VIETNAM
AND LAOS
ITINERARY IN BRIEF
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN SAIGON
DAY 2: SAIGON - BEN TRE - CAN THO
DAY 3: CAN THO - SAIGON - DA NANG flight - HOI AN
DAY 4: HOI AN - MY SON - HOI AN
DAY 5: HOI AN - HUE
DAY 6: HUE
DAY 7: HUE - HANOI flight
DAY 9: HA LONG - NINH BINH
DAY 10: NINH BINH - HANOI - LUANG PRABANG flight
DAY 11: LUANG PRABANG
DAY 12: LUANG PRABANG
DAY 13: LUANG PRABANG - DEPARTURE
DAY 1 - SAIGON
Arrival in Sai Gon, welcomed by our guide and transfer to the city. Hotel accommodation (rooms are usually available from 14h00). In the afternoon, discovery of the city: the War Remnants museum where you will trace back to the story of the Second Indochina War, better known as the "Vietnam War", the Central Post office and Ben Thanh market. Overnight stay in Sai Gon.
DAY 2 - BEN TRE - CAN THO
Departure for the Mekong Delta with Ben Tre as destination. After two hours of travel, boarding a boat and cruising on the currents of the large branch of the Mekong surrounded by lush vegetation. Visit of the coconut candy factory. Take a walk, meet the inhabitants and see the process of working the sleeping mat. Continuation by car toward Can Tho - the metropolis of the southern provinces. Overnight stay in hotel in Can Tho.
DAY 3 - FROM CAN THO TO HOI AN
Wake up in the morning for a walk along the Hau Giang River, the lower arm of the Mekong. Visit the floating market of Cai Rang, one of the most authentic of the delta. Return by car to Sai Gon and transfer directly to the airport and flight to Da Nang. Arrival after an hour and a half of flight, continuation by car to the beautiful town of Hoi An. Hotel accommodation. Overnight stay in Hoi An.
DAY 4 - HOI AN - MY SON
Departure for My Son complex - the most important archeological site of the Champa kingdom in all of Vietnam. Located in the center of Vietnam, not far from the beautiful Hoi An, it is made up of a series of remains and ruins of Hindu temples built between the 4th and 14th centuries AD. by the Champa kings. The temples are located within a suggestive valley surrounded by two mountain ranges. Of the temples, all dedicated to the worship of the god Shiva, the most important and significant is that one of Bhadresvara. The afternoon is dedicated to visiting the ancient city of Hoi An: Hoi An market, the ancient house of Tan Ky, the Chinese Temple of Phuc Kien, the Japanese covered bridge, and free time for shopping. Overnight stay at the hotel.
OPTIONAL - CHAMPA DINNER
Dinner with a cultural stamp at the home of a multifaceted artist and an excellent cook from the Champa population, who will introduce you to the traditions and culture, especially culinary, of her ethnicity. Poet, researcher and scholar passionate about Champa culture, has written several unique books such as the book on Champa cuisine. Tales, dances and traditional food ... all made with care and personally by the artist for an authentic and unforgettable experience. After enjoying the delicious dishes, you will have time for curiosities about the Champa population.
DAY 5 - HUE
Transfer by car to Hue, crossing the Hai Van pass, the hill of clouds (depending on weather conditions). Arrival in the ancient capital of the Nguyen dynasty, visit the tomb of Emperor Minh Mang, the best known emperor of the 13 of the Nguyen Dynasty and Thien Mu Pagoda located on a hill near Perfumes river. After that, visit the market of Dong Ba. Overnight stay in hotel in Hue.
DAY 6 - THUY BIEU VILLAGE
Departure for the village of Thuy Bieu, walk around the village to get to know the daily life of the inhabitants. Possibility to participate in the creation of a traditional painting. Stop at a local house and cooking class: preparation and tasting of two typical dishes of Hue. After lunch, visit of the Citadel consisting of the Royal Fortress and the Forbidden City. The citadel was partially destroyed by the Americans in 1968 during the Vietnam War. Today numerous donations contribute to the restoration of this priceless heritage. Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 7 - HANOI
Transfer to Hue airport and morning flight to Ha Noi. Welcome by the guide and transfer to the city. Hotel accommodation (rooms are usually available from 14h00). In the afternoon visit the city of Ha Noi, a thousand-year-old city: Temple of Literature - the first university in Vietnam, Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh (outside) where the ancient wooden house on stilts and its bucolique garden are located (they are closed on Monday afternoon), One Pillar Pagoda, dated in 11th century, linked to the legend of the Ly Dynasty, founder of the capital Ha Noi. In the evening, free time to discover the old quarter of the 36 streets. Overnight stay in Ha Noi.
