Itinerary
- Day 1
Luang Prabang
You'll arrive at Luang Prabang Airport and head to your hotel to settle in. After lunch, you can check out Wat Xienthong temple, which dates back to the 16th century, then walk over to Wat Visoun and the Melon stupa. Before evening hits, climb Mount Phousi to catch the sunset from up there. On your way down, the night market is right there with plenty to browse through.
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Xienthong temple
- Visit Wat Visoun and Melon stupa
- Climb Mount Phousi for sunset
- Visit colorful night market
Landmarks/POIs Wat Xienthong Wat Visoun Mount Phousi - Day 2
Luang Prabang
You'll need to get up early at 5:45am to watch monks in their saffron robes collecting alms around the city. After that, head back for breakfast and then visit the former Royal Palace. Later, you'll board a slow boat heading upriver to Pak Ou caves, stopping at a traditional Lao whisky village to see how they make rice whisky. Inside the cave you'll find hundreds of Buddha images. Following lunch, you'll drive through forest to Kuang Si waterfalls with a stop at an ethnic Hmong village. Ban Xangkhong weaving and mulberry paper village is on your way back.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Typical Lao lunch)
Included Activities
- Watch monks collecting alms at Ban Vat Sean
- Visit former Royal Palace
- Slow boat trip to Pak Ou caves
- Visit Lao whisky village and observe rice whisky production
- Explore Pak Ou caves with thousand Buddha images
- Visit Kuang Si waterfalls
- Visit ethnic Hmong village
- Visit Ban Xangkhong weaving and mulberry paper village
Landmarks/POIs Pak Ou Caves Kuang Si Waterfall - Day 3
Luang Prabang to Hanoi
After breakfast at your hotel, you'll transfer to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. Keep in mind that flights aren't covered in your booking. When you land in Hanoi, your driver will meet you and take you to check in at your hotel. The rest of your day is yours to explore however you'd like at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Book flight from Luang Prabang to Hanoi
- Day 4
Hanoi
Your guide will pick you up at 8:00am to start exploring Hanoi. You'll visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in the city built in the 6th century on Golden Fish Island in West Lake. Next comes the Ho Chi Minh complex where you can see his embalmed body and the two houses he lived and worked in from 1954 to 1969, followed by the One Pillar Pagoda. The Vietnam Ethnology Museum shows you information about the country's 54 ethnic groups. You'll sit down for lunch with Vietnamese cuisine featuring 8 dishes. Then you'll go to the Temple of Literature, which was Vietnam's first university from the 11th century, and finish up at Hoa Lo Prison Museum, also called the 'Hanoi Hilton.'
- Meals
- Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine with 8 delicious dishes)
Included Activities
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Visit Ho Chi Minh complex including mausoleum, living quarters, and gardens
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum or Women Museum
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum
- Lunch featuring Vietnamese cuisine with 8 dishes
Landmarks/POIs Tran Quoc Pagoda Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Vietnam Ethnology Museum Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison Museum - Day 5
Hanoi to Halong Bay
After breakfast you'll check out and head to Halong Bay, departing Hanoi at 8:00am. By 12:30pm you'll board the Royal Palace Cruise and get settled in your cabin. During the cruise you'll have a specially prepared lunch while passing thousands of limestone islands. The afternoon is relaxed with time for photos. At 3:30pm you'll visit Titop Island and hike to the summit for views of the bay. Then at 4:30pm you can go kayaking and swimming. You'll join the sunset party on the sundeck at 6:00pm with fresh fruit, music, and traditional costumes. Dinner at 7:00pm is prepared by the professional chef. If you're interested, squid fishing and evening entertainment are optional activities.
