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Indochina tour 15 days

Destination: Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Hanoi - Ha Long - Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh Long - Can Tho - Chau Doc - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

Highlights: Tour start from Vientiane, an ancient city, situated on the bend on the left bank of the Mekong River. See Plain of Jars 1, an impressive archaeological site and Luang Prabang, a tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights. Visit Hanoi with its history and regard as the heart of Vietnam and Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Areas. Ho Chi Minh City is elegant city in Vietnam. Admire Siem Reap with Angkor Temple complex.

Details Itinerary

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

Day 1: Vientiane arrival (B, G)

On your arrival in Vientiane, you'll be met and driven to your hotel. You'll then be free until dinner. Your overnight stay will be in Vientiane.

Day 2: Vientiane (B, L, D, G)

After breakfast, you'll be picked up to visit the That Luang Stupa, Vientiane's most sacred shrine. You'll then visit the Wat Si Saket, Vientiane's oldest temple and easily the most impressive. In the afternoon, you'll visit Wat Ong Tu, the Temple of the Heavy Buddha and an important centre of learning and Patuxai, the Victoria Monument in Vientiane. You'll stroll around the local market for shopping around. You'll spend the night in Vientiane.

Day 3: Vientiane/Luang Prabang (B, L, D, G)

In the morning, you'll take the flight to Luang Prabang. On arrival, you'll be picked up to travel to your hotel. In the afternoon, you'll visit Wat Xieng Thong, a beautiful temple justifiably described as a scene from an oriental fairytale, and the dazzling. After a climb up the steps to the top of Mount Phousi, you'll be able to enjoy an good view of Luang Prabang. You'll spend the night in Luang Prabang.

Day 4: Luang Prabang/Pak Ou/Luang Prabang (B, L, D, G)

After breakfast at your hotel, the boat leaves Luang Prabang pier at 07:30 am for a cruise along the Mekong River for you to visit Pak Ou Village and Pak Ou Cave, at the mouth of the Nam Ou River, a brief stop is made to observe the traditional process of obtaining local rice alcohol, visit Tam Ting "Cave of a thousand Buddha's". You'll then visit Ban Xanghai (the local Lao liquor production village) and Ban Phanom (the local hand weaving village) before returning to Luang Prabang for your overnight stay.

Day 5: Luang Prabang/Hanoi (via Vientiane) (B, 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/Ho Chi Minh City (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 Ho Chi Minh City. When you arrive, you'll be picked up to your hotel.

You'll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 9: 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 10: Ho Chi Minh City/Vinh Long/Can Tho (B, L, G)

8.30 - 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 and so on.

16.00 - 17.30: You'll be driven further into the Mekong Delta to Can Tho where you'll spend the night.

Day 11: Can Tho/Chau Doc (B, L, G)

8.00 - 10.45: You'll have breakfast at your hotel and then be picked up to Ninh Kieu Harbour. You'll then take about two hour boat trip to cruise along the Mekong River to Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets. You can enjoy the Mekong rural lifestyle.

10.45 - 14.00: You'll take the high-speet boat to Chau Doc. You'll check in your hotel and free in the evening in a town on the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.

You'll spend the night in Chau Doc.

Day 12: Chau Doc/Phnom Penh (B, L, G)

7.00 - 7.30: Breakfast at your hotel. You'll then take a high-speet boat again to Phnom Penh.

On arrival in Phnom Penh, you'll be picked up to visit Silver Pagoda, National Museum, Royal Palace and Ounalom Monastry and join sunset cruise on Mekong Rivers. You'll spend the night in Phnom Penh.

Day 13: Siem Reap (B, L, D, G)

In the morning, you'll take the flight to Siem Reap. On arrival at Siem Reap airport, you'll be picked up by our driver to check in your hotel. You'll then visit the Temple complex, of which Ankor Wat is a key element. You'll begin with a visit to Ankor Thom, starting with the Bayon, a bizarre structure of several architectural changes reflecting a switch from Hinduism (the foundations) to Buddhism (the superstructure). Your next visit will be to the Elephant and Leper King Terraces followed by the Baphoun Temple, which is now nearing the end of an eight-year multi-million dollar restoration programme. Afternoon visits to some of the outer sites including Takeo, a five-tiered pyramid, Sras Srang Lake and landing terrace and Prasat Kravan (also known as the Cardomom Sanctuary). Overnight in Siem Riep.

Day 14: Siem Reap (B, L, D, G)

A full day to explore the grand circuit with visits to Pre Rup and East Mebon, both built in the tenth century, Ta Som, an unrestored temple, and Neak Pean, a Himalayan-style lake and sanctuary. In the afternoon, you'll explore Angkor Wat itself, the largest, and for most people, the most impressive temple in the complex after which you can watch the sunset from the top of Phnom Bakheng Hill. You'll spend the night in Siem Riep.

Day 15: Siem Reap departure (B, G)

You'll be picked up 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	1,747	1,694	1,618	1,595
Three Stars	1,935	1,879	1,806	1,783
Four Stars	2,228	2,175	2,100	2,077
Five Stars	2,576	2,523	2,447	2,424

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: Sofitel Plaza Hotel (***** overlooking the West Lake, indoor swimming pool) or similar
Ho Chi Minh City: Equatorial Hotel (**** closed teh city center) or similar
Can Tho: Victoria Hotel (**** beside the Mekong river)
Chau Doc: Victoria Hotel (**** near the Mekong river)
Phnom Penh: Inter-continental (***** in the heart of the business district of Phnom Penh) or similar
Siem Reap: Sofitel Royal Angkor (***** closest to the Angkor Wat Temple complex) 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
Ho Chi Minh City: Grand Hotel (****in the heart of the city) or similar
Can Tho: Victoria Hotel (**** beside the Mekong river)
Chau Doc: Victoria Hotel (**** near the Mekong river)
Phnom Penh: Sunway Hotel (**** city centre) or similar
Siem Reap: Angkor Hotel (**** inspired by the rich heritage of Khmer culture) or similar