VIETNAM - LAOS - CAMBODIA 16 DAYS

Arrive in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Hanoi is one of the most charming cities in South East Asia with its authentic street scenes, large shady avenues, numerous lakes, manicured gardens and well-preserved architecture. Transfer from Noi Bai airport to your hotel. Free evening.

Night in Hanoi.

The day is dedicated to a more in depth discovery on Hanoi beginning with a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (Outsite from Ba Dinh Square). One Pillar Pagoda. Visit the Temple of Literature, the compound soon became first Vietnam’s university. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the Museum of Ethnography, which houses an interesting collection of artifacts relating to the mosaic of ethnic groups that inhabit Vietnam. Visit the Temple of Jade at the centre of atmospheric Hoan Kiem lake. In the evening, enjoy water puppets theatre traditional show.

Night in Hanoi.

Have breakfast at the hotel.

We pick you up at your hotel, and depart for Hoa Lu-Tam Coc, enjoying the beautiful sceneries of the rural areas on the way.

After arriving in Ninh Binh province, the guide takes you to visit Hoa Lu - the Ancient Royal capital of Vietnam. We will visit Dinh king temple and Le King temple, in the 10th century, find out the heroic histories of these two Kings in Chinese Wars. After that, we go to Tam Coc (10 km away from Hoa Lu).

Have lunch.

In the afternoon, you will get on a bamboo boat - rowed by the local people - in Hoang Long river to visit Tam Coc (three caves) on the way. You pass through three enormous caves that provide a brief respite from the intense summer sun. It takes approximately two hours to go up and down the river and along the way, you witness local fisherfolk, village life along the river, and, of course, the striking limestone karst formations that Tam Coc is famous for.

Back to Hanoi and overnight at hotel.

Depart for the world famous Ha Long Bay, Ha Long Bay is a stunning limestone archipelago stretching over some 1500 square kilometers and comprising nearly 3000 islets.

Warm welcome aboard with refreshing drinks and a brief introduction to the cruise itinerary.

Enjoy a scenic voyage through majestic limestone formations, shaped by nature over millions of years.

Visit remarkable natural sites, with options for kayaking, swimming, or exploring hidden caves.

Savor a gourmet lunch and dinner featuring fresh local seafood and authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

In the late afternoon, join exciting onboard activities:

Sunset party on the sundeck with drinks & breathtaking views.

Traditional Vietnamese cooking class – learn how to make signature dishes.

Squid fishing at night for a fun hands-on experience.

Spend the night in a deluxe cabin with ocean views, falling asleep to the gentle waves.

Start your morning with Tai Chi on the sundeck, embracing the fresh sea breeze and golden sunrise.

Enjoy a light breakfast, followed by a visit to another scenic highlight of the bay.

Immerse yourself in nature’s tranquility or take part in more activities like a bamboo boat ride.

Return to the cruise for a hearty brunch while sailing back towards the harbor.

Disembark with unforgettable memories of this magical journey.

Transfer to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Hue. On arrival in Hue, transfer to your hotel and check in. Breakfast, lunch and accommodation included.

Night in Hue.

Cruise in a sampan on the Huong River (Perfume River) to Thien Mu pagoda, or pagoda of the Heavenly Lady. Visit to the Citadel, seat of the Nguyen Dynasty Emperors. Construction began in 1804 under the orders of the first Emperor Gia Long. Next, take a walk through Dong Ba market. Lunch at a local. In the afternoon visit the intricately decorated tomb of Khai Dinh, which contains a beautiful altar and a bust of the king. Next, visit Minh Mang’s mausoleum located on the left bank of the Huong River, which represents the perfect harmony between nature and architcture. Return to Hue.

Night in Hue.

Depart Hue for Hoi An. This drive is reputedly the most beautiful in all Vietnam, taking you past coastal fishing settlements. The drive also takes you over Hai Van Pass. En route you can stop in Da Nang for a visit to a village of stone carvers at the foot of the Marble Mountain . Continue on to the delightful town of Hoi An. Around the fifteenth century, this old port town in the kingdom of Champa was known as Faifo. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the Japanese covered bridge, the temple of the water genie, the Fujian temple.

Night in Hoi An.

Transfer to the airport for your flight from Danang to HochiMinh city. Pick up and check in to your hotel. Begin your exploration of this frenetic city with lunch at a local restaurant. Visit Notre Dame – Sai Gon’s beautiful cathedral. Continue your city tour with a visit to Cholon or China Town. Finish your city tour with a stop at Thien Hau temple, otherwise known as ‘Temple of the Heavenly Lady', to marvel at its intricate friezes and coils of incense.

Night in Hoi An.

