The Majestic Beauty Of Indochina 25 Days

We pick you up at 8:30 AM for a short transfer outside of Hanoi, we have this morning to learn about Hanoi villages’ life, its traditions, customs.

We walk and cycle along the villages, visit local markets, some old houses, their worshipping temples and communal houses. Then, we have a small food demonstration before our lunch at one of the local family’s houses here.

In the afternoon, we catch your van for a short drive to Lien Mac, a beautiful area of immaculately tended vegetables and flowers. Here you op on the bike again and get a close- up look at the colourful fields and have the chance to chat with some of the local people out caring for their crops.  Stop by a “tofu family” to explore how they make tofu and you can try their fresh products. Bid your farewells, and catch the van back to your hotel in Hanoi at around 4:30 PM.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide,entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, water, local bike, community development fund, hotel

Depart from your hotel at 8:00 AM and transfer 100 km (2 hours) to Ninh Binh. Relax on a local rowboat trip as soon as we arrive to Trang An. Meander within the karst landscape and float through some local caves for about 2 hours. Later, local Vietnamese food is served for lunch. 

A short transfer to Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s 9 th  century ancient capital, for some cultural sightseeing and storytelling of past kings. Return to Hanoi around 6:00 PM. Dinner on your own.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, water, local rowboat.

Depart from your Hanoi hotel at 8:00 AM transferring to Mai Chau on our spectacular 4 hour drive. Upon arrival at Poom Coom village in Mai Chau, we take a short walk to visit the ethnic Thai people then lunch is served.

At 1:00 PM, take a short car ride in about 1 hour before we set off for our hiking through the beauty of Pu Luong nature reserve, the trek is intermediate level and requires some walking up hills but it’s worth your hike as we see many spectacular views of villages and terraces. Arrival at the Thai stilt homestay in the late afternoon. Free time to rest and shower, then a traditional dinner with our host family.Overnight here.

Driving Distance: about 230 km

Trekking Distance: about 9 km (3 hours)

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Wake up early today is recommended as your chance to witness more local activities in the morning. After having our breakfast, we say good- bye to our host by around 8.00 AM for our good hike ahead.

More trek today through hidden gems of Pu Luong including beautiful view of valleys, nice terraces and peaceful villages.

We stop for our picnic lunch then continue our trek through more villages to reach to Hieu village in the afternoon. Take rest as you wish then you are free to stroll around the village to interact with the locals and visit the beautiful waterfall nearby. Back to the homestay for dinner and overnight at homestay. Contact us if you wish to stay at an Eco lodge at Hieu village, instead of homestay.

Trekking Distance: about 12 km (5 - 6 hours)

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Guide, entrance fee, water, all meals, homestay with permit.

Your last day here at this beautiful nature reserve and friendly villagers so take the chance to explore around on your own or with our guide around the village.

We then take an easy walk in about 1,5 hours to the town-let of this nature reserve where you van is waiting for us.

Lunch at one of the local restaurants before having a scenic drive back to Hanoi. Finish our trip at your hotel around 5:00 PM.

Driving Distance: about 235 km

Trekking Distance: 8 km

Trail Difficulty: 2/5

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, water, breakfast, lunch, hotel.

Departure for Ha Long Bay is around 8:00 AM in a shared van. Arrive at the port around 12:30 PM. Welcomed on board, you are taken to your cabin before the trip briefing while you cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay and admire the fascinating formations. Visit Thien Canh Son cave. Then relax at our secluded island-beach or explore by kayak. Later you return back to the boat just in time to watch the beautiful sunset from the top deck before enjoying the bay’s freshest seafood dinner.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide on boat, morning shower, entrance fee, kayak, boat / junk, all meals, permits.

Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of Bay’s landscape with towering limestone. You have breakfast at around 8:00 AM before our short rowboat by the locals of the bay.

Lunch on the boat as we slowly cruise back to boat pier. Hit the road back to Hanoi around 5:30 PM.

Inclusion: Transfers, guide on boat, entrance fee, boat/junk, breakfast, lunch, hotel.

Today is your free day in the Hanoi capital with all of its fascinating historical charm. Spend your day relaxing or shopping. Some suggestions include waking up early (about 6:00 AM) and joining in the some exercising around Hoan Kiem Lake, or visiting the numerous markets, shopping, and trying all of the street side traditional foods.

At 6:00 PM, we pick you up from our office or your hotel for the night train to Hue. Boarding is at 7:30 PM. You are in a shared AC soft sleeper cabin.

Inclusion: Transfer drop off, guide drop off, breakfast, train ticket.

