Laos Vietnam Cambodia tour 24 days

After breakfast, you will first visit Royal Palace Museum, which was built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. We then embark on a leisure cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside, before reaching the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims.  Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine.

On arrival back in the city, we will visit the magnificent Wat Xiengthong a superb piece of Lao temple architecture, which presents a sweeping two-tiered roof and ornate mosaics including a beautiful ‘tree of life ‘glass montage on the rear temple wall. 

From there, we ascend the 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill for a panoramic view of the city and 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 local and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang

Wake up as the sun rises, we will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning alms giving, which dates to the 14th century. More than 200 Buddhist monks depart from various temple to gather their daily meal from the faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets.

From there, we will visit the temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace. Just set on the ground, the local people come here to barter their day’s catch from rice, to vegetable, to fish, or chicken. This is the best chance to experience the flavor of local life

We depart from your hotel and drive for around one hour west to Ban Xeng Mouk village where the trek starts.

We begin with a visit to the ethnic Khmu village of Ban Longlao Nung before heading to the nearby Hmong village of Ban Longlao Song. You will be able to observe the lifestyles of these two culturally very different minority groups and see how despite their differences they manage to work together on a day to day basis and even sharing the same school.

As we continue onwards the trail leads through rice paddys and vegetable fields before reaching the mountainous forest. Along the way we explore a cave which was used as a bomb shelter by the locals during the second indochina war.

After visiting the cave one more hour of trekking brings us to one of the many springs which feeds Kuang Xi waterfalls, here a beautiful pool full of sacred fish can be seen. After descending from the top of the waterfall we enjoy a Lao style lunch amongst some beautiful settings!

The afternoon is spent bathing and relaxing around the turquoise pools below the waterfall. You can also visit the bear conservation center which is located nearby and home to many bears which have been rescued from illegal farms.

Before returning to Luang Prabang we take a short walk to a nearby Khmu village of Ban Thapene which is home to some of the most beautiful pools of Kuang Xi Waterfalls.

After picking you up from town or your hotel we will leave Luang Prabang around 08:30 for the nearby village of Xieng Lom. Upon arrival you are invited to have coffee or tea as your guide for the day provides an in-depth introduction to elephant behavior and the ways we should interact with them.

A quick boat ride across the Nam Khan River will deliver you to the waiting elephants. You will be introduced to your new friends and feed them some special treats - a sure way to begin an instant friendship.

Enjoy observing elephants from the river bank as Mahouts wash them in the Nam Khan river. You can experience elephants washing, swimming and playing in the water. Please note this is voluntary activity for the elephants and Mandalao does not force them to get in the water. (On cold days the elephants are less likely to want to get wet.)

After 2 hours crossing through a beautiful stretch of traditional Lao gardens you will arrive at the jungle-covered Huay Nok stream. As you walk alongside the elephants and crisscross through the cool water you will experience a profound sense of understanding, respect, and caring for these amazing animals.

You and your elephant companions will continue walking past a lovely stretch of rice fields and enter a patch of forest where you can rest, relax, and eat. Lunch will be served in traditional Lao fashion, eating on bamboo mats on the forest floor.

In the afternoon, visit Tad Kuang Song Waterfall, which was named after a Golden Deer spirit seen standing on its crest many centuries ago. If you like, you can take a cool dip, wade, stand under the soft showers of the waterfall, and spend time meditating and admiring the private beauty of this rarely seen natural treasure.

You will sit, watch, and learn as the MandaLao mahout’s show how they communicate and listen to their elephants. This will highlight the special skills each elephant has and give you deeper insight into their individual personalities.

After this, you can take what you have learned from the mahouts and guides throughout the day and spend quiet, uninterrupted time with the elephants—reading their emotions just as they read yours. You will experience first-hand why humans and elephants have shared such an unwavering bond for thousands of years.

Along with the mahouts, you will bring your elephants to their nighttime feeding grounds. Take time for a long goodbye and in knowing that the connection you have built is not only felt by you, but by your new friend as well.

Enjoy a few moments to think about your experiences from the day as you look out at the vast Luang Prabang mountain range from the terrace at MandaLao. We will then drive you back to town. Arrive approximately 4:00pm.

After breakfast, transfer to the meeting point in town and take the boat at Ban Wat That and journey across the Mekong River to reach the 40 hectares of Pha Tad Ke.

The garden staff will welcome you to the garden and ensure that you have maps and the information you need to make the most of your visit.

Simply follow the map provided to embark on a self-guided stroll around the unique collection of the flora of Laos.

Look out for gingers, orchids, ferns, bamboos and palms clustered around the limestone cliffs. There are plenty of signs provided to explain the medicinal, handicraft and spiritual significance of the plants on show. For those wanting a more challenging trek, take the path to the Buddha Cave (1 hour round trip). In addition to the flora, the Garden contains a Permaculture Demonstration Farm and a Slow Food Garden.

There are free workshops available on tea-tasting (all day at the Cafe), bamboo handicraft (10-11am and 2-3pm), a conservation talk (10am) and an orchid talk (3pm).

