Includes internal flights, twin shared accommodation, English speaking guides, private cars, sightseeing and meals listed. Excludes visa and travel documents, travel insurance, international flights, local tipping, etc.
This itinerary is to give you a flavor of what is possible. We can tailor this trip to suit your specific needs and expectations. You may alter any aspect of the itinerary from excursions to accommodation.
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival in Hanoi, our guide will greet you at the airport welcome area and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.
Saigon(officially Ho Chi Minh City) is a bustling metropolis of the South and the economic muscle of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, it was the main base center of the US military with the largest airport in the region. Prior to that, it was under French colonial rule and was an Asian hub of sea trade. The city is based in the Mekong River Delta region – the rice basket of Southeast Asia and where many exotic fruits are cultivated. Full of history and culture, Saigon will certainly be an interesting visit.
Accommodation: Silverland Charner Hotel
Day 2: Saigon | Mekong Delta Discovery: Vinh Long
Meals: Breakfast
Discover the Mekong River, essential to life in the heart of Vietnam.
After you’ve finished breakfast at the hotel, we will take you to Vinh Long where you’ll embark on a boat cruise to the vibrant Cai Be floating market. Be prepared to see fresh spices, mints, and local fruits. If you’re adventurous, you can take of one of the many colorful fruits in season.
The next stop is the Hoa Binh Phuoc islet, full of local homes where the families produce tiles and ceramics. You’ll visit the rice-paper kiln and coconut candy kiln where you can walk around and observe daily country life. You can have the opportunity to taste fresh-made coconut candy which has a soft and chewy consistency.
When the tour is finished, you’ll return to Ho Chi Minh.
Accommodation: Silverland Charner Hotel
Day 3: Saigon – Hoi An | Impressions of Saigon | Flight to Da Nang
Internal Flight:Included
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast at the hotel, your private guide and car will greet you and escort you to see some of the most significant and mysterious temples in Ho Chi Minh. You’ll start by visiting the Emperor Jade Pagoda; also known as the Tortoise Pagoda. This figurine-filled place of worship is considered by many to be Saigon’s finest. The next stop is Cholon: the Chinatown of Saigon. A thickly settled district rife with tea houses and pagodas. There you’ll see Phuoc An, Hoi Quan Pagoda and Quan Am Pagoda. Then you’ll enjoy a cyclo tour around the city before stopping at Ben Thanh Market. Here you can find local handicrafts, textiles, and souvenirs or give the local cuisine a try.
Once the tour is complete, return to the hotel for check out, then transfer to the airport for your flight to Danang. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to Boutique Hoi An Resort for check-in.
At the end of a long lane of sandy beaches, palms and the blue sea turns the Thu Bon River. Take a step back in time 300 years to cobblestone alleys and aged wooden and stone homes. Time stands still in this quiet part of the world where ornate doorways and bridges could keep the curious passerby entranced in amusement. The setting – a Far Eastern port that was forgotten in time. Japanese, French, Chinese, and Vietnamese designs and styles melt together along every street.
Accommodation: Boutique Hoi An Resort
Day 4: Hoi An | Relax on the Beach | Hoi An Ancient Town at Dusk
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, you’ll be able to relax on the beautiful beaches of Hoi An. Across the sea, you’ll see the Cham islands. Feel free to join or start up a game of volleyball, or just soak up the sun on the sandy beaches.
In the afternoon, transfer with our guide to Hoi An Ancient Town. This town features the 16th-century Hoi An port town in it’s preserved state. You’ll start the day visiting the Museum of Trade Ceramics. This museum houses art and pottery dating from the 1,500s to the 1,700s.
Then you’ll briefly visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, a temple from the 17th century which features China’s influence in the region. You’ll continue through the Ancient Town as the streets take on a magic of their own with old lanterns, French-style houses, intricately carved wooden doors, and more. You’ll take a stroll through the Old Tam Ky House to see it’s imperial styles meshed with French overtures. Continue on to stroll along the river and see traditional boats and locals on bicycles passing by. You’ll then approach the Japanese Covered Bridge. This bridge has connected the Chinese and Japanese sides of town over the waterway for centuries. The old wooden structure has shown amazing resilience for more than 400 years.
