ABSOLUTE HIGHLIGHT INDOCHINA 17 DAYS

Post date: Oct 31, 2011 2:42:58 AM

Day 3: HANOI – HALONG BAY (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast, we spend four hour to drive will show you the diversity of the North Vietnam villages and rice fields along the journey.

Upon arrival in Ha Long City, we take a half day boat trip in Ha Long Bay to view multi-shaped rocks and visit dramatic caves, grottos such as: Paradise Grotto and Wooden Stakes Cave. (Lunch will be served on boat with fresh seafood.)

After lunch, we have a chance to explore some of the limestone caves dotted around the bay. Then our captain will find a secluded spot for swimming and sun bathing before dinner. Enjoy another seafood feast for dinner and for the night owls, there is option of night fishing.

Day 4: HALONG BAY – HA NOI (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

Rising to the lapping waters of the bay, we have time for an early morning dip followed by breakfast. This morning we continue to cruise around the bay to find more secluded areas to either swim or kayak in. The kayaks are light-weight and easy to use. All guests will be issued with water buoyancy vests and the junk will be near us at all times serving as a back up vessel. At midday we will return to the main harbor before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 3-hour journey back to Hanoi. We should be back in the capital at around 3.30pm. Dinner at local. Overnigh in Hanoi.

Day 5: HA NOI - HUE (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast, transfer to airport for departure flight to Hue - Ancient capital of Vietnam. In the morning, our guide will pick you up at the Phu Bai airport and transfer to hotel. We drive to go sightseeing Old Imperial City, King Tu Duc Tomb (Tu Duc is a king but also a poet, so his mausoleum is a poet garden), Khai Dinh Tomb and Thien Mu Pagoda. Then we will take a boat cruise on the Huong River (Huong mean perfume).

Lunch on boat and dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Hue.

Day 6: HUE - HOI AN (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast, our guide will come to meet you at 08:00, take a private car from Hue to Hoi An through Hai Van Pass. Taking many photo on the way and at Lang Co beach as you like. On the way, we'd like to show you the Cham museum is the open air collection of Cham sculpture. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking and Marble Moutains and Da Nang Beach. Arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon.

After lunch, we free to relax on the beach or take advantage of the many tailor shops and enjoy a guided walking tour of Hoi An town to orient yourself with its quaint streets.

If have more time we take a short boat trip to visit local handicraft villages or experience a cooking class in a beautiful villa on the banks of the river...

Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 7: HOI AN – HO CHI MINH CITY - CITY TOUR (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

Breakfast at hotel, from Hoi An Town we take a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City, the cosmopolitan heart of Vietnam. Soak up the exotic atmosphere of this frenetic city with a guided tour of the main highlights.

Check in hotel, leisure time in morning until we have lunch at local restaurant.

After short rest we make a city tour: visit to The Hundred Years Red Cathedral (Notre Dame Cathedral), The Old Post Office and The People's Committee Hall, Ben Thanh Market to shop, War Museum, China Town and Thien Hau Temple (The Pagoda of the Lady Thien Hau), lacquer ware factory and handicraft center.

Energized after your exciting day with a sumptuous dinner on the Saigon River Cruise with entertainment show at the end of the day.

Day 8: HO CHI MINH CITY – CAO DAI TEMPLE - CU CHI TUNNELS (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast at hotel, we make visit to the fascinating Cao Dai Temple, home of unique religion. From the temple continue on to the infamous Cu Chi tunnels before returning to the city for a free afternoon.

Lunch on trip at local place.

We return back Ho Chi Minh City at late evening. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight.

Day 9: MEKONG DELTA: SAIGON - MY THO - SAIGON (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast, a two hour drive to My Tho will expose the colorful outskirt life as well as picturesque rice fields along the journey.

Upon arrival, you will go along Mekong River with the natives on boat and stop at Thoi Son islet to taste seasonal fruits, enjoy traditional folk songs. Then visit the authentic life of the local and challenge your bargaining power at cottage handicraft shops. An adventurous sampan ride in palm shading creeks will be the next experience of the riverside region. Lunch to be served with the Mekong Delta specialty - Deep Fried Elephant ear fish.

