VIETNAM & LAOS HIGHLIGHT

DAY 1 : HO CHI MINH ARRIVAL

Arrive at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, welcome by our guide and transfer to your hotel. Ho Chi Minh City formerly named Saigon is the largest city and economic center of Vietnam always bustled with activities of modern life. It is where businesses converge and shoppers indulge themselves into unlimited choices.

However the city also carries with it a rich historical legacy in contrast with its dazzling glamor.

No Meal

Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 2 : FULL DAY CITY TOUR

Meet our guide at your hotel and take a full city tour. Start with a visit to the War Remnants Museum, which features an extensive collection of exhibits including weaponry, photos and documentation on Vietnam’s wars with the French and Americans. Continue to the Reunification Palace, which was formerly the South Vietnam President’s residence and symbol of the Southern Administration’s reign until end of April 1975.

Next, call in Saigon Post Office, a fine colonial building which was designed and built in the early 20th Century by the famous French architect Gustave Eiffel. Stop at Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Roman cathedral built over 130 years ago by the colonial French with materials entirely imported from Marseilles. Move on to Cho Lon or the city’s China Town where you will visit the Jade Emperor Temple (Phuoc Hai), a rare Taoist structure in Vietnam built in 1909 in dedication to the Lord of Heaven.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 3 : FULL DAY MEKONG DELTA (VINH LONG)

Start the day in Cai Be floating market, cruise among local barges full of fruits and vegetables by the luxury boat of Mekong Travel. Afterwards, you have chance to visit some local workshops and handicraft villages to see people make special products like rice paper, coconut candy….Lunch will be served at local house.

After lunch, continue your boat trip deeper into the countryside. It will be your great chance to watch local daily routine, see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves, and talk to them about life and works. Have some fruits and tea when enjoying the traditional music at Ut Trinh home. One more thing to do in this trip is biking! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta.

Check in Ut Trinh homestay (or other home-stay on An Binh Island). Here you can cook some dishes with the owners for dinner, have cup of tea or rice wine and chat with them about the culture, people, and history of this Island.

Overnight in a private room of local house.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at homestay

DAY 4 : VINH LONG - HO CHI MINH DEPARTURE - TAKE FLIGHT TO DA NANG

After breakfast, get on a boat to visit brick kilns where you can see how local people make potteries from clay. Continue to a floating village and Vinh Long market in town. The cruise will end in Vinh Long city.

Meet our guide and driver at hotel then transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for flight to Da Nang. On arrival, you are transferred to Hoi An ancient town by private car & guide.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Hoi An. (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 5 : HOI AN HALF DAY CITY TOUR - ECO TOUR

Meet our guide at your hotel and transfer out for a full day tour. Once a bustling maritime commercial port of Asia between 15th and 19th centuries, Hoi An, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is now a peaceful town of exceptionally well-preserved architecture, lifestyles and traditions. The town exemplifies a fascinating fusion of cultures between Vietnam and the outside world including China, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines.

Your sightseeing will include the iconic 400-year-old Covered Bridge with a small temple attached to one side as a prominent example of Japanese architecture, the Museum of Trade Ceramics which is an elegant Vietnamese style wooden house built in 1858 showcasing antique ceramic artifacts, the 200-year-old Tan Ky House typifying an ancient Chinese merchant residence, the Ong Temple built in 1653 by Chinese settlers to worship Guan Yu, an ancient Chinese general whose character stands for loyalty, bravery and justice and the local market vibrant with colors and activities.

In the afternoon , transfer to the village Craft Centre and workshops showcases craft items and the painstaking process by which they are produced, using specialist tools and techniques passed down since the 15th century when Hoi An flourished as a major sea port. The workshops today make hand crafted furniture and sculptures as well as a range of tempting souvenirs, some of which are exported a field as Europe and North America. Kim Bong craftsmen made a vital contribution to the recent restoration of historic buildings after Hoi An was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. Moreover, they have been encouraged and rewarded by UNESCO for their preservation efforts.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Hoi An (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 6 : HOI AN - DA NANG DEPARTURE - TAKE FLIGHT TO HA NOI - HALF DAY CITY TOUR

Free at leisure until transfer to Da Nang international airport for flight to Hanoi. Arrival Hanoi airport, warm welcomed by our guide & driver then transfer to the city. Hanoi or “River-bound City” as its name literally means is Vietnam’s capital with a thousand-year-old history dating back to 1010. The city’s fascinating beauty which is characterized by unique cultural relics, ancient streets of antique houses, elegant French colonial buildings, treelined boulevards and romantic lakes has made it one of the most charming cities of Asia.

Start a city tour beginning with the Ho Chi Minh Complex which features the life of Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder. At the complex, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the nation’s founder’s body is preserved (closed on Monday, Friday and through October - November), the colonial Presidential Palace, originally the French Governor Office and a fine example of French architecture in Hanoi, and the rural style Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked.

