Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive at Noi Bai International Airport where your guide meets you for the drive to your hotel in central Hanoi. Check-in is at 14:00 (early check-in available for an extra fee if you need it). After settling in, the rest of the day is yours to use however you'd like. Many travelers take a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, grab some Vietnamese street food, or sit down at a local café and watch the city go by.
- Start point
- Noi Bai International Airport, Sóc Sơn, Huyện Sóc Sơn, Hanoi 140800, Vietnam (Pickup from Air Port)
Optional Activities
- Leisurely walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
- Sample Vietnamese street food
- Relax at local café
Landmarks Hoan Kiem Lake 
- Day 2
Hanoi
After breakfast, you'll meet your guide in the hotel lobby to explore Hanoi's cultural sites. The morning takes you to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (exterior viewing), his stilt house, and the Presidential Palace. Then you'll see the One Pillar Pagoda, a lotus-shaped temple symbolizing purity. At the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first national university from 1070, you'll walk through quiet courtyards and see stone steles carved with scholars' names. Lunch is Vietnamese food at a local restaurant, and then the afternoon is free for your own activities.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (exterior viewing)
- Explore Ho Chi Minh's humble stilt house
- Visit Presidential Palace
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Temple of Literature
Landmarks Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Temple of Literature Presidential Palace - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After breakfast, you'll drive through the countryside to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You arrive at the pier around noon and board your cruise. A welcome drink greets you as you settle in, followed by fresh seafood lunch while watching thousands of limestone karsts pass by. The afternoon includes exploring caves, hidden beaches, or trying kayaking and swimming depending on your cruise schedule. As evening comes, the boat anchors in a lagoon where you'll have dinner on board with options like squid fishing, stargazing, or relaxing on deck.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Fresh seafood lunch on board), Dinner (Delicious dinner on board)
Included Activities
- Cruise through Halong Bay
- Explore Halong Bay caves or hidden beaches
- Kayaking in Halong Bay
- Swimming in Halong Bay
Optional Activities
- Squid fishing
- Stargazing
- Evening drinks on deck
Landmarks Halong Bay 
- Day 4
Halong Bay to Da Nang to Hoi An
You'll wake early to see the sunrise over the limestone peaks. Light breakfast comes on board as the cruise moves through the waters and stops at caves with stalactites or a secluded lagoon. After brunch and final views of the bay, you disembark and your driver takes you back to Hanoi for your flight to Da Nang. From there, it's a scenic drive to Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage town. Check into your hotel and unwind, or walk through the lantern-lit streets and riverside cafés in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Light breakfast on board), Brunch
Included Activities
- Cruise exploration of Halong Bay limestone cave or secluded lagoon
Landmarks Halong Bay Hoi An Ancient Town - Day 5
Hoi An
Your day through Hoi An starts at the bustling market, a lively place with local spices, fresh produce, fabrics, and handmade crafts good for souvenirs and seeing daily life. From there you'll visit the ornate Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall with its intricate carvings and dragon statues. Ancient houses like Phung Hung and Tan Ky have stood for over two centuries and still show their original details. The Museum of Folk Culture occupies a 150-year-old merchant house, and then you'll catch a short art performance. The day ends at the Japanese Covered Bridge, a 400-year-old structure, with time to wander through handicraft shops and galleries.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Hoi An Market
- Visit Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall
- Explore Phung Hung or Tan Ky Ancient House
- Visit Museum of Folk Culture
- Watch performance at Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House
- Visit Japanese Covered Bridge
Landmarks Hoi An Market Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall Phung Hung Ancient House Tan Ky Ancient House Museum of Folk Culture Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House Japanese Covered Bridge 
- Day 6
Hoi An
