Laos & Vietnam in Depth – 18 Days

Laos Itinerary 4 Days

Day 1: Luangprabang Arrival

Upon arrival, you will be welcome by Viet Vision Travel local guide then be transferred to the hotel for check-in and recover from your flights. Meals on your own. Overnight at your hotel

Day 2: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou Cave (B)

Today, visit Wat Xieng Thong and see its roofs sweeping low to the ground representing tradition Lao architecture. Then embark a private traditional boat to visit Pak Ou Cave containing thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues in diverse sizes and shapes. En route, visit Ban Xang Hai which is renowned for rice wine as well as Ban Xang Khong, which is well-known for Saa paper-making. In the evening, participate in Baci Ceremony, the long-established activity of the Laotian at a local house.

Day 3:  Kuang Si Waterfall – Bear Rescue (B)

After breakfast, travel to Living Craft Center and enjoy 30 minutes trip to learn about Lao handicraft and take a chance to see the weavers working to create elaborate products. Then head to Khoang Si waterfall to splash around in the turquoise pools or stroll along the forest trails. You can also visit Bear Rescue Center and swim in the clear and cool water of the waterfall. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 4: Luang Prabang City Tour – Fly to Hanoi (B)

Wake up before dawn this morning to witness an awe-inspiring sight of unique offering alms to various saffron-robed monks. If you wish to make an offering, tell your guide to prepare some food for you. In case you do not wish to do this, you should keep an appropriate distance, observe the ritual in silence and dress appropriately.

After breakfast, enjoy a city tour seeing Wat Visoun and Wat Mai the two holy temples and the National Museum which displays a priceless collection of the artifacts proving the richness of Lao cultures throughout history. Later, transfer to the airport for departure flight to Hanoi. On arrival, you will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel for check-in and repose. The remainder of the day is your leisure to explore this capital of over 1000 years old.

Vietnam Itinerary 14 Days

Day 5: Hanoi City Tour (B, L)

Today, explore Hanoi with the first visit to the Ho Chi Minh complex of Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, his stilt house, the yellow Presidential Palace and the iconic One Pillar Pagoda. Next, head to Temple of Literature, which was originally built as a temple to Confucius and the first national university in Vietnam.

After lunch, travel to the Museum of Ethnology, which has an extensive display related to Vietnam’s ethnic minority peoples or the infamous Hoa Lo Prison Museum (Hanoi Hilton). Later, enjoy a leisure walking tour in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter with 36 streets. It’s a wonderful place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities. You can stop at a local house to find out the change of people, life and the city itself, over three generations.

In the evening, you have three options for the traditional show to enjoy

• Water Puppet Show: reflecting the traditional agriculture and lifestyle of farmers. They often perform this art after the harvest when the fields are filled with water.
• My Village Show: through Vietnamese music, dancing, acrobatics, juggling and bamboo, the show will tell you the cultural story of North Vietnam.
• Tonkin Show: draw the inspiration from the spiritual history of Thay Pagoda telling the story of the pagoda’s found by venerable monk Tu Dao Hanh, and explain the ancient relationship between the monarchy and religion.

Day 6: Hanoi – Pu Luong Nature Reserve (B, L, D)

Today, take a 150 km drive to Pu Luong with the beautiful road of picturesque landscapes and breath-taking panoramic views. Arrive in Pu Luong at noon, check-in and enjoy lunch in a pleasant ambiance with a tranquil setting as well as captivating panoramic views.

In the afternoon, transfer to a Suspension bridge over Cham River and start walking in search of stunning water wheels and understand how they work in an automatic way. Stop at a local fisherman’s house and enjoy a short rest to gear up for a boat trip along the calm river and enjoy beautiful sceneries along the banks. Arrive at Tan Lap Bridge, disembark the boat and transfer back to Pu Luong Retreat.

Note: 2.5 km easy walking (1.5 hours)/ 2 km rafting (1.5 hours)

Day 7: Pu Luong Trekking Tour (B, L, D)

After breakfast, head to the beautiful valley and visit a picturesque village located at the base of a towering mountain. You will trek to a beautiful sport weaving between farmlands and roads, wild fields and villages, mountains and land, ponds and rivers. After lunch, you are free to swim in the refreshing water in the nearby river before moving back to the retreat.

Note: 6km trekking (3 hours)

Day 8: Pu Luong – Halong Bay (B, L)

Today, pick up at hotel in Hanoi and take a 2-hour drive to Halong Bay – One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Upon arrival at Hon Gai Pier at noon, embark on the cruise ship and enjoy welcome drink while listening to cruise briefing about safety and activities on board. Then cruise to the magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, the wildest beauty with the panoramic natural views.

