World Heritage Sites of Indochina

Upon arrival at Siem Reap International Airport, your private tour guide will meet you and escort you by private car to your hotel. Along the way, your guide will be happy to answer any questions about your two-week journey through Indochina and assist you with hotel check-in.

The evening is yours at leisure. Your guide will be happy to recommend excellent dining options, and we highly recommend trying Cambodian cuisine for your first taste of the country.

Note: For the Cambodian Visa on Arrival, please prepare one passport-sized photo (3 x 4 cm) and US$30 for the visa stamping fee.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Morning
After breakfast, your private guide will pick you up for a full-day exploration of the Angkor Temples, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Indochina and one of the world’s greatest archaeological treasures. Your guide will tailor the day to your interests, with recommended visits including Angkor Thom, the magnificent fortified city built by King Jayavarman VII, and its remarkable Bayon Temple, famous for its serene stone faces. Continue to the Royal Palace and Terrace of the Leper King before visiting Ta Prohm, where ancient stone towers and walls are dramatically intertwined with the roots of enormous trees.

Enjoy lunch at a local Cambodian restaurant and sample some of the country’s delicious cuisine.

Afternoon
Continue to the magnificent Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most iconic temple and the masterpiece of the Angkor complex. Originally built in the 12th century as a temple dedicated to Vishnu, its extraordinary scale, architecture, and intricate carvings make it an unforgettable highlight of your visit.

Afterwards, return to Siem Reap. The rest of the evening is yours to explore at leisure or relax at your hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Morning (pick-up at 5:00 am)
Start the day early with sunrise at Angkor Wat, arriving before dawn to watch the temple emerge in the soft morning light. Enjoy breakfast at Angkor Wat while taking in the spectacular surroundings.

Option: If you prefer to sleep in and avoid the early start, you can have breakfast at the hotel and begin your day later. In this case, the sunrise visit to Angkor Wat will be skipped.

Afterwards, depart for the ancient capital of Koh Ker, approximately two hours from Siem Reap. Once home to more than 200 temples, only a portion have been uncovered. Explore Prasat Thom, the impressive 10th-century temple complex, much of which remains partially buried beneath the jungle.

Afternoon
On the way back to Siem Reap, stop at Beng Mealea, a vast temple complex largely swallowed by the jungle. With little restoration, its crumbling galleries, fallen stones, and towering trees offer a fascinating glimpse of what early explorers encountered when these forgotten temples were first rediscovered.

Return to Siem Reap, where the remainder of the afternoon is yours to explore at leisure or relax at your hotel.

Evening
Transfer to Siem Reap Airport for your short flight to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon arrival, your private guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you on a bike tour of Luang Prabang, or you can explore on foot if you prefer.

Visits include:

• The National Museum, the former Royal Palace of Laos, home to a fascinating collection of artifacts from the royal period in Luang Prabang.
• Wat Xiengthong, one of Luang Prabang’s most beautiful temples, known for its sweeping roof that reaches almost to the ground and its classic Lao architecture.
• Wat Visoun, originally built in the 16th century and rebuilt in 1887. In its courtyard stands the Watermelon Stupa, named for its distinctive shape.
• Wat Aham, one of the town’s oldest temples and home to an important altar dedicated to the spirits of Luang Prabang.

Afternoon
After lunch at a local restaurant, drive to Kuang Si Waterfall, a spectacular three-tiered waterfall about 29 km south of Luang Prabang. Take a refreshing swim in the turquoise pools, walk along the forest trails, and visit the Bear Rescue Centre. Please remember to bring your swimwear if you would like to swim.

On the way back to town, stop at the Phousi Market, where locals do their daily shopping. Browse the colourful stalls filled with local food and produce, including dried buffalo skin, local tea, salt, fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, and other everyday ingredients.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Morning
After breakfast and check-out, your private guide will pick you up and take you to Living Land Farm, a working community farm where you’ll discover the traditional process of growing rice. Depending on the season, you can get hands-on with activities such as selecting rice seeds, ploughing with a water buffalo, planting, weeding, harvesting, and threshing.

You’ll also pick fresh vegetables from the organic garden and catch a fish to prepare for a wholesome local lunch. Along the way, sample a variety of traditional rice products and learn more about the important role rice plays in Lao culture.

