Truly Vietnam – Laos

While Vietnam is known for its kaleidoscope of cultures owing to its insanely diverse landscape and historical records reaching back into the realm of legend, Laos – untainted by mass tourism, is a haven for intrepid travelers. All the intriguing facets of Vietnam will unfold as you work your way up the country: from busy floating markets to sun-kissed coastal heavens, from frenzy major cities to quaint ancient towns and exotic hill tribes, you name it. Visit Laos and you will get to bask in the timeless rural charm of somnolent Vientiane and the stellar waterfalls of Luang Prabang.

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City Arrival.
Meal: NA- Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
Welcome to the biggest city in Vietnam – Metropolis Ho Chi Minh City.
On arrival, our car and guide will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel in the city center. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure to recover from jet lag and explore the city on your own.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnel– City Tour
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Saigon
After breakfast, you will visit Cu Chi tunnel, where human knowledge has been enriched by experiencing a web-like tunnels system of more than 200 km in length which used to be the shelters of guerrillas during the war against American troops.Return to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch by your own arrangement. After lunch, a take a short sightseeing tour of Ho Chi Minh City with War Museum, The Hundred Years Red Cathedral (Notre Dame Cathedral), The Old Post Office and The People’s Committee Hall.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta – Cai Be – Vinh Long – Can Tho.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch- Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho
After breakfast, you will be picked up to transfer to Mekong Delta to visit Cai Be Floating Market. On arrival, you’ll take a boat to the floating market, one of the biggest and famous floating markets in Mekong Delta. You will have a chance to enjoy the peaceful area and the daily life of local people. You will walk to visit a coconut candy, a crispy rice cake factory and you might buy coconut candy and hand-made items from coconut trees of Mekong Delta for a souvenir. You also have a chance to enjoy traditional music while enjoying local fruit here. After lunch at a local house, we will take a sampan in 20 minutes zigzag through canals to enjoy the fresh air and wonderful water coconut tree scenery. The next we travel to Can Tho. Overnight in Can Tho.

Day 4: Can Tho – Cai Rang Floating Market – Ho Chi Minh City
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
Wake early and leave the hotel to visit the famous Cai Rang floating market by motorboat. Cruise along the river to enjoy the scenery and Floating Market. Venture deeper into the countryside, passing traditional houses made of wood and palm leaves as you observe the activities of the local people. Back to Can Tho for lunch then transfer to Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 5: Saigon – Fly to Danang – Hoian.
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An
After breakfast, transfer you to the Airport for the flight to Danang. Your guide and driver will meet you at Danang airport and take you to Hoian. In the afternoon, you will take a walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the ancient quarter, visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 200-year old Tan Ky ancestral house and the famous Japanese Bridge. End the day with a relaxing sunset boat trip.

Day 6: Hoian – My Son
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Hoi An.
Depart from your hotel to My Son sanctuary which was once an imperial city during the Champa dynasty, between the 4th and the 8th centuries. We travel about 50km to visit My Son sanctuary, visit the ruins towers of Cham people and learn about of architecture of Cham civilization. You will discover a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 65 architectural works. In 1999, UNESCO labeled the Cham architecture in My Son as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Drive back to your hotel and relax for the rest of the day.

Day 7: Hoian – Danang – Hue.
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Hue
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then check-out and drive over the 500m-high Hai Van pass to Hue – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam’s former capital. Afternoon, you will spend to visit the ancient city with the Royal Citadel, the Imperial Museum, as well as the Mausoleum of King Tu Duc (a replica of the king’s palace built for the next reincarnation of the king).

Day 8: Hue – Fly to Hanoi.
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Spend the morning on a private boat cruise down the romantic Perfume River to visit the Lady Pagoda(Thien Mu Pagoda), Dong Ba Market and the ornate Minh Mang’s tomb. Drive to the airport in the afternoon to catch your short flight to Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi. Upon arrival, get transferred to your hotel in the city center. Free at your leisure.

Day 9: Hanoi City Tour
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Today you have a full day to explore the capital of Vietnam. You will visit main attraction site in Hanoi like the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Stilt house, One Pillar Pagoda; the Presidential Palace); the Temple of Literature; the Quan Thanh Temple, Tran Quoc Pagoda & West Lake; and the most attraction museum in Hanoi is the Ethnology Museum or History Museum. Later in the afternoon enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture.

