Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 13 days

DAY 1: CITY TOUR SAIGON (LUNCH)

Welcome to Vietnam!

Morning: Our vehicle and Guide from AADASIA HOLIDAYS will meet you at your hotel. We will visit the following places:

• War Remnants Museum: is a place to display memorabilia in the fight against the US to save the country. Coming here, we will admire the modern war machines of that time, such as tanks, fighter planes, bombs and guns.
• Chinatown + Binh Tay Market: trading center of Vietnamese and Chinese communities in Saigon. This place still preserves the architectural value of the Chinese from hundreds of years ago.
• Thien Hau Pagoda: is one of the pagodas with the oldest history of the Chinese in Ho Chi Minh City. Besides the value of architectural art, sculpture, and ancient artifacts, this place also has another value, it’s not only a place to meet the religious needs but also a place of gathering and mutual assistance of Vietnamese people of Chinese origin.

Have lunch at a local restaurant. 

Afternoon: Our vehicle and Guide pick us up and we continue to visit Independence Palace, the former headquarters of the United States located in South Vietnam and Tan Dinh Church, a Catholic church in Ho Chi Minh City, belonging to Tan Dinh parish, outstanding with Gothic architecture with impressive pink tones. Then we will see the City Post Office, an indispensable destination for tourists when coming to Ho Chi Minh City. It has ancient architecture, more than 120 years old. 

After that, our vehicle and Guide will take you back to your hotel. 

DAY 2: SAIGON – CU CHI TUNNELS – MY THO – SAIGON (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

After breakfast, we will go to Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network constructed by Vietnamese guerrillas to protect the region against American attacks during the Vietnam War. We can crawl a part inside the tunnel, and visit their infirmary, kitchen, and basements, to discover how people survived hereby.

Afternoon, we will travel to My Tho, a nice suburban area near Saigon, and have a leisure boat trip between water-coconut trees. Visit Keo Dua workshops and the countryside before having a nice lunch in an orchard.

Coming back to My Tho City by car and then back to the hotel in Saigon.

Dinner at your own arrangement.. Overnight in Saigon.

DAY 3: SAIGON – FLIGHT TO HANOI – HALF DAY CITY TOUR (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

After breakfast, the rest of the morning is at your arrangement.

Then our private Guide and Vehicle will take you to a local restaurant to have lunch and head to Tan Son Nhat Airport for our flight to Hanoi in North Vietnam.

Welcome to Hanoi!

Our guide and car in Hanoi will take us to our hotel for check in. After that, we will go on to visit Ho Chi Minh Complex, including the Mausoleum (outside), Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house, and his fish pond. Then we will visit the One Pillar Pagoda which worships the Goddess of Mercy – It is one of the most unique pagoda in the world.

Then we will take an interesting walk thru the Old Quarter, with Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, the Hoan Kiem Lake and from here walk around the ancient streets that formed Hanoi and enjoy Egg Coffee.

Lastly, we will enjoy a Water Puppet Show, a traditional stage-art created by the peasants of ‘’the wet rice civilization’’. From an art with folk elements, Water Puppetry has become a traditional art, and a typical creation of the Vietnamese.

Dinner at your own arrangement. . Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 4: HANOI – HALONG BAY OVERNIGHT CRUISE (BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER)

After breakfast at the hotel, our Guide and Vehicle will pick us up to go to HaLong Bay, a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage in Northern Vietnam. The trip to the pier takes about 2h30′.

Welcome onboard and take a 2days-1night trip on a deluxe cruise with excellent and exciting activities [swimsuits recommended]. Being a bay with nearly 2,000 islands and islets, some with craters, Halong has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage to emphasise its value and the need to be protected. This journey will awaken all our senses with the beauty of nature, the savoury taste, the comfy facility, and the perfect service right at one of the natural wonders of the world. Overnight onboard.

DAY 5: HALONG BAY – HANOI (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

Wake up in one of the most beautiful bays in the world, enjoy breakfast, and visit a stunning cave in the morning.

At noon, our guide will wait for us at the pier, taking us back to Hanoi to rest.

Dinner at your own arrangement. . Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 6: HANOI – TAM COC – BAI DINH – HANG MUA – HANOI (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

After breakfast, our vehicle will meet us at the hotel to head south to Ninh Binh today.

Being an ancient capital city a millennium ago, Ninh Binh is now known for its poetic landscape and ancient relics. Taking a leisure trip to Tam Coc, it is outstanding with limestone caves, beautiful village scenery and Bich Dong ancient pagoda. And Hang Mua, with a poetic mountain scenery with caves and 500 steps to see the typical nature of the countryside. Have lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon we will visit Bai Dinh Pagoda, a large temple complex with many Asian and Vietnamese records established as the temple with the largest gilded bronze Buddha in Asia, the temple with the longest Arhat corridor in Asia and the largest bronze Maitreya statue in Southeast Asia.

Coming back to the hotel in Hanoi.

Dinner at your own arrangement. . Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 7: HANOI – FLIGHT TO LUANG PRABANG (LAOS) (BREAKFAST, DINNER)

Have breakfast and check out the hotel, our Guide and Car will pick you up and then transfer to Hanoi’s Airport for your flight to Luang Prabang (Laos). 

