13 Days Private Tour to Cambodia, Angkor Wat and Vietnam

Angkor Wat is only the beginning here. Over 13 days, you move from Cambodia’s royal palaces and genocide memorials to Vietnam’s imperial tombs, French colonial streets, wartime sites, and river life. Private guides and drivers keep the complicated route under control.

I like the way this trip pairs major sights with experiences that put you closer to daily life, such as a cyclo ride in Hanoi, a boat through Tonle Sap country, a Halong Bay cruise, and lunch beside the Mekong. I also like the hotel plan, which includes polished boutique properties such as Golden Temple, La Siesta, Azerai La Residence Hue, and Mai House Saigon.

The tradeoff is pace. You cover nine major destinations, take several flights, and spend many days on the road. Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Hue, and Saigon each deserve more time than this schedule allows, so this suits an active first visit more than a slow holiday.

Key points at a glance

• A private Cambodia and Vietnam route: Your own guide, driver, and group make airport transfers and sightseeing easier than handling this route independently.
• Angkor in depth: The program includes Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei, and Preah Khan.
• Three memorable water experiences: Cruise Tonle Sap near Siem Reap, spend a night on Halong Bay, and take the Cai Be Princess sampan in the Mekong Delta.
• Strong history coverage: Phnom Penh’s Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek, Hanoi’s Hoa Lo Prison, the Cu Chi Tunnels, Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum give the trip serious historical weight.
• Comfortable hotel base: Stays include upscale and boutique properties, with breakfast each morning and private air-conditioned transport between scheduled visits.
• Good fit for a first Southeast Asia trip: The price covers flights, guides, entrance fees, many meals, hotels, and transfers, but the schedule demands stamina.

What $4,360 covers, and what it does not

The listed price is $4,360 per person. That is a substantial sum, but it covers much of what makes a multi-country trip expensive to arrange: 12 nights of accommodation, daily breakfast, six lunches, dinner, entrance fees, four flight segments, private transport, English-speaking guides, boat trips, airport transfers, taxes, and three bottles of water per person each day.

The hotel mix gives the package much of its value. You have one night at iRoHa Garden Hotel in Phnom Penh, two nights at Golden Temple Hotel in Siem Reap, two nights at La Siesta in Hanoi, one night aboard Dragon Legend Cruise, two nights at La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa, one night at Azerai La Residence Hue, and three nights at Mai House Saigon.

That is not a budget travel setup. You are paying for time saved, smooth connections, and a higher level of comfort. The trip also takes care of the awkward pieces, including airport meet-and-greets, internal flights, private vehicles, and changing local guides.

Still, read the inclusions closely. Drinks, personal purchases, insurance, and tips are not included. Meals outside the listed breakfasts, lunches, and dinner are also yours to pay for. The price makes the most sense if you value convenience and good hotels more than finding the lowest possible fare.

Phnom Penh, from royal rooms to the Killing Fields

Your trip begins at Phnom Penh airport, where assistance is provided after arrival as you handle the Cambodian visa, immigration, and baggage collection. The next day brings a packed introduction to the capital.

The Royal Palace, built in 1866 under King Norodom, gives you a first look at Cambodia’s monarchy and Buddhist traditions. The Silver Pagoda is the highlight, with its ceremonial setting and polished details. Modest clothing is the sensible choice, and the heat can make a morning visit more comfortable than an afternoon one.

The National Museum follows. Built in 1917, it focuses on Khmer art and sculpture, so it helps you see the artistic language that later appears at Angkor. The collection is not a quick photo stop. Your guide can connect the statues and carvings here with the temples you see in Siem Reap.

At Wat Phnom, a short visit brings you to the small hilltop pagoda associated with the city’s name. The stop is less grand than the palace, but it gives you a sense of Phnom Penh as a living city rather than only a collection of monuments.

The afternoon turns difficult. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum occupies the former school taken over by Pol Pot’s security forces in 1975. Choeung Ek, the Killing Fields south of the city, follows. These places are essential for understanding Cambodia, but they are emotionally heavy. Keep the schedule in mind and do not expect a light sightseeing day.

Lunch at a local Khmer restaurant is included. Afterward, you fly directly to Siem Reap, with the listed flight taking about 50 minutes. That short flight saves a long road transfer and gets you close to Angkor.

Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat in two full temple days

The first Siem Reap temple day covers Angkor Thom, the enormous walled capital associated with the Khmer Empire. At the South Gate, stone figures frame the approach, then Bayon delivers the unforgettable sight: carved faces looking out from its towers.

Bayon deserves time. Its narrow passages, shadowed galleries, and changing expressions reward a slow walk more than a quick circuit. Nearby Baphuon, Phimeanakas, the Terrace of the Elephants, and the Terrace of the Leper King fill out the old royal center.

