Vietnam & Cambodia & Laos & Thailand Tour
Code: IT4
Departure: Daily
Tour Type: Private
Destinations: Vietnam, Thailand
Itinerary in brief:
Day 1: Sai Gon arrival
Day 2: Sai Gon city tour – Cu Chi tunnels (B,L)
Day 3: Sai Gon – Cai Be/ Vinh Long – Flight to Danang – Hoi An (B,L)
Day 4: Hoi An (B,L)
Day 5: Hoi An – Cooking class (B,L)
Day 6: Danang – Flight to Hanoi – Hanoi city tour (B,L)
Day 7: Hanoi – Traditional Handicraft village (B,L)
Day 8: Hanoi – Flight to Luang Prabang (B,L)
Day 9: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou cave (B,L)
Day 10: Luang Prabang – Flight to Siem Reap (B)
Day 11: Siem Reap (B,L)
Day 12: Siem Reap – Flight to Bangkok (B,L)
Day 13: Bangkok (B,L)
Day 14: Bangkok – Ayutthaya (B,L)
Day 15: Bangkok – Departure
Itinerary in detail:
Day 1: Sai Gon arrival
Upon your arrival at international airport, you will be picked up by your English speaking and then transferred to city centre with a brief introduction before arrival to hotel for check in.
Day 2: Sai Gon city tour – Cu Chi tunnels (B,L)
Morning, pick up at your hotel then drive to visit to Cu Chi Tunnels (70km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City), an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam war by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. Next, return back to Sai Gon for lunch at local restaurant.
Afternoon, visit the History Museum for a thorough understanding of the Vietnamese history and then visit the War Remnant museum to have an overall picture of the most recent wars in country. End the day with shopping opportunities at Ben Thanh market and boutique shops along Dong Khoi street. Return back to hotel.
Day 3: Sai Gon – Cai Be/ Vinh Long – Flight to Danang – Hoi An (B,L)
This morning, pick up at your hotel then depart for Cai Be floating market which is situated in the Mekong delta. Upon arrival, embark a private boat to cruise around Cai Be Floating Market to see local people being selling, buying, exchanging goods from their boats. Visit local garden and house to see orchard, rice crisped producing process, etc..
After lunch at local restaurant or a local family, continue cruising along river to see peaceful tranquil life of villagers, admire marvelous natural setting of Mekong Delta region. The boat will arrival at Vinh Long Market, walking around to explore Vinh Long Market.
Then transfer to airport in Sai Gon for your flight to Danang. On arrival, pick up and drive to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 4: Hoi An (B,L)
This morning, take a bicycle ride to a craftsman’s house in an old street of Hoi An. Learn about the daily life of Hoi An people and see how they make lanterns. You can make one by yourself and keep it as a souvenir. Have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, continue biking to Tra Que Vegetable Village, walk around a vegetable garden and join the farmers in preparing the land, fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake, raking, sowing, watering greens, picking greens and many more gardening activities. Then spend the rest time to learn how to prepare ‘Tam Huu’ spring roll & banh xeo with your host. Ride back to your hotel by bike.
Day 5: Hoi An – Cooking class (B,L)
After breakfast, pick up at hotel then transfer to Hai Scout Cafe – the meeting point for starting cooking class. Next, visit Hoi An’s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. Then we board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School.
On arrival, we have a chance to explore the cooking school’s herb and vegetable garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking class is an interesting and fun way to learn about the local cuisine – the class runs, and includes demonstrations from the school’s chefs as well as the chance for us to help prepare some dishes. Included in the demonstration is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). Enjoy lunch with what you have cooked.
After lunch, back to your hotel. This afternoon is free at leisure.
Day 6: Danang – Flight to Hanoi – Hanoi city tour (B,L)
Morning flight to Hanoi. On arrival, pick up and drive to hotel. Then we will start to explore Hanoi city with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument made of generous amount of marble and granite. This is where the preserved body of “Uncle Ho” can be viewed. Continue visiting the lotus-shaped One-Pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot), whose origins date back to the foundation of city, then visit to Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam. Enjoy lunch at local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we follow with the wonderful Ethnology Museum to understand about Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. Then continue the route to visit Tran Quoc pagoda – a cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism for an introduction to Buddhism. Afterwards, get on a cyclo for a 1-hour ride to through the Old Quarter with 36 streets and 36 wares and be dropped off to enjoy the Water Puppet Show, the unique art of Northern Vietnam.
Day 7: Hanoi – Traditional Handicraft village (B,L)
After leisurely breakfast at hotel, pick up at hotel lobby at around 09:00am, then drive to Bat Trang village, the famous and long-standing pottery village situated on the left bank of Hong river and about 10 km from Hanoi. Upon arrival, you have chance to watch the artisans forming, painting and glazing their products, which are then baked for several days in huge kilns, and buy the nicest pottery product in the village. Lunch at local restaurant.
