Indochina Tour with Bangkok Extension 21 Days

Arrival in Hanoi and you’ll be met and driven to your hotel

Overnight in Hanoi.

The capital of Vietnam, a city that celebrated 1.000 years in 2010 has countless fascinating cultural and historic sites and our days’ tour will visit the highlights. See the grand Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Oct-Nov), the ‘icon of Hanoi’ – The One Pillar Pagoda, the beautiful Temple of Literature, West Lake’s Tran Quoc temple as well as the fascinating Ethnology Museum, the bustling Old Quarter, Ngoc Son temple and The Restored Sword Lake. Taking one hour cyclo tour around the Old Quarter to enjoy the beauty of Hanoi Old city. Having lunch at a nice restaurant. Enjoy a water puppet show in the afternoon. 

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Depart from Hanoi at 8.00 for a 3.5 hours drive to Halong City through the Red River Delta. Upon arrival, get on board of the Treasure Junk. Start cruising to the boundaries of Halong bay while lunch with fresh seafood is served (vegetarian and kids menus available).

We reach the perfect spot, remote and scenic, where the waters of Halong and Bai Tu Long hit and wave together. Let’s get ready for serious things. Swimming suits, ok. Kayaks and tender boat, ok. Paddles and gears, ok. Let's start our closer exploration of the limestone rocks. 

Get back on board to refresh and start the aperitif on the sundeck before dinner is served. Overnight on board

Wake up and enjoy breakfast while witnessing the silence of beautiful misty bay. You'll be free to relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery on sundeck, take fantastic photos of the bay. 

We hop on our tender boat to go visiting a secluded floating village surrounded by the mountains. We spawn our way between numerous floating houses and small rowing boats that serve the everyday life as vehicle, itinerant shops, fishing utility, sometimes overnight shelter.

Lunch will be served while cruising back to the harbor. Back to Hanoi

Overnight in Hanoi

Our driver will meet you and take you the short distance to the UNESCO World Heritage ancient town of Hoi An.Take a walking tour of Hoi An, a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries, and enjoy the traditional architecture and relaxed lifestyle.

Visit the centuries-old homes of merchants, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the colorful, bustling market…

Evening free to have dinner and explore the town

Overnight in Hoi An

Leaving Hoi An for My Son HolyLand.Arriving in My Son – the Holyland surrounded by the marvelous mountains, 48km west of Hoi An. My Son was chosen as a religious center, built in the late 4th century under the Cham’s King Bhadravaman. It is a huge religious complex with over 70 towers and temples of different architectures. Wander through the elaborate carvings and sculptures of the Cham people, tourists are welcomed at the Old Tower of the Cham.

Spend 2 hours to enjoy and discover the beauty of Ancient buildings at of the Champa Kingdom with our tour guide.

Leaving My Son for boat station and taking a boat trip on Thu Bon river. You could visit the living of the local people and feeling the fresh air. You will have soft lunch on the boat and see the beautiful views along the river.

The boat trip will finish at Bach Dang Boat station. tour finishes

Overnight in Hoi An

Flight to Ho Chi Minh.

Enjoy a memorable evening on a cruise on Ho Chi Minh City's sparkling Saigon river. Watch a mix of traditional & contemporary performances while indulging on a wide selection of fresh and homemade dishes presented on the interactive buffet stations.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

In the morning, drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a 124 mile long network of tunnels built by the Vietcong with only hand tools over a 25-year period, connecting command posts, hospitals, shelters, and weapon factories to defend against French and American troops which were never discovered.  We’ll visit a local rice paper workshops, nice paddy fields are pleasant sights on the way. Return to Saigon before lunch.

In the afternoon, we will visit Chi Minh City's vibrant Chinatown, known as Cholon, to explore its colorful streets filled with Chinese architecture and traditional medicine shops. Immerse yourself in local life at the bustling Binh Tay market, witnessing lively trading between merchants and Vietnamese farmers. Next, visit Thien Hau Temple, an early 19th-century pagoda dedicated to the goddess protecting seafarers. Conclude the journey at the historic Reunification Palace, a symbolic landmark that played a significant role from peacetime through the Vietnam War’s end in 1975

Overnight at hotel.

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Morning we leave Saigon for My Tho. First visit Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda –one of the most beautiful and famous landmarks in the region.
Upon arrival, board a motorboat and head out on the mighty Mekong to Xuan Dong Islet. In contrast to many of the overly visited Mekong islands, we choose Xuan Dong for its quieter, less crowded, and more authentic slice of Mekong life. Hop on a bike and savor the leisurely time to explore and pedal through this green and unspoiled island. Make frequent stops for photos and glimpses and of the daily lives of local villagers. We also visit a 'Coconut Artisan' village, enjoy some honeyed tea at the to check out the workshops where a range of coconut husk and fiber products are skillfully handcrafted.

