Vietnam and Laos Adventure

Full day Ha Noi City Tour today will give you an over view of Hanoi ‘s highlights and its interesting history, culture and life style of Vietnam’s capital city. Pick up at your hotel by a car/van, and dropt off to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda. We then visit the Vietnam’s first university – temple of Literature which was built since 11th century. Lunch is at nice restaurant with local cuisines.

After lunch, we take a short drive to the outskirt to visit the Ethnology Museum that offers informative and well documental displays of 54 ethnic groups. Much to learn at this best museum in Indochina. Then we go back to the city centre to visit Hoan Kiem lake and Ngoc Son temple. Enjoy an hour cyclo tour around the bustling old quarter once known as 36 streets and guilds of its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquer ware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more. Finally, enjoying the famous traditional water puppet show in Thang Long Theatre. Here the daily activities of the red river delta are lively reappeared on almost a thousand year traditional art of unique made-in Vietnam water puppetry. Go back to your hotel and dinner is on your own arrangement.

After breakfast, we will depart for Halong Bay – designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site since 1994. Travelling through the scenic fertile Red River Delta countryside, we get to Ha Long Bay by noon. The natural world heritage site Halong Bay is truly one of the most impressive scenery that should not be missed if someone ever comes to the north. Upon arrival at Ha Long, we embark on a Chinese style junk for an exploration of the legendary Halong Bay. This exciting hours cruise passing by the evocatively shaped islets will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands and islets rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. Enjoy a Sea food lunch while you cruising through the bay.

Here the limestone karsts formations are littered with beaches. You then explore the Surprising Sung Sot cave which still reserves much of the amazing original stalactites and stalagmites. By summer, there is always some chance to leisurely swim in a secluded cove of the bay. Dinner will be served on board and stay overnight on the Junk Cruise

Wake up in the morning to the calming sound of the waves crashing on the nearby islands. Enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning and relax. Sitting on the upper deck, you can enjoy the breath – taking beauty of the rocky Islands rising from the crystal-clear waters of the Bay. The quiet is almost eerie; in summer you can hear birds singing, even that cicadas chirping ashore and the gentle lapping of the waves against our boat, the perfect soundtrack to accompany the fresh air and gentle breeze. Our boat start cruising back and brunch buffet will be served on the way. Check out and arrive at the harbor by 11:30. You get back on our car and go back to Hanoi. Dinner is on your own arrangement. Tonight, you take the overnight train to Lao Cai.

In the early morning, when you arrive at Lao Cai Railway station, our awaiting guide and driver will meet you right at the exit of the station. Then, enjoy an hour drive up hill to Sapa town. Check in hotel, freshen up and have breakfast at the nearby local restaurant, (Check in time is 1.00 Pm, free early check in is subjected to availability). After that, walk leisurely around Sapa town, experience Sapa market and chat with H’Mong, Dao vendors who are all able to speak fluently English. You can find colorful tribal dress, purses, aluminum bracelets, silver necklaces, horn comb at all sorts from stalls on the second floor of the market. Downstairs floor of the market is loaded with all kinds of green vegetables, fruits, foods cultivated in Sapa.

A lunch of Sapa specialties at a popular local eatery in the town have been scheduled for you.

Afternoon is for Fanxipan peak experience. Our driver & tour guide take you to Cable Car Station and spend 20 minutes with cable car to enjoy the spectacular scenery. Reach the altitute of 2,800 meters, you have a good time to see the view and take photos, visit pagoda the spiritual destinations and trek up to 600 steps you will reach the peak of Fansipan – the Roof of Indochina. It is also a good time to view sunset on Fanxipan peak.

Come back to Cable Car Station and return to Sapa town,

After breakfast, we depart for the 4 hour trekking journey you will be met by our tour expert and driver at hotel lobby. Our driver will stop en route for Kodak moments on the way traveling downhill to Muong Hoa valley. Your trekking will start on a pretty rocky road, this is the time you need to wear a good pair of walking shoes. We then pass through Lao Chai village, populated by Black Hmong inhabitants. Afterward continue to Ta Van village of Giay ethnic minority people. Beautifully decorated terrace fields promise you stunning photos. Besides, you will also pay a brief visit in local people’s houses and schools on the way. Cold soft drinks can be easily found along the way of your trek. Finally, you will be driven back to the town by minivan.

Depart for Lai Chau passing through the spectacular landscapes of rice terraces. Stop on the Tram Ton pass. Driving through O Quy Ho Pass and pay a visit to the Lu and White Thai villages in Binh Lu. A visit to a tea plantation on a hillside and villages which are home to the Black Thais, LU and Silver Daos.