Stop by one of Hanoi’s icons, the One Pillar Pagoda, built in the 11th Century in dedication to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara or Buddha of Compassion and reminiscent of a lotus blossom rising from a pond. Continue to the Temple of Literature, known as the first university of Vietnam built in 1070 by the Ly Dynasty to honor Confucius, sages and outstanding Vietnamese scholars.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 7 : KY SON FULL DAY TOUR

Moring, you will have breakfast at hotel then transfer by car about 1.5 hour to Ky Son village.

10:00: Arrive at Moon Garden Homestay in Ky Son village. Welcome drink with local fresh green tea. Free time for discovering the homestay and village by yourself (local market, kinder garden)

11:00: Cooking class

12:30: Lunch

13:30: Hand Spa. Enjoy having your fingers dipped in a fragrant lime bowl and the traditional herbal hand massage then, free time for relaxing or chatting with the host family about local snacks, sharing cultures, and learning about traditional customs. If you want to learn Vietnamese, one of the family members can teach you

14:30: Biking. You can have choice of a short ride of 6 km or a long ride of 12 km round trip: Short ride: Take a bicycle ride to discover the Ky Son, Tam Son, Van Minh, and Cham farming communities and stop at any home you like for a cup of tea. Visit the kindergarten (if open). Chat with local people about their daily life and farming. Or walking in the village, (if required) you can help with plowing or transplanting seedlings, harvesting rice (or cassava, corn, sweet potatoes, cucumber...) depending on the harvest season.

Long ride: Take a bicycle ride with local guide to discover the Ky Son, Tam Son, Van Minh, and Cham farming communities, Duong Lam ancient village and visit Mia Pagoda, Mong Phu Communal House. Then bike ride back along the ritual paths of Thang Thac village to discover the Ngo Quyen tomb and temple

17:00: Return to the homestay for happy hour (you will be offered some kind of local tisane). While waiting for your foot bath in warm water with ginger, salt and mugwort medicinal herbs, you can enjoy local drink and taste some of the local products such as traditional dessert, maize, sweet potato, cassava, peanuts depending on season.

18:00: Return to Hanoi.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 8 : HANOI - HA LONG - OVERNIGHT ON BOAT

Morning pickup at 8:00 AM from your hotel for transfer to Ha Long Bay, which is about 160 km or 3.5-hour drive away. On the way, you will see some rural areas of the Red River Delta with plenty of chances to take photos of Vietnamese farmers working in paddy fields. Stop half way to visit a handicraft workshop of fine clothes and embroidered paintings. Arrive in Ha Long City at 11:30 AM and check in aboard the booked junk right after the welcome drink is served. Start cruising while having lunch on board and enjoy the mighty bay view.

Ha Long Bay meaning Descending Dragon Bay in Vietnamese as legend has it that it was where a holly dragon landed down from sky. The bay, famous as one of the world’s wonders and heritage sites whose formation dates back 500 million years, consists of around 2,000 karst islands and islets scattered over an area of 1,553 km2. The bay cruise will continue with up close sighting of Dinh Huong Island, Ga Choi Island, Dog Island, Sail Island, a visit to Sung Sot Cave and swimming stop at Titov Beach. Relax to enjoy the bay view at sunset, have dinner after, go fishing at 09:00 PM and spend a night on board.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight on cruises in Ha Long Bay (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 9 : HA LONG - HANOI DEPARTURE - TAKE FLIGHT TO VIENTIANE

Wake up at 06:30 AM and refresh your body and mind with a Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck. Tai Chi is an ancient internal martial art often practiced in soft and gracefully slow moves to enhance internal harmony and vitality. Have tea and coffee onboard before proceeding to Titov Islet or Soi Sim Island to trek and swim.

Check out at 09:30, have a buffet brunch while cruising back to shore. Disembark at 11:00 AM to transfer to Hanoi capital.

Free at leisure until meet our guide then transfer to airport for flight to Vientiane. On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to check in the hotel. The rest of the day is your own time at leisure.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Vientiane (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 10 : VIENTIANE – CITY TOUR – BUDDHA PARK

In the morning, we will first visit Wat Si Muang, which is very famous for its supernatural power. After that, take a 45 minute drive to Buddha Park, on the way, stop for some photos of the Friendship Bridge which was built by the Australian government in 1994 and links Laos and Thailand. Also known as Xieng Khuan, this unusual park is filled with over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues.

The quiet and tranquil setting along the Mekong River is a contrast to the slightly eccentric sculptures which were built in 1958 by a Laos’s shaman. The concrete sculptures are bizarre but intriguing, sitting majestically in the peaceful park. Back to Vientiane, en route stop at Mai Savanh to explore the traditional textiles of the Lao people. (Note: Mai Savanh is closed on Saturday & Sunday).

