ID3: Wonderful Indochina Trip 17 days

Itinerary in Brief:

Day 1: Ho chi minh arrival
Day 2: Ho chi minh city – Cu chi tunnel (B, L )
Day 3: Ho chi minh – Mekong river cruise on board (B, L, D)
Day 4: Mekong - Ho chi minh – Danang – Hoian (B)
Day 5: Hoian  ancient town  (B, L)
Day 6: Hoian - My son sanctuary - Hue  (B, )
Day 7: Hue city tour  (B, L)
Day 8: Hue - Hanoi ( B, L )
Day 9: Hanoi – Halong Bay on board (B, L, D)
Day 10: Halong – Hanoi (B)
Day 11: Hanoi – Luang prabang (B, L)
Day 12: Luang prabang- pak oucave (B, L)
Day 13: Luang Prabang – Vientiane (B)
Day 14: Vientiane – Siem reap (B, D)
Day 15: Sem reap – Angkor tour (B)
Day 16: Siem reap – Phnompenh (B, L)
Day 17: Phnompenh departure (B)

Itinerary in Details:

Day 1: Ho chi minh arrival
Upon arrival to Saigon airport, you will be greeted by the guide of Asia View Travel and transferred to our hotel in center of Saigon. Free time at leisure to relax.  Overnight at hotel in Saigon.

Day 2: Ho chi minh city – Cu chi tunnel (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, we then  take a half day city tour of dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, visit to  Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral.,General Post Office. Then drive to visit the famous Cuchi Tunnels. At the height of the Vietnam war, the tunnel system stretched from the outskirts of Saigon  all the way to the Cambodian border of over 250 kilometers of tunnels. The tunnel system, built over 25 years starting in the 1940s, let the Viet Minh and, later, the Viet Cong, control a huge rural area. It was an underground city with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers. In places, it was several  stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people who virtually lived underground for years.... getting married, giving birth, going to school. The ground here is hard clay, which made this whole thing possible. But even so, the planning and construction was incredible. People dug all this with hand tools, filling reed baskets and dumping the dirt into bomb craters. They installed large vents so they could hear approaching helicopters, smaller vents for air and baffled vents to dissipate cooking smoke. There were also hidden  trap doors and gruesomely effective bamboo-stake booby traps. Today, the trees and bushes have grown back. And since 1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for visitors.Transfer back to Ho chi minh city for overnight.

Day 3: Ho chi minh – Mekong river cruise on Le Cochinchine boat (B, L, D)
Pick up at your hotel in Saigon 8:00 am and transfer to Cai Be. 11:30 - 12:00 boarding LE COCHINCHINE boat. Enjoy welcome drink. Transfer to a local boat for an extensive visit of Cai Be: the floating market, the mazes of waterway, local pop-rice and sweets production. Visit of colonial buildings, old houses, delightful flower gardens and local coconut candy and rice paper manufacturers. LeCochinchine continues its cruise to Cochien. Lunch served on board. Embark on a pleasant walk or cycle on the footpaths of the countryside to discover tropical fruit orchards and the local people's activities. Visit a cottage industry, a local farm  and sample seasonal fruits. Leisurely cruise on the Mekong River while taking in the beautiful scenery. Enjoy an aperitif over the sunset.
Dinner and overnight on Lecochinchine Boat.

Day 4: Mekong – Ho chi  minh – Hoian (B)
Rising up to the sound of River and Mekong Delta coming to life for another lovely day we enjoy the sunset. After breakfast, we cruise along the canals and visit a village on the bank of Co Chien or, an opportunity to appreciate the way of life of the local inhabitants, and their hospitality. Leisurely cruise up the Hau river while enjoying the beautiful scenery Arriving Can tho, we explore the Cai Rang market, one of the most bustling floating markets in Mekong Delta with hundreds of small boats ladden fruits barging and jostling for space as owners attempt to sell their goods. Boat through the palm-shaded creek to see local houses and green orchards, ship building yards, local markets in full swing. Disembark and drive back to Saigon airport for the flight to Danang .Arrive  in Danang, pick up and transfer to Hoian. Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Day 5: Hoian  ancient town ( B , L )