In the afternoon, visit Cap La Island, the perfect places for kayaking, swimming and relaxing through the karst and breathtaking nature. Next, get back to the boat and participate in the Sunset party. Dinner is served on board. Afterward, enjoy your free time with some Vietnamese games, try your luck with squid fishing or simply has a cocktail and enjoy the quiet night on the bay. Overnight on board

Day 9: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Danang – Hoi An (B, L)

Wake up early this morning and participate in a Tai Chi session which is good for your health. Then enjoy the fresh atmosphere of the stunning bay with a cup of tea or coffee on the sundeck.

After breakfast, visit Thien Canh Son cave and islets, which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the magic Halong Bay. Later, return to the boat and take a short break before attending a Vietnamese cooking demonstration where you can take hands-on experiences on cooking some Vietnamese traditional dishes instructed by the cruise’s chef. Enjoy lunch on board while cruising back to the harbor for disembarkation. Then get on the vehicle and transfer back to the airport in Hanoi for a domestic flight to Danang. On arrival, you will be transferred to Hoi An ancient town. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An – Walking Tour (B)

In the morning, walk down to the downtown for a leisure walking tour to visit Japanese Covered Bridge, Pottery Museum, Tan Ky old house, Cantonese congregation, the silk street of Hoi An. Then stop at a local restaurant for lunch of Hoi An authentic dishes. The afternoon is leisure for you.

Day 11: Hoi An Leisure (B)

Today will be free for you to shop, stroll in the town, laze on a nearby beach, or whatever makes you interested. Overnight in Hoi An

Day 12: Hoi An – Hue (B, L)

After breakfast, travel to Hue along the scenic way of Hai Van Pass – the great combination of sky, mountains, and sea. En route, pay a brief visit at Cham Museum – the houses of the most complete collection of Cham Artifacts and Marble Mountain and explore the five elements of the Universe (water, wood, air, fire, and earth). On arrival in Hue in the afternoon, the rest of the day will be free to explore this ancient capital of Vietnam

Day 13: Hue City Tour (B, L)

In the morning, board the Dragon Boat on the romantic Perfume River. Hue is surrounded by ancient tombs of emperors and royal constructions. The charming Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu Pagoda) will be the first stop. This pagoda is considered the symbol of Hue as well as Buddhism in Vietnam. Next, visit King Khai Dinh’s Tomb and King Tu Duc’s Tomb to marvel at the beautiful Vietnamese, Chinese, and French architectures.

In the afternoon, visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled Vietnam between 1802 and 1945 with wonderful monuments and stunning palaces. Next, depart to the Hue Royal Fine Art Museum, which is housed within the former Dien Long An Royal Palace and have a trishaw to visit Tinh Tam Lake. Finish our day with a visit to the local Dong Ba Market to see the daily life of local people. Overnight in Hue.

Day 14: Hue – Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (B)

After breakfast, you will be free until being transferred to the airport for your departure flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, you will be greeted and driven to the hotel in the city center. The remainder of the day will be your free time to wander around the hustle and bustle city, which is the heart of South Vietnam.

Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta (B, L, D)

After breakfast, you will be picked up to explore Mekong Delta. After about 2 driving hours, embark on a boat start with a quick visit to Cai Be floating market – one of the biggest floating markets in Mekong delta.

Then reach Tan Phong island for biking or walking on village paths to see the local daily life. On the way, make some stops to see how they make rice papers for spring rolls, sewing coconut leaves for cottage roof and witness how they wave the dried water-hyacinth to make some products such as baskets, bags, hats, wallets, and shoes…

After lunch at a local restaurant, return to the boat and go across one of the longest rivers in the world, Mekong River, to reach An Binh Island. Travel on Muong Lo handmade canal to check-in at Ut Trinh homestay. Have a fresh shower before participating in a cooking class to cook some special dishes with the host.

Day 16: Mekong Delta – Saigon (B, L)

After breakfast, walk along the village to enjoy the fresh air in the morning then arrive at the local workshop to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy, pop-rice…Visit a local house to enjoy some sweets with a cup of hot tea.

Later, take a boat trip to visit the brick kilns to see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. Next, the boat will go along a floating village to witness how to farm catfish on the Mekong River. Besides, you can visit Vinh Long market displaying various fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, snakes, rice-field rats, tropical fruits, vegetables… After disembarkation, go back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 17: Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnels & City Tour (B, L)

In the morning, head to the Cu Chi tunnels, also known as the “Iron Triangle” or “Iron Land”. Before entering the tunnels, see a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed, followed by an exploration of the maze of tunnels, some of which have been widened to allow tourist access. Also on display are various mantraps and the remains of an American tank, as well as numerous bomb craters made by 500lb bombs, dropped by B52 bombers.

After that, transfer back to Ho Chi Minh city for lunch. After lunch, visit the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace for the president of the South of Vietnam. Later, visit War Remnant Museum to see countless artifacts, photographs, and pictures documenting about the second Indochina war. Stop at Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post office to get good shots for our memory of the big, modern city of Vietnam.

Day 18: Saigon Departure (B)

After breakfast, feel free until your driver arrives to take you to the airport for your departure flight. Tour ends.