Highlights Of Cambodia, Vietnam And Laos , 15 days

On arrival at Siem Reap  Airport, you are greeted by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer.  You may have free time to relax and catch your first glimpse of Siem Reap Town, a gateway to the ruins of Angkor Temple Complex, which is regarded as the largest religious structure in the world. . This archeological site stretches over an forested area of some 400 square kilometers and contains the magnificent remains from the different capitals of the Khmer Empire between  802 AD and 1350 AD. They range from stunning architectural marvels to ordinary edifices full of rubble and will make for an exciting exploration in forthcoming days. No activity planned for this afternoon, you have some time free to  explore Siem Reap Town at your leisure. This urban center has grown up from a relatively small backwater town into the fastest growing settlement in Cambodia. The vibrant downtown is tightly packed with small eating spots, shop houses, luminous bars, and bustling old market, offering an interesting exploration. Today you can take an optional visit to the Angkor National Museum, a showpiece on the Khmer civilisation and the majesty of Angkor. The rich collection of Angkorian artifacts remains a very useful experience for first-time visitors, putting the story of Angkor and the Khmer empire in context before exploring the temples. This optional activity is not included; however, your guide is in hand to provide you with some suggestion. 

The majestic monuments draw a line for our exploration of Angkor Complex.  We start this day tour with Angkor Thom, an epic collection of striking structures encompassed in quadrangle area. The best preserved South Gate comes into view with a causeway fringed with 54 demons and 54 gods pulling a giant snake. This scene is focusing on a famous Hindu story in bygone time. We walk through two ranges of status on a cosmic scale to the gate tower with colossal human faces carved in stone. The walkway leads us to  the Royal Enclosure where remains some  mysterious ruins, including the Royal Palace, Phimeanakas Temple, and  Royal Terraces. These structures built from perishable materials have long vanished. The memorable climax of our visit is Bayon Temple  built in the centre of Angkor Thom. This enigmatic complex contains  54 towers, each topped off with the four faces of  Compassion Buddha. Upon leaving Angkor Thom Area , we take a short drive to  the architectural masterpiece of Angkor Wat. The iconic monument  of the entire complex was built in the 12th century and reflects a perfect fusion of symbolism and symmetry, bringing the pride and strength to all Khmers. The distinctive five towers of this temple are now emblazoned on the Cambodian flag. We stroll around this massive monument, unraveling the mysteries of the bas-reliefs from Hindu mythology to the glories of the Khmer empire. The footsteps lead through the upper levels of the inner sanctuary to the sacred heart of Angkor Wat, a blend of spirituality and symmetry. We round out day tour with a walk up the Pre Rup Temple to enjoy the spectacular sunset over these sandstone monuments.

Heading out of the town, we drive beyond the towering Angkor Complex  to Banteay Srey Temple. This intricately carved temple despite the lack in size is still a jewel in the crown of Angkor-era sculpture. The architecture style features a mixture of the archaic concept and the innovative materials since Banteay Srey Temple  was largely built from sandstone in pinkish hue, with brick and laterite used for the enclosure walls and some structural elements. We stroll around this beautiful landmark and admire the marvelous sculpture at every step. Upon leaving Banteay Srey , we keep driving to see Banteay Samre, which is adorned with striking relief depicting the scenes of Vishunu and  Krishna. Today we also have time to visit Prasat Kravan with a line of five brick towers, and Srah Srang which was once used for the royal baths and the ritual bathing. The following stop is Banteay Kdei Temple, a monastic complex of  enclosure walls, concentric galleries and towers. We venture into the jungle where Ta Prohm Temple is standing.  This famous structure is relatively untouched for centuries by its secluded location. There are enormous fig trees and creepers which embrace themselves in temple stone foundation, giving it a distinctive feature. The sightseeing also includes Neak Pean, which is originally designed for the medical purposes with four connected pools representing water, earth, fire and  wind. We continue onto  Preah Khan , a good counterpoint to Ta Prohm Temple.  The large ruin of Preah Khan was all but partly destroyed by the climate impact. However, it is till interesting to walk around, exploring the legends, towered enclosures and  shoulder hugging corridors.

