Indochina Sonata 24 Days

Day 1: Vientiane arrival (D, G)

Arriving in Vientiane, you will be met and driven to your hotel. If time permits, you will visit the impressive Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge and the Buddha Park. You will spend the night in Vientiane.

Day 2: Vientiane City Tour (B, L, G)

After breakfast, you will visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket, the temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to Lao’s national precious heritage, the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you will stop enroute to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.

After lunch, you will visit Wat Ong Tue and Wat Haisok. You will then stop at the Central Market of Talad Sao and Talad Kouadin where various goods are displayed for sale; including fresh food, household goods, souvenirs, textiles, gold, silver and antiques. You will spend the night in Vientiane.

Day 3: Vientiane/Luang Prabang (B, G)

Free time until transferred to the airport for noon flight to Luang Prabang. Arriving in Luang Prabang International Airport, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. After a short rest, you’ll be free to stroll around the city’s Night Market offering handmade textiles woven by local people and ethnic minority communities. You will spend the night in Luang Prabang.

Day 4: Luang Prabang city (B, L, G)

Today, you will visit the the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Visoun, Wat Mai temple and the ‘Day Market’.

After lunch, you will climb up to the top of Mount Phousi provides a panorama of the ancient royal city and the Mekong River. You’ll spend the night in Luang Prabang.

Day 5: Luang Prabang/Kuangsi Waterfall/Luang Prabang (B, L, G)

This is the morning when you need your alarm clock! Early in the morning after a sustaining beverage and a small snack, you’ll witness one of Laos’ unique ceremonies – the daily ‘alms giving’ ritual of saffron-clad monks walking in a long line holding black bowls to receive offerings from local people. The traditional gift is a handful of ‘sticky rice’, but nowadays money is equally acceptable.

You’ll then return to your hotel for a proper breakfast. Afterwards, you’ll be driven to the Kuangsi Waterfalls, a serene beauty spot where you can splash around in the pools or stroll the forest paths. You will also visit Ban Phanom, a well-known weaving village. You will spend the night in Luang Prabang.

Day 6: Luang Prabang/Siem Reap (B, G)

Today, you will take a noon flight to Siem Reap. On arrival, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. In the afternoon, you’ll explore Angkor Wat itself, the largest, and for most people, the most impressive temple in the complex. As dusk nears, a walk to the summit of Phnom Bakheng Hill will afford a panorama of the whole complex lit by the rays of the setting sun, weather permitting of course. Your overnight accommodation will be in Siem Reap.

Day 7: Siem Reap (B, L, G)

After breakfast, you’ll begin with a visit to Angkor Thom, starting with the Bayon. Your next visit will be to the Elephant and Leper Emperor Terraces, followed by the Baphoun Temple, which is now nearing the end of an eight-year multi-million dollar restoration programme. You’ll then visit Ta Prohm, strangled by massive tree roots and typical of the condition of the whole complex when it was discovered in 1860 by French naturalist Henri Mouhot, and Neak Pean, a Himalayan-style lake and sanctuary.

In the afternoon, an hour drive will take you to Banteay Srey Temple which displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art with some of the most beautiful, deep and intricate carvings. You’ll return to your hotel with en-route visit to a local family that makes sugar palm. Your overnight stay will be in Siem Reap.

Day 8: Siem Reap/Phnom Penh (B, G)

Free time until transferred to the airport for noon flight to Phnom Penh. Arrival in Phnom Penh, you will be met and driven to the hotel. After a short rest, you will visit the National Museum and the Royal Palace with Silver Pagoda. You will finish your day with free time to visit and shopping at the Russian Market. You will spend the night in Phnom Penh.

Day 9: Phnom Penh/the ‘Killing Fields’/Phnom Penh (B, G)

In the morning, you’ll visit the so-called ‘Killing Fields’. After lunch in the city, you will be free. Your overnight accommodation will be in Phnom Penh.

Day 10: Phnom Penh/Chau Doc (B, G)

Your morning will be free! In the afternoon, you’ll board a high-speed boat to travel downriver to Chau Doc. On arrival, you will be met and driven to your hotel where you will spend the night.

Day 11: Chau Doc/Can Tho (B, L, G)

After breakfast, you’ll transfer up to Can Tho by car via Long Xuyen. You will spend the night in Can Tho.

Day 12: Can Tho (B, L, G)

An early morning cruise will take you to Cai Rang floating market on the Mekong Delta, providing a view of the rural lifestyle of the people who live along the river bank on the way. The remainder of the day will be your own. Your overnight stay will be in Can Tho.

Day 13: Can Tho/Vinh Long/Ho Chi Minh City (B, L, G)

After breakfast, you’ll travel to Vinh Long. There, you’ll cruise on the Mekong River, visit Cai Be floating market, fruit orchards, a traditional family-run brick kiln, and drop in to look at some traditional cottage industries – a workshop making the huge coffins unique to the Mekong is particularly interesting. You’ll then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City’s urban sprawl where you’ll spend the night.

Day 14: Ho Chi Minh City orientation (B, L, G)

After breakfast, your guide will arrive to show you around Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll visit the History Museum, the Museum of War Remnants, the huge Ben Thanh market.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Jade Emperor Temple and a lacquer workshop. In the evening, you’ll have tickets for a performance of traditional Water Puppetry. You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)

A morning drive will take you to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See in time to watch the mid-day ceremony. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a Byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and booby traps used by both the Vietminh and the Viet Cong to suddenly materialise as if from nowhere, launch a lightning ambush, and vanish equally rapidly. You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 16: Ho Chi Minh City/Danang/Hoi An (B, GP)

Free time until transferred to the airport for an afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City. In the afternoon, you’ll have a guided visit to the Ancient Town of Hoi An. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

Day 17: Hoi An free (B)

The day will be free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

Day 18: Hoi An/Danang/Hue (B, L, G)

In the morning, your car will arrive to drive you to Danang via the high mountain pass of Hai Van. Arriving in Hue, you will visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue and the local Dong Ba market. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

Day 19: Hue (B, L, D, G)

Your morning will begin with a cruise along the Perfume River to visit to the Thien Mu Pagoda. From there, you’ll drive to the Royal Tombs of Emperor Minh Mang and, in the afternoon, Emperor Khai Dinh. After that, you’ll return to Hue to visit one of city’s ‘garden houses’.

In the evening, you’ll sit down for dinner in the pleasant surroundings of the garden houses and enjoy some of the most typical dishes of Hue’s cuisine. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

Day 20: Hue/Hanoi (B, GP)

Free time until transferred to the airport for an afternoon flight to Hanoi. Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel where you will spend the night.

Day 21: Explore the capital Hanoi (B, L, G)

Today, you will visit some of the must-see sites in Hanoi. First, you will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum’s complex including Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, museum, his simple house-on-stilt and One-Pillar Pagoda. You will then visit oldest pagoda in Hanoi, Tran Quoc Pagoda.

After lunch, you will visit the excellent Ethnology Museum, the Temple of Literature and the bustling Old Quarter. You will finish your day by a Water Puppetry performance. You will spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 22: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, D, G)

After an early breakfast, you’ll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas where you’ll board a wooden junk built from the model of the old Vietnamese court vessels. The cruising route will take you to the busy World Heritage area and then to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Meals will be provided on board with fresh seafood mainly. You will spend the night in a twin or double cabin with an en suite toilet and shower.

Day 23: Ha Long/Hanoi (Brunch, G)

You’ll spend the morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch just before docking around noon and leaving for Hanoi. The rest of the day will be free. You will spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 24: Hanoi departure (B, GP)

Free time until transferred to the airport for departure flight. Tour ends.