For a cultural and artistic focus visit the exhibitions at Project Space - Pha Tad Ke. Exhibits here combine contemporary art, museum-quality textiles, photography, tribal sculpture and crafts.

After wandering around the gardens relax at the quiet cafe overlooking the lotus pond. Enjoy sipping tea and savouring the Lao dishes as part of your set lunch. This is an opportunity to sample some of Chef Chan’s classic Farm to Table Lao cuisine including Pomelo salad and pumpkin curry.

You are free. Then enjoy a leisurely cruise back to the peninsula with drop off at Ban Wat That. We then transfer to airport to take the departure flight

This full day tour will take you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex,Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (outside only) and his Stilts House, the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda nearby and the Old Quarter, known for its maze of 36 streets and former craft guilds.

Also on the tour, you'll visit the Temple of Literature, find the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, Railway and enjoy a cyclo tour & Water Puppet show at the end of trip.

At 06 pm: you will Foodies Tour in the evening, you will have a great chance to enjoy special food on street of Hanoi old quarter, you have time to drink local Hanoi beer and wine. Overnight in Hanoi

9h30      You will be pick up from hotel then take the new highway to Got Ferry Terminal – Cat Hai Town, Haiphong City where we arrive at around 11h30. The passengers have a chance to experience on longest and newest bridge in South East Asia area. You can take special tea at Peony Cruise’s lounge by warm welcome.

12h30    Transfer by tender to the PEONY CRUISE.

13h00    We welcome our guests onboard the PEONY CRUISE and then check in, enjoy Welcome Drink, receive cruise briefing, safety instructions and check in. Start cruising and explore Halong Bay - one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

13h15    PEONY CRUISE proceeds to Da Chong islet, where you can see a lighthouse built by the French over 100 years ago. Have International Buffet Lunch while passing via the islets of Con Vit area. These amazing limestone karst formations rise up out of the sea in an impressive manner. This area is untouched, as not many cruise ships use the route via the Cat Ba Island - Thoi Quyt area - Coc Ngoi islet - through Gia Luan area where is belong to Cat Ba National Park

15h30    Explore the bay in the area where Ao Ech is situated. You enjoy on your own for kayaking at Ao Ech area to discover the hidden charm of Lan Ha Bay with its quieter.

16h30    Peony Cruise gets in the less populated area at Tra Bau where is located in Lan Ha Bay. You will enjoy the green emerald and cool water by swimming.

17h30    Returning PEONY CRUISE, you can watch the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin. Onboard you may join a traditional cooking class. Our chef will instruct you in the making of some Vietnam dishes. In the early evening the boat has its Happy Hour deal

Option: Massage service available. Please book with Cruise Manager directly (please see massage menu)

19h30    Sumptuous Candlelight Deluxe Dinner Set Menu is served. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. This is a delightful meal in an intimate romantic setting

21h30    Enjoy the landscape of the bay at night up on the top deck. Relax whilst enjoying drinks from the bar. Try your hand at night squid fishing, watching a movie in the restaurant. Overnight on board.

Option: Massage service available. Please book with Cruise Manager directly (please see massage menu)

23h00    End of Day One program

06h15: Why not rise early to witness the bay at its very best whilst enjoying an invigorating Tai Chi session on the sundeck; after which we serve the breakfast. Upon completing breakfast continue our journey and head out to explore the bay.

 7h45: We progress to Trung Trang cave by our bus on Cat Ba island which is located in the middle of Cat Ba National Park with Kim Giao forest around the cave.

 Trung Trang Valley is the largest valley on Cat Ba Island. The valley covers an area of approximately 300 hectares, has a depth of 10m to 30m and is around 15km in the middle of Cat Ba National Park. Trung Trang Cave measures 300m lengthwise through the mountains. The cave was carved by nature for more than 2000 years. The cave has many stalactites that take on various shapes that will awe and inspire visitors to use their imagination..

 9h45: Peony Cruise welcomes you back on board and it is time for fixing the bill and checking out

 10h00: Whilst cruising back you can enjoy a delightful brunch

 10h30: Tea Ceremony is served at the restaurant. You will learn how to enjoy Vietnamese tea and Vietnamese cultural at this ceremony. Joining Tea Ceremony with our crews team and have great fun with us!

 12h00: We return to the quay side in the south of the bay, where our visitors disembark.

 We bid farewell at GOT ferry then drive to Hanoi airport for flight to Hue. Upon arrival, pick up then transfer to hotel. Overnight in Hue. 

Rising up in the ancient land, enjoy your breakfast in the hotel. Then, board a private boat for cruising the romantic Perfume River, visit Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda), the ornate Minh Mang's tomb. You will embark on a tour of the city, including the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City, the Imperial Museum and Dong Ba market. You will stay overnight in Hue.

Breakfast at hotel.  Leave the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Hue for Hoi An. You will travel over the Hai Van pass, stop in Danang for a visit to the Cham Museum and handicraft villages on the foot of Marble Mountain before arriving in Hoi An. Once in Hoi An, you will check into our hotel and have some free time to explore the town before an overnight stay.