- Meals
- Lunch (Specially prepared lunch while cruising through Halong Bay), Dinner (Special dinner cooked by professional chef)
Included Activities
- Cruise through Halong Bay
- Visit Titop Island and hike to summit for panoramic view
- Kayaking and swimming
- Sunset party on sundeck with fresh fruit and music
- Special dinner cooked by professional chef
Optional Activities
- Squid fishing during nighttime
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay Titop Island - Day 6
Halong Bay to Hoi An
You'll wake at 6:00am to photograph the sunrise and join morning tai chi with the cruise's tai chi master. Breakfast comes at 7:00am, then at 7:45am you'll visit Surprising Cave, considered the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay. After returning to the cruise for checkout, you'll continue cruising past hundreds of islands. At 10:00am there's a cooking class on the cruise. Farewell lunch happens at 11:00am before reaching the harbor at 12:30pm. You'll board a bus back to Hanoi, arriving at 3:30pm, then transfer to the airport for your flight to Da Nang. Once you land in Da Nang, your driver will take you to Hoi An for hotel check-in.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Farewell lunch served on the cruise)
Included Activities
- Photograph sunrise
- Morning tai chi exercise
- Visit Surprising Cave
- Cooking class on the cruise
- Farewell lunch on cruise
Landmarks/POIs Surprising Cave - Day 7
Hoi An
Your guide picks you up at 8:30am from your hotel. You'll spend about 30 minutes at the market with the chef to see local produce and ingredients. Then you'll head to Cam Thanh village by car or boat, taking in views of Vietnamese countryside with water and coconut trees. At 11:00am you'll get a welcome drink at the restaurant, rest a bit, then join a cooking class where the chef teaches you local cooking techniques. You'll eat what you've prepared for lunch. At 1:30pm you'll depart for My Son Sanctuary, arriving at 2:30pm to spend 2 hours there with a guide seeing this World Cultural Heritage site and watching Champa traditional performances. At 4:30pm you'll head back to the minivan and transfer to the wharf for a sunset boat trip back to Hoi An along the Thu Bon River. You'll arrive at your hotel by 6:00pm.
- Meals
- Lunch (Meal prepared during cooking class)
Included Activities
- Market visit with chef
- Transfer to Cam Thanh village
- Cooking class with local chef
- Visit My Son Sanctuary
- Champa traditional performances
- Sunset boat trip on Thu Bon River back to Hoi An
Landmarks/POIs My Son Sanctuary Cam Thanh Village Thu Bon River - Day 8
Hoi An to Da Nang
After breakfast you'll check out with all your luggage on the tour. Your driver picks you up at 7:00am from Hoi An and drives to Da Nang to meet your group. At 9:30am you'll board the cable car system to reach Ba Na Hills peak at 1,400 meters altitude. You'll see the Golden Bridge sitting in the clouds, walk through Le Jardin D'Amour flower garden, visit the Linh Ung Pagoda with its 27-meter Shakyamuni statue, and take in views of Da Nang. The French Village and its holy temples are also on the agenda. A buffet lunch happens at 12:00pm. Then you'll try the rides at Fantasy Park, an indoor amusement park with various attractions. The cable car ride down is at 3:30pm and you'll reach your hotel by 5:30pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Buffet lunch at restaurant)
Included Activities
- Cable car ride to Ba Na Hills peak
- Visit Golden Bridge
- Visit Le Jardin D'Amour flower garden
- Visit Linh Ung Pagoda
- Explore French Village and temples
- Buffet lunch
- Experience rides and attractions at Fantasy Park
Landmarks/POIs Ba Na Hills Golden Bridge Linh Ung Pagoda Fantasy Park - Day 9
Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City
You'll check out after breakfast and transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Remember that flights aren't included in the booking. Your driver will pick you up upon arrival and take you to the hotel. At 1:00pm in the afternoon you'll depart for the Cu Chi tunnels, which takes about 1.5 hours to drive. You'll hear the history of Cu Chi and watch a film about the tunnel system. Then you'll explore the tunnels including weapon factories, hospitals, and kitchens, and you'll crawl through tunnel passages. You can try traditional manioc, the main food for guerilla warriors during the war. There's an option to fire AK47, MK16, or machine guns at a shooting range if you want. You'll return to Saigon in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Cu Chi tunnels
