Vietnam Travel

Laos & Vietnam tour 15 days

Destination: Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Hanoi - Ha Long - Hue - Hoi An - My Son - Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh Long

Highlights: Cling to masterpieces of Laos & Vietnam in this 15-day tour. You'll see remarkable ancient sites, exotic landscapes, lovely people. Take the opportunity to explore major Vientiane with its sacred temples, to access tranquil Luang Prabang, to visit the attractive capital of Vietnam, to have a glimpse at the majesty of Hue, breathtaking Ha Long Bay, charming Hoi An. You'll also travel to bustling Ho Chi Minh City and enjoy the rural life blowing through the Mekong Delta.

Details Itinerary:

Code: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide

Day 1: Vientiane arrival

Upon arrival Vientiane capital of Lao at Wattay international Airport, you are met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. After that, you’ll start to visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you’ll stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph. Your next visit will be the National Museum (Revolutionary Museum) where varied antique items and legend of Laos’s history fighters and leaders displace from the ancient times to new revolution period. Your overnight stay will be in Vientiane.

Day 2: Vientiane/Luang Prabang (B)

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll drive to visit the Central Market call 'Morning Market' where you can find the antique items for collection, well handmade textile and gift away items. Later on, you’ll drive to the airport to board a short flight to Luang Prabang, which is perhaps the best - preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. UNESCO registered 1995 as World Cultural Heritage City. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Asia. On arrival, you’ll be transferred to hotel. After a short rest you’ll visit Wat Mai, Wat Sene then climb up to the top of Phousi Mount for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as viewing a beautiful panorama sunset over this once royal ancient city and the Mekong River. You are then strolling around to see the Street Night Bazaar, where you can find the lovely collection and handmade textile by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Your overnight stay will be in Luang Prabang.

Day 3: Luang Prabang/Pak Ou Cave (B)

Breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be taken to a short-guided tour seeing the city's oldest temple of impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represent the classical architecture of Luang Prabang temple. You’ll then board a boat embarking upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a beautiful view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Along the way, you’ll stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine. And take a short drive to Ban Phanom, well known for its hand weaving with natural dyes. You’ll return to the city by late evening for observing the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Your overnight stay will be in Luang Prabang.

Day 4: Luang Prabang/Kuangsi Waterfall/Vientiane (B)

This morning you may want to wake up early and participate in the daily early morning ritual of saffron-clad monks with their black Alms-giving bowls being given offerings from the local people, including the ubiquitous sticky rice. After breakfast, you then visit The National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign visit the morning Phousi Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and salt, pepper among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local village of Lao ethnic Ban Thapene, a Khmu Village, then drive to the beautiful Kuangsi Waterfall where you can splash around in the pools or walk along the forest paths. In the afternoon, you’ll return to Luang Prabang airport for flight to Vientiane. When you arrive, you’ll be picked up to your hotel. You’ll spend the night in Vientiane.

Day 5: Luang Prabang/Hanoi (B, D, G)

After breakfast at your hotel, you'll then be free until you'll be picked up to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you'll be met and driven to your hotel.

17.15: You'll be picked up to watch the Water Puppet show an art form unique to northern Vietnam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture.

18.30: Your Welcome Dinner will be served at one of the good local restaurant.

You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi city tour (B, L, G)

9.00: You'll be picked up at your hotel to start a Hanoi city tour.

9.30 - 10.30: You’ll visit Ba Dinh Square, where silent sentries guard the marble and Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum where Ho Chi Chi lies in state (closed on every Monday & Friday and October & November). You’ll see the simple cottage where Uncle Ho lived and worked. You’ll continue to visit the One Pillar Pagoda and hear the legend of its construction, born from the love of an emperor in the 11th Century.

10.30 - 11.00: You’ll drive to visit the serene Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi, on the banks of Hanoi’s West Lake.

11.00 - 12.00: You’ll also call the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and the dedicated to Confucius, it is a serene retreat from the busy streets outside and later become Vietnam’s first university.

