Vietnam - Laos 15 Days tour: From Ancient Towns to Riverside Wonders

Arrival at Luang Prabang international airport and meet your guide, then transfer to your hotel. Check-in time is between 13h30-14h00. Time for resting at hotel

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel.

Accommodation : At the hotel in Luang Prabang

Meals               : Breakfast

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning alms giving ritual to saffron clad monks. This tradition is unique to Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving this procession. Stop and visit fresh local markets and back to hotel for breakfast.

This morning, depart to visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa. The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao The Continue to visit Wat Aham. Then, visit to the most photographed temple, Wat Xiengthong. Located at the end of peninsular closed to the confluence of Mekong and Khan River.

This afternoon, continue to former Royal Palace, now the National Museum. Visit Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-relief. During Pimai, the Lao New Year, the Prabang normally housed in the Royal Palace Museum is brought and put on public display in this temple.

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel

Accommodation : At the hotel in Luang Prabang

Meals               : Breakfast

This morning, you will be driven to the Elephant Village, a center with a focus on the protection and rehabilitation of elephants in Laos. Upon arrival you will be provided the information about the work in caring for the elephants. Next, enjoy your time with elephants in camp.

This afternoon, travelling outskirt of Luang prabang, driving through green rice paddies and farms. Stop for visit few villages of H’mong and Lao loum people, your guide can introduce you to local people and its great opportunity for you to involving with their daily activities such as wooden cotton spinning, weaving, rice harvesting and green vegetable farms. On your arrival at the Kuang Sy fall, enjoy your short walking on trails of falls to visit the bear rescued centre and enjoy front main waterfalls with spectacular views and surrounding of orchids inside the park and falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools. Driver back to Luang Prabang.

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel.

Accommodation : At the hotel in Luang Prabang

Meals               : Breakfast

This morning, drive to Nong Khiew. Stop to visit Nam Bak market and Ban Nayang village. Arrival in Nong Khiew. Lunch on your own. Then embark on long tail boat for a relaxing cruise (~1h40mns) on Nam Ou river to Ban Sojam village where you learn about local life and culture. Then continue your cruise to Muong Ngoy.  Arrival and check-in guesthouse in Muong Ngoy.

Meals on your own. Overnight in guesthouse (Simple comfort)

Accommodation : At the hotel in guesthouse

Meals               : Breakfast

After breakfast, embarking on boat to cruise back Nong Khiew. On the way, stop to visit an authentic village Houi Hoy, located on the bank of Nam Ou river.

Drive from Nong Khiew to Luang Prabang. On the way, wisit Pak Ou caves at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers. In these 2 caves are displayed hundreds of sacred centuries-old Buddha images which are the object of pilgrimages during the Lao New Year festivities around mid-April. Heading to Luang Prabang by van. Arrive and check in hotel in Luang Prabang.

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel

Accommodation : At the hotel in Luang Prabang

Meals               : Breakfast

After breakfast, drive to Vang Vieng, drive passes through splendid scenery and past many panoramic lookout points on the winding mountaintop road.  There are several stops en route to take photos in the scenery. 

Arrive in Vang Vieng and descending the Nam Song by long tail boat leads us through idyllic scenes of rural life: a unique sight with the limestone mountain in the background.

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel

Accommodation : At the hotel in Vang Vieng

Meals               : Breakfast

After breakfast, heading to Tham Jang cave 172 steps where you can see the spectacular views of the city and the landscape. Then drive to Vientiane.

Arrival in Vientiane and visit Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues. Next, visit the huge golden That Luang monument, where all Lao citizen respect as holy pagoda.

End your day by Victory Monument Patuxay, which looks like the Arc de Triumph. This was built at the end of the Indochina wars with money rumored to be American, and earmarked for the airport’s new runway. Thus the departing Americans dubbed this monument the vertical runway! Have a look at the lovely arches inside the monument.

Meals on your own.  Overnight in hotel

Accommodation : At the hotel in Vientiane

Meals               : Breakfast

Free time until your transfer by our driver to the airport for your international flight to Hanoi

Upon arrival pick up and then transfer you to your hotel in Hanoi for your overnight

18.00- 18:30 Pick-up from the hotel and transfer to our meeting point by local transportation.

18:30 Our professional English-speaking tour guide will meet you in the Old Quarter and introduce you to the culture and daily life of the locals there.

 You will have an opportunity to enjoy green papaya salad, Bun Cha, Pho (Beef or chicken noodle), Banh Cuon, Banh Mi, Hanoi draught beer. 

During the tour, you will not only have an opportunity to enjoy delicious local foods but will also be guided about the ingredients and process of making this local tasty dish, as well as introduced to some destinations of culture, history, and temples such as the local market, Heritage house, and the old city gate of Hanoi Old Quarter.

20:00 Our Barista will introduce the info about the class. Such as history of Vietnamese Coffee, Egg Coffee, Phin Coffee… 

Following the process for the famous cup of Egg Coffee 

1.      Making coffee based by Phin (filter).

We also introduce the history of Phin (Filter).

The Way we brew coffee by Phin.

What kind of coffee would be perfect for Phin?

Brewing ratio…Then We will demonstrate one Phin step by step.

2.                  Making Egg Cream.

We also introduce history of Egg Coffee Our unique Recipe.

Demonstrate how to make an Egg Cream step by step.

