VIETNAM - LUANG PRABANG (LAOS) - 15 DAYS (15 Days - 14 Nights)

Pickup from airport and transfer to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
Overnight at Blue Diamond Hotel
Included: Airport pickup, Hotel
Excluded: Meals, personal expense

8:00: Pickup from your hotel in HCM. You will visit the following places:
The Reunification Palace: Here on April 30th, 1975 the Vietnam War officially ended when tank number 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam.
War Remnants Museum: Formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes, this is a poignant display of the futility of war. Some of the black and white photography in the ‘Requiem’ exhibit is particularly touching, dedicated to both foreign and Vietnamese journalists and photographers who perished during the conflict. The courtyard outside contains the spoils of war, namely rusting jets, tanks and cannons captured from the American military machine.
Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office: Built between 1877 and 1883 this is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Remarkably every stone used in its creation was shipped from France to Vietnam. Her two 40m towers, topped with iron spires dominate the city’s skyline. The Old Post Office is another example of French colonial architecture and is also the country’s largest post office. 
Jade Emperor Pagoda: Built in 1909 in honor of the supreme Taoist god, this is one of the most spectacularly atmospheric temples in HCMC, stuffed with statues of phantasmal divinities and grotesque heroes. The pungent smoke of incense fills the air, obscuring the exquisite woodcarvings.
After lunch at a local restaurant; we’ll take a cyclo to some of the bustling markets where Sài Gòn life thrives: Flower market, pet market, and second-hand market, even the market where accessories and parts for motorcycles are sold… and Bình Tây wholesale market, one of the biggest markets in Hồ Chí Minh city. 

Your visit to Thiên-hậu temple, to gain insights into Vietnamese spiritual practices, will be the perfect finale for this enlightening and entertaining tour! 
Your driver will complete the excursion by taking you back to your hotel 

Included: Transportation, English speaking guide, lunch, entrance ticket, Accommodation
Excluded: Dinner, personal expense 

• 7:30AM: Pickup at your hotel and drive about 1,5 hours to Củ Chi. Upon arrival, you’ll watch a brief of propaganda video, which explains how the tunnels were used to successfully defeat American military forces in combat. The tour continues and the guide explains some traps that were placed in the jungles of Việt Nam to either maim American soldiers or create panic amongst the ranks. From here, you can enter one of the tunnel entrances and crawl through the tunnels is a real experience to imagine how people could live there for an extended period. Take some rest at the end for a taste of Củ Chi boiled tapioca and thinking what humans are capable of when having to defend their home. 
• We drive another 1,5 hours to Mekong Delta. Lunch is served at a local restaurant on the way. 
• Upon arrival, we board a motor-boat and cruise along a vast network of canals and channels to enjoy wonderful views of the Mekong River, including four famous islands “Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle and Phoenix”.
• Stop at one of the floating fish houses, in nets and wire baskets under their house, the villagers cultivate freshwater fish and shrimp - a major export product of the region.
• Cross the River to the other side, you will stop at a traditional workshop to witness a step-by-step process on how to make coconut candy, honey farming… while trying some yourself and listening to traditional music.
• Enjoy what local people offer by hand rowing a sampan along the shady, breezy canal. We will transfer to local transportation called Xe Lôi to travel throughout the villages.
• Back to Ho Chi Minh city at about 18:30

• Morning: Pick up from hotel to airport to take flight to Danang at noon time
• Arrive in Da Nang at about 1pm
• Pickup from Da Nang airport and transfer to Hoi An Town
• Have lunch in Hoi An city then you will continue discovering the various Ancient Houses of Hoi An, Fu Jian Meeting Hall and perhaps the most famous attraction of Hoi An; the 400 year old Japanese Covered Bridge. You’ll finish by seeing how the locals produce the silk for Hoi Ans famous silk and textile trade!

• 8:30 your guide will pick you up at your hotel 
• You will ride bicycle for excerside to go to Tra Que village
  Upon arrival, it’s time for you to join the farmers. You will take a trip around the vegetable garden and assist in fertilising and preparing the land using seaweed from the local lake. Other farming activities include raking, sowing, picking greens and others depending on the day. After enjoying your time experiencing what farming at Tra Que is like, it will be time to prepare some authentic meals with a local family. You’ll get to enjoy local specialities like Tam Huu (spring rolls) and Banh Xeo (central Vietnams traditional pancake). Finally, after enjoying your food we will return to Hoi An
• Back to Hoi an at about 13.30.
• Free explore Hoi an in the afternoon.
• Overnight in Hoi An

• 8:30 your guide will pick you up at your hotel 
• 8:45: you will go to a local market to explore and buy ingredients for the cooking class
• 10:00 start the cooking class. Your chef will demonstrate Vietnamese menu and how to prepare them, and then it’s your turn to prepare your own tasty Vietnamese lunch.
• After lunch, you will go to visit and explore the Bay Mau Coconut Forest central (Basket boat tour – take you 1 hour). Here you can enjoy the and watch the basket boat (coconut boat) performance, traditional fishing style in Vietnam and other activities.
• Overnight in Hoi An