Ta Prohm is the atmospheric favorite for many people, and it is easy to see why. The temple’s towers, corridors, and trees create a powerful sense of age. It can also be crowded, so your guide’s timing matters. The ruins are uneven, and comfortable shoes will help.

After lunch, you reach Angkor Wat. The three-hour visit allows time for the outer galleries, bas-reliefs, guardian figures, and the central temple area. This is not a quick stop for a single photograph. Angkor Wat is vast, and the heat can wear you down, so carry water and use the included bottles.

The next morning reaches Banteay Srei, a smaller temple built in the 10th century and dedicated to Shiva. Its pink sandstone carvings are unusually fine, making it one of the most rewarding stops on the route even though it lies farther from the main temple group.

Preah Khan provides a useful contrast with Ta Prohm. It has a similar religious and architectural character but is described as being in better condition. The sequence works well: Banteay Srei for detail, Preah Khan for scale and atmosphere.

The afternoon adds a rural side of Cambodia. You visit the area around Kampong Phluk and take an ox-cart ride through villages and rice fields, followed by a fresh coconut with a local family. This is a welcome change from temples, although conditions in the village area can vary with the season and water level.

An evening flight takes you from Siem Reap to Hanoi. This is one of the trip’s busier transitions, so keep your documents and essentials in your hand luggage.

Hanoi, from Confucius to water puppets

Hanoi gets one full sightseeing day, and the schedule is tightly packed. You begin around Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh Complex, an important national site. The Temple of Literature follows, with courtyards linked to Confucian learning and Vietnam’s first national university.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology broadens the picture beyond Hanoi’s monuments. Its large collection of objects and photographs presents the traditions of Vietnam’s many ethnic communities. If you like cultural context, this is one of the most useful museum stops on the trip.

After lunch, you see the French-built Opera House and visit Hoa Lo Prison, known in the United States as the Hanoi Hilton. The prison displays a difficult history from both the colonial period and the Vietnam War era. The visit is short, so listen closely to the guide.

Tran Quoc Pagoda sits beside West Lake and offers a quieter change of pace. Then a cyclo ride carries you through the Old Quarter, where narrow streets and traditional shop areas give you a closer view of Hanoi’s daily rhythm. A cyclo is slow, open, and exposed to traffic, so it is best enjoyed as a short local experience rather than a grand city tour.

The evening water-puppet show is a smart final touch. This northern Vietnamese art form uses water, music, and figures to tell stories from village life and folklore. It is a simple performance, but it gives the day a distinctly local finish.

One night on Halong Bay

The drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay leads to an overnight cruise aboard Dragon Legend or a similar traditional ship. The bay is a UNESCO natural site, known for its limestone formations rising from the water.

The overnight stay changes the experience from a short harbor visit into a slower water-based break. You have time to watch the scenery, eat aboard ship, and wake to views across the bay. The next morning includes tea or coffee, breakfast outside, and a rustic rowboat visit to Vung Vieng fishing village.

The cruise is one of the trip’s strongest contrasts. After Hanoi’s traffic and packed monuments, the boat gives you a quieter setting. The drawback is that cruise schedules depend on weather and operating conditions, and one night is enough for an introduction, not a full exploration of the bay.

You fly from Hanoi to Da Nang after the cruise, then transfer toward Hoi An. Expect this day to feel divided between breakfast on the water, disembarkation, airport time, and an evening arrival.

Hoi An, with old houses and a riverboat

Hoi An is one of the more relaxed sections of the trip, with two nights at La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa. The old town grew as an international trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries, and its architecture reflects Chinese, Japanese, and European connections.

The Japanese Covered Bridge is the natural starting point. The Old House of Phung Hung and the Tan Ky House show how families lived and worked in the old commercial quarter. The Fukian Assembly Hall adds a look at Chinese community life and architecture.

A cyclo ride takes you between sights without turning the visit into a march. Later, a boat on the Thu Bon River gives you another view of Hoi An and includes a visit to a boat-building village. Free time after lunch is valuable here. Use it to walk at your own pace, browse shops, or simply sit near the river.

The evening Hoi An Memories Show adds a large-scale performance focused on the town’s cultural and historical story. It is an organized production rather than an informal local encounter, but it gives you a different way to understand Hoi An after seeing its streets and buildings.

Hue’s emperors, tombs, and the Perfume River

The route to Hue follows the Vietnamese coast before reaching the former imperial capital. Hue’s main attractions are spread out, so private transport is especially useful here.

The Tomb of Tu Duc is set in a garden-like royal compound and reflects the emperor’s personal taste. Khai Dinh’s tomb is more compact and ornate, with Western and Vietnamese design elements combined in its construction. These sites explain how Nguyen emperors prepared their burial places as symbols of status and identity.

The Imperial City is the centerpiece. A private pedal-powered cyclo takes you through the Citadel, which once contained official imperial spaces and the Forbidden Purple City. Restoration is ongoing in parts of the complex, so you will see both carefully restored areas and sections marked by time and war.

A boat ride on the Perfume River leads to Thien Mu Pagoda, with its seven-story octagonal tower. The next stop, Minh Mang’s tomb, lies amid pine-covered grounds and is often considered one of Hue’s most graceful royal sites.

You spend one night at Azerai La Residence Hue, with a river-view room listed. That gives you a comfortable base, but the schedule leaves little free time to explore Hue beyond the planned sights.

Saigon, war history, and the Mekong Delta

A flight from Hue brings you to Ho Chi Minh City, where three nights at Mai House Saigon provide the longest single-city stay of the trip. The first full day goes northwest to the Cu Chi Tunnels, including the Ben Duoc site.

The tunnel complex shows how underground rooms, passages, and military facilities were used during the war. It is a hands-on historical visit, though visitors who dislike confined spaces should take that into account. The site is outside the city, so the private vehicle makes the half-day outing easier.

Back in central Saigon, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office show the city’s French colonial imprint. The Reunification Palace then brings you to the political center of the end of the Vietnam War. Its preserved rooms and formal interiors help explain the events of April 1975.

The War Remnants Museum is the most difficult stop of the day. It presents photographs, machinery, and weapons with a clear appeal for peace. Give yourself time to process it, especially after the Cu Chi visit.

Ben Thanh Market offers shopping and noise after the museums, while Ho Chi Minh Square gives you a final walk through the central district near City Hall and the Rex Hotel. This is a long day, but it offers a strong mix of architecture, politics, war history, and ordinary city life.

The final full day heads toward the Mekong Delta. In My Tho and Cai Be, you see how the river shapes transport, trade, homes, and food production. The Cai Be Princess sampan is a more polished cruise, with cold towels, a drink, and a leisurely route from the jetty.

Lunch at Le Longanier Restaurant is served in a colonial-style villa surrounded by tropical gardens and fruit trees. It is a refined ending, not a rough village meal, so set your expectations accordingly. The trip finishes with a transfer from Mai House Saigon to the airport, and you are advised to allow three hours for airport formalities.

Who should book this private tour

This trip fits you best if you want to see both Cambodia and Vietnam in one organized journey, prefer private transport, and value comfortable hotels. It is also useful if arranging several regional flights, airport pickups, guides, and entrance tickets feels like too much work.

The experience is less suitable if you want long afternoons with no plans, independent restaurant choices every day, or time to settle into each city. Phnom Penh’s difficult sites, Angkor’s heat, repeated early starts, and several flight days require energy.

The company has received a 4.9 rating from 13 published ratings, with 100 percent recommendation shown. The strongest praise centers on Mr Ann’s coordination, airport meet-and-greets, quick communication, professional drivers, polite guides, smooth internal flights, and high-quality hotels. That kind of support matters on a route with this many moving parts.

The cancellation terms are worth checking before you pay. A full refund is available when you cancel at least six full days before the start time. A 50 percent refund applies from two to six full days before departure, while cancellations less than two full days ahead are not refunded.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a well-supported first look at Cambodia and Vietnam, with Angkor and Halong Bay as anchors and enough history to give the journey weight. The included flights, hotels, guides, private cars, boats, and major entrances make the $4,360 price easier to justify.

Think twice if your ideal vacation moves slowly. The route is ambitious, and you will spend real time in airports and vehicles. For an active couple, family, or small private group that wants comfort and broad coverage in 13 days, it is a strong choice. For a relaxed cultural stay, choose fewer destinations and spend the savings on extra nights.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin and end?

The tour begins with pickup at Phnom Penh International Airport in Cambodia and ends with a transfer from Mai House Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City International Airport.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates, with private transportation, a professional English-speaking guide, and a safe driver.

Are domestic flights included?

Yes. The package includes flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Siem Reap to Hanoi, Hanoi to Da Nang, and Hue to Ho Chi Minh City.

Which hotels are included?

The listed stays include iRoHa Garden Hotel in Phnom Penh, Golden Temple Hotel in Siem Reap, La Siesta Hotel in Hanoi, Dragon Legend Cruise, La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa, Azerai La Residence Hue, and Mai House Saigon, or similar properties.

Are meals included?

Daily breakfast is included, along with six lunches and one dinner. Other meals, drinks, and personal expenses are not included.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the local start time. A 50 percent refund applies when cancelling two to six full days ahead. Cancellations less than two full days before the start time are not refunded.