Your private tour guide will meet you at HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat airport and will escort you by private car to your selected hotel in HCM City (travel time approximately 1 hour). Your knowledgeable guide will be happy to answer any questions about your Indochina holiday itinerary along the way and will assist you with check-in and registration at the hotel.

Dinner will be on your own, but your guide will recommend excellent options for your preferred cuisine – we highly recommend trying Hanoi cuisine for a true immersion experience.

Note: For the Vietnamese Visa on Arrival, please make sure you have 2 passport sized 4 cm x 6 cm photos and $25 for the stamping fee.

Overnight in HCM City

Morning

After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a full-day city tour of HCM City. Below are the recommended sites, but of course, your guide will be happy to modify the list based on your preferences.

Visits:

– War Remnants Museum

– Reunification Palace

– Notre Dame Cathedral with its French colonial architecture

– Dong Khoi, one of the city’s main shopping boulevards

Lunch will be at a local restaurant where you will be served delicious local HCM City cuisine.

Afternoon

After lunch, your full-day city tour continues with a cyclo tour, winding through HCM City’s vibrant streets to Cho Lon and its bustling markets, also make a stop at Thien Hau Pagoda- the most important pagoda in the city.

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in HCM City

Morning

After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to the Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Temple and watch most of the Cao Dai service. This will tell you of the strangest religion in the world. Lunch will be served in a simple local restaurant with lovely southern Vietnam cuisine.

Afternoon

You will be transferred 1,5 hours to Cu Chi tunnels. The tunnels were mainly constructed in the American war and used by the Viet Cong. Upon arrival at the historical relics of Cu Chi, you will be shown a brief introductory documentary and then enjoy sightseeing consisting of 2 walking on uneven mud paths through the bush. You also have a chance to crawl through some of the tunnels.

Finish the tunnel tour, wind your way back to HCM City (travel time approximately 02 hours). The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in HCM City

Morning

This morning you will be driven through the lush gardens and green fields to Mekong Delta. Upon arrival at Vinh Long Town, you will embark on a private boat trip on the Co Chien River, some of the largest Mekong’s arm. You will cruise under the spectacular My Thuan Cable-stayed Bridge. A stop will be made at Dinh Tan Hoa, an ancient provincial house built some hundred fifty years ago.

You will proceed the cruise up-stream on the Tien River, another large arm of the Mekong. On the banks, some dark smokes in the sky will lead you to one of the biggest bricks and tiles factories where you will have an interesting visit.

Afternoon

After lunch, you’ll get back on board then continue to cruise towards Sa Dec. On both sides of the river, locals are revolting water water-hyacinth, another famous Mekong delta product used for furniture and baskets.

Sa Dec town is appearing like a little “Venice” with numerous narrow canals, with various kind of activities on the banks. We will disembark at Sa Dec local market, one of the biggest ones of the delta. Walk along its narrow streets and beautiful old houses dating from the last century, some old Chinese temples, including the primary school of Marguerite Duras famous writer. (See Marguerite Duras novel turned into a famous movie, “The Lover”).

Depart Sa Dec you wind your way to Can Tho. Arrive and check into your hotel.

Overnight in Can Tho

Morning

After breakfast, you will take a two-hour boat trip to visit the Cai Rang floating markets. Wander into the villages to visit the rice paper mill and the rice noodle making factory. Learn how to cross the “Monkey Bridge” which is made from a single bamboo.

From Can Tho, you will take a drive straight back to Tan Son Nhat airport to catch a short afternoon flight to Da Nang.

Afternoon

Upon arrival in Da Nang airport, you will be met and welcomed by your local tour guide and driver. Transfer to hotel in Hoi An. Free at leisure after hotel check-in.

Overnight in Hoi An

Morning

After breakfast at the hotel, you will start the day with an interesting bike (pushbike) ride to visit Hoi An’s major attractions: The Japanese Bridge, Old Merchant House, China Assembly Halls, and some other interesting shops.

Hoi An was once a flourishing port under the Nguyen lords. Today, the charming town retains the spirit of a bygone era, with tile-roofed wooden buildings and ancient winding streets. Riding through this pedestrianized town, losing ourselves in the potpourri of vendors selling colorful handmade lanterns (a Hoi An specialty), tailor shops with local fashions on display and the intoxicating aroma of Vietnam’s undeniable cuisine.

Afternoon

After lunch, a fisherman will greet us at the shore and help us to step on Hoi An’s special boat: Basket Boat. The basket-shaped transportation is widely used in Southern Vietnam; sitting in one would be one of the precious fun moments in your Vietnam holiday. Just as other fishermen, you will be back to shore with a boatload of fish when sunset. What a harvest!