• 8:00 am: Pick up from your hotel in Hoi An. Starts the trip to explore Ba Na Hills one day.
• Take the cable car up to Ba Na Hills to explore the Debay Wine Cellar, Le Jardin D’Amour Flower Garden, The Golden Bridge, French Village – a classical ad romantic France with unique architectural works
• 12:00 pm: Lunch at Restaurant then continue visiting the Fantasy Park, walking in Fairy Forest, discovering Dinosaur Park.
• 14:00: Back to the cabin down the mountain and drive to Da Nang airport to take the flight from Da Nang to Hanoi city
• 20:00 arrive in Hanoi. Pickup from airport to Hotel in Hanoi

• 09:00 meet with tourist guide. 
• Visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house where he lived and worked from 1958 to 1969.   
• 10:00 Visit One-Pillar Pagoda – the one modeled after a lotus flower, a symbol of Hanoi city. 
• 11:00 Visit the colorful features of the 54 ethnic groups of Viet Nam in the Ethnology Museum.   
• 13:00 Bus takes you to a local restaurant in Hanoi Old Quarter, have a rest and enjoy the lunch.   
• 14:00 Visit Temple of Literature, the most famous temple situated in Hanoi, also functioned as Vietnam's first university. It was first constructed in 1070 under King Ly Nhan Tong and dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars. A vast structure that has existed to present day.  
• 15:30 Drive to legendary Hoan Kiem Lake. Free visit Ngoc Son Temple, You also see the beautiful Vietnamese and French architecture around the lake. 
• Overnight in Hanoi

08h30 AM: Depart for Halong in 3 hours and a half (you will have a short break of 30 minutes in Hai Duong province)
12h00 AM: Arrive Tuan Chau harbour, get on the Junk and your lunch will be in served on the Junk. From now on, you will discover the mysterious beauty of the bay. You are free to enjoy the natural scenery, taking pictures of thousands of amazing islets or the fishers catching fish…You will have time for admiring the beauty of the islets and caves of Halong bay
13.30 – 15.00: Have lunch while cruising to magnificent Bai Tu Long bay; admire the fascinating formations on the way.
15.15 – 15.40: Explore the well- hidden Thien Canh Son cave.
15.45 – 18:00: Enjoy relaxing on a white sandy beach at Hon Co island, swimming or kayaking.
18:00 – 19.00: Back to junk for refreshing before having dinner on board.
20.00 – 21.00: Relax, enjoy fresh air & overnight on board.

Included: Breakfast at the hotel, transportation to Halong, cruise in Halong Bay, local tourist guide on boat, Overnight on boat, meals as mentioned, entrance ticket, kayaking
Excluded: drinks, personal expense

• 07.30 – 08.00: Morning view of Bay’s landscape with a cup of tea or coffee. Have light-breakfast in the fresh air.
• 08.30 – 09.30: Visit Vung Vieng fishing village by a rustic row-boat.
• 10.00: Check out of the cabin. Start cruising towards the harbor while brunch is served
• 17.30: Arrive in Hanoi. Trip ends.

• Departing from Hanoi at 8.00 am from your hotel, after 2 hours driving, you will arrive in Ninh Binh Province.
• Our first visit is the former capital of Vietnam – Hoa Lu, visit two temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le, the two heroes who lived in 10th century and chose Hoa Lu to build the citadel of the capital city of Dai Viet. Proceed to Tam Coc for lunch. Tam Coc known as “Halong Bay on Land” boasting breathtaking scenery, “Tam Coc” means three caves. After lunch we get on small rowing boats, the boat trip to all three caves takes about two hours.
• Continue visiting Bich Dong Grotto (emerald-like grotto), around 2km from Tam Coc by car, climb a little bit till you get to the top of the Upper pagoda and your eyes catch the overall panorama of the paddy fields between Truong Yen Mountain. The king conferred on Bich Dong the title “The Second Most Beautiful Grotto in Vietnam”. A scene of the popular French movie “Indochine” had been completed here in 1991. Get back to Hanoi late in the afternoon. Tour ends.

• Morning: Free to relax in Hanoi
• Afternoon: Leave Hanoi to go to Noi Bai airport and take the flight from Hanoi to Luang Prabang at 18:50. Arrive in Luang Prabang at 20:00
• Pick up from airport and transfer to Villa Chitdara in Luang Prabang
• Overnight ar Rama Hotel in Luangprabang - 3*

• Pick up at the hotel.  You will visit the food market: an in-depth tour of all sections of the market; learn about all the Lao ingredients. See 7 dishes demonstrated plus sticky rice and jawbone
• Learn to cook 5 dishes by yourself and eat. Tour finish at 17:00
• Overnight in Luang Prabang.

• 8:30 am:  Pick up from hotel, transfer to Elephant Camp. Register and receive Mahout Uniform. Join in open classroom short briefing about elephants. Meet with the elephant and learn to seat on elephant back and how control elephant
• 12:30 Have Lao-style lunch in Elephant Camp restaurant.
• 13:30 Starting ride the elephant through the jungle and countryside around 1,5 hours and guide your elephant toward the river.
• Bathe Your Elephant: Take your own elephant down to the Nam Khan River for an exhilarating bathing experience!
• Take elephant back to the jungle. Get your Mahout certificate
• 16:30 Transfer back to the hotel

Depart Luang Prabang to your home.
End of your amazing trip in Vietnam and Laos