Highlights of Indochina: Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia – 15 Days / 14 Nights

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN LUANG PRABANG

Arrival at Luang Prabang Airport—please look for our signboard which reads your name. Your tour guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel in the city center.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

DAY 2: LUANG PRABANG (B/-/-)

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning almsgiving ritual for saffron-clad monks. This tradition is unique to Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving this procession. Enjoy your UNESCO morning walk to gain insight into this charming town, stop and visit fresh local markets, and then return to the hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast, your tour begins with a visit to the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center to gain a better understanding of the tribal peoples of Northern Laos, then a visit to the most photographed temple, Wat Xiengthong, before continuing on to the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum.
Next, you visit Wat Mai, built in 1796, whose five-tiered roof of the wooden Sim (chapel) epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style.
In the afternoon, you head to the Kuang Sy Waterfalls, just about 30 kilometers to the south. Upon arrival, you will walk along riverside paths and enjoy a swim in terraced turquoise pools fed by the waterfall. Immerse yourself in beautiful scenery and relax. The picturesque, multi-tiered waterfall tumbles over limestone rock formations into crystalline jade and turquoise-colored pools. Back to the hotel at the end of the day.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

DAY 3: LUANG PRABANG (B/-/-)

This morning, transfer to the pier, where you board a traditional long-trail boat for a relaxing cruise upstream on the mighty Mekong River. Enjoy stunning mountain scenery and witness simple rural lifestyles. Stop and visit Ban Xang Khong, a weaving village, where you can try wooden looms with local experts for practical experience.
You will reach the Pak Ou Caves at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers. In these two caves are displayed hundreds of sacred, centuries-old Buddha images, which are the object of pilgrimage during the Lao New Year festivities around mid-April. The boat then keeps cruising in the vicinity of the caves and will moor during lunchtime at the foot of beautiful limestone cliffs. A selection of typical Lao dishes will be served at the confluence of the Mekong and Ou Rivers. Cruise back to Luang Prabang, and the rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
In the evening, participate in the Baci ceremony, or “calling of the soul,” an animist tradition important for Lao people before major events such as weddings, births, travel, or when welcoming friends, to bring good luck.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

DAY 4: LUANG PRABANG - FLIGHT TO HANOI (B/-/-)

Begin your half day at The Bamboo Experience, where you will meet your group for an explanation of how bamboo works in Laos and why it’s meaningful to Lao people. Your guide will show you the technique and usage of each product, such as fishing tools and musical instruments.
Start your simple bamboo weaving class with an expert teacher; try knife sharpening and bamboo cutting, then weave a mat to take home as a souvenir. Proceed to the bamboo cooking demonstration (you may assist): bamboo shoot soup, bamboo shoot steamed in banana leaf, fermented bamboo shoot dipping, sticky rice, and more. Savor your creations in a traditional Lao house (pavilion style) overlooking rice fields. The emphasis is to have fun and learn a little about bamboo work and bamboo dishes.
Spend time at leisure until our driver transfers you to the airport for your flight to the next destination.
Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 5: HANOI (B/-/D)

After breakfast at the hotel, meet your local guide at 08:30 and start your city tour with a visit to the Temple of Literature, known as Vietnam’s first university (1076). Its well-preserved architecture and tranquil gardens offer intriguing glimpses into Vietnam’s past.
Continue to Ba Dinh Square to see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, National Assembly, and Presidential Palace from the outside. Later, visit the Vietnamese Women’s Museum for an in-depth look at traditional culture and family life.
In the late afternoon, walk around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, then enjoy a guided street food tour: Nom bo kho (green papaya salad with dried beef), Banh My, and desserts like Hoa qua dam or Che. After dinner, try a glass of Bia Hoi or enjoy egg coffee at a local café. Return to your hotel at around 21:00.
Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 6: HANOI - HA LONG (B/L/D)

After breakfast, depart at 08:30 through the Red River Delta to Tuan Chau Pier, where you board your selected cruise for an overnight on Lan Ha Bay. Lunch is served as the vessel cruises among thousands of limestone islets.
Join activities such as kayaking or swimming, or relax on the sun deck and enjoy this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dinner with fresh seafood and overnight on the cruise.
Alternatively, depart for Ha Long International Port to cruise the pristine Bai Tu Long Bay with similar activities and overnight aboard.
The itinerary is subject to change due to the weather and operating conditions without prior notice.

