30 Days Indochina Tour: Vietnam, Cambodia And Laos Ultimate Itinerary

A trip to Vietnam wouldn’t be the same without experiencing the life of the Mekong Delta.
Leave Saigon in the morning for Cai Be in the Mekong Delta. On arrival in Cai Be, board your cruise. Begin with a bicycle ride around this remote countryside area.
After lunch, start your leisurely cruise on the Delta’s beautiful waterways, with stops along the way to explore local cottage industries that provide a living for the river people.
Before arriving at Sa Dec, visit a traditional brick factory where everything is made by hand. Arriving at Sa Dec, step ashore and stroll to the outdoor market. Visit a ancient architecture has played an important part in the Chinese community in Dong Thap for nearly a hundred years. Dinner is served on board. Enjoy your first night on board on the Mekong River.

Breakfast is served on board while you cruise towards Long Xuyen along a narrow canal, passing several scenic monkey bridges.

After enjoying lunch on board, arrive in Long Xuyen to visit Tiger Island, birthplace of Vietnam’s second president. Return to the sampan for dinner and resume your cruise towards Chau Doc. Your boat sails until approximately 10:00 pm before anchoring for the night. Overnight on board.

Breakfast is served on board while your sampan cruises towards Chau Doc. Close to the border with Cambodia, Chau Doc is the gateway to Phnom Penh. Known throughout Vietnam for its pagodas and temples, Chau Doc is also famous for the Tra Su Bird Sanctuary, a superb eucalyptus mangrove. Disembark at Victoria Chau Doc private pier at approximately 10:00 am. Transfer to the hotel in Chau Doc town and rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Chau Doc. 

After breakfast, you will board the speed boat to Phnom Penh at 7:00am. Visa formalities take about 45 minutes at the border and Cambodian visas can be issued at the border. Continue by river to Phnom Penh. Meet our guide and transfer to your hotel on arrival at noon. This city was once considered one of the most beautiful in the Orient, and despite its recent turbulent history it still retains a colonial charm.

Afternoon, we begin our discovery of Phnom Penh. We take a 'walk back' into the brutal, (modern) history that Cambodia shockingly suffered under Pol Pot's reign during the 1970's, visiting 'The S-21 - The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. 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. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Morning, continue our Phnom Penh discovery with the visit to the Victory Monument. Visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda. Located within the grounds of 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 the thriving old market areas and then zip around the modernising parts of the city, visiting the exotic Central Markets where gems, silks and statues entice.
At noon, board the 6 hour tourist bus to Siem Reap. On arrival in Siem Reap, check in hotel and rest. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Note: Replace the bus transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by private car is on request. 

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 LeperKing and Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), until sunset. Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

Morning, drive to the rural outskirt 35km from Angkor area to visit the smallest, but magnificent, Banteay Srei built in the 10^th Century and dedicated to Shiva. The temple was the birthplace of Khmer classical style architecture and the bas-relief work is the best example of Khmer classical art remaining. The pink sandstone structure bears a series of striking and beautiful sculptures, lintels, pediments and friezes. Khmers say the temple must have been carved by women for the details are too fine for the hands of a man.

Continue to the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya which flourished in the late 9^th and earlier 10^th centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred to the Rolous group we visit the main one called Bakhong temple.
Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

Have breakfast at hotel.
Morning, transfer to take the Tonlé Sap for a cruise on the lake with the visit to Chong Kneas a floating village. Chong Kneas will be appropriate place for visitors who want to break from temples. The floating village has everything that a normal village on land has with schools, hospitals, restaurants, shops and floating crocodile farms. 

Afternoon, transfer to Siem Reap airport for the flight to Luang Prabang, Laos. On arrival in Luang Prabang, you are met and transferred to the hotel.
Evening, you are free to explore the Night Bazaar, where you can find lovely collections of handmade textiles produced by local communities from the region surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

After breakfast, transfer to the pier to board a traditional long boat for a cruise on the Mekong river to Pak Ou, visit Tham Ting and Tham Theung caves with their Lao style Buddhist sculptures assembled over the centuries by local people. On the way back, visit the village of Ban Xang Khong, the village of homemade Saa Paper.

Afternoon, we will explore this small charming town of Luang Prabang. We start seeing the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, 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.
Late afternoon, 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 Bazaar, where you can find the lovely collection and handmade textile by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight at htoel in Luang Prabang.

Optional: Depart in the early morning (05h30) and observe monks leaving their pagodas and walking barefoot along the streets in the long lines collecting alms. It is a beautiful, serene ceremony that highlights the spirituality of the Lao people. Return to the hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, drive through beautiful rice fields, hills and villages to Kuang Si Waterfalls (1 hour drive). On the way, stop to visit a small ethnic minority village to learn more about their culture and daily life. Arrive at Kuang Si Waterfalls, relax or possibly walk up to the top of the water fall for a nice view and enjoy the beautiful landscape and fresh water in which you can swim during the summer.
Afternoon, visit National Museum which used to be the Royal Palace (official name "Haw Kham"), built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. Various statues of Buddha, monarchs, as well as wonderful murals of traditional Lao scenes still remain. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Have breakfast at hotel.
Morning, transfer to the train station for the fast train to Vientiane. On arrival in Vientiane, you are met and transferred to the hotel.
Today, we start to visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. Overnight in Vientiane.

Morning, visit the Morning market of Vientiane and see what you will find. Recommended items are Lao textiles, hill-tribe Art, crafts and antiques. 
Then, transfer to Vientiane airport for the early afternoon flight to Hanoi. 
On arrival in Hanoi, you are met and transferred to the hotel. Overnight in Hanoi. 

