itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Luang Prabang
Upon arrival at Luang Prabang Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our local driver and Laotian guide who will take you to the hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Accommodation: In Luang Prabang
Meals: Nil
Transfer distance: 10 km
Flight Info: Please advise us
Day 2
Highlights of Luang Prabang
Begin your day at Wat Xieng Thong, an exquisite 500-year-old temple, the best example of the classic Luang Prabang style. From here, make your way through small side streets to beautiful Wat Sene, known as the Temple of 100,000 Treasures. Continue walking up the peninsula, stopping at temples and other sites as you wish.
Visit the National Museum in the former Royal Palace, with exhibits from Laos’s royal past. Overlooking the palace is Phousi Mountain. It is said that those who do not climb the 328 steps up have not really arrived in the city. Venture up the hill to be rewarded with remarkable views of the city and the Mekong River.
For a late visit, we suggest the night market, where you can find a beautiful collection of hand-woven textiles and other crafts made by the hill tribes and local people of Luang Prabang.
Accommodation: In Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: Nil
Day 3
Mekong River Cruise to Pak Ou Caves & Visit Kuang Si Waterfalls
Embark on a cruise up the Mekong River, observing daily life along the banks, to Pak Ou Caves, a mystical pilgrimage site perched high above the river. Call at Ban Xang Hai village, where rice wine is distilled. Visit Pak Ou caves, which house thousands of Buddha statues and have been for centuries a place to worship the spirits of the river. The two caves are set into steep, vertical limestone cliffs over the river. The lower and upper caves contain more than 10,000 images of the Buddha left by pilgrims. The centuries-old wooden figures, some damaged, display various mudras and vary in size from a few centimetres to fairly large.
On the way back to Luang Prabang, stop at Ban Xang Khong village, known for hand silk weaving and traditional Saa papermaking. Travel south of town to Kuang Si Waterfalls. Take a leisurely hike through the national park to the waterfalls and pass by the Asian bear rescue centre. Enjoy the mist from the cool, turquoise waters of the various waterfalls. You may like to have a swim.
Option: Early risers can attend the morning Buddhist Alms Giving and watch hundreds of orange-robed monks walk through the streets of Luang Prabang receiving offerings of food from residents and businesses. Laos is one of the few Buddhist nations which preserves this tradition.
Accommodation: In Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer distance: 100 km
Day 4
Fly to Vientiane
Transfer to Luang Prabang Airport for your flight to Vientiane, Laos’s easy-going capital. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. On arrival at Wattay Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Later, take a tour to Patuxay Monument for a panoramic view of the city and walk to the Mekong riverside for a sundowner drink. The evening is free to visit Night Market.
Accommodation: In Vientiane
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: 25 km
Day 5
Explore Vientiane Landmarks
Embark on a guided sightseeing tour of Vientiane. Explore the National Museum to learn about Laos’s long history. Visit Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and Wat Prakeo which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. After visiting Laos’ national symbol, the sacred Pha That Luang, have lunch at Makphet restaurant, a vocational project for Laos’s disadvantaged children.
Following lunch, head to Xieng Khuan, known as Buddha Park, 27 km outside of Vientiane. Built in 1958, along the banks of the Mekong River, this is the site of a large collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. On the way back, visit the Laos Textile Museum to learn more about Laos handicraft textiles.
Accommodation: In Vientiane
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer distance: 70 km
Day 6
Fly to Hanoi
Begin the day at the COPE Visitor Centre, a non-profit organisation locally run, founded in 1997 to provide survivors or people with physical disabilities have local, affordable access to a quality, nationally managed rehabilitation service. Transfer to the airport for your scheduled flight to Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam. You will be met on arrival and driven to your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.
Please note: The images at COPE can be quite disturbing, so families with children should take that into consideration before visiting the centre.