Ancient Town of Hoi An – 15 Days Vietnam Laos Cambodia Authentic Experience
At dusk, enjoy walking along the riverside as old colorful lanterns light up the town. After you’ve finished the tour, return to the hotel.
Accommodation: Boutique Hoi An Resort
Day 5: Hoi An – Hue | Road Trip to Hue | Hue Imperial Citadel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Our guide will assist with checking you out of your hotel and then transfer by vehicle for a scenic ride along the mountain coasts of Vietnam. Start by riding alongside the beaches of Danang where you’ll see hundreds of traditional fishing boats scattered out along the water with beautiful mountains lining the horizon. Then you’ll approach a steep and narrow ascent where you’ll find the scenery surreal. Along the way, there is a stretch of road which overlooks a beautiful bay with a small fishing village, perfect for a Facebook portrait. You’ll continue your climb to a summit where the clouds will meet you. In Chinese, the summit is referred to as “Where the Clouds Meet the Ocean”.
You’ll continue onward through mountains, valleys, countryside, and shorelines where you’ll find numerous breath-taking scenes. Feel free to request your driver to stop for photos along the way. As you enter Hue, you’ll see many imperial signs and impressive houses and buildings which are only a deluge of what’s to come. Then you will continue to the hotel for check-in.
Lunch at a former royal residence
Your ventures will take you to lunch at a royal residence. These imperial styled houses near the Royal Citadel feature beautiful gardens, intricate furnishings, and detailed ornaments at every turn. Each dish highlights different aspects of Hue traditional food enjoyed by the royalty. The brilliant food presentation will be sure to leave a fond memory with you of this family-owned garden and restaurant.
In the afternoon, you’ll press onward to see the famed Imperial Hue Citadel – the old capital of Vietnam. This Citadel has a moat and wall perimeter 10 km long. You’ll be able to view it’s vast gardens and structure relics. Then you’ll breach the outer perimeter of the Hue Imperial City. Inside, you’ll see many of the national treasures and structures which have survived the Vietnam War. Venture further inside and you’ll enter the Purple Forbidden City. This city was off-limits to the commoners and only could be entered by the highest officials in the Vietnamese government and royalty. Your driver will meet you on the other side of the city where you’ll then be escorted to a stop at the Dong Ba Market where you can see local fruits and produce for sale.
Accommodation: Hotel Saigon Morin
Day 6: Hue | Bicycling to Hue Mansions and Tombs
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, take to bicycles through the romantic city of Hue and surrounds. Your journey will bring you to Khai Dinh’s Tomb. On the way, stop to take some photos of the countryside scenery.
When reaching Khai Dinh Tomb, start exploring the structure. It is notable for it’s elaborate decorative work and unique architecture, being a mix of a number of architectural styles. The tomb is of a rectangular structure leaning against Chau Chu Mountain in the outskirts of Hue. The side walls are formed by large dragon sculptures. The tomb is home to an imperial audience court, featuring a reinforced concrete steel monument, as well as twelve stone statues representing bodyguards. Close to the top floor is the Khai Thanh Palace, featuring intricately designed glass and porcelain decorations on the walls. The ceiling of the palace is decorated with nine intricate dragons. The rear room of the palace is home to a temple containing Khai Dinh’s grave, an altar to him as well as a statue of his likeness.
Explore the tomb on bike
After visiting Khai Dinh tomb, continue by bicycle to Tu Duc Tomb. While Khai Dinh’s Tomb is noteworthy for its ornate extravagance, Emperor Tu Duc’s tomb showcases a traditional elegance, and many view it to be the most beautiful of Hue’s royal tombs. Designed by Tu Duc himself, it is said he preferred spending time in these serene grounds than at the palace.
Enjoy a Hue styled Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant before riding to the last famous imperial tomb today – Minh Mang Tomb. Minh Mang tomb is a standard architectural complex consisting of 40 structures (palaces, temples, and pavilions) designed on a symmetrical axis running from Dai Hong Gate to the foot of La Thanh (The Surrounding Wall) behind the Emperor’s tomb. Local rumor has it that the emperor buried a splendid treasure of gold and priceless valuables somewhere on the large compound. But the secret of it’s whereabouts followed him to his grave.
Return to the hotel for leisure time.