Overnight in Hoi An

Morning

After breakfast, your private guide and driver will take you to My Son Holy Land (about one hour), considered to be one of the best-preserved Cham structures in Vietnam.  My Son is a former capital of the ancient Cham civilization that ruled central Vietnam between the second and thirteenth centuries. The complex is comprised of seventy Hindu-like towers and temples dating from the second century.

After visiting the temple complex and taking plenty of photos, you’ll be taken back to Hoi An at around mid-day. The remainder of the day will be free to explore the town, visit the local markets or simply enjoy your shopping.

Overnight in Hoi An

Morning

Depart Hoi An, you will be driven towards Hue which is about 120km from Hoi An town. Today the journey over Hai Van Pass will be one of the most scenic ones.

In Danang, a stop will be made at Cham Museum which has an open-air collection of Cham sculptures. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking. Visit the marble mountain. You also stop at the famous My Khe Beach (Known as China Beach by American GIs) for some quick photos.

You will also stop for a short coffee break at Lang Co beach – one of the most beautiful beaches of Vietnam.

Arrive in Hue and check into your hotel.

Afternoon

After a local lunch, you will visit the Imperial Citadel, a 19th-century walled fortress taken by North Vietnam during the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War. Later, you’ll embark on a boat cruise along Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda and admire the sunset on the boat.

Overnight in Hue

Morning

After breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and continue your exploration of Hue. Visit Emperor Tu Duc’s tomb, a complex of terraces and pagodas. Then set off to discover Emperor Khai Dinh’s mausoleum — though smaller than Tu Duc’s, it is far more elaborate. Stop at Vong Canh – Bird’s eyed view point to admire the wonderful scenery of the perfume River. Stop at the local workshop to see people making joss sticks and conical hats.

Today you will have an opportunity to enjoy a delicious lunch buffet in a local Buddhist monastery.

Afternoon

After lunch, you will be transferred to Hue airport for a short flight to Hanoi. You will be met on arrivals by your private guide and driven to your hotel on down town to check in. The evening will be at your leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi

Morning

You will set out at 6:00 am and head off to the Hoan Kiem Lake where you will catch a glimpse of Hanoi residents performing their morning exercise routines, perhaps you can join in a random Tai Chi or Aerobics class to stretch your tired limbs.

Leaving the lake, you will go to an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, frequented by the “locals”  for breakfast. Here you will enjoy a bowl of our famous “Pho” noodles. At the restaurant, your tour guide will explain the routine during Vietnamese meal times, and also tell you which special ingredients are needed for you to make an excellent Pho back home.

After breakfast, your tour guide will take you to one of the oldest coffee shops in Hanoi to enjoy a cup of coffee and learn about Hanoi’s coffee culture. This coffee shop is where many Hanoi residents come to relax, slowly sipping coffee and chatting for hours with old friends about times that have gone by!

You will continue this wonderful tour through the Hom market. Here we stroll up ‘food alley’ to see the mouth-watering foods they have on display! We also visit the vegetable stalls, which have an array of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, and where you will see the most common herbs used in daily Vietnamese cooking.

8:00 am, you will visit the Soviet-style Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh read out the declaration of the nation’s independence in 1945. You will visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum; escorted by the soldiers in full regalia (you will be asked to remove hats if entering, and no shorts or vests are allowed either). As you leave, you will be able to walk through the gardens of the Presidential Palace before seeing “Uncle Ho’s” house; the humble dwelling he built (based on a traditional Vietnamese stilt house) and where he lived for the last ten years of his life.

You will then continue to the One Pillar Pagoda and the 900-year old Temple of Literature, the principal Vietnamese Confucian sanctuary, and its historical centre of learning. Made up of five courtyards, this is one of the few remnants of the original city. Lunch will be at a local Hanoi restaurant, where you will be served a delicious Vietnamese style lunch.

Afternoon

You visit the Hoa Lo Prison, the highest security prison of Indochina during the French colony. It was where the Vietnamese patriotic soldiers were detained by the colonialists and were later known as the “Hanoi Hilton” for American pilots during the American War.

You will wind through the narrow alleyways of the Old Quarter and discover many other streets selling Hanoi specialties, and sample some of the local Vietnamese treats such as Omai, Nom, Banh Cuon….etc.

This tour will also include visiting some of the very special historical sites such as the beautifully faded St Josephs, the Old Well at Nha Tho Street and the Bach Ma Temple!

The food tour will conclude once you return to your hotel.

Tonight, you will be transferred to Hanoi Railway station to catch the night train to the Lao Cai, a border town to China.

Overnight on A/C train

Morning

Arrive at Lao Cai, you will take a short transfer on a private van ascending to the former hill-station town of Sapa. At an elevation of 1,500 meters, Sapa was once a hill resort of French administrators when the summer heat became unbearable. The remoteness and the simple lifestyle of ethnic minority people are a highlight of Sa Pa although conditions are basic.

