Indochina Discovery (Partially Guided)

Welcome to Laos! Transfer to hotel and check in. Spend the rest of the day enjoying free time in Vientiane. There will be a welcome meeting at the hotel at 17:00.

Today we enjoy a guided tour of this Vientiane, taking in highlights such as That Luang Stupa, Wat Prakeo and Wat Si Saket, believed to be Vientiane’s oldest surviving temple. We also explore Buddha Park and marvel at the array of over 200 Hindu and Buddhist sculptures and visit a local charity known as the Cope Centre, which works with the victims of unexploded bombs and mines. Our day ends with dinner beside the Mekong River, where we enjoy a spectacular sunset.

Vientiane – Vang Vieng. We leave the capital early and drive north through lush countryside to picturesque Vang Vieng, situated on a curve of the Nam Song River. In the afternoon, we cross the Nam Song River and venture to the other side, traversing a picturesque, unpaved route that winds through the Vang Vieng countryside, passing small villages and rice fields. This journey leads us to the spectacular blue lagoon and Tham Pou Kham cave. The striking landscape, with its towering karst rock formations between Vang Vieng and the blue lagoon, is a sight to behold and makes the trip truly worthwhile.

A hiking trail along the forested hills leads to the cave's entrance, halfway up a limestone cliff. The 200-meter climb is quite steep at places; the trail is equipped with handrails at the steepest sections. Inside the cave, there's maze of chambers, galleries, and crevices adorned with stalagmites and stalactites, and the air inside is cool and damp. Step down into the Blue Lagoon, where you can relax and swim in the refreshing water. Returning to Vang Vieng late afternoon there's time to freshen up before dinner at a local restaurant.

Optional Activities: Tour of the caves, Tubing or Bike Riding (book and pay locally)

Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang. This morning we explore the famous caves of Tham Jang, which were used as a bunker to defend against the Yunnanese Chinese. We also cross the river to visit the Ban Huai Ngai village, where we can learn about the different lifestyles of the locals. Leaving Vang Vieng behind we take a scenic journey north, along rough roads to the UNESCO-listed city of Luang Prabang, passing Kasi and Phoukhoune en route. This town with its gleaming temple roofs, fading colonial architecture and stunning mountain backdrop has been claimed by UNESCO to be "the best-preserved traditional city in South East Asia". There is not much traffic in Luang Prabang and monks in orange robes stroll in all directions, carrying umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun.

Early risers this morning can see the daily procession of saffron-clad monks as they walk through the city’s streets collecting alms from the residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession.

Today we enjoy a unique sightseeing tour around the old quarter of Luang Prabang aboard vintage tuk tuks. Our tour takes in the bustling Morning Market, where we learn about local products, and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong temple, which features classical Loatian architecture. Our morning ends with a visit to the former Royal Palace, which is now a national museum and contains a sacred statue of Buddha known as Pha Bang.

This afternoon we get the chance to meet the locals of several ethnic minority villages including Laoloum Village, the H’mong village of Ban Ou and the Khmu Village of Ban Thapene, gaining a fascinating insight into the local culture. We then make our way to the breathtaking Khouangsi waterfall, where you can walk the forest trails or take a dip in the beautiful turquoise pools.

Luang Prabang - Hanoi (Vietnam). This morning we venture into the countryside and enjoy a fun and hands-on half-day farming experience at the Living Land Farm. Experience what life is like as a local farmer and learn how rice is planted and cultivated in a rice paddy. We also try ploughing the field with a water buffalo and other farming activities. Enjoy a tasty Laotian lunch and transfer to Luang Prabang airport for the flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival in Vietnam you will be met and transferred to our hotel in the capital.

Enjoy a free day at leisure in Vietnam's capital. The wide tree lined avenues, beautiful lakes, ancient pagodas and bustling old town are all easily navigated on foot. Highlights of the city include Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (closed Oct-Nov), the beautiful Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's iconic House on Stilts and the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first 11th century university. This afternoon there is a Vietnam welcome meeting at 17:00 where you will have the opportunity to meet any tour group members who arrived today.

Hanoi – Halong Bay. Transfer to heavenly Halong Bay this morning and board a traditional junk boat for an overnight cruise around the pristine jade waters, studded with karst islands.

The cruise starts with a tasty lunch onboard, as you soak up the incredible views. This afternoon we visit Trinh Nu Cave, one of the finest caves in Halong Bay, covering an area of 2,000m² with a stunning array of stalactites and stalagmites. There's also the opportunity to go kayaking and enjoy a refreshing swim. Later this evening back on board, watch a Vietnamese cooking demonstration held on the sundeck before settling down for a sumptuous seafood dinner.

