Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos small group tour

After going through immigration and luggage collection, you are greeted by your driver only and then escorted to your hotel in the city centre. Your hotel is ideally located in the Western part of the old quarter, the more authentic and quaint one. The rooms are available from 14:00 but it is possible to book an early check-in with a surcharge. Make yourself comfortable, and take the time to refresh and rest. In the late afternoon, gather with the rest of the group and meet your guide in the hotel lobby. Follow him on a short walk to a nearby bia hoi, the local street pub, the perfect spot to get acquainted with your travel companions while sipping a traditional beer of Hanoi. Dinner and the rest of the evening will be at leisure.

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 45 minutes/Hanoi Airport - Hotel: 25 km

Prepare for a day filled with unique sightseeing experiences, alternative urban walks, iconic cultural attractions and culinary adventures. Depart from your hotel for a short transfer to the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake. Hop on an electric buggy and set off on an original sightseeing tour of the Old Quarter and the lake area. Pass major landmarks such as the Opera House, the Cathedral and one of Hanoi’s last remaining old gates. The ride ends at the Dong Xuan covered market. Hop off and explore the market briefly. Continue your morning with a walk along Phan Dinh Phung, one of Hanoi’s most beautiful avenues. This spacious avenue is lined with towering trees and boasts wide pavements, perfect for treading along lightly. You will pass the old water tower and stop for a coffee or juice on the sidewalk. You then continue passing by the Northern Gate of the Citadel and the Cua Bac Church, adding a historical dimension to your stroll. Your walk will end at a traditional rice restaurant, where you will be able to sample some delicious, authentic family cuisine. Transfer by vehicle from the restaurant to the Temple of Literature. Follow your guide across the different yards of this ancient site of Hanoi and let him tell you about Confucianism and its still-very-visible influence in today’s society. As you exit the temple, you take another stroll through Hanoi’s urban landscape, passing through narrow alleys to a lively street market, and then along the railway to an old khu tap the, the iconic working-class residential blocks of Hanoi. You can enjoy a coffee or juice there before being transferred back to your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.

Be ready to depart from the lobby at 8:20 am, as you will be picked up between 8:20 and 9:00 for a join in transfer to Ha Long City. At 12:00, after check-in procedures and a welcome drink, you are transferred to a beautiful boat for a 1-night cruise in the Halong archipelago. Once on board, start cruising while a delicious lunch is served, and the limestone rocks are setting up the décor. In the afternoon, reach a less travelled area and devote yourself to relaxation, sunbathing, and exploring. The program is not fixed and depends on the time of the year and the weather. End the day on the sundeck while the sun sets. It is time for an aperitif or to attend a cooking demonstration before dinner.

Note:
- The exact details of the visits and activities might slightly change depending on the boat selected, the weather and the eventual punctual decisions of the local authorities.
- Cruise with English-speaking cruise manager resident on-board.
- In case of very low number of bookings on that day, the cruise reserves the right to cancel the departure. In which case an alternative departure date will be offered on the same cruise. Or an alternative cruise will be offered on the same dates (discount or surcharge might apply).

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 2.5 hours / Hanoi – Ha Long: 152 km

Early birds can get up at dawn and join a Tai Chi session on the sundeck to ease their mind and muscles with the first rays of the sun touching the emerald waters. Continue exploring the bay further with an excursion to one of the caves of the archipelago. Return to the ship and checkout your cabin before enjoying a generous brunch on board while the cruise heads back to the wharf. Disembark and pick up for a join in transfer back to Hanoi. Upon arrival, drop off at hotel. Transfer without guide to Hanoi Airport for the flight to Hue. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to your hotel located right at the heart of Hue’s Citadel.

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 2.5 hours / Ha Long – Hanoi airport: 170 km
About 40 minutes / Hue Airport – Hotel: 20 km

Your morning starts with a walk across the Purple Forbidden City, the former residence of the Emperors. A little over 1 hour to explore Vietnam’s feudal past and have a better understanding of the lifestyle in a not-so-long-ago royal past. The visit starts at the southern gate to end at the northern one. Time to sit at a nice little café to sip a refreshment. The fun continues with a traditional rickshaw ride around the streets of the Imperial City. While many think of the citadel as the Forbidden City only, it is actually way vaster. The walls of the citadel surround a town inside the town with its monuments, lakes, avenues and smaller roads, shops and residents. Let’s sit back and watch le local daily life passing by. The ride takes you outside the walls to the nearby Kim Long village. An ancient village where the Mandarins of the Emperors used to live. Around midday, you will sample the iconic banh of Hue, some sorts of traditional dumplings. You are welcomed by a friendly family who runs for generations a small home-based eatery in their garden house. The place is simple but the food is really good. After the meal, take an approximate 3-hour drive to Danang and enjoy spectacular views over the sea as you ascend the Hai Van Pass, voted one of the most beautiful coastal road in the world.

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 3.5 hours / Hue – Hoi An: 140 km

Start your day with a nice orientation walk around Hoi An old town. Let the guide point out the different landmarks of interest along the photogenic streets bordered with yellow-walled houses. You reach the market, and meet the chef who will lead your upcoming cookery session. He will take you through the colorful stalls and show the different herbs and spices that shape Vietnamese food’s flavors. Exiting the market, hop on a boat for a cruise transfer to a little farm tucked away on an island of the Thu Bon River. Enjoy a hands-on cooking session and dine on the courses you’ve prepared. After that, return to the hotel by boat. The rest of the day is at leisure for an outing to the beach or in the ancient town.

Transfer without guide to Danang in the mid-morning for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City around midday. Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, you are greeted and transferred the District 1. The vehicle will take the luggage to the hotel, while you have the choice to hop off the car beforehand to take a 2-kilometer guided walk around the iconic colonial landmarks of Saigon such as the Central Post Office, the Continental Hotel, the Opera or the City Hall. The walk ends at the hotel. Check-in, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the end of the day at leisure.

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 40 minutes / Hoi An – Danang Airport: 30 km
About 30 minutes / Tan Son Nhat Airport – Hotel: 10km

The Mekong Delta, popularly known as the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, is famous for its vast rice fields, innumerable waterways and beautiful landscape. Get ready for a start from your hotel at 8:00. Leave the metropolis behind to reach after about 2 and a half-hour a less travelled region of the delta, about 30 kilometres away from the mouth of the mighty river. There you hop on a private boat and start exploring. The program of today is packed with fun and exciting activities, you will meet people, learn more about their daily lives and navigate the Mekong. After visiting a local factory, the boat reaches a small and rather uncharted island for lunch at a local guesthouse. In the afternoon, visit a honey-bee farm before getting on bikes and cycling narrow pathways across the island. A stop at a local farm will allow you to unveil the secret of Sâm jelly and sample it. Continue across orchards and transfer onto a small sampan to explore a stretch of thick mangrove. You then catch up with your driver to return Ho Chi Minh City.

Note: depending on the timing, the exact timeline of the tour might need to be adjusted and some of the mentioned activities can be done in the morning or in the afternoon.

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 4 hours / Ho Chi Minh City – Ben Tre – Ho Chi Minh City: 190 km

Your guide meets you in the hotel lobby at 8:00 and off you go for an original morning to explore the less travelled trails of this fascinating city. Prepare to travel back in time as you first head to District 3, where you visit the oldest café in town which was opened in 1938. Enjoy a refreshment drink, before immersing yourselves in some genuine Ho Chi Minh City popular culture. Walk through a massive street market, gently elbow your way between conical hats and mobile street food sellers to exit at Chung Cu. Here you will find yourself in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City’s working class, which remains mostly unchanged since the 1960s. Marvel at the size of these old residential buildings as you walk through and into the Ho Thi Ky quarter. A place known for its spectacular flower market, and its maze of quiet narrow streets. A place also surprisingly famous for its Khmer delicacies since the 1990s. Try a snack and continue deeper into District 10, a fantastic destination where every street corner holds a surprise and a chance to amaze you. Your urban adventure ends at one of the most famous street-food streets in the city, time for lunch!

***** END OF VIETNAM TOUR / START OF CAMBODIA TOUR *****

At 13:00, transfer to the airport for a mid-afternoon flight to Phnom Penh. Arrive at bus station or Phnom Penh International Airport. Transfer to your hotel (rooms may be available from 14:00 only).

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 30 minutes/Hotel – Tan Son Nhat Airport: 10 km

Your tour guide will meet you at the hotel’s lobby. After breakfast at the hotel, begin your sightseeing tour at the Royal Palace, one of Phnom Penh’s most splendid architectural achievements. Gleaming in gold, the Royal Palace was built in 1866 by His Majesty Preah Bat Norodom, great-grandfather to the current King, on the site of the old town. The place was explicitly chosen by a Commission of Royal Ministers and Astrologers because it had great geographical significance concerning the King, who was regarded as a direct descendant of the gods and whose role was to live and govern on earth under the influence of heaven. Explore the spectacular buildings, including the Throne Hall with a 59-meter tower, The Royal Treasury, the Napoleon II Villa, and the Silver Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha with steps crafted from Italian marble and the regal floor made of more than 500 solid silver blocks. The magnificent 17th-century emerald Buddha statue is made of jade. Another treasure is the life-sized solid gold Maitreya Buddha which weighs 90 kilograms and is adorned with 9,584 diamonds. Continue to the National Museum, an exceptional example of traditional architecture devoted to preserving and displaying Khmer art and sculptures. Hundreds of pieces are housed here, including both pre-and post-Angkorian pieces. End your morning tour with a visit to Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh’s namesake. Wat Phnom is the only hill in town, set on top of a tree-covered knoll 27m high. According to the legend, the first pagoda on this site was erected in 1373 to house four statues of Buddha washed ashore by the waters of the Mekong and discovered by a woman name Mrs. Penh. West of the vihara is an enormous stupa containing the ashes of King Ponhea Yat (reigned 1405 to 1463). Today, many people come here to pray for good luck and success and return to give offerings (such as a garland of jasmine flowers or bananas, of which the spirits are said to be especially fond) promised when their prayers have been answered. 1Lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, we will learn to cook traditional Khmer food. Banana Cooking Class offers a wide variety of menus for cooking classes led by a Cambodian chef, allowing guests to capture the local flavor better. The Chef will explain rice and how to choose seasoning products. Start the morning by exploring a local market where you will experience the hustle and bustle and absorb the flavor of a typical Cambodian market. You will have time to walk around, take pictures and observe vendors selling their wares. You will learn about local fruits, vegetables, and herbs and procure the freshest ingredients for the day’s lesson. Returning to our kitchen, our experienced chef will guide you through tried-and-true Khmer cooking techniques.Unlock ancient secrets of Khmer cooking through this authentic culinary experience. After the demonstration and with our chef’s assistance, you will discover new tastes and textures as you learn to prepare traditional dishes, which will be enjoyed at dinner. The recipes are yours to keep so you can recreate the Cambodian culinary experience in the comfort of your home and impress your friends and family. Enjoy your cooked dinner.

Morning free and easy (no car and no guide provided). At 11:45, pick up from the hotel and transfer with driver only (no guide) to the bus station for a shuttle transfer to Siem Reap. Upon arrival meet and transfer with driver only (no guide) to your hotel.

