16 Day Splendor Indochina

On arrival in Luang Prabang, transfer to your hotel.

After breakfast, you will first visit the Royal Palace Museum, which was built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. 

We then embark on a leisure cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside, before reaching the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. 

We stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine. 

On arrival back in the city, we will visit the old Wat Sene and the nearby magnificent Wat Xiengthong, a superb piece of Lao temple architecture, which presents a sweeping two-tiered roof and ornate mosaics, including a beautiful ‘tree of life' glass montage on the rear temple wall. 

If time permits, we will drive out of the city to visit Ban Xangkhong, the Thai Lue village, which is famous for its arts and crafts. We also visit the nearby village of Ban Xienglek, specializing in making the traditional Saa paper. You can either get to the nearby village and join a petanque game with the local team. 

In the late afternoon, we will make a stop at Wat Prabath to admire the sunset; this is the ideal place to catch the last beauty of the day. 

The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of handmade textiles made by local and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. 

Overnight in Luang Prabang

We will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning alms giving, which dates back to the 14th century. More than 200 Buddhist monks depart from various temples to gather their daily meal from the faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets. We then visit the temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace. The local people come here to barter their day’s catch, from rice to vegetables, to fish or chicken.

After breakfast at the hotel, we ascend the 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill for a panoramic view of the city and the Mekong River.

We take a short visit to the Ock Pop Tock Living Craft Center. Set serenely close to the Mekong, this beautiful, traditionally styled workshop, where weavers, spinners, and batik makers produce top-quality fabrics, offers free tours every half-hour.

Then transfer directly to the beautiful Kuang Si, which is the biggest waterfall in the Luang Prabang area, with three tiers leading to a 50-metre drop into spectacular azure pools before flowing downstream. The pools also make great swimming holes and are very popular with both tourists and locals. There is also the chance to walk to the nearby village of Ban Thapene and explore the hidden waterfalls, which are rarely visited by other tourists. If you wish, take a short visit to the Bear Rescue Center, which houses a couple of dozen animals rescued from the hands of poachers and traffickers.

Then take the train to Vientiane (18:20–20:13). On arrival in Vientiane, take a transfer to your hotel.

Overnight in Vientiane.

In the morning, we will first visit Wat Si Muang, which is very famous for its supernatural powers. After that, drive to Buddha Park, which is around 45 minutes away. Also known as Xieng Khuan, this unusual park is filled with over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues.

Start the afternoon with a visit to That Luang, the holiest site in Laos. Constructed by King Setthathirat in the 16th century, the temple is resplendent as the sun shines upon its towering golden spire.

Then, enjoy a panoramic view over the city as you climb the stairs to the top of Patuxai, Vientiane’s own "Arc de Triomphe."

Continue down Lane Xang Avenue to the serene Wat Sisaket, the only temple left intact after the Siamese (Thai) invasion in 1828.

Continue on to the nearby Wat Phra Keo. Used as a religious museum, Wat Phra Keo displays a collection of both Lao and Khmer works of art.

End your tour of the capital along the banks of the Mekong River as the sun begins to set. Stroll along the river, stop to enjoy a cold drink, or sample a snack from one of the many local food stalls.

Then, transfer to Vientiane airport to take the flight to Hanoi. Picked up at Noi Bai airport. Transfer to your hotel for check-in. 

Overnight in Hanoi.

Explore this one thousand year old capital city with the mausoleum of the nation's founder, Ho Chi Minh (closed on Monday & Friday), the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, the Museum of Ethnology, the West Lake, Tran Vu Pagoda, the Lake of the Restored Sword, and Ngoc Son Temple.

In the late afternoon, we take a cyclo ride through the bustling old quarter streets. In the evening, enjoy a fantastic traditional water puppet show (unique to Vietnam).

Overnight in Hanoi. 

Your morning departure from your hotel in Hanoi to Halong Bay takes you on a journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta.

Arrive in Halong and board a cruise. As the vessel sets sails, you will be greeted by the crew team who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for your pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard. Discover some of the treasures disseminated across the Bay of the Descending Dragon during the afternoon. While onboard, you can take advantage at leisure of the cruise services. Surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you could attend our chef's cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.

Lunch and dinner will be served in the elegant dining room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages (with an extra charge applied) for drinks.

In the evening, enjoy the entertainment activities such as movie night, squid fishing, or just relaxing with a cocktail surrounded by limestone rocks majestically springing out of the silent waters in the night.

Stay overnight on a cruise.

(The detailed program on each cruise will be different and will be updated once the selected cruise is finalized).

Early birds can attend a Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Start the day enjoying some delights with a light breakfast followed by a colorful brunch. Continue exploring Halong Bay by sailing across its 2000 islets and visiting some of its major highlights.

Check out the cruise, get back to the harbor, and return to Hanoi. Transfer directly to Noi Bai airport to take the flight to Hue. (The flight should depart at or after 16h00).

You will be picked up at Hue airport and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Overnight in Hue.

After breakfast, the Hue ancient city tour includes the following stops:

Take a boat ride down the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda.
Former emperors Khai Dinh and Minh Mang's tombs were built exactly as the king planned and chose the location in the middle of a pine forest.
Then, as the day's main attraction, go to the magnificent Imperial Citadel of the King Nguyen Dynasty.

