Vietnam & Cambodia
THE SCENIC ROUTE
Street Food, Backroads & Sunsets
16 April - 2May 2027 | 17 days / 16 nights
Hanoi • Pu Luong • Ninh Binh • Hoi An • Siem Reap
VIBRANT CITIES • RICE TERRACES • LOCAL FOOD • COUNTRYSIDE • ANCIENT TEMPLES • TIME TO EXPLORE
From NZD $9,895 per person twin share
Solo pricing available • Deposit $500 per person • *International flights ex Auckland included
Two countries. One wonderfully varied journey.
Vietnam draws you in quickly. Scooters stream through Hanoi's old streets, tiny kitchens spill onto the footpaths and the smell of grilled pork, herbs and strong coffee seems to follow you everywhere. Then the city falls away and we find ourselves among the rice terraces and traditional villages of Pu Luong, the limestone landscapes of Ninh Binh and the lantern-lit lanes of Hoi An.
From there we cross into Cambodia, where the scale changes again. Jungle roots curl around ancient stone at Ta Prohm, enormous carved faces watch over Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat rises from the landscape as one of the great sights of Southeast Asia. I've built in plenty of memorable experiences, but also real time to wander, eat, swim, shop and make discoveries of your own.
The Travel With Becks way
I want this journey to feel alive. In Hanoi we'll get off the main streets and into the back lanes by jeep, then head out after dark by Vespa to eat our way around the city. We'll make pottery in Bat Trang, walk through rice country in Pu Luong, explore Ninh Binh by open-air jeep and sampan, and meet families and craftspeople around Hoi An.
The pace changes deliberately. Pu Luong gives us three nights among mountains and rice terraces, Hoi An gives us four nights to enjoy both the countryside and the old town, and Siem Reap gives us time to experience Angkor properly without every day being scheduled from morning to night.
There is structure when it adds something special, and freedom when a place is better discovered at your own pace. I'll be travelling with you throughout, so you have the ease of a small-group journey without losing the independence that makes travel fun.
LOCAL EXPERIENCES • THOUGHTFUL PACING • BEAUTIFUL STAYS • GENUINE FREE TIME • SMALL-GROUP EASE
Hanoi | Street life, hidden lanes & food after dark
Day1 • Friday 16 April — Arrive Hanoi
Welcome to Hanoi - a city that seems to operate at full volume from the moment you arrive. Scooters weave around one another, pavement cafes fill with tiny stools and the Old Quarter hums with life from morning until late. We'll transfer to our hotel and keep the first day easy, giving you time to unpack, rest and take that first wander when you're ready.
Day 2 • Saturday 17 April — Hanoi by jeep
The morning is yours before we head out after lunch in a vintage-style jeep. We'll see the grander face of Hanoi around West Lake, the Opera House and French Quarter, then slip into the narrow backstreets, markets and neighbourhoods where everyday life unfolds behind the famous sights. The Temple of Literature adds a quieter moment and a glimpse into nearly a thousand years of Vietnamese learning and culture.
Day 3 • Sunday 18 April — Pottery by day, Hanoi by Vespa at night
This morning we head to Bat Trang, a pottery village beside the Red River where ceramics have been made for centuries. You'll have time to try your hand at pottery, browse the ceramic market and explore the museum before returning to Hanoi. Tonight is completely different: we climb onto Vespas and follow our guide through the city after dark, stopping for bun cha, crispy spring rolls, local snacks, fresh beer and different styles of pho before finishing amid the lights and energy of nighttime Hanoi.
Pu Luong | Rice terraces, villages & room to breathe
Day 4 • Monday 19 April—Into the mountains
We leave Hanoi behind and travel into the green folds of Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Traditional Thai stilt houses begin appearing among the hills and the landscape opens into layers of rice terraces. After lunch we'll walk towards Kho Muong village, following small paths past homes and viewpoints before descending towards the valley and, weather permitting, BatCave. Tonight we settle into the mountains and a completely different rhythm.
Day 5 • Tuesday 20 April — Villages, waterwheels & the river
Today is about the landscape and the people who have shaped it. We'll cross a hanging bridge over the Cham River, walk through Ba village and see traditional houses and the ingenious bamboo waterwheels used by local Thai communities. Later we'll take to the river on a simple bamboo boat - quiet, slow and wonderfully suited to the countryside around us.
Day 6 • Wednesday 21 April — A day that belongs to you
No alarm required unless you want one. Today is completely free to enjoy Pu Luong your way: sleep in, walk, swim, sit with a book, have a long lunch or simply watch the light move across the terraces. After the energy of Hanoi and two days exploring the reserve, this is our chance to stop and actually enjoy being here.
Ninh Binh - Limestone valleys & quiet waterways
Day 7 • Thursday 22 April — Countryroads by open-air jeep
We travel to Ninh Binh, where sheer limestone karsts rise abruptly from rice fields and waterways. Later an open-air jeep takes us away from the busiest routes and onto country roads around Tam Coc, Thung Nang, Thung Nham and local villages. Paddy fields, farms and enormous rock formations surround us, and we'll finish with a coffee or beer before heading back to the hotel.
Day 8 • Friday 23 April — Van Long by sampan & Mua Cave
Early this morning we'll reach Van Long Nature Reserve, where a small sampan carries us across still water beneath towering limestone cliffs. It is peaceful, reflective and rich in birdlife, with the possibility of spotting the endangered Delacour's langur. The middle of the day is free for lunch or the pool, then later you can take on the 500 steps at Mua Cavefor one of Ninh Binh's great panoramas across the river, rice fields and karst landscape.