3.                  Egg Coffee Art Ideas.

After pouring Egg Cream into the cup of Coffee. You will spend some time decorating yourself an amazing cup of egg coffee. Enjoy your coffee at the end!

21:00 Return to the meeting place and say goodbye.

         TOUR INCLUDED 

         English-speaking guide.

         A bottle of Mineral water.

         The best of Hanoi local food.

         Pick-up in the old quarter (local transportation).

         Coffee, fresh beer.

         TOUR EXCLUDED 

         Pick up outside of the old quarter.

         Tax (VAT).

         All services and items are not mentioned specifically in the list above.

         Tips.

Accommodation : At the hotel in Hanoi

Meals               : Breakfast

Today, we enjoy a full day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh Complex. This famous site contains the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh (Close on Monday, Friday & November), the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of city. We follow this with the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam. You then will move to Train Street where you have chance to see the Train come through

In the afternoon, visit the impressive Ethnologic Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, several of which we will see on our forthcoming trekking.

Enjoy a leisurely cyclo tour through Hanoi. Visit the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple

Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi

Accommodation : At the hotel in Hanoi

Meals               : Breakfast

Morning drive south of Hanoi will lead you to Ninh Binh, the site of the one capital city of ancient Vietnam before Hanoi took its leading role in 11th century. The area is featured by lots of well-known sceneries, which include Tam Coc Caves and Hoa Lu ancient capital with the old temples dedicated to King Dinh & King Le reigned in 10th century. The visit in Ninh Binh starts by a boat trip in Tam Coc where spectacular limestone karsts jut out from the green paddy fields reminding about Guilin (China) and Halong Bay of Vietnam, which gives this scenery the name “Halong-bay-on-land”. Further discovery in Ninh Binh will be continued in the site that used to be the kings’ palace in 10th century and now famous for the wooden relieves of the shady Dinh and Le temples. Keep going to visit Mua cave. The place attracts visitors with its many interesting stories. Climb 500 stone steps, here you can see all the way to Tam Coc, enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the countryside and Ngo Dong river. Overnight at the hotel in Ninh Binh

Accommodation : At the hotel in Ninh Binh

Meals               : Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel and then start a 3 hours driving to Ha Long City.  We then transfer to a refurbished wooden sailing junk for a cruise through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Ha Long Bay to enjoy a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone this World Heritage Site. While being on board, we will be served a sumptuous fresh, local seafood lunch followed by swimming and exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. Try the feeling of witnessing the sunset on boat is really great. Dinner on board. The captain then will anchor for the night nearby a remote island.  In the evening, there is the option for night fishing or just sit out on the deck and relax under the stars. Overnight on Junk.

Accommodation : On Ha Long Bay cruise

Meals               : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Waking up surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the bay, we have time for an early morning dip with joys and emotions for watching sunrise on sea followed by breakfast. The cruise continues to move around the bay for us to discover more secluded areas, we then take kayaking and swimming in the stunning bay. The junk will be near us at all times serving as a backup vessel for those that require it. At around midday we will return to the main harbor before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 3-hour journey to to Noi Bai airport for flight to Saigon. Upon arrival Saigon, being picked up & transferred to the hotel in Saigon

Accommodation : At the hotel in Saigon

Meals               : Breakfast, Lunch

Morning after having breakfast, depart for the famous Cu Chi Tunnels which were an incredible underground network constructed by Vietnamese fighters during the long struggle for independence. The tunnels contained hospitals, plus accommodation and schools, and were used as a military base for the Vietcong in the American war.  Afternoon, we take a half day of city tour to visit all famous sites of this bustling city. The first destination is the Reunification Palace, which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975, followed by some French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral. Apart from the religious meaning, the even more special captivating point of this Cathedral is its special neo-Romanesque style of architecture. Next, it is on to the Old Saigon Post Office. After visiting the Jade Emperor Pagoda, we continue our trip to the bustling Ben Thanh Market, which is firstly well-known as the place for real Vietnamese food. There are a number of vendors and food stalls in the market food section that offer guests many freshly delicious dishes. You also can find any goods for daily use as well as variety of eye-catching local handicrafts, souvenirs here. Overnight at the hotel in HCM city.

Accommodation : At the hotel in Saigon

Meals               : Breakfast

Pick up at your hotel in Saigon and then move 2 hours to Cai Be. The program will start with a quick visit of Cai Be town & the ancient church from the boat. Then, we’ll come to Tân Phong Island for the rowing boat. They will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy the peaceful time under the shade of mangrove trees. Stop at local garden to enjoy some fruits with hot tea when listening to the traditional music.

Then, start the biking trip on village paths to see the local daily life: orchard, school, church, pagoda, traditional houses... On the way, we can make some stops to see how they wave the dried water-hyacinth to make many products: baskets, bags, hats, wallets, shoes... (You can walk, but see less).

Back to our boat to go across one of the longest rivers in the world, Mekong River, to come to An Bình Island. Travel on the handmade canal to a local house & have lunch at this traditional house. After lunch, we can walk in the local village to visit the local workshop to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy, pop-rice... Enjoy some sweets with a cup of hot tea.

 Visit the brick kilns where you can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. The cruise will end at the new boat station of VinhLong city! From here we will pick up and transfer you back to Saigon for your overnight

Accommodation : At the hotel in Saigon

Meals               : Breakfast, Lunch

You have free time until we pick up and transfer you to the airport for your flight home. End of our service

Accommodation : NA

Meals               : Breakfast