SPIRIT OF INDOCHINA

SPIRIT OF INDOCHINA

Ha Noi - Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An - HCM City - Mekong Delta - Cu Chi - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh - Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Ha Noi - Ha Long Bay in 18 days

Fire your imagination and discover the essence of Indochina as you journey through Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos. As we travel the highlights of these three countries, spectacular scenery and awe-inspiring monuments, combine with history, culture and religion to make this an enriching and memorable experience.

ITINERARY

Day 1 Arrive Ha Noi

On arrival at Ha Noi Noi Bai Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. A welcome drink and tour briefing are followed with a city tour by cyclo and a performance of traditional Vietnamese Water Puppetry.

Day 2 Ha Noi - Overnight Express Train

Commencing the day with a heritage walk, we take in President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and humble house on stilts, as well as the famous One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature (Viet Nam's first University). After enjoying the tranquility of Hoan Kiem Lake's Ngoc Son Temple we are free to explore the intriguing and bustling 36 Streets of Ha Noi's Old Quarter before boarding the Reunification Express train for our overnight journey to Hue.

Day 3 Hue

Following our morning arrival into Hue and our hotel, we begin exploration of this delightful historical city by cyclo. We stroll the paths of the Imperial Citadel and its Forbidden Purple City, imagining the regal splendours of a life and time in the not so distant past. We encounter daily life, filled with sights, sounds, smells and bustling energy at Dong Ba Market. The remainder of the day is free to explore this sleepy city on your own.

Day 4 Hue

As we cruise up the Perfume River by Royal Dragon Boat, we moor at the base of Thien Mu Pagoda's stone steps. Climbing the stairs to explore one of Viet Nam's oldest and most revered Pagodas our boat waits before gliding further through the clear waters to the majestic and serene tomb of King Ming Mang.

Day 5 Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An

The Mandarin Route, better known as highway one, takes us over the spectacular Hai Van Pass and into Da Nang where a visit to the Museum of Cham Sculpture displays stone carvings of a once powerful and prosperous civilization. Before arriving into Hoi An we climb the stone steps of Marble Mountains and are rewarded with a panoramic view over the South China Sea. As we enter the town of Hoi An we are immediately absorbed by the old world ambience of this charming old Merchant Town.

Summoning exploration, there is wealth of history to discover and traditional crafts by which to be tempted - art galleries, hand crafted woodwork, ceramics, lanterns, embroidery and fine tailor shops where an entire wardrobe can be made overnight.

Day 6 Hoi An

This morning we have a guided introduction to Hoi An, where restored shop houses, Chinese Assembly Halls, Pagodas, shared water wells and the Japanese covered bridge paint a vivid story. The remainder of the day is free to explore at your own pace or relax under an umbrella at nearby Cua Dai beach.

Day 7 Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City

A short morning flight brings us to dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, the powerhouse of the South. We immerse ourselves in the hustle and bustle of its busy streets as we visit the landmarks of Notre Dame Cathedral, and the War Remnants Museum before heading out to the Chinese District of Cho Lon with its bustling wholesale market and ornate Pagodas.

Day 8 Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho

Leaving the churning metropolis behind we head south to My Tho, gateway to the Mekong Delta. Boarding our private boat we cross the mighty river, and navigate the leafy island waterways to arrive at a fruit orchard for exploration. Here we sample refreshing tropical fruit and learn about the Delta way of life from our friendly local hosts, before making the return journey to Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 9 HCM City - Cu Chi - Siem Reap

Venturing beyond the city limits to the former Viet Cong stronghold at Cu Chi, we explore this remarkable underground tunnel network before returning to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch. This afternoon we are transferred to Ho Chi Minh City Airport for our flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Time permitting; we travel to the Angkor complex to enjoy the sunset.

Day 10 Siem Reap

Awake before sunrise, we travel to the stunning temple of Angkor Wat and witness its awesome majesty as it is bathed in

the rays of the early morning sun. Considered one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world, Angor Wat forms the centre piece and starting point of our exploration of these fascinating temples. We discover the 'jungle temple' of Ta Prohm, where roots of massive fig trees have embraced and framed the stone structures - Bayon Temple with its giant stone faces standing as serene sentinels and the Terrace of the Elephants.

Day 11 Siem Reap - Phnom Penh

This morning we cruise the floating fishing villages of Ton Le Sap Lake - the largest lake in Southeast Asia and one of the richest sources of freshwater fish in the world. Returning to Siem Reap we are free to explore until our transfer to the airport for our flight to Phnom Penh.

Day 12 Phnom Penh - Vientiane

We take a sobering journey into the darker side of recent Cambodian history as we visit the chilling Toul Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields of Choung Ek. There is time to explore the colorful Central and Russian Markets or Silver Pagoda before transferring to the Airport for our flight to Vientiane.

Day 13 Vientiane

Temples and tree-lined boulevards create an atmosphere of timelessness in this sleepy capital city. We visit the striking monument of Pha That Luang, the historical Wat Si Saket and Wat Ong Teu with its huge bronze Buddha. There is also time to explore the busy 'morning' market (which is open all day, admire Vientiane's fading French architecture and relax on the banks of the Mekong River at sunset.

Day 14 Vientiane - Luang Prabang

A morning flight brings us to the town of Luang Prabang. Nestled in the arms of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers with a dramatic mountain backdrop, glittering historic temples and the busy traffic of hill tribe traders, Luang Prabang is both bewitching and entrancing. Here we visit the market, magnificent Wat Xieng Thong and climb Mount Phu Si for a superb view of sunset.

Day 15 Luang Prabang

The Royal Palace Museum offers a glimpse into Lao's Royal Past, before we take our boat up the Mekong River to the Buddha filled caves of Pak Ou. In the afternoon we visit a weaving village displaying elaborate and colorful Lao textiles as we make our way to the beautiful Kuang Si Falls.

Day 16 Luang Prabang - Vientiane - Ha Noi

We take an early flight to Vientiane where we have some time to explore before boarding our connecting flight to Ha Noi.

Day 17 Ha Noi . Ha Long Bay

Today we travel across the rural plain of the Red River Delta to the World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay where our boat and sumptuous seafood lunch await us. Cruising amongst the limestone islets, there is opportunity to explore the wondrous caves and swim.

As our boat bobs lazily on one of the world's most spectacular bays we enjoy our final dinner while reflecting on our great adventure through Indochina.

Day 18. Ha Long Bay - Departure

Awakening to dramatic scenery, we enjoy breakfast on board as our boat cruises back to the harbor, where our bus will take us to Ha Noi for our departure transfer and ongoing flight.

5 Days/4 Nights based on BB

as low as USD 395

Feel the Cairo Touch

___________________________________________________________________________________