Itinerary in brief

Day 1     Vientiane - Arrival
Day 2     Vientiane - FLY - Luang Prabang
Day 3     Luang Prabang
Day 4     Luang Prabang - Pak ou - Kamu lodge
Day 5     Kamu Lodge - Luang Prabang - FLY - Hanoi
Day 6     Hanoi
Day 7     Hanoi - Halong - CRUISE
Day 8     Halong - CRUISE - Hanoi - FLY - Danang - Hoian
Day 9     Hoian
Day 10   Hoian - Hue
Day 11   Hue - FLY - Saigon
Day 12   Saigon - Cai Be - Saigon
Day 13   Saigon - FLY - Siem Reap
Day 14   Siem Reap
Day 15   Siem Reap - Departure

Itinerary in details

DAY 1: VIENTIANE - ARRIVAL

Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

Relax in the Wat Sokpaluang, enjoying a wonderful steam bath and massage. Centered in a large park, with a hut on stilts as its steam room, and a large pot of aromatic plants and herbs “cooking” below, steam is piped and circulated in the steam room.

Enjoy some free time to stroll and investigate some of Vientiane’s markets, including the covered market, known as the “Morning Market” with lots of local crafts, jewelry, gold and silver on display.

In the evening : enjoy dinner with a folk dance show.

Overnight in Vientiane

DAY 2: VIENTIANE - FLY - LUANG PRABANG 

Our day is spent visiting the main attractions of the city by tuk tuk.
Attractions include:

• Vat Sisaket, built in 1818 and the only temple in Vientiane that was not destroyed by the Siamese in the fiery raid in 1828.
• Phraken Ho, the former royal chapel, which was home to the Emerald Buddha, and the power base of the Kingdom of Lane Xang.
• Patouxay, a large monument, reminiscent of the Arc de Triumph in Paris. It boasts four archways and was built to commemorate the Lao people who died in pre-Revolutionary wars.
• The large golden stupa of That Luang, founded by King Setthathirah in 1566 and a symbol of Lao sovereignty and Buddhist religion. It is said to contain a hair of Buddha.
• The temple Wat Si Muang, the most visited temple in Vientiane as it is considered the seat of the guardian spirit of the city.

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Luang Prabang. Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

DAY 3: LUANG PRABANG

Designated a UNESCO Heritage City.

Very early in the morning at sunrise, before breakfast, you have the opportunity to witness the everyday ritual of monks collecting alms. The monks, barefooted and dressed in their resplendent saffron robes, walk in single file through the streets, collecting food for the monastery. It is a wonderful, colorful sight!

After alms we will visit some small morning markets, selling produce from market gardens across the region. They also sell insects, bats and snakes for human consumption.
We visit a local food market to discover some typical local Laos cuisine.

After breakfast we travel by tuk-tuk, and enjoy an in depth discovery tour of this ancient capital of Laos.

We visit:

• Wat Xieng Thong, in the centre of a small religious complex built in 1560, considered the most beautiful - Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang, where we discover the chapel of the sacred Buddha Pavilion, the Royal
• Funeral Chariot and the Reclining Buddha Sanctuary contained in the complex.
• The temple of Wat Visoun, built in 1515, and the oldest temple in Luang Prabang, which houses numerous gold statues of Buddha.
• The That Makmo stone stupa
• Vat Aham, a major shrine in the city, dedicated to the ancestors of Laos.

In the afternoon

• The National Museum (formally the Royal Palace) which displays a collection of artifacts that once belonged to the royal family.
• The temple of Wat Mai, the most richly decorated temple in Luang Prabang, and was the residence of the Buddhist patriarch before 1975.
• Then stroll through the Darat market, before climbing Mount Phousi to discover a magnificent panoramic view of the ancient capital and Mekong River at sunset.
• Relax with a massage provided by the Lao Red Cross

In the evening: we enjoy a traditional Baci ceremony and local dance spectacle.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

DAY 4: LUANG PRABANG - PAK OU - KAMU LODGE

From your hotel, we head for the pier and board traditional wooden boats for the 1hr 30min cruise along the Mekong River to visit two sacred caves at Pak Ou. The Tham Ting and Tham Phoum caves are highly venerated and revered in Laos, and house many thousands of Buddha statues and other memorabilia, placed there by the people who come to visit and pray.
The caves offer a magnificent view over the Mekong and the Nam Ou rivers and their contrasting waters.

During the boat ride you may observe some elephants bathing in the water close to the banks, or some locals trying their luck and panning for gold.

We continue our cruise for another 1hr 30mins through spectacular landscapes, and truly wilderness areas with the rainforests butting up to the river banks, until we reach Kamu Lodge.

Kamu Lodge, constructed in total harmony with nature, is an exceptional site, and while here you will enjoy the original and authentic experiences of the Laotian countryside.

You can participate in activities (optional) such as planting rice, gold panning or fishing in the Mekong, and enjoy a guided tour of an ethnic “Kamu” village.

Overnight at Kamu Lodge.

DAY 5: KAMU LODGE - LUANG PRABANG - FLY - HANOI

After a relaxing morning at Kamu Lodge, we cruise back to Luang Prabang by boat.
Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Hanoi. Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 6: HANOI

This city tour gives a glimpse and an introduction to the history and highlights of the nation’s capital.

In the morning,

• Visit to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum to see the embalmed body of the nation’s hero, affectingly known by the people as ‘Uncle Ho’, and view his former residence, built on stilts and preserved just as Ho left it.
• Visit one pilar pagoda
• Visit the Temple of Literature, a fine example of traditional Vietnamese architecture founded in 1070 by Emporer Ly Thanh Tong, and dedicated to Confucius to honor literary scholars. Vietnam’s first university was also established here in 1076.
• Continuing on, we will move to West Lake district to we shall discover the Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest in Vietnam, and Quan Thanh Temple situated on the Truc Bach Lake shore, established by the Ly dynasty.

In the afternoon

• We begin with a visit to the Ethnology Museum
• Then enjoy some free time to stroll through Dong Xuan market

Overnight in Hanoi

DAY 7: HANOI - HALONG - CRUISE AND NIGHT ON BOARD 

Transfer from your hotel to Halong Bay by private car with your tour guide.

Halong Bay, with its 1969 islands, is set in beautiful turquoise waters and was recognized for its natural beauty by UNESCO in 1994, and classified as a World Heritage Site.
Ha Long means “descending dragon” and according to legend, a dragon was lowered into the bay to harness the ocean currents. His violent tail movements disturbed and spread the mountain, and when he plunged into the sea the water level rose up, leaving only the highest peaks above the water.

Cruising in this spectacular seascape is mystical and magnificent!

A wonderful cruise on Halong Bay can be achieved with differing durations of programs:
Private junk - IN LUXURY CONDITIONS
EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED TO YOUR GROUP, with no other passengers on board.

Day 1:
On boarding receive a welcome drink
Installation in private cabins
Presentation of the crew by the captain
Start your cruise while enjoying lunch

Lunch in the elegant dining room or on the outside deck, a delicious seafood menu, of food prepared with skill and dedication, exquisitely decorated, and served excellently by qualified personnel.

Admire the beautiful landscape that will impress everywhere you look. These islands with their striking shapes, allow your imagination to take over and “see” many different images amongst their formations, whilst cruising water the color of jade, which is so enchanting it never tires.
Fall in love with the magic of this place... .. and you have the privilege of being on a junk which sails away from the “beaten tracks” of mass tourism. No noise, and your eyes will focus on the beauty of the site.

Deck chairs are available to admire the spectacle that unfolds before your eyes.
Coffee or tea is complimentary
Visit the mysterious cave Canh Thien.
Dinner is served outdoors, (weather permitting), or in the indoor dining room.
Tasty seafood, from an excellent menu, cooked to perfection and wonderfully decorated and served by qualified personnel.

Overnight on board

DAY 8: HALONG - CRUISE - FLY - DANANG - HOIAN 

Under the morning sun, surrounded by enchanting and astonishing beauty, your breakfast will be served.

In row boat, you will journey through the heart of a fishing village, to discover the floating houses and the lifestyle of its population, who live constantly on the water.
You will meet the village chief who will help you imagine the daily lives of the inhabitants of Halong Bay. You will also visit a floating school.
Lunch on board the junk will close this beautiful cruise.
The whole crew will greet you and thank you for your patronage.
By early afternoon you will return to the port.

After disembarking from the junk, our driver will welcome you back to dry land, and the return journey to Hanoi begins. Stopover to visit the village of Dong Trieu.

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Danang. Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival in the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel in Hoian.

Overnight in Hoian

DAY 9: HOIAN

We will walk through Hoi An’s ancient town centre for a journey back to the time, to when this town was a major trading port in Asia. We visit the 400year old Japanese Bridge, century old shophouses, a Chinese communal hall and the colorful markets in this ancient and well- preserved town.

Overnight in Hoian

DAY 10: HOIAN - HUE

Depart Hue for the drive to Hue. This scenic drive passes through the fishing village of Lang Co before climbing over the Pass of Ocean Clouds. Along the way, stop in Danang to visit the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world.

Best known as the old capital, Hue has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its ancient relics, historical monuments and fine examples of local culture. Many of these are surprisingly well preserved and intact and journeys to this historical city hold promise of great times and lasting memories.

In the afternoon, 

• Take a boat ride on the gentle Perfume River.
• Continue to Thien Mu Pagoda on the bank of the River.
• Visit Khai Dinh's Tomb where traditional Vietnamese design is infused with a European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue.

Commence your day with a visit to the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Then visit the Mausoleum of Tu Duc which was first used as a palace retreat before its final usage as the emperor's resting place.

Enjoy a cyclo ride through this historical city, through shady laneways and pass many historical sites, so important in the country’s history.

Overnight in Hue

DAY 11: HUE - FLY - SAIGON

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Saigon. Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival in the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

Our full day tour of Ho Chi Minh City begins in the morning with a

• Trip to Cholon district to admire the active Thien Hau Temple, built in the early 19th century by its Cantonese congregation.
• Then onto Binh Tay Market to witness the biggest market in Cholon in full swing, and check out the many goods, including fresh produce, on offer in this busy place.

Afternoon

• Visit the War Reminants Museum, housing a history of the local perspective of the Vietnam War.
• Visit the old Presidential Palace, where victory was declared after years of fighting, and preserved as it was found, including vehicles in the garages.
• Visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Saigon Post Office, both magnificent displays of architecture of bygone days.

After this historical visit, enjoy some wonderful ice cream at Fanny’s, a quaint little parlour with a French atmosphere, before exploring the trendy boutiques on Ton That Thiep Street.

Overnight in Saigon

DAY 12: SAIGON - CAI BE - SAIGON 

We board a local sampan and travel on the water for our visit to the colorful and vibrant Cai Rang floating market and Ba Cong fruit orchard and taste their fine wares.

Moving on we will go to the 100yr old Binh Thuy Ancient House to admire the workmanship and architecture of yesteryear. During our movements we will observe the thick, lush vegetation along the riverbanks and life of the local people, going about their daily chores.

Then on to Can Tho’s bright and colorful market place, where our Mekong delta tour draws to a close. We rendezvous with our road vehicle and begin our return to Ho Chi Minh City, with a visit to either the Vinh Trang Pagoda or Coa Dai Temple on our way.

Our arrival back in Saigon will be late in the afternoon.

Overnight in Saigon

DAY 13: SAIGON - FLY - SIEM REAP

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Siem Reap. Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival in the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.

In the morning we travel 15kms from Siem Reap, to visit the Roluos group, Hindu worship temples dating from the late 9th century and representing the beginning of Khmer architecture.

We will visit the three main temples dedicated to Shiva :

• The temple Preah Ko, erected by Indravarman in the late 9th century.
• Temple Lolei, the twin to Preah Ko,and see its sandstone carvings.
• Temple Bakong, the largest of the Rolous group, and served as the city,s central temple.

The Group represents the remains of Roluos Hariharalaya, the first major capital founded in the Angkor region.

Overnight in Siem Reap

DAY 14: SIEM REAP - ANGKOR THOM - TA PHROM - ANGKOR WAT

Firstly we will visit the walled city of Angkor Thom, 10sq kms in size. To see :

• South Gate, Bayon built under Jayavarman VII in late 12th century, with 54 towers, each with four faces of Buddha.
• Completing our day we see the fascinating Buddhist monastery of Ta Prohm, invaded by the jungle and truly stunning to see and photograph.
• The Baphuon with its splendid sculptures.
• The Terrace of the Elephants.
• The Terrace of the Leper King with its beautiful carvings of gods, nagas, and dancers.
• The Royal Enclosure and its small temple, Phimeanakas.
• Then we see the fascinating Buddhist monastery of Ta Phrom, invaded by the jungle and truly stunning to see and photograph.

In the afternoon

Visit Angkor Wat, built in the first half of the twelfth century, and dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. This huge temple-mountain, built by King Suryavarman II, is considered a masterpiece of art and fine architecture of the Khmer, so much so the five towers of Angkor Wat appear on the Cambodian flag.

If the weather does not permit you to see the sunrise, you may witness the sunset, from the top of the hill of Phnom Bakheng, which offers a magnificent overview of Angkor Wat.

Overnight in Siem Reap

DAY 15: SIEM REAP - TONLE SAP - DEPARTURE 

We drive to the fishing village of Chaong Kneas, on the banks of the Tonle Sap Lake, board a boat and take a cruise to explore some of the floating villages on this massive expanse of water. We see the huts of bamboo and straw, built on stilts, to avoid flooding, and practice some of the traditional fishing techniques employed by the locals, on one of largest reserves of fresh water fish known to man.

Free time until transfer to the airport in Phnom Penh for your departure flight.

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