Please note: the itinerary in Halong Bay can vary dependent upon the cruise we use and weather conditions. The transfer to/from Halong Bay is with a driver, not a guide.

Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue. Early birds can start the day with a relaxing Tai Chi class on the sundeck or a traditional massage. Before heading back to port this morning, we explore the beautiful Sung Sot cave (Surprise Grotto), which is 10,000m² and consists of two major chambers which are spectacular and spacious enough to hold thousands of people.

From Halong Bay, transfer back to Hanoi, arriving mid-afternoon. In Hanoi meet our local guide for an exhilarating cyclo (rickshaw) ride around the maze of streets in Hanoi's French Quarter, taking in highlights such as the Opera house and Ly Thai To Park. After the cyclo ride we take a leisurely walk around the ‘36 streets of the old quarter’, named after the numerous guilds that once set up shop on a particular street, from silk tailors to traditional medicine shops.

Later this evening there's a chance to freshen up before boarding the train (4 berth sleeper cabin, basic standard) on the ‘Reunification Express’ railway line to Hue. An option to fly from Hanoi to Hue is also available.

Arriving into Hue you will be met off the train and transferred to our hotel. We take in the highlights of Hue on a guided sightseeing tour of the 19th-century Nguyen empire capital with a local guide. Visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, home to the oldest monastery in the city, and the citadel. Within the citadel is the Imperial Purple Palace, an exact copy of the Forbidden City in Beijing, with its impressive ramparts, formal moats and imperial palaces, some of which lay in ruin.

In the countryside lies the Royal Tombs of the Nguyen kings, here we’ll view the elaborate mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc. As the sun sets there's an optional cruise in a long boat along the gentle Perfume River, beautifully illuminated at night.

Hue - Road of the Ocean Clouds - Hoi An. This morning we transfer to Hoi An, taking the scenic Hai Van Pass (Road of the Ocean Clouds), which offers magnificent views of beaches to one side and lush hills to the other. En route a stop is made at China beach, which featured in Francis Ford Coppola's 'Apocalypse Now'. There's time for you to to take a stroll along this beautiful beach and perhaps enjoy a refreshing swim in the sea before continuing the journey south to Hoi An, where the rest of the day is free to spend at leisure.

The charming, old-world trading port of Hoi An with it cobbled streets, traditional homes and tiny shop houses is a perfect place to lose yourself in a by gone era. Boutique restaurants, hip cafes along the waterfront, delightful craft shops and artisans including some of Asia’s best bespoke tailors (whose services come at a nominal price), all can be found here.

During your stay in Hoi An, we offer an unique optional Hoi An Street Eats add-on, which explores the city’s most popular local haunts. Cruise the city the way the locals do, by vintage Vespa and enjoy lots of tasty Vietnamese Cuisine. Book early with your reservation consultant, as numbers are limited.

This morning we meet a local guide and set off on a leisurely bike ride through the countryside to Tra Que village (we can arrange alternative transportation at no extra cost for those who don't wish to cycle). Here we discover age old farming practices and learn about traditional medicine. It’s a fun, hands on experience today as we don conical hats and assist with tending the fields and gardens before watching an entertaining cooking demonstration and helping to cook a tasty lunch. After lunch we bid farewell to our hosts at Tra Que and cycle back to Hoi An.

Later this afternoon we take in the highlights of Hoi an on a short walking tour, visiting the Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Hall, 200-year-old Tam Ky house, former merchants’ homes and the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge.

A free day for you relax or further sightsee. You may wish to take a relaxing rowboat journey along the river or spend the day lazing by the beach or hotel pool. Alternatively you can opt to take an excursion to the UNESCO-listed My Son sanctuary or enjoy a day trip to the Ba Na Hills mountain resort, where you will ride the second longest cable car in the world and walk along the striking Golden Bridge (book and pay locally).

Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City. Transfer to Danang Airport for an early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City, where we meet a local guide and travel on to the Mekong Delta. Often referred to as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam, the fertile Mekong Delta is famous for its abundant harvests of tropical fruits, flowers and rice, as well as it fantastic views while boating along the canals. Taking a sampan from Cai Be we cruise through the maze of waterways watching the hubbub of daily life on the river. Passing colourful trading boats, house boats and children swimming we stop to visit some of the local cottage industries that produce popcorn, coco candies and paper along the way. At Tan Phong Islet, we board a small row boat to better explore the canal’s hidden mangroves. Lunch is served today in a traditional wooden home on Dong Hoa Hiep Island and we spend the night in Can Tho.

Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City. Early today we visit the ever-lively Cai Rang floating market. Watch as melons, pineapples, fresh greens, sacks of rice and children's toys get tossed from one sampan to another at great heights and speed before driving back to Saigon.