Welcome to Luang Prabang!

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos. After s short rest we will visit the city’s oldest temple of the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset and the Mekong River. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by local and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang

DAY 8: LUANG PRABANG – KUANGSI WATER FALL – PAK OU (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

After breakfast, we visit the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts, we then drive to Kuangsi Waterfall, Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Na Ouan, a Hmong village, then takes us to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. We return to the city by afternoon for lunch then take a cruise up to Mekong which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well time to explore 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, after visited the Pak Ou Cave but Pha An Limb Stone Cliff don’t be missed. We then take a boat down to Luangprabang City by sunset time. 

 Overnight in Luang Prabang

DAY 9: LUANG PRABANG – GIVING ALMS – MORNING MARKET – TRADITIONAL MUSEUM ART AND CULTURE (BREAKFAST/LUNCH)  

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (often in the form of sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual. We will explore morning market where local people show their traditional food.

After breakfast, we will visit The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) has been a private non-profit making museum devoted to the different ethnic groups in Laos. Situated in a historical building, protected by UNESCO, the permanent exhibition that the museum offers to the public shows items of ethnic clothing, religious artefacts, working tools… Its intention is to increase understanding of the different ways of life and the traditions of different ethnic groups in Laos. The Centre as well as TAEC Boutique in Ban Vat Sene on the main road offers certain items for sale, books, photos, and local handmade craftsmanship. We will have lunch then it’s free time till transfer to the airport

After lunch, transfer to the airport to take the departure flight.

Welcome to SIEM REAP!

Upon arrival at Siem Reap airport, meets and transfers to hotel for check in.

Dinner not included. Overnight in Siem Reap. 

DAY 10: SIEM REAP  –  ANGKOR TOUR  – SIEM REAP (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

Breakfast at hotel.

After having breakfast, we journeyed out of the hotel at 8.00 am to the South Gate of Angkor Thom atop 4 giant faces that religiously represent compassion, sympathy, equanimity, and charity. Stroll around Bayon temple consisting of more than 200 smiling faces in stone, admired by interesting temples including Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the terrace of leper king and terrace elephant. Resume the journey to visit Ta Prohm temple adorned with the stunning, amazing tree roots where Lara Croft’s Tomb Raider was filmed.

Have lunch at local restaurant

Afternoon, continue to witness the marvelous Angkor Wat – the world’s heritage listed by UNESCO in 1992 and the largest unrivaled monument in the world. Built by Suryavarman II in the 12th Century, Angkor Wat is considered one of Asia’s top destinations and is a must-see in your lifetime. Learning from your tour guide the amazing history, its ancestral incredible, architectural masterpieces, and the finest carvings dates back to the Khmer Empire, which dominated the largest parts of Southeast Asia.

Dinner at your own arrangement. . Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 11: SIEM REAP  – SHIVA VALLEY – BANTEAY SREY TEMPLES  (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

Breakfast at hotel

After breakfast.We set off at 8.30 am within Angkor jungle to Grand Circuit where we’re going to explore some main Angkorian temples starting with Srah Srang (The Royal’s Basin), Banteay Kdei, Ta Keo, Preah Khan (Royal Sword), Neak Pean (Coiled Serpents), Ta Som & East Mebon. Your tour is very flexible and you may want to skip a few of these temples if you think that is too much.

Have lunch at local restaurant

Afternoon, continue to reveal the intricately carved, beautiful red-pink sandstone temple of Banteay Srei which means “citadel of the women” – it was built in the 10th century and is considered to be a Jewel of Khmer art which features unique decorations and its finest details. We return for a short visit to the palm sugar village, and other palm handicrafts and discover the serenity of the Banteay Samre temple.

Dinner at your own arrangement. . Overnight in Siem Reap.

DAY 12: SIEM REAP – BENG MEALEA – KOH KER TEMPLES – SIEM REAP (BREAKFAST, LUNCH)

Breakfast at hotel

This morning, we will drive out from Siem Reap city toward Beng Mealea temple which was built in 12th century during Angkor Wat time, locates about 65km. The journey provides nice views of rice paddies, countryside dotting with palms tree, heading to have the guided walking orientation within the wilderness to unlock the hidden jungle temple whose the ruined rocks spread around, enhanced by the vegetation and the tranquility. Walk, crawl, climb and squeeze into/over galleries to see its amazing setting, reveal the history, take picturesque photos and feel the natural surroundings.

Have lunch at local restaurant

Afternoon, continue to an archaeological site of Pre-Angkorian temple – the very less touristy temple that Koh Ker has attracted more and more tourists to discover its ruins among the wilderness. Koh Ker temple was probably served as state temple of Khmer King Jayavarman IV, vertically arises in Pyramid shape with 7 tiers enhanced by impressive shrines. Learn from your tour guide about the significant city of Khmer Empire and take some picturesque photos. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.  Dinner not included and night at hotel

DAY 13: SIEM REAP  – DEPARTURE (BREAKFAST)

Breakfast at hotel

In the morning, freely visit Siem Reap.

Lunch not included

Transfer to Siem Reap airport for your flight home.