Walk near Lai Chau to discover the everyday lives of the village’s inhabitants.

Depart for Dien Bien. We will take a mountain road and discover spectacular scenery. On the way, pay a visit to Lai Chau Dam and Hydroelectric Lake, one of the most important Hydroelectric Power Construction in Vietnam.

Arrive in Dien Bien, have a lunch and take a leisure. Afternoon is for Dien Bien Phu battle where French colony felt down in Vietnam. We will visit Victory Monument, A1 Hill, Bunker of Colonel De Castries, Muong Thanh old Bridge, Ban Phu citadel during presentation to know how Vietnamese people defeated French army as the legend.

Early in the morning, we drive for an hour from Dien Bien Phu to the Vietnam–Laos border. After completing the formalities on the Vietnamese side, we hike for three kilometers through the dense rainforest to the Lao border post. We then take a two hour ride down the mountain towards the Ou River.

On reaching the small town of Muang Khua, we board a boat and travel down the Ou River to Nong Kiaw. The river trip gives us a unique perspective on life in Laos, and especially on the life of those communities inhabiting the river banks and living off the river. For them, it is the main source of water for all purposes, a place for the cattle to drink, and, of course, a rich source of all kinds of fish. We may see children washing in the river, fishermen laying their nets, and traders in their small boats paddling from one village to the other, offering their goods for sale to the locals. Overnight in Nong Khiaw.

Free at leisure until to transfer to Luang Prabang. On the road to Luang Prabang we’ll take an excursion to visit the famous Buddha caves of Pak Ou and the Whiskey Village, Ban Xiang Hai.

Wake up early before dawn (around 5:00 am) to catch up with traditional alms giving ceremony. The unique and must-see activities in Laos.

In the early hours of the morning each day, as the sun is rising, the local Buddhist monks pad softly around the streets barefoot in single file, accepting gifts from the locals. All around the town, locals kneel down on the street, offering the monks gifts of rice, fresh fruit and sweets to contribute to their one meal of the day.

Transfer back to hotel for breakfast. Firstly, we explore local culture through the nearby morning market very popular for fresh vegetable, fish from the Mekong River, medicinal plant and other curiosity. And then, we visit Royal Palace, National Museum.

After lunch, we start to visit other famous sites in Luang Prabang including Wat Visoun (known as the ‘Watermelon Stupa’ on account of its spherical shape), Wat Mai and Wat Xieng Thong, which epitomizes all the elegance and grace of the city’s architecture.

The last point is Phousi monutain to enjoy sunset view before transfer back to hotel.

After breakfast, meet our guide at hotel lobby and transfer to Elephant Camp. When arrival, welcome greeting from camp manager and learn short story about elephants. Enjoy the impressive experience of elephant ride on the howdah (elephant seat) or on your elephant’s neck.

Have a short relax by walking around and playing with elephants before enjoy buffet lunch in Elephant Camp.

After lunch by your own expense, we take one hour journey by private car (~30 km) to beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall. Enjoy landscape and swimming on natural and clean small lakes there before back to Luang Prabang center.

After breakfast, we depart to Vang Vieng – the beautiful riverside town. Take around 4 hours en route before arrival in Vang Vieng. Have a lunch and short relax.

Afternoon is for kayaking tour and sunset view on Nam Song river. Transfer to the kayaking start point and do kayak downstream with support from local guide. This is also the best time to view sunset on the river.

After breakfast, we transfer to visit Tham Chang Cave (Freezing Cave), which is considered as the largest cave in Vang Vieng with very beautiful setting of the surrounding. You will take a relaxing time in a tranquil natural atmosphere outside the cave.

After lunch time, we will depart from Vang Vieng and follow the Road 13 toward South to Vientiane. We will stop at the archaeological site of Vang Xang which dates back to the Mon-Khmer period of the 8-11th century. Along the way, you will stop at Hmong village and arrive in Vientiane late afternoon.

After breakfast, meet our guide at the hotel lobby and start Vientiane discovery. Firstly, we transfer to visit Buddha Park – famous for being home to more than 200 religious statues, including a huge 40-meter Reclining Buddha image. And then, we visit Pha That Luang with its golden stupa – sympol of Laos.

After lunch time at local restaurant. We continue our trip to Wat Si Saket – which features remarkable frescoes and more than 6,000 Buddha images. Then steps to Wat Ho Phra Keo and Presidential Palace. After next stops at Wat Si Muang and That Dam – an old stupa whose gold covering was stolen by the Thai army during their 1828 invasion, we stop at the last site: Patuxai Victory Monument.

Transfer back to the hotel around 4:00 pm

Day at leisure until to transfer to the airport to take your departure flight.