Once called the Pearl of the Orient, modern Ho Chi Minh City is a thriving metropolis on the move. Sleek sky scrapers, gourmet restaurants, designer malls and swanky bars and spas are scattered between ancient pagodas, colonial era landmarks and lively street markets. On a walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City we see the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office before visiting the sobering War Remnants Museum.

Ho Chi Minh City - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Today we visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, offering an insight into the underground life of Vietnamese soldiers during the war. Walking around the bush trails we see trapdoors, booby traps, living areas, weapon factories and kitchens. You can also safely crawl sections of the tunnels, that have been widened for the tourists and fire weapons of the era (including the M16‘s and AK47) on the firing range.

From Cu Chi transfer to the Cambodian border (crossing at Moc Bai/Bavet). On the Cambodian side we are met and transferred to our hotel in the capital of Phnom Penh. Once deemed the ‘Pearl of Asia’, Phnom Penh offers a bustling mix of Asia’s past and present, a city quickly taking its place amongst the trendy capitals of the region. Tonight enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Today we spend a full day sightseeing in Phnom Penh with a local guide. Our tour visits the National Museum of Arts, Cambodia’s largest archaeological and cultural history museum, which contains the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture. We continue on to visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, which contains diamond-encrusted statues of Buddha and a floor paved with five tons of gleaming silver.

Later we visit Tuol Seng (Security Prison – S21) and come face to face with the horrors of the Pol Pot Regime as the school here was transformed into a gruesome torture chamber under the Khmer Rouge. Our day ends with a visit to the Killing Fields, where over 10,000 people were executed.

Phnom Penh – Siem Reap. Hotel check out and airport transfer for our flight to Siem Reap. In Siem Reap we are met by a local guide for another day of sightseeing.

After freshening up, we visit the Angkor National Museum, home to a collection of relics from the ancient Angkor Empire dating from around the 9th to the 14th century. This afternoon we head to the Angkor Complex to explore spectacular Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. This vast, three-tiered structure is crowned by five lotus-like towers which rise 65-metres high. As the best preserved of all the temples within the complex, Angkor Wat easily steals the limelight and offers plenty of incredible photo opportunities.

Early risers have the opportunity to return to Angkor Wat this morning to enjoy the beautiful sunrise (book and pay locally). Later we drive out to visit the temples of Banteay Srei, with stops to visit an exotic butterfly sanctuary and to support our community tree planting initiative in the village of Preak Dak. Returning to the Angkor Temple Complex, we explore the ancient capital of Angkor Thom, home to the fascinating Bayon Temple, the Terraces of the Elephants and Leper King and the Baphuon royal enclosure.

Our next stop is Ta Prohm Temple, known as the ‘Tomb Raider Temple’ for its role in the blockbuster starring Angelina Jolie. Unlike the other temples, Ta Prohm has been swallowed by the jungle and was left in the same ruined state as when it was first discovered. Tonight, we attend the Phare Cambodian Circus, an NGO project that has transformed the lives of Cambodian children living on the streets by teaching them how to become talented circus performers.

Today we visit Kampong Phluk, a cluster of three villages of stilt houses built within the flood plain of Tonle Sap Lake. We'll see houses built on stilts which hover over the Tonle Sap Lake whilst nearby, the petrified trees of a flooded forest are revealed whenever the water level drops. After a boat trip on the lake and lunch, we return to Siem Reap where the afternoon is free for you to spend at leisure. Perhaps check out the action on lively Pub Street or pick up some souvenirs at the central market.

Please Note: Between Feb - July the water levels at Kompong Phluk village may be too low to go boating, if so, we will visit Chong Kneas floating village where it's still possible.

Siem Reap - Bangkok (Thailand). Today we bid farewell to Cambodia. Transfer the Siem Reap airport for a flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival transfer to our hotel in the centre of Thailand's bustling capital.

Today we discover the highlights of Thailand’s capital with a guided tour. First stop is the Bangkok Flower Market, where most of the city’s restaurants and florists come daily to stock up on the latest blooms. From here we head to the beautiful Grand Palace, the religious and royal heart of the country. Then we take a short but exhilarating tuk tuk ride to Wat Pho, home to the famous reclining Buddha.

After lunch at a local restaurant we board a longtail boat this afternoon to explore some of the many canals or klongs that crisscross the city. We end our tour of the city at the famous Khao San Road where there are street stalls, small restaurants and bars aplenty. It's a great place to eat, relax and party the night away. The rest of the afternoon and evening is free for you to explore at leisure.

Our epic Indochina adventure comes to an end on day 23. Hotel check out and included transfer to the airport. Alternatively, if you'd like to extend your stay and see more of Thailand, we can assist you.