Expedition to
Vietnam and Cambodia:
amazing caves, Halong Bay and Angkor temples
12 DAYS
20 PEOPLE
3290 EURO
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Venture into the unexplored world of Vietnam, where the mountains are riddled with caves and underground rivers; to feel like a real pioneer! In the outback of central Vietnam, among the jungles and rivers, a real underground kingdom has recently been discovered, numbering hundreds of caves. The Paganel team will walk through stone mountain paths along landscape peaks through majestic caves. We will plunge into the unique world of underground rivers, multimillion-dollar cave formations and see the most extraordinary things that are hidden in the underground world from us in the mysterious region of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng.
We will enter the caves from one side and exit from the other, overcoming all obstacles along the way. Get ready to swim through underground rivers and galleries, past stalactites and stalagmites! We will fall asleep under the southern starry sky in tents in the real jungle of Indochina. During these three days you will not see such a masterpiece of nature in any museum in the world!
We explore caves that have been visited by exploration expeditions from the BBC, National Geographic, and our Paganel Studio team. This is a real challenge to yourself and a real journey worthy of time and life! The Underworld is a unique experience and an unforgettable adventure.
After such an eventful adventure, we will have a rest and a cruise in the famously beautiful Halong Bay (Hạ Long). We will take a boat ride on the emerald sea among the majestic rocky peaks. They, like petrified giants, have long guarded the sea passages to the beautiful country of the Vietnamese!
And amazing wonders await us in the Kingdom of Cambodia -
We will plunge into the world of one of the most mysterious civilizations - the Khmers. It left behind many artifacts and mysteries to which humanity still cannot find answers.
When the majestic Khmer temples open up, only one question arises in your head: How? How in the 12th century was it possible to build such grandiose architectural masterpieces as Angkor Wat using primitive tools? The height of the central tower of the temple complex is equal to the height of a 20-story building - 65 meters. Isn't this surprising?! How about the Bayon Temple, where 216 stone faces carved on 54 towers watch you, huh? This whole once lost world in the middle of the wild jungle seems absolutely unreal...
And, friends, these are not just buildings, this is a kind of book in 4D format carved on stone: the walls of the temples are decorated with bas-reliefs that colorfully tell us about the life of an ancient civilization. And when you read it, serious doubts arise regarding our knowledge about this world. Who knows, perhaps the secret of these unique messages will be revealed to you. And there are many such buildings here. We explore all of Ankgor's most unique and popular temples.
We will also walk through the mysterious ruins of Ta Prohm, where nature and architecture intertwine in a bewitching dance. We will go to the Kulen mountain range, from where the divine Buddha took his last step into nirvana. Can you imagine the power this sacred place has 😉
We will visit the legendary Tonle Sap Lake. Here we will find a unique spectacle that attracts tourists from all over the world - the floating village of Chong Ne.
Many more exclusive, unique and inexplicable things await us on the planet Cambodia. Yes, yes, on the planet! Because this is not just another country, another culture, the Kingdom of Cambodia is a separate universe!
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ROUTE
• International flight Hanoi – Siem Reap
• Tent tour to the caves (3 days – 2 nights) with meals and accommodation
• Boat cruise on Ha Long Bay with accommodation and meals (2 days and 1 night)
• Individual bus transfer along the entire route
• Entrance tickets and permits according to the program
• Meals specified in the program (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Two guides, native speakers of Ukrainian, Russian, English (along the entire route)
• Local English speaking guide in Vietnam as an escort
• Accommodation in excellent 4* hotels (two people per room)
• Night train tickets on the route Hanoi – Dong Hoi – Hanoi
• Each tour accepts a maximum of 20 tourists, divided into 2 groups. Each group of 10 moves about 30 minutes apart to ensure comfort and safety.
• Safety Equipment: The firm will provide safety equipment such as helmets, seat belts, expedition headlamps, gloves, pressure bags and equipment.
• Travel insurance: The company purchases travel insurance for all tourists participating in the tour, with a maximum compensation of $400 per person. Visitors are advised to purchase comprehensive travel insurance for themselves before participating in the tour.
• Service Team: Each tour of 10 guests will have: 1 guide, 1 security assistant, 1 chef, 2 camp kitchen assistants and 4 porters for carrying luggage, cleaning and maintenance costs throughout the route.