Freshen up and enjoy breakfast and then take a leisure walk to visit Sapa town, Sapa market.

After that, you’ll proceed to Muong Hoa Valley visiting Lao Chai and Ta Van Villages.

Afternoon

After a light picnic lunch at Lao Chai Village, you will continue your walk through the dirt trails and rice terraces to Ta Van village, meet and talk with the hill tribe people and explore their daily life and beautiful landscape. Return to Sapa in the afternoon and the rest of the day will be at your leisure.

Overnight in Sapa

Morning

After breakfast and check out, you will depart Sapa with your entire luggage, transfer for 2 hours to Can Cau market.  Your journey will take us through the mountainous border area between Vietnam and China.  Situated 20 kilometers from Bac Ha, Can Cau is a small but very colorful market.  Opening only on Saturdays, it always delivers a very photogenic display of Flower Hmong, Nung, and Phu La ethnic costumes. After spending the morning exploring the market, we will leave for Bac Ha town where we will have lunch.

Afternoon

After the market tour, you will drive back to Lao Cai station. Have dinner at a restaurant near the station before catching the overnight train again to get back Hanoi. Stay overnight on train – 4 berth cabin – Soft sleeper with A/C.

Other market options:

Afternoon

After lunch, you’ll drive downhill to start a short walk to Trung Do Village which is home to the Tay minority. Here you can visit a traditional Tay house. You will then travel by boat through the amazing countryside to Bao Nhai Village.

Option 2: Coc Ly Market – Tuesday market

Morning

Drive from Sapa (3hrs) to Coc Ly market situated between the stunning mountains by the Chay River. Every Tuesday morning, the people from the surrounding ethnic villages such as Flower H’mong, Phu La and Dao Tuyen gather to sell and buy their products. Having explored the market, you will have a boat trip to Flower H’mong village of Na Nen then trek to Trung Do village of Tay minority people. Enjoy a picnic lunch in a local house with the Tay people.

Afternoon

From there you travel by boat down the river and experience the magnificent sights surrounding the beautiful river banks.

Overnight on A/C train

Morning

Rising to the sound of the bay, enjoy an elegant breakfast before visiting a beautiful limestone grotto to admire its many unique rock formations. Then you’ll get back to the boat to form your final lasting impression of Halong Bay’s awe-inspiring beauty while cruising back to the dock, at the same time enjoy your lunch/ brunch.

Afternoon

Getting back onshore, you will be transferred directly to the airport which takes about 4 hours, then take a short flight to Luang Prabang.

On arrival in Luang Prabang, you will be met at the airport by your private guide and driver then transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Morning

An optional early start will give us the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents.  From there, you will visit the morning Phosi Market, where we will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.

After that, back to the hotel for breakfast. You’ll then continue touring the ancient town of Luang Prabang with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts.  Next stop will be the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. You will also have time to visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.

Afternoon

Continue to visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, a Hmong village, Ban Ou a Laoloum village and Ban Thapene, a Khmu village.  This then takes you to the beautiful Khuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. Return to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Morning

Today we will start heading north on a private car along route 13, before taking an unpaved road to Ban Khia Luang village. You then have ample time to visit the school, play with the kids.  You also take some time to explore the rest of the village, where you can see weaving and visit the local temple. We stop for lunch at the village, which can either be a western picnic lunch, or traditional Lao food such as sticky rice, laap and fresh vegetables cooked by the villagers.

Afternoon

After lunch, you will say goodbye to the village and drive to Ban Khoklin. The road will take you through some beautiful scenery of mountains and paddy fields. At Ban Khoklin you board a private boat down the Nam Ou River for 30 minutes to Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims and continue down the Mekong River back to Luang Prabang. Arrive back into town in the late afternoon.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Morning

After breakfast, you will take a short drive to the Spirit Resort, where you will experience the protected Elephants at the “Elephant Park Project” along the Nam Khan riverbanks. From here you can enjoy the 1 hr. Elephant ride on the back of a protected Asian Elephant.

It will then be followed by a short and easy hiking tour will lead us out into the Fair Trek project area where villages profit directly from our visit. A small Khmu community lives below a high rising mountain range.

Afternoon

After your Lao style lunch at Ban Houay Fai, you will return to Tad Sae waterfall, taking a boat ride back to Lao Spirit Resort, from there you will travel back to Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Morning

After breakfast, you will start your day with a visit to The National Museum (closed on Tuesday) and the Central Market. Then you travel by roads to the mountainous town of Vang Vieng. Today your intrepid journey will be strenuous as this drive is along one of the most scenic but also one of the roughest routes in Asia.

