22 Days Vietnam Myanmar and Laos Tour

Meals: B

This morning see the Tran Quoc Pagoda. This 1,400 year old temple features ten tiers enclosed by gardens, including a Bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original Buddhist tree under which Buddha sat. Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake where you’ll see the Tortoise Tower perched on the water. Enjoy a half hour cyclo tour through Hanoi’s the Old Quarter. The cyclo is a historic mode of transportation in the cities of Vietnam where a cyclist leads you while you sit in a canopied seat affixed to the front. Next, visit the One Pillar Pagoda, situated on a pillar made of a single stone, in the midst of a lotus pond. This pagoda was built by a 9th century emperor who saw it in a dream and regarded this as divine inspiration to recreate the structure in his vision.

You'll pass by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before visiting the highlight of this day - The Temple of Literature. This ancient university was erected almost a millennium ago and has hosted many of the most prominent scholars through Vietnamese history. The site features many gardens, pools, buildings, and ancient trees where Vietnam’s best and brightest studied under the guidance of Confucius teachings.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: B / L / D

After breakfast, travel to Halong Bay, one of the Wonders of the Orient (3 hr. drive). Your cruise across Halong Bay starts around noon on Tuan Chau Island at the doorstep of Vietnam's most fascinating wonder. As the boat sets sails, you will be greeted by the Paradise Crew and Cruise Manager who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard.

During the afternoon, discover some of the treasures spread across the Bay of the Descending Dragon: fascinating caves, pristine beaches, picturesque floating villages, fantastic rock formations rising up out of emerald water. While onboard, you can take advantage at leisure of the Spa, Beauty & Massage services; surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you can attend the chef's cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.

One of the highlights of your stay on board is the innovative and varied cuisine offered at Lunch and Dinner in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages from around the world.

Overnight on Board

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on GTT arrangement

Meals: B / L

Wake up to Tai Chi exercises on the sun deck and continue cruising the bays. Breakfast buffet will be served in the restaurant, followed by a visit the limestone grotto. Disembark in Halong City around noon and transfer back to Hanoi airport for your onward flight to Danang, upon arrive, you will escort to Hoi An for hotel check in.

Overnight in Hoi An

Meals: B

In the morning, travel to the My Son Holy Land. Tucked in the mountains up winding roads with serene views, lie the 4th century My Son Holy Land ruins. The surrounding mountains are strictly forbidden for living or development. The ruins lie in a beautiful mountainous landscape. Enter the temples to hear all about the history and stories of the Cham people and this holy site.

In the afternoon, continue on to the Ancient Capital of Hoi An, which features the 16th century port town in its preserved state. Visit the Museum of Trade Ceramics which houses art and pottery dating from the 1,500’s to the 1,700’s. Continue on a brief visit the Chua Ong Pagoda, a temple from the 17th century featuring China's influence in the region. Enter the Ancient Town as the streets take on a magic of their own with old lanterns, French-style houses, intricately carved wooden doors and more take a walk through the Old Tam Ky House to see it's imperial styles meshed with French overtures. Continue on to stroll along the river and see traditional boats and locals on bicycles passing by. You'll then approach the Japanese Covered Bridge which for centuries connected the Chinese and Japanese sides of town over the waterway. The old wooden structure has shown amazing resilience for more than 400 years.

At dusk, enjoy walking along the riverside as colorful lanterns light up the town. Then return to your hotel for an evening of relaxation.

Overnight in Hoi An

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on GTT arrangement

Meals: B

Today, transfer to airport for flight to Saigon, upon arrive, our guide will meet you at airport and escort to hotel for check in.

In the afternoon, your private tour begins at the century-old Reunification Palace, which witnessed the growth of Ho Chi Minh City during peacetime and throughout the Vietnam War until its end in 1975. Continue to the nearby French colonial area, including a stop at the impressive Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, a famous cathedral located in Paris Square. Discover the magnificent neo-Romanesque architecture as you take in the tranquil atmosphere inside. At the opposite Central Post Office, one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, learn about this significant landmark — the busiest post office in Vietnam. Admire the neoclassical-style of the post office interior as your guide points out the painted maps of former Saigon, once the capital of South Vietnam. Continue visit to Ben Thanh Market, a lively market in District 1, where your guide can help you barter for goods.

Overnight in Saigon

Meals: B / L

Discover the Mekong River, essential to Vietnamese life. This morning, transfer to remote My Tho. This burgeoning capital rests in the Mekong Delta and is surrounded by beautiful countryside known as the "rice basket of Vietnam". First visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, decorated with mosaics made from broken pottery. Overlooked by a tall white Buddha, it is set amongst lovely gardens overflowing with flowers, shrubs, lotus pools and tombs and ornate gates which provide entry. Continue on a boat ride along the river to view the stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages.

After lunch, visit An Khanh, a small village that specializes in fruit orchards and coconut sweets. If time permits, you can take a short cycling trip through the island or explore the island on foot (the island is flat and relatively small). Return to Saigon hotel and rest of the day on your own leisure.

