Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive at Noi Bai International Airport where your guide meets you with a welcome sign and takes you to your hotel in Hanoi. Along the way, you'll get a quick introduction to the city. After dropping off your bags, the afternoon and evening are free. Hanoi's tree-lined streets, French colonial buildings, and peaceful lakes are there whenever you want to explore them at your own pace.
Optional Activities
- Explore tree-lined boulevards of Hanoi
- Discover French Indochinese architecture
- Visit tranquil lakes around the city
- Day 2
Hanoi
After breakfast, you'll hit Hanoi's major cultural sites starting with President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, then head to the One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature. From there, you'll check out West Lake's Tran Quoc temple and work through the Ethnology Museum. By late morning, you're wandering the Old Quarter's narrow streets. An hour-long cyclo ride lets you see the neighborhood from a different angle, and then you'll catch a water puppet show in the afternoon.
Included Activities
- Visit Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh (viewed from outside)
- Visit The One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Tran Quoc temple at West Lake
- Visit Ethnology Museum
- Explore Old Quarter
- Visit Ngoc Son temple
- Visit The Restored Sword Lake
- One hour cyclo tour around Old Quarter
- Water puppet show
Landmarks Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh One Pillar Pagoda Temple of Literature Tran Quoc Temple Ethnology Museum Old Quarter Ngoc Son Temple Restored Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake) - Day 3
Hanoi to Ninh Binh
After hotel breakfast, you're leaving Hanoi for Ninh Binh province, driving through rural countryside to reach Hoa Lu, Vietnam's ancient royal capital. You'll tour the Dinh King and Le King temples, which date back to the 10th century. Lunch happens at a local spot, and then you board a small boat for Tam Coc (Three Caves). The boat ride takes you through limestone cliffs, hidden caves, quiet streams, and rice paddies before you settle into your Ninh Binh hotel for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Lunch at a nice restaurant)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Visit Hoa Lu - Ancient Royal Capital
- Visit Dinh King temple
- Visit Le King temple
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Boat tour of Tam Coc (Three Caves)
Landmarks Hoa Lu Dinh King Temple Le King Temple Tam Coc 
- Day 4
Ninh Binh to Halong Bay
Your driver picks you up early for the roughly 2-hour drive to Halong Bay. When you arrive around lunchtime, you'll check into your luxury cruise and spend the afternoon taking in the thousands of limestone islands covered in thick forest. Meals are served on board, and you'll sleep on the ship overnight.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Halong Bay cruise with scenic viewing of limestone islands
Landmarks Halong Bay - Day 5
Halong Bay to Hanoi
Start early on the sundeck for morning exercises with the boat's staff before breakfast. You'll have your camera ready as the cruise continues through the bay during the best light for photos. After lunch on board, you check out and head back to Hanoi by car, arriving around 4 pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Morning exercises on sundeck
- Halong Bay cruise continuation
- Breakfast on board
- Lunch on board
Landmarks Halong Bay - Day 6
Hanoi to Luang Prabang
You're picked up from your hotel and transferred to Noi Bai for a flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, a local guide takes you to see Wat Sene (the city's oldest temple), the impressive Wat Xieng Thong, and the stupa at Wat Visoun. You'll also stop at Wat Aham and Wat Mai before boarding an upstream cruise on the Mekong River for countryside views, then head to your hotel to settle in for the night.
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Sene (oldest temple)
- Visit Wat Xieng Thong
- Visit Wat Visoun stupa
- Visit Wat Aham shrine
- Visit Wat Mai shrine
- Upstream cruise on Mekong River
Landmarks Wat Sene Wat Xieng Thong Wat Visoun Wat Aham Wat Mai 
- Day 7
Luang Prabang
If you choose the optional early start, you can watch the daily alms-giving ritual as saffron-robed monks move through the streets, a tradition unique to Laos. For the main day, a local guide leads you to Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Falls. You'll travel along the Mekong, explore the Buddha-filled caves, visit a rural village where locals make rice wine, and end at Kuang Si Falls with a picnic lunch.
- Meals
- Lunch (Picnic lunch in one of the country's most picturesque destinations)
Included Activities
- Visit Pak Ou Caves
- Visit rural village with rice wine making
- Visit Kuang Si Falls
- Picnic lunch
Optional Activities
- Early morning alms-giving ritual with saffron-clad monks
Landmarks Pak Ou Caves Kuang Si Falls - Day 8
Luang Prabang
After breakfast, you're heading to an elephant camp outside town surrounded by natural green surroundings. A small river crossing comes first, then you'll meet Asian elephants and take a 30-minute ride through plantations and fields.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Visit to elephant camp
- 30 minute elephant ride through plantations and fields
- Day 9
Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng
Breakfast done, you're traveling to Vang Vieng, a quiet town positioned on a bend of the Nam Song River with limestone outcrops nearby. You'll take a bamboo raft down the Nam Song River past limestone cliffs and valleys, then check out the area's caves with Tham Jang being the most well-known (it was used as a defense against Chinese invaders in the early 1800s). You'll overnight in Vang Vieng.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Bamboo raft tour on Nam Song River
- Cave exploration
Optional Activities
- Visit Tham Jang cave
Landmarks Nam Song River Tham Jang Cave - Day 10
Vang Vieng to Vientiane
After breakfast, you walk through Vang Vieng's busy central market, then drive to Vientiane. Once you check into your hotel, you'll see Wat Sisaket with over 8,000 Buddha statues, Wat Ho Prakeo (where the Emerald Buddha once stayed), That Luang Stupa (Laos's most important monument), and Patuxay, a war memorial that's now the city's main landmark. You'll overnight in Vientiane.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Explore Vang Vieng central market
- Visit Wat Sisaket
- Visit Wat Ho Prakeo
- Visit That Luang Stupa
- Visit Patuxay (Lao Arc de Triomphe)
Landmarks Wat Sisaket Wat Ho Prakeo That Luang Stupa Patuxay - Day 11
Vientiane
Start at Wat Si Saket, the only temple that survived the 1828 Siamese invasion, and walk through teak hallways lined with thousands of small Buddha statues. Next is Wat Ho Phra Keo, a religious museum with Lao and Khmer art. You'll view the Presidential Palace from outside (no entry allowed) and see its colonial past as a former French governor's residence. Wat Si Muang comes next, followed by climbing Patuxai's stairs for city views. Then it's on to That Luang, Laos's holiest site with its golden spire. After lunch at a local restaurant, you drive 45 minutes to Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan) with over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues, stopping to photograph the Friendship Bridge between Laos and Thailand (built in 1994). The Lao Disabled Women's Development Centre is next, and you end the evening strolling along the Mekong at sunset with local food stalls and cold drinks. Later, you transfer to Wattay airport for your departure.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Si Saket
- Visit Wat Ho Phra Keo
- View Presidential Palace from outside
- Visit Wat Si Muang
- Climb Patuxai monument for panoramic city views
- Visit That Luang
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Visit Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan)
- Photo stop at Friendship Bridge
- Visit Lao Disabled Women's Development Centre
- Evening stroll along Mekong River
Optional Activities
- Enjoy cold drinks at Mekong River
- Sample snacks from local food stalls
Landmarks Wat Si Saket Wat Ho Phra Keo Presidential Palace Wat Si Muang Patuxai That Luang Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan) Friendship Bridge