• Food and drinks: the company provides food, tea and coffee throughout the trip (excluding additional items requested by the client). Dinner at a local resident's house. Meals follow a fixed menu, with vegetarian or dietary options available upon prior request.
• The tour includes a short quad bike route to explore the Lim Forest - Kong's House.
IMPORTANT!
Due to the fact that our expeditions do not include international flights to the starting point of the program, we cannot be held responsible for changes in flight conditions by airlines or airport requirements. Since our travelers fly from many different countries and cities, we never participate in the purchase of air travel and limit ourselves exclusively to advisory services in the selection of flights. Air agents or airlines from which tickets were purchased are responsible for the purchase and technical support.
ITINERARY
Day 1
06.02.2025
Arrival in the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi - the city “between two rivers”.
Transfer from the airport to the city. And welcome to your cozy hotel, where you can check in and enjoy a well-deserved rest, immersing yourself in the metropolitan world of Vietnam! We will come to our senses, if the whole group gets together not too late, maybe we will take a walk around the evening Hanoi, ride rickshaws and spend a dating evening!
Day 2
07.02.2025
Our introduction to Hanoi will begin with an exciting walk through this wonderful city, starting with a visit to Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the main square of Ba Dinh and the historically significant temple of Thua Mot Kot (One Pillar Pagoda), the Turtle Temple (Thap Rua). We then take a fascinating journey through time to the ancient university known as the Temple of Literature with its atmosphere of learning and wisdom that once permeated this sacred center of learning.
We will also pass through a unique alley in a busy quarter, where twice a day a train passes just a few centimeters from the houses, and where every street and house is a real artistic masterpiece.
This day promises to be filled with impressions, tastes and unforgettable moments in this amazing city. Before boarding the night train, you will have free time for dinner and an evening stroll around Hanoi. Overnight transfer in sleeping cars to Dong Hoi (Đồng Hới).
(Meals: breakfast included)
Day 3
08.02.2025
Arrival in Dong Hoi, transfer to the starting point. Meet the team of guides, porters and cooks. After breakfast, we take with us only the essentials and all go together for two days on a journey through the inaccessible Vietnam. Trekking through peanut and rice fields on narrow winding paths that will instantly take us from the world of hustle and bustle to the world of adventure!
The Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng karst region with a unique ecosystem, which contains about 300 caves and grottoes with a total length of about 126 kilometers. More than 96% of Phong Nha-Ke Bang's territory is covered by evergreen tropical forests, most of which are primary forests.
More than 380 species of animals live here, sixty-six of them are listed in the Red Book of Endangered Species of Vietnam, as well as almost 260 species of butterflies and more than 72 species of fish, including endemics.
Next we will cross the Rao Nan River, climb a rocky slope and pass through bushes. Travel to the foot of Mango Mountain and swim to a small waterfall where we can swim.
At the end of the day, tired and full of impressions, we will find ourselves in the Tu Lan Valley, where a barbecue and camping will await us. Overnight in tents already set up for us, where we already have everything we need - a sleeping bag, a rug. We fall asleep to the sound of cicadas. On this day we will walk 8 km.
(Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 4
09.02.2025
This morning our task is to swim to two caves and explore them. One of the caves is the famous Hang Ken, a photograph of which was published by National Geographic. After exploring the caves, we will continue our journey to the Mo Valley.
Next we have another swim against the current. Thus, we will find ourselves in one of the most unusual Hung Ton caves, where we will climb a 15-meter ladder and go to the La Quen valley.
The road will be full of activities, adventures and discoveries! On this day we will walk 6.5 km through the jungle and caves. Then, closer to lunch, we will go to the river and go to the village of Tan Hoa. We take a shower, have dinner with a Vietnamese family, get acquainted with meat traditions and relax in small comfortable bungalows
(Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 5
10.02.2025
New day, new explorations, it will be possible to watch the sunrise in the rice fields. Ride a bike and quad bike, going into the jungle. Explore a small cave.
Next we will go to the sea to the city of Dong Hoi, where we can swim in the ocean, relax at the pool and relax on the beach in our free time. In the evening we have an overnight train ride in a sleeper car to Hanoi.
(Meals: breakfast)
Day 6
11.02.2025
This day promises to be full of impressions, natural beauty and the spirit of Vietnam's ancient history. Ahead of us is an adventure-filled sail through Ha Long Bay with unforgettable views! Rocks out of the water, like we're in the movie Avatar!
There are more than 3,000 rocky islands in the waters of Halong Bay, which gives it an atmosphere of originality and uniqueness. Upon arrival, we will board the cruise ship Seryna Cruise 4*. And with an overnight stay on it we will go to explore the waters of this mysterious bay.
Our program includes an exploration of the largest stalactite cave in the bay, a fascinating culinary master class that will allow you to immerse yourself even deeper into the culture and richness of Vietnamese cuisine.
Along the way we will meet villages right on the water. Fish markets and others, which will allow us to understand how the lives of the people who live here flow. In the evening, after dinner, we will have a party!
(Meals: lunch and dinner)
Day 7
12.02.2025
After breakfast, we continue our journey through Halong Bay, you can swim or take a kayak to the arena for an additional fee and go exploring the unusual rocks and islands on your own.
Farewell to the crew and captain, disembarkation. If time allows us before the flight to Cambodia, we will still climb the Mount of Verses. Famous for the fact that many poetic lines dedicated to emperors and other famous historical figures are carved into stone on its slopes, and from which an unforgettable view of the bay opens.
Today, after lunch, we will have a transfer and an international flight to Cambodia. Upon arrival, we receive visas, the procedure is simple and now we are heading to one of the most popular cities among tourists on the planet - Siem Reap.
Here, in the street, unusually humid air and a picturesque road to the hotel, where, in the embrace of tropical flowers, traditional music and a magical atmosphere, relaxation await us before a new eventful route!
Day 8
13.02.2025
We sleep off after the flight and in the afternoon we go to the largest freshwater body of water in Southeast Asia - Lake Tonle Sap, or as it is also called the “Khmer Sea”. During the rainy season, from April to November, when the Tonle Sap River, which flows from it, changes its flow direction in the opposite direction, the area of the lake increases 5 times and reaches 16,000 km².
Thanks to this feature, popular rumor called the lake the heart of Cambodia. Indeed, numerous rivers and canals, like a circulatory system, feed most of the country’s rice fields.
Warm water, shallow water, plus a colossal amount of humus washed away from the fields creates ideal conditions for fish reproduction. It is no surprise that the Tonle Sap is one of the most productive freshwater fisheries in the world.
People living in the vicinity of the lake are forced to adapt to these conditions and build houses on high stilts or directly on rafts. As a result, entire settlements arose on the lake, villages on the water with their own schools, police stations and even temples.
There are many such villages here. The largest is Chong Ne. More than five thousand people live here, making it a popular tourist destination. We will go there to get acquainted with the life of local fishermen. And on the way back to the hotel, we will stop by a lotus farm, where we will learn all about the process of creating paper and fabric from lotus, and also taste aromatic lotus tea.
Upon returning to Siem Reap, we recommend going for a massage, after which you can go to Pub Street at night and drink a mango margarita, listen to live music in the pub or attend a dinner show with Aspara dancing.
(Meals: breakfast included)
Day 9
14.02.2025
Today we are waiting for a fascinating journey into the world of Angkor, lost in the jungle, the center of the once powerful and prosperous Khmer empire. We will witness how the first rays of the sun paint the famous Angkor Wat in golden shades - a spectacle that you cannot describe.
This majestic structure, built in the 12th century, is one of the wonders of the world and the largest religious building in the world dedicated to the god Vishnu.
This is what the French traveler and naturalist Henri Muot wrote in his book, who, in search of rare bugs, spiders, butterflies and other living creatures, got lost in the jungle and accidentally stumbled upon this amazing temple complex: “I have never felt as happy as I do now, in this gorgeous tropical setting. Even if I knew that I would have to die, I would never exchange this life for the pleasures and conveniences of the civilized world." Thus, thanks to the Frenchman, in 1861 Europe learned about the existence of the Temple City of Angkor Wat.
The temple complex covers an area of over 3,000 km² (slightly larger than Luxembourg) and is built of sandstone. The weight of individual blocks reaches 4 tons, but they were adapted so carefully that the blocks did not need mortar. The central part of Angkor Wat is crowned with 5 towers or prangs. The highest of which symbolizes the mystical Mount Meru, where the gods live. According to Hindu texts, the height of this mountain is more than 1 million km. The height of the central tower is 65 meters.
