As you embark on an amazing experience combining two of South East Asia's most interesting cities, the scents of jasmine and steady hoots from Ho Chi Minh's crowded streets are never far away. Transfer to your hotel upon arrival in Vietnam's largest city, formerly known as Saigon, and spend the rest of the day resting from your journey or getting a taste of what's in store on your own. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers later this evening for a Welcome Reception with beverages and local appetisers.

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This morning, a leisurely strolling tour of Ho Chi Minh's great boulevards reveals the city's colonial past. Admire the majestic French colonial-era buildings and high-end boutiques that line Dong Khoi Street, as well as the magnificently renovated exteriors of the Opera House. Your next destination is the former CIA residential block, where helicopters urgently evacuated the last US citizens in 1975 as tanks approached the city. Continue your trek with views of Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick structure with twin spires made of materials imported from France. Then, cross the square to see the 19th century Central Post Office, an exquisite French colonial monument that transports you back to a time when the city was an important participant in Indochina. Travel by coach to the Reunification Palace, the old headquarters of the Saigon Government, and then to the War Remnants Museum to acquire a Vietnamese perspective on the war. Return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure after a day of sightseeing, or consider joining an Optional Experience to learn about Saigon's art scene from a museum curator and a local artist.

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Begin your day with a speedboat ride along the Saigon River to the famed Cu Chi Tunnels. As you leave the city, take in the changing faces of Vietnam, from the sparkling skyscrapers and bustling business districts to the verdant paddy fields and little villages that line the river banks. Learn how the Vietcong guerilla soldiers exploited these unbelievably tight and dark tunnels as communication routes, storage facilities for food and weapon stockpiles, as well as hospitals and living quarters throughout the war. Next, connect with locals by visiting an organic farm to learn about the benefits of natural medicine derived from organic vegetables, herbs, spices, and mushrooms grown locally. Wander across the lovely green fields before joining the family for a special Be My Guest lunch at their home. Exchange tales and learn how their business provides a living for many local farmers over some of their favourite family foods.Following that, experience a Wagnistrip@ Experience tour to the HCMC Blind Centre, where youngsters congregate to learn how to play music and use computers under the supervision of volunteers. Mr. Dao Khanh Truong, a blind musician who devoted most of his life caring for and teaching youngsters life skills and music, founded the centre. Later, travel to Ho Chi Minh City for a free evening and possibly see an optional entertainment or visit one of the city's famous rooftop clubs for a bird's eye view of the bustling streets below.

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A leisurely start to your day could include lingering over a cup of smoky oolong tea or getting an early start with an optional walking tour around the city's vibrant outdoor markets to get a sense of life in Ho Chi Minh City. This afternoon, you'll explore Chinatown and the exquisite Thien Hau Pagoda, which was built in the early nineteenth century by the Cantonese population to celebrate the Goddess of the Sea. Dive Into Culture and make a wish, penning your deepest desires on a little card and affixing it to one of the incense coils like the locals. Pay a visit to Binh Tay Market.The French built it in the 1880s in the centre of Saigon's Chinese community to rub shoulders with the locals who come to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, spices, pork, and seafood from all across Vietnam. Continue to FITO, Vietnam's first museum of traditional medicine, for an in-depth look at the history and practical application of traditional medicine. Following that, Dive Into Culture with a walking tour of Chinatown's various herbal medicine shops, where you'll learn how herbs are blended for traditional cures. Later this evening, you'll join your Travel Director and fellow travellers in a local restaurant for a spectacular meal of traditional Vietnamese dishes.

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Leave Vietnam for the thriving City of Angels. After your short trip to Bangkok, meet your Thai Travel Director for supper at a local restaurant serving some of the city's most popular dishes.

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We begin the day by visiting Bangkok's renowned Grand Palace. From the 18th through the mid-20th century, its gilded spires served as a stunning background for the official residence of Thailand's Kings. Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan, a UNESCO-listed royal temple famed for its pyramid-like structure and breathtaking views over Bangkok's major temple area and the Golden Mount, is our next stop. Stroll along the open-air walkway and take in the city skyline before meeting up with your travel partners for lunch at a traditional Royal Thai Cuisine restaurant with classic Thai décor and views of the Democracy Monument.Dive Into Culture this afternoon with a visit to a rural hamlet that produces Thai silk for the famed Jim Thompson factory. You'll pass a tailor-made suit factory, open-air goldsmiths, and man-made silver houses as you walk down the community's vivid canal. Take a look at how gifted villagers colour and weave the delicate silk used to make lovely clothes and accessories. Discover how an American businessman helped restore Thailand's silk industry in the 1950s by supplying quality Thai silk to international design firms. His silk enterprise and the once-dying cottage industry are still going strong today.Discover Jim Thompson House, which has been charmingly designed with Asian art and curios such as Buddha figures, ceramics, and antique furniture. Then, return to your hotel for an evening at leisure or consider participating in our suggested Optional Experience.

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This morning, we leave the high-rises behind and head outside the city's bustle for a peaceful experience with rural Thailand. Meet our local expert. Explore local Thai culture by accompanying them to a Buddhist Temple, then continuing to a neighbouring market, which is located on the banks of the Tha Chin River and is famous for its large range of vegetables, fruit, and Thai snacks. Dive into culture as you shop together, learning about local goods as your Thai host introduces you to their favourite market vendors.Continue downstream, passing small homes and lush vegetation on your approach to your host's riverside home and restaurant. You'll learn about Thai herbs and spices while watching an open-air cooking demonstration. Try your hand at preparing your own Thai cuisine using their favourite recipes, and then sample the foods you assisted in making. Return to your hotel after lunch and spend the remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure.

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This morning, we Dive Into Culture with a picturesque train ride by salt and rice terraces, directly into the Mae Klong railway market. Colourful stalls line both sides of the railway rails. When the train comes by, the tents and supplies are lifted from the rails at breakneck speed and returned just as swiftly, leaving stunned tourists wondering if there was ever a train in the first place. Before boarding a traditional Thai long-tail boat, disembark off the train and explore the market on your own. Travel through small side canals, observing villagers going about their daily lives, and into the Mae Klong River. When you arrive at the famed Damnoen Saduak floating market, you'll see an incredible array of boats selling fresh vegetables, souvenirs, and delectable Thai food. There's more to see when you visit a local open-air Khao Lam producer (sticky rice cooked in a bamboo tube), where you'll learn how to make this delicious Thai sweet delicacy. You may be tempted by the smells of coconut and sugar and decide to buy some for yourself as an afternoon treat later. Return to the hotel and spend your final free afternoon in Bangkok seeing the sights on your own terms. As the sun sets over the enthralling Thai capital, make your way upriver for a farewell dinner in an atmospheric Thai riverside restaurant with views of the spectacular Wat Arun.

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Transfer to Bangkok International Airport for your onward flight.