Arrival in Hue at around 9:00 AM. Station pick up then transfer to a prearranged hotel. Shower, short rest and breakfast.

Departure from your hotel for our morning explorations to visit the Imperial city to learn all about the royal kingdom here in the past. We then visit Thien Mu Pagoda and learn more about Buddhism in Vietnam. Have Lunch at the restaurant.

After lunch, you embark for a beautiful boat ride downstream with pleasant viewing along the Perfume River to reach Tien Non pier. Our afternoon start with biking to visit the flower village of Tien Non, it’s just lovely to be among different types of flowers, then cycle a bit more to visit Thanh Tien paper flower making village, you can try to make one by yourself. After that, we visit Sinh village where they make traditional folk painting, more ride through the beautiful and peaceful countryside of Hue before hitting the road back to your hotel for about 4:00 PM.

Cycling Distance: 14 km

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, morning shower, breakfast, lunch, water, local boat, bike & helmet, hotel.

After breakfast at your hotel around 8:30 AM, we go on a relaxing 1 hour Vietnam cyclo ride to visit Dong Ba market then explore the Royal Tombs, choosing only to visit the best ones, as we have lots to do today. Visit Ming Mang or Khai Dinh Royal Tombs. After it is time to begin our transfer to Hoian (about 4 hours). There is fabulous sightseeing en route and we may make stops at: Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass, Cham Museum, and the Marble Mountains depending on time. Hoian in the evening. Overnight here.

Tip: This is a very good chance for you to get great tailor-made clothes at reasonable prices. Hoian is well known for its tailoring.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, Vietnam cyclo, hotel.

At 8.00 AM, we meet at your hotel for a very short transfer to the boat docks, we boat to a fishing village where you see & experience the life of a fisherman here, activities from preparing the fishing tools to go fishing. Followed by a short basket boat row along the village of water coconut before our lunch.

We then cycle along the country road through the paddy fields of rice, coconut or corn heading to the main town of Hoian.

Our afternoon is continued with sightseeing to the famous cultural sites around Hoian, we end our trip at around 5:00 PM at your hotel.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, local bike, local boat & basket, breakfast, lunch, water & snack, hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the airport in Da Nang for a noon- flight to Nha Trang. Upon arrival, aiport pick up then transfer to your hotel. Free to chill out on the beautiful white sand beach.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, domestic flight ticket, breakfast, hotel

Morning pick up at around 8:00 AM from hotel and transfer to the boat station (about 15’). Hop on the private boat and begin a day on the water. The first stop is Tri Nguyen Aquarium. Then we cruise to Mot Island. This is one of the best places for snorkeling in Nha Trang. Hold  our breath for as long as you can and dive deep into this colorful world of fish and coral. Next stop, Coral Island for sun bathing and relaxing on the off shore beach.

Lunch is served with a selection of fresh seafood. After lunch, cruise to Tranh Island for more swimming and relaxing then boat back to Nha Trang city for around 5:00 PM. Free time in the evening and overnight at your hotel.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, water, snorkeling equipment, local boat, hotel.

We take an early flight this morning at 7:50 AM, arriving to HCM City at 8:45 AM. Transfer downtown and check-in at our hotel before our city tour of bustling HCM City starts. Visit the Binh Tay Market in Cho Lon; stopover at Thien Hau, a 150-year- old Chinese Temple; then visit a Lacquer-wares workshop as well as the Jade Emperor Pagoda. In the afternoon visit the War Remnants Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office. We drop you off at your hotel around 5:30 PM.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, domestic flight ticket , hotel

Depart at 8:00 AM, you have the opportunity to experience what life was like for the Vietcong guerrillas who live and fought underground during the war with the Americans and the South Vietnamese. You are able to crawl through 50 m (150 ft.) out of the some 200 km of tunnels which run under the Cu Chi area’s underground complex. We also visit a rice paper workshop where handmade paper is made. En route, you enjoy spectacular scenic vistas, including eye-popping views of our rice paddy fields which stretch off from the road as far as the eye can see.

Continuing on to the town of Tay Ninh, we visit the Cao Dai Great Temple. This homegrown religion combines aspects of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity. We experience the spectacular noon mass at the temple (around an hour in length) and follow this with a chance to explore the temple’s iconography and religious statuary. We return to Saigon (HCMC) in the afternoon at 5:00  PM. Overnight at your hotel.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, water, hotel.

