Grand Indochina Discovery

Today you will visit the historic Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum, followed by the architectural treats of French colonial Notre Dame Cathedral and the Post Office. After lunch in a Vietnamese restaurant you will go on a road trip to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height the tunnel system stretched over 200km, from Saigon to the Cambodian border and is three levels deep. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels are a major tourist attraction, giving to the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life in the American war must have been. The tunnels have been widened for our benefit (otherwise you would not be able to enter them!). Return to HCMC late in the afternoon for your overnight stay.

In the morning you will have a road trip from your hotel in Saigon to Cai Be town where you will start your boat sail through the natural canal. First, visit Cai Be floating market and view the stilt houses and the fruit plantations along the riversides. The boat takes you to the river island where you enjoy a delicious lunch in the heart of the orchard. After lunch, continue on cruising through the natural canal in the island and under the shadow of the water coconut trees. You will also visit the local families where you can experience the agricultural lifestyle. Walking through the fruit plantations in An Binh Island, take a rowing boat sealing along the creeks before coming to Vinh Long by motorized boat. Then you will meet your vehicle to drive to Can Tho city for your overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel, spend this morning for a boat trip to visit the Cai Rang Floating market, one of the busiest floating markets in the South East Asia.  After watching how locals live and  market their products on boats and purchase among them, the boat takes you back to North bank of Hau river where you will be driven back to HCMC for your overnight stay. Stop en route for lunch.

Transfer to Tan San Nhat airport for flight to Danang. On arrival, you will visit to Cham Museum and handicraft villages on the foot of Marble Mountain . Drive to Hoian for your overnight in Hoi An.

A half-day walking tour takes you through the narrow streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200- year old Tam Ky ancestral house and Japanese Covered Bridge. Rest of the day is free for shopping. Hoian is the paradise of silk made clothes. Overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast, you will take an excursion to My Son Sanctuary to discover the majestic ancient ruins including the ancient towers, which were built in the fourth century. On the way back to Hoian town, you will take a boat trip to visit Thanh Ha Pottery and Kim Bong Carpentry Villages. Overnight in Hoian.

Morning transfer to Hue passing over Hai Van cloudy pass, you arrive Hue around noon. You will take a boat to visit Hon Chen Temple, Thien Mu Pagoda and Minh Mang Tomb. Overnight in Hue.

This morning, you will continue to visit Ancient Citadel, Forbidden Purple City, Tu Duc Tomb and Dong Ba Market. Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Hue.

Morning flight to Hanoi. You will visit Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, Ethnology Museum and Hoa Lo Prison. An hour on cyclo around the Old Quarter called 36 streets gives you an insight of Hanoian’s life, followed by Water Puppet Show. Overnight in Hanoi.

Morning drive along high way 1 further south to Hoa Lu, which used to be Vietnam’s Ancient Capital dated back in 9th century.  You will spend an hour visiting the Dinh and Le sanctuaries that are the two remaining temples of the ancient citadel of Hoa Lu. The first one is dedicated to Dinh Tien Hoang known as Dinh Bo Linh, an Emperor from the Dinh Dynasty. The second one is dedicated to Le Hoan, previously Dinh Dynasty’s General and lately became the emperor of Le Dynasty. King Dinh successfully conquered Vietnam’s first independent rulers, the Chinese Ngo Dynasty. On his slowly poisoned death in 980, General Le Hoan wisely married King Dinh’s widow wife and set up the Le Dynasty and enlarged the citadel. You will move on to Tam Coc meaning 3 caves for a 2 hour boat ride along the Ngo Dong River. This area is considered as Ha Long Bay on land due to the similar topography.  Return to Hanoi to catch a night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on the  train.

Arrive in Lao Cai station in the early morning, breakfast right in restaurant near station after getting off train. Transfer to Sapa for hotel check-in. Continue for a walking tour to the hilltribe villages of Cat Cat, a home to the H'mong ethnic minority peoples. You will walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa and meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.

Morning take a walk for a daily market and then set out on your  3-4 hour venture that will take along buffalo paths and trails and through several hilltribe villages of Lao Chai and Tavan, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. Stop for lunch on the way to Ta Van village. Transfer to Lao Cai station for night train back to Hanoi. Overnight on the train.

