TIMELESS ASIA:
"VIETNAM-CAMBODIA"
HO CHI MINH (3 NIGHTS)- SIEM REAP (2 NIGHTS)- HANOI (2 NIGHTS) – HA LONG BAY (1 NIGHT)
3 LUNCHES, 4 DINNERS INCLUDED
HO CHI MINH - SIEM REAP FLIGHT INCLUDED
ALL TOURS INCLUDED
ACCOMMODATION IN 5-STAR HOTELS
Meeting in front of the Turkish Airlines counter at Istanbul Airport international departures terminal at 22:50.
We handle our ticket, baggage, and passport procedures. We depart at 01:50 on Turkish Airlines flight TK 162 to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport at 16:10 local time, we will be met by our guide and private vehicle and transferred to our hotel. Ho Chi Minh City, also known by its former name Saigon, is an impressive city that not only serves as Vietnam's largest city, dynamic economic hub, and pioneer of cultural trends, but has also managed to preserve its deep-rooted traditions to the present day. After completing check-in procedures, we have free time to rest and explore the surroundings. In the evening, we enjoy our "Welcome Dinner" at a local restaurant. Overnight stay at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
After breakfast at the hotel, we meet with our guide and head towards the Cu Chi Tunnels. On the way, we first visit a workshop where traditional handicrafts are produced and learn about the production processes. Afterwards, we arrive at the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the most striking structures from the Vietnam War. Our visit begins with a short introductory video explaining the history of the area. Then, we see various traps from the war period, remains of American tanks, and craters formed by bombings. For about an hour, we explore this complex underground network of tunnels and learn how Viet Cong units lived and survived here. After the visit, we return to Ho Chi Minh City. Following the free time given for lunch, our city tour begins with the Independence Palace, which was formerly used as the official residence of the President of South Vietnam. Here, we learn about the war between North and South Vietnam and the process that ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975. Next, we visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883, and the Historical Central Post Office, one of the city's iconic landmarks. The majority of the materials used in the construction of the Notre-Dame Cathedral were brought from France; today, it is one of the important centers of Catholicism in Vietnam. The final stop of our tour is Ben Thanh Market, one of Saigon's oldest trading points and one of the city's symbols. After the visit, we return to our hotel. Free time. Overnight at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Note: Due to restoration work, the Notre-Dame Cathedral will only be viewable from the outside.
After breakfast at the hotel, we head to My Tho, one of the important settlements of the Mekong Delta. Upon arrival, we board a boat and begin our cruise on the Mekong River. During the boat tour, we see Dragon Island, Unicorn Island, Turtle Island, Phoenix Island, and Rach Mieu Bridge. Then we reach Thoi Son Island, the largest island in the region with an area of approximately 1,200 hectares and a length of 11 kilometers, as well as Unicorn Island. Here, we visit the orchid garden and beehives, and taste honey tea. Additionally, we visit a local chocolate processing workshop to learn about the production process. After our boat journey, we move to the Ben Tre region and visit a traditional workshop where coconut sugar is produced. Afterwards, we hop into tuk-tuks and enjoy a pleasant ride along village roads. We stop at a local farmhouse to taste fresh tropical fruits and listen to traditional music performed by the local people. Then, we board small sampan boats and paddle through natural canals, experiencing up close the peaceful atmosphere of the Mekong Delta countryside. After our boat tour, we have lunch at a local restaurant featuring regional specialties. After completing our tour, we return to Ho Chi Minh City. Free time. Overnight at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will have free time until your flight departure. At the scheduled time, we will meet in our hotel lobby and transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport. After completing ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we depart for Siem Reap on Vietnam Airlines flight VN 813 at 17:15. Upon arrival in Siem Reap at 18:20 local time, we will be met by our private vehicle and transferred to our city center hotel. After check-in, you will have free time to rest and explore the unique atmosphere of Siem Reap. Overnight stay at our hotel in Siem Reap.
After breakfast at the hotel, we dedicate our day to exploring the most important temples of the Angkor region. First, we visit Angkor Wat, the most famous and best-preserved structure of the Angkor complex. With its three-tiered massive structure and five lotus-bud-shaped towers reaching 65 meters above ground, Angkor Wat is one of the most impressive examples of Khmer architecture. Next, we proceed to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, a walled settlement built as the final capital of the Great Khmer Empire during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. Here, we see the main structures of this magnificent 12th-century site: Bayon Temple, Baphuon Temple, the Royal Area, the Terrace of Elephants, and the Terrace of the Leper King. After free time for lunch, we visit Ta Prohm Temple. Unlike other Angkor temples, Ta Prohm has largely retained its appearance from the time of its rediscovery; with its towering tree roots rising among the ruins, its striking atmosphere, and its photogenic views, it is one of the most special structures in the region. After our visit, we return to our hotel in the afternoon. The rest of the day is free.