Day 10: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay
Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner– Accommodation: On Cruise
After pickup from your hotel, you will be transferred by van/car to Ha Long Bay at 12:00. You will be welcomed aboard and set sail through the bay while lunch is served. You will pass through the emerald bay through many Islands and Islets. After lunch, you will take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay dotted with golden sails, and then go swimming on a quiet beach or be sunbathing on the sundeck. Later in the afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with the opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, you can enjoy drinks while watching the sunset. Dinner and overnight on the Junk.

Day 11: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi
Meal: Breakfast, lunch– Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Early Morning wakes up with Tai Chi Session on Sundeck. You have an opportunity to enjoy the sun rising from the bay. After breakfast, you will visit a spectacular limestone grotto and then go back to the boat for a final glimpse of Ha Long Bay while cruising back to the dock. Checkout and the boat arrive at the harbor by noon for the drive back to Hanoi. You will then have free time. Overnight in Hanoi hotel.

Day 12: Hanoi – Vientiane
Meal: Breakfast- Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane
Saying goodbye Hanoi we transfer to the airport to take a flight to Laos. Upon arrival in Vientiane, we will be transferred to our hotel. This afternoon there will be a tour of Vientiane. Our tour includes the major temples of Vat Sisaket, Vat Phrakeo and the impressive That Luang Stupa, the country’s most important monument. We will also see the Arch of Triumph, the National Museum and the main market. Overnight at hotel in Vientiane.

Day 13: Vientiane – Luang Prabang
Meal: Breakfast- Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang
This morning we transfer to the airport for the short domestic flight to Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang is best known for its beautiful scenery and high numbers of Ancient Temples. This former Royal Capital has a rich variety of architecture, from the old facades of French colonial homes to the glittering temple rooftops. We embark on a tour of this enthralling town visiting Vat Xieng Thong, the Golden City monastery. Dating back to the 16th century this splendid temple is considered to be the finest in Laos. We will also visit the fine temples of Vat May, Vat Vixoun and Vat That Luang. Later in the day, we adjourn to the Phousi Holy Hill to enjoy the excellent views of the town and a great sunset.

Day 14: Vientiane – Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast – Accommodations: Hotel in Luang Prabang
After breakfast, transfer to airport for morning flight to Luangprabang. The guide in Luang Prabang will welcome you at the airport after clearing custom, transfer to hotel for check-in. Then enjoy a half day city tour around Luang Prabang…and you will understand why it deserves the World Heritage title! Visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa.  The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao. We visit 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 of 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;  Climb up 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. From there, we explore Street Night Bazaar, where you can find the lovely collection and handmade textile by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 15: Luang Prabang- Pak Ou caves
Meals: Breakfast – Accommodations: Hotel in Luang Prabang
An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily alms giving ritual to saffron-clad monks. This tradition is unique to Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. After breakfast at the hotel, We depart hotel to the boat landing and take an excursion by boat upstream on the Mekong to visit Pak Ou cave in the side of a limestone cliff and the opposite of 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 whiskey, 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 the late afternoon, visit the National Museum, the former Royal Palace which houses the collection of valuables including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, gifts received from foreign dignitaries…etc, Overnight in Luangprabang.

Day 16: Luang Prabang – Khouangsi Waterfalls
Meal: Breakfast, lunch – Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang
An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily alms giving ritual to saffron-clad monks. This tradition is unique to Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. You will visit the morning Phosi Market where you will find dried buffalo skins, local teas and saltpeter among the many foodstuffs and hill-tribe textiles. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will have the opportunity to visit ethnic minority groups in the Ban Ouay, Hmong, Ban Ou, Laoloum, Ban Thapene and Khmu Villages. After visiting the villages, we then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfalls where you have the chance to swim in the turquoise pools or walk along forest paths. Next we move to Ock Pop Tok shop – The Living Crafts Centre which has to be one of the most beautiful spots in Luang Prabang, you can sit and enjoy the views out across the Mekong at sunset whilst enjoying some incredible traditional Laos dishes, all to the background click-clacking of the looms at work at the hands of Ock Pop Tok’s incredibly talented craftspeople. We return to Luang Prabang in the late evening to observe the sunset at Wat Phabath.

Day 17: Luang Prabang departure
Meals: Breakfast – Accommodations: NA
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. End of tour.