Far away Mekong River with poetic emotion to return reality with bustling life of Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon, and visit to China Town and Thien Hau Temple (The Pagoda of the Lady Thien Hau). Energized after your exciting day with a sumptuous dinner on the Saigon River Cruise with entertainment show at the end of the day.

Day 10: HO CHI MINH CITY – SIEM REAP (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

Breakfast at hotel, transfer to airport for flight to Siem Reap.

Arrival Siem Reap, check-in at hotel and lunch at local restaurant.

After short rest we visit floating and fishing villages in Tonle Sap Great Lake, which one of the world’s most productive bodies of fresh water. Each year, millions of fish come to spawn in the seasonally flooded forest surrounding the lake, attracting myriad water birds as well as people, who have settled in villages along the shores and who live with the rhythms of the water. This ecosystem of extraordinary biological richness and balance between humans and nature was recently designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

Back to town in late evening. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.

Fly to Siem Reap in Cambodia, your base for the next three days. Spend the afternoon visiting the amazing and aweinspiring temples of Angkor. There will be plenty of time to tour Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples.

Day 11: SIEM REAP – TEMPLES OF ANGKOR (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast in hotel, we visit the unique brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan and continue 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. Visit as well Takeo, Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda.

Lunch at local restaurant, after your rest visit to the Preah Khan temple; built by the King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation. Continue your visit to Neak Pean, a fountain (built in the middle of a pool and representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Som, Eastern Mebon, guarded at its corner by stone figures of harnessed elephants, some of which are still in a reasonable state of preservation, and Pre Rup, the mountain-temple until sunset.

Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

Day 12: SIEM REAP – ANGKOR COMPLEX (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast in hotel, we visit the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk), the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century), Bayon temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Lunch at local restaurant. After your rest, we visit to the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat's five towers symbolize Meru's five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond. Sunset at Phnom Bakong.

Tonight enjoy dinner with Apsara Dance Show at local restaurant.

Day 13: SIEM REAP – PHNOM PENH - FULL DAY CITY TOUR (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

Breakfast in hotel, we check-out then transfer to airport and take a flight to Phnom Penh.

When we arrival in Phnom Penh, check-in hotel and prepair for full day city tour, you will visit to the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 on the site of the old town, and the Silver Pagoda, located within the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5000 silver tiles.

Lunch at local restaurant. After that, we visit the National Museum - this is one of Phnom Penh's true architectural gems. The Museum is instantly recognizable with its warm red terracotta and its gracefully cured roof topped by dozens of guardian nagas. It was designed in Khmer style in 1917 by famed French architect Georges Groslier & Ecole Des Arts Cambodgiens.

Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Phnom Penh

Day 14: PHNOM PENH - VIENTIANE - HALF DAY CITY TOUR (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

Breakfast at hotel, then check out and transfer to airport to take flight to Vientiane.

Lunch at local restaurant, we have half day city tour enables us to see the major temples of Vientiane including the oldest, Wat Sisaket, a temple of thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit Lao national icon, That Luang Stupa, and we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.

Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 15: VIENTIANE - LUANG PRABANG - HALF DAY CITY TOUR (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

After breakfast at hotel, we have leisure time until we check-out hotel and take a flight to Luang Prabang.

On arrival at Luang Prabang International airport, our guide will meet and transfer you to hotel for check-in.

Then us half day city tour begins with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts.

After short lunch at local restaurant, we head to the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We also have time to visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.

Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 16: LUANG PRABANG - BAN CHAN – KHUANG SI WATERFALL (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner included)

Breakfast at hotel, we cross the Mekong River by boat, to the picturesque village of Ban Chan, a pottery village. We visit the morning Phousi 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 crafts, we visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, a Hmong village, Ban Ou a Laoloum village and Ban Thapene, a Khmu villages. This takes us to the beautiful Khuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon.

Lunch at local place in villages where we visit.

Dinner at local restaurant in Luang Prabang. Overnight.

Day 17: LUANG PRABANG - DEPARTURE (Breakfast included)

After breakfast at hotel, we have leisure time until we check-out and transfer to airport for departure flight.