Overnight in Saigon

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on GTT arrangement

Meals: B

Enjoy the free morning until transfer to airport for your flight to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival, our guide will meet you at airport and escort to hotel for check in. In the afternoon, you’ll be greeted at your hotel by your guide in Yangon at 3pm in the afternoon. Set off on a half day exploring the diverse sites and fascinating culture of Yangon. Starting downtown, a walking tour will include sights such as colonial-era buildings, colorful religious buildings and the glittering Sule Pagoda.

A walk along the lively streets will reveal scenes of daily life with stalls selling a variety of snacks, fruits and dry goods and local residents gathering for cups of tea or rushing off to catch a bus to work. As the day comes to a close, travel to Shwedagon Pagoda. The 100-metre, gold covered stupa is the most holy site in Myanmar and a ‘must see’ for any visitor. Walk up the stairs, passing stalls filled with religious items such as offerings, incense and Buddhist statues, or take the lift to the elevated platform where Shwedagon stands. The glittering pagoda is a stunning site in the early evening, with the gentle sound of bells ringing and local pilgrims meditating or praying. Our driver will transfer you back to your hotel safely after a wonderful tour.

Overnight in Yangon

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on GTT arrangement

Meals: B

This morning, transfer by flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel check in.

This afternoon, explore Bagan. See its thousands of Buddhist pagodas spread in the valley of the Ancient City of Bagan. These pagodas were once owned by individual families during prosperous times. Visit the Nyaung Oo Market where locals buy and sell produce. Continue on to the Shwezigon Pagoda, the largest pagoda in Bagan painted with real gold.

Then enjoy a Horse Cart Ride to the small village of Taung Phi for a view of a teak monastery Continue by horse cart around temples and winding roads as the sun makes it's way to the sky's edge casting curious shadows from the temples across the plain. Continue to Shesandaw Pagoda. Watch one of the best sunsets in Southeast Asia before riding back to your hotel.

Overnight in Bagan

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on GTT arrangement

Meals: B

Transfer to airport for onward flight to Heho where you will be picked up and transfer you to your hotel by the lake side of Inle Lake. Inle Lake locates in the highland of Myanmar in an altitude of around 3,000 feet above sea level. Here you will enjoy different atmosphere and ambience from middle part of Myanmar. After check in hotel, enjoy your day at leisure to relax.

Overnight in Inle Lake

Meals: B / L

After your breakfast around 8am and take a boat trip to Inle Lake (second largest lake in Myanmar). The Intha’s lives are centered on the lake — they live in stilted houses, grow produce such as tomatoes, melons, and papayas in a unique floating gardens, and eat fish as a staple.

You will visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the most highly revered monastery in the Inle Lake area. Discover the traditional handicrafts silk weaving on wooden handlooms and a blacksmith shop.

Then, continue our boat ride to Nga Phe Chaung monastery, one of the oldest monasteries on the lake. The Buddha statues are more than 200 years old. On the lake, you can see traditional fishing methods by using the leg rowing technique. We proceed to the floating garden - Kyun-Hmyaw, which was built-up from strips of water hyacinth and mud, dredged from the lake bed, which breaks down into a rich humus; it take 50 years to produce a layer of 1m thick. Relax and enjoy spectacular sunset views over Inle Lake before returning to hotel.

Overnight in Inle Lake

Flight: Internal flight include in quotation and will be on GTT arrangement

Meals: B

Enjoy the morning free on your own to be relax, until transfer to airport for onward flight to Mandalay. Upon arrive, your guide will pick you up from airport and escort you to hotel for check in.

After a rest in hotel, you will visit the Mahamuni Image where you can to watch locals pray and place gold paper on the statue of Buddha for blessing. If you like, For a small donation you can also participate (only men are allowed to place the gold on the statue).

Then visit a gold paper factory to see how golden leafs are made, a staple in Burmese religious practices. On to visit the 19th century Shwenandaw Monastery (Golden Palace Monastery) famous for its teak carvings of Buddhist mythology. Next, see the Kuthodaw Pagoda which is a Buddhist stupa that contains the world's largest book of Buddhism. Towards end of your day, enjoy a gorgeous sunset from the top of Mandalay Hill.

Overnight in Mandalay

Meals: B / L

Morning: Transfer to Sagiang, the capital of Sagiang Division located on the Irrawady River. Cross the Inwa Bridge, which was built by the British in 1934. Then visit the Maha Ganayon Kyaung Monastery to see hundreds of monks line up for daily meals. On to visit the U Bein Bridge which is 1.2 kilometers long and is the longest teakwood bridge in the world. Next visit Kaung Mu Taw Pagoda: a dome shaped pagoda which rises up 46 meters. At the base of the pagoda there are 812 stone pillars, each one with a hollow and image of a Nat inside. Continue with a visit to Sagaing Hill. The hill has a number of small pagodas with many meditation centers along with Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda – a pagoda painted in gold. You may want to stop at monasteries and nunneries to speak with monks while enjoying hot green tea.