Depart for Danang from Hue. The picturesque route passes through Lang Co, a fishing village that is a photographer's dream.

Overnight in Danang.

After breakfast, transfer to Ba Na Hills.

Upon arrival, enjoy the first cable car. Sitting in the cabin, in mid-air, looking upon the endless tree line of the forests brings you spectacular views of the lush jungle and fairly waterfalls along the way. The experience of the pristine ecological systems of the Ba Na Mountains will leave you with a sense of unforeseeable discovery. Visit Le Jardin, old wineries, French villa ruins, and the Ling Ung Pagoda, with its 27-meter-high Buddha statue and Golden Bridge.

Then take the second cable car to visit the top of the mountain and see the remains of old villas. Conquer the peak of Chua Mountain at a height of 1,487m. View the whole Danang city under the cluster of white clouds. Buffet lunch in Bana Hills.

Play plenty of games at Fantasy Park. (At Fantasy Park, admission does not include the Wax Museum, cotton animal games, or carnival skills.)

Return to the cable car station at the foot of Ba Na Mountain, then transfer to Hoi An ancient town.

Overnight in Hoi An.

We spend the morning on a walking tour around this enchanting port town, a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, and Arab traders. Follow the narrow lanes lined with centuries-old houses influenced by Chinese, Japanese, French, and European architecture and visit its numerous places of interest: the 400-year old Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phuc Kien Assembly Halls, the local fish market, etc. Around the town, we can see numerous art galleries and tailor shops; get some made-to-order clothes if you like.

In the afternoon, transfer to Danang airport to take the internal flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On the way to the airport, you will pass by Marble Mountain, a large garden mountain complex, a precious gift of Mother Nature acknowledged as a national heritage. Visit a stone carving village at the foot of Marble Mountain.

Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Today, we have an excursion to the Cu Chi Underground Tunnel, the famous battle field in the Vietnam War. Now it is a favorite tourist site with its 200 km of long tunnels and its brave guerrillas. These tunnels and underground villages were built to provide a safe haven for the people of Cu Chi in the war.

In the afternoon, we embark on a city tour of Ho Chi Minh City, including the War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Post Office, and City Hall.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the morning, take a journey to My Tho (65 km). Upon arrival, we take a boat trip to visit the fish market and the four famous islands of Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, and Phoenix. Take a short tour by "xe loi" (motorized rickshaw) to the bank of the Mekong River to visit a rice farm, candy workshop, and honey bee farm, then journey by small sampan through the canals and mangrove forests where we watch the fishermen lay their fish traps. Enjoy time on the Unicorn Island visiting the fruit orchards, tasting diverse types of tropical fruits and tea mixed with bee’s honey. Experience a wonderful show of Mekong Delta’s traditional music and songs.

Afternoon drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Flight to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia's Kingdom.

Despite its recent turbulent history, it still maintains considerable charm. A city tour acquaints us with some of the major sights of Phnom Penh. The private quarters of the Royal Palace are now home to the royal family and are therefore very close to the public. In the northern area of the palace grounds is the Silver Pagoda, the most sacred shrine in the country. We visit both structures as well as the legendary temple of Wat Phnom, which provides an interesting view over the environs.

The next stop on our trip is the National Museum, exclusively dedicated to Khmer art and sculpture. The majority of the exhibits are from the Angkor period (9th to 15th centuries), but some date from as early as the 4th century.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast, transfer to bus station or airport to take the public bus or the flight to Siem Reap. Picked up at Siem Reap bus station or Siem Reap airport.

In the afternoon, visit the Floating Villages, located 10km south of Siem Reap. Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the great lake of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here you'll see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life. Visit a crocodile farm. Then visit Wat Bo, founded in the 18th century, a highly respected pagoda containing very unique wall paintings of the Reamker that are said to be from the late 19th century, and the local market. Visit the Les Artisans D'Angkor-Chantier École, the finest authentic Khmer arts and crafts. 

1-hour Cambodian body massage. 

Dinner with Apsara dancing show

Overnight in Siem Reap

After breakfast, we will explore the South Gate of Angkor Thom, also known as Big Angkor, with its 3km2 walled and moated royal city. It was also the last capital of the Angkorian Empire. Visit the famous Bayon Temple, which was an architectural muddle in the past because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century. Visit the Terrace of the Elephants—an impressive, 2.5m high, 300m long terrace. Its walls were adorned with carved elephants. Visit Baphuon, a huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom. Visit the Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas, an impressive rite and sandstone pyramid. Visit the Terrace of the Lepper King at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants. Lastly, you will visit Ta Prohm Temple, which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty, with giant trees growing here for centuries. 

In the afternoon, visit Angkor Wat temple. The founder of the temple was Suryavarman II, who reigned in Cambodia from 1113 to 1152. The five towers were built in the 12th century to dedicate them to the Hindu God Vishnu. The plan of the pyramidal conception of the temple combined with spaces, alleys, and ditches is an ancient masterpiece of architectural design and construction. 

At night, have a good time at bars and pubs at Angkor Night Market.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Today free at leisure until transfer to the airport for departure flight.