This evening, we enjoy dinner accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance performance. Overnight at our hotel in Siem Reap.
Note:
When visiting the Angkor Temples, long pants that cover the knees and tops that cover the shoulders are mandatory. Entry to the temple area is not permitted with short skirts, mini shorts, sleeveless blouses, or clothing that exposes the body. Visitors who do not wear appropriate attire may be denied entry by authorities.
After breakfast at the hotel, we head to Chong Kneas Floating Village located on the shores of Tonle Sap Lake. In this settlement, which consists of houses built on stilts, the appearance of the structures varies according to the season and water level. During some periods, the houses rise approximately 10 meters above the water, while during periods of rising water levels, they give the impression of floating on the lake. During our boat tour, we have the opportunity to closely observe the daily life of the local people, Cambodian rural culture, and traditional family life. After free time for lunch, we transfer to Siem Reap Airport at the time specified by our guide. Following our ticket, baggage, and passport procedures, we depart for Hanoi at 18:05 on Vietnam Airlines flight VN 836. Upon our arrival in Hanoi at 19:50 local time, we are met by our guide and transferred to our hotel in the city center. Overnight stay at our hotel in Hanoi.
After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we depart from Hanoi and head towards Ha Long Bay along the Red River Delta. Arriving at the coast shortly before noon, we board our traditionally designed boat for our overnight cruise among the legendary landscapes of Ha Long Bay.
Depending on the preferred boat route, we explore one of the bays: Ha Long, Lan Ha, or Bai Tu Long. All these areas are part of the Ha Long Bay ecosystem. After boarding, we enjoy a lunch primarily featuring seafood while taking in the stunning views of the surrounding limestone formations. In the afternoon, we reach one of the bay's quieter and less-visited areas to relax during free time. The itinerary may vary based on season, weather, and sea conditions; however, during our two-day boat tour, we will have the opportunity to visit a cave, explore a floating village, or participate in a kayaking activity. At the end of the day, we watch the sunset over the bay from the boat’s sun deck. Before dinner, you can enjoy aperitifs or join a cooking demonstration. After dinner, we spend the night in our comfortable cabins with private bathrooms aboard our boat in Ha Long Bay.
Notes:
The boat route and itinerary may change due to weather conditions, tides, and operational reasons. Swimming and kayaking activities may be cancelled in case of adverse weather.
Guests who wish may start their day by joining a Tai Chi session held with the unique view of Ha Long Bay. While watching the magnificent sunrise over the bay, we enjoy complimentary tea and coffee. Afterwards, we continue to explore Ha Long Bay. At the scheduled time, we vacate our cabins and head towards the port while enjoying our light brunch. After disembarking from the boat, we begin our journey back to Hanoi. Upon arrival in the city, our first stop is Hoa Lo Prison, known as "Hanoi Hilton" by American prisoners of war. This historic site, one of the important witnesses of Vietnamese history, provides striking insights into the war period. Next, we watch the Water Puppet Show, one of Vietnam's most important cultural traditions. This colorful performance, staged on water, brings Vietnamese folk tales and rural life to the stage with an entertaining narrative. After the program, we transfer to our hotel. The rest of the day can be spent relaxing or exploring Hanoi's evening atmosphere. In the evening, we have our farewell dinner at a local restaurant where we can share the beautiful memories collected throughout the tour. Overnight stay at our hotel in Hanoi.
After having breakfast at the hotel, we check out of our rooms and begin our Hanoi city tour. Our first stop is the Etnoloji Museum, which introduces the cultures, traditions, and lifestyles of various ethnic groups living in Vietnam. Especially in the open-air section, traditional houses and living spaces offer a close look at the country's cultural richness. Next, we visit the Temple of Literature, built in the 11th century in honor of Confucius and recognized as Vietnam's first university. With its lotus ponds, historic courtyards, and peaceful atmosphere, this temple is one of Hanoi's most impressive structures and continues to be visited by students today. After lunch at a local restaurant, we proceed to the Ho Chi Minh Complex. Here, we view the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum from the outside, then enjoy a pleasant walk through the lush gardens of the Presidential Palace. Within the gardens, we also visit the One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House. Continuing our tour, we move to the Old Quarter (Eski Şehir) area, considered the historic heart of Hanoi. In this historic district, once home to various artisan guilds and known as the "36 Streets," we take a walk, observing local shops and vibrant street life up close. Afterwards, we reach Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the city's symbols. We view the Turtle Tower located in the middle of the lake panoramically and are given free time around Ngoc Son Temple, accessible via a red wooden bridge. At the scheduled time, we transfer to Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport and begin our return journey to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines flight TK165 departing at 22:55.
