be held tomorrow morning.
Dinner: Welcome Dinner at the hotel. Dinner includes a complimentary glass of wine. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; minimal driving time. Walking up to 2 miles total throughout the day; paved walkway at Ba Dinh Square. Wearing shorts, tank tops and hats are not permitted at Ba Dinh Square.
Breakfast: Buffet at the hotel. Coffee, tea and water included.
Morning: Orientation: Your Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. In addition to the program theme and logistics, we will review the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Please be aware that indicated times are approximate and that program activities and schedules could change due to local circumstances such as weather, traffic conditions, etc. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. During free time, the Group Leader will often be available for informal excursions, activities, or meals not included in the program. You are welcome to join if you wish, with any associated costs at your own expense. This morning we will be joined at the hotel by a local expert for a presentation on the History of Vietnam. After the lecture, our Group Leader takes us via motorcoach to visit Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh read out the Declaration of Independence in 1945. We will then visit the One Pillar Pagoda, constructed in gratitude by Emperor Ly Thai Tong after he dreamt about receiving a son from the Buddhist goddess of mercy and compassion who was seated on a lotus flower.
Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: Our next stop will be the Museum of Ethnology for an expert-led visit. Here we learn about the life and culture of the 54 ethnic groups that live in Vietnam. The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to explore on your own.
Dinner: At own arrangements. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Motorcoach transfer to the cooking class (driving approximately 2 miles/3.2 kilometres). Electric car ride around the Old Quarter in the afternoon.
Breakfast: Buffet at the hotel. Coffee, tea and water included.
Morning: This morning we take a hands-on cooking class at Madam Tuyet's. Madame Tuyet became famous both locally and internationally when her Anh Tuyet restaurant was visited in 2002 by American chef Anthony Bourdain. During our class we visit the local market and learn about Vietnamese ingredients. We then proceed to prepare and cook our own northern Vietnamese cuisine.
Lunch: At Madam Tuyet’s, we will savor our Vietnamese creations. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: Next, we explore Hanoi's vibrant Old Quarter while riding an electric car near Hoam Kiem Lake and the surrounding area. Remnant of a bygone era, the Old Quarter has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi. At the beginning of the 20th century the city consisted of only about 36 streets, most of which are now part of the Old Quarter. Each street then had merchants and households specializing in a particular trade, such as silk traders, jewelry, etc. The street names still reflect those specializations, although few of them remain exclusively in their original area of commerce. Before dinner, we delight in a traditional northern Vietnamese Mua Roi Nuoc performance. Also known as Water Puppet Theatre, Mua Roi Nuoc tells the story of day-to-day living in rural Vietnam. Vietnamese folk tales often tell of harvests, fishing and festivals.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Driving approximately 113 miles (181 kilometres) / 3.5 hours, with a stop along the way. Getting on/off a Vietnamese Junk boat. We will anchor and spend the night aboard the boat. Land excursions require getting in/out of rowboats, which comfortably sit 4 people plus the rower. Walking approximately 1 mile total throughout the day.
Breakfast: Buffet at the hotel. Coffee, tea and water included.
Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we drive to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we board a traditional Vietnamese Junk for one night. "Ha Long", which means "Bay of Descending Dragons", is a stunning site famous for its scenic ocean karst topography and peaceful horizon. Along the way, our Group Leader will teach us a little more about life in northern Vietnam.
Lunch: Buffet aboard the boat. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: We transfer from the Vietnamese Junk boat into rowboats for our visit to a local fishing village.
Dinner: Aboard the boat, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure. Enjoy the sunset in Halong Bay. Be sure to prepare for check-out in the morning.
Activity note: Land excursions require getting in/out of rowboats. Walking approximately 1 mile total throughout the day, including through the cave on rocky and uneven terrain, with steps. The cave entrance has descending, steep stairs with no hand railings. Drive from Halong Bay to Hanoi International Airport is approximately 113 miles (181 kilometres) / 3.5 hours, with a stop along the way.
Breakfast: We have a light snack aboard the boat as we enjoy sunrise over the bay. We will have coffee, tea and pastries.
Morning: Relax aboard the boat and enjoy the views of Halong Bay or join an early morning field trip via rowboat to the well-hidden Thien Canh Son Cave. Please be aware of today's activity note (below) for more information about terrain and other warnings if you are unsure about going to the cave. Mid-morning, we will have brunch in the boat's dining room. After brunch we will disembark the boat and transfer to Hanoi airport via motorcoach for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Along the way, our Group Leader will teach us about Vietnam after the introduction of the open door policy in the mid-1980s.
