12 Days Discover Laos & Vietnam With Cruise

Pick-up at Luang Prabang International airport. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Luang Prabang

If you’re able to wake up before dawn (5:30am) to witness and participate in offering alms to hundreds of saffron-robed monks - an awe-inspiring sight dating back generations in Laos. Optional walking through the morning market where all local products are being sold, watch the town come to life in the morning then return to the hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, start your visit to the Royal Palace, which is now a National Museum and houses the precious exhibits that used to be possessions of the former Laos Royal family. (Open from 8:30am to 11.30am and from 1.30pm to 3.30pm daily except on Tuesdays) Continue with the exploration of the main Buddhist temples of Luang Prabang including; Wat Visoun, a 16th century temple which serves as a small museum for religious artifacts; Wat Aham, built in the early 19th century temple and Wat Xiengthong, a 16th century temple which epitomizes all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture. Take the opportunity to interact with the monks at the Wat Mai temple before ending the day with a climb of 328 steps to the top of Phousi Hill where you can watch the sun set over Luang Prabang town.

Have free time in the afternoon. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Embark on a two hour cruise in a long-tail boat on the Mekong River and visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. En route, typical Laotian villages are barely visible behind thick foliage. Wooden canoes bobbing by the shore attached to bamboo poles can be seen everywhere while floats mark the location of nets and fish traps. Arrive at Pak Ou and explore the sanctuaries which consist of two large caves. Both repositories house thousands of Buddha images, which range from mere centimetres to two meters in height. Returning to Luang Prabang by car.

In the afternoon, drive south to one of Luang Prabang’s most picturesque sights, the Kuang Si waterfall. On arrival, take a leisurely hike through the national park towards the Kuang Si waterfall. For the more adventurous, continue to the top of the main waterfall where you may choose to swim in a large pool. Transfer back to your hotel by private vehicle. Free time to explore the colorful night Bazaar. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Free time all day to explore Luang Prabang on your own or take an optional tour with Hoi An Express. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

by flight - 1 hour 15 minutes

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Luang Prabang International airport to go to Ha Noi. Upon arrival at Noi Bai International airport, pick up and transfer to the hotel. Check in and relax. Overnight in Ha Noi.

The wondrous Ha Long Bay is truly one of Vietnam’s most impressive sights. Heading out of town, we will embark by boat for an exploration of legendary Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is home to some 3000 limestone islands that rise out of the clear emerald water. The limestone karsts formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way, we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and enjoy a visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. Overnight on the cruise. 

by flight - 1 hour

After breakfast, swimming and sunbathing. After Lunch, we will depart to the airport for a flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.

Contact Ann Tailor to have a free tailor made item of clothing. Discover Hoi An’s countryside and its local foods by bicycle. Local foods in Hoi An are known and enjoyed by the tourists once setting foot here. In Hoi An, these cuisines are very popular and sold everywhere in all streets. Moreover, these cuisines are considered as unique symbols for the culture and introduced to every tourist. We will ride to a local restaurant for Hoi An specialty - Cao Lau. We then bike through the countryside to a Tra Que Village. You will also learn how to make special “white rose” dumpling cakes with a local family and taste your products. Continue riding to Cam Nam to enjoy the Yin and Yang food such as: Banh Dap (“cracked or smashed rice pancake”), Che Bap (“corn and coconut sweet soup”).

In the afternoon, visit My Son Sanctuary - an experience that should not be missed. Located in the heart of a beautiful valley and surrounded by high mountains ranges My Son was named a Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. Wander around the lost Champa Kingdom that dated back to the 3rd century, explore the temples and learn about the fascinating history behind this sanctuary of Hinduism. Overnight in Hoi An.

Exploring Hoi An Ancient Town on foot is one of the best ways to take in the city’s charm. While exploring this small yet beautiful town, tourists and frequent visitors find that it is a place of tranquility and peace. The unique atmosphere here combines elements of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese culture. Some of the most remarkable views of the town are from the Ancient Houses. From here, visitors can catch a glimpse of a long-gone past and more subdued and simple time. 

The tour includes visits to Hoi An Market, Hoi An Museum, many of the town’s renowned Ancient Houses which boast a remarkable architectural style, Assembly Halls of Chinese influence, Art Craft Manufacturing and of course the must-see Japanese Covered Bridge. These spots are considered as typical architecture styles in Hoi An and reflect clearly the cross culture among France, Japan, China and Vietnam. Passing over hundreds of years and withstanding the severity of the weather, Hoi An still exists and keeps the ancient and quiet beauty. Once strolling around the ancient city, you will contemplate the simple and rustic life activities, the trellises of windflowers covering around the houses. It is certain that this tour will bring great moments for you.

Have free time in the afternoon. Overnight in Hoi An.

The tour kicks off in style with coffee in local style then hop on your scooter to start exploring Hoi An’s hidden gems and charismatic locals. Take a drive to Cam Nam Island to visit some local houses and places where people live and work traditional lives. Visit a ship repair yard to experience the hard work involved in maintaining a local fishing boat. Then, a short drive through a local village and beautiful countryside includes a stop at an ancestor house where guests can learn more about the belief system in Vietnam. We will visit the local shoes-making shop to learn about the ancient tradition of tailoring and shoe-making in Hoi An. Before having a short break at a stall overlooking Hoi An Ancient Town and Thu Bon River, we visit a rice cracker place to observe the traditional cracker making process as well as have a taste of the yummy end-product.

Afterwards, on our drive through the countryside, you will experience the resplendent beauty of the rice paddies, grazing buffalo and monkey bridges, all of which you can take photos of. We will ride to Tra Que Village, a beautiful herb and vegetable garden which supplies vegetables for the restaurants in the ancient town. At the end of the tour, guests can unwind at a stunning beach lounge overlooking one of the best beaches in Vietnam, An Bang Beach, with a refreshing drink. Overnight in Hoi An.

Free time all day to explore the place on your own.

We will begin our evening with a dinner at a lovely local restaurant. After dinner, we will make our way to Hoi An Impression Theme Park – a Hoi An miniature - on the Hoai River. With beautiful architecture, interesting folk games, and 5 fascinating super mini-shows, as soon as the night falls, visitors will feel lost in another space with shimmering virtual fantasy, seemingly only in the old stories. When you come to the park, you will have the opportunity to enjoy sweet soup, a special kind of dessert in Vietnam. And finally, Hoi An Memories Show is a large-scale real-time show with an outdoor stage which has a capacity of 3300 spectators. The stage setting combines mountains and rivers with a 1-kilometer stage length, using more than 500 actors. Field performance shows the use of modern sound and lighting technology, with the participation of international experts in organization and production. With the purpose of conveying the most authentic historical-cultural values to the audience, making a deep impression on each audience watching the show thanks to the scale and extremely elaborate investment in both quality and quantity, Hoi An Memories Show will take the audience from one surprise to another. Overnight in Hoi An.

Have breakfast at the hotel and relax until the time of transfer to Da Nang International airport for your departure flight.