We next take a small sampan along Vam Chua canal, gliding peacefully along the hidden waterways surrounded by immense variety of tropical plants. The quiet, rural setting is a welcome and restorative retreat to the frenetic buzz of Saigon which seems far, far away. We then stop for lunch at a local restaurant. At last we'll reboard the boat to head back to My Tho and start the drive back to Saigon. 

Overnight at hotel

Take flight to Siem Reap on arrival you are picked up and upon arrival take a boat trip to ‘Kampong Phluk’ a collection of three small fishing villages in an atmospheric flooded forest setting.  Cruise through the village and see unique houses on stilts, and Cambodians at work in the floating forest.   Our boat will meander slowly through forest canals, allowing you to catch glimpses of flora and fauna, and see a truly beautiful eco-system.
Note: Alternative from the Tonle Sap Lake during the dry season from 01 Mar – 31 June the group will visit Phare The Cambodia Circus instead. Siem Reap’s most unique, authentic top rated evening entertainment. More than just a circus, Phare performers use theater, music, dance and modern circus arts to tell uniquely Cambodian stories; historical, folk and modern. The young circus artists will astonish you with their energy, emotion, enthusiasm and talent. 

In the early morning, we enjoy our time with sunrise at Angkor Wat then back to hotel for breakfast.

We start our tour to South Gate of Angkor Thom, then go to Angkor Thom(the temple) which was built by Angkors greatest king, Jayavarman VII.

The major attraction of Angkor Thom is the Bayon, whose exact function and symbolism is still unknown until now, then go to Baphoun which is one of the most spectacular of Angkors temples in its heyday; Terrace of the Elephants was used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the kings grand audience hall; Terrace of the Leper King is another of Angkors mysteries.

In the afternoon visit the World Seventh Wonder which is well known as Angkor Wat, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia.

Angkor wat stretch over some 400 sq. km, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire.

Water travel from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh has always been difficult due to the ever changing water levels on the Tonle Sap Lake, even in the wet season when the water levels are high enough you have other issues, such as storms on the lake that can make the crossing treacherous. Also the sheer boredom of crossing the lake as there is nothing to see apart from vast swathes of water.

We have overcome these issues by traveling part way round the lake in our luxury private sedan/minivan to meet up with the TonleSap River or the Mekong river (depending on weather conditions) and board our luxury special designed double hulled cruiser, the Mekong Tara Prince (once owned by the Prince of Cambodia) or our special Mekong Explorer and cruise down the beautiful Tonle Sap River and Mekong River to Phnom Penh.

This way you get to see the awesome river and rural life on the river together with rural life on land. The best of both worlds without the boredom.

Guests are picked up from their hotels or guesthouses in Siem Reap at 8am before being transferred by our luxury private air conditioned minivan to Prek Kdam on the Tonle Sap River or Roka Kaong on the Mekong River (depending on weather conditions) taking in the stunning scenery as we drive through pristine Cambodian countryside and through traditional rural villages (approx. 4 hrs).

Upon arrival at Riverboat guests will be welcomed aboard by our cruise guides and will receive a welcome drink. Lunch will be served on board, consisting of a BBQ (vegetarians options available,let us know at time of booking) fresh local fruits and a welcome drink,(drinks available for purchase on board) as we cruise along the river south towards Phnom Penh. Seeing life along the river is an amazing experience and our special vessel has a unique double hull which allows us to travel closer to the riverbanks and also explore the narrow waterways on route (approx. 4.5 hrs).

Arrival at Phnom Penh dock at approx 4:30pm and free transfer to your hotel or guesthouse.

The capital city of Phnom Penh was once considered the loveliest city of Indochina. Despite its recent turbulent history, it still maintains considerable charm. A city tour acquaints us with some major sights of Phnom Penh.

This morning start visit Wat Phnom (rebuild in 1434, 1806, 1894 and 1926), a small hill crowned by an active Wat (Pagoda) marks the legendary founding place of the Phnom Penh.

In the afternoon, visit National Museum, it was build in 1917 and designed in Khmer style by famed French architect Georges Groslier & Ecole Des Arts. The museum has a good collection of Khmer sculptures dating from the pre-Angkor period (4th centuries) to post-Angkor period (14th centuries).

Then visit Royal Palace; built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, Silver Pagoda, Located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles.

When you exit from the Royal Palaces, continue your visit to the riverfront, it is the most popular place for the tourist. The view of the confluence of Mekong and Tonle Sap River is the geographically unique.

Transfer to airport for flight to Vientiane. Arriving at Vientiane airport, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll spend the night in Vientiane.

Explore the city by visiting the oldest wat in Vientiane, Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which now serves as a museum of arts and antiques.  We then travel up Lanexang Avenue you will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxai Monument, which resembles its Parisian inspiration, the Arc de Triomphe.  The climb to the top offers great views over Vientiane.   We continue onwards down Rue Singha 23 to Laos’ National icon, and most important religious building the golden stupa of That Luang.  The final visit of the morning will be the excellent COPE exhibition centre, highlighting a much overlooked aspect of Laos and a major problem many of the local people face on a day to day basis in the form of unexploded ordnance as a result of heavy bombing campaigns during the Vietnam War area.

