16 Days Romantic Getaway through Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

ITINERARY

Day 1: Hanoi | Arrive in Hanoi

International Flight: Excluded

Meals: Dinner

Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival in Hanoi, our guide will greet you at the airport welcome area 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.
Enjoy traditional Vietnamese cuisine at Home Restaurant – a historic French colonial residence restored in between the Old Quarter and the serene West Lake. Enjoy fine Vietnamese cuisine as you reminisce on your journey through Thailand and Vietnam. Once you finish your dinner, you’ll be escorted to your hotel.

Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi | Best of Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast

See the highlights of Hanoi during your full-day city tour, enjoy the visit to cultural, historical and iconic landmarks.

In the morning, you’ll be escorted to see some of the most significant places in Hanoi.

You’ll begin by seeing the Tran Quoc Pagoda. 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 bodhi tree under which Buddha sat. Next, you’ll pass by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a large memorial where the charismatic Vietnamese leader read the Declaration of Independence in 1945. Not far from here is the One Pillar Pagoda. This millennia-old structure was built on a large stone column in the middle of a pond to resemble a temple seen in the Emperor’s dream.

Then you’ll learn about the highlight of this tour – The Temple of Literature. The 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, courtyards, and ancient trees where the best and brightest of Vietnam studied under the guidance of Confucius teachings.

In the afternoon, you’ll go on to see the museum of Ethnology to learn about the different ethnicities in Vietnam. Next, you’ll take a stroll around the Hoan Kiem Lake where you can see the Tortoise Tower sitting on the water. You’ll also be able to visit the Ngoc Son Temple, which rests on the lake with a narrow bridge for access.

Hanoi Old Quarter Cyclo Tour

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 Hanoi Old Quarter, you’ll enjoy streets full of life with genuine shops and cafes frequented by locals.

The tour finishes with a Water Puppet Show performed by the world-renowned Thang Long Opera House. This performance features a talent unique to Vietnam. You’ll watch as water puppets perform the folklore legends of Vietnam while live ethnic music sets the mood.

Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

Day 3: Hanoi – Lan Ha Bay | Voyage Lan Ha Bay with Cruise by Orchid

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, your guide and driver will transfer you to Halong Bay. Upon arrival, enjoy refreshments at Private Lounge until boarding. Then board Orchid Cruise.

Receive a safety briefing and check in your cabins. The boat sets adrift for Da Chong islet, home to an old French lighthouse. Enjoy a sumptuous feast in the panoramic dining hall while en route to the islets of Con Vit and Gia Luan. The bay opens up to you with stunning green karsts towering above the water. This area receives very few cruise ships as it has just been newly opened up. Continue to Ba Trai Dao beach of Lan Ha Bay. A paradise with perfect beaches and natural beauty. Stop at one of the beaches for swimming or kayaking during the afternoon.

As dusk approaches, welcome the sunset with a local specialty – “Ba Kich”(a liquor made from Noni fruit). Back on board, you’ll join a cooking demonstration to learn a few Vietnamese culinary secrets. Enjoy your creation! Then time for supper in the dining hall. Delicious Vietnamese cuisine and seafood in a romantic setting. After dinner, you may enjoy watching the stars from the sundeck, watching a movie in the restaurant, or give night squid fishing a try with the staff(subject to seasonal availability).

Accommodation: Orchid Cruise

Day 4: Hanoi – Luang Prabang | Lan Ha Bay Sunrise | Flight to Luang Prabang

Internal Flight: Included

Meals: Breakfast

Rise early for one of the top best sunrises in the world. Then head to the sundeck for an invigorating Tai Chi session amongst a picture-perfect backdrop of karsts, sea, and nature. Enjoy breakfast in the dining hall before taking a journey to explore the area around Sang Tai sea cave via canoes.

Then disembark the cruise and continue with a transfer to Hanoi. Board an evening flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, our guide will meet and greet you at the airport. Then transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Accommodation: Belmond La Residence Phou Vao

Day 5: Luang Prabang | Kuang Si Waterfalls and City Highlights

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you’ll start with a visit to the Phousi Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, a Hmong village, Ban Ou a Laoloum village and Ban Thapene, a Khmu village. This then takes us to the beautiful Khouang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails.

We then return to Luang Prabang. In the afternoon, your half-day city tour begins 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 also have time to visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.

A visit to Luang Prabang would be incomplete without ascending the 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill for a beautiful sunset view of the city and its glowing reflection on the Mekong River. The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of handmade textiles made by the hill tribes surrounding Luang Prabang.

Accommodation: Belmond La Residence Phou Vao

Day 6: Luang Prabang | Befriending the Gentle Giants of Asia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, transfer to Elephant Village – an elephant sanctuary with a focus on rehabilitation and care of rescued elephants. Here you’ll meet the camp manager and receive a short briefing about the elephants. Throughout the day, you’ll take place in the following activities:

• • Mahout Training – learn about the commands of how to communicate to the elephant
  • Enjoy lunch at the outdoor garden restaurant
  • Bathe your elephant – Go down to the nearby Nam Khan River to bath your elephant; perhaps the elephant will bathe you as well!

Then return to your hotel for leisure time.

Accommodation: Belmond La Residence Phou Vao

Day 7: Luang Prabang | Pak Ou Caves by Boat

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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.

Lunch will be served nearby the caves. During lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to try a local dish called “Orlam” which is a soup with vegetables and features a spicy wood that is partially edible. On return, we disembark the boat to visit a traditional weaving village of Ban Phanom, which is famous for its hand weaving.

Evening dinner at Hive Restaurant with “Ethnik Fashion Show” – modern fashion show with a twist – ethnic wedding garments from over 100 ethnic groups in Laos on a show by Hmong underprivileged university students(all donations go to support their families and education).

Accommodation: Belmond La Residence Phou Vao

Day 8: Luang Prabang – Siem Reap | Leisure | Flight to Siem Reap

Internal Flight: Included

Meals: Breakfast

Board an afternoon flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your 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: Shinta Mani Villa – Bensley Collection

Day 9: Siem Reap | Angkor Thom Ancient City by Bicycle

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.

South Gate of Angkor Thom Capital – 16 Days Romantic Getaway Vietnam Laos Cambodia

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.

Then continue to Bodia Spa, one of the top spas in Southeast Asia having been nominated for the Best Day Spa in Asia award for 2016 and 2017. Enjoy the Spa treatment of the adventure. Return to the hotel or go on to visit the nearby Psar Chas to buy some souvenir gifts and observe the Cambodian life.

Accommodation: Shinta Mani Villa – Bensley Collection

Day 10: Siem Reap | Kampong Phluk Floating Village | Spa Treatment

Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, you’ll take a boat trip on the water of the Tonle Sap Lake to a floating village called Kampong Kleang. This floating village is one of the most remote and least visited on the lake. You’ll transfer to the village then go by boat to explore the stilted homes and lake. See pet dogs and pigs in people’s homes over the water. Watch as community members get around on small boats. Visit the mangrove forests nearby home to diverse fauna.

Then continue to the local pagoda, a colorful Khmer architecture with monks tending to their daily chores and studies. Have an opportunity to meet with the monks and discuss with them about their lives and beliefs. Those studying English are always excited to practice. After your exploration, return to Siem Reap for overnight.

Accommodation: Shinta Mani Villa – Bensley Collection

Day 11: Siem Reap | Angkor Wat Sunrise | Private Countryside Dinner

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Before the light of the day, your guide will pick you up from your hotel and escort 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.

Angkor Wat Temple – 16 Days Romantic Getaway Vietnam Laos Cambodia

Nearing dusk, you’ll go to a private dinner at a traditional wooden villa in the countryside surrounded by dragonfruit orchards and rice fields. Tiki torches and live traditional music will welcome you. Start with cocktails and canapes. Then enjoy an exquisite evening dinner while you chat and reflect on the fond memories you have collected over the last few weeks. Return to the hotel when you are ready.

Accommodation: Shinta Mani Villa – Bensley Collection

Day 12: Siem Reap – Danang | Leisure | Flight to Danang

Internal Flight: Included

Meals: Breakfast

Morning is at your leisure to relax or explore the rest in the city on your own.

In the afternoon, board a flight to Hoi An. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your resort next to the beach 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 wood 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: Fusion Maia Danang

Day 13: Hoi An – Danang | 4th Century Cham Ruins and Hoi An Ancient Port Town

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you’ll transfer to the My Son Holy Land. Tucked in the mountains up winding roads with serene views, lay the 4th century My Son Holy Land ruins. The surrounding mountains are strictly forbidden from living or development. The ruins lay in a beautiful surrounding mountainous landscape. You’ll enter the temples while your tour guide gives you the history and stories of the Cham and the site.

Hoi An Ancient Port Town -16 Days Romantic Getaway Vietnam Laos Cambodia

In the afternoon, you’ll continue to visit 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.

At dusk, enjoy walking along the riverside as colorful lanterns light up the town. After you’ve finished the tour, you will return back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Fusion Maia Danang

Day 14: Danang | Relax on the Beach

Meals: Breakfast

Today is at your leisure to relax on the beaches of Danang.

Accommodation: Fusion Maia Danang

Day 15: Danang | Relax on the Beach

Meals: Breakfast

Today is at your leisure to relax on the beaches of Danang.

Accommodation: Fusion Maia Danang

Day 16: Danang | Farewell!

Meals: Breakfast

Today our guide will transfer you to the airport before your homeward flight and will bid you a fond farewell. Thank you for traveling with us!

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