12.00 - 13.30: Lunch at local restaurant

13.30 - 15.30: Visit the Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam’s 54 distinct ethnic

15.30 - 16.15: Pass by Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake , also known as Lake of Restored Sword from the legend that surrounds it en-route to one of the city’s fascinating museums.

16.15 - 17.15: You’ll then take to the streets by cycle ride tour of the Ancient Qurter of 36 streets District. This densely populated corner of the city was once a centre of commerce where goods were sold under the street name of a particular guild. Still a thriving community of sellers today, you’ll see streets name such as Sugar Street, Tin Street and Paper Street. Ancient homes and temples are interspersed with stores in this souvenir hunter’s paradise.

You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 7: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, D, G)

8.30: You’ll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone ‘karst’ landscape.

10.00: You'll take a short break at Hong Ngoc Embroidery workshop.

10.30 - 12.00: You'll continue driving to Ha Long Bay.

12.00: You’ll board your boat, a wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels with sails, a wide transom and rectangular superstructure, that will take you first to the busy World Heritage area and then to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Weather permitting, you’ll be able to swim, fish, climb a hill for an overview of the Bay’s remarkable seascape. All your meals will be provided on board, usually based on fresh seafood.

You'll spend the night on the boat.

Day 8: Ha Long/Hanoi/Hue (B, L, G)

7.30: You'll have western breakfast on boat.

8.00 - 8.30: You'll venture into some of the sea level caves in a small sampan.

8.30 - 11.45: You'll spend the morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch just before docking to the harbour. You'll then be escorted to the airport for your flight to Hue. When you arrive, you'll be picked up to your hotel.

You'll spend the night in Hue.

Day 9: Hue (B, L, G)

7.30 - 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel

8.30 - 10.00: You'll be taken by car to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, a tranquil pagoda in the banks of the Perfume River.

10.00 - 12.00: Take a cruise along the Perfume River to the Royal Tombs of Minh Mang, the most majestic emperor and a staunch follower of Confucianism with many wives, concubines and a small army of children.

12.00 - 13.30: Drive back to Hue for lunch at a typical Vietnamese restaurant.

13.30 - 16.45: In the afternoon, you'll drive to visit Royal Tu Duc tomb, the "poet Emperor", is set in an elegant garden with a magnificent lake and pavilion complex and the Royal Khai Dinh tomb is an unprepossessing concrete construction on the side of a wide valley.

In the evening, you'll sit down for dinner in the pleasant surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere of another of the garden houses. The garden houses are a unique feature of Hue. The houses are traditional, privately owned, and set in attractive formal gardens.

You'll spend the night in Hue.

Day 10: Hue/Danang/Hoi An (B, L, G)

7.30 - 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel, you'll then be picked up to travel to Hoi An.

8.30 - 12.00: You’ll drive to Lang Co Beach and the lagoon far below. You'll then cross the high mountain pass of Hai Van with excellent view to see Danang spread out.

12.00 - 14.00: You’ll have lunch at local restaurant and have a brief to visit Cham museum, a remarkable Hindu statuary.

14.00 - 15.45: Driver and guide will take you to visit Marble Mountain, Stone Carving village where you can admire the stone products of local people and Non Nuoc Beach.

15.45 - 17.30: You'll continue driving to Hoi An and have a visit Hoi An Town, and enjoy its considerable significance in the history of Vietnamtown.

You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

Day 11: Hoi An/My Son/Hoi An (B, G)

8.00 - 8.30: Breakfast at your hotel

8.30 - 11.15: Drive to visit the World Heritage My Son Sanctuary, the guide will show you the remains of the remarkable brick towers, and explain their origins and purpose.