Lunch: Light snack at the airport. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Upon arrival, we transfer to the hotel via motorcoach and check in. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure.
Dinner: At own arrangements. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking approximately 3 miles/5 kilometres total throughout the day; indoors and out, sidewalks and city streets, some stairs.
Breakfast: Buffet at the hotel. Coffee, tea and water included.
Morning: We begin our day by visiting a local university for a private lecture on Economic Development in the Mekong Delta. Following the presentation, we have a chance to engage with the university professor and some students, to ask questions and learn about higher education in Vietnam.
Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: After lunch, we walk to Reunification Hall (the former Presidential Palace) which was built as a modern administrative center. Led by our Group Leader, we will explore this unchanged relic of the 1970s and see the impressive interiors as well as the tanks, bunker, and helicopter on the grounds surrounding it. We continue on our walking discovery of Saigon and learn more about Vietnamese history. We stop by the Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Central Post Office before walking along Ly Tu Long Street to the Pittman Apartment Building. It was from here that the USA evacuees were flown out in 1975. We then walk to Dong Khoi Street to see the City Hall and Opera House. We continue to walk by the Continental, Caravel and Saigon Dong Du Hotels and learn about their place in history. At the conclusion of our field trip, we return to the Grand Hotel at leisure. We have some down time before transferring to dinner.
Dinner: On board a junk as we cruise the Saigon River.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: The Cu Chi Tunnels are located outside the city, approximately 3 hours round trip by coach (depending on traffic). Walking about 3 miles/5 kilometres total throughout the day; indoors and out, sidewalks and city streets, some stairs.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: This morning we experience the Cu Chi Tunnels - an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Cu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the Viet Cong in their resistance to American forces, and helped achieve ultimate military success.
Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal, independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in Saigon. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities for ideas. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner: At own arrangements.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Getting in/out of, standing and sitting in small boats; about 1 hour travel on the boats. Driving approximately 88 miles (142 kilometres) / 4 hours, with stops. Walking up to 1 mile total throughout the day.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We depart for the Mekong Delta and begin our journey along the Mekong River. Along the way we stop in Cai Be, where we board small boats to explore the arms of the Mekong River.
Lunch: At an ancient house, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: We re-board our motorcoach and continue our drive to Chau Doc. Along the way our Group Leader will teach us about the changing culture of the Mekong Delta. Chau Doc sits at the junction of a tributary linking the Bassac and Mekong Rivers on the border between Vietnam and southeastern Cambodia. An incredibly friendly and bustling little city, it has a color scheme to match its ambiance with bright pastel hues of green, blue and purple adorning many of the newer shopfronts. Upon arrival, we will check in to our hotel.
Dinner: At the hotel, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Short drive up to the top of Sam Mountain via motorcoach. Walking up to 1/2 mile (1 hour) at approximately 600 feet in elevation; dirt path to the viewing platform.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: This morning we take a field trip to Sam Mountain, the highest elevation on the Mekong. The mountain provides a spectacular view of the region's rice paddies, canal system and the Cambodian border. We stop briefly at one of the temples located at the bottom of Sam Mountain.
Lunch: At own arrangements.
Afternoon: Free time. Enjoy the afternoon by relaxing or continue exploring independently.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out, transfer and border crossing in the morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off vessel; the ride is approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) / 4 - 5 hours. Be sure to have your passport accessible for border crossing; border formalities can take up to 1 hour depending on how busy the border station is. Walking up to 1 mile/3.2 kilometres total throughout the day, mostly indoors at field trip sites.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Once checked out of the hotel, we will board a speedboat on the Mekong and continue our journey to Cambodia. At the Vietnam/Cambodia border, we will go through immigration formalities before proceeding to Phnom Penh.
Lunch: At a local restaurant in Phnom Penh, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Afternoon: Phnom Penh has a fascinating history. It was once known as the “Paris of the East”. This afternoon we visit the National Museum. The National Museum is the most significant public repository of Khmer artifacts in the country, displaying many important Angkorian artifacts as well as rare pieces from later periods. We move next to the Cambodian Royal Palace. Here we explore this fascinating compound, including the Silver Pagoda. We then transfer to our hotel and check in.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Driving approximately 10 miles (16 kilometres) / 1 hour one way. Walking approximately 2 miles/3.2 kilometres total throughout the day; some stairs at S-21, narrow dirt paths at Choeung Ek Killing Fields Memorial. These sites require reverence for victims of historical events; appropriate dress required, no shorts or tank tops.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: This morning we are joined by a local expert for a presentation on the Current Economic and Political Conditions of Cambodia. We then visit S-21, the interrogation center, and Choeung Ek Killing Fields Memorial. Extremely somber and intensely powerful, these sites will help us to understand some of the horrors and devastation of Pol Pot's regime, and the legacy it left behind. The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: Free time. Enjoy the afternoon by relaxing or continue exploring independently. Visit one of the local markets, walk the city streets, or just relax at the hotel.