From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab traders. These people came primarily to trade in the high grade silk, which is still produced in the area, as well as ceramics. Today, Hoi An is a quaint riverside town, popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailors shops, and numerous cafes. Some of the buildings in the narrow streets have remained unchanged for more than a century. You will enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tam Ky ancestral house, and the Japanese Bridge. Following the tour there will be free time to shop or relax. You will stay overnight in Hoi An.

The very special “Farming & Fishing” tour promises to bring visitors the most beautiful scenery of the countryside around Hoi An Town.

By exploring the typical narrow roads along the countryside by bicycle, and seeing sights such as water buffalo, rice paddy fields, organic vegetables and local farming people, you will be amazed to realize how peaceful the area is and how friendly its people are.

Getting in touch with local fishing life by using the fishing nets, riding funny basket boats, visiting a water palm coconut paradise and learning about the history about the Vietnamese people are great things to experience. The Farmer to Fisherman tour will be the special and unique tour that is committed to providing you a unique cultural window into the Vietnamese way of life.

Accompanied by your tour guide, you will commence the day leisurely cycling along country roads witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand, discovering all manner of photo opportunities. You will see a water buffalo working in a rice paddy field, ducks swimming along the rice farm or farmers tending their crops. The photo opportunities are endless. Later you will board our Hoi An Eco-Tour boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with local fishermen and enjoy the hands-on experience of traditional net fishing. You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boat while exploring coconut-palm flanked waterways. This tour provides you with a cultural window into the ways of life of both our farming and fishing communities.

You will have cooking class at Red Bridge Restaurant, visit Hoi An’s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and eat exactly what we have cooked.

 Free in the afternoon. Overnight in Hoian. 

You will then leave Hoi An for Danang Airport to take a one hour flight to Nha Trang. Pick up then transfer to Queen An Nha Trang Resort ( BOOKED BY CLIENT)

Breakfast at hotel Free at leisure. Queen An Nha Trang Resort ( BOOKED BY CLIENT).

Breakfast at hotel Free at leisure. Queen An Nha Trang Resort ( BOOKED BY CLIENT).

Breakfast at hotel Free at leisure. Queen An Nha Trang Resort ( BOOKED BY CLIENT).

Breakfast at hotel, then you will take flight from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh

In the morning,  you will drive to visit the Cu Chi tunnels. The tunnels consist of more than 200 kilometers of underground systems. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction, giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life was like during the U.S.-Vietnam War.  The tour will finish at 1pm.

 Following lunch, in the afternoon, you will embark on a city tour of Saigon, including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office, the War Remnants Museum and bustling Ben Thanh Market. You will stay overnight in HCMC.

Ben Tre is the best option for a day trip to the Mekong Delta from Saigon, since it is only around 2 hours away, and 15 minutes from My Tho. However, this wonderful destination retains an authenticity which has been somewhat lessened in nearby My Tho.

This picturesque and friendly Mekong Delta town has historically seen very few travelers, but the recent opening of a bridge connecting Ben Tre and My Tho has made it far easier for day trippers to visit from Saigon.

Our one day cruise excursion starts at 8:00 am from the lobby of your hotel in Saigon with a drive to Ben Tre. While there, you can take a walk along the waterfront, lined with French era shops and houses, and you'll see plenty of coconuts being unloaded from boats for dispatch around the country. Then, jump on a boat for a couple of hours of cruising on the Mekong River. You will enjoy your delicious lunch at a local restaurant or on board. The excursion will end at around 4:00pm where the vehicle will await you for your transfer back to Saigon.

Breakfast at hotel then you are free to enjoy your free time souvenir shopping until transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Siem Reap

Breakfast at hotel. Early morning, we drive to Siem Reap, the home of the world heritage – Angkor. The visit included the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. We stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple and the jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. Tonight we enjoy buffet dinner with Apsara dance performance at local restaurant. Overnight in hotel in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at the hotel: By car to the Pouk district about 15 Km in the West of Siem Reap town you visit the silk farm, a fascinating farm/workshop where you can see the entire silk creation process including growing the food for the silk worms, breeding the worms, silk extraction and refinement, traditional kit dying pattern creation and looming. Retail silk and souvenir shop. On the way back, visit the Western Baray (Baray Occidental) measuring 8 km by 2.3 km which provided water for the intensive cultivation of lands around Angkor. We continue to visit the Main Shrine, where the local people usually worship, with its statue of Yeay Teap, Preah Ang Chek and Preah Ang Chorm. Buying jasmine and lotus flowers to worship is very important for the Cambodians. We continue to one of the city’s lively open markets, Psar Chars, also called the “Old Market”, where anything and everything is for sale!

Then continue to Wat Bo, a large, highly respected pagoda, founded in the 18th Century. Like the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh, the vihear of Wat Bo contains unique wall paintings of the Reamker that are said to be late 19th Century. Look for the daily-life market scenes such as an opium smoking Chinese merchant, the colonial era French officer at the market and the French soldiers attending a traditional dance performance. Also of interest is the large collection of Buddha statues located behind the main Buddha. Overnight in Siem Reap.

You are free at leisure in Siem Reap until your time to transfer to airport for a flight back to your home: