Jewels of Indochina

Morning (pick up at 7:00 am)
After breakfast, your holiday trip in Indochina will start with a visit to HCM City’s highlights. Your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a tour of HCM City. Below are the recommended sites, but of course, your guide will be happy to modify the list based on your preferences.

Visits:
– Tao Dan Park, where locals practice their morning exercises in the form of Tai Chi, aerobics or badminton, and where Buddhists perform their daily prayers at a small pagoda in the park.
– Reunification Palace (the former Presidential Palace), which was once headquarters for the Saigon government during the War
– General Post Office (GPO), considered as the best example of classical French colonial architecture in HCM City
– Notre Dame Cathedral
– The Opera House (now the Municipal Theatre), built in 1880, was used in the filming of Phil Noyce’s “The Quiet American”.
– Thich Quang Duc monument – a tribute to a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death on June 11, 1963, in protest against the persecution of Buddhists by then South Vietnam’s Ngo Dinh Diem administration
– The colorful Ho Thi Ky flower market

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

Afternoon
After lunch, your tour continues.

Visits:
– War Remnants Museum, a poignant display of the futility of war
– Jade Emperor Pagoda, built in 1909 in honor of the supreme Taoist god (the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven, Ngoc Hoang) – this is one of the most impressive temples in HCMC, filled with statues of deities and heroes
– Ben Thanh Market, a large marketplace in central HCM City. The market is one of the earliest surviving structures in the former Saigon and an important symbol of HCM City.

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in HCM City
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to Ben Tre town, the heart of the Mekong Delta. The Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, is famous for its vast rice fields, orchard farms, coconut trees, numerous waterways, and beautiful landscapes.

At Ben Tre town, you will embark on a motorized boat trip on the scenic Ben Tre River exploring the coconut villages and observe various local industries along the way, enjoying a relaxing day vacationing in Vietnam. You will see how bricks & sleeping mats are made, as well as visit a coconut workshop to see where the local delicacy of coconut candy is produced, and a range skillful crafts made of coconut husk and fiber products.

You will then switch out the motorized boat for a small sampan to cruise through palm-fringed back canals, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by an immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of HCM City.

Back on land, you will sit in the back of a motor cart (xe loi), passing by rice and vegetable orchard farms and meet locals on the way.

Afternoon
Lunch will be served at a local restaurant back in Ben Tre town, after which you will be driven back to HCM City (travel time approximately 2 hours).

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in HCM City
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to visit the legendary Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by the Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence. This vast network of tunnels played a huge part in the Viet Cong’s victory over the Americans, allowing them to control a large rural area surrounding HCMC. The tunnels are a sobering insight into the dedication of the Viet Cong who lived almost entirely underground in the narrow and claustrophobic tunnels, for up to 10 years! Today, some of the remaining tunnels have been opened to tourists, offering a unique insight into what underground life must have been like during the ‘American’ war.

At the Cu Chi Tunnels, you will watch a brief introductory video, followed by a walk through the reserve. If you are feeling brave, you can crawl inside the Cu Chi Tunnels to experience how difficult life must have been, and discover the 3 underground levels. There will also be a chilling exhibition of the traps and weapons used against the American GI’s.

After visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels, you will visit the Tay Ninh Cao Dai Holy See temple to watch a Cao Dai service. One of the most striking temples of Southeast Asia, the Cao Dai Holy See temple has a unique architectural style that reflects the blended religious elements of Buddhism, Christianity and Confucianism.

Afternoon
Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before returning to HCM City (travel time approximately 2 hours).

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in HCM City
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast and check out, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat airport for a short flight to Da Nang (travel time approximately 1 hour). Upon arrival at Da Nang airport, your guide will take you to your hotel in Hoi An to check in. En route to Hoi An, you will visit the Cham Museum, China Beach, and the Marble Mountains.

After checking in to your hotel, the rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up for a leisurely bike ride around the agrarian communities in Hoi An. You will start off by biking along the Thu Bon River and visit a local fishing village. En route, you will paddle through palm forests, across bridges, along fields of water buffalo, and you will get to see farmers working in their rice fields using centuries of farming practices.

You will have a short break and visit a local family at Cam Thanh Village before enjoying a 1.5-hour ride on traditional basket boat (round boat) in the Water Coconut Palm Forest. If you wish, you can learn how to sail the basket boat and try catching fishes and “purple crabs” in the canal.

Continue your bike ride to Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village, where a large variety of vegetables are produced for the local community, at the village, you will be shown the environmentally sustainable practices which the local villagers have used for centuries and is still being used extensively today. At the Tra Que village, you will get to enjoy a foot massage and the traditional herbal foot dips. Following the massage, you will visit a local family restaurant, and after a short, informative and fun cooking lesson, a delicious lunch will be served.

Afternoon
After lunch, you will then ride back to Hoi An for a brief rest before being picked up again by your guide for a 2-hour walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter.

Visits on this tour will include:
– The Tan Ky house
– The 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge
– Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation
– Local markets

Note: If you prefer to skip the bike ride, you can always request a replacement mode of transportation by motorbike or private car.

Overnight in Hoi An
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to My Son Sanctuary, a breathtaking cluster of abandoned and partially decayed Hindu temples constructed between the 4^th and the 14^th centuries in the name of Shiva, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Discover the majestic ancient ruins of the 70+ architectural works in the complex, situated between two mountain ranges.

After exploring the ancient towers of My Son, you will visit the historic town of Tra Kieu nearby, the former administration center of the Champa ruling dynasties.

On the way back to Hoi An, you will stop to visit some fascinating locals and learn how they breed silkworms and weave silk beside the Thu Bon River.

Afternoon
The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

Morning
After breakfast and check out, next on your Vietnam travel itinerary, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to the Old Imperial City of Hue (travel time approximately 4 hours). During this scenic drive, you will get to see the stunning Hai Van (Ocean Clouds) Pass which offers spectacular scenery and views of the coastline below.

After checking into your hotel in Hue, you will have lunch on your own and a short rest.

Afternoon
In the afternoon, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a dragon boat to cruise the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda, the oldest monastery in Hue.

Returning to Hue, the rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Hue
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

Morning
After breakfast and check out, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a full-day tour of Hue.

Visits:
– Dong Ba Market, where locals purchase their fresh produce
– The Imperial City, a listed UNESCO site – Hue was the ancient capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, under the reign of the Nguyen dynasty. The city is considered a living museum with many historical monuments, imperial tombs, pagodas and temples that educate us on the history of the last feudal dynasty in Vietnam.
– The Purple Forbidden City located in the very centre of the Imperial Enclosure used to be reserved solely for the personal use of the emperors
– Cat Tuong Quan Zen House, where you will learn about Hue culture, experience Qigong and practice meditation

A vegetarian lunch will be served by the nuns at a Buddhist monastery. Here, you will have the opportunity to interact with them and learn more about Buddhism.

Afternoon
After lunch, your drive through stunning rural scenery continues, and you will stop by an incense stick village. You will also visit the impressive tomb of Emperor Tu Duc.

In the late afternoon, you will be driven to Hue airport for the flight to Hanoi (flight duration approximately 1 hour). Upon arrival at Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport, your guide will take you to your hotel in Hanoi to check in. After checking in to your hotel, the rest of the evening will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi
Breakfast: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a full-day city tour of Hanoi. Below are the recommended sites, but of course, your guide will be happy to modify the list based on your preferences.

Visits:
– Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace
– The One Pillar Pagoda, an important symbol for Hanoians
– Huu Tiep Lake and the Downed B-52
– History Museum, formerly home to the École Française d’Extrême Orient in Vietnam

Lunch will be served at one of many breathtaking restored colonial villas.

Afternoon
After lunch, your tour continues.

Visits:
– Temple of Literature (a Confucius temple considered the first National University of Vietnam)
– Hoa Lo prison (known as the “Hanoi Hilton” during the American war)
– A stroll around the iconic Hoan Kiem Lake
– A cycle rickshaw ride through Hanoi’s French Quarter, characterized by wide tree-lined streets, majestic French buildings and side-walk cafes

Evening
In the evening, you will board an overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai station (travel time approximately 8 hours).

Overnight on A/C train
Breakfast: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning (arrival at 5:30 am)
Arriving at Lao Cai station, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to Sapa, where you will have a quick breakfast at your hotel in Sapa before heading out for a tour (travel time approximately 45 minutes).

You will embark on a 3-hour walk through Sapa to visit the Cat Cat cultural village and meet some of the H’mong hill tribes. Near midday, you will return to Sapa for lunch.

Afternoon
In the afternoon, you will visit Tram Ton Pass, 2047 meters above sea level, the highest pass in Vietnam. The views of the surrounding mountains and lush forests of the Hoang Lien National Park you will see at this point will be sure to amaze you. After the pass, you will take a short 30-minute walk through a tropical rain forest and take a break at the Love Waterfall.

