A Private Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia & Thailand Tour – HCM City, Can Tho, Chau Doc, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Luang Prabang, Hanoi

Day 1 HCM City
Upon arrival in HCM City, be met and transferred to your hotel.

Day 2  HCM City (Cu Chi Tunnels & City Tour)
Affectionately known as Saigon and the “Paris of the East”, this dynamic metropolis has emerged as a thriving hotspot in Asia, boasting Vietnam’s finest cuisine, a bustling nightlife, and top-notch accommodations. Begin the day with a tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Vietcong built a 200km long network of tunnels connecting command posts, hospitals, shelter and weapon factories.  After lunch, visit the city’s iconic landmarks including the former Presidential Palace, walk pass some of the most impressive French-colonial architectures around town including Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office and City Hall (Hotel de Ville), visit the Fine Arts Museum before heading to Ben Thanh market for some souvenir hunting. (B,L)

Day 3 HCM City / Mekong River Cruise/ Can Tho
Today, travel outside Saigon’s hustle-and-bustle to the town of Cai Be in the upper Mekong Delta. Board your sampan and enjoy the leisurely cruise along the peaceful river. Disembark and hope on your bike to visit the village and an ancient house and stop along the way to provide glimpses of local cottage industries: coconut candy and puffed rice (the local equivalent of popcorn). Lunch will be served in a colonial-style villa. Back on board, continue through narrow canals for more views of the Mekong Delta. Upon disembarkation in Vinh Long, travel by road to Can Tho. Check-in at your resort for your overnight accommodations. (B,L)

Day 4 Can Tho
In the early morning, take a boat trip to Cai Rang floating market, the largest and most bustling of the Mekong Delta markets. Fruit and vegetable vendors assemble from all over the region, hanging samples of their wares on long poles above their boats, while buyers navigate their smaller craft between the colorful fruit barges. Return to your resort and enjoy the balance of day at leisure to relax and explore Can Tho. (B)

Day 5 Can Tho/ Chau Doc
This morning, we depart by road and by boat for Chau Doc, a riverside commercial center not far from the Cambodian border in An Giang Province. The city was once known for its dugout canoe races. Chau Doc has quite sizable Chinese, Cham and Khmer communities. Here, enjoy a leisurely bike ride to the sacred Sam Mountain, which rises sharply from the surrounding rice paddies. We’ll explore some of the many temples and pagodas dotted around this pilgrimage mountain. Then, hop on a boat and drift along the scenic waterways to a floating village. Here, local fishermen will show us how they catch fish. On the other side of the river we’ll visit a Cham village with a thriving Muslim community. Check-in at Victoria Chau Doc Hotel for your overnight accommodations. (B)

Day 6 Chau Doc/ Phnom Penh
This morning, take a scenic boat ride on on board Victoria’s speedboat for Phnom Penh, the charming yet somewhat chaotic capital of Cambodia.  After lunch, enjoy a city tour with visits to the Royal Palace. Built in 1866 by King Norodom, this vast compound comprises of several revered treasures including the Silver Pagoda, a gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds, and the 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. Continue to the elegant National Museum, which contains a comprehensive collection of Khmer Art. Finally, explore the modern-day city, visiting one of Phnom Penh’s two great markets, the Central Market, located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building or the sprawling Russian Market, a labyrinth of stalls selling everything from Cds and Dvds to silks, crafts, jewellery and more. Overnight in Phnom Penh. (B,L)

Day 7 Phnom Penh
Today’s program offers a glimpse to the horrors of the Pol Pot Regime as a way to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for modern-day Cambodia. Visit Tuol Sleng, also known as S-21, a former High School that was used by the Khmer Rouge regime as the interrogation and torture facility. Kept largely unchanged, Tuol Sleng showcases photographs and exhibits about the tens of thousands of victims that passed through these doors – of which only seven of whom came out alive. Afterward, continue to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, one of numerous mass graves that was later discovered. The Killing Fields provide a stark reminder of the atrocities under the Pol Pot regime where millions of innocent Cambodians were mercilessly murdered. Afternoon free at leisure to relax and explore Phnom Penh on your own. (B)

Day 8 Phnom Penh/ Siem Reap
Transfer to the airport for your short flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, visit the National Angkor Museum to learn about the background of the Angkor ruins and Khmer Empire before commencing a tour of the impressive Angkor Thom. Covering a an area of 10 square kilometers and enclosed by a wall and wide moats, this ancient city is home to many of Angkor’s most popular sights. Later, watch the sun set over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple. (B)

Day 9 Siem Reap
Your morning begins with a visit to the magnificent Angkor Wat, the crown jewel of Khmer architecture and the national symbol of Cambodia. Angkor Wat is the largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples. Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones. Continue to Ta Prohm. Featured in the blockbuster hit movie Tomb Raider – Lara Croft, Ta Prohm is one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared, appearing very much in a similar state as it was when European explorers first stumbled across the Angkor Temples. Last and certainly not least, Banteay Srei. Seemingly miniature in comparison to the other Angkor temples, Banteay Srei is considered to be the jewel of classical Khmer art. Built in pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. (B)