The temple exploration is not only activity in Siem Reap Town. We spend this morning on a boat trip out, to discover Tonle Sap Lake, one of the largest natural fresh water bodies in  Southeast Asia. The traditional boat navigates along a small river towards this large lake, giving us a chance to see friendly children on small boat, many vendors making a shift floating market, and fishermen pulling in day catch. Along the way we anchor to visit a floating village where are everything from schools, shop houses to police station. The village life goes on as it would anywhere else in Cambodia. This enjoyable stop gives a good insight into the lifestyle of local people who call this grand lake their home and mostly rely on the lake for their livelihood. They may move from a place to place following the water level and current of Tonle Sap Lake. We leave Siem Reap for Luang Prabang, Laos on an afternoon flight. On arrival at Luang Prabang Airport,  you are greeted by our guide and transferred to your hotel.  This ancient town is strikingly built on a peninsula formed by the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers. The  human life  has been recognized in Luang Prabang for over thousand years; however, it began a prosperous time, once being the royal capital of the Lane Xang Kingdom. This remarkably preserved town with saffron-clad monks, exquisite cuisine, gleaming temples, vibrant cultural traditions, distinctive artwork, relaxing atmosphere, traditional wooden houses and colonial style structures, becomes an unforgettably beautiful destination.

The morning mist clears over Luang Prabang, revealing a charming environment of French colonial buildings, intricate Buddhist temples, and cobble brick streets. Today we stroll along the narrow streets and visit the  famous temple of Wat Xieng Thong, a striking temple which overlooks  the two rivers of  Mekong and  Nam Khan. The temple structure is decorated in various ways with gilded stuccoes and doorways, featuring an elaborate tree of life mosaic and  intricately carved walls. We follow it with the former Royal Palace, which is a showcase of Lao traditional and French architecture style. This mansion has been changed into the National Museum where display many artifacts and treasures dating from the early king period right through the last sovereign. The following stop is  Wat Mai, a large and nicely decorated temple in Luang Prabang, which is extensively adorned with black and red lacquer decoration and gold leaf. Not doubt the oldest temple in this town is Wat Visoun, but this sacred structure is mainly destroyed by invaders from southern China. However, it is still interesting to have a look at the replica built over the original temple ground.  We visit this site  and embark on a walk uphill along  the zigzag path of 318 steps on Phousi Hill , which is topped by a glittering golden stupa. This rising shrine  dominates Luang Prabang skyline and lends  a panoramic view  from the townscape to the rugged surrounding mountains.

As an early bird, you can see the sunrise ceremony of “Arm Giving”  when many saffron-clad monks walk along the streets to collect offerings from the faithful residents and visitors. This old age tradition remains very unique in Laos, which is the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. We embark a local boat and navigate  along the mighty Mekong River towards  the Pakou Caves, one of the most sacred sites in Luang Prabang. This river trip takes anything within two and three hours, depending on the water level and gives us time to admire the undulating mountain scenery and the riverside life. On arrival at the Pakou Caves, we follow an easy walkway up to visit this religious site which is   crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes, all brought here by devout villagers. We catch an impressive view over the junction of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers before we take a drive back to Luang Prabang Town. Along the way we make a stop to visit  Ban Xang Hai, a  riverside village which is used  to distill the rice  alcohol in traditional way. You  taste this potent whisky and make fun with the local people before heading to Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Lek.  These villages dominated by Lu hill tribe people are famous for the paper and weaving production, ideal for anyone who is interested in textiles, crafts and handmade souvenirs. We have free time to explore Luang Prabang Town before our flight to Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. You are met by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer.  

Today, we spend our time to explore Hanoi, taking a short drive  through diverse streets encompassing a millennium of the city culture and evolution to the Ba Dinh Square. This park setting contains the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (close on Mon. and Fri. and Oct. to Nov) and the Ho Chi Minh Residence. We queue up for a walk past silent sentries, paying a homage to Ho Chi Minh before  continuing  to his residence, a simple stilt house set in a well-tended garden. He has lived and worked in this place until his final days. Nearby this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, of which the origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi City. We visit all of them and head to the Temple of Literature. This well-preserved temple is now dedicated to the scholars of Confucius but was once the first university of Vietnam. The successful candidate records are still found in various stone steles set over giant stone turtles in the temple ground. We keep going to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (close on Mon.) where display in both outdoor and indoor sections, various documents, images and objects focusing on 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. The sightseeing tour takes us past various attractions, including Tran Quoc Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple, West Lake, Long Bien Bridge, and Opera House. There are no stops planned as it is simply a glimpse of the cityscape. We finish a round of city tour  with a fantastic water puppet show followed by a pleasant walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi.

