On arrival at Tan San Nhat Airport, that you are met and transferred to hotel for check in.
An afternoon city tour of Ho Chi Minh City consists of the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Workplace, a lacquerware factory, and also the Chinatown with Binh Tay Market place and Thien Hau Pagoda.
O/N in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2: CU CHI TAY NINH (B/-/-)
Depart for Cu Chi and take a look at an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the extended struggle for independence. Proceed to Tay Ninh, the head quarter of Cao Dai area founded on 1926. On arrival we attend the amazing mid-day mass when the followers fill the hall wearing colored robes, a symbol on the curious combination with the Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity and Buddhism.
O/N in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day three: MY THO & BEN TRE (B/L/-)
In the morning, transfer to My Tho, take a boat trip downstream to Ben Tre, where you have the opportunity to discover the local people life in Mekong Delta with coconut candy mill, fruit gardens followed by fruit tasting, rice paper mill Biking or transfer by horse carriage on village road. Lunch at a local restaurant on island with local specialty of Deep fried Elephant Eared fish.
Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 4: HO CHI MINH CITY DANANG HOIAN (B/-/-)
At leisure until transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for flight to Da Nang.
On arrival at Da Nang Airport, you might be met and transferred to Hoi An, which was originally one of major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century. Pay a visit to of Hoi An Town with its low tiled houses of Chinese appearance, Japanese covered bridge, brightly painted temples and pagodas make it one of Vietnams most delightful places.
O/N in Hoi An.
Day 5: HOIAN HUE (B/-/-)
Transfer to pay a visit to Marble Mountains with its beautiful grottoes and temples. Then continue to pay a visit to Cham Museum and proceed to Hue. The scenic 4-hour drive via Hai Van Pass offers spectacular views of mountains, the sea, idyllic beaches and villages.
O/N in Hue.
Day 6: HUE CITY TOUR (B/-/-)
Morning boat trip on Perfume River to stop by Thien Mu pagoda and Royal Tomb of Minh Mang. Then continue by car to pay a visit to the Royal Mausoleum of Tu Duc. Afternoon, time to visit Imperial Citadel from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945 and experience the local people life in Dong Da marketplace.
O/N in Hue.
Day 7: HUE HANOI (B/-/-)
A short morning flight to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. On arrival, we enjoy a half-day city tour with the Temple of Literature well known as Vietnams first university, along with the Ethnology Museum then Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quanh Thanh Temple. Lastly, we have a cyclo ride around the old quarter streets to discover the local people life.
O/N in Hanoi.
Day 8: HANOI HALONG BAY (B/-/-)
We continue visiting Ha Noi with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, House on Stilts. After having lunch at local restaurant, we drive to Ha Lengthy Bay with stopover in Hai Phong, the biggest port town of northern Vietnam.
O/N in Ha Extended.
Day 9: HALONG BAY HANOI (B/-/-)
A 5-hour boat trip to check out Ha Long Bay, listed as a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. This picturesque Dragon descending to the sea Bay has 1,969 limestone islets rising from the sea, many of them containing beautiful grottoes. Stop by of a grotto then seafood lunch on board. Drive back to Hanoi. Evening: Water puppets show, the unique Vietnam traditional art.
O/N in Hanoi.
Day 10: HANOI HOALU TAMCOC HANOI (B/-/-)
Transfer to Hoa Lu, the sight of Vietnams capital throughout 10th and 11th century.
Go to of Dinh and Le Temples, and then continue to Tam
Coc, a boat trip on a river through Ha Lengthy inland the quiet and peaceful
landscape of rice fields surrounded by limestone formations to take a look at
three grottoes of Tam Coc. Drive back to Ha Noi.O/N in Ha Noi.
Day 11: HANOI LUANG PRABANG (B/-/-)
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Noi Bai airport for flight to Luang Prabang, the ancient first capital of Lane Xang kingdom, the center of religious life in Laos and today the World Heritage City. Arrive in Luang Prabang and transfer to our hotel for check-in.
In the afternoon, we take a sightseeing tour from the sacred city of temples, of which nearly fifty temples still remain in the town and surrounding areas. Pay a visit to Wat Visoun, the 16th century temple served as a small museum for religious artifacts; Wat Aham, the early 19th century temple, whose two guardian figures at the foot with the steps which represent two characters from the Ramayana Hanuman, the Monkey God and a fierce Yaksa; Wat Xiengthong, the 16th century temple which, more than any temples in Luang Prabang, epitomizes all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture; Phousi Hill, the 328 steps leads to the summit of Phousi hill that dominates the sky-line of Luang Prabang overlooking the finest panoramic view in the whole Luang Prabang.
O/N in Luang Prabang.
Day 12: LUANG PRABANG & PAK OU Cave (B/L/-)
Following breakfast, we depart hotel to the boat landing, and take an excursion (a few hours) by boat, upstream on the Mekong to take a look at Pak Ou cave in the side of a lime stone cliff and opposite from the mouth of the Mekong and Ou rivers. The sanctuaries at Pak Ou consist of two large caves, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images, which range from mere centimeter to two meters in height.
En route, Lao typical villages are barely visible behind a screen of foliage. Slender canoes bobbing by the shore, bamboo poles and floats mark the location of nets and fish traps. Our first stop will be at Ban Muangkeo, a well-known village for Lao traditional rice whisky, namely Laoh-Khao to be distilled. We are welcome to taste it and also take away. Lunch is served at a riverside restaurant.