Afternoon
Return to Luang Prabang and visit the UXO Laos Information Centre, where you’ll learn about the impact of unexploded ordnance left behind from the Indochina War and its continuing effects on communities across Laos.

Afterwards, transfer to Luang Prabang Airport for your short flight to Hanoi, your next destination in Indochina. Upon arrival, your private guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Note: For the Vietnamese Visa on Arrival, please prepare two passport-sized photos (4 x 6 cm) and US$25 for the stamping fee.

Overnight in Hanoi

Morning
After breakfast, your private guide will pick you up for a full-day exploration of Hanoi. The itinerary is flexible and can be adjusted to your interests, with recommended visits including Thang Long Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 11th century and an important symbol of Vietnam’s independence and history.

Continue to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Presidential Palace, followed by Huu Tiep Lake, where you can see the remains of a downed B-52 aircraft, an unusual piece of wartime history surrounded by everyday local life.

Enjoy lunch at one of Hanoi’s beautifully restored French colonial villas.

Afternoon
Continue your exploration with a visit to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university and an important center of Confucian learning.

Then visit Hoa Lo Prison, historically known as the “Hanoi Hilton,” before taking a leisurely stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

Continue through Hanoi’s historic French Quarter by cyclo, passing broad tree-lined boulevards, elegant colonial buildings, and charming sidewalk cafés.

Evening
In the evening, visit a local Vietnamese family and enjoy a warm, home-style dinner while chatting with your hosts about everyday life and Vietnamese culture. Your hosts will also share a special musical performance using traditional instruments, including some personally handcrafted by the family.

Overnight in Hanoi

Morning
After breakfast and check-out, your private tour guide will pick you up and drive through the scenic Red River Delta to Halong Bay (approximately 4 hours), with stops for photos and refreshments along the way.

Upon arrival, board your traditional junk boat and begin cruising through the emerald waters of Halong Bay, surrounded by thousands of dramatic limestone karsts. Enjoy a delicious seafood lunch as you cruise through this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Afternoon
After lunch, the boat will anchor near a secluded beach. Take a short trek to a nearby viewpoint for panoramic views, or enjoy a swim and relax on deck.

Later, visit a local fishing village and meet the people who have lived and fished in the bay for generations.

Return to the boat to enjoy the sunset over Halong Bay, followed by dinner and a relaxing evening on board.

Note: The cruise program may vary slightly depending on your selected junk boat and its itinerary.

Overnight on board

Morning
Wake early to enjoy the sunrise over Halong Bay, or join an optional Tai Chi session on the sundeck. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto to discover its unique rock formations before cruising back to the dock around midday.

Afternoon
Your private guide and driver will transfer you back to Hanoi (approximately 4 hours). The rest of the day is yours to explore at leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi

Morning
After breakfast and check-out, transfer to the airport for a short flight to Dong Hoi, the gateway to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Quang Binh Province.

Upon arrival, your private guide and driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is yours to explore at leisure.

Overnight in Dong Hoi

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to the wharf for a boat trip upstream to Phong Nha Cave, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Cruise by sampan into the cave to admire its impressive stalactites and stalagmites and spectacular underground formations.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

Afternoon
After lunch, continue to Paradise Cave, renowned for its remarkable limestone formations and impressive stalactites, some resembling Buddha statues and other familiar shapes.

Return to your hotel later in the afternoon. The rest of the day is yours to explore at leisure.

Overnight in Dong Hoi

Morning
Enjoy a relaxed morning at leisure. Breakfast is served at the hotel, with check-out at midday.

Afternoon
Your guide and driver will transfer you to Dong Hoi Train Station to board the Reunification Express to Hue (approximately 3 hours). Travel in a soft air-conditioned seat and enjoy the scenery along the way, including views of Vietnam’s former DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), once the dividing line between North and South Vietnam.

Upon arrival in Hue, your local guide and driver will meet you at the station and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the evening is yours at leisure.

Overnight in Hue

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up and take you to Thanh Toan Village to explore the lively morning market, where locals gather to buy and sell fresh produce and daily essentials. Visit the Thanh Toan Covered Bridge, the village museum, and the cultural museum showcasing traditional Vietnamese agricultural life.

Then board a dragon boat and cruise along the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s iconic seven-story pagoda.

Continue into the countryside to visit Emperor Tu Duc’s Tomb, one of the most impressive royal tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Enjoy a vegetarian lunch prepared by the nuns at a Buddhist monastery, with an opportunity to meet them and learn more about Buddhist life.

Afternoon
Continue to the Imperial City of Hue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former imperial capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. Explore its grand palaces, courtyards, and historic buildings, which offer a fascinating glimpse into the Nguyen Dynasty.

End the day at Dong Ba Market, Hue’s largest traditional market, before walking across the historic Trang Tien Bridge back to your hotel.

Overnight in Hue

Morning
After breakfast and check-out, your private tour guide will pick you up and drive to Hoi An, following the scenic coastline and crossing the spectacular Hai Van Pass. Along the way, stop at Non Nuoc Beach, the Cham Museum, home to an outstanding collection of Cham sculptures, and the Marble Mountains, dotted with Buddhist shrines and caves.

Upon arrival in Hoi An, check in to your hotel and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon
After lunch, explore Hoi An Ancient Town on foot. Once a thriving international trading port from the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An is now renowned for its charming architecture, colorful streets, tailor shops, and riverside cafés.

Visits include Chua Ong Temple, the Chaozhou Assembly Hall, the 200-year-old Tam Ky House, the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, and Hoi An Central Market.

Take a short boat trip to nearby Thanh Ha and Kim Bong villages, known for traditional ceramics and boat building.

Return to Hoi An later in the afternoon. The rest of the day is yours to explore at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An

Morning
After breakfast, your private tour guide will pick you up for a visit to My Son Sanctuary, a remarkable complex of ancient Hindu temples built by the kings of Champa between the 4th and 14th centuries.

Set in a lush valley surrounded by mountains, the temples were dedicated to Shiva and served as an important religious center and burial site for Champa royalty. Explore the atmospheric ruins and learn about the fascinating history of the ancient Champa Kingdom.

Afternoon
Return to Hoi An and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely morning at your own pace. Check out by midday, then your private driver will transfer you to Da Nang Airport for your departure flight home, bringing your memorable journey through Indochina to a close.

Meals: Breakfast

From Fishing to Farming Life Tour – $65/person

This special experience takes you into the beautiful countryside of Hoi An, offering an authentic glimpse into local farming and fishing life. Cycle along quiet country lanes past rice paddies, water buffalo, and organic vegetable farms, while meeting friendly local farmers.

You’ll also try your hand at fishing with a local net, learn to row a traditional basket boat, and visit the beautiful Water Coconut Palm Paradise, known for its fascinating history.

Don’t want to go home yet?

Add a side trip to Phu Quoc Island and Ho Chi Minh City to extend your Vietnam adventure.

Day 1: Da Nang – Flight to Phu Quoc

From Da Nang Airport, take a short flight to Phu Quoc, connecting via Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon arrival, your private driver will transfer you to your resort for check-in. Surrounded by the warm turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc Island is known for its beautiful beaches, tropical scenery, relaxed atmosphere, and excellent diving.

Overnight in Phu Quoc
Meals: None

Days 2 & 3: Phu Quoc – Free Days

Enjoy two days at leisure. Visit the local market, try scuba diving, cycle around the island, or simply relax on the beach and swim in the sea.

Overnight in Phu Quoc
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Phu Quoc – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely morning before checking out by midday. Your private driver will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon.

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport, your private guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi Tunnels – City Tour

Morning
After breakfast, travel to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extensive underground network built by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the wars for independence. Explore the tunnels and learn about the difficult conditions faced by those who lived and operated underground. You can also see the three underground levels, traps, and weapons used during the conflict.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City, with lunch at a local restaurant en route.

Afternoon
After checking in to your hotel, continue with a private Ho Chi Minh City tour. Recommended visits include the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic General Post Office.

Your guide can adjust the sightseeing based on your interests. The rest of the day is yours to explore at leisure, with the Ben Thanh night market a great option for evening shopping and local atmosphere.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6: Ho Chi Minh City – Departure

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely morning before checking out by midday. Your private driver will transfer you to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your departure flight home.

Meals: Breakfast