Dinner: At own arrangements.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning to Siem Reap.
Activity note: This will be a full day trip. Driving approximately 200 miles/320 kilometres throughout the day; from Phnom Penh to Kampong Thom is approximately 96 miles (155 kilometres) / 2.5 hours; from Kampong Thom to Siem Reap is approximately 100 miles (160 kilometres) / 2.5 hours.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Once checked out of the hotel, we will board our motorcoach and set out for Siem Reap. We stop at a silk farm located en route in Kampong Thom. We will reach the farm in the late morning.
Lunch: At the silk farm, we will have plated meals. Tea and water included.
Afternoon: The owner of the farm will provide an overview of the processes involved in creating Cambodian silk. We will learn about the worms, as well as dying and weaving techniques. Following our field trip, we continue on our drive to Siem Reap and check in to the hotel upon arrival.
Dinner: At the hotel, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: This will be a full-day field trip. Getting in/out of motorcoach frequently; short drives. Standing and sitting in the morning sun in hot and humid weather. Walking approximately 2 miles total throughout the day on uneven terrain; sturdy and closed-toe footwear recommended.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Guided by a local expert, we begin our introduction to the temples of Angkor with a visit to Banteay Srei. Also known as the Citadel of Women, or the Pink Temple, Banteay Srei is made of pink sandstone and was built in the latter half of the 10th century by Rajendravarman II and Jayavaraman V.
Lunch: At the home of our hosts, we will have plated meals. Tea and water included.
Afternoon: After lunch we visit Ta Prohm. Built at the height of the Khmer Empire by Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and center of learning, Ta Prohm has a traditional Khmer structure consisting of a series of gradually smaller enclosures, the largest of which is approximately 3,281 feet by 2,133 feet (1,000 metres x 650 metres). The sanctuary is centered around the huge, elevated stone face of Prajnaparamita, the personification of wisdom, whose features were modeled after those of the king's mother. Ta Prohm's popularity has soared in recent years along with the rest of the Angkor complex. It also appeared in the movie "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider." We return to the hotel and watch "The Flute Player". This documentary is about a Cambodian American who escaped Cambodia but returns to his home country to help revive the Khmer traditional performing arts.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, we will have plated meals. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening: This evening we enjoy an Apsara Dance performance by a group of local artists that are working to preserve the traditional Cambodian classical arts. As evidenced in part by the innumerable apsaras (celestial dancers) that adorn the walls of Angkorian and pre-Angkorian temples, this dance has been a part of Khmer culture for more than a millennium.
Activity note: Early rise and transfer to Angkor Wat to watch sunrise. Driving about 8 miles/12.9 kilometres for the day, approx. 1/2 hour. Walking approximately 2 miles; periods of standing and sitting at sites; hot and humid weather.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Setting out with a local expert before dawn, we will immerse ourselves in the breathtaking beauty of Angkor Wat at sunrise. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. The best-preserved temple at the site, Angkor Wat is also the only temple to have remained a significant religious center since its construction. It was built to embody the Hindu tradition – specifically dedicated to the god Vishnu – but gradually shifted to become a primarily Buddhist site as the official religion of the Khmer Empire changed. We return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast we explore Angkor Thom, the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. Established in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, at the center of the city is the mesmerizing temple of Bayon. We leave the temple and transfer to a local pagoda. Here we take part in a traditional Khmer ritual. Buddhist monks will offer a private blessing ceremony to wish us health, good luck and safe travels. Following our blessing, we are free until dinner time. You may choose to return straight to the hotel or continuing exploring on your own.
Lunch: At own arrangements.
Afternoon: Free time. Enjoy the afternoon by relaxing or continue exploring independently. We come together in the early evening and transfer via motorcoach to our Farewell Dinner.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, we will have our Farewell Dinner (plated). Dinner includes a complimentary glass of wine or beer. Coffee, tea and water included; other beverages available for purchase. Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening: Say farewell to new Road Scholar friends and prepare for departure in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 noon. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers.
Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning: Transfer to Siem Reap airport (for those who have booked their flights through Road Scholar) for flights home. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!