Best Of Indochina 13 Days

Best Of Indochina 13 Days

With 13 days in Indochina, you have a chance to discover the best things of three nations: Laos - Vietnam - Cambodia. Explore the unique culture and diverse traditional features of each country.

Itinerary

Day 1: ARRIVAL – LUANG PRABANG – HALF DAY TOUR

Stop At: Luang Prabang, Laos
On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos.

After a short rest, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai. We then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by the hilltribe and local people surrounding Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Please note: Standard check in time is 14:00. Early check in is subject to availability with surcharge from the hotel.

Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Villa Chitdara - Superior room Villa (3*)/

Santi hotel - Deluxe room (4*)/

Luang Prabang View - Superior room (5*)


Day 2: LUANG PRABANG – CITY TOUR

Stop At: Luang Prabang, Laos
It is worth a visit to the National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a collection of artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. Today we explore some of the major sights in this faboulous city, including the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene, the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, its exterior architecture is remarkable with decorated guilded stuccoes and doorways, a “tree of life” mosaic pattern set in coloured glass on the back wall and its three tiered roofs sweeping low to the ground representing classical Laotian architecture.

Visit Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center where you will learn more about local hill tribes in Laos Ock Pop Tock weaving centre, an organization that is offering the weavers in the area the chance to earn a decent income through their weaving skills.

Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Villa Chitdara - Superior room Villa (3*)/

Santi hotel - Deluxe room (4*)/

Luang Prabang View - Superior room (5*)


Day 3: LUANG PRABANG - KUANG SI WATER FALL AND PAK OU CAVES

Stop At: Kuang Si Falls, Luang Prabang 06000 Laos
First we visit the morning Phousi Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will 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 us to the beautiful Khuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. We then return to Luang Prabang. This afternoon, we embark on a 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. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine. On return, we disembark the boat to visit traditional villages, and continue taking a short drive to Ban Phanom, a village famous for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Villa Chitdara - Superior room Villa (3*)/

Santi hotel - Deluxe room (4*)/

Luang Prabang View - Superior room (5*)


Day 4: LUANG PRABANG – HANOI

Pass By: Noi Bai International Airport, Phú Minh, Sóc Sơn, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Breakfast at hotel

Free time until transfer out to the airport

Upon your arrival in Noi Bai Airport, our guide and private car will greet you and transfer to hotel for check in.

Overnight in Hanoi.


Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel
Accommodation included: Adamas - Superior room (3*)/

Thang Long - Opera Superior (4*)/

Melia Hanoi hotel - Deluxe room (5*)


Day 5: HANOI FULL DAY CITY

Stop At: Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam
Today, we will start our city tour from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his simple house-on-stilts and the One-Pillar pagoda near Ba Dinh Square, where the most solemn ceremonies of Hanoi take place. Go on to the Temple of Literature, the very first high school of Vietnam Scholars and a temple dedicated Confucious. Have lunch at KOTO Van Mieu restaurant where provides hospitality and life skills to disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.

In the afternoon, we will move on to the Museum of Ethnology, where you can find an excellent full collection of 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam and wonderful implications of artifacts and patterns from their traditional handicrafts and clothes. Late afternoon, have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will go through the fascinating network of narrow alleys and shop houses also known as ‘The 36 Streets’ – each street being named after the merchandise traditionally sold there, ranging from fabrics to crafts and from medicines to tombstones. Drop by at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake. End of the day, we will enjoy a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Adamas - Superior room (3*)/

Thang Long - Opera Superior (4*)/

Melia Hanoi hotel - Deluxe room (5*)


Day 6: HANOI - HALONG BAY

Stop At: Halong Bay Vietnam
Breakfast and a short relax before transferring to Halong Bay. At 9am, head East for nearly 3 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994 and 2006. Upon arrival in Halong, check in the overnight cruise to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch on board, we can visit the Grottos, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating houses and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the cruise, enjoy cooking demonstration before having dinner. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the cruise.

Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch: Lunch on boat
• Dinner: Have cooking demonstration
Accommodation included: Oriental Sails - Deluxe room (3*)/

Grayline Cruise - Deluxe cabin (4*)/

Ancora Cruise - Deluxe room (5*)


Day 7: HALONG – HANOI - SAIGON – Evening Flight

Stop At: Halong Bay Vietnam
You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the "East Sea" by a point-oriented name "Eastern Sea", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Check out your room and have brunch on board while the cruise coming back the pier.

Disembark and transfer direct back to Hanoi, to the airport for your flight to Saigon. Upon arrival at the airport, welcomed by the local tour guide and transfer to the city center to check in hotel.

Overnight in Saigon.

Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Liberty Parkview - Deluxe Room (3*)/

Bay Saigon - Deluxe Room (4*)/

Grand Hotel Saigon - Deluxe Room (5*)


Day 8: SAIGON HALF CITY – CU CHI TUNNELS

Stop At: Cu Chi Tunnels, Phu Hiep TL15 Phu Hiep, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
After breakfast, your day will begin with a visit to the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the Notre Dame Cathedral (view from outside only), built between 1877 and 1883 and colonial-styled Central Post Office, one of the city’s major landmarks. Then visit Ben Thanh market, a symbol of Saigon.

