Discovery in Indochina Tour

Departure from Sydney/ Melbourne via Vietnam, Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat International airport, you will be greeted by our representative and be transferred to hotel for check in. Free at leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast at hotel, we will visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. We stop at a lacquer art factory for the disabled on the way. We arrive in Cu Chi Tunnels (Ben Dinh). Then we will watch a propaganda film a wartime propaganda film showing how local guerilla fighters were “American Killing Heroes” (a short introductory video showing how the tunnels were constructed). We then spend the next hour exploring the maze of tunnels in Cu Chi. Also on display are various mantraps and the remains of an American tank as well as numerous bomb craters made by 500 pound bombs dropped by B52 bombers. Also, you can try to real gun shooting for extra. We arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and finish Cu Chi Tunnels Half Day Tour. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Today you are free for your own exploration in .Overnight in Ho Chi Minh. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Optional tours: Mekong Delta Day tour

This morning after breakfast be picked up from the hotel and travel to the city of My Tho (approx. 1.5 hours) on the banks of the Mekong. Upon arrival board a motor boat and cruise along the Mekong River. The boat will take you to Xep Canal, a lovely place where you can escape the traffic of the main river. Here you will cruise under coconut trees before arriving at a small islet. Disembark and walk around a small local village. Stop at a local family’s home to enjoy tropical fruit, honey tea and wine and listen to traditional Vietnamese music performed by the villagers. Afterwards continue onwards to another islet where a traditional Vietnamese lunch will be prepared by a local family (included). In the afternoon return to Ho Chi Minh City and your hotel accommodation. Inclusions: Transfers to and from your hotel, English speaking tour guide, Mekong River boat trip, lunch, honey tea and honey wine, seasonal fruits, traditional music performance.

Flight suggestion: VN124 Ho Chi Minh to Danang @ 12:30pm – 1:50pm
After breakfast at hotel, you will transfer to airport for your fight to Danang. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel in Hoian. Stop en route to visit the Marble Mountain and Stone village. The rest of the afternoon is yours at leisure to explore the UNESCO World Heritage listed town of Hoian. Overnight in Hoian. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Today you are free for your own exploration in Hoian. Overnight in Hoian. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Optional tour to My Son

Depart early this morning and travel to My Son (approx. 1 hour), a UNESCO World Heritage site located 40km southwest of Hoi An. My Son was once the capital and religious centre of the Cham people, and is believed to be the longest inhabited archaeological site in Indochina. The ruins of My Son were built between the 7th to 13th century BC and are located in a valley surrounded by mountains, the sides of which are covered in thick jungle. Hon Quap (Cat’s Tooth Mountain) overlooks the site, its crooked peak mimicked by the architecture of some temples’ roofs. These mountains are the source of the Thu Bon River, a holy river which flows through the site. Lunch will be included at a local restaurant and after the day’s tour, be transferred back to the hotel in Hoi An. Inclusions: Transfers to and from your hotel to My Son Holy Land, English speaking tour guide.

Today you are free for your own exploration in Hoian. Overnight in Hoian. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Flight suggestion: VN172 Danang to Hanoi @ 1:00pm – 2:20pm
You are free for your own exploraiton in Hoian until we transfer to airprot for your flight to Hanoi. On arrvial Noi Bai airport, you are met and transferedd to your hotel. Then you are free. Overnighti in Hanoi. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

07:45 – 08:30 Meet your tour guide at your suggested places around Hanoi Old Quarter.
– Start the trip with Tran Quoc pagoda, a Buddhist relic and national heritage lying on the West Lake.
– Visit Ho Chi Minh complex, the final resting place of Viet Nam’s greatest father; his house-on-stilt and One pillar pagoda – modeled after a lotus flower, a symbol of Hanoi.
– Visit Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 dedicating to Confucius, sages and scholars. It was also the first university of Viet Nam once.
Relax and have lunch at a local restaurant in Hanoi Old Quarter.
– Explore daily life of traditional ceramics village of Bat Trang. Visit showrooms and see how they model the products.
– Arrive legendary Hoan Kiem lake. Visit Ngoc Son Temple dedicated to Tran Hung Dao – General Commander for his struggle against Mongolians.
15:30 Drop you off. Then you are free. Overnight in Hanoi.