Breakfast at hotel, we spend this morning to discover Hoian ancient town. Hoi An is a lovely riverside township with narrow streets and old buildings. It’s also a great place for ethnic crafts. UNESCO has listed Hoi An as a World Heritage Site in Dec 1999. Driver back to Hoian. This afternoon, you have plenty of time to discover  what  Hoi An  has to offer. The ancient architecture of Hoian is a fascinating combination of Vietnamese traditional characters with Chinese and Japanese influence. There are plenty to see in this delightful and tranquil town, some of which are the famous Japanese Covered Bridges, the Pottery Museum, the 200 years old Tam Ky House, the Chua Ong Pagoda, the vibrant market. We visit these on our morning walking tour past many low tiled houses scattered along the small streets and assembly halls which reflect the town's multi-cultural past. The town is also famous for it's shops in particular it's large number of tailors. If you wanted, you could have a whole new wardrobe made for you here.

Day 6: Hoian - My son sanctuary- Hue  (B)
Morning, depart for My Son, one of the most important Cham site in the country and it’s set amongst lovely hills. My Son is another of Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to Hoi An.This afternoon, enjoy a walking tour of Hoi An. Hoi An is a lovely riverside township with narrow streets and old buildings. It’s also a great place for ethnic crafts. UNESCO has listed Hoi An as a World Heritage Site in Dec 1999..Afternoon, transfer to Hue. Along  the way, visit beautiful Cham museum in Danang where display Cham’s finest sculpture and artefacts  in the world, Danang beach, Marble mountain.  The scenery en route is beautiful as we hug the coastline of the East Sea before winding our way up the spectacular Haivan pass. Here we stop to admire the stunning views. Overnight at hotel in Hue.

Day 7: Hue city tour  (B, L)
This morning we explore Hue, including the Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City. Built in the 19th century by the Nguyen dynasty, the City was home to the former Emperors of Vietnam from 1802 until 1945. We embark on a boat for cruise upstream on the Perfume River which also gives us a taste of the scenic countryside as well as an enjoyable visit to The beautiful pagoda of Thien Mu. One of the most poignant displays here is a car belonging to a former monk, who in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the South Vietnamese regime and its treatment of Buddhists. Disembark the board for a visit the elaborate mausoleum of former emperor Tu Duc, Emperor Khai Dinh. On return to the city, we then take a walk to the bustling  Dong Ba market and pass many fantastic eating spots where visitors have a chance to sample some local delicacies.Overnight at hotel in Hue.

Day 8: Hue – Hanoi (B, L)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flight to Hanoi. The guide in Hanoi will pick you up, transfer to city center. We explore capital city with the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam, the impressive Ethnology Museum, dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, the Restored Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake) and Ngoc Son Temple, do the walking tour  around the 36 streets of the Hanoi old quarter to learn more about simple life of Hanoian. Enjoy water puppet show- a remarkable Vietnamese art form that combines traditional music, fireworks, underwater puppeteers, and elaborate puppets floating gracefully over water. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 9: Hanoi – Halong Bay on boat (B, L,D )

Breakfast at hotel and then at 8:30am start a 3-hour drive through the Red River Delta to Ha Long City. Comfort stop en route for photos  before arriving to Ha Long City. We then transfer to a refurbished wooden sailing junk for a cruise through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, giving us the chance to take in the stunning scenery of this World Heritage Site. While on board we will be served a sumptuous fresh, local seafood lunch followed by a swim and exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. When the sun comes down we drop anchor for the night nearby a remote island. Overnight on junk.

