Indochina Cultural Highlights 15 Days

Welcome to Vietnam! You will be greeted by our tour guide upon arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, which celebrated its 1000 year anniversary in 2010. With its emphasis on the arts and learning, local law stipulates that buildings in Hanoi remain small, simple and in harmony with nature.

Check-in your hotel then you’ll have a restful overnight in Hanoi.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Meals: NA

After breakfast, you will leave Hanoi for Halong Bay and board a boat, enjoying lunch while cruising through the bay. The magical bay is home to thousands of limestone islands rising from the waves like dragons’ teeth. Later in the afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, you will enjoy cocktails or cooking classes while watching the sunset, before indulging in a lavish dinner onshore. Afterward, you can choose to do anything from joining movie night, playing board games, or relaxing at the beauty spa before retiring for the night.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide on board

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Wake up on the bay to the sounds of waves, fresh air, and a breeze to welcome the new day. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto, then walk back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. The boat arrives at the harbor by 11.30 am, and your driver is waiting to take you back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi 

Tour guide: English-speaking guide on board

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After your breakfast at the hotel, you check out and meet our tour guide for a full day around Hanoi’s highlights sites, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Museum, and his stilt house, Presidential Palace, and the One Pillar Pagoda. You also have a chance to visit the historic University – The Temple of Literature that dates back to the 11th century; learn about Buddhist practices in a serene lakeside pagoda. Visit the famous Ethnology Museum. Back to the Old Quarter to walk through the narrow streets that were famous for their specialized craft-making guilds, the guild streets are named for their product or location and still bear such names nowadays.

After the tour, get to the airport for your late flight to Hue. You are welcomed by our local driver in Hue and transferred to the hotel. Check into the hotel and have some leisure time

Tour guide: English-speaking guide

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast in the hotel and meet up with our local guide again to start the day exploring the charms of the Citadel in this former Imperial City with many well-preserved royal monuments in Hue. Board a dragon boat to cruise along the Huong River. Stop at Thien Mu Pagoda to pay your tribute to the most ancient Buddhist symbol of Hue. After lunch in a local restaurant, we continue to visit the famous Tu Duc’s tomb and the bustling but charming Dong Ba Market. Overnight in Hue.

Tour guide: English-speaking guide

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Following the ancient citadel is an ancient town, Hoi An. After a rewarding drive through the scenic Ocean Clouds Mountain Pass (Hai Van pass) with a stop in Cham Museum and Marble Mountain in Da Nang, you will arrive at the well-known Hoi An ancient town. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant, then we will check into the hotel and have leisure time. In the afternoon, we take a walking tour into the Old Quarter to visit the Chinese Embassy Halls, Japanese Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien Pagoda & Tan Ky House. Early evening will be free time for shopping or relaxing, and overnight in Hoi An.

Tour guide: English-speaking guide

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

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Today is your free leisure day in Hoi An.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Meals: Breakfast

After a late breakfast, you are free for last-minute shopping or wait until transfer time to airport for your departure flight from Danang Airport to Siem Reap. Upon arrival at Siem Reap Airport, you will be picked up by our local driver and tour guide. Then, we head to the central town for your hotel. The rest of the day is your free time. Over-night in Siem Reap

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide

Meals: Breakfast

This morning after breakfast, get your first close glimpse of Angkor today at the early temples of the Roluos Group – dated from 8th and 9th centuries and consisting of three main temples: Bakong, Lolei, and PreahKo. Here you will also experience the local tradition Blessing ceremony for health and peace. In the afternoon, visit Ta Prohm, built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm has made Cambodia more famous after the movie Tomb Raider with huge trees growing over the temples, creating an incredible scene. Continue to visit Banteay Kdei, Srah Srang, and Pre Rup. In the evening, you will have a chance to enjoy an Apsara dancing dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Tour guide: English-speaking guide

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with Show

Visit the quiet temple, Beng Mealea – 65 km from Siem Reap. Feel like an explorer when you discover the completely overgrown temple. Picnic lunch on the way. In the afternoon, embark on the boat trip to Tonle Sap Lake – the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia, covering 250,000 hectares in the dry season. In the monsoon season, the Mekong River forces the Tonle Sap River to reverse its flow northwards back to the lake, spreading over the surrounding flood plain. You will visit Kompong Phluck, passing floating houses and impressive flooded forests, and have a glimpse of locals’ lives on the water. (From March to June, this route will be replaced by visiting the Chnong Kneas floating village due to the dry season). Overnight in Siem Reap.

Tour guide: English-speaking guide

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Today you will visit to the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. Have lunch at Selantra Restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple – built during the 12th century and the symbol of Cambodia. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Tour guide: English-speaking guide

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, you will visit the beautiful temple of Banteay Srei. The so-called “Citadel of the Women” remains the best-preserved temple in Cambodia. It displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art in a small space. Back to your hotel for check-out and then drive to Airport for your afternoon flight to Luang Prabang. 

Arrive in Luang Prabang, welcome by our driver, transfer to the hotel. Free time at your own leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Tour guide: English-speaking guide

Meal: Breakfast

After breakfast, you will embark on a cruise up the Mekong River to Pak Ou Caves. Locally referred to as Tam Ting, these two caves are carved out of towering limestone cliffs and contain thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues. Lunch is served in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will be driven through the Luang Prabang countryside to Kuang Si Waterfalls (32km southwest of the city). Upon reaching Kuang Si Waterfall, relax and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. Visit the bear sanctuary, which is next to the falls, run by Free The Bears Fund Inc. Back in town, climb up to the top of Mount Phousi and enjoy the sunset over the town. Overnight is in Luang Prabang.

Tour guide: English-speaking guide 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will be picked up at your hotel in  Luang Prabang at 9:00 am by your guide and then proceed to the local morning Phosy Market where you can see the locals getting their daily supplies. Then bike to visit the National Museum, the important Wat Mai from 1796 which emphasizes the graceful Luang Prabang architecture, and the glamorous Wat Xieng Thong on the end of the peninsula. Learn more about the interesting Lao history and the kingdoms which inherited this place in former times. Later continue your ride to the Ock Pop Tock, a non-profit organization that seeks to preserve traditional weaving techniques. We will spend some time learning about the process of silk weaving from the initial stages of creating the dyes to the final process of loom weaving. From here take a short ride to the Elephant Village, an outdoor facility focused on elephant preservation. You will have some times to try elephant riding – those are natural well-trained elephants with a calm personality. Around noon enjoy some free time for lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will proceed to visit the ancient Wat Visoun dated back to the 16th century. Another highlight of this tour is the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center where you learn many things about today’s ethnic diversity in Laos. Overnight is in Luang Prabang.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast at the hotel – Free at own leisure or last minute shopping for souvenirs until check out time and transfer to the airport for your flight home. End of services.

Tour guide: None

Meal: Breakfast