Depart HCM City at 8:00 AM from your hotel. Head south to Cai Be. Upon arrival at around 10:30 AM, board a boat for a journey through the Mekong's floating markets. See how river life goes on here, watch the trading between merchant ships and local farmers. Alive and exciting! Cruise through the secluded canals and stop at some local factories to see locals making pop rice cake and pedal down narrow natural waterways. Stop at local home to try seasonal fruits. Lunch at local house before boating to Vinh Long. Back on the car for our trip to Can Tho to overnight.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, water, local boat, hotel.

An early start at 6:30 AM for a boat trip to Cai Rang floating market. Of course now this market is not crowded and busy as it was before, but still interesting experience. We take a long cruise to Phong Dien, followed by a walk on a quiet country road getting a little bit closer  local life here.

We continue by car to Long Xuyen with stop to visit incense stick making village. Late afternoon arriving in ChauDoc, the border town along Tonle Bassac river. We keep on further to Tra Su cajeput nature reserve in Tinh Bien district. Tra Su cajuput forest is home of 140  species of plants and 70 of birds. Check into the hotel and stay the night.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, local boat, breakfast, water, hotel.

After breakfast, we transfer to the boat pier for our departure to Phnom Penh. We board a speedboat at 7:30 AM and arrive in Phnom Penh at about 12:30 PM.

Your local guide greets you and takes you to the town center for lunch on your own before starting our half-day city tour.

We visit the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, Independence Monument and National Museum. Pass by the river front park and capture photographs of Watt Phnom, Watt Phnom Daun and Penh pagoda. Tour ends at your hotel around 6:00 PM.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, speedboat, breakfast, water, hotel.

Tip: Visa on arrival at Cambodia border costs ~ 35 USD. Remember to bring your passport photo (3x4 cm).

Breakfast at your hotel, then transfer to Phnom Penh airport for departure to Siem Reap.

Arrival in Siem Reap greeted by your local guide. Transfer to your hotel, check in, then journey to the mother of all temples: Angkor Watt. Believed to be the world's largest religious building, this temple is the perfect fusion of symbolism and symmetry and a source of pride and strength to all Khmers. Built in the 12 th century by King Suryavarman II, this is most famous temple at the Angkor complex. 6:30 PM welcome dinner and Apsara Dance show at a local restaurant. Back to hotel to catch up on some rest in preparation for tomorrow.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, domestic flight ticket, breakfast, dinner, hotel.

Today at 8:30 AM we hop on our bikes to explore the Angkor’s World Heritage and splendid temples.

You visit the West Gate of Angkor Thom, Angkor Thom, South Gate, Bayon Temple, and Baphuon Temple. Also included today are visits to the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

We then continue on to visit the fabulous Ta Prohm embraced by the roots of the enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. Bear witness to some of the measures being taken to preserve the temple while at the same time allowing nature reclaim the area.

Enjoy our one hour foot massage before transfer back to your hotel at around 6:30 PM.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, one hour foot massage, breakfast, hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel then 8:00 AM we start the day with a visit to Banteay Srei: nearly everyone's favorite site. The special charm of this temple lies in its small stature, remarkable state of preservation, and the excellence of its decorative carvings. Next is Banteay Samre’s rose-coloured sandstone walls decorated with carvings and bas reliefs.

Finally, we visit Artisan d’Angkor and a local silk farm. Tour of the classes and workshops to get a glimpse into the unique vocational training programs teaching young artists the techniques and styles of classic Cambodian artistry.

Transfer and catch your afternoon flight from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang. Airport pick upon arrival.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, hotel.

Morning at your own leisure then in the afternoon at around 1:30 PM, meet with your local guide for a city tour to visit the tranquil and charming town of Luang Prabang.

Visit the National Museum (closed Tuesday) at the former Royal Palace, the impressive Stupa of Watt Visoun and the shrine of Watt Aham at Watt Mai. Next, we ascent up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa with a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong river From there we explore the night market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by the local Hmong people. Back to the hotel, free time to relax, dinner and retire for the night.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, hotel.

Today we leave hotel at 8:00 AM and enjoy a short-guided tour with visits to the city’s oldest temples: Watt Sene and the magnificent Watt Xieng thong. We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, offering us breathtaking views of the tranquil countryside. Our destination is the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. A set of two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims.

Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where local rice wine is produced. On the way back, we take a short drive to another small village, Ban Phanom, which has become famous for its hand weaving. Stay overnight at your hotel in Luang Prabang.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, hotel.

Depending on your flight time this morning we visit to the Arts & Ethnology Centre and take a stroll through the Morning Market before transfer to the airport for departure. Farewell, and hope to see you again soon!

Inclusion: Transfer, breakfast.