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Day 1 Hanoi Arrival

Welcome to Vietnam!

Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be greeted by our tour guide then transfer to hotel. The balance of the day is free at leisure.

Day 2 Hanoi (B/D)

Hanoi is noisy, busy and motorbike-clogged but it’s still a joy to experience the serene views, street-food scene and culture.

Today we visit the Temple of Literature, one of the best-preserved examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture and the site of Vietnam’s first university, Ngoc Son Temple, Rising Sun bridge, Nha Tho Cathedral, Hoa Lo Prison aka ‘The Hanoi Hilton, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was recommended because it is the only place in Hanoi where you can take pictures of soldiers and not worry about losing your camera in the process.

During the tour, we will have breaks and try the local coffee, as there is no lack of coffee shops in Hanoi offering up many java varieties, different kinds of iced and hot blends.

Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Dinner. After dinner, take a short, pleasant walk along the Hoan Kiem Lake back to your hotel.

Day 3 Hanoi (B/L)

This morning, visit the bustling Chau Long market located just off of Truc Bach Lake. Walk through the narrow and busy passages with a crowd of vendors’ stores displaying all sorts of colourful groceries and foodstuffs and feel the energy in the air with the excitement from the locals who are working on the ingredients for their upcoming meals at home. Twist the way through the crowd to find some interesting street food stops. There will be the tasty rice vermicelli with grilled pork patties (bun cha) with the famous deep fried Vietnamese spring roll.

Continue your culinary exploration with some creative variations of the popular “pho”. Next, go to an old café that has been handed down through a few generations to enjoy the aroma of the coffee made with special family brewing technique.

Afternoon is free at leisure or to join an optional cooking class.

Tonight, enjoy a Water Puppet Show, a fantastic art form originating in northern Vietnam, best seen in Hanoi.

Day 4 Hanoi – Halong Bay (B/L/D)

This morning, travel by road from Hanoi to Halong and on arrival, board the Paradise Halong Cruise.
Have a cold welcome drink – cruise briefing, safety instructions and check into your cabin.

Enjoy lunch while the cruise sails passing by magnificent sceneries of the World Heritage site.

In the afternoon, explore Sung Sot cave, hiking up and down steps to the magnificent limestone formations of the biggest and most marvellous cave in Halong bay or enjoy kayaking (with supplement) around Luon cave area. Back to the vessel and participate in cooking demonstration with cruise’s chef. Dinner on board Paradise Halong Cruise.

Day 5 Halong Bay – Hanoi – Flight to Luang Prabang (B/L)

Join an early morning Tai Chi session on the sundeck while tea, coffee and assorted pastries are being served. Relax on board or go visit Titov island.

Back on board enjoy breakfast while the cruise sails back to pier, check out and return by vehicle to Hanoi airport where we will fly to Luang Prabang.

Welcome to Laos! On arrival in Luang Prabang, you will be met by a local guide and transferred from the airport to your hotel.

Day 6 Luang Prabang ~ Pak Ou Caves (B/L)

After breakfast, visit Wat Xieng Thong which is often described as Luang Prabang’s most beautiful temple. Continue to the river to begin a relaxing Mekong River trip to visit the sacred Pak Ou Buddha Caves which overlooking the confluence of the Mekong and Ou Rivers from on high, have been home to many thousands of Buddha images that were placed here by local people since 16th century.

After exploring the caves and lunch at a local restaurant nearby return to Luang Prabang by boat.

On arrival back in Luang Prabang visit the textile village of Ban Xang Khong, where traditional Laotian textiles are woven on wooden looms. If time and energy levels permit it may be possible to also visit some of the other handicraft villages around Luang Prabang town.

Climb 328 steps starting from the entrance on the opposite side of National Museum or 410 steps on the other side of Khan River to the small temples atop Phou Si, the 150m high hill which sits in the middle of the town, offering beautiful Sunset views over the temples and river.

Day 7 Luang Prabang (B/D)

This morning visit some of these priceless monuments under UNESCO protection as a World Heritage Site. The National Museum (former Royal Palace), a modest but graceful building which combines traditional Lao and French beaux-arts motifs. One of the palace’s most prized art pieces, is the Phrabang, cast of a gold, silver and bronze alloy.

Continue on to visit nearby Wat Mai – the five-tiered roof of the wooden sim epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style.

The afternoon is free for you to relax, shop or head out on your own to continue exploring the town or visit the local markets.

Enjoy Dinner tonight at Tamarind Lao restaurant, a great introduction to Luang Prabang style Laotian cuisine.

After dinner take a stroll around Luang Prabang’s fabulous night market with your local guide, where there is an overwhelming selection of local handicrafts on offer.

Day 8 Luang Prabang – Siem Reap (B)

There is an opportunity to start the day early with one of the most memorable sights of Luang Prabang. Every morning at dawn, the town’s community of hundreds of monks make their way through the streets of Luang Prabang for tak bak, the gathering of morning alms in silence.

Rest of the morning is free. Your guide will pick you up at designated time and transfer you to the airport for flight to Siem Reap.

Upon arrival, we meet our guide and transfer to our hotel.

Set off in the late afternoon for an exploration of the main temple of Angkor Wat, the architectural and artistic masterpiece of the Khmer Empire and one of the world’s greatest travel destinations. Walk amid the moss-peppered cobbled pathways, gazing up at the intricately carved tower tops, or climb the steep, narrow temple steps that lead to wide courtyards.

Contemplate the temple’s spiritual power while you walk in the cool shade of its hallways, stopping to take in the perfume of burning incense. Lose yourself in contemplation as you catch the rays of sun dancing off the bas-relief carvings at sunset, the chatter of monkeys reverberating off the temple walls.

Day 9 Siem Reap (B/D)

Travel early this morning to Ta Prohm – entangled in the surrounding jungle foliage and one of the most romantic temples of the Angkor complex – as it is bathed in the golden light of sunrise. Explore the temple at leisure amid exotic bird calls, climb over its crumbling stonework overtaken by creeping strangler figs and take winning photographs before other visitors arrive for the day.
Afterward, discover Angkor Thom, a heavily fortified city built in the 10th century by King Jayavarman VII; the mysterious Bayon Temple, with its 172 large-scale faces bearing beguiling smiles; and the Elephant and Leper King Terraces. All are breathtaking examples of masterful Khmer engineering and artistry.

After a traditional Khmer lunch, explore two less-visited areas: Banteay Srei, also known as the “Citadel of Women,” and Banteay Samre, one of the most complete temple complexes of Angkor

Tonight, enjoy a Cambodia Circus at Phare performed by the famous young and talented artists from Battambang. This sophisticated hour long show, mixing traditional and modern theatre, music, dance, acrobatics and juggling, contortion beautifully choreographed and energetically performed shows a story about Cambodian contemporary life in an ever changing society.

Day 10   Siem Reap (B/D)

The morning is free for you to relax, shop or head out on your own to continue exploring the town or visit the local markets.

This afternoon, a scenic drive through the countryside to Phnom Krom where we see three towers here dedicated to Shiva Vishnu and Brahma respectively, and alongside, an active pagoda on the top of a splendid hill. We visit the pagoda and for those who want to, it is possible to receive a blessing from one of the monks. It is believed the traditional Khmer blessing ceremony cleanses bad spirits from the past and brings good luck for the coming year.

We end the day with a sunset picnic while enjoying views over Tonle Sap Lake.

Day 11   Siem Reap – Danang – Hoi An (B)

Transfer to the airport for our flight to Danang where on arrival, we are met and tour the Cham Museum that houses the best collection of Cham art dating to the 4th century.

Continue to Hoi An and enjoy a walking tour through the cobbled streets, past low tile-roofed buildings, the bustling central market and the small harbour. We will pay visits to a Private House, Sa Huynh Museum, a handicraft workshop and the famous Japanese Covered Bridge Pagoda, first constructed by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link the town with the Chinese quarters across the stream.

Day 12   Hoi An (B)

A full day at leisure for you to explore this UNESCO World Heritage town on your own or visit a tailor to have your cloth made. Set off on a sunset boat trip and get a glimpse of local life as the sun dips into waters punctuated by fishermen’s traps.

Day 13 Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh (B/D)

Another day is yours to enjoy the amenities of your hotel, including swimming pools; a serene spa; Golf and a coconut tree-lined beach.

We enjoy a Cooking Class with market visit at the Red Bridge Restaurant.

Afterwards, transfer to the airport for your flight to Saigon.

Arrival in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and you are met and transferred to the hotel for overnight.

Day 14   Ho Chi Minh City Tour (B/L)

Get to know Ho Chi Minh City with a tour that introduces you to the sights and sounds of this exciting metropolis.

This morning at 9:00 am, you are picked up from the hotel and enjoy a full-day excursion takes in the main attractions of Saigon.

First stop is the Reunification Palace, which is also known as the Independence Palace. This sits on the site of the former Norodom Palace and it was the home of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Continues to the War Remnants Museum which contains exhibits from the Vietnam War and the first Indochina War involving French colonialists.

We then take a quick photo stop at the majestic Notre Dame Cathedral and the colonial Central Post Office.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit Chinatown, the colourful Binh Tay wholesale market and Thien Hau Temple.

Day 15  Ho Chi Minh Departure (B)

This morning, we will be transferred to the airport for onward flights.