The incredible limestone outcroppings form a spectacular seascape of Halong Bay, making it an incomparable natural wonder in Vietnam. Heading out of the town, we travel by road to Halong Bay. This journey takes anything between three and four hours, passing through the beautiful countryside  to the stone formations of Halong Bay. We are  welcomed on board  with refreshing drinks and get some information about the watercraft and the activity program. The exciting excursion begins as our boat zigzags itself in Halong Bay. Along the way, we feast on a huge lunch (veg. meals also available on request), catching some beautiful views of the bay with a blend of the sky and limestone islets jutting out from the clear and emerald water. These rocky outcrops  are usually named by their distinctive shapes and littered with tiny beaches and beautiful caves. You spend this afternoon to simply admire the splendid scenery unfolding beyond your eyes or go for some activities; rowing boat excursion, swimming and kayaking (optional). We can improve our culinary skill while participating in a cooking class in the flavor of the sea. The master chef will show the guests how to make some traditional Vietnamese delicacies. We follow it  with a sumptuous dinner and enjoy some evening entertainment at the dining room. There are also possibilities to try your hand at squid fishing from our boat.

The early light begins washing the night away, unveiling the marvelous beauty of Halong Bay. You can participate in a Taichi exercise on the sundeck and may get a chance to catch some wonderful photos of the sunrise over Halong Bay. The boat trip continues past many imposing  islands, giving us a new exploration of this beautiful bay.  We can spend our time at leisure or step onto a tender to visit Sung Sot, one of the many beautiful caves hidden beneath towering cliffs. The uphill walkway with nearly 100 steps is somewhat arduous; however, the panoramic view from nearby boat pier to rocky islands in the far distance, makes the hardship all worthwhile. We enjoy this splendid landscape before we start the exploration of Sung Sot Cave. This remarkable cave is naturally adorned with countless stalactite and stalagmite formations. They stretch amazingly from floor to ceiling, forming various pillars to support the cave dome. The illuminating spotlights of various colors within the stone formations add more enchantment to this beautiful cave. We come back to our cruise and weave our way through a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars towards Tuan Chau Marina. The wonderful time in Halong Bay is left behind as we depart for Hanoi and take a short flight to Da Nang in central Vietnam. On arrival at Da Nang Airport, you are met by our guide and driven to Hoi An Town.

The multiple style architecture, colorful shopping areas, diverse food tastes, beautiful countryside  and pristine beaches make Hoi An, one of the most delightful places in Vietnam. This ancient town was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced by a myriad of traders from various cultures between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. We enjoy a morning walking tour to explore Hoi An Ancient Town where Japanese legacy,  Vietnamese tube houses, ornate temples and Chinese shop houses are still standing to present the unique traditional townscape . We follow  the narrow walking streets dotted with many shop houses to the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge . This structure  was first constructed in 1590s by the Japanese traders  to link them with the Chinese quarters. The ornamentation has remained relatively faithful to the original Japanese design over centuries. We continue onto the Museum of Trade Ceramics, a beautifully restored timber house where displays many relics of the bygone civilization and the origins of this port town. Upon leaving this museum, we head towards the  typical Phung Hung House, a gem with a mixture of Japanese and Chinese architectural elements. This ancient house was built by a Vietnamese family two centuries ago and has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. We follow it with the Chua Ong Pagoda and the  Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. This colorful building is  one of the five well-known halls in Hoi An. You spend the rest of this day at leisure, to relax on Cua Dai Beach, stroll around the vibrant waterfront, make some fine garments at famous tailor shops or go on one of many optional trips.

Upon leaving Hoi An Town, we set off on our drive to Da  Nang City. Along the way, we make stop to see the sensational Marble Mountain. The five rocky outcrops are said to represent the five natural elements of the universe; fire, water, earth, wood and metal. The long steep staircase may involve some hardship to see this mountain top. However, you can take an optional cable car ride with small  extra fees. We continue our drive to visit the  famous Cham Museum, formerly the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient. This beautiful mansion contains many exquisite limestone carvings from the vanquished Kingdom of Champa that has been in central coastal littoral prior to the march of the Vietnamese nation south. We continue our journey to Hue,  hugging the coastline before climbing up the  challenging Hai Van Pass, an obvious boundary between northern  and southern Vietnam. The panoramic view from this pass top  is nothing short of spectacular. We arrive in Hue, the last  ancient capital of Vietnam  feudal capital from 1802 to 1945 under the Nguyen Dynasty. We spend this afternoon to explore the massive Hue Citadel, containing the Imperial City and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was all but partly destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive. However, it is still fascinating to walk around and see many pavilions, bridges, libraries, and great halls. They have been restored to explain the legends of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors who have built the fortress and lived within its moated walls for nearly 150 years

