The Best of Vietnam & Laos - 10 Days

You will be warmly welcomed upon arrival at Hanoi airport and transferred to your hotel. Check-in and relax. In the evening we will enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, giving us a chance to sample some of Hanoi's cuisines. Overnight in Hanoi.

We begin the day with a guided tour of the Ho Chi Minh complex which includes the Mausoleum where we can see the remains of Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of unified Vietnam. The next stop is the Temple of Literature which is known as both the Confucius Temple and the former National University. Lunch will then be at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we visit the Ethnology museum then we will drive to Hoan Kiem Lake, considered as the soul of Hanoi, to visit Ngoc Son Temple before attending a traditional water puppet show. Finally, we finish up our day with a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter - a maze of streets, each one traditionally devoted to a different product or industry.

Today you leave Hanoi for Halong Bay (a World Natural Heritage site) via the Red River Delta. Upon arrival, you will set out on a junk cruise on the bay while lunch is served. You will pass through the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons' teeth. After lunch, you will take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay, swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck.

In the late afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with an opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. At sunset, you can kayak or simply take a bamboo row boat to discover a water tunnel with many coral reefs in a scenic lagoon. Back on board, you can enjoy watching the peaceful sunset and later unwind at a restaurant. Overnight on board.

You'll wake up on the bay to the sounds of waves and birds welcoming the new day. You will have an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay and after breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto. You will have a walk back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. Then you will drive back to Hanoi and go straight to the airport for the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive in the evening and meet our guide then transfer to hotel for check-in. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

We start our day with a cyclo tour to see some of the city's attractions. The cyclo drivers will take us to the War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace, and the former American Embassy (now the American Consulate in Saigon. We will also visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office as well as Dong Khoi Street where the Saigon Opera House is located. Our morning will be followed by a quick and delicious lunch at the "Presidential" Pho 2000. After lunch, we will take a bus trip to Cu Chi Tunnels, a Viet Cong Stronghold during the American War between 1965 and 1975. First constructed in 1948, during the French Resistance War, the tunnels were expanded by the Viet Cong, with the help of the local people, into a complex underground network stretching over 250 km. A visit to this place will offer us an insight into the war when Vietnamese determination and loyalty to their country overcame the hardships of the times and eventually brought the war to an end. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

This morning we leave Ho Chi Minh City behind and head to Vietnam's rice basket, the Mekong Delta. We will pass through idyllic, rural scenes until we arrive at My Tho, a peaceful town on the bank of the Mekong River, where we will visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda. Next, we will have a boat ride on the Mekong, visit local homes and orchards, a coconut candy workshop, a honeybee farm, take a sampan ride on palm-shaded creeks, try a taste of seasonal fruit and honey tea and enjoy a performance of traditional Southern singing. We return to Ho Chi Minh city after lunch. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Today you are free for leisure & until transfer to Airport for the flight to Vientiane. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. Vientiane is a fascinating capital, with a fusion of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. This charming and easygoing city will provide a smooth introduction to Laos. After a short rest, an orientation walk of Lao Capital is a pleasant way to spend the day, strolling around some of the city's most historic sites and seeing some of the French colonial architecture. We observe the sunset by the Mekong Riverside until the late evening and experience the city lifestyle of the local Lao people. Overnight in Vientiane.

After breakfast, we start to visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we will stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph. From there, we visit the central market known as the 'Morning Market' which is a great place for browsing antiques, handmade textiles and gifts. 

In the afternoon, we board our short flight to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage City Luang Prabang, which is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Asia. On arrival, we transfer you to hotel. After a short rest, we climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as viewing a beautiful and panoramic sunset over the ancient and once royal city and the Mekong River. We then stroll around the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of textiles made by the local and the hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

The morning we enjoy a short guided tour seeing the city's oldest temple of impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham, Wat Mai, Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which gives us a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of 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 our way back, we pass the local villages at Ban Xiengmene and Ban Chan continue to see the royal temple at Wat Longkhoun, which once belonged to royal family patronage near Sackarine Caves. We cross to the city and take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a village well known for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. This is a real highlight of the tour prior to saying goodbye to this charming city. Free at leisure until transfer to the airport. We then say farewell and depart this ancient city. Vietnam Laos Itinerary 10 Days ends. See you again on the next Laos - Vietnam vacation packages!