Next, we will be surprised by the legendary Bayon Temple (Prasat Bayon), which is located in the center of the ancient capital of Angkor - Angkor Thom, with its architectural atmosphere. On the walls of the temple you will see numerous bas-reliefs that will tell you about the life, wars, holidays, rituals, scenes from the life of the ancient Khmers.
But the most delightful thing about a temple is its faces. They decorate 54 towers. On each of the towers, a face is carved from stone on four sides. That is, only 216 stone faces. Not all of them have actually survived. But still, no matter where you find yourself in the temple, several stone faces will be watching you at the same time. Who are they? What do they want to say? Maybe their secret will be revealed to you 😉
Here you can also climb the stone mountain-temple (Baphuon) and stroll through the territory of the former royal palace with its central temple of Phimeanakas, the terrace of the elephants and the leper king.
And at the end of the excursion day, closer to sunset, you will visit the ancient Buddhist monastery of Ta Prohm. Heavily destroyed, this temple was once richly decorated, music was played here, and receptions and dances were held in the halls. However, during the capture of Angkor by the Siamese in the 15th century, Ta Prohm, like all the other temples, was abandoned and swallowed up by giant ficus, silk trees.
This is exactly how the temple appeared to the eyes of the Frenchman Henri, in a symbiosis of stone and nature.
Meals (breakfast included)
Day 10
15.02.2025
Today we will go on a trip to the small Kulen Mountain, which is considered a sacred place among the Khmers. According to legend, it was here that the divine Buddha took his last step into nirvana.
On the way we will visit another miracle of Khmer architecture - the Beng Mealea Temple and Banteay Srei. We will walk along the mountain river “Thousand Lingams”. The word lingam in Hinduism symbolizes God Shiva, namely his reproductive organ is a symbol of the divine productive force.
And here, along the bottom of the river, 1000 lingas were carved right into the rocky bottom. Passing through them, the river gains strength and, going down, irrigates the rice fields, making them fertile. It is also believed that water can cure infertility.
Then we will climb to the peak of the mountain rock - here is a functioning Buddhist monastery of the 16th century with a carved 8-meter silhouette of a “lying” Buddha. We will also visit the caves in which local ascetics spent their entire lives.
After which, in the midst of the sultry heat, a gift awaits us - swimming in the cool waters of the two-stage Kulen waterfall. Known as a real place of power, where from time immemorial they have been asking for strength, health, and the fulfillment of desires from God Shiva!
Return to the hotel, farewell dinner, rest.
(Meals: breakfast included)
Day 11
16.02.2025
Today we have a free day! So you can devote it to rest, or to new discoveries and travel. You can go to meet the sunrise while there are no people to walk in the silence of the majestic temples of Angkor. Fly over the temples in a helicopter or an oxygen balloon, go on a zipline tour in the jungle. Or go to additional locations and excursions. For example, to the ancient city of Koh Ker and the mysterious “pyramid of death”.
(Breakfast included)
Day 12
17.02.2025
Our adventure has come to an end! Warm hugs and we say goodbye to new chapters, new stories and new adventures! Transfer to the airport, flight home.
Or, as an option, a continuation of your already independent trip to Cambodia, Laos or Thailand on the ocean.
WHY WITH PAGANEL?
We are unique
For many years, we have been traveling the world to our small planet's most remote and unusual places. We do not use the services of domestic travel agencies. The trips we invent and carry out are always unique and have their unique zest, charm, and adventurous spirit.
Creation
The first thing that interests us is creativity in everything. During the expeditions, we shoot a lot of videos, take pictures, write stories, draw pictures. If you are interested in a creative approach to life and travel, then WELCOME... we are very happy to meet you!
Interest
By joining our team, you join a kind of club family, which already consists of several hundred people who are interested in discovering the world with us.
Since most of the expenses for organizing a trip – air tickets and travel documents for other modes of transportation, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. – are made by us in advance, long before the trip, the prepayment or payment for the trip is non-refundable in the event of cancellation.
Since most of the expenses for the organization of the trip are air tickets and travel documents for other types of transport, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. are not refundable in case of your cancellation of the trip. We simply have no way to return it.
Please note that this itinerary is tentative. The weather always has the last word. The itinerary is designed to allow sufficient time at the end of the Expedition in case of any weather-related delays. If necessary, the captain can change the expedition route depending on external conditions!
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