Day1:     Arrival – Chiang Rai

Arrive in Chiang Rai airport. You will be met and transferred to your hotel. Remain of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Chiang Rai

Day 2:     Chiangrai – HoueiSay – Pakbeng (Cruise down operates Monday, Thursday & Friday)

This morning you have an early morning transfer from the hotel to Chiang Khong, the exit point from Thailand. After passing through immigration, you cross the Mekong River to HoueiSay in Laos where your guide will be waiting for you at the immigration point. After completing border formalities, you board the LuangSay Cruise ready for the trip downriver. As you journey downriver you will take what is arguably the most beautiful strech of the Mekong, and stop at some ethnic minority villages such as the Hmong, Yao and Khmu. Overnight in LuangSay Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 3:     Pakbeng – Luang Prabang:

After breakfast, as you sail downriver, you'll pass areas of un-spoiled forest with little villages along the riverbanks and perhaps the odd elephant or two with his mahout. You visit a fishing village and a rice winemaking village and perhaps even taste some of the infamous beverage known as Lao wine. You also visit the mysterious Pak-Ou caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. You arrive in Luang Prabang around sunset and transfer to your hotel. This evening you can take a stroll around this enchanting little town. Overnight in Luang Prabang (B, L)

Day 4:     Luang Prabang – City Tours

After breakfast we explore this charming city that is a UNESCO world heritage site. You will visit Wat Xiang Thong, the most important Buddhist monastery in the country, Wat Visoun, Wat Khili and Wat Mai. Later, you visit the former Royal Palace, now a National Museum (closed Tuesdays) where you will find ornate, gilded and brocaded reception rooms, as well as artefacts including the Prabang, a large holy image, which was given in the 14th century by the Khmers to King Fa Ngum. At sunset we climb the nearby temple-topped hill of Mount Phousi where you will catch a spectacular view out over the town and the river. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang (B)

Day 5:     Luang Prabang – Khouangsi Waterfall:

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual. From there you will visit the morning Phosi Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional handicrafts, and today you will visit local village of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay and Ban Thapene. We also drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can take a dip in the turquoise pools or walk along the forest paths. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Phanom, a well-known weaving village, and then return to the city by late evening for observing the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Overnight in Luang Prabang (B)

Day 6:     Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng - Vientiane

After a leisurely breakfast, you begin the drive south to Vientiane, stopping off on the way to visit minority villages via Vang Vieng where the limestone karst scenery contributed to a beautiful landscape. After a short stop, we head onwards to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, built by the French on the site of Wieng Chan, the 16th century capital of Lane Xang. Wieng Chan was already bristling by the time Europe was emerging from obscurity, and today it is a small bustling city that retains an air of Its French colonial past. Overnight in Vientiane (B)

Day 7:     Vientiane – City Tours

AM: This morning, you will commence sightseeing with a visit to the market. The market is a wildly colorful affair – amid the baskets piled with rice, eggs, and tea, ducks, pigs and fish both alive and dead, are food stalls selling noodles, soup, and 'food to go' wrapped in banana leaves, existing cheek by jowl with sellers of jasmine, orchids, and marigolds - the latter being woven into garlands for temple offerings. From there you begin a walking tour of the city's old Wats beginning with the venerable Wat Sisaket with its many wall niches holding small Buddha, Wat Prakeo - a former royal temple, the major Wats of Wat Mixai, Wat Ong Tu, Wat Haisok and Wat In Paeng, ending with some French colonial houses.

PM: You will pay a visit to the studio of Carol Cassidy, an American who has done much to advance the Lao weaving tradition. Later this afternoon you visit That Luang Stupa, a national symbol of Lao sovereignty and a Buddhist shrine, overnight in Vientiane. (B)

Day 8:     Vientiane – Hanoi

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met and transferred to your hotel. Hanoi, Vietnam's capital retains a unique old world charm and some of Asia‘s most striking colonial architecture. If time permits we enjoy a short cyclo ride around the streets in the Old Quarter where each street still trade in the same speciality goods they dealt in 500 years ago. Hanoi boasts an abundance of restaurants and bars for dining and drinking. Overrnight in Ha Noi (B)