Depart for Mekong Delta and its gateway city of My Tho. Board a riverboat for an excursion across the Mekong through islands covered with lush flora and small rural communities. Cruise to Thoi Son Island where you will have the opportunity to visit a local house and taste some of the fruits that are grown locally in the orchards. Lunch is at a local restaurant where you will have the chance to sample a local specialty: ‘elephant ear' fish. Stop at Vinh Trang pagoda, the largest and most remarkable pagoda in the delta.

Night in Hoi An.

Morning flight to Siem Riep.

Welcome to The Kingdom of Wonder!

Upon arrival at Siem Reap Int’s Airport (visa on arrival is available). You’ll be greeted by our escort tour guide and driver then they will transfer directly (Approx. 15 – 20 minutes at current airport or 60 – 90 minutes from new airport that will open from this October 16, 2023 onward) to hotel for check in (standard check in is 2pm, early check in is depend on room availability).

Today, begin your visit to visit Preah Angchek Preah Angchorm, where local come to pray for their happiness etc.. Royal Garden & Royal Residence, following by Angkor National Museum to learn & understand about the cultural heritage of the golden era of the Khmer Kingdom through an amassed collection of invaluable artifacts and through state of the art multimedia technology exhibitions for a full pictorial legendary story for easy comprehension.

Then, we heading out to visit a first glimpse of Angkor today at the early temples of the Roluos Group. Roluos is the site of an ancient center of Khmer civilization known as Hariharalaya. It was the first town built by the Angkorian kings in the 8th and 9th century and consists of three main temples: Bakong, Lolei and PreahKo. The surrounding countryside with its paddy fields and sugar palm trees is very typical for Cambodia. You’ll taking around for some photo before go to your hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

After your breakfast, 08:30am start your visit to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, it was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8 m high wall, drawing a perfect square. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side of the entrance path a row of 54 gods or demons is holding the sacred Naga snake.

Then continue to Ta Prohm temple, built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. This makes Ta Prohm one of the most picturesque and memorable of the Angkor temples.

This afternoon visits the biggest religious temple in the world: the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple. Built by Suryavarman II, in early 12th century Angkor Wat is constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing the Mount Merou, home of the gods. Considered as the masterpiece of the Khmer architecture, this Vishnuite temple is the King"s funerary temple. These are the main reasons to explain the West exposure of the temple. Inside the temple the walls are covered by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting the Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II made during his reign. Stay at this magic place until the sun sets and witness how the warm evening light changes the appearance of the 2000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. End of the day, visit sunset from where possible before back hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

At morning, we travel out of city around 35km through countryside to visit Banteay Srei Temple, which is well-known for its 10th century. With an indication of the distinctiveness of this little gem of a temple, it is also honorably called the jewel in the crown of classical Khmer Art. On the way back, we stop at Pradark Village to see local villagers selling sugar products before continue your visit to Grand Circuit; Preah Khan temple. Built by King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. However, it is in a good state of preservation, and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Keep going to the next stop; we will meet at the fountain Neak Pean, which is built in the middle of a pool, represents the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain lake, and is guarded by stone figures of harnessed elephants (so-called Ta Som and Eastern Mebon).

Return to your hotel for restful night.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

At morning, continue your trip to Kampong Phluk Floating Village, located at 33 km at north-south of Siem Reap. The villages are primarily Khmer and have about 3000 inhabitants between them. Flooded mangrove forest surrounds the area and is home to a variety of wildlife including crab-eating macaques. During the dry season when the lake is low (March – July), the buildings in the villages seem to soar atop their 6- meter stilts exposed by the lack of water. At this time of year many of the villagers move out onto the lake and build temporary houses. In the wet season when water level rises (Aug – February), the villagers move back to their permanent houses on the floodplain, the stilts now hidden under the water. Kampong Phluk's economy is, as one might expect, based in fishing, primary in shrimp harvesting. Back to your hotel.

At noon, you’ll transfer to Siem Reap International Airport to flight to Luang Prabang.

Welcome to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, our guide will meet you at the airport and then escort you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Today, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temples of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as exploring the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. Along the way, we will stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where the local rice wine is produced. On return, we take a short drive to another small village Ban Phanom, which is famous for its hand weaving.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (often in the form of sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual.

After breakfast, we visit the National Museum (closed Tuesdays) at the former Royal Palace. It displays a collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. There will also be time for us to look around the Central Market. We then continue towards Khouangsi Waterfall, en route, we visit the local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Ban Ou, Laoloum and Ban Thapene, and then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall. Here you can take a dip in the inviting pools or walk along the forest trails surrounding the waterfall. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Xangkhong, a village well known for silk hand weaving and for traditional Saa Paper making.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Breakfast at hotel. Rooms available until 12h00. Free at leisure until transfer back to Luang Prabang airport for departure flight.

End of services!