Optional Activity: Hanoi Evening Street Food Tour

This tour into the Old Quarter will begin from your hotel in the early evening. Your English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture, including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes. Walk through the maze of bustling streets that is Hanoi’s Old Quarter, and tempt your tastebuds with the famed Hanoi dish Banh Cuon at a local eatery. Watch as the skilled chefs demonstrate to you how this tasty dish is put together. Continuing onwards, wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can discover how the local’s live in the old quarter. Afterwards you will stop at the barbeque stalls. Settle down with the locals and sample various meat, vegetable and bread specialties grilled over hot coals for extra flavour. The search for dessert will bring you down to a small alley, here you will find fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced and condensed milk – this speciality is one not to be missed! Your local guide will then take you to one of Hanoi’s best kept secrets, a hidden street food restaurant to taste top ten street foods in Hanoi include Banh My Hanoi, Vietnamese Rice Wine and famous Egg Coffee along with many other specialties. Follow these delicious meals with an ice cold local beer. Your trip ends in the middle of the old quarter and you will continue onwards to discover Hanoi by night at your own leisure, or the tour guide can arrange a taxi for you to go back to your hotel (taxi not included). Inclusions: English speaking tour guide, all food and drink as mentioned above.

08:00 – 08:30 Pick-up at hotel and start 3 hour-and-a-half drive to Halong International Cruise Port, check in Oriental Sails JSC’s private waiting hall – The OS Lounge.
12:15 – 12:45 Embark on Oriental Sails by transfer boat. Listen to cruise briefing and receive room key.
13:00 – 15:30 Savor a delectable lunch as Oriental Sails cruises further along the limestone islands of Bai Tu Long Bay, heading to Vung Vieng fishing village – one of the largest fishing villages in Halong Bay to see the life of local fishermen.
– Option 1: Take a bamboo rowing boat trip around Vung Vieng Fishing Village
– Option 2: Take kayak and go kayaking by yourself with help and instruction of tour guide around the Village.
17:30 – 18:00 Return to Oriental Sails and have bath then relax as the sun starts to set. Enjoy the Happy Hour at the bar and on the sun deck while cooking demonstration is organizing.
19:00 – 19:30 Dinner is served. Socialize with other guests, night squid fishing or just laze around.
– Overnight on board at Cong Do Area. Meals: Breakfast at hotel. Lunch and Dinner on board

06:30 – 07:00 Start your day with Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck.
07:00 – 09:00 Catch morning view of seascapes with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast while cruising toward Thien Canh Son Cave. Visit Thien Canh Son Cave – the medium size and less visited cave in Bai Tu Long Bay.
09:30 Check-out room. Luggage can be delivered to the reception area.
09:30 – 11:00 Head back to the Harbor. Have early lunch on board. Disembark Oriental Sails at around 12h00.
12:00 – 16:30 Transfer back to Hanoi and trip finishes at the hotel around 16h30. Then you are free. Overnight in Hanoi. Meals: Breakfast and brunch on cruise.

*Details cruise program will be update upon confirmation. Anyway it still can change prior to departure date without notification due the weather or quay policy

Today you are free for your own exploration in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Flight suggestion: VN931 Hanoi – Luang Prabnag @ 12:40pm – 1:50pm
You are free until we transfer to airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Arrive in Luang Prabang which is the first ancient capital of Lane Xang kingdom and the center of religious life in Laos. Today it is a World Heritage City. Welcome on arrival by our guide and driver and we will take you to the city for hotel check-in. Meals on your own. Overnight in Luang Prabang. Meal: Breakfast at hotel.

In the morning:

• At 8:00am guide and driver will meet you at the hotel and take you to explore Heritage city of Luang Prabang.
• Firstly: visit the quaint Royal Palace Museum, which gives a good overview of the local history and features a guided audio tour and we walk out to visit the unique Wat Mai with its five tiered roof and we continue to visit the Arts and Ethnology Centre to learn about Laos’ many ethnic cultures.
• Next stop: We drive to visit Wat Visoun and Wat Aham known as ‘The Water Melon Stupa’ due to its shape.