After breakfast, you will leave for Halong Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone ‘karst’ landscape. There you will board your boat, a wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels with sails, a wide transom and rectangular superstructure, that will take you first to the busy World Heritage area and then to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Weather permitting, you will be able to swim, fish, climb a hill for an overview of the Bay’s remarkable seascape, or venture into some of the sea level caves in a small sampan. All your meals will be provided on board, usually based on fresh seafood. Your overnight will be aboard.

Early morning arrival at Lao Cai - The Chinese border town around 6:00AM, then transfer to Lao Cai town. Have breakfast in a local restaurant.

In this area there are some Fair Markets which can't be missed. (Coc Ly on Tuesday, Cao Son on Wednesday, Lung Khau Nhin on Thursday, Can Cau on Saturday, Bac Ha on Sunday, etc)

After breakfast, you will leave for about 2 hours driving to the market. Join in the colorful market of the tribal people in this region. On the fair market the H'mong, Dzao, Phu La people in their best traditional costumes go to the market for shopping and meeting friends and relatives.

Afternoon, drive to the Chinese border gate for a short visit and continue our drive to Sapa town on the high mountain. On arrival in Sapa, check in hotel and spend the rest of the day for exploring the charming town, visiting local market and getting acquaint with the hill-tribal people such as H'mong, Red Zao, Zay... on your own. Overnight at hotel in Sapa town. 

Have breakast at hotel and today is for discovering the nature as well as different culture of hill tribal people.
From hotel we start our short car drive passby the scenic Muong Hoa valley.
For the trekking lovers we will start the trekking from Y Linh Ho village (7km trek) throught the rice terraces, hills, bamboo forests and streams to Lao Chai and Ta Van Villages which are decorated by terraced-fields and the house of H'mong, Red Zao and Zay people.
For most travelers, we will start our trek at Lao Chai Village to Ta Van Village (5km).
You will have great opportunity for taking photos of breathtaking landscapes, meeting friendly hill-tribe people at home and work, and getting to understand their tradition, habits... We will return to Sapa by car in early afternoon for lunch.
Late afternoon, transfer to the railways station for night train to Hanoi.
Overnight on the train in the soft bed A/C cabin.

The train arrives back to Hanoi early in the morning around 5:30am. Check in our dayuse hotel near the train station and having light breakfast and you are free to relax in the morning. 
Have breakfast at hotel. 
At noon / early afternoon depending on flight availablity, transfer to Hanoi airport for a short flight to Hue. On arrival, you are met and transferred to the hotel. Overnight in Hue. 

After breakfast in the hotel, you will have a nice drive over the scenic Hai Van pass along the coast to the ancient town of Hoian. You will have a short stop in spectacular Lang Co beach for a view. Arrive in Danang, stops to visit Cham Sculpture museum - one of the most fascinating museums in Vietnam. It’s home to several cultural artifacts in the Central and Central Highlands of Vietnam, preserving the spirit of the ancient Champa kingdom; Dragon Bridge - the symbol of Danang City; and Marble Mountain (Ngu Hanh Son), discover the stunning natural caves of the mountain and enjoy the beautiful view from the top of the Marble Mountain. Then continue our trip to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An. 

Morning, take a discovery trip to My Son, 40km from Hoi An. Located in a lush valley, My Son was a capital and religious center of Cham people, now remaining with red brick towers and sanctuaries. My Son, considered being in the same league as some of Southeast Asia's greatest archaeological sites, including Angkor in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Ayutthaya in Thailand and Borobudur in Indonesia. These towers and sanctuaries were built from the 7 to 13 centuries. Admiring great architectural and art works of the Cham lost Kingdom. Having a brief understanding of the history, culture for which My Son was recognized the World Cultural Heritage. Return to Hoi An in the morning.

In the afternoon, you will have a guided tour to see the interesting sights of this ancient city. Some hundreds years ago, this town thrived o­n trading with the Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. You will visit a historical Old House, Japanese Covered Bridge, Old Temple and Silk Factory. Overnight in Hoian.
Meal included: Breakfast

Morning, meet our Chef at Hai Scout Café at 98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. First, we will have a first lesson of buying typical Vietnamese ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. After the market visit, you board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life. On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes, which is the mix of Vietnam and Chinese cuisine. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – each dish is first demonstrated by the Red Bridge chef’s, before you prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). After the lesson, we sit down and eat exactly what we have cooked. Then our boat will pick you up at Red Bridge School for a river cruise along Hoi An River back to Hoi An Town.
In the rest of the afternoon, you will be free at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Hoian.

Have breakfast at hotel and you are free in teh morning.
At noon, transfer to Danang train station for the day train to Nha Trang around 1 pm. On arrival in Nha Trang around 9:30 pm, you are met and transrferred to the hotel. Overnight in Nha Trang. 

Free on the beach in the morning until the 4 hour drive journey to Dalat.
Dalat is a slice of Europe in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, Dalat found favor with the French rulers for its cool climate. Today, Dalat’s mild temperatures are popular with Private Asia Tours’s travelers, as is the town’s attractive landscape of colonial villas, gardens, lakes and rolling hills. Arrive in Dalat in the late afternoon, you will check in your hotel and then be free for relaxing or exploring this charming and romantic city on your own. Overnight at hotel in Dalat.

In the morning, you will ride a cable car to Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lam Lake. Truc Lam is the biggest pagoda in Dalat standing in Phoenix Mountain about 1,300m above the sea-level. It’s surrounded by an attractive flower garden and with the view of pure water lake and the pine forest on the far side.
Afternoon, you will visit Emperor Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, Crazy House, Dalat Railway station and Dalat market. Overnight at hotel in Dalat.

Morning, take an excursion to Lang Biang Mountain and visit Lat village – the indigenous people of Dalat with their rich culture, long houses, and weavings.
Afternoon, transfer to the airport for the short flight back to Saigon. Overnight in Saigon.