DAY 7: HA LONG - HANOI - FLIGHT TO DA NANG - HOI AN (B/Brunch/-)

Enjoy a beautiful sunrise over the bay, followed by a light breakfast. As the cruise sails back to the pier, enjoy brunch onboard while admiring the limestone formations glide by. Disembark and transfer to Noi Bai Domestic Airport for a short flight to Da Nang. On arrival, your driver will transfer you to Hoi An.
Overnight in Hoi An.

DAY 8: HOI AN – BIKING AND WALKING TOUR (B/L/-)

This morning, depart at 08:30 for a cycling tour. Head to Kim Bong village (woodcarving), walk the village, and visit a carpenter’s workshop. Continue along trails to Tra Nhieu village for countryside encounters.
From Tra Nhieu, enjoy a boat trip on the Thu Bon River to Cam Thanh. On arrival, rest at a local fisherman’s house for green tea and a herbal foot massage, then join a cooking session (crispy pancakes, Tam Huu) and enjoy lunch.
In the afternoon, take a basket boat through the water palm forest, then transfer back to Hoi An Ancient Town for a pleasant walk: the Japanese Covered Bridge, a Chinese communal hall, and merchant houses. Free time for relaxation and shopping.
Overnight in Hoi An.

DAY 9: HOI AN – HUE (B/-/-)

At 08:30 leave Hoi An for Hue via the scenic Hai Van Pass and Lang Co. Before reaching the city center, visit Tu Duc’s Mausoleum and the colorful Thuy Xuan incense-making village. Continue to Khai Dinh’s Tomb, a unique blend of Nguyen and European elements.
Overnight in Hue.

DAY 10: HUE – FLIGHT TO HO CHI MINH CITY (B/-/-)

Start your day at the Imperial Citadel (Kinh Thanh, Hoang Thanh, Cam Thanh) and the riverside Thien Mu Pagoda. Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival, your tour guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel in the city center.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 11: HO CHI MINH CITY - BEN TRE - HO CHI MINH CITY (B/L/-)

Depart at 08:00 for Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta. Board a boat along the Ben Tre River, visit brick kilns, and coconut workshops (milk, candy, oil, mats, charcoal). Visit a sleeping-mat house for tea and fruits. Ride a xe lôi or bicycle through rice fields and vegetable plots, then enjoy lunch featuring elephant-ear fish and river shrimp. In the afternoon, take a rowboat along palm-shaded canals before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 12: HO CHI MINH CITY – FLIGHT TO SIEM REAP (B/-/-)

Start exploring Chinatown (District 5): Ha Chuong Assembly Hall, Phung Hung Market, and “racket coffee” at Ba Lù Café. Visit the Saigon Central Post Office and the historic Opera House, then transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Meet your guide on arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 13: SIEM REAP (B/-/-)

After breakfast, visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom: the South Gate, Bayon Temple (over 200 faces), Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon, explore Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre, famed for intricate pink sandstone carvings. Stop at Pradark Village to see palm-sugar making.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 14: SIEM REAP (B/-/-)

After breakfast, explore the iconic Angkor Wat, a 12th-century masterpiece and symbol of Cambodia. Continue to the jungle temple of Ta Prohm, embraced by massive fig roots and famed from Tomb Raider. Optional evening: Phare Cambodian Circus for theater, music, dance, and modern circus arts.
Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 15: SIEM REAP – DEPARTURE FLIGHT (B/-/-)

In the morning, enjoy a boat ride on Tonle Sap Lake, visiting Kampong Phluk with its stilt houses and flooded forest—an authentic portrait of life on the water. Free time until transfer to the airport for your departure flight.