Journey Through the Heart of Indochina 16 Days

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Angkor Thom, the South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, built from the late 12th century to the early 13th century by King Jayavarman VII and consists of 54 towers, the Royal Enclosure, the Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King, then visit Ta Prohm, surrounded by jungle. Visit Angkor Wat, the largest temple in the world and covers an area of 200 hectares and is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Banteay Srei, constructed in the late 10th century by a Brahmin counselor under a power king Rajendarvarman. It was loosely translated to citadel of the woman, but it is a modern appellation that probably refers to the delicate beauty of the carvings and is followed by the Banteay Samre temple. En-route stop at Pre Rub (turn the body), was constructed in the late 10th century and dedicated to Hindu gods. This reflects the common belief among Cambodians that funerals were conducted at the temple. Visit Preah Khan temple, built by King Jayavarman VII dedicated to his father. It is a huge, highly exportable monastic complex, and served as a Buddhist monastery and school, engaging over 1000 monks. Continue to Neak Pean, a small island temple located in the middle of the last Baray, constructed by a Khmer king in the Angkor area. Overnight in Siem Reap.

In the morning, transfer to the airport to take the flight to Luang Prabang. On arrival in Luang Prabang, transfer to your hotel. You are free for the rest of the day.

Overnight in Luang Prabang FLIGHT: SIEM REAP – LUANG PRABANG // 16:55 – 18:25

Wake up as the sun rises, we will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning almsgiving, which dates back to the 14th century. More than 200 Buddhist monks depart from various temples to gather their daily meals from the faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets. We then visit the temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace which offers a glimpse into daily life, with vendors selling fresh produce, handmade crafts, and textiles. These experiences provide a unique and authentic cultural immersion. After breakfast, our guide will take you on an in-depth walking tour of the city. The walk is oriented towards the lesser-known parts of the town including charming lanes showing the more traditional atmosphere of the heritage town. Along the way, we will see the four different types of buildings categorized by UNESCO. The first one is the traditional Lao house which is made from tropical hardwood or bamboo and built on stilts. The second is a half-wood and half-cement house built after the arrival of the French. The third is the traditional French colonial buildings that are similar to those found in Vietnam and Cambodia. The last form of architecture you will see is the old Chinese shophouses that were built to be used for both commercial and residential purposes. In the afternoon, we will visit some famous attractions inside the city center including the oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then continue with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. From there, we walk to the nearby Wat Mai, which is one of Luang Prabang’s largest and most richly decorated temples.

Late afternoon, we climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Breakfast at the hotel. Freetime in the morning, then transfer to the airport for flight to Hanoi - Arrival at Hanoi. Check-in at the hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi FLIGHT: QV313 LPQ - HAN // 17:20 – 18:30

Breakfast at a hotel.

Morning: In the morning, take a half-day tour to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex which features the life of Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder. At the complex, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the colonial Presidential Palace, and the One Pillar Pagoda. Visit the Temple of Literature, known as the first university of Vietnam built in 1070 by the Ly Dynasty to honor Confucius, sages, and outstanding Vietnamese scholars.

Afternoon: continue the tour to the Museum of Ethnology, Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ngoc Son Temple located on an islet in the lake. Hoan Kiem Lake is the center point of Hanoi and home to a rare endangered giant turtle species. Its name “Returned Sword” comes from a legend of a sacred sword being lent to an ancient Vietnamese King by a holy turtle from the lake and later returned to the turtle.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by car for Ha Long Bay through the extensive landscapes of the Red River Delta. Arrival at Ha Long Bay around noon. You’ll be warmly welcomed by Cruises receptionists at the International Tuan Chau harbor. Enjoy lunch in the restaurant. Check in to rest in the room or get on the cruise's roof to relax, savor the scenery, and hunt for beautiful photos of Lan Ha Bay. In the afternoon, you will begin to participate in activities on board, explore caves, swim or you can enjoy the view or relax in the jacuzzi, and enjoy afternoon tea. Have dinner and activities on the cruise in the evening such as enjoying cocktails at the bar or night squid fishing. Overnight on cruise.