DAY 8 - HA LONG
Departure by car to Ha Long. Arrival at the pier at noon and accommodation on board of a cruise. Key collection, comfortable cabin equipped with hot water, air conditioning and bay view. Meal served on board, prepared by sailors. Cruise through the extraordinary Halong Bay - one of the natural wonders of the world. Special dinner and overnight stay on board. Calm night in the idyllic bay.
DAY 9 - HA LONG - NINH BINH
Wake up in the morning to practice Tai Chi and admire the sunrise. After breakfast, continuation of the cruise to visit the caves. Brunch on board and leave the room free. Disembarkation and departure by car to Ninh Binh, stop in Hai Phong for the water puppet show that is presented by the village farmers. Arrival in Ninh Binh and hotel accommodation. Overnight stay in Ninh Binh.
DAY 10 - NINH BINH - LUANG PRABANG
Departure by car to Trang An, considered Halong Bay on land. Boat trip surrounded by picturesque landscapes through the natural caves carved by the river in the karst rock in an environment still untouched by mass tourism. Continue by car to visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam between the tenth and eleventh centuries. Also in Hoa Lu, visit of two very important temples dedicated to two ancient Vietnamese kings: King Dinh and King Le. Transfer directly to Ha Noi airport and flight to Luang Prabang. Arrival in the city, transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in Luang Prabang.
DAY 11 - LUANG PRABANG
Visit the Royal Palace Museum, where you immerse yourself in the daily life of the last Royal families who ruled Laos before the Phatet Lao took power, the Huan Chuan Heritage House where you can admire the architectural charm of this building and learn the historical connections in common with the Royal Palace. Visit the temples, starting with the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its particular roof which is an example of the typical classic architecture of the Lanexang style, of the beautiful Wat Mai, the stupa of Wat Visoun, Wat Prabath, the Arts and Ethnology Center to better understand which ethnic minorities populate Laos and what their customs and traditions are. In the afternoon visit the village of Ban Xienglek, famous for their excellent textile and handicraft works, here you can observe the craftsmen as they work and you will have the opportunity to buy some artifacts. To end your day in a beautiful way, you will climb to the top of Mount Phousi, for a pleasant exploration of the secrets of the golden stupa and to enjoy the spectacular view of the city and the Mekong during sunset. Overnight stay in Luang Prabang.
OPTIONAL Bowls and dinner in a local restaurant
In Laos it is called Petanque, and in fact it is a game of bowls very popular among Laotians that represents a unique and fun way to get in touch with the local people in an authentic and fun way. After a few games and having a few beers together with the locals, we will go to a local restaurant called SinDat, most commonly a Lao BBQ very popular with locals in an area outside the of the turistic circuit.
DAY 12 - LUANG PRABANG
On this day, at first morning light we take part in the Tak Bat (procession of the monks) or an ancient Buddhist ritual that still, in Luang Prabang, is followed by local monks. Before returning to the hotel for breakfast, stop at a local market. The first activity of the day is at the village of Ock Pop Tok where it is explained how the locals work the silk and how it is produced starting from silkworm. After visiting the market, visit the spectacular and famous Khuang Si waterfalls, located about 30 km from Luang Prabang, the wonderful waterfalls of crystal clear turquoise water are now a must-see for those who reach Luang Prabang, once finish the walk in the surrounding forest you will have the opportunity to cool off with a pleasant swim in one of the natural crystal clear pools. Near the waterfalls it is also possible to visit the Bear Rescue Center, an organization that protects a particular specimen of Asian bear against the serious problem of poaching. Boarding a boat for an excursion on the Mekong River, after a navigation of about 2 hours through the imposing Mekong you will visit the Pak Ou caves, the two caves joined by a path in the forest, having the particularity of guarding thousands of golden statuettes of various shapes and sizes, representing the Buddha; these statuettes were left here by the faithful on pilgrimage from the 14th century onwards. On the way back, visit the village of Ban Muangkeo, famous for its textile works and the production of rice whisky. Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 13 - LUANG PRABANG - DEPARTURE
Breakfast at the hotel. Cross the Mekong aboard a boat, once you reach the other bank you will reach the Pha Tad Ke botanical garden, where you will receive a brief introduction. You will go into these fantastic gardens surrounded by dense vegetation and learn the importance of biodiversity and the conservation of species. At the end of the tour, option of a brief chat about orchids for those wishing to deepen their green finger. After the excursion, you return to the bank of the Mekong river to cross it again and return to the Luang Prabang peninsula. Free time until transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
OPTIONAL Afternoon in bike or TukTuk on your choice
Affternoon on a bicycle or on a TukTuk and you will have the opportunity to move around as you wish, the guide will be with you to assist you in your needs. You can tour the various boutiques, crafts, antiques or ethnic / eco-friendly clothing and end the afternoon of shopping enjoying a local beer, the famous Lao Beer made with rice instead of malt, kindly offered by us in a restaurant on the banks of the Mekong .