The beautiful riverside pagoda of Thien Mu is one of the oldest structures for religious work ship in Hue. We include it in a boat trip on the Perfume River which also gives us a taste of the scenic countryside and an enjoyable visit to the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang. This majestic complex of courtyards, pavilions, and temples, was built in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes. The river excursion  will be left behind as we travel by road through the rolling hills to the Khai Dinh Mausoleum, a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements. We walk across the mandarin courtyard where are standing various statues of mandarins, horses, and soldiers. They make for a real scene of the ancient royal court. The most notable place is Thien Dinh Palace housing the bronze statues and the King steles.  We keep going to an open-air Arena  which was once a  place for sacrificial ceremonies and entertainment events. This circular arena has been abandoned; however, the gruesome battles between elephants and tigers in bygone times are still narrated by local villagers. The sightseeing tour continues with the vibrant Dong Ba Market, a paradise of local goods and handicrafts. We walk past  many fantastic eating spots, all ideal places for visitors to sample some local delicacies. Today we take an evening flight to Ho Chi Minh, the metropolis of Vietnam. On arrival at Ho Chi Minh Airport , you are met by our guide and driven to your hotel.

The incredible  underground network of Cu Chi  was constructed by Vietnamese fighters during their long struggle for the independence. These extensive tunnels of over 200 km have specially contained living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, filed hospitals, accommodation, and command centers. We travel by road in the morning to Cu Chi Area where we will see an exposition hall and a widened section of Cu Chi Tunnels to get a feel of the underground life and learn a little more about the guerrilla tactics of the Viet Cong. There are also possibilities to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at the nearby rifle range. Upon leaving Cu Chi, we make our way  back to Ho Chi Minh and  enjoy a half day city tour. The beautiful walking square of Nguyen Hue  is  always a live attraction, giving an interesting view from the bygone time to the new fashion of Ho Chi Minh. This pedestrian boulevard is fringed with exquisite colonial structures, nice restaurants and luxury shopping malls.  We have a quick visit to Nguyen Hue Street  before going to see the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Sai Gon Post Office. They boat some of the most striking colonial landmarks in Ho Chi Minh Center. We drive past the Independence Palace and  catch an outside view of this historical site on our way to the War Remnant Exhibit. This house contains a wealth of images and real objects reflecting the notorious Vietnam- American War and the first Indochina War involving the French colonialists.  We follow it with a walk around  the retail  Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts appealing to every taste!.

Heading out of the town, we travel by road to My Tho, a gateway to the Mekong Delta. This incredibly fertile region was formed by the mighty Mekong River, which winds its way from Tibet - China through  Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and finally into Vietnam. On arrival in My Tho, we board a private boat to explore the Mekong Delta. This river trip gives some fantastic views from the red water surface to floating fish farms and lush plantation backdrop. Along the way, we anchor on the Unicorn Island and stroll around with our guide to visit this large island, where village lanes are fringed with fishponds, fruit gardens and rice fields. We make some stops at local houses to taste seasonal fruits, listen to traditional music performed by a villager ensemble, and sample honey tea. The interlaced canals are truly a lifeblood of the Mekong Delta; however, many channels can be accessed only by small boats. We enjoy a short sampan trip rowing under the palm grove to venture into this maze of canals before we continue our motor boat to the coconut kingdom of Ben Tre. This luxuriant region offers various activities from bicycle ride to horse cart carriage and motorbike pulling cart. We take one of them to discover the traditional lifestyles, culture, and history of local people and  visit some industry cottages. They may be brick-kiln ceramics, coconut candy and coconut handicrafts,... We round off our excursion and drive back to Ho Chi Minh with stopover at the vibrant  China Town. This famous trade hub is crammed with  sacred temples and mysterious narrow lanes.

There are no activities planned on this final day. You may have free time to continue your exploration of Ho Chi Minh City, do your last shopping or simply look back upon your trip images. The holiday comes to an end  with a transfer to Ho Chi Minh Airport for  your departure.