Afternoon

Arrive in Vang Vieng, a small and tranquil town, which is nestled on a bend of the Nam Song River. Its stunning scenery with a mixture of quiet water and limestone outcrops remains unspoiled, despite recent developments with the advent of tourism. After check into the hotel room, you will embark on a boat for a well-paced trip along the Nam Song River, exploring the breathtaking mountain landscape.

Overnight in Vang Vieng

Morning

After breakfast, you will start your ride on a local tractor through paddy field areas heading to Tham Phoukham caves, where your breath will be taken away seeing the most beautiful and famous limestone cavern, surrounded by natural forests. Along the way, you will have a chance to explore the local cultures by mingling with the local villagers and learning about their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves where you can take a swim to refresh ourselves from the hot climate or explore the nearby area.

You will then make our way returning Vang Vieng town, using local transportation or tractor. En route, you’ll visit the ethnic minority villages of Hmong, Souay and Taidam villages meeting the warm and friendly hill tribe people and observing their traditional tribal costumes.

Afternoon

You will enjoy kayaking down the Song River for 3 hours to visit temples and local caves. Return to your hotel after an exciting day.

Overnight in Vang Vieng

Morning

You’ll drive out of Vang Vieng in the early morning for Vientiane. Along the way, you make a stop to visit Vang Xang, a famous archeological site dating back the 11th century. After about 2 hours drive, you will get to Vientiane, the charming and fascinating capital of Laos. This small town conjures up exotic images, with the curious mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French influences.

Afternoon

You will explore the town’s major sites including Wat Sisaket which is the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. This amazing structure features remarkable frescoes and Buddha images. Continue to visit Haw Prakeo, the former royal temple of Laos monarchy, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Statue. Then visit the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph before proceeding to the famous That Luang Stupa. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. The rest of the day will be at your leisure.

Overnight in Vientiane

Morning

The morning will be at your own leisure. Check out of the hotel room at midday.

In the evening, you will be transferred to Vientiane airport for your short flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, you will be met and warmly welcomed by our local guide. Then we will transfer to the hotel for check-in.

Enjoy walking at a busy pub street where you can find many bars for a cool drink or shopping at Angkor Night Market.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Morning

You will start on our bike and cycle (45 minutes for cycling) or drive to world heritage areas on the roads less traveled. Ride among the jungle passing local village and local shop. It’s a very special and acting day as you will explore some of Angkor’s most beautiful temples. You will visit the West Gate of Angkor Thom – undiscovered by mass tourist;

– The ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century)

– See the South Gate, Bayon Temple- unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara

– Baphuon temple lying just to the north of Bayon a pyramidal representation of mythical Mont Meru

– The Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas

– The Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Continue to visit the fabulous Ta Prohm embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. After that, you will have lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon

The tour will continue with the major visit to the famous temple: Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a World Heritage Site since 1992, 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.

You will end the day with a visit to Bakheng Temple and enjoy a romantic sunset view form Bakheng hill.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Morning

Early morning at around 5:30 am, we will start our day with a sunrise watch over Angkor Wat temple and listening to singing birds over the ancient land of Angkor area. We will walk to nearby Pagoda and offering food to monks. Spend your time talking to the monk and nuns to exchange the culture or relieve. We will return to the hotel for breakfast.

Moving in tune with the rhythm of the great annual flood of Tonle Sap, take a boat ride to the floating villages.

Afternoon

Finish the hotel around midday. The afternoon will be at your own leisure.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Morning

After breakfast, you will drive to Phnom Penh around 5 – 6 hours via Kampong Thom, travel just outside Kampong Thom to see key archeological sites, starting with Sambor Prei Kuk, perhaps the most important grouping of pre-Angkorian monuments in Cambodia. Before the rise of the Angkor, this was the capital of Chenla during the sixth century, known as Isanapura. Today over 100 small temple ruins sit peacefully in a forest setting. Explore the main central complex and gain an insight into the early architectural styles of Cambodia. On the way, you’ll visit archeological “Naga Bridge” at Kompong Kdei.

Afternoon

You will arrive in Phnom Penh in the late afternoon. Check into the hotel and free to relax afterward.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

Morning

After breakfast, your tour guide will take you on a guided tour visiting the National Museum, Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, Independence Monument, Russian Market, & Wat Phnom. Then lunch at a local Cambodian Restaurant.

Afternoon

You will have the opportunity to learn more about these terrible years, through visits to the infamous Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crimes and Cheung Ek, better known as the ‘Killing Fields’. It is an incredibly moving experience, but these are two visits you will be glad to have made. During your visit to Cambodia, you will barely meet a single person who didn’t lose a member of their family during these years, yet they are all willing to talk openly about it with you. They wish you to hear about it and see these places, to ensure that it will never happen again.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

After breakfast and a leisurely morning on your own, you will check out by midday and your private driver will pick you up and take you to the Phnom Penh airport for your departure flight home.