Today is about moving at your own pace through Hoi An's charming riverside setting. Morning light brings lanterns and coffee aromas through the ancient streets as you wander the colorful alleys at will. Stop at a cozy café for traditional Vietnamese coffee or browse local boutiques for handcrafted items. When evening arrives, the town transforms with lantern-lit streets perfect for strolling or taking a boat ride on the Thu Bon River. Dinner by the water lets you watch the town glow under thousands of colorful lights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Wander through Hoi An's colorful alleys
- Visit local café for traditional Vietnamese coffee
- Browse local boutiques for handcrafted souvenirs
- Stroll lantern-lit streets
- Boat ride on Thu Bon River
- Dinner by the water
Landmarks Thu Bon River - Day 7
Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, you'll leave Hoi An's ancient streets and head to Da Nang Airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Your guide meets you upon arrival and transfers you to your hotel in the city center. After checking in and resting, the afternoon is open for exploring on your own. Walk down Dong Khoi Street to see elegant French colonial architecture or climb to a rooftop café for views of the city skyline.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Stroll down Dong Khoi Street
- Visit rooftop café for panoramic city views
- Explore Saigon on your own
Landmarks Dong Khoi Street 
- Day 8
Ho Chi Minh City
Starting at 08:00, you'll move through Ho Chi Minh City's lively streets where history and modern life mix together. The Reunification Palace was once home to South Vietnam's president, and exploring its historic halls teaches you about events that shaped the country. Next is the War Remnants Museum with powerful exhibits and photographs showing Vietnam's wartime history. You'll see two colonial buildings: the Saigon Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral, a red-brick structure from the late 1800s (currently closed but visible from outside). If time allows, end at a local market to experience daily life, try local snacks, or find souvenirs.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Reunification Palace
- Visit War Remnants Museum
- View Saigon Central Post Office
- View Notre Dame Cathedral
Optional Activities
- Visit local market
- Sample local snacks
Landmarks Reunification Palace War Remnants Museum Saigon Central Post Office Notre Dame Cathedral - Day 9
Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho
You'll leave the city and head to the Mekong Delta, driving to Can Tho to experience a different pace of life. This fertile region produces about half of Vietnam's agriculture, with rivers and canals central to everything. On a long-tail boat, you'll explore fish farms and exotic fruit farms in the quiet countryside. The orchards, paddy fields, and swamplands show a landscape that feels removed from typical tourism routes.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Long-tail boat exploration of Mekong waterways
- Visit fish farms
- Visit exotic fruit farms
Landmarks Mekong Delta Can Tho - Day 10
Can Tho to Chau Doc
An early start gets you to Can Tho's floating markets, traveling along the Mekong and its canals by motorboat and sampan under water coconut trees. You'll taste seasonal fruits straight from orchards and meet local people at the lively floating markets. In the afternoon, you'll drive northwest to Chau Doc near the Cambodian border, where Sam Mountain breaks up the flat plains. You'll spend one night in this quieter town.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Floating market tour in Can Tho
- Travel along Mekong River and canals by motorboat and sampan
- Taste seasonal fruits from the orchard
- Visit lively floating markets
Landmarks Can Tho Floating Market Mekong River Chau Doc Sam Mountain 
- Day 11
Chau Doc to Phnom Penh
After breakfast, you board a speedboat and glide along the scenic Mekong River toward Phnom Penh. Crossing into Cambodia, you'll see peaceful riverside landscapes and daily life along the banks. Upon arrival, your guide meets you and takes you to your hotel for check-in and a short rest. In the afternoon, the city tour starts with the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, two of Phnom Penh's most important landmarks featuring elegant Khmer architecture and a dazzling silver-tiled floor with Buddhist treasures. Wat Phnom, the hilltop temple the city is named after, offers lush greenery and local stories. Your day ends at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former school and haunting reminder of Cambodia's tragic past under the Khmer Rouge. Back at your hotel, you'll have time to rest and reflect.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Speedboat journey on Mekong River
- Visit Royal Palace
- Visit Silver Pagoda
- Visit Wat Phnom
- Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Landmarks Mekong River Royal Palace Silver Pagoda Wat Phnom Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap
You'll travel by coach bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, a 6-hour drive with a meal stop along the way. Once you arrive, your guide meets you at the hotel for check-in. The afternoon takes you by tuk-tuk to the Angkor National Museum, then to Preah Ang Check, a local prayer site where residents come to worship. By evening, you'll have a buffet dinner while watching traditional Khmer dance performance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Buffet dinner with Khmer Traditional Dance Show)
Included Activities
- Visit Angkor National Museum - learn about the Khmer Empire
- Visit Preah Ang Check - local prayer site
Optional Activities
- Tuk-tuk ride around Siem Reap
Landmarks Angkor National Museum Preah Ang Check 
- Day 13
Siem Reap
This full day focuses on exploring Angkor's temple complex. You start at Angkor Thom and its South Gate, then head to Bayon Temple with its famous 200-plus smiling stone faces. From there, the Elephant Terrace and Terrace of the Leper King give you a sense of the area's historical importance. Ta Prohm comes next, the temple you might recognize from the Tomb Raider film. After lunch, you'll visit the massive Angkor Wat, spending time in its vast courtyards and walking past carved galleries. You return to your hotel as evening comes.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local lunch break)
Included Activities
- Visit Angkor Thom - ancient Khmer capital with South Gate
- Visit Bayon Temple - temple with carved stone faces
- Visit Elephant Terrace - royal ceremony site
- Visit Terrace of the Leper King - carved stone terrace
- Visit Ta Prohm - temple with tree roots through walls
- Visit Angkor Wat - iconic temple complex with courtyards and galleries
Landmarks Angkor Thom Bayon Temple Elephant Terrace Terrace of the Leper King Ta Prohm Angkor Wat 
- Day 14
Siem Reap
You have the day to yourself in Siem Reap. After breakfast, you can either relax at your hotel or wander through the city on your own. If you want to explore, the Old Market (Psar Chaa) has souvenir shops and authentic Cambodian snacks to try. It's a good chance to get a feel for local life without a scheduled itinerary.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Old Market (Psar Chaa) - local market with souvenirs and Cambodian snacks
Landmarks Old Market (Psar Chaa) - Day 15
Siem Reap to Luang Prabang
You'll have a relaxed morning in Siem Reap before heading to the airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, your guide greets you and checks you into your hotel. Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage site with Buddhist temples and French colonial architecture throughout. You have the afternoon free to explore on your own, perhaps walking through temples or heading down to the Mekong River. Dinner features traditional Lao cuisine paired with cultural dance and folk music.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional Lao dinner with cultural dance and folk music performance)
Included Activities
- Visit Luang Prabang city - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Optional Activities
- Explore temples and streets of Luang Prabang
- Coffee by the Mekong River at sunset
Landmarks Luang Prabang Mekong River 
- Day 16
Luang Prabang - Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden
Early morning means heading to Ban Wat That pier for a 15-minute Mekong River cruise to Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden. You'll walk through several distinct areas including the Ginger Garden, Ethno-Botanic Garden, and Limestone Walk with mountain views, plus the Arboretum, Palm Garden, and Bamboo Garden. There's a workshop where you craft bamboo animals and see rare orchids at the Mist House. After lunch, you trek to Pha Tad Ke Cave with its Buddhist shrine, then join a session on making Lao traditional medicinal herbal tea. The boat and tuk-tuk bring you back to Luang Prabang by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch surrounded by peaceful natural beauty)
Included Activities
- Boat cruise on Mekong River to Pha Tad Ke
- Explore Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden - multiple gardens and nature trails
- Learn bamboo stick animal crafting
- Visit Pha Tad Ke Cave - Buddhist shrine in limestone cliffs
- Workshop on Lao Traditional Medicinal Herbal Tea
Landmarks Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden Pha Tad Ke Cave Ban Wat That 
- Day 17
Luang Prabang