Accommodation: Hotel Saigon Morin
Day 7: Hue – Hanoi | Flight to Hanoi | The Millennium Old Capital
Internal Flight:Included
Meals: Breakfast
Take a morning flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
After check-in, enjoy a stroll on your own around Hoan Kiem Lake outside your hotel. Feel free to also pick up a souvenir at the night markets or at one of the many trinket shops in the alleys and small roads of this historic part of town.
In the afternoon, go with our guide to visit unique sites in the Millennium Old Capital if Vietnam. Start with the One Pillar Pagoda – a pagoda situated on a pillar made of a single stone, in the middle of a lotus pond. This pagoda was built by a 9th-century emperor who saw it in a dream and regarded this as divine inspiration to recreate the structure in the vision. You’ll pass by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before visiting the highlight of this tour – The Temple of Literature. This ancient university was erected almost a millennium ago and has hosted many of the most prominent scholars through Vietnamese history. The site features many gardens, pools, buildings, and ancient trees where the best and brightest of Vietnam studied under the guidance of Confucius’s teachings.
Historical Hoan Kiem Lake
Next, you’ll take a stroll around the Hoan Kiem Lake where you can see the Tortoise Tower sitting on the water. Then you’ll enjoy a half-hour cyclo tour through the Old Quarter in Hanoi. The cyclo is a historic mode of transportation in the cities of Vietnam where a cyclist escorts you while you sit in a seat affixed to the front with a canopy over top. In the late afternoon, transfer to Tran Quoc Pagoda set on West Lake. This 1,400-year-old temple features ten tiers surrounded by gardens and which also hosts a bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original Buddhist tree under which Buddha sat.
Accommodation: Silk Path Boutique Hotel
Day 8: Hanoi – Lan Ha Bay | Emerald Isles of Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning, transfer to Haiphong with our guide to the La Regina Private Lounge. You’ll leave Hanoi over Cau Long Bien Bridge to have a chance to see this old and enduring French architectural masterpiece. Then board La Regina Legend Cruise.
Lan Ha Bay – 15 Days Vietnam Laos Cambodia Authentic Experience
Start with a welcome drink and cold hand towel while the Cruise Manager gives the safety briefing. The boat starts to cruise to Lan Ha bay. A delicious set menu lunch is served in La Corona restaurant.
In the afternoon, take an excursion to discover Trung Trang cave, one of the iconic and historic caves in Cat Ba island.
As dusk approaches, welcome the beautiful sunset. Join a Cooking Class on the sundeck with the Chef to learn how to prepare an iconic dish. Then dinner is served on the sundeck, weather permitting.
In the evening, you can try Squid Fishing or watch a movie in La Magia Restaurant on the third floor. Or perhaps some private time in your room. I do suggest keeping your eyes to the water for catching an iridescent light show from plankton and sea life, if conditions are right.
Accommodation: La Regina Legend Cruise
Day 9: Hanoi – Luang Prabang | Lan Ha Bay Sunrise | Flight to Luang Prabang
Internal Flight:Included
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Enjoy the sunrise over the bay followed by a Tai Chi session on the sundeck. A light breakfast is served in La Corona on the second floor. The boat anchors at Tra Bau area, where you’ll enjoy kayaking or swimming.
Return back to the boat for relaxing, packing up, and settling any bills. Brunch is served in the restaurant while the boat heads back to the harbor.
Bid the crew farewell and transfer to Hanoi airport to catch your flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
The evening is at your leisure.
Feel free to explore the beautiful city of Luang Prabang on your own to discover night markets selling local tapestries and souvenirs.
In the early morning, you can join in the alms giving ceremony where a procession of monks pass the hotel as participants solemnly give sticky rice and other objects into their bowls. Then enjoy breakfast at the hotel.
The rest of the morning is at your leisure to explore on your own or visit a spa for a massage.
Wat Xieng Thong Temple – 15 Days Vietnam Laos Cambodia Authentic Experience
In the afternoon, begin with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. We then head to the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We’ll also visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.
Late afternoon, transfer to the forest temple of Wat Phon Phao for watching a stunning sunset over the Laos countryside. Return to the hotel for leisure time or explore the night markets on your own.