We arrive back at Luang Prabang in late afternoon, and continue to drive outskirt of town to stop by Ban Xangkhong, a well-known village for its wood paper making and also Lao silk weavings with natural dyes.
O/N in Luang Prabang.
Day 13: LUANG PRABANG KUANGSI WATERFALL (B/L/-)
An morning breakfast, before we take a drive (30 km South) to take a look at Kuangsi Waterfall, which, though not very high, is spectacular and really beautiful with its green surroundings as the preserved National park. We stop en-route, stop to check out a fresh produced market place namely Talad Phosy, and also stop by Ban Na Oune, a small village of a hill-tribe group Hmong, probably the best-known minority group in Laos. Just before arriving at Kuangsi waterfall, there is another village of Khmu minority group, namely Ban Tha Pane that we will take a look at.
Our picnic lunch is served at the shady park nearby Kuangsi waterfall. There is plenty of time for relaxing and a swim in cool water, before we head back to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon. The rest of the day is spent by visiting various craft-shops, including silver smiths and also Hmong market in town, where some skilled embroidery-works of Hmong ladies can be seen.
O/N in Luang Prabang.
Day 14: LUANG PRABANG VIENTIANE (B/-/-)
In the morning, stop by the National Museum, the former Royal Palace which houses the collection of valuables including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, gifts received from foreign dignitariesetc. Transfer to Luang Prabang airport for flight Vientiane.
Meet on arrival and you might be welcome to Vientiane, the city on the moon an ancient city, situated on the bend on the left bank from the Mekong as the largest city and the capital of Laos. Transfer to hotel for check-in.
In the afternoon, we take a sightseeing tour of Vientiane, to check out religious museums of Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple fabric warehouse to have been survived from the Siamese war of 1828 and its cloister contains more than 8000 Buddha statues; Wat Ho Prakeo, the former home-temple of the Emerald Buddha statue or Pra Keo, but today it contains a collection of Buddha statues, antiques and all artifacts found in around Vientiane; That Luang Stupa, the single most important monument in Laos, which was built to cover the original small stupa containing a piece of the chest bone of Buddha; Patouxay (Arch de Triumph), built quite recently in commemoration of those who died during the wars in the past and it is today as the land-mark of Vientiane.
O/N in Vientiane.
Day 15: VIENTIANE PHNOM PENH (B/-/-)
After breakfast, a short flight to Phnom Penh.
Upon arrival at Phnom Penh airport, meets and transfers to hotel
Upon arrival at Phnom Penh airport, meets and transfers to hotel
Visit the Victory Monument along with the National Museum, the Royal Palace, built by the French in 1866 on the site in the old town, and Silver Pagoda, which located within the Royal Palace ground.
You will then end your tour with a check out to Wat Phnom Temple, Phnom Penhs namesake, from where you can enjoy views over the tree lined avenues of the city for the duration of sunset
O/N at hotel.
Day 16: PHNOM PENH SIEM REAP (B/-/-)
Breakfast at hotel
Transfer to Phnom Penh airport for departure to Siem Reap. Upon arrival at Siem Reap airport, meets and transfers to hotel
Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning on the ocean of milk), Bayon Temple(unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and also the Terrace of the Leper King
In the afternoon, stop by the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex cover 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wats five tower symbolize Merus five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge in the world plus the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond
Sunset from Phnom Bakheng, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view with the Western Baray and Angkor Wat
O/N at hotel.
Day 17: SIEM REAP (B/-/-)
Breakfast at hotel
In the morning, you will continue your temple visits. Included are Prasat Kravan (with its unique brick sculptures), Srah Srang (The Royal Boths was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by four concentric walls), Eastern Mebon (guarded at its corner by stone figures of harnessed elephants, some of which are still in a reasonable state of preservation) and also the Mountain Temple of Pre Rup.
In the afternoon, transfer to the archaeological site and continue to the temple tour. Go to Ta Prohm, one on the most beautiful temples in the area. Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery
Then, go to Takeo, Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda temples
O/N at hotel.
Day 18: SIEM REAP (B/-/-)
Breakfast at hotel
Morning, drive to Kbal Spean. Walk 45 minutes through the forest to the top of your hill to reach Kbal Spean, the Thousand Linga River. Discover the 10th-12th century sculptures chiseled into the rocky riverbed, the Royal Bath and the waterfall
Then, continue to the enchanting temple in the Banteay Srei, nearly everyones favorite site. The special charm of this temple lies in its compact size, remarkable state of preservation, plus the excellence of it decorative carvings
In the afternoon, pay a visit to Banteay Samre, one with the most complete complexes at Angkor due to the anastylosis restoration method being used. The name Samre refers to an ethnic group of mountain people that inhabited the area at the base of Phnom Kulen and were probably related to the Khmers. No inscriptions have been found at this temple, silk fabric but the style of most with the architecture is in the classic art of the middle period, similar to Angkor Wat. The proportions of Banteay Samre are splendid. A unique feature is an interior moat with laterite paving, which when filled with water must have given an ethereal atmosphere to the temple
Return to Siem Reap at the end of the afternoon
O/N at hotel.
Day 19: SIEM REAP Departure (B/-/-)
Breakfast at hotel
Take a look at the floating village with the Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a traditional wooden boat for a ride on the Tonle Sap, the Great Lake of Cambodia and also the largest in Asia
In the afternoon, go to Les Artisans dAngkor Chantiers Ecoles of Siem Reap and time at leisure at the local industry (if time permits)
Transfer to Siem Reap airport for departure to the next destination.