Day 9 • Saturday 24 April — Fly south to Hoi An
After breakfast we travel back to Hanoi airport and fly to Da Nang, then continue to Hoi An. By evening the atmosphere has changed again: ochre-coloured old houses, bougainvillea, riverside cafes and lanterns beginning to glow as the sun goes down. The rest of the day is yours to settle in and start exploring.
Hoi An - Countryside, craft & lantern-lit evenings
Hoi An is somewhere worth slowing down for. Over the next four nights we'll explore the countryside and local craft villages, head into the hills to Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge, and still have plenty of time for beaches, shopping, long lunches and lantern-lit evenings in the old town.
Day 10 • Sunday 25 April— CamKim by motorbike
This morning we ride pillion with local drivers across to Cam Kim Island and into the countryside around Hoi An. We'll meet a woodworker at his century-old home, see carpenters and boat builders at work, visit a family weaving traditional basket boats, try mat weaving and learn how wet rice paper is made. Then we sit down to a home-cooked lunch before returning to Hoi An, with the afternoon completely free.
Day 11 • Monday 26 April — Ba Na Hills & the Golden Bridge
Today we head into the hills above Da Nang and ride the cable car to Ba Na Hills. You'll have time to explore independently, including the famous Golden Bridge held aloft by giant stone hands, gardens, pagodas and the French Village high above the coast. We return to Hoi An later in the afternoon, leaving the evening free for another lantern-lit wander or dinner somewhere that catches your eye.
Day 12 • Tuesday 27 April — Hoi An, entirely your way
A full free day in one of Vietnam's easiest places to enjoy slowly. Browse tailors and little shops, cycle to the countryside, head to the beach, book a massage, linger over Vietnamese coffee or simply wander the old town without an agenda. By now you'll know your favourite corners - today is the day to go back to them.
Cambodia - The extraordinary world of Angkor
Day 13 • Wednesday 28 April — HoiAn to SiemReap
We have a relaxed morning before transferring to Da Nang airport for our flight to Siem Reap. On arrival we'll head to the hotel and leave the rest of the day open. Cambodia has a different feel from Vietnam, and tonight is a chance to ease into it - perhaps aswim, a wander through town or your first Cambodian dinner.
Day 14 • Thursday 29 April — Angkor's great temples & Tonle Sap
Today is one of the defining days of the journey. At Ta Prohm, enormous tree roots wrap around weathered stone and the jungle seems to be slowly reclaiming the temple. Then comes Angkor Wat, with its towers, galleries and intricate Apsara carvings, followed by the walled city of Angkor Thom and the enigmatic stone faces of Bayon. Later we'll change pace, travelling by tuk tuk towards Tonle Sap and taking a boat out to see the floating community and life on Southeast Asia's great lake.
Days 15 & 16 • Friday 30 April & Saturday 1 May — Siem Reap, your way
After a big day at Angkor, these two days are deliberately free. Go back to a temple you want to see again, explore Siem Reap's markets and cafes, book a spa treatment, spend time by the pool or add another experience if something has caught your imagination. Having two unscheduled days here means Angkor never has to feel like a rushed box-ticking exercise.
Day 17 • Sunday 2 May — Until next time
After breakfast we'll transfer to the airport for the journey home. In just over two weeks we've moved from Hanoi's backstreets to mountain villages, limestone valleys, Hoi An's lanterns and the monumental temples of Angkor - with plenty of food, laughter and unscripted moments in between.
What's included
16 nights' accommodation in the selected hotels and resorts, with daily breakfast
Private air-conditioned transfers and transport as specified
Local English-speaking guides for the guided experiences in the programme
International flights Economy Class ex Auckland are included - upgrades to premium/business avail on request
Internal flights Hanoi-Da Nang and Da Nang-Siem Reap, with checked and hand baggage as specified
Meals shown in the programme, including selected lunches and the Hanoi Vespa food tour dinner
Hanoi jeep tour and Hanoi after-dark Vespa food experience
Bat Trang pottery village visit and pottery workshop
Pu Luong walks, village experiences and bamboo boat ride
Ninh Binh open-air jeep experience
Ba Na Hills cable car
Cam Kim countryside motorbike experience and home-cooked lunch
Guided Angkor highlights tour and Tonle Sap boat experience
Entrance fees included where specified in the programme
Travel With Becks hosting, care and support throughout
*Flights included at current airfare. Subject to availability and fare changes until booked.
Travel insurance, visas, drinks and meals not specified, personal expenses, gratuities, room upgrades, early check-in/late check-out and optional activities are additional.
Can you picture yourself here?
Riding through Hanoi after dark with the city buzzing around you. Looking across layers of rice terraces in Pu Luong. Drifting beneath limestone cliffs at Van Long. Meeting craftspeople in the countryside around Hoi An. Watching lanterns glow beside the river. Then standing among the roots and ancient stones of Angkor, thousands of kilometres and centuries away from home.
That's the journey I've designed: two very different countries, experienced through food, landscapes, local life and some truly extraordinary places, with enough breathing room to enjoy the moments you could never plan in advance.
VIETNAM & CAMBODIA • 16 APRIL - 2 MAY 2027
From NZD $9,895 per person twin share
Solo pricing available • Deposit $500 per person
To reserve your place, contact me and I'll talk you through the next steps and arrange your booking.
Rebecca “Becks” MacFadyen
Travel With Becks
Contact me today to start planning your next unforgettable group tour!