INDOCHINA TOUR

Xin Chao! Welcome to Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City) – the most hectic and business city of Vietnam. Upon arrival at the airport, welcomed by the local tour guide and transfer to the city center to check in hotel.
Afternoon, we start the city tour at the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the colonial-styled Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 and one of the city’s major landmarks.  Have a walking tour on Nguyen Hue street to take the photos of the Opera House and the Ho Chi Minh Committee (outside). From here, walking to Ben Thanh Market one of the most typical symbol of Saigon to experience the daily life of the locals and do shopping the hand-made goods there. Overnight in Saigon.
Please note: Standard check in time is 14:00. Early check in is subject to availability of the hotel.
 

After breakfast at hotel. Picked by at hotel and drive heading to My Tho the homeland of coconut and family factories with local products like coconut candy, rice paper,… Upon arrival, embark on the boat cruising on the mighty Mekong River viewing the life to the local people live along the banks. We stop at one of 4 island in the area for sightseeing. Enjoy the fresh tropical fruits served in the heart of the garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music at the plantation. After that you will embark on the small boats rowed the the local people thru the small cannels with water coconut tree to visit the local factories. There you will taste the honey tea and see the local people produce the coconut candy milk and of course you also can try it or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. After that enjoy the horse-cart trip through the tranquil road of the village. We continue getting on the big boat to visit the vast area. Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant (at your own cost) nearby Mekong River with the Elephant Ear fist. Afternoon, drive back to Saigon with stop to visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a famous pogoda in the area that its architecture is a mix of Chinese, Cambodian, and French culture. Overnight at hotel in Saigon. 
 

Morning visit Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Vietnamese guerillas during the conflict. At its peak, prior to the Tet Offensive in 1968, the tunnel complex was base to almost 10,000 troops. To this day, it remains one of the most impressive examples of how fierce the war used to be.  You even can try to crawl some dozens of m on the tunnel underground to have the real experience. Lunch at  your own arrangement. Transfer back to the city then straight to the airport for the flight to Danang. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel in Hoian. Check in hotel. Time at leisure. Overnight in Hoian.
Note: Internal airfare is not included

Breakfast at hotel.
This morning you take interesting walk over the tile-roofed Japanese Bridge, visit taciturn Chinese Assembly Halls, enjoy the attractiveness of ancient houses or listen to folk music of Central Vietnam at old club-houses. Later we can stop at shrines or stroll into the market located by Thu Bon river, where you may find the same feelings of the artists, who see the rooftops of Hoian a magical old world of Oriental feel and source of inspiration. This is also a wonderful town to shop for lanterns, soft silk, raw silk, or get your clothes tailored within a day. Lunch at your own arrangement. Rest of day will be free on your own to discover the town or cycling along Thu Bon to Cua Dai Beach. Overnight in Hoian.
 

Breakfast at hotel.  Our guide welcomes you at your hotel and starts to make a bicycle trip to the countryside of Hoi An Town. Riding on bike you can see the tranquil atmosphere of the countryside of Vietnam. Arrive at Tra Que Organic village, you have a walk through and visit the garden where local farmers work on their farm and use the traditional methods without having electrical machines support. Next, you are under the instruction of household; he will show you how to prepare and make the land, you fertilize green manure before growing vegetables. Watering the vegetables, which you have just grown, is the last activity in the procedure of planting them. After that, you pick fresh saw-tooth coriander and Vietnamese mint for your cooking lesson later.
You have about 20 minutes to relax by soaking your feet in Vietnamese herbs. This is one of the ways to refresh yourself after the hard time in garden. Then you can join with the family chef and learn the traditional ways in preparing and cooking local Vietnamese dishes. Have your lunch with the family after class.
Afternoon back to your hotel and have rest of the day at your leisure.
Overnight in Hoian.
 

After breakfast and check-out hotel, we will depart from Hoian to Hue thru the Hai Van Pass (the “Ocean Cloudy Mountain Pass”) and enjoy the beauty of Lang Co Beach before reaching Hue. Being recognized by UNESCO as the 1st Cultural World Heritage for Vietnam, Hue is highlighted by the old royal architectural works and the most traditional Vietnamese lifestyle. We will discover the charm of the city from the Royal Citadel, Forbidden City, Hue Royal Museum. Go on to Thien Mu pagoda and visit the Tombs of King Tu Duc – the best-reserved monuments of the Nguyen Emperors since early 19th and early 20th centuries. Overnight in Hue.
 

Relax till transfer to Hue Airport to take the midday flight to Hanoi. You will be welcomed at the Noi Bai airport and transfer to the hotel to check-in.  Lunch at your own arrangement.
Afternoon, we will visit Ethology Museum to discover about 54 ethinic groups in Vietnam. After that, have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake). Last day, we will enjoy a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam
Note: Internal airfare is not included

From Hanoi, at 8AM, head East for more than 3 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddyfields and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, ploughing buffaloes or planting seedling. Upon arrival in Halong, we’ll take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the boat for dinner late afternoon. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the boat near Titov Beach. 
Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose. 

You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the "East Sea" by a point-oriented name "Eastern Sea", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Enjoy a brunch onboard while the cruise sailing back to the harbor. Check out the cruise, back to Hanoi and check in hotel. Overnight in Hanoi. 
 

Morning, breakfast at hotel then we will start our city tour with Ho Chi Minh Complex included Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his house-on-stilts & One Pillar Pagoda. Later, we will Temple of Literature, the 1st university in Vietnam. Continue visiting to Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the most oldest temple in Hanoi nestled on the bank of West lake. Lunch at your own arrangement.
Afternoon, transfer to Noi Bai international Airport for the onward flight to Luang Prabang.
On arrival, pickup by our local guide and driver at the airport and transfer to check in hotel. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
 

After breakfast, we discover Luang Prabang from the National Museum at the former Royal Palace. The museum 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. Take a walk from here crossing by many beautiful temples and traditional houses until we reach the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, representing the classical Laotian architecture.
This afternoon, we board a cruise trip to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. Enjoy the panoramic view of the tranquil countryside as we cruise upstream the Mekong River. Along the way, we stop to visit Ban Xang Hai village where rice wine is distilled. On arrival, we visit two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. On the cruise trip back to Luang Prabang, we visit Ban Xang Khong, a village well known for silk hand-weaving and traditional Saa paper-making. 
We end the day by walking up Phousi Hill - the 328 steps lead to the summit and provides the finest panoramic sunset view. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
 

An optional early start will give us 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. Continue to visit the Morning Market, where we will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.
We then return to the hotel for breakfast and a short rest before we visit Wat Visoun, the holiest temple of the city, which was entirely rebuilt in 1887 after being destroyed by the invading Black Flags from Southern China. In the courtyard of Wat Visoun stands the Watermelon Stupa shaped like the fruit from which it takes its name. Continue visit to The Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre - the first exhibition space and fair trade store dedicated to the collection, preservation, interpretation, and presentation of Laos’ traditional arts and lifestyles.
This afternoon, we transfer to visit Khouang Si waterfall. On the way, stop to visit Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay Village, Ban Ou village and Ban Thapene Village. On arrival at the waterfalls, take a leisure trek through the national park, passing by the Asian bear rescue center and many smaller waterfalls. Swimming in the cool and turquoise water is possible. Return to Luang Prabang and relax for the rest of the day. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
 

After breakfast and check out hotel, we transfer to the airport for flight to Siem Reap. On arrival, pick up by our local tour guide and transfer to check in hotel. This evening, we enjoy buffet dinner at a local restaurant with Apsara dance show – a taste of classical Khmer culture. Overnight in Seam Reap.
 

After breakfast, we explore South Gate of Angkor Thom known as Big Angkor, 3km2 walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire, The famous Bayon Temple was an architectural muddle, in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century. Terrace of the Elephants is an impressive, two and a half meter tall, 300 meter long terrace wall adorned with carved elephants and gradual that spans the heart of Angkor Thom in front of Baphuon - huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas - impressive rite and sandstone pyramid. Terrace of the Leper King is at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants, a double terrace wall with deeply carved nag as, demons and other mythological beings. Last visit Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty! Giant trees have grown here for centuries! Lunch at local restaurant. This afternoon we visit Angkor Wat temple, the Cambodia's ancient temple is one of the wonders of the oriental world. Masterpieces of decorative details as well as of architectural style, its awe-inspiring ruins survive as testament to the spectacular achievements of Southeast Asia's greatest civilization. It is a replica of the universe according to the Hindu mythology. It is composed by the Mount Meru, surrounded by the continents and the oceans. Its extraordinary bas-reliefs, describe some Khmer epics and myths. Angkor Wat's five famous towers rise into the sky, a geometrical arrangement of numerous galleries, adorned with beliefs and the stone images of celestial Apsara dancers, as well as portals, chambers and courtyards. Overnight in Seam Reap.
 

After breakfast, we visit Wat Thmei (Killing Field) contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. Continue to visit the "Les Artisans d'Angkor – Chantiers Ecole" the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts. Lunch at local restaurant. This afternoon we visit Floating Villages, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here we will see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life on the Tonle Sap. Then visit Wat Bo, a highly respected pagoda founded in the 18th century, contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be from late 19th century. We continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the “Old Market”, where anything and everything is for sale. Overnight in Seam Reap.
 

After breakfast, at leisure until check out hotel (standard check out time 12h00) and transfer to the airport for our onward flight. On the way if time permits, we visit Puok, the real and original place of the Artisans d’Angkor silk, where we see the full process of silk producing, from the silk worms munch on the Mulberry leaves to spin their cocoons which used to make silk warp. We of course will see the weaving work and purchase the high quality silk products as a beautiful Cambodia souvenir. Continue to Siem Reap Airport for our departure flight.