Returning to Sapa, the rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Sapa
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

Morning
After breakfast and checkout, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to visit two more villages in Sapa. At the Lao Chai H’mong Village, you will find excellent panoramas of the valley, paddy terraced fields and traditional H’mong houses. You will take a small local path leading to the bottom of the valley, where some local stalls are situated that serve tea and fruits. This is a perfect spot to rest and where you will enjoy a picnic lunch.

Afternoon
After lunch, you will proceed further through the local villages and eventually arrive at the charming village of Ta Van. You will visit the hill tribe group of Zay people, stroll around the village, meet the local people and visit a local home before catching a shuttle bus to return to Hanoi. Arriving in Hanoi in the late evening, your guide will take you to check in to your hotel.

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: (Breakfast/Picnic lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast and checkout, you will leave Hanoi for Halong Bay (travel time approximately 4 hours), passing through several Northern Vietnamese towns and villages. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed aboard your traditional junk; designed in the same style as those that have sailed the bay for hundreds of years. You will begin a relaxing and unforgettable cruise around the breathtaking and unique limestone karsts and islets. A delicious fresh seafood lunch will be served as you cruise this spectacular bay, a UNESCO listed site.

Afternoon
Leaving the mainland far behind, your junk boat will navigate amongst the jagged limestone islands and hundreds of karsts emerging from the emerald waters. Whilst some of these islands are no more than large rocks, others are far more substantial in size and offer breath-taking beauty.

During your cruise, there will be opportunities to disembark, often using smaller boats, or possibly kayaks, to venture into hidden grottos and caves. You will also make stops to explore points of interest such as floating fishing villages and picturesque lookout points.

The cuisine throughout your cruise will be both plentiful and of a very high standard. Lovers of fresh seafood will be particularly happy. The dining cabin and bar create a very social atmosphere for those that wish to mix with other guests; whilst cabins, many with a private balcony, are beautifully appointed, and include ensuite bathrooms.

(Note: Program may differ slightly based on your selected junk boat’s itinerary. An extra night can be added to the program. If your time is flexible, we highly recommend it!)

Overnight on board
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)

Morning
In the morning, enjoy the tranquil beauty of the bay, and perhaps an early morning Tai Chi session on the sundeck. Your cruise around the bay will continue throughout the morning. Shortly before returning to shore, brunch will be served on board.

Afternoon
At around noon, you will return to the main harbor and be transported back to Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport (travel time approximately 4 hours). At the airport, you will take the evening flight to Luang Prabang.

Note: For the Laotian Visa on Arrival, please make sure you have 3 passport sized 4 cm x 6 cm photos and $45 for the stamping fee. 

After you have gone through customs, your private driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel to check in. The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang
Meals: (Brunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast, on the 15-day mark of your travel in Indochina, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a bike tour (or private car) of Luang Prabang.

Visits:
– The National Museum (the former Royal Palace of Laos), houses a collection of valuables including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, and gifts from foreign dignitaries
– Wat Xiengthong, its defining roof sweeping low to the ground, representing classical Laotian architecture
– Wat Visoun, entirely rebuilt in 1887 by the invading Black Flags from southern China – in the courtyard of Wat Visoun stands the Watermelon Stupa, shaped like the fruit for which it is named
– Wat Aham, home of the altar of Luang Prabang

Afternoon
After lunch, your tour will continue:

Visits:
– UXO Laos Information Centre, a popular Landmine Museum displays a representative sample of the UXO contamination in Laos.
– Arts and Ethnology Centre, where you will learn about Laos’ many ethnic cultures
– A climb to the top of Mount Phousi, to explore the sacred gilded sputa and enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the sun setting over the Mekong River
– Luang Prabang Night Market, where you can find a unique selection of handmade textiles and handicrafts locally made by both ethnic Laotians and the hill tribe people living in the outskirts of Luang Prabang

The rest of the evening will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to visit the Kuang Si Waterfall, a three-tier waterfall about 29 km south of Luang Prabang. En route, you will visit the Phousi Market, where Luang Prabang locals do their daily shopping for dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, fish, vegetables and fruit.

The visit to Kuang Si Waterfall is a highlight of all vacations to Indochina. You can swim in the pool of the waterfall, but please remember to bring your swim gear with you for this activity. You can also choose to walk along the forest trails and visit the Bear Sanctuary. A picnic lunch will be served at the waterfalls.

Afternoon
After lunch, you will board a boat for a pleasant and scenic cruise on the Mekong River to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. These caves are an ancient pilgrimage site and contain thousands of gold lacquered Buddha images that have been left there over hundreds of years.

Upon returning to Luang Prabang, if you are interested, you can opt to take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a village famous for its hand weaving.