Afternoon, proceed to visit That Luang, the holiest site in Laos. Constructed by King Setthethirat in the 16th century, the temple is resplendent as the sun is shines upon its towering golden spire. Then, enjoy a panoramic view over the city as you climb the stairs to the top of Patuxai, Vientiane’s own “Arc de Triomphe”.

Continue down Lane Xang Avenue to the serene Wat Sisaket, the only temple left intact after the Siamese (Thai) invasion in 1828. It is one of the most beautiful temples in the capital, and its breezy teak covered hallways are filled with thousands of miniature Buddha statues.

End of the day by visiting the nearby Wat Phra Keo, which is now used as a religious museum displays a collection of both Lao and Khmer works of art.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Vientiane (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 11 : VIENTIANE – PAKSE – BOLAVEN PLATEAU

Free at leisure before taking the flight to Pakse. After a soft rest, we head east to Pakse and onto the Bolaven Plateau. The Bolaven Plateau is known for its cooler temperature being located high above the Mekong Valley. Stop at a tea plantation, followed by a brief visit to Tad Fan Waterfall, a picturesque twin chute waterfall.

Last stop is at a coffee plantation before transfer to hotel for overnight.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Done Khone (3*)

DAY 12 : BOLAVEN PLATEAU – WAT PHOU – 4000 ISLANDS

After breakfast, transfer by car to Wat Phou. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, it is a spectacular preAngkorian temple that sits amidst the rice fields and waterways of southern Laos. The temple was constructed in three levels: the bottom level is focused on the baray (water reservoir) and promenade, the second level features quadrangular pavilions and galleries of carvings, and the top level is the sanctuary itself. It was built by the rules of the Khmer empire before the construction of Angkor Wat. The temple served as the most important economic and political center of the region and still is one of the Lao people’s most revered temples.

Pass through the small town of Champasak with French colonial buildings offer a great contrast to Wat Phou. Continue south, stopping at the wood carving village of Ban Nong Bune. Afterwards, we drive south to visit Khone Phapheng, the largest waterfall by volume in South East Asia located at the Lao - Cambodian border within an area teeming with wildlife, making this area one of the most breathtaking destinations in Laos.

Transfer to Ban Nakasang, continue to take a short boat to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Done Khone (3*)

DAY 13 : 4000 ISLANDS – PAKSE – LUANG PRABANG

Following breakfast, we explore the local peaceful villages of Ban Khone, where you will see an array of relics from the French colonial era and retrace the old colonial past, including old French colonial buildings and the remnants of the first Lao railway with its locomotive.

We continue to discover the 4000 islands area by tuk tuk and visit the marvelous Liphi waterfall, also called the "Corridor of the Devil" one of the most beautiful waterfalls marking Lao border with Cambodia. If we are lucky, we may see the rare freshwater Irrawaddy Mekong dolphin at Ban Hang Khone. We then take the boat back to Ban Nakasang and drive to Pakse for the flight to Luang Prabang.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Luang Prabang (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 14 : LUANG PRABANG – PAK OU CAVES

Today, you will first visit Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. We then embark on the a leisure cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside, before reaching the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine.

On arrival back in the city, we will visit magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. Next, proceed to the Traditional Art and Ethnology Center to learn about Laos’ many ethnic cultures. From there, we will transfer to visit Wat Siphouthabaht to admire the sunset; this is the really peaceful place to catch the last beauty of the day.

The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of handmade textiles made by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang

Option: if time permits, you may wish to visit the Kopnoi Promotion Center, and enjoy the Tea tasting Ceremony where you can also have a small lecture about Lao culture.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Luang Prabang (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 15 : LUANG PRABANG – KUANG SI WATERFALLS

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. From there, we will take a short visit to the morning local market near the Royal Palace.

At the market, you can find anything from rice, to fresh vegetables, to steamed fish, frogs, and anything else that might be the day’s catch, just set up on the ground, this is what the locals do every day. This is really the chance for you to get a real flavor of the local culture.

After breakfast, we ascend the 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill for a panoramic view of the city and the Mekong River. We then visit Wat Visoun, dating back to 1513 during the reign of King Wisunarat (Visoun), this is Luang Prabang’s oldest temple and was once home to the Prabang Buddhas. Hhead to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. On the way back, stop at the Kuang Si Falls Butterfly Park (closed on Tuesday), one of the must-visit spots, where you can have an optional 15 minute tour to learn about butterflies and local flora.

Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, we will take a short visit to the Ock Pop Tock Living Craft Center, where you will have a short tour so you get information about Silk, about weaver, about the Women that work in the Centre.

Meal: Breakfast

Overnight at hotel in Luang Prabang (3*, 4* or 5*)

DAY 16 : LUANG PRABANG – DEPARTURE

You are free to stroll around before taking the departure flight.

Meal: Breakfast