There is nothing better than a morning waking up in the middle of the sea, watching the sunrise, and enjoying the fresh air. You’ll take part in Tai Chi instructions on the sundeck in 30 minutes. Have breakfast and enjoy the magnificent beauty of Lan Ha Bay while the cruise takes you to visit the bay. Brunch is served while back to the harbor. Return to the harbor and move back to Hanoi. Pick up your luggage at the hotel and relax until you transfer to Noi Bai International Airport to fly to Da Nang. Arrive in Da Nang, you will be welcomed by our driver, and transfer (no guide) to the hotel in Hoi An.

09:00: Our guide pick you up at your hotel lobby and transfers you to Cam Thanh Fishing Village.

09:30: Transfer to Cam Thanh village by car or boat on the way, meet local fishermen and experience the daily life

10:00: Take a bamboo basket boat on the Cam Thanh water coconut forest, and have a brief introduction to the history there.

11:00: Join local fishermen on the river and enjoy the hands-on experience of round net and cast net fishing. Learn to paddle the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat and join in a basketboat race. Explore the now peaceful coconut waterways of a past war. Return fisherman's house and welcome drink. Enjoy Luch

13:00: Back to the hotel. In the afternoon, you have free time to explore Hoi An old town.

Overnight in Hoi An.

In the morning, you’ll transfer to Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountain) to discover the stunning natural caves, enjoy the beautiful view from the top of the mountain, and visit the mysterious pagodas and the sculpturing village here.

Next, transfer to visit Am Phu cave – walk through a devilish underworld full of demons. Our van will transfer you to Monkey Mountain to see the biggest statue of Lady Buddha in Central Viet Nam with a height of 67m. Enjoy beautiful mountain scenery from the top of Son Tra Peninsula. On the way to Hue, you will go through Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Beach to take the picture.

On arrival at Hue. Check-in at the hotel then you will have free time. Overnight in Hue.

Breakfast at the hotel then visit Imperial Citadel and Tu Cam Thanh, Ancient Capital Museum. Then, you will board a boat on the poetic Perfume River. Thien Mu Pagoda. You will have a great view of the Perfume River and surrounding areas. From there you can easily go to the Tomb of King Tu Duc and the Tomb of King Minh Mang, then the Thuy Xuan incense village.

Breakfast at the hotel then transfer to airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh - Arrival at Ho Chi Minh. Check-in at the hotel. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

In the morning you will visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched over 250km. from Saigon to the Cambodian border and was three levels deep. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers, and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the U.S.-Vietnam War must have been like. With over eight million inhabitants and four million motorbikes, Saigon is truly a city that never sleeps. Despite its modernity, Saigon maintains a strong link to the past and our walking tour takes in some of the city’s most historic landmarks. Transfer to Dong Khoi Street downtown to visit some of the beautiful French colonial-era buildings from the late 19th and early 20th century. Visit the splendidly restored exteriors of the Saigon Opera House and the Notre Dame Cathedral, a red brick edifice with twin spires constructed from materials imported from France (entrance is only permitted when no services are being performed). Then head across the square to the Central Post Office, completed in 1891. A short drive away is the former Presidential Palace, the headquarters of the Saigon Government during the American War. Continue to the elegant City Hall (the former Hotel de Ville) which is one of Saigon’s most stunning colonial monuments especially when floodlit at night.

Depart for the 1.5-hour drive from Saigon to Ben Tre, located in the Mekong River Delta, swapping the city scenes with the lush rice paddies and fruit farms. At the dock, embark on a fascinating motorboat excursion, passing stilt houses, fish farms, and scenes of country life. Arrive at Turtle Island and taste freshly harvested coconut milk and fruit while interacting with a local farming family. Take a tour of a family-run coconut candy workshop that uses Ben Tre's famous coconuts. Explore the Delta's many canals from a rowing sampan and enjoy countryside hospitality while sipping a cup of honey tea and watching a traditional folk song performance. A local lunch will be served in the town of My Tho before back to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to airport for the departure flight.