Day 10 Siem Reap/ Luang Prabang
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of the afternoon at leisure to relax and soak up Luang Prabang’s tranquil setting. (B)

Day 11 Luang Prabang (Pak Ou Caves or Kuangsi Waterfalls) 
Today, you will take the Mekong Riverboat trip to visit the Pak Ou Buddha Caves, located in the steep rock cliff at the confluence of the Mekong River and Ou River, filled with Buddha images of varying styles, ages and sizes. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route followed by several cultural and scenic visits before returning to the hotel.  (B,L)

Note: optionally, an excursion to Kuangsi Waterfalls with light trekking can be arranged instead of Pak Ou Caves. 

Day 12 Luang Prabang / Hanoi 
Today, visit the iconic sites charming Luang Prabang. Set between the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers, Luang Prabang is an enchanting town filled with historic temples and colonial style buildings. The entire town was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1995. Start the day at Wat Visoun (Wat Wisunalat), the oldest living temple in Luang Prabang, Wat dating back to 1513 and contains a collection of antique wooden Buddhas. Visit the nearby Wat Aham before continuing to Wat Xieng Thong, the crowning jewel of all the monasteries and temples in the city. Its many ornate buildings feature exquisite mosaic and gold-stenciled murals. From there, stroll down the main street of Luang Prabang, stopping at some of the many temples that line its sides, including Wat Sibounheuang, Wat Si Moungkhoun, Wat Sop and Wat Sene. Continue to the National Museum (Royal Palace), a modest but graceful building which combines traditional Lao and French beaux-arts motifs. Then, visit Hor Phrabang and Wat Mai before transferring for your afternoon flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, be met and transferred to your hotel. (B) 

Day 13 Hanoi
This morning, enjoy a city tour of Hanoi. We’ll start with the Museum of Ethnology, dedicated to preserving the cultural traditions of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. Next head to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university built in the 1970s followed by Hoa Lo Prison where the late John McCain was held captive for 5 years. Continue to Train Street and enjoy a bit of interaction with local street vendors before sitting down to enjoy a cold drink. Cap off the morning with a cyclo (rickshaw) ride through the famed Old Quarters, a local market place that dates back to the 13th century that comprises of a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, each named after the goods that were traditionally sold there, such as silk, silver, or herbs. Today, these streets are still bustling with activity, with vendors selling all kinds of goods, from clothes and souvenirs to food and household items. We’ll Stop at a roadside coffee shop, mingle with the locals and enjoy the daily life passing by. Return to the hotel and enjoy the afternoon at leisure to freshen up or explore the lively area around your hotel.

This evening, enjoy a night foodies tour for which Hanoi is known. We’ll start with a walk through the maze of bustling streets of the city’s famed Old Quarter. Join the locals and pull up a plastic stool at a pavement stall to try  some Vietnamese snacks starting with the famous Hanoi dish Banh Cuon (Vietnamese rice rolls), followed by two barbeque stalls featuring meat, vegetable, and bread specialties grilled over hot coals. Then, it’s time for dessert. Venture down a small alley and try a cup of fresh fruit smothered with crushed iced and condensed milk. Stop a hidden café with stunning views over the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake, for a cup of coffee (or a beer) before ending your foodies adventure of Hanoi. (B,D)

Day 14 Hanoi / Halong Bay 
This morning, depart Hanoi by road on a 2.5 hour drive for Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site with a dense concentration of limestone islands, caves and grottos, and magnificent scenery. Upon arrival board your vessel for a cruise around Halong and Lan Ha Bay with lunch and shore excursions. Enjoy visits to several caves/islands including Sung Sot Cave (Surprising Cave), the largest and most beautiful cave in Halong Bay; Titov Island, a remarkable destination featuring a crescent-shaped beach, as well various floating villages in the Bay. Enjoy fun-filled activities such as rides on a bamboo boat, sea kayaking, cooking demonstration, or a dip in the emerald waters of Halong and Lan Ha Bay. Lunch and dinner are served on board. (B,L,D)

Day 15 Halong Bay / Hanoi
For the early riser, join a Tai Chi session on the sundeck while tea, coffee and assorted pastries are served. Later, enjoy kayaking activities followed by brunch on board before disembarking your cruise. Transfer to back to Hanoi and enjoy the balance of the afternoon to eat, shop and explore Hanoi on your own. (B)

Day 15 Depart Hanoi
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight home onward. (B)

****END OF PROGRAM****

• Low Season (LS) = May – September | High Season (HS) = October – April
• Prices are per person, based on double occupancy
• Prices includes all entrance fees, hotels taxes & service charges
• Price excludes personal expenses, beverages during included lunches, gratuities to guides and drivers
• Holiday surcharges and/or compulsory gala dinners at hotels apply between Dec. 20 – Jan. 05
• Visas are required for Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos. Not included in package
• All services subject to availability at time of reservation