Early morning arrive in Hanoi railway station, breakfast will be our typical prior to departing to Halong. Sip on a refreshing welcome drink upon check in before beginning cruising through the bay. Feast on a delicious lunch as cruising among hundreds of islets (Dinh Huong islet, Ga Choi – Fighting Cock islet, Dog islet, Finger islet, etc.) to discover unspoilt pockets of Halong Bay and visit Sung Sot cave, one of the most imposing grottos of the Bay. Swim at Soi Sim beach or Titov beach or a short trek to the top of Titov mountain for a magnificent panorama scenery.

After visiting Amazing cave, take a kayaking from Soi Sim beach to Luon Cave to enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the bay (or from Bo Nau cave, to Soi Sim beach to TiTov). Enjoy your dinner with fresh seafood on board. Squid fishing or relax and chatting with your partner, friends, family. Overnight on board.

For early risers complimentary tea, coffee, fruit and cake are served. Visit Luon cave on small bamboo boat paddle by out crew staff and enjoy the quiet atmosphere enclosed by high islets and mountains. Be back to our Huong Hai Junk. Sail past rock formations such as Man’s Head islet, Tortoise islet, Butterfly cave, Lion islet, Bai Tho mountain, enjoy the tranquil scenery as the boat meanders its way through the bay on the way back to Ha Long city, etc. Check out onboard at around 10.00 am. Enjoy a wholesome brunch as boat weaving through strange-shaped limestone rock formations.

Arrive back at Ha Long city for disembarkation, return to Hanoi for your overnight stay.

Morning flight to Luangphrabang. Welcome upon arrival Luang Prabang. Transfer to hotel for check-in. Free and leisure time. Dinner. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

After breakfast, you will visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa ; the Wat Mai which built in 1796, the five-tiered roof of the wooden Sim (chapel) epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style and the Wat Xieng Thong further emphasizes the uniqueness of Luang Prabang, its several roofs sweeping low to the ground and the National museum (the former king's palace). Climb up 350 steps to the top of the Phou Sii hill to visit the Wat Phu Sii and enjoy commanding views for many miles in each direction. and climb up the Phousi hill for overlooking the city. Back to hotel for leisure or shopping at night market, where hundred of Hmong vendors display their handmade handicraft. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Take a Mekong Riverboat trip on the mighty Mekong River to visit the famous & sacred Pak Ou Buddha Caves - home to many thousands of Buddha images that were placed here by local people since 16th century - overlooking the confluence of the Mekong & Ou Rivers. On the way back to Luang Prabang visit Por Sa Paper Handicraft & Textile area at Ban Xang Khong. The rest of the day is free at leisure or take an optional trip of an elepand ride in the forest. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Take a flight to Vientiane. On arrival, you will visit the Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues, huge golden That Luang monument.  Lunch at local restaurant. Overnight in Vientiane.

Free at leisure till transferring  to airport for your flight to Siem Reap. On arrival, you will take an walking orientation tour of  Siem Reap.  Rest of the day is free at your own pace. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Transfer to visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom,  the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch at local restaurant.

In the afternoon transfer to visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Continue visit the Ta Prohm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som, built in late 12th century C.E. the most distant temple on the grand circuit, small but classic. Preah Khan temple, Lunch before continue to visit the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths" was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Ta Keo, constructed in late 10th early 11th century C.E, the first temple to be constructed wholly of sandstone. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Today, you will take a boat on Tonle Sap Lake, which is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia. The Tonlé sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997. It is unusual for two reasons: its flow changes direction twice a year, and the portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons. From November to May, Cambodia's dry season, the Tonlé sap drains into the Mekong River at Phnom Penh. However, when the year's heavy rains begin in June, the Tonlé sap backs up to form an enormous lake. Rest of the day is at your own pace. Oevrnight in Siem Reap.

Morning flight to Phnomenh. On arrival, you will visit National Museum of Khmer Art, Silver Pagoda, on the same ground of the Royal Palace and renowned Wat Phnom. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon, visit Toul Sleng Museum and the renowned Central Market. Dinner and overnight in Phnom Penh.

This morning, you will take a short excusion to Killing Fields, which  are a number of sites in Cambodia where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the Khmer Rouge regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, immediately after the end of the Cambodian Civil War (1970–1975).

Rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast, free for shopping before transferring to the airport for your flight home. End of services.