In the afternoon, transfer to visit Cu Chi tunnels – the network of over 200km of tunnels became legendary when they played a vital role in the War. In their heyday, the tunnels were functioning underground cities including numerous trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers & kitchens. After a short introduction video showing how the tunnels were constructed, you will have a chance to crawl into a short section of the tunnels to feel the oppressive narrowness and heat inside. Return and overnight in Saigon.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Liberty Parkview - Deluxe Room (3*)/

Bay Saigon - Deluxe Room (4*)/

Grand Hotel Saigon - Deluxe Room (5*)

Day 9: SAIGON – MEKONG DELTA – SAIGON

Stop At: Mekong River, Long Xuyen 700000 Vietnam
Breakfast at hotel and check out. Head to My Tho, the homeland of coconut and family factories with local products like coconut candy, rice paper,… Upon arrival, embark on the boat cruising on the mighty Mekong River viewing the life to the local people live along the banks. We stop to visit an island in the area, enjoy the fresh tropical fruits served in the heart of the lush garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music. Later, embark on other small boats rowed by the local people thru the small canals shadowed by water coconut trees to visit the local factories. There you will taste the honey tea and see the local people produce the coconut candy milk and of course you also can try it or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. Lunch at the local restaurant by the Riverside (at your own cost)

In the afternoon, continue to visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a famous pogoda in the area with architecture combination of Chinese, Cambodian, and French cultures. Return to Saigon late afternoon. Overnight in Saigon.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Liberty Parkview - Deluxe Room (3*)/

Bay Saigon - Deluxe Room (4*)/

Grand Hotel Saigon - Deluxe Room (5*)

Day 10: SAIGON – SIEM REAP

Stop At: Royal Angkor Resort, Phum Kasekum, NR6, Krong Siem Reap 93279, Cambodia
Breakfast at the hotel. Free until check out time and transfer to the airport for the departure flight to Siem Reap.

Upon arrival, welcome by tour guide in Siem Reap, transfer to check in hotel. Then visit West Baray Big Pond, a “baray” is a water reservoir built by the ancient Khmer people. Continue to visit the "Les Artisans d'Angkor – Chantiers Ecole" the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts. End of the day, visit Pre Rup temple for a romantic sunset view.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel
Accommodation included: Ibis Style Hotel - Standard room (3*)/

Treasure Oasic Hotel - Superior room (4*)/

Sakmut Boutique - Deluxe room (5*)


Day 11: SIEM REAP – FULL DAY ANGKOR TOUR

Stop At: Angkor Wat, Sangkat Nokor Thum, Siem Reap Cambodia
After breakfast, visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom starting with the South Gate of Angkor Thom which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone. Bayon Temple - unique with its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces, Baphuon temple located in the North of Bayon represented of holy Mount Meru the residence of the gods in Hindu tradition. Continue the visit at this ancient city by going around The Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Your lunch will be served after the visit at the jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man’s creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. This temple is famous by being chosen for major activities of Tomb Raider acted by Celebrity Angelina Jolie.

Afternoon continue visit at Angkor Wat, highlighted by the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, carved on the walls and tell the stories of Hindu legends. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. Strolling around this massive edifice, seeing many galleries with Colums, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple. Return to Siemreap downtown. Transfer to your hotel for overnight.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Ibis Style Hotel - Standard room (3*)/

Treasure Oasic Hotel - Superior room (4*)/

Sakmut Boutique - Deluxe room (5*)


Day 12: SIEM REAP – VISIT

Stop At: Kampong Phluk Floating Village, Siem Reap Cambodia
This morning, we visit to Kampong Pluk Floating Village. Kampong Pluk is about 20 Km from Siem Reap Town. Arrival at the dock, take a boat trip a long a small stream to the village. Over 3000 inhabitants are real Khmers, their households made of wood and bamboo built on stilts of about 6m to 7m high. During dry season when the lake is low and lack of water those buildings look like the skyscrapers. At this time of the year many of villagers move out onto the lake and build provisional stilted houses. In wet season while the water level rises up again, the dwellers move back to their permanent houses on the flood plain, the stilts now hidden under the water. People made a living by catching fishes produce as well as smelly fish paste, fermented fish, smoked fish, dried fish, dried prawn etc.

Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Wat Thmey (Killing Fields), Siem Reap Cambodia
Afternoon, we visit Wat Thmei (Killing Field) contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. After that visiting Puok, the real and original place of the Artisans d’Angkor silk, where we see the full process of silk producing, from the silk worms munch on the Mulberry leaves to spin their cocoons which used to make silk warp. Then visit Wat Bo founded in the 18th century, a highly respected pagoda contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be late 19th century and Local Market. Overnight in Siem Reap

Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Ibis Style Hotel - Standard room (3*)/

Treasure Oasic Hotel - Superior room (4*)/

Sakmut Boutique - Deluxe room (5*)


Day 13: DEPARTURE

Stop At: Royal Angkor Resort, Phum Kasekum, NR6, Krong Siem Reap 93279, Cambodia
Breakfast at the hotel. Your time at leisure to relax and enjoy the services at the hotel or strolling around to visit Siem Reap Town, shop the souvinirs at the market before going home. Check out and transfer to the airport to board the onward flight back home. Say goodbye to Indochina.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel
No accommodation included on this day.