Today covers Luang Prabang's cultural highlights. Start at the Royal Palace Museum to see royal artifacts, then visit Wat Xieng Thong temple with its distinctive sweeping roofs and detailed mosaics. The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center teaches about Lao ethnic cultures. You'll check out Wat Visoun, dating back to 1513 as the city's oldest temple. At Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Center, you can watch silk production and weaving. In the afternoon, you head to Kuang Si Waterfall where turquoise pools and jungle trails let you swim and explore, plus there's a Bear Rescue Center nearby and the optional Kuang Si Butterfly Park. To end the day, you climb Mount Phousi's 329 steps for sunset views across Luang Prabang and the Mekong River.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Royal Palace Museum - royal heritage artifacts
- Visit Wat Xieng Thong - temple with sweeping roofs and mosaics
- Visit Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center - ethnic cultures exhibition
- Visit Wat Visoun - oldest temple built in 1513
- Visit Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Center - silk production and weaving
- Visit Kuang Si Waterfall - turquoise pools and jungle trails
- Visit Bear Rescue Center - Asiatic black bears
Optional Activities
- Swim in Kuang Si Waterfall pools
- Walk forest trails at Kuang Si Waterfall
- Guided tour of Kuang Si Butterfly Park
- Climb Mount Phousi - 329 steps to summit for sunset
Landmarks Royal Palace Museum Wat Xieng Thong Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center Wat Visoun Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Center Kuang Si Waterfall Bear Rescue Center Kuang Si Butterfly Park Mount Phousi - Day 18
Luang Prabang to Muang Soune
After breakfast, you stop at a nearby market to pick up fresh food, then drive 5km north to Muang Soune village on the Nam Ou river. Your host family welcomes you and shows you around the village. You'll visit the village chief's house to learn about local customs and history. Lunch happens at your host family's home. The afternoon lets you try hands-on activities like rice planting or harvesting (depending on season), traditional fishing, farm walks, or swimming in the Nam Ou river. You help prepare dinner to learn about Lao cooking, then participate in a Baci Ceremony, a traditional ritual. The evening includes folk tales told by firelight and time for stargazing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at host family's house)
Included Activities
- Visit local market - buy fresh foods
- Explore Muang Soune village - see local life
- Visit village chief's house - learn about village history and living conditions
- Lunch at host family's house
- Participate in Baci Ceremony - traditional Lao spiritual ritual
- Dinner with folk tale storytelling
Optional Activities
- Agricultural activities - rice planting and harvesting (seasonal)
- Learn traditional fishing techniques
- Walk around farm and rice fields
- Swim in Nam Ou river
- Help prepare dinner - learn Lao cuisine
- Evening stroll along riverbank - stargazing
Landmarks Muang Soune Nam Ou river - Day 19
Muang Soune to Luang Prabang
Wake early to watch sunrise over the Nam Ou river and surrounding mountains. After breakfast, you spend the morning fishing using traditional methods and take a boat through nearby areas. By 11:00 AM you're back at the village and transfer to Luang Prabang. Along the way, you stop at Ban Pak Ou for lunch at a restaurant overlooking Pak Ou Caves and where the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers meet. You visit Pak Ou Caves to see thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues left by pilgrims over the years. A downstream Mekong boat journey takes you to Ban Chan village and Chanthavinh Resort, where you'll spend the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at restaurant overlooking Pak Ou Caves and confluence of Mekong and Nam Ou rivers)
Included Activities
- Watch sunrise over Nam Ou river
- Morning fishing with traditional techniques
- Boat trip exploring surrounding areas
- Lunch at Ban Pak Ou restaurant overlooking caves and rivers
- Visit Pak Ou Caves - two linked caves with thousands of Buddha statues
Landmarks Ban Pak Ou Pak Ou Caves Ban Chan Mekong River - Day 20
Ban Chan to Departure
This morning you have free time to walk around Ban Chan village, known throughout the region for pottery making. Watch local artisans shape clay into bowls and check out the underground kilns used for firing hundreds of jars at once. These methods have been passed down for generations. You're welcome to buy handmade pieces to support local craftspeople. Later, return to Luang Prabang by boat and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore Ban Chan village pottery making
- Observe artisans working clay
- Visit underground pottery kilns
- Boat return to Luang Prabang
- Airport transfer
Optional Activities
- Purchase pottery figurines to support local handicraft (at own expense)
Landmarks Ban Chan Village