Arrival at Istanbul Airport at 05:35 local time and the end of our tour. We say goodbye, looking forward to meeting again on our next enjoyable trip.
Abbreviations explanations >>> (K): Breakfast | (A): Dinner | (Ö): Lunch
About the Country
Vietnam is a country located in Southeast Asia with a long coastline stretching along the South China Sea to the east. It borders China to the north, and Laos and Cambodia to the west. Its capital is Hanoi, while its largest city is Ho Chi Minh City. With its rich history, natural beauty, and vibrant urban life, it is among the most visited destinations in Southeast Asia. Vietnam stands out with its thousands of years of historical heritage, traditional lifestyle culture, and impressive natural landscapes. The Ha Long Bay, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, historic Hanoi, bustling Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, and its traditional villages offer visitors both cultural and nature-focused rich travel experiences. Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the country's economy.
Official language: Vietnamese
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND)
Climate: Tropical and monsoon climate (varies by region, but generally hot and humid for most of the year.)
Plug type: Types A, C, and D (It is recommended to carry an adapter for devices brought from Turkey.)
Cambodia is a country located in Southeast Asia, bordering Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Situated on the Gulf of Thailand to the south, its capital is Phnom Penh. Home to the world-famous Angkor Temples, Cambodia is one of the most important tourism destinations in the region due to its historical and cultural richness. Cambodia stands out with its historical structures carrying forward the magnificent legacy of the Khmer Empire, its traditional lifestyle culture, and natural beauties. The Angkor Archaeological Park, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake, and the city of Siem Reap are among the most visited spots in the country. In recent years, the developing tourism sector has become one of the significant income sources for Cambodia's economy.
Official language: Khmer
Currency: Cambodian Riel (KHR) (US Dollars are widely used in tourist areas.)
Climate: Tropical monsoon climate (hot throughout the year, divided into two main seasons: rainy and dry.)
Plug type: Types A, C, and G (It is recommended to carry an adapter for devices brought from Turkey.)
Visa Information
Vietnam and Cambodia require visas for Turkish citizens holding ordinary (red/brown) passports. Visas for Vietnam and Cambodia can be obtained as electronic visas (e-Visa). All travelers must possess chip-enabled passports. For this tour, passports must have a validity of at least 6 months from the tour end date. Guests whose passports do not have sufficient validity may not be allowed to board the aircraft by the relevant airline. Furthermore, the final decision regarding entry lies with the border police officers conducting passport control. In case entry is denied for any reason, all responsibility lies with the passenger.
Turkish citizens holding red/brown passports must obtain visas for both Vietnam and Cambodia. Since the program involves entering Vietnam twice, the Vietnam visa must be obtained as a multiple-entry visa. Holders of green, gray, and black passports are exempt from visas for up to 90 days in Vietnam and up to 30 days in Cambodia.
Visa Information: Turkish citizens holding red/brown passports must obtain the C1 approval document costing 90 USD and the multiple-entry Vietnam e-visa costing 50 USD. Vietnam e-visa applications are made at the address evisa.gov.vn.
The Cambodia visa costs 30 USD, and applications are submitted at the address evisa.gov.kh.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Our tour program is organized subject to a minimum participation requirement. If sufficient participation is not achieved for the package tour, it may be cancelled 30 days prior to departure. Tours cancelled due to insufficient participation will be notified to you.
In cases where only category information is provided without specifying names in the tour program and/or options exist for the same destination, the hotel(s) will be announced by our agency 48 hours before the tour departure.
This price list and program remain valid until a new price list is issued and completely supersede the previous one.
All prices in our package programs are limited to quotas for up to a minimum of 10 people; higher group sizes may incur price increases. Please inquire about pricing.
In cases where ordinary passports were issued more than 10 years ago, or other passport types were issued more than 5 years ago, the parties acknowledge that Sora does not bear current liability due to not being the operating agent and is not directly liable like the primary offender. At all customs-controlled exits abroad, passengers must be present at the relevant port 3 hours before the tour departure time on the day of departure. Especially, guests arriving at ports or airports via domestic flights from other cities must adjust their flight times according to the required arrival time at the port. Therefore, in case of late arrival and/or inability to join the tour, all responsibility lies with the passenger, and Sora has no obligation to pay any compensation to the passenger. Passengers are advised to personally complete their check-in procedures and seat selections on the relevant airline's website 24 hours before the tour departure.
Sora acts as an intermediary between the airline and our passengers and is subject to the Hague Protocol of 28.09.1955. Flight times may change prior to the flight. All flight times must be confirmed by the passenger 48 hours before the tour departure time. Passengers purchase the tour knowing and accepting that flight details may change.