Day 9:     Hanoi – Halong

After breakfast, we start our city tour with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi. We then continue our trip to the Temple of Literature, well known as Vietnam’s first university, and the History Museum, which displays an excellent collection of artefacts illustrating Vietnamese history. After a visit to the peaceful and atmospheric lake of Hoan Kiem with its sacred temple, we make our way to Halong Bay, stopping over at a pottery village. Overnight in Halong (B)

Day10.    Ha Long – Hanoi

Today, we embark on a traditional junk boat cruising around Halong Bay, truly one of Vietnam’s most impressive scenic sights. A five-hour cruise provides a fantastic view of the magnificent bay, dotted with some 3,000-limestone islands rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. Along the way, we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and enjoy a visit to one of many beautiful caves. A seafood lunch on board is a delightful part of the trip. We then return to Hanoi, arriving in time to see some traditional entertainment, an evening performance of Hanoi’s famous water puppets. Overnight in Hanoi (B)

Day11.    Hanoi – Danang – Hoian

You have the morning at leisure, before you are transferred to the airport for your early afternoon flight to Danang. The sightseeing tour of central Vietnam begins with Hoi An Town, which was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced down the centuries by a myriad of traders from various cultures. The tranquility and charm of the town with its low tiled houses scattered along the small streets make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Vietnam. After checking into your hotel, we will have time to stroll around the town to explore the lively Central Market and visit the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, the Pottery Museum, and the many temples and pagodas of Chinese appearance. Overnight in Hoi An. (B)

Day12.    Hoi An – Hue

Heading out of town, we drive north to Hue, Vietnam’s imperial capital between 1802 and 1945. Along the way, we make stopover at the sensational Marble Mountains before arriving in Danang City for a visit to the Cham Museum, home to Vietnam's largest collection of Cham treasures. We then follow the road hugging the central coast before crossing over the scenic Hai Van Pass and dropping down to the fishing villages of Lang Co. On arrival in Hue, we enjoy a cruise on the Perfume River, stopping at bustling Dong Ba Market and the beautiful Thien Mu Pagoda, and then visit the Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City. Overnight in Hue (B)

Day13.    Hue - Ho Chi Minh

We visit the royal mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc this morning before boarding a flight south to Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals, is crowded with bikes and motorbikes, and numerous shopping areas and sidewalk cafés. A half-day sightseeing tour takes us in the Reunification Palace, which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of April 1975, and some French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office. After seeing the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnants Museum, we continue our trip to the bustling Ben Thanh Market where you will find anything and everything for sale. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City (B)

Day14.    Ho Chi Minh - Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh

Heading out of town, we travel by road to My Tho province. On arrival, we embark on a boat trip navigating around the small canals in the Mekong Delta, which is a great way to observe the local lifestyles close-up. We pass through the lush green vegetation before arriving at an orchard where there are some opportunities to visit the various fascinating local industries. After feasting on a huge lunch, we return to Ho Chi Minh, stopping off along the way to see the beautiful Ving Trang Pagoda and the Cho Lon, Saigon’s Chinatown, which is crammed with fascinating temples and mysterious narrow lanes. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh (B)

Day15.    Ho Chi Minh - Departure

There is free time to relax or to explore Ho Chi Minh City further. Your spectacular 15-day tour will end after your transfer to Tan San Nhat Airport for departure (B)

Inclusive of above prices:    

•    Domestic airticket without airport tax
•    Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle
•    Accommodation in twin shared room
•    Join boat cruise LuangSay and Halong Bay
•    English speaking guide ( each city)
•    Admission fee to indicated sights
•    Meals: daily breakfast at hotel
•    Meals: 2 lunches and 1 dinner LuangSay
•    Gov’t tax and service charge
•    Luggage handling and drinking water    

Exclusive of above prices:

•    Visa stamping fee on arrival
•    Int’l airport departure tax
•    Int’l air tickets to / from Laos or Vietnam
•    Travel Insurance in all kinds
•    Meals:(lunch or dinner, quoted separately)
•    Single room (quoted separately)
•    Additional tour require beside above sights
•    Tip, drinks, personal expenses and others

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