Detailed itinerary: Day 1 Tuesday       Depart USA for Hanoi, Vietnam.   Day 2 Wednesday   Hanoi -  Halong          Arrive Hanoi in the morning. You tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to Halong Bay.  Overnight in Halong.                                          Day 3 Thursday      Halong - Hanoi           This morning, you will cruise on a traditional wooden boat among the emerald waters and craggy limestone cliffs of Halong Bay, stopping at different islands to explore some of the many caves in this area. Sail past floating villages to watch fishermen casting their nets and pearl fisheries and observe the rhythms of daily life on the bay.  Transfer to Hanoi in the afternoon. Overnight in Hanoi.                                  Day 4 Friday          Hanoi               Hanoi, a city of lakes, shaded boulevards and public parks, is the capital of Vietnam. It is a very attractive city with French style buildings and less traffic than other cities in Asia. Major attractions are: ONE PILLAR PAGODA: Constructed of wood on a single stone pillar, it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom. TEMPLE OF LITERATURE: founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, who dedicated it to Confucius in order to honor scholars and men of literary accomplishment. HOAN KIEM LAKE: right in the heart of Hanoi, this lake contains an islet with the tiny Tortoise Pagoda, topped with a red star. HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM: the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh OPERA HOUSE: a magnificent 900-seat opera house built in 1911.   ST JOSEPH CATHEDRAL: a neo-Gothic cathedral finished in 1886, it is noteworthy for its square towers, elaborate altar and stained-glass windows. In the afternoon, visit one of the following museums: HISTORY MUSEUM (BAO TANG LICH): Exhibits include artifacts from Vietnam's turbulent history including some from prehistory, proto-Vietnamese civilizations, the Dong Son culture, the Oc-Eo culture and the Khmer Kingdoms. MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY: This museum brings to life the astonishing ethnic diversity in Vietnam, with art and artifacts from the 54 different ethnic groups that inhabit the country. Inside the museum are detailed descriptions of minority groups, with examples of their traditional clothing and way of life. Outside are faithful reconstructions of traditional longhouses, cemeteries and other distinctive ethnic buildings.               Overnight in Hanoi.                                   Day 5 Saturday      Hanoi - Hue     Fly to Hue in the morning. You will visit: IMPERIAL CITY: located in the Citadel, it was built in the early 19th century and modeled after the Forbidden City in Peking. There are numerous palaces and temples within these walls, as well as towers, a library and a museum. TU DUC TOMB: Emperor Tu Duc, who ruled Hue more than 100 years ago, built his tomb when he was still alive and used it for meditation, reading and theater performances. There are pavilions in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. The tomb was constructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc, who was the longest reigning Emperor, lived a luxurious life.     You will also Visit Dong Ba Market, a local market near the Imperial City            Overnight in Hue.                                      Day 6 Sunday                  Hue - Danang             Visit the Thien Mu Pagoda with a boat trip on the Huong Giang River    THIEN MU PAGODA: just outside of Hue, on the bank of the Perfume River, this was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Behind the main sanctuary of the pagoda is the Austin motorcar which transported the monk Thich Quang Duc to the site of his 1963 self-immolation.     Transfer from Hue to Danang.            You will pass  the Hai Van Pass and Lang Co. HAI VAN PASS: the pass crosses over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that just into the South China Sea. It is an incredible mountainous stretch of highway with spectacular views. LANG CO: a pretty, island-like stretch of palm-shaded sand with a crystal-clear lagoon on one side and many km of beachfront facing the South China Sea.             Arrive Danang in the afternoon. Danang, Vietnam's fourth largest city marks the northern limits of Vietnam's tropical zone, boasting a pleasant year-round climate. CHAM MUSEUM: founded in 1915 by the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, the open-air collection of Cham sculpture is the finest in the world. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking. CHINA BEACH: it stretches for many kilometers north and south of the Marble Mountains. MARBLE MOUNTAINS: Five stone hillocks, once islands, made of marble. Each is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe. The largest and most famous, Thuy Son, has a number of natural caves in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the centuries. Overnight in Danang.                                      Day 7 Monday        Danang - Saigon         Today you will take an excursion  from Danang to Hoi An.          