Accommodation: Le Bel Air Resort
Day 11: Luang Prabang | MandaLao Elephant Conservation | Sunset Cocktails and Dinner from a Tree House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning, transfer to MandaLao – an elephant sanctuary with a focus on rehabilitation and care of rescued elephants. Here you’ll meet the sanctuary caretaker and receive a short briefing about the elephants. Throughout the morning, you’ll take place in the following activities:
Locate the elephants with the caretaker;
Feed the elephants under the guidance of the caretaker and learn about their behavior;
Bathe your elephant – Go down to the nearby river to bath your elephant; perhaps the elephant will bathe you as well!
Enjoy lunch at the outdoor garden restaurant
Then return to your hotel for leisure time in the afternoon. Note: MandaLao does not allow elephant riding due to the harm this can cause to the elephants.
As dusk is setting in, transfer to a nearby secluded restaurant with a tree house along the Mekong River. Enjoy sunset cocktails and dinner at the tree house villa. Delicious Laos dishes will be brought to you as the sun is setting along the horizon. Return to the hotel for the evening at leisure. Subject to availability at the time of booking.
Accommodation: Le Bel Air Resort
Day 12: Luang Prabang – Siem Reap | Pak Ou Caves | Flight to Siem Reap
Internal Flight:Included
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Pak Ou Cave – 15 Days Vietnam Laos Cambodia Authentic Experience
In the morning, we embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make Laos rice wine and rice whiskey. You’ll be able to try some and see the process they use to make it. Then we’ll reach the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. On return, we disembark the boat to visit a traditional weaving village of Ban Phanom, which is famous for its hand weaving.
Freshen up at the hotel and check out. Then you’ll transfer by flight to Siem Reap.
Upon arrival our guide will greet you at the airport and continue to the hotel for check in.
Siem Reap is a quaint town in Cambodia and the gateway to the vast remains of the Angkor empire. Discover the Royal Gardens on your own with ancient trees home to a colony of giant fruit bats. Take a stroll along the scenic riverside and visit the night markets to find unique souvenirs. You may also want to spend the evening with a visit to Pub Street with several restaurants and bars that stay open late into the night. Many restaurants have live entertainment in the evening.
Accommodation: Viroth’s Hotel
Day 13: Siem Reap | Angkor Thom Ancient City
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Enjoy a relaxing cycling tour in the morning in ancient Angkor Thom – a stone city built around the time of Angkor Wat.
The biking tour will start at the South Gate – a photogenic bridge at the gateway of the stone city of Angkor Thom which has made its way into many Hollywood movies. Angkor Thom was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer Empire. Enter the stone city and explore shaded trails and ancient monuments. Visit Bayon Temple where you will be surrounded by 216 gigantic stone faces which fame as “Khmer Smile”, you will also visit the Terrace of Elephants, the Royal Palace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Stop your cycling trip with a visit to the local monastery to chat with monks and see their daily life.
On the way back, stop to see the Killing Fields of Wat Thmei. Our guide will relay to you the history of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, and the war. Cambodia is still healing from these atrocities.
Accommodation: Viroth’s Hotel
Day 14: Siem Reap | Angkor Wat Sunrise | Village Water Filter Donation
Meals: Breakfast
Before the light of the day, our guide will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to the front of Angkor Wat Temple. From here, you’ll watch one of the most revered sunrises in the world. Our guide will arrange a light picnic breakfast for you to enjoy in front of the world’s #1 Heritage Site. Then in the early hours, you’ll explore the vast temple with your guide bringing to life the stories of Angkor. In the morning, the rays of the light play through the chambers as the morning haze settles and giving the temple a mystical ambiance while there are few tourists who visit during this time of day. After your explorations, you’ll return to the hotel for some rest and leisure time.
In the afternoon, go to visit a small village to donate a slow sand water filtration system. You’ll have a chance to meet with the village families. The water filtration system will be able to provide potable/drinking water to the whole village. We can also arrange to have your logo or names painted on the filter ahead of time. The installation staff will instruct the villagers on how to maintain the filter.
Optional recommendation: We recommend that if you have any used children’s books in your home that you no longer need, you may bring them with to donate to the children in the village. This can impact the village children to focus on their education and provide them English reading materials not available from their school.
Our guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Saigon to catch your flight back home and to bid you a fond farewell. Thank you for traveling with us!
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It's easier than ever to get going! Request a quote today!
One of our Travel Experts will reach out to you and assist you with an itinerary and quote. Also, feel free to leave your phone number and we will give you a quick call just to say hello and clarify any questions we have about your inquiry.
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