Day 1: Arrival - Luang Pra Bang (From Bangkok)
Arrival at the airport, you are met and transferred to the hotel. Luang Pra Bang 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 Phousi Mount 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 street Night Market, where you can find the lovely collection and handmade textiles produced by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Pra Bang. Overnight in Luang Pra Bang.
Day 2: Luang Prabang – Pakou Cave – Khouang Si Water Fall (B/L)
This morning you may want to get up early and participate in the daily early morning ritual of saffron-clad monks with their black Alms-giving bowls being given offerings from the local people, including the ubiquitous sticky rice.
AM: After breakfast, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represent the classical architecture of Luang Pra Bang temple. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a beautiful view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the distillation of local rice wine. On return, we take a short drive to Ban Phanom, well known for its hand weaving.
PM: You will visit the morning Phosi Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter along with chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local village of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Hmong Village, Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and Ban Thapene, Khmu Village, then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can splash around in the pools or walk along the forest paths, return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Phanom, a well-known weaving village, return to the city by late evening for the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Overnight in Luang Pra Bang.
Day 3: Luang Prabang - Vientiane (B/L) Flight
The National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign, and the Central Market. Then transfer to the airport for flight to Vientiane. Upon arrival, we see the major temples including the oldest Wat Sisaket, a temple of thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous, sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph, sunset by the Mekong river and late evening walks. Overnight in Vientiane.
Day 4: Vientiane – Hanoi - Halong (B/D) Flight
After breakfast, we visit the Morning Market and the weaving village of Ban Nong Bouathong (if time permits). The tour ends after your transfer to Wattay Airport for the flight to Hanoi. Pick up at the airport and transfer to Halong bay. Dinner at the restaurant. Overnight at hotel.
Day 5: Halong Bay – Hanoi (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel. A five hours boat trip gives you a chance to enjoy the breath-taking beauty of Halong Bay - one of the World's Natural Wonders. Visit Sung Sot Cave and Tiptop beach. Boat cruise to see many other small islands in the bay. Lunch on board. Afternoon back Hanoi. Dinner is your choice. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 6: Hanoi City Tour (B/L)
AM: 8.00 Take the cyclo for an hour around the Hanoi Old Quarter, pass by Dong Xuan market then continue to the Old Citadel to Literature Temple and Quoc Tu Giam. Then by car to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda. Continue by visiting the Quan Thanh Temple and Tran Quoc Pagoda. Lunch at the local restaurant.
PM: After lunch proceed to visit the Ethnology Museum. Evening is reserved for Water Puppet Show. Free for dinner. Overnight at hotel.
Day 7: Hanoi – Hue (B/L) Flight
AM: Transfer from your hotel in Hanoi to the airport. Flight to Hue. Pick up then transfer to your hotel in Hue. Bus trip to visit Hue City and King's tombs (Khai Dinh). Dinner in Hue with Hue specialty (Com Cung Dinh). Overnight in Hue.
Day 8: Hue – Hoi An (B/L)
AM: breakfast at hotel. 8.00 Boat trip to visit Thien Mu Pagoda and Minh Mang tomb. Visit Imperial Citadel. Lunch at the garden restaurant.
PM: Transfer to Hoi An. Stop over at Lang Co beach, Cham museum in Danang, sculptures on stone village at Mabre mountain. Arrive at Hoi An. Check into hotel.
Day9: Hoi An (B/L)
Visit Hoi An - an old trading town, some 30km from Da Nang. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old house, Assembly Hall Chinese. Phuc Kien Pagoda – an old and famous chinese Pagoda in Hoi An. Then take a look at Hoi An Museum, see the real life of Vietnamese peoples at the Market on the river side. Lunch at restaurant. Dinner is your choice. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 10: Hoi An – Da Nang - Ho Chi Minh City (B/L) Flight
AM: Transfer to the airport for the morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. The biggest city and consider as the economic capital of Vietnam.
Pick up at Tan San Nhat airport and transfer to hotel in the central of Ho Chi Minh City. Short city tour to City Hall, Cathedral, Post office and Ben Thanh Market. Return to hotel. Free time for dinner. Overnight at hotel.
Day 11: My Tho - Mekong Delta (B/L)
AM: Breakfast at the hotel. 8.00AM Drive south to the Mekong delta. Boat trip in My Tho through tiny canals and quiet villages. Lunch in a nice restaurant inside a garden. Afternoon transfer back Ho Chi Minh city with stop over in Vinh Trang pagoda for visiting. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City – Siem Reap (B/L) Flight
AM: Transfer to the airport for the morning flight to Siem Reap. Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of 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 the Terrace of the Leper King.
In the afternoon, visit 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 Wat's five tower symbolize Meru's five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and 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 of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat. Accommodation at hotel.
Day 13: Visit Angkor Wat (B/L)
Breakfast at your 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 the "Mountain Temple" of Pre Rup until sunset. In the afternoon, transfer to the archaeological site and continue to the temple tour. Visit Ta Prohm, one of the most beautiful temples in the area. Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Visit Takeo, Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda temples. Accommodation at hotel.
Day 14: Siem Reap - Departure (B)
Breakfast at hotel. Visit the floating village of 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 the largest in Asia.
In the afternoon, visit "Les Artisans d'Angkor – Chantiers Ecoles" of Siem Reap and time at leisure at the local market (if time permits). Transfer to Siem Reap airport for departure to the next destination.
