Best Of Indochina holiday

It is worth a visit to the National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a collection of artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. Today we explore some of the major sights in this faboulous city, including the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene, the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, its exterior architecture is remarkable with decorated guilded stuccoes and doorways, a “tree of life” mosaic pattern set in coloured glass on the back wall and its three tiered roofs sweeping low to the ground representing classical Laotian architecture.
Visit Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center where you will learn more about local hill tribes in Laos Ock Pop Tock weaving centre, an organization that is offering the weavers in the area the chance to earn a decent income through their weaving skills.

First we visit the morning Phousi Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, a Hmong village, Ban Ou a Laoloum village and Ban Thapene, a Khmu village. This then takes us to the beautiful Khuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. We then return to Luang Prabang. This afternoon, we embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside, before reaching the mysterious 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 return, we disembark the boat to visit traditional villages, and continue taking a short drive to Ban Phanom, a village famous for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Breakfast at hotel Free time until transfer out to the airport Upon your arrival in Noi Bai Airport, our guide and private car will greet you and transfer to hotel for check in. Overnight in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel.
Morning transfer to Ba Dinh Square – the biggest square in Hanoi where all the biggest cultural, political events of the cities, especially demonstrations, take place. Start our visit at the Complex of Ho Chi Minh including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s house-on-stilts, his fish pond and the One-Pillar Pagoda. Then, visit Hoa Lo prison, also known to American prisoners of war as the "Hanoi Hilton".
Afternoon continue the trip to the Temple of Literature first which is considered as the first university of Vietnam. Later, we have an overall view of the capital by a cyclo visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop to visit Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake). From here wandering on the narrow streets of the Old Quarter to experience the daily life of the local people. Evening highlight will be the Water Puppet Show. Overnight in Hanoi

Breakfast at hotel.
After that, we will drive to Halong via Dong Trieu ceramic town with stopover to enjoy paddy landscape and visit the ovens making ceramics in Dong Trieu. Go on to Halong, one of the earliest World Heritages Sited designated by UNESCO for Vietnam in 1994.
Check-in our boat and enjoy a lunch of fresh seafood while the boat goes about unusual seascape with thousands picturesque rocks and islets, beaches and hollow islands. We can stop to visit some karsts grottoes or just go swimming, or stop at a beach and enjoy the sunset on the sea. (Lunch and dinner with local food on board). Overnight on the boat in Halong Bay.

You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the “East Sea” by a point-oriented name “Eastern Sea”, so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Disembark and transfer direct back to Hanoi, to the airport for your flight to Saigon. Upon arrival at the airport, welcomed by the local tour guide and transfer to the city center to check in hotel. Overnight in Saigon

Breakfast at hotel.
Picked up at hotel and drive heading to My Tho the homeland of coconut and family factories with local products like coconut candy, rice paper,… Upon arrival, embark on the boat cruising on the mighty Mekong River viewing the life to the local people live along the banks. We stop at one of 4 island in the area for sightseeing. Enjoy the fresh tropical fruits served in the heart of the garden accompanied by traditional southern Vietnamese folk music at the plantation. After that you will embark on the small boats rowed the the local people thru the small cannels with water coconut tree to visit the local factories. There you will taste the honey tea and see the local people produce the coconut candy milk and of course you also can try it or stroll in the garden where the locals feed honeybee. After that enjoy the horse-cart trip through the tranquil road of the village. We continue getting on the big boat to visit the vast area. Afternoon, drive back to Saigon with stop to visit Vinh Trang pagoda, a famous pogoda in the area that its architecture is a mix of Chinese, Cambodian, and French culture. Overnight at hotel in Saigon.

Breakfast at hotel.
Morning, we start the city tour at the Reunification Palace, the witness of the fierce Vietnam War ended in 1975. The grand building today is a Museum and Hall of official receptions. Nearby the Palace are the colonial-styled Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877 and 1883 and one of the city’s major landmarks. Have a walking tour on Nguyen Hue street to take the photos of the Opera House and the Ho Chi Minh Committee (outside). From here, walking to Ben Thanh Market one of the most typical symbol of Saigon to experience the daily life of the locals and do shopping the hand-made goods there.
Afternoon visit Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Vietnamese guerillas during the conflict. At its peak, prior to the Tet Offensive in 1968, the tunnel complex was base to almost 10,000 troops. To this day, it remains one of the most impressive examples of how fierce the war used to be. You even can try to crawl some dozens of m on the tunnel underground to have the real experience. Return to Saigon and have rest of the day at your leisure.
Overnight in Saigon.

Breakfast at the hotel. Free until check out time and transfer to the airport for the departure flight back to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, welcome by tour guide in Siem Reap, transfer to check in hotel. Then visit West Baray Big Pond, a “baray” is a water reservoir built by the ancient Khmer people. It is time to visit Pre Rup temple for a romantic sunset view. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at hotel, explore South Gate of Angkor Thom known as Big Angkor, 3km2 walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian Empire, The famous Bayon Temple was an architectural muddle, in part because it was constructed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion for over a century. Terrace of the Elephants is an impressive, two and a half meter tall, 300 meter long terrace wall adorned with carved elephants and gradual that spans the heart of Angkor Thom in front of Baphuon - huge temple mountain in the heart of Angkor Thom, Royal Palace Area and Phimeanakas - impressive rite and sandstone pyramid. Terrace of the Leper King is at the north end of the Terrace of the Elephants, a double terrace wall with deeply carved nag as, demons and other mythological beings. Last you will visit Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty! Giant trees have grown here for centuries.
Afternoon visit Angkor Wat temple, the founder of the temple was Suryavarman II who reined Cambodia from 1113 to 1152 and built the five towers in the 12th century to dedicate to the Hindu God Vishnu. The plan of the pyramidal conception of the temple combined with spaces, alleys, ditches is an ancient masterpiece of architectural design and construction. Have funny time at bars and pubs at Angkor night market. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at hotel, morning visit Wat Thmei (Killing Field) contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. Come back to visit the "Les Artisans d'Angkor – Chantiers Ecole" the Finest Authentic Khmer Arts and Crafts.
Afternoon visit Floating Villages, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap! Take a ride in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia and the largest in Asia. Here you’ll see plenty of examples of the Khmer way of life on the Tonle Sap. Then visit Wat Bo founded in the 18th century, a highly respected pagoda contains very unique wall paintings of the Reamker (Ramayana) that are said to be late 19th century and Local Market. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at hotel, free leisure on own arrangement until time transfer to airport for flight onwards! On the way if there is time we will visit Puok, the real and original place of the Artisans d’Angkor silk, where you will see the full process of silk producing, from the silk worms munch on the Mulberry leaves to spin their cocoons which used to make silk warp. You of course will see the weaving work and purchase the high quality silk products as a beautiful Cambodia souvenir. Straight to Siemreap airport for your departure.