In the afternoon:

• After lunch at local restaurant, we drive out of the town about 30km and take about 40 minutes where you have the option of stopping to visit Khmu, Hmong and Lao Loum villages, representing the main ethnic groups of Laos. This then takes us to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the turquoise pool or walk along the forest trails. A picnic lunch is taken at the falls. Next to the falls is a Bear Rescue Centre that does a great job in protecting and rehabilitating the rare Asiatic Black Bear. We then return to Luang Prabang by early afternoon.
• 15:30pm: We drive back to the city and continue climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River.
• 18:00pm: we explore the night market, where you can find a wide collection of handmade textile by local and hill tribe people in the surrounding towns before transfer back to hotel for relax. Your dinner today by guest’s account.

Overnight in Luang Prabang. Meal: Breakfast at hotel.

In the morning:

• At 5:30Am: guide and driver will pick up you at the hotel join 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. You can also visit the morning Phosi fresh Market where you can see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.
• 7:00am: back to hotel for breakfast.
• 8:00am: guide will back to you and continue to visit e will visit the magnificent Wat Xiengthong a superb piece of Lao temple architecture, which presents a sweeping two-tiered roof and ornate mosaics including a beautiful ‘tree of life ‘glass montage on the rear temple wall.
• 9:00am: We’ll spend a few hours travelling down the Mekong River on a long-tailed boat.
• First boat stop: We will visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves inside the limestone cliff opposite the mouth of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers.
• Our lunch will be at a local restaurant on the bank of the Mekong River.

In the afternoon:

• after lunch we’ll visit the village of Ban Xanghai, best known for its production of the traditional delicious rice of this country.
• 14:30pm: return to Luang Prabang we’ll visit Ban Xangkhong, a village known for its paper making and for its naturally dyed silk weavings. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast at hotel

Flight suggestion: VN931 Luang Prabang – Siem Reap @ 2:40pm – 4:10pm on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat or QV525 Luang Prabang – Siem Reap @ 1:40pm – 3:40pm on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun
After breakfast free at leisure till transfer to airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Welcome to Siem Reap! Your tour begins when you are warmly welcomed by our English Speaking Guide at Siem Reap International Airport. After you have collected your luggage he will then take you to your hotel for check in. Then you are free. Overnight in Siem Reap. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

After breakfast, enjoy a full day excursion to discover Angkor Thom and Temples. Firstly, you will visit the wonderful Angkor Thom (the Great City) including the Southern Gate, famous Bayon temple (12th century in the centre of city remains one the most enigmatic temples of the Angkor group composed of 54 gothic towers decorated with 216 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara. Baphuon temple is lying just to the north of Bayon a pyramidal representation of mythical Mont Meru. Terrace of Elephants used as a giant reviewing stand for public ceremonies and served as a base for the king’s grand audience hall ; Terrace of the Leper King a platform 7m high, with statue. Visit to Ta Prohm. One of the area’s most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was abandoned and swallowed by the jungle, looking very much the ways most of the Angkor temples appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them.
Afternoon, it is time to visit the wonderful Angkor Wat Temples – one of the seven greatest architectural wonders of the world, as a temple and mausoleum for King Suryavarman II at the peak of the Khmer empire in the first half of 12th. Angkor Wat is probably the best-preserved of the Angkorean temples, with a central tower surrounded by four smaller towers. The central monument represents the mythical Mount Meru, the holy mountain at the centre of the universe, which was home to the Hindu God Vishnu. The whole complex covers 81 hectares, a rectangular wall measuring 1025 meters by 800 meters borders the inner edge of the moat, and temple’s greatest sculptural treasure is its 2 km-long bas-reliefs around the walls. In the late afternoon, visit to the Phnom Bakheng temple, is the first temple in Angkor region build by the Yacovarman I King in the first of 9th century, located on a slope gently hill where thousands tourist are grouping on the hilltop to catch a memorable time of life when viewing the marvellous sunset, the distant Angkor Wat in the jungle.
Evening is your free time for walking at busy pub street. Pop up at a bar for cool drink or shopping at Angkor Night Market. Overnight in Siem Reap. Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Today you are free for your own exploration in Siem Reap. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Flight suggestion: VN812 Siem Reap – Ho Chi Minh @ 06:30pm – 07:45pm
There is some free time for your own exploration in Luang Prabang until we transfer to airport for your flight departure. The trip ends. Meal: Breakfast at hotel.