Then continue with a visit of Amarapura,"City of Immortality", and the old capital of Myanmar. At the end of the day, visit the ancient temple of Pahtodawgyi which was built in 1820.

Overnight in Mandalay

Flight: International flight will be on client own arrangement

Welcome to Vientiane. Upon arrival in Vientiane airport, your private local guide from IndochinaTour.com will welcome you at the airport then escorts you to your hotel in Vientiane City. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure to relax, you can have a relaxing walk around the hotel to discover the city or stroll along the river bank to enjoy sunset.

Overnight in Vientiane.

Meals: B / L

Vientiane, the charming capital city of Laos with rich heritage of Buddhist culture, is waiting for you to discover.

You full day city tour will take you to visit the highlights of Vientiane. Your will firstly get to know some more history of Laos by visiting the temple Wat Sisaket which is the oldest surviving temple with thousands of Buddhist images. The temple Wat Prakeo which housing the famous Emerald Buddha image really amazed the Indochina tour makers. Your full day Vientiane city tour will also visit the symbolic site That Luang Stupa and Patuxay Monument.

In the afternoon Buddha Park and enjoy a stroll around the park. Also known as Xieng Khuan, this unusual park is filled with over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues. The quiet and tranquil setting along the Mekong River is a contrast to the slightly eccentric sculptures which were built in 1958 by a Laos shaman. The concrete sculptures are unique and intriguing, sitting majestically in the peaceful park. After Buddha Park start driving back to Vientiane. The rest of the day is free at your leisure.

Overnight in Vientiane.

Meals: B

We leave this wonderful town after breakfast for our journey northbound on route no. 13. We will see some breathtaking scenery enroute as we pass through spectacular countryside towards the mountainous region. We make a stop along the way at Vang Xang, a famous archeological site dating back to the 11th century. We reach our final destination in the afternoon, the small town of Vang Vieng, which is nestled on a bend of the Nam Song River. Its stunning scenery with a mixture of quiet water and limestone outcrops remains unspoiled, despite recent developments with the advent of tourism. On arrival at Vang Vieng, we cross the Nam Song River to Tham Jang caves and then enjoy a short trek through breathtaking mountain landscape to explore the Tam None Cave and some hill villages. Today ends with a superb panorama of the sunset reflecting over the Nam Song River.

Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Meals: B / L

After breakfast, we start our board on a local tractor through paddy field areas heading to Tham Phoutham , where your breath will be taken away seeing the most beautiful and famous limestone cavern, surrounded by natural forests. Along the way, you have chance to explore the local cultures by greeting the local villagers and learning about their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves where you can take a swim to refresh yourself from the hot climate or you could explore the nearby area. You will have a picnic lunch enjoying the scenery. After spending the day at the caves and its surrounding areas, we make our return to the Vang Vieng town, using local transportation or tractor. En route, we visit the ethnic minority villages of Hmong, Souay and Taidam villages meeting the warm and friendly hill tribe people and observing their traditional tribal costumes.

Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Meals: B

Today you will continue your amazing Indochina Tour in Laos from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival in Luang Prabang escort you to hotel.

Rest of the day is at leisure. In the evening, you can wander around the city and the night market to discover local life of Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Meals: B / L

Luang Prabang, the city surrounded by Mekong River and well known for its golden city is well known for its beautiful decorated Buddhist temples, it is a place that you will keep appearing in your mind for long time after your Indochina tour.

Your memorable trip will starts from partaking in an alms ritual in the morning, you will accepts the blessing by monks who you give the alms. Have breakfast in the hotel and then start the half day excursion to Kuang Si Waterfalls, where you will enjoy beautiful natural scenery, have fun in waterfalls and relax.

Drive back to the town for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Wat Xieng thong which is symbolic temple of the classic Laotian architecture, visit the Royal Palace Musem to learn some history of Laos. Then visit the Wat Aham Temple which means “Monastery of the Opened Heart” and the Stupa of Wat Visoun.

Rest of the day at your leisure to relax and explore the city, you can enjoy some drinks in one of the cafés or strolling along the beautiful riverside.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Meals: B / L

In the morning, we embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make Laos rice wine and rice whiskey. You'll be able to try some and see the process they use to make it. Then we'll reach the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims.

Lunch will be served nearby the caves. During lunch, you'll have the opportunity to try a local dish called "Orlam" which is a soup with vegetables and features a spicy wood that is partially edible. On return, we disembark the boat to visit a traditional weaving village of Ban Phanom, which is famous for its hand weaving.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Meals: B / L

This morning, you’ll experience the process of making rice at a Living Land Farm, a community enterprise just outside of Luang Prabang, which promotes professional organic farming right next to village rice paddies. Join the interactive rice farming experience which actively benefits the local community, who showcase and maintain their traditional ways. Learn about bamboo weaving, tool and trap making, gardening and even blacksmithing. A Laos specialty lunch will be served as well.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Flight: International flight on your own arrangement

Today transfer to the airport for your flight home.

End of service.