Hoi An is a picturesque riverside town south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it was one of South East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. You will visit five of the following sights. QUAN CONG TEMPLE. this Chinese temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, whose partially gilt statue is in the central altar at the back of the sanctuary. PHUOC KIEN PAGODA: Chinese pagoda built around 1690 and then restored and enlarged in 1900. The temple is dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Goddess of the Sea and Protector of Sailors and Fishermen). JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE: the first bridge on this site was constructed in 1593. It was built by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream. DIEP DONG NGUYEN HOUSE: built for a Chinese merchant, an ancestor of the present inhabitants, in the late 19th century. TRAN FAMILY CHAPEL: this house for worshipping ancestors was built about 200 years ago with donations from the family members. The architecture of the building reflects the influence of Chinese and Japanese styles. SA HUYNH MUSEUM: located near the Japanese covered Bridge, it contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history. TRADING CERAMICS MUSEUM: museum offering a display of old Hoi An ceramics. QUAN THANG HOUSE: one of the oldest and nicest houses in Hoi An. There are some especially fine carvings on the wooden walls of the rooms around the courtyard. PHUNG HUNG HOUSE: one family has been living here for already 8 generations. The house is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese style. QUANG DONG PAGODA: this pagoda was open to all Chinese traders or seamen and is dedicated to Thien Hau – it’s a small Chinese style temple with a lintel gate, a rockery courtyard and lucky animals depicted in statuary. CHUA CHUC THANH PAGODA: founded in 1454 by Minh Hai, a Buddhist monk from China, is the oldest pagoda in Hoi An. Among the antique ritual objects still in use are several bells, a stone gong two centuries old and a carp-shaped wooden gong said to be even older.        You will fly to Saigon in the afternoon. Overnight in Saigon.                                   Day 8 Tuesday       Saigon             Saigon is the largest of Vietnamese cities, with the hustle and bustle of Vietnamese life visible everywhere. There are street markets, sidewalk cafes and sleek new bars. The city churns and bubbles. Yet within this teeming metropolis are 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of an ancient culture. To the west of the city is District 5, the huge Chinese neighborhood called Cholon, which means 'Big Market'. NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL: built between 1877 and 1883 and set in the heart of Saigon's government quarter. It has a neo-Romanesque form and two high square towers, tipped with iron spires. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary. CENTRAL POST OFFICE: a French-style building with a glass canopy and iron frame, situated next to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The structure was built between 1886 and 1891 and is by far the largest post office in Vietnam. CITY HALL: completed in 1908, also known as _Hotel de Ville , and located at the northern end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard. With its ornate gingerbread façade, it looks like the town hall of a French town. (May be viewed from the outside only). OPERA HOUSE: built around the turn of the century and first renovated in the 1940s, the building housed the lower division of the National Assembly. Today it is a Municipal Theatre and also known as the Saigon Concert Hall. (May be viewed from the outside only). JADE EMPEROR PAGODA: was a key meeting place for Chinese secret societies. It has very colorful and mysterious ambience. REUNIFICATION PALACE: this was the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president and was stormed by tanks on 30 April 1975, signifying the fall of South Vietnam. It has been preserved in its original state. WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM: collections of weapons and photographs from two Indochina wars are exhibited along with the original French 'Guillotine' brought here in the early 20th century. BEN THANH MARKET: the central market of Saigon, its surrounding streets make up one of the city's liveliest areas. Everything commonly eaten, worn or used by the average resident of Saigon is available here. GIAC LAM PAGODA: the oldest pagoda in Saigon, built at the end of the 17th century. Because the last reconstruction here was in 1900, the architecture, layout and ornamentation remain almost unaltered by the modernist renovations that have transformed so many other religious structures in Vietnam. Ten monks live in this pagoda, which also incorporates aspects of Taoism and Confucianism. BINH TAY MARKET: Cholon's main marketplace, much of the business conducted here is wholesale. THIEN HAU PAGODA: built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century. The pagoda is one of the most active in Cholon and is dedicated to Thien Hau. It is said that she can travel over the oceans on a mat and ride the clouds to wherever she pleases.              Overnight in Saigon.                                  