Day 10: Halong – Hanoi (Brunch )
Rising to the tranquil beauty of the bay we have time for an early morning dip with joys and emotions for watching sunrise on sea followed by breakfast. This morning we continue to move around the bay to find more secluded areas. The junk will be near us at all times serving as a back up vessel for those that require it. At around midday we will return to the main harbor before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 3. 5 hour journey back to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi at 3around 4:00 PM, free and relax. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 11: Hanoi – Luang prabang (B, L)
Transfer to airport for the flight to Luangprabang. Upon arrival at the airport, you are met and transferred to the hotel. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos. After a short rest, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai; we then climb up to the top of Phousi Mount for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. From there, we explore Street Night Market, where you can find the lovely collection and handmade textile by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 12: Luang prabang – Pak oucave (B, L)
After breakfast, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represent the classical architecture of Luang Prabang temple. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a beautiful view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious of Pak Ou Caves, crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the distillation of local rice wine. On return, we take a short drive to Ban Phanom, well known for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 13: Luang prabang – Vientiane (B,)
The National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign, and the Central Market are not to be missed. We visit these sights, this morning before we catch a flight to Vientiane. Upon arrival, we see the major temples including the oldest Wat Sisaket, a temple of thusands of miniature Budha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous, sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph, sunset by Mekong riverside and late evening. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 14: Vientianeh - Siem Reap (B, D)
Breakfast at hotel, transfer to the airport for flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival at Siem Reap International Airport, you are met and transferred to hotel. (the room might not be ready).
In the afternoon, start your temple tour, visit Prasat Kravan with its unique brick sculptures and Ta Prohm.  One of the area's most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was abandoned and swallowed by the jungle, looking very much the ways most of the Angkor temples appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them. Visit as well Takeo, Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon. Dinner at local restaurant and enjoy the Apsara Dance show.

Day 15: Siem reap – Angkor tour (B)
Breakfast at hotel.
In the morning, 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. Angkor Wat's five towers symbolize Meru's five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond.
Afternoon, visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara).


Day 16: Siem Reap - Phnom Penh (B, L)
Breakfast at hotel, transfer to the airport for flight to Phnom penh. The guide in Phnompenh will pick up you, transfer to city center.
Phnom Penh city tour: Visit the Victory Monument, and the National Museum, also called Musee des Beaux-Arts. A French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917. The museum contains a collection of Khmer art - notably sculptures - throughout the ages. Visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. Located within the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles. The treasures found inside include a solid gold Buddha encrusted and weighing 90kilograms and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. Visit Central Market ( or Russian market ), end your afternoon with the visit of the Wat Phnom Temple, Phnom Penh's namesake, from where you can enjoy views over the tree-lined avenues of Phnom Penh during sunset.

Day 17: Phnom Penh - Departure (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Then take a half-day city tour at the Killing Field and Toul Sleng Museum of the genocide Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide): former Tuol Svay Prey High School, in 1975 it became the Khmer Rouge's main torture and interrogation center. It was known as Security Prison 21 - or just S-21.
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. End of tour.

Thank you for traveling with Asia View Travel.

Accommodation Options

Tour includes:
• All accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
• 2 days 1 night cruise in Halong Bay ( private cabin - sharing boat )
• 2 days 1 night on Le cochinchine Boat on Mekong river ( private cabin - sharing boat )
•  All tours & transfers in private air-conditioned vehicle
• Private English or French speaking guide
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary at local restaurant with local foods (B = breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Boat cruise as stated
• Flight Ticket  Ho chi minh – Danang, Hue – Hanoi, Hanoi - Luang Prabang, Luang prabang – Vientiena, Vientiane – Siem reap, Siem reap - Phnompenh.
• Entrance fees and permits for all sights visited
• Mineral water & towel
• Government taxes & Service charges

Tour excludes:
• International flights that not mentioned above
• Vietnam visa arrangement (upon request visa on arrival at 15 USD, not including stamping fee at 25 USD)
• Cambodia Visa (available at the airport at 20 USD/person)
• Laos visa (available at the airport at 30 USD/person)
• Meals not indicated in the itinerary
• Kayak in Halong Bay
• Surcharge on 24,31 December and Lunar New Year
• Personal travel insurance (Compulsory)
• Personal expenses such as Telephone and Laundry bills
• Tips and gratuities