Estimated driving time/distance:
About 6 hours / Phnom Penh – Siem Reap: 320 km

Meet your guide at the hotel. The morning is dedicated to exploring Khmer temples from the early Angkorian period. Visit the Roluos group of temples dating from the 9th and 10th centuries, including the Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei Temples. Lunch is served at a local restaurant. This afternoon, you visit the last capital of the Khmer Empire: Angkor Thom, built in the 12th century and deserted most likely during the 16th century, including the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, Bayon temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with 216 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, Baphuon, a pyramidal representation of Mount Meru, the Terrace of the Elephants, used by Jayavarman VII to watch his victorious army return the Terrace of the Leper King, who’s statue was formerly thought to represent a legendary “leper king,” but is now considered to represent Yama, the Lord of the Dead and believed the terrace itself might have functioned as a royal cremation platform. Continue towards the famous Ta Prohm, a beautiful jungle temple that nature seems to have taken over; it has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retained much of its mystery.

After breakfast, head to the North of Siem Reap for a visit of the graceful 11th-century Temple of Shiva, Banteay Srei, and the Banteay Samre Temple. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue visiting the most famous temples: Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument named UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1992. The 12th-century temple complex spreads over 81 hectares. Its five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks, the enclosed wall representing the mountains at the world’s edge and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond until sunset.

Breakfast at the hotel and a full morning at leisure to relax at the hotel or explore the town on your own.

***** END OF CAMBODIA TOUR / START OF LAOS TOUR *****

Transfer out from your hotel to Siem Reap International Airport for departure flight to the next destination. You are met by your tour guide at the airport and transferred you to your hotel. Check-in might be available from 14:00 only. Spend the rest of your day relaxing or going for a first immersion on your own in the old town.

Meet your guide and tuk-tuk driver for a fun morning of cultural sightseeing and local life exploration around Luang Prabang. First stop at the Morning Market for an immersive social experience that tells you a lot about daily habits and food culture of Luang Prabang people. Continue to Wat Xieng Thong, the oldest and probably most magnificent temple of the peninsula. The ride continues to a reputed craft centre located on the shores of the Mekong. Meet the craftsmen, explore their art, witness their skills and wrap this up with a nice lunch overlooking the river. In the afternoon, a visit to the former Royal Palace, converted into a national museum, then a stop by the hotel to refresh yourself and rest a little. At the end of the afternoon, you will climb Mount Phousi at sunset. Then strolls at the night market.

Transfer to Nava Mekong boat pier. Cruise leaving Luang Prabang at 10:00 on Mekong River upstream to the Pak Ou caves. Visit Ban Xang Hai Village, the village is famous for the distillation of traditional rice alcohol. It used to be more famous for the big jars it is stored in, which they’ve been making there for over 2000 years. Visit of the Pak Ou Caves, housing thousands of statues representing Lord Buddha. Lunch on board in front of Pha Enn Cliff. Return to Luang Prabang. Pick up at the pier and transfer to visit Ban Phanom village, a Lue ethnic minority village, where people preserved for generations traditional cotton and silk weaving techniques. Then drive to local house, where you will start your Baci ceremony. Baci (also spelt basi) is a special and unique ceremony in Laos practiced for hundreds of years. The term commonly used is “sou khuan” which means “spirit enhancing or spirit calling”. The ceremony involves the tying of white cotton strings around the guest’s wrists and prayers for the well-wishing of the guest. Return to your hotel, end of the day at leisure.

Departure from the hotel towards the Kuang Si waterfalls. En route, you explore villages to learn more about the ethnic groups of the region: Hmong, Laoloum and Khmu. You walk through these villages, meet the villagers and let your guide tell you more about the local ways of life. You then go to the magnificent waterfalls where you can swim in the turquoise-colored pools or walk on the paths that run alongside the falls. Lunch is served beside the waterfall. Return to Luang Prabang. The rest of the day is at your leisure. This city exudes a little something that encourages a rather relaxed lifestyle. Enjoy it, stroll through the narrow streets of the peninsula, sip coffee on a terrace by the Mekong or Nam Khan River or simply take the time to soak up the peaceful atmosphere of the city.

Today free at leisure until transfer to the Luang Prabang airport for your next destination.