Accommodation: In Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: 60 km
Day 7
Hanoi Highlights
Join a comprehensive tour of Hanoi’s spectacular highlights. Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the national leader whose memory is honoured here, and go inside to view the former president’s preserved remains. You can also see his impressive but humble stilt house and the One Pillar Pagoda. Later, travel back in time as you explore the ancient Temple of Literature, a classic example of Vietnamese architecture and the first national university.
Explore the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology where you have a complete overview of the lives, cultural activities, and identities of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. Transfer to the Old Quarter and walk through the narrow streets that were famous for its specialised craft-making guilds. The streets are named for their product or location and still bear such names nowadays. Round off your tour with a traditional water puppet performance, a unique Vietnamese art.
Accommodation: In Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: 50 km
Day 8
Halong Bay Cruise
Today you will discover one of the world’s greatest sights, her photos of the incredible panoramas fill the pages of coffee table books and National Geographic magazines: Halong Bay, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is easy to see why. Enjoy an interesting road journey through the rural countryside of the Red River Delta on the way to Halong City. On arrival, board your boat for a delightful overnight cruise on Halong Bay, the serenely beautiful setting used in the award-winning film, Indochine. Enjoy the magnificent views of the limestone karsts in turquoise waters, deserted beaches, amazing caves, lively floating fishing villages and hidden lagoons.
Accommodation: Halong Bay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transfer distance: 180 km
Day 9
Halong Bay Cruise, Rerurn to Hanoi & Overnight Train to Sapa
Soak in the dramatic sunrise over the bay and enjoy a Tai Chi demonstration on the sun deck. If Tai Chi is not your interest, enjoy a fresh cup of coffee or tea as you view the fishermen of Halong Bay. Explore the splendid Sung Sot cave where stalactites take on numerous shapes and forms. A wholesome breakfast is served before cruising back to Halong City. You will arrive at the pier in the late morning to disembark and return to Hanoi. After dinner, your guide will see you off at Hanoi train station for the overnight journey to Lao Cai, in air-conditioned 4-berth cabins.
Accommodation: On the train
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: 200 km
Day 10
Trekking to Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai and Ta Van Villages
On arrival in Lao Cai, you will be met and transferred to the hotel and Spa for breakfast and a chance to freshen up. Start your day to explore Sapa daily wet market and then set out on a 4-hour trek down to Muong Hoa valley. From Sapa, trek through breath-taking scenery to Y Linh Ho village and Lao Chai village, home to Black H’mong people. Stop to soak up its ambience and explore the local way of life. Have a picnic lunch in Lao Chai or at a convenient spot en route. Follow the local paths across the rice terraces to Ta Van, the only village in Sapa where the Day people inhabit. Trek to the main road where you will be picked up by your car back to Sapa.
Accommodation: In Sapa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Trekking: Distance – approx. 12 – 15 km; Grade – Easy & moderate
Transfer distance: 15 km
Day 11
Trekking to Ta Phin Village & Overnight Train to Hanoi
Begin your trek along local paths through gardens and lush pine forests to Suoi Ho village, home of some Black H’mong families. From here you can enjoy the views over endless rice terraces and gorgeous mountains. Continue to Ma Tra village where you will have the opportunity to explore the village. You will come across the impressive ruins of a church dating back to the French occupation in the early 1900s. Take a minute to explore this intriguing sight and take some photos. Head to the village of Ta Phin where the Black Hmong and Red Dao live together harmoniously while preserving their individual customs and traditions. Walk around the village and talk with locals to understand their life and custom. When your trekking ends, transfer to Lao Cai train station to catch the overnight train to Hanoi.
Please note: If it is Tuesday, Thursday, Sat or Sunday, we will recommend visiting some of the most beautiful markets in Northwest of Vietnam.
Accommodation: Overnight on the train
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Trekking: Distance – Approx. 15 km; Grade – Moderate
Day 12
Hanoi & Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive at Hanoi Train Station early in the morning and meet the driver who will take you to Noi Bai airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. When arriving at the airport, you will be met and taken to your hotel for check-in. Later, you will have the opportunity to take a walking tour of the bustling Ho Chi Minh City. Stroll the famous streets of Dong Khoi (formerly Rue Catinat) and Le Cong Kieu, both these streets have great photo opportunities. Head back to the hotel and the evening is free at your leisure.
