Please email john@johnshorstravel.com if you are interested in joining this trip!
Singapore is one of the world’s easiest airports to fly into. Guests will quickly proceed through customs, pick up their luggage, and then take a taxi a short distance to the hotel. Taxi fees will be reimbursed by John Shors Travel.
Flights from America usually arrive in Singapore in the evening, local time.
Note: Some guests will opt to arrive on January 17, so that they can relax for a day before the tour officially begins. These guests will enjoy a free day, on their own, to relax on January 18. Free day activities could include visits to Little India, Arab Street, etc. John Shors Travel can help facilitate these activities.
Our hotel will be the 5-star hotel, The Fullerton, located in the downtown area.
Meet at the hotel’s restaurant for a welcome dinner.
Meet in hotel lobby, and depart for a tour of this famous “city-state”. Enjoy a walking tour of Singapore’s extraordinary “Gardens by the Bay”:
Explore the nearby “Cloud Forest”, which is considered to be the world’s best botanical garden:
Enjoy a simple lunch at this complex.
Guest will have two choices, as it’s the first day of the tour:
Relax for the rest of the day, or continue exploring the area independently.
Meet in the hotel lobby and depart for dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Meet in the hotel lobby and depart for a self-guided tour of the National Gallery of Singapore, which features the largest collection of modern art in all of SE Asia, comprising more than 9,000 pieces.
Enjoy lunch at the National Gallery’s Violet Oon restaurant, which is run by one of Singapore’s most famous chefs. Here we will have a multi-course, family-style meal.
Depart for the Asian Civilizations Museum. We will enjoy a self-guided tour of this magnificent museum.
Relax for the rest of the day, or continue exploring the area independently.
Meet in the hotel lobby, and take taxis to the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel, where we’ll enjoy dinner on the top floor:
Watch a spectacular ten-minute light and water show from the waterfront.
Meet in the lobby, with bags packed, and depart for Singapore’s international airport.
Singapore Airlines # 166
Departs Singapore at 2:40 p.m.
Arrives at Siem Reap at 3:55 p.m.
We will meet a local guide, Pheng, after arriving and take vans into the city.
Check into our five-star hotel, The Sofitel.
Enjoy a family-style dinner at the hotel’s lovely restaurant
Meet a local guide in the hotel’s lobby and depart on two vans for a tour of Angkor Thom, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire.
We will first briefly stop at the famous bridge going into Angkor Thom, and then briefly tour Bayon Temple.
Enjoy a tour of the magnificent Ta Prohm Temple, known for its dramatic fusion of nature and architecture. This ancient Khmer temple, built in the 12th century, is famous for the massive tree roots intertwining with the stone structures, creating an enchanting and mystical atmosphere.
Because we will be outside of the city, we will have lunch at a simple restaurant near the temples.
Relax for the rest of the day, or continue exploring the area independently.
Meet in the lobby and depart on vans for dinner at the lovely French/Cambodian restaurant, Malis.
Guests may either take a van back to our hotel or explore Siem Reap’s famous Pub Street with John.
Meet in the hotel lobby. Take vans with a local guide to Angkor Wat.
Enjoy an extensive, guided tour of the extraordinary Angkor Wat, which is considered to be one of the World’s Wonders. Enjoy all that Angkor Wat has to offer, including exploration of rooms and chambers that few tourists know about.
After Angkor Wat, we will briefly stop by a small “Killing Fields” memorial, dedicated to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime.
We will enjoy lunch at Changkran Khmer Restaurant, which trains street children to enter the restaurant industry.
Relax for the rest of the day, or continue exploring the area independently.
Because we are going to a special performance tonight, we will need to have an early dinner.
Meet in the hotel lobby and depart for Butterfly Pea Restaurant, a wonderful local restaurant.
Take vans to Phare, The Cambodian Circus (this is more of a Cirque du Soleil than a traditional circus). We will all have good seats for this dynamic performance.
Depart the hotel and drive about 45 minutes through the Cambodia countryside to the lovely temple of Banteay Srei, sometimes referred to as “The Women’s Temple". Enjoy a thoughtful tour of this small, pink sandstone temple.
Enjoy lunch at Haven Restaurant, another great NGO that trains street children to become waiters, cooks, and restaurant professionals.
Guests may return to the hotel for free time or visit a store near our hotel that sells high-end Cambodian gifts, including jewelry, rugs, antiques, etc.
Enjoy an a la carte dinner at Sokkhak River Lounge.
After dinner, John will take anyone interested to get a foot massage on Pub Street.
Visit Angkor National Museum, an excellent museum that depicts many of the wonders that we’ll have seen over the previous days.
Return to the hotel and check out of rooms.
Have a late lunch at the hotel.
Meet in the lobby, with bags packed. Take vans to Siem Reap International Airport.
Vietnam Airways # 812
Departs Siem Reap at 6:30 p.m.
Arrives HCMC at 7:45 p.m.
Meet our local guide, Sharmay, at the airport, and take a private bus to our 4.5-star hotel.
Our hotel will be The Hotel Majestic Saigon, an old French luxury hotel in the best part of town. The Hotel Majestic Saigon is located on the famous Dong Khoi Street, which is close to the Saigon River. While this hotel has seen the passing of a century, it’s considered to be a 4.5-star hotel and is one of the best in the city.
Because of our late arrival, people can simply order room service for dinner.
Leave in vans, with a local guide, for a tour of the impressive Independence Palace.
Enjoy some free time on the nearby “Book Street”, a vibrant pedestrian area lined with bookshops, cafes, and cultural spaces.
Take vans to the Central Post office, as well as Notre Dame Cathedral.
Enjoy lunch at RuNam d’Or Restaurant.
The group will split into different directions to explore. John will accompany one van with guests, while the guide goes in the other van with guests. Options include:
Visiting the War Remnants Museum (please note that many of this museum’s exhibits are graphic and potentially upsetting).
Approximate return to hotel: 4 p.m.
Visiting the Ben Thanh Market for an unforgettable shopping experience.
Approximate return to hotel: 4 p.m.
Shopping on Don Khoi Street, which is near our hotel
Returning to our hotel
Meet in the hotel lobby and walk to a nearby restaurant.
Meet in the hotel lobby and depart for a cooking class. We will make our own multi-course meal, which we will then enjoy for lunch.
For a glimpse of modern-day HCMC, we will go to the top of Landmark 81 Tower, where we will enjoy coffee and/or ice cream.
After coming down from the tower, we will explore a nearby park.
Relax for the rest of the day, or continue exploring the area independently.
We will meet in the hotel lobby and walk to Reflections Restaurant, which is one of the city’s best restaurants, and offers a wonderful nighttime view of the Opera House.
Transportation provided for all guests to Ho Chi Minh City International Airport.
PRICE OF TOUR
$7,995 USD per person, based on double occupancy
$10,595 USD per person, based on single occupancy
PRICE INCLUDES:
Accommodations at high-end hotels
All transportation, including flights, within SE Asia
All meals and non-alcoholic drinks
Fees (temples, tours, guides, etc.)
Excursions (cooking class, museums, etc.)
All tips
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
International airfare to Singapore and returning from Ho Chi Minh City
Alcoholic drinks
Activities during free times such as golf, spa, etc.
Hotel incidentals such as room service, mini bar, phone charges, laundry, etc.
Visa to Vietnam (it’s inexpensive, but guests will order online)
Charges incurred if guests arrive a day early or decide to remain in Asia after the tour ends
This trip includes walks of up to one mile, and over uneven terrain.
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your trip. For your convenience, you can explore options from our trusted travel insurance partner here.