- Explore weapon factory, hospitals, and kitchens in tunnel system
- Documentary film about tunnel history
- Crawl through tunnel passages
- Try traditional manioc food
Optional Activities
- Fire AK47, MK16, or machine guns at shooting range
Landmarks/POIs Cu Chi Tunnels - Day 10
Mekong Delta
You'll have breakfast at the hotel before your guide picks you up between 7:30am and 8:00am depending on your hotel location. Then you'll depart for My Tho, a town on the left bank of the Mekong River. You'll visit the Vinh Trang pagoda from the late 19th century. Next comes a sampan cruise around four beautiful islands known as Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands. At Unicorn Island you'll walk country lanes, see orchards, enjoy tropical fruits, and hear local folk songs. You'll ride a hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal, visit a family business, check out a honey-bee farm, enjoy honey tea, and visit a coconut candy workshop. Lunch happens at a local restaurant. In the afternoon you can cycle around Tan Thach village to meet locals and experience daily Mekong Delta life, or relax in a hammock if you prefer. You'll return to Ho Chi Minh City by 5:30pm.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Vinh Trang pagoda
- Sampan cruise around Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix, and Tortoise islands
- Walking tour of Unicorn Island with orchards and tropical fruits
- Folk song performance by local people
- Hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son canal
- Visit family business and honey-bee farm
- Honey tea and coconut candy workshop
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Cycling or hammock relaxation in Tan Thach village
Landmarks/POIs Vinh Trang Pagoda My Tho Mekong River - Day 11
Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap
You'll check out after breakfast at 8:00am and start a morning tour of Ho Chi Mihn City. You'll visit Independence Palace (also called Reunification Palace), designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu. You'll see beautiful French Colonial structures including Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office. The War Remnants Museum comes next with its extensive displays from the Indochina wars. By 12:00pm you'll return to your hotel or meeting point. Then you'll transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Flights aren't included. Your driver will pick you up in Siem Reap and take you to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Independence Palace
- Visit Notre Dame Cathedral
- Visit Central Post Office
- Visit War Remnants Museum
Landmarks/POIs Independence Palace Notre Dame Cathedral Central Post Office War Remnants Museum - Day 12
Angkor
You'll be picked up between 7:40am and 8:10am for a full day tour. At 8:30am you'll start exploring with your group of fellow travelers. You'll visit the Angkor Thom complex, including the Bayon temple and Ta Prohm temple, known as the Tomb Raider Temple. Lunch is at one of the local restaurants within the Angkor Complex featuring Cambodian cuisine. After lunch you'll explore the Angkor Wat temple. The day ends with a sunset view from the peak of Phnom Bakheng, with the tour finishing around 6:30pm after sunset.
- Meals
- Lunch (Delicious Cambodian cuisine at local restaurant within Angkor Complex)
Included Activities
- Visit Angkor Thom complex
- Visit Bayon temple
- Visit Ta Prohm temple
- Lunch featuring Cambodian cuisine
- Visit Angkor Wat temple
- Sunset viewing at Phnom Bakheng
Landmarks/POIs Angkor Thom Bayon Temple Ta Prohm Temple Angkor Wat Phnom Bakheng - Day 13
Floating Villages
You'll be picked up between 7:40am and 8:10am for a half-day morning tour that starts at 8:30am and ends at 1:30pm. First you'll visit Rolous market to see local villagers selling home-grown vegetables, or you can visit a local pagoda to learn about religion. Then you'll tour the floating villages with stilt-houses standing between 8 and 10 meters high, where locals have adapted to extraordinary living conditions. You'll visit the school, farm, and hospital within the floating community. You'll enjoy the atmosphere from your boat. By 1:30pm you'll be back at your hotel with leisure time before transferring by private car to Siem Reap Airport for your departure flight.
Included Activities
- Visit Rolous market or local pagoda
- Boat tour of floating villages with stilt-houses
- Visit floating school, farm, and hospital
Landmarks/POIs Rolous Market Floating Villages
