14 days
Essential Indochina

Meeting & greeting at the airport upon your arrival and transfer to your hotel. If time permits, we will take a short orientation tour around central Hanoi.

(Includes Breakfast)

Today we have a full day tour to visit the various memorials and complexes of Ho Chi Minh, the famous revolutionary leader. We will also visit Single Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature.

Afternoon we visit the Museum of Ethnology which exhibits a large collection of artefacts and full size unique wooden buildings of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam.

Next we enjoy a rickshaw ride through the lively Old Quarter and end up at an old house on Ma May Street, which is a great example of dwellings in the 19th century.

Later we walk through the busy traffic to the water puppet theatre and enjoy a performance of the famed traditional art form created by village farmers around the Red River Delta region.

(Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

We Leave Hanoi by road to Halong Bay and enjoy the rural scenery as our vehicle travels  through the picturesque countryside. Along the way we can stop for close-up views and photographs of water buffalos ploughing, and chat with the rural women wearing their traditional conical hats as they work in the paddy fields.

On arrival at Halong we board a nostalgic traditional junk boat and enjoy a full day and night cruising among the inspirational islets of Halong Bay. Kayaking and swimming are optional and you can also try your luck at fishing in the bay, or just relax after your dinner. Overnight in Halong Bay on a luxury Junk watching the sun set.

(Includes Breakfast, Lunch)

Wake up to fresh coffee then further cruising and more sightseeing. En-route the junk weaves through impressive rock formations as we return to port.

Disembark and return to Hanoi for a flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Meet up with our local guide upon arrival.

(Includes Breakfast)

After breakfast we embark on a full day tour of the largest and most vibrant city of Vietnam.

In the morning we'll see the famous sights including the Reunification Palace, War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Colonial Post Office,  Opera House,  City Hall and Ben Thanh Market, etc...

In the afternoon we'll visit Cho Lon - Saigon's China Town - to see the Museum of Traditional Medicine and the elaborately ornate Thien Hau pagoda. 

(Includes Breakfast, Lunch)

Our tour today includes a visit to the opulent Holy See Temple of Caodai Sect in Tay Ninh. Caodai is a fascinating Vietnamese religion combining aspects of Christian, Buddhism, Muslim, Taoism and Confucius into a single religion. There's a chance to observe the impressive noon service of adherents.

Early afternoon we travel to Cu Chi to explore the legendary network of underground combat tunnels where our guide will explain how the Vietcong survived and fought during the Vietnam War. 

(Includes Breakfast, Lunch)

We leave the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City behind and journey to Mekong Delta, a world that lives and works on the waters.

Arriving in My Tho, a prosperous town just 80 km from Ho Chi Minh City. We take a boat to visit family workshops producing handicrafts and candy from coconut.

Enjoy tasting seasonal tropical fruits in an exuberant orchard, we then ride a horse cart to a typical Delta house and enjoy folk music.

Proceed by local sampan through the small canals and side arms of the river to further experience river life. For lunch we'll sample regional specialties such as Elephant Ear Fish, Rice Ball, etc…

After a pleasant break we travel to Can Tho where we take walk around Ninh Kieu Quay - bustling and exciting with river life on Hau River

(Includes Breakfast)

Early morning, we take a boat to the extraordinary market of Cai Rang. Famous as one of the largest floating markets on the Mekong Delta. 

The boat tour is capped off with an orchard visit. We then return to Ho Chi Minh City to take a flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. 

Meet up with our local guide on arrival and drive to your hotel.

(Includes Breakfast, Dinner)

Today we enter the great city of Angkor Thom through the South Gate to admire the Temples of Baphoun and Phimeanakas, Terraces of Elephant, Leper King, and especially the mysterious smiling Bayons.

After a break we'll visit the fascinating temples of Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Thevoda, and the Royal Bath of Sras Srang. 

Hike up Phnom Bakheng to behold the magnificent sunset over the land of temples.

This evening, enjoy dinner with entertainment from Apsara dancers.

(Includes Breakfast)

This morning explore the epic Angkor Wat complex. Built in the 12th century as the capital of King Suryavarman II's kingdom, this is the largest and best-preserved of the Angkor temples.

In the afternoon we drive out of town to the rural village of Pour Krom and walk through this lovely village to see local life. 

We enjoy an ox cart ride before transfer to Chong Knies village to enjoy a boat trip on the Great Lake of Tonle Sap to see the fascinating floating village communities and get a taste of life ruled by monsoonal rains and water-based agriculture.

(Includes Breakfast)

Free time until transfer to the airport for a flight to Luang Prabang, Laos.

Meet up with our local guide upon arrival and transfer to the hotel for overnight.

(Includes Breakfast)

Early rise to watch or participate in the unique daily morning ritual, where hundreds of saffron-clad monks walk in procession collecting offerings of sticky rice from devout residents along the roadsides.

After breakfast embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River to the mysterious Pak Ou caves, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims.

We also visit Ban Xangkhong and Ban Xienglek where local people produce traditional textiles and jute paper. 

Return to town and tour the most outstanding temples: Wat Visoun with the watermelon-shaped roof, Wat Xiengthong with the sweeping roofs, Wat Sene boasting the most dazzling facade of all Luang Prabang temples, Wat Aham - the "Monastery of the blossomed Heart", and Wat Mai - the largest and most richly decorated of the temples in town.

We then challenge the steps up Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view. 

Take a leisurely walk through the Night Market at the foot of Mount Phosi to see the array of handicrafts.

(Includes Breakfast)

This morning we visit the rural villages around Luang Prabang, to get acquainted with the Hmong, Lowland Laotian, and Khmu ethnic minority people. 

Visit the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall that offers a chance to cool off in the turquoise pools.

En route back to town we call at Ban Phanom village to visit skilled hand-weaving women. 

Soak in the history of Luang Prabang at the Palace Museum, which houses an extensive collection of statues within the buildings mosaic covered walls.

(Includes Breakfast, subject to flight time)

Free time before transferring to the airport for your departure flight.