11.15 - 12.00: You'll return to Hoi An. Rest of day will be free perhaps to stroll around the Old Quarter of relax on the beach. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

Day 12: Hoi An/Ho Chi Minh City (B, G)

You'll be free and then be picked up to Danang airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On your arrival at the Tan Son Nhat airport, you'll be driven to your hotel. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 13: Ho Chi Minh City tour (B, L, G)

8.30: Your car and driver will come to take you for your Ho Chi Minh City tour

8.30 - 10.30: You’ll be driven to visit History Museum, an exhibition of the 5th century ‘Oc Eo’ civilisation.

10.30 - 12.00: You’ll visit the Museum of War Remnants provides a very partial, but riveting, perspective of the ‘American War’

12.00 - 13.15: Lunch will be served at the local restaurant.

13.15 - 14.00: You’ll visit Centre Post Office with colonial building and the Cathedral Church.

14.00 - 14.45: You'll be driven to visit the Jade Emperor Temple. It’s one of the best Taoist temples in Vietnam, with superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell and somewhat incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries.

14.45 - 17.00: You’ll have approximately two hour to visit the Ben Thanh market, one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City, is packed with every conceivable commodity and a visit to lacquer workshop to see the complex processes and meticulous workmanship involved in this traditional Vietnamese craft product. End of your services at the hotel. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh City/Vinh Long (B, L, G)

.30 - 10.30: Drive to Vinh Long, a city famous by the Mekong River and floating market

10.30 - 15.30: You’ll cruise to visit Cai Be floating market, fruit orchards, a traditional family-run brick kiln, and drop in to look at some traditional cottage industries - a workshop making the huge coffins unique to the Mekong is particularly interesting. You'll have a lunch at one of the local family and have a shot show of traditional music in Mekong Delta which is operated by the local people.

15.30 - 16.00: You'll have time to wonder around the fruit market to buy some kind of famoust tropical fruit such as banana, pomelo, dragon fruit, mangostin and so on.

16.00 - 18.00: You’ll return to Ho Chi Minh City. You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City departure (B, G)

You'll be escorted to the airport for your international departure flight.

Prices per person in US$:

Number of people	2	3-5	6-9	10-15	Single Supplement
Two Stars
Three Stars
Four Stars
Five Stars

Valid until December 31, 2007

Surcharge for peak season of hotels are not inclusive in the prices above.

Prices include:

Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room.
Domestic flight tickets in Laos: Vientiane - Luang Prabang, including domestic airport taxes.
Domestic flight tickets in Vietnam: Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City, including domestic airport taxes.
Domestic flight tickets in Cambodia: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap, including domestic airport taxes.
International flight tickets: Luang Prabang - Hanoi, excluding airport tax.
High-speed boat: Can Tho - Chau Doc, Chau Doc - Phnom Penh.
Boats cruise as programme.
Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced, safe driver.
English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary
Where necessary, entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the programme.
Lunches and dinners, as specified, in the best local restaurants and full board on the boat in Ha Long Bay.
Government taxes

Price do not include:

Other international flight tickets and airport tax.
Visas.
Dinners except as specified above.
Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.
Insurance.

Hotel list for Five Stars standard

Vientiane: Lao Plaza Hotel (**** city centre) or similar
Luang Prabang: Villa Santi Hotel (**** the former residence of Lao Royal Princess) or similar
Hanoi: Nikko Hotel (***** overlooking the Thuyen Quang, indoor swimming pool) or similar
Hue: Saigon Morin Hotel (**** luxury colonial hotel, overlooking the perfume river, Deluxe room) or similar
Hoi An: Life Resot (**** colonial style) or similar
Ho Chi Minh City: Duxton Hotel (**** colonial and historic building in the city centre) or similar

Hotel list for Four Stars standard

Vientiane: Novotel Hotel (**** city centre) or similar
Luang Prabang: Muang Luang Hotel (***) or similar
Hanoi: Sunway Hotel (**** near the city centre) or similar
Hue: Huong Giang Hotel (**** overlooking the Perfume River, Superior Riverview) or similar
Hoi An: River Beach Hotel and Resort (**** on the China Beach, Superior) or similar
Ho Chi Minh City: Continental Hotel (**** colonial building in the city centre) or similar