Triple rooms are assigned based on hotel availability; in such rooms, the bed allocated for the 3rd person is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed and 1 extra bed. Since extra beds are foldable or known as coach beds, participants joining as the 3rd person and/or children are deemed to have accepted potential crowding in the room and the bed type. Child discounts apply only to one child per age group staying in the same room with 2 adults. Due to the limited number of TWIN (2 separate beds) rooms available in hotels, please verify your TWIN room request before reservation.
If children under 18 years of age (not considered legal adults) participate in the tour without at least one of their parents, the necessary consent letters must be carried by the individuals throughout the entire travel period.
Panoramic city tours are 2-3 hour tours organized for city introduction, excluding museum and archaeological site entries. They may be scheduled on different days provided the content remains unchanged. Extra tours are conducted with a number of people determined by the tour leader. If the number falls below this threshold, extra tours may be conducted with a price increase, and their dates may be changed by the tour leader according to the program flow. Tours may not take place depending on weather conditions. No visits or tours will be conducted if local authorities do not permit them for any reason. Sora cannot be held responsible for the inability to conduct these visits or tours.
Passengers must carry their health issues related to tour participation, pregnancy status, medications they continuously use, and relevant reports concerning these medications.
Tour details, airport representative information, tour leader updates, and hotel notifications will be made 48 hours before the tour departure.
A passport is an official document; border police have the authority to deny entry to the country if the passport is damaged, stained, torn, or otherwise compromised for any reason. In such a situation, all responsibility lies with the passenger.
A visa application applies to Turkish citizens for this tour program. Even if the passenger holds a valid visa, the border police have the authority to deny entry to the country. In such a situation, all financial and legal responsibility lies with the passenger. Please check your passport information and details.
When exiting through Turkish border gates, regardless of whether the passenger holds a valid visa, a minimum validity of 6 months from the travel date is required for all passport types for Turkish or foreign nationals. Our agency does not approve passports that do not meet this condition. Sora has no obligation to pay any compensation to the passenger in case they are unable to join the tour due to having a passport with less than 6 months of validity.
Guests who do not participate in the tours specified as included in the program are not eligible for any refund.
Round-trip economy class airfare on Turkish Airlines scheduled flights on the Istanbul-Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi-Istanbul route
Economy class airfare between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap
Economy class airfare between Siem Reap and Hanoi
Airport taxes
7 nights accommodation in 5-star hotels as specified or similar
1 night full-board 5-star boat accommodation in Ha Long Bay (on a shared boat, in private cabins with en-suite bathrooms)
Morning breakfasts as specified in the program
3 lunches and 4 dinners as specified in the program
Airport–hotel–airport transfers
All sightseeing tours as specified in the program
Transportation via air-conditioned vehicles
Boat cruises as specified in the program
Entrance fees to all museums, archaeological sites, and tourist attractions included in the program
Ho Chi Minh City Tour (Independence Palace, War Remnants Museum, Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior view), Flower Market, Ben Thanh Market)
Cu Chi Tunnels Tour (Handicraft Workshop, Cu Chi Tunnels)
Mekong Delta Tour (Mekong River Boat Cruise, Dragon Island, Unicorn Island, Turtle Island, Phoenix Island, Rach Mieu Bridge, Thoi Son Island, Orchid Garden, Bee Farm, Honey Tea Tasting, Local Chocolate Workshop, Coconut Candy Workshop, Tuk Tuk Tour, Sampan Boat Tour, Tropical Fruit Tasting, and Traditional Music Performance)
Angkor Temples Tour (Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, Baphuon Temple, Royal Palace Area, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, Ta Prohm Temple)
Chong Kneas Floating Village Tour (Tonle Sap Lake, Chong Kneas Floating Village)
Ha Long Bay Tour (Ha Long / Lan Ha / Bai Tu Long Bay, Boat Cruise, Cave Visit*, Floating Village*, Kayaking Experience*)
* Subject to weather and operational conditions.
Hanoi City Tour (Ethnology Museum, Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison, Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (exterior view), Presidential Palace Gardens, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House, Hanoi Old Quarter, 36 Streets, Hoan Kiem Lake, Turtle Tower, and Ngoc Son Temple)
Traditional Water Puppet Show
Daily 2 bottles (500 ml) of water per person during transfers and city tours
All local taxes and service charges
Professional Turkish-speaking guide services
English-speaking local guide services
Professional liability insurance (as required by Law No. 1618)
Foreign exit fee
Visa fees and visa service charges
Vietnam Visa (Double entry) (Not required for green passport holders).
Cambodia Visa (Not required for green passport holders).
Meals and beverages in meals not specified as included
Excess baggage fees
Beverages to be consumed with meals
Charges for beverages and water other than the two bottles of water per person per day specified in the program
Personal expenses
Travel health insurance
All services not explicitly stated as included in the tour program
Tips (5 EUR per person per day, collected by the guide)