Accommodation: Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer distance: 20 km
Day 13
Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing
Embark on a city tour to discover Ho Chi Minh City’s historical landmarks. Head to the Reunification Palace, formerly the headquarters of the Saigon Government during the American war. Discover the impressive Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office. Enjoy an authentic Vietnamese lunch before visiting War Remnants Museum. Make your way to Thien Hau pagoda in Chinatown, built by the Cantonese congregation in the early 19th century and dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. Round off the afternoon in the colourful stalls and crowded alleyways of Binh Tay Market.
Accommodation: Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer distance: 50 km
Day 14
Mekong Delta Discovery & Can Tho
Transfer by road from Ho Chi Minh City to Cai Be in the Mekong Delta. Board a traditional sampan to navigate through narrow canals and explore the typical lifestyle of the delta.
Proceed to Dong Hoa Hiep, an unspoiled area with scenic views. Stop for a walk along the riverside and visit a local family where water-palm leaves are woven. An opportunity for a hands-on experience and interaction with local people awaits you here. Continue to a brick kiln where you will learn about the process of hand-made bricks.
Your cruise ends at Le Longanier Restaurant. Enjoy your lunch in the exquisite colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river, surrounded by fruit trees, giving you a sense of life during Indochinese times. After lunch, take a short walk along a small canal, towards the Ba Bon Bridge where your personal vehicle awaits to drive you to Can Tho city. The evening is free for you to unwind and explore your surrounds.
Accommodation: In Can Tho
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer distance: 180 km
Day 15
Cai Rang Floating Market & Road Travel to Ho Chi Minh City
Take a boat to explore the colourful floating market of Cai Rang – one of the last authentic floating markets in Asia. The main products sold here are fruit and vegetables and every boat has a long-standing post at its bow with samples of the things for sale are hung. The waterway turns out to be a maze of hundreds of boats filled with bananas, mango, pineapple, papaya and even floating noodle soup vendors. Continue cruising the nearby arroyos to visit a noodle workshop and fruit garden before returning to the Ninh Kieu pier. Transfer from Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City.
Accommodation: In Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: 180 km
Day 16
Cu Chi Tunnels Excursion
Set off on an approximately 60 km drive outside of Saigon to the legendary Cu Chi tunnels. An incredible underground tunnel network was constructed by Viet Cong to fight the American and South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War. Learn how the tunnels were built, the living conditions and the hardships people had faced in the tunnels. You even have the option to descend into the real tunnels where the Viet Cong hid and fought. Following your exploration of the tunnels, you are driven back to Ho Chi Minh City. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Accommodation: In Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: 120 km
Day 17
Depart Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and you may take a walk to the central Ben Thanh market area for some last-minute shopping. Depending on the time of your flight, you will be driven to Tan Son Nhat Airport for your flight home or onward to the next destination.
Accommodation: Check-out time at 12:00
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer distance: 20 km
Flight Info: Please advise us
Tour RATES & details
A rough idea of the price and what is included in this tour program. The exact price depends on season, accommodation and activities, it will be provided on your personalised quote.
Please contact us for the best offers and promotions.
- Thirteen nights of hotel accommodation
- One night of cruise accommodation (non-private boat)
- Round trip ticket on high-quality sleeper train Hanoi to Lao Cai (sharing a 4-berth cabin)
- Domestic & regional flights as specified
- Transportation and transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- All sightseeing as specified, including entrance fees
- Local English-speaking guide
- Breakfast daily, four lunches and three dinners
- Government tax and service charges
- International flights and airport taxes
- Laos and Vietnam visas
- Meals if not specified in the itinerary
- Compulsory dinner at hotel and peak season surcharges
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone, drink etc.
- All other services which are not specified in the itinerary