In the afternoon we visit the quirky yet impressive Buddha Park, an enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures on the banks of the Mekong River.   By no means historic – Buddha Park was built in the 1950’s by a self styled ‘holy man’ – the park features some very photogenic and unusual sculptures, including a huge reclining Buddha, and a giant pumpkin.  Upon returning to Vientiane we have the optional of stopping at the Lao Disabled Womens Centre, which provides valuable training and schooling for disabled women in Laos.  The women here are friendly, and its interesting to have a chat with them to find out about their lives.   A spectacular view of the Mekong River at sunset is a perfect way to finish the day.  

Overnight at hotel.

Your half day city tour starts with a visit to the quaint Royal Palace Museum, which gives a good overview of the local history.  Our next stop is Wat Visoun, known as ‘The Water Melon Stupa’ due to its shape. Next we visit the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, with its roof sweeping low to the ground, representing the classical Luang Prabang style. We also visit the excellent Arts and Ethnology Centre which gives us a great insight into the ethnic mix and culture of Laos.  Our final stop of the day is a climb Mt Phousi, which offers a spectacular sunset and a panoramic view over Luang Prabang and the Mekong River.

Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, we board a private boat for a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which gives us a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside. Our first stop is the village of Ban Muangkeo where we start a short trek to reach the mysterious caves of Pak Ou, two caves set in a limestone cliff facing the Mekong River crammed with thousands Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes.   We then return to Luang Prabang by boat, stopping at Ban Nongxai, an artisans village.  We arrive back in Luang Prabang in time for lunch.

In the afternoon we drive out to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the turquoise pool or walk along the forest trails.   Next to the falls is a Bear Rescue Centre, that does a great job in protecting and rehabilitating the rare Asiatic Black Bear.  We then return to Luang Prabang by early evening.

Overnight at hotel.

Free time at leisure, before being transferred to the airport for your flight.

Flight to Bangkok then transferred to hotel.

Overnight in Bangkok

After breakfast we tours visit to Royal Grand Palace, dedicated to the Thai Royal Family’s ceremony.

In the same compound is the magnificent Wat Phra Kaew, which is famous for the Emerald Buddha Image. After visit these complex we followed by visit to Wat Pho a house gigantic Reclining Buddha.

We will board on a long tail boat trip along the Chao Phraya River and the many lively inner canals which offer some fantastic views of the local life close up. Along the way we make stopover at Wat Arun, the temple of Dawn, before lunch at a floating restaurant. In the afternoon, we will drive visit the Wat Traimit is well known as the Golden Buddha.

Return to hotel and free for relaxing

Make our way to Mae Klong, home to one of the Bangkok area's most unique sights: the railway market. This surreal shopping experience is carefully orchestrated around the train schedules; vendors set up their stalls right on the edge of the tracks - some even on the tracks themselves - selling fresh produce, handmade fabrics and more. Like clockwork, when a train approaches, sellers and shoppers alike move themselves and their belongings aside before resuming business as usual as soon as it leaves - you have to see it to believe it!
Having enjoyed this incredible taste of Bangkok life - and hopefully sampled some local delicacies too - you'll set back off on your route. The next stop will be at a palm sugar plantation, where one of Thailand's most important ingredients is produced. You'll discover the sugar processing process and even taste some sweet local delicacies based on the crop.
Your tour will then continue onto the water, taking a boat trip through the narrow canals which have earned this area the nickname "the Venice of the East". It's here that you'll discover the floating market of Damnoean Saduak, one of the most famous markets in Thailand. You'll then climb back onto land and walk around the rest of the market, taking in the lively atmosphere of typical Bangkok daily life.

Embark on a guided day trip to the World Heritage site of Ayutthaya, the old capital of Siam, and visit 4 of the historical city's most remarkable temples. Travel from Bangkok in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle or choose to join the tour at your first stop in Ayutthaya, Wat Lokayasutha. This temple is known for its giant reclining Buddha image, one of the few structures remaining intact here.

Your next stop is Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, being part of the royal palace complex this is where royalty performed rituals. It is considered the most important temple of Ayutthaya.

Then, visit Wat Mahathat Ayutthaya. One of the oldest and most significant temples in the history of Ayutthaya, it once housed the Buddha's holy relic. Admire the famous Buddha head entwined within the roots of a Bodhi tree.

After, tuck into a hearty lunch at a local Thai restaurant, where your guide will be available to advise on local culinary specialties.

Last but not least, finish your trip at the grand, riverside Wat Chaiwattanaram. Marvel at its compelling architectural style, influenced by the Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia, as you wander around the monumental grounds.

Overnight hotel in Bangkok

Today free to explore the city on your own until time transfer to the airport for your flight departure.