Day 9 Wednesday   Saigon - Phnom Penh            Fly to Saigon to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Considered the loveliest of the French-built cities of Indochina, it was founded as a small monastery in 1372 by a rich Khmer woman called Penh after she found four Buddha statues in a tree trunk on the banks of the Mekong. She set up the monastery on a nearby hill or "phnom" in Cambodian. You will visit the following sites: WAT PHNOM: a temple and location of the first pagoda on this site built in 1372 by Penh to house the four Buddha statues found on the banks of the Mekong. It is the only hill (27 meters) in the capital. ROYAL PALACE AND SILVER PAGODA: the royal palace stands on the site of the former citadel, Bantey Kev (built in 1813). Visitors are not allowed in some portions of the grounds, as the palace is the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni. The silver pagoda is often called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Preah Kaeo after the statue housed there. The wooden temple was originally built by King Norodom in 1892 and inside, its floor is comprised of more than 5000 silver blocks which together weigh nearly 6 tons. NATIONAL MUSEUM: designed by a French archeologist and painter, George Groslier, in Khmer style in 1920 to exhibit works previously scattered throughout the country. It contains a collection of Khmer art including the beautiful 6th century bronze statue of Vishnu. TUOL SLENG MUSEUM (Museum of Genocide): formerly the Tuol Svay Prey High School, in 1975 it became the Khmer Rouge's main torture and interrogation center. It was known as Security Prison 21, or just S-21. CENTRAL MARKET or RUSSIAN MARKET: Visit one of Phnom Penh's two great markets. The Central Market is located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building, and is filled with jewelry, fabrics and all types of souvenirs. The Russian Market is a sprawling labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, jewelry and more. Both are fascinating places to browse.        Overnight in Phnom Penh.                                     Day 10         Thursday      Phnom Penh - Siem Reap     Fly Siem Reap.             Visit Angkor Wat             ANGKOR WAT: a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between 1131 and 1150. It was constructed over a period of 30 years and is world famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. In 1992 the UNESCO declared the monument and the whole city of Angkor a World Heritage Site.         Visit Angkor Thom           ANGKOR THOM: a fortified Royal City (10 square kilometers) built by King Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181 to 1201. The city has five monumental gates and is encircled by a moat 100 meters wide. In the center of the walled city are the city’s most important monuments including Bayon, Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimeanakas with Royal Enclosure. BAYON: Jayavarman VII's temple mountain that stands at the center of Angkor Thom. It is one of the most popular of Angkor's monuments and a place of narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs and an amazing collection of towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces. BAPHUON: the pyramid shape represents the mythical Mount Meru and marks the center of the city that was here before Angkor Thom. PHIMEANAKAS: near the center of what was once the royal palace within Angkor Thom. Phimeanakas means ‘Celestial Palace’, though today there is not much left to indicate its former splendour. TERRACE OF ELEPHANTS: this terrace was used for viewing public ceremonies and was a base for the King’s grand audience hall. The famous lines of elephants are at either end of the retaining walls. TERRACE OF THE LEPER KING: North of the Terrace of Elephants is a platform named ‘Terrace of the Leper King’. On the platform is a nude statue – one of Angkor’s mysteries.        Overnight in Siem Reap.                                       Day 11         Friday           Siem Reap        Visit Banteay Srei Temple           BANTEAY SREI: built in the late 10th century, it is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. The temple is square with entrances on the east and west. Of main interest are the three central towers which are decorated with male and female divinities and beautiful filigree relief work.          Visit Banteay Samre               BANTEAY SAMRE: built in the middle of the 12th century under Suryavarman II, and dedicated to the god Vishnu.                 Visit Ta Prohm     TA PROHM: one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.       Visit Prasat Kravan         Visit Banteay Kdei Temple          BANTEAY KDEI: a massive Buddhist temple dating from the second half of the 12th century. It is surrounded by four concentric walls, the outer walls measuring 500 by 700 meters.           Visit Ta Keo         TA KEO: built by Jayavarman V who ruled from 968 to 1001), it was the first Angkorian monument built entirely of sandstone and was dedicated to Shiva. The summit of the central tower is 50 meters high and is surrounded by four lower towers.       Visit Thommanon            THOMMANON: temple which mirrors Chau Say Tevoda (just to the north), as it was built around the same time and has a similar plan. It is also dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.       Overnight in Siem Reap.                                        Day 12         Saturday      Siem Reap   / Bangkok After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.   Day 13         Sunday         Bangkok Today you will discover Bangkok by visiting three most gorgeous Buddhist temples in Bangkok: Wat Traimitr with its impressive 3-meter tall, 5-ton heavy sold gold Buddha image which gleams like no other gold artifact; Wat Pho, Bangkok’s oldest and largest temple, which features the largest reclining Buddha; the Marble Temple, a prime example of modern Thai architecture.   Day 14         Monday        Bangkok / USA Today your journey comes to an end as you bard your flight home.