The rest of the evening will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang
Meals: (Breakfast/Picnic lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast and check out, your guide will pick you up and take you to Luang Prabang airport for the flight to Pakse. Upon arrival at Pakse airport, your guide will take you to Champasak to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia’s most dramatically situated mountain-top temples. You will explore these intriguing Khmer ruins, which are perched at the base of Mount Phu Kao.

Afternoon
Following lunch, you will board a long tail boat to Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands) where you will check in to your hotel. The rest of the evening will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Khong Island
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Morning
After breakfast, your guide will pick you up and take you to explore Khong Island. You will retrace its French colonial past at Ban Khon, where some old colonial houses and the first Lao railway with its own locomotive still stands.

You will continue your exploration of the archipelago by boat and visit the beautiful Liphi waterfall, also known as the Somphamit, which forms a natural border between Laos and Cambodia.

Afternoon
After lunch, you will continue on to Ban Nakasang to see Khone Phapheng Waterfall, the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia, also known as the ‘Niagara of the East’.

Return to Khong Island, the rest of the evening will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Khong Island
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast and check out, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to back to Pakse to catch your flight to Siem Reap. At Siem Reap airport, for the Cambodian Visa on Arrival, please make sure you have 1 passport sized 3 cm x 4 cm photo and $30 for the stamping fee. After going through customs, your guide will take you to your hotel in Siem Reap to check in.

Afternoon
After lunch, your private tour guide will pick you up to visit the Roluos Temple Complex. This complex displays the remains of the first major capital of the Khmer empire and contains several significant monuments including Bakong, Preah Ko and Lolei.

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Siem Reap
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Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a tour of the Angkor temples, sure to be a memorable event for every family adventure, starting at the south gate of Angkor Thom City. Below are the recommended sites, but of course, your guide will be happy to modify the list based on your

Visits:
– Bayon – the incredible maze of corridors, gothic style towers and magical central temples with 1200 meters of the finest bas relief, depicting scenes of everyday life in 12th Century Cambodia is sure to impress
– Royal Palace
– Terrace of the Leper King
– The temples of King Jayavarman VII, reputedly Angkor’s greatest king. The fortified city of Angkor Thom which he built at the end of the 12th century is enclosed by a square wall 8 meters high, with five 20 meter long monumental gates decorated with stone elephant trunks.
– Baphuon

Afternoon
After lunch, you will explore Angkor Wat, the most famous and best-preserved of the temples in the complex. Later in the afternoon, you will go to Pre Rup to watch the sunset. Return to Siem Reap, the rest of the evening will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning (pick up at 5:00 am)
Your private tour guide will pick you up before dawn to watch the sun rise over the Angkor Wat Temple. You will return to the hotel afterward for breakfast before heading out again to visit Banteay Srei (“Citadel of the women”), a temple exhibiting lovely examples of classical Khmer art.

Afternoon
After Banteay Srei, you will continue on to visit Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, for a boat trip on the lake.

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

Morning
After breakfast transfer to Siem Reap airport for a short flight to Phnom Penh (travel time approximately 1½ hours). Phnom Penh still retains its traditional Khmer and colonial charm. French villas dotting the tree-lined boulevards remind visitors that the city was once considered the gem of Southeast Asia.

Upon arrival at Phnom Penh airport, your guide will take you to your hotel in Phnom Penh to check in. The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a tour of Phnom Penh.

Visits:
– The Royal Palace situated on the site of the former citadel and built by King Norodom in 1966. The Palace still serves as the King and Queen’s residential quarters
– The Silver Pagoda named for its floor made of 5,000 silver tiles
– National Museum of Khmer Art, featuring the world’s leading collection of Khmer art and sculpture
– Wat Phnom, the founding site of the city

Lunch will be served at Friends the Restaurant, a ‘kindness restaurant’ where children who used to live on the street are trained in hospitality and restaurant skills, giving them a chance to break away from life on the streets.

Afternoon
After lunch, your guide will take you on a 1-hour walking tour to see the infamous Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, and then back into the town centre for a 1-hour visit to the Tuol Sleng Museum. Both sites commemorate the atrocities that occurred during the regime of Pol Pot and the experience can be quite emotional.

Late in the afternoon, you will visit the Russian Market, named because of the predominantly Russian expat population who shopped here in the 1980s. This market is the place to shop for souvenirs and discounted name-brand clothing.

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_)

After breakfast and a leisurely morning on your own as your tour package in Indochina draws to an end, you will check out by midday and your private driver will pick you up and take you to Phnom Penh airport for your departure flight home.

Meals: (Breakfast/_/_)