In the afternoon, proceed to Dong Ky, the famous traditional wood carving village, upon arrival, we will watch carpenters forming, carving and polishing wood products, making decorated pictures by snail, oyster shells. If you wish, you can have handcrafted furniture custom-made here and exported directly to your address abroad. Return back to your hotel.
Day 8: Hanoi – Flight to Luang Prabang (B,L)
Morning flight to Luang Prabang. On arrival, pick up and drive to hotel. Then start the city tour with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. We then 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 represents classical Laotian architecture. Today, we also visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham.
Day 9: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou cave (B,L)
Today, 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. Return back to your hotel.
Day 10: Luang Prabang – Flight to Siem Reap (B)
Today, you will take flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival in Siem Reap meet with your guide, drive to hotel in Siem Reap.
Then afternoon, start to visit the Angkor National museum known as the grand entrance to a world-class heritage that reveals the glory of Angkor Civilization. Then continue to 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. Drive back to your hotel.
Day 11: Siem Reap (B,L)
After breakfast, drive to 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). Next, visit Preah Khan, built by the King Jayavarman VII and, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Neak Pean, a fountain (built in the middle of a pool and representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), the temple of Ta Som, as well as the unique brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan. Lunch at local restaurant.
Afternoon, drive about 45 minutes to the countryside of Siem Reap, stopping en route for visiting a local village. Arrive at boat quay and board on a wooden boat for a 1½ hour ride on Tonle Sap Lake, also known as the Great Lake of Cambodia for a visit to the whole bunch of community on floating houses and boats such as school, market, police station, children playing and swimming and fresh water aquariums with different fish species displayed. It would be a great place to learn this unique and exotic village. After the boat ride, moor at the foot of Phnom Krom to experience a glorious sunset over the Tonle Sap before heading back to Siem Reap.
Day 12: Siem Reap – Flight to Bangkok (B,L)
Today, you will be free until transfer to airport for the flight to Bangkok. On arrival, pick up and transfer to hotel. Then start to visit the city, stop to visit 3 most interesting temples; Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) located next to the Grand Palace, is Bangkok’s oldest temple with the kingdom’s largest Reclining Buddha image. Wat Benchamabophit (The Marble Temple), made from Italian marble, Wat Trimitr (Golden Buddha Temple), a 5.5 ton solid gold Buddha forged in Ayuthaya period. When Bangkok was built, the stucco image was brought to the new capital and kept in a deserted temple.
Day 13: Bangkok (B,L)
After breakfast at hotel, drive to visit the Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaeo) in the same compound surrounded by crenellated walls. The Emerald Buddha is the most sacred object of Thailand, held by all Thais as also the symbol of national independence. Grand Palace – consists of three imposing buildings; the Amarin Vinitch Throne Hall (originally a Hall of Justice but used today for coronation ceremonies); Dusit Maha Prasat Palace (initially served as a venue for royal audiences and later as Royal Funerary Hall ). Lunch at local restaurant.
Afternoon, take a boat trip along the busy Chao Phya River & Klongs (canals) of Thonburi. Also a visit to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) – it was Grand royal Temple to King Rama 11. & Royal Barges. The royal barges are long, fantastically ornamented boats used in ceremonial processions on the river. Return back to the hotel.
Day 14: Bangkok – Ayutthaya (B,L)
This morning, drive to visit Ayuthaya which was the former capital of Thailand, 1350-1767, located 71 kms north of Bangkok. Ayuthaya offers a fascinating glimpse on ancient Siam’s splendor. Both ruins and reconstructed sites abound in the area. A stop is made at Bang Pa-In, the old Royal Summer Palace. Lunch is at a local restaurant. Dress code required at Bang Pa-In Palace. Drive back to hotel in Bangkok city centre.
Day 15: Bangkok – Departure
Today, free time until transfer to airport for your departure flight. End of our services.
Inclusive
• Private english speaking guide
• All accommodation on twin/ double share basis with daily breakfast
• Meals as indicated at local restaurant with local foods (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
• All tours & transfers in private car/van/bus
• Boat cruise as indicated
• Domestic airfare & airport taxes: Sai Gon – Hanoi – Luang Prabang – Siem Reap – Bangkok
• Entrance fees and permits during guided time
• Service charge & government taxes
Exclusive
• Visa to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand
• International airfares
• Early check in/ Late check out
• Meals not indicated
• Drinks & beverage…
• Personal travel insurance (Compulsory)
• Personal expenses
• Tips and gratuities.
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