Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos Highlights Vacations-21 Days

About This Trip

Led by a local guide, this 21-day journey begins in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with visits to the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta. You will then fly to Cambodia. Spend two days in Phnom Penh and Kampong Thom before arriving in Siem Reap, the gateway to the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a boat ride along the picturesque Tonle Sap Lake before landing in Luang Prabang to participate in the early morning almsgiving ritual. Finally, you will return to Vietnam to explore chaotic old Hanoi, picturesque Halong Bay, ancient royal Hue, and idyllic Hoi An.

Itinerary Summary

DAY

PLACE

HIGHLIGHTS
1 - 5

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi Tunnels, War Remnants Museum
My Tho: Mekong River Boat Cruise
Can Tho: Cai Rang Floating Market
6 - 10

Cambodia

Phnom Penh: Royal Palace, National Museum
Kampong Thom: Kuhear Nokor Temple, Sambor Prei Kuk
Siem Reap: Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Apsara Dinner Show
11 - 14

Laos

Luang Prabang: Alms-Giving Ritual, Kuang Si Waterfalls
15 - 21

Vietnam

Hanoi: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Old Quarter
Halong Bay: 2-Day-1-Night Cruise with Cooking Class
Hue: Forbidden Purple City, Perfume River Boat Tour
Da Nang: Hai Van Pass, Non Nuoc Beach
Hoi An: Ancient Town, Hoai River Boat Tour

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Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival, Ho Chi Minh City
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon your arrival, your guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day is for you to have a good relax and prepare for tomorrow's tour.
- Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City
Today, take a walking tour to Thien Hau Temple, a Chinese style temple, and Binh Tay Market in Chinatown. In the afternoon, get to the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace (the former Presidential Palace), Tan Dinh Church, Old Saigon Post Office, Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat), Continental Hotels, Opera House and City Hall.
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- Ho Chi Minh City
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City
In the morning, explore Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible network of tunnels created during the war in Vietnam. Keep moving to the colorful Cao Dai Temple, the great temple of Caodaism, for its noon ceremony. After that, the rest of the day is for you to relax.
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- Ho Chi Minh City
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho - Can Tho
Today's ride will lead you right into the Mekong Delta to My Tho by boat on the Tien River and the route takes you through My Tho Fish Market and Four Islands. Later on, get a cart ride to the Mr. Muoi Hai's House to taste the honey tea. Continue to take a sampan cruise along the Mekong River to proceed to Can Tho. Upon your arrival, check in to the hotel and the rest of the day is free for you to spare.
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- Can Tho
Day 5: Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City - Phnom Penh
In the morning, take a boat trip on the mighty Mekong River to explore Cai Rang Floating Market which is a wholesale market of fruit and vegetable and pay a visit to lush orchards to eat some delicious tropical fruits. In the afternoon, back to Ho Chi Minh City and fly to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival, check in to the hotel and have a good rest.
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- Phnom Penh
Day 6: Phnom Penh
Today, take a tour to the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum and Wat Phnom, the city's oldest shrine.
In the afternoon, learn about the country's dark history by visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the infamous Killing Fields of Choeung EK. Both provide a brutal but important insight into the darkest period of Cambodia's long history.
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- Phnom Penh
Day 7: Phnom Penh - Kampong Thom - Siem Reap
In the morning, depart for Kampong Thom (about 2 hours' drive) and drop by the central Skun district. En route, stop at a local village to taste fried spiders, a famous local food. In the afternoon, continue your journey to Kuhear Nokor Temple, the pre-Angkorian temple complex of Sambor Prei Kuk, and an ancient stone bridge of Spean Kompong Kdei ((Dragon Bridge). Upon arrival in Siem Reap, check in to the hotel and have a good rest.
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- Phnom Penh
Day 8: Siem Reap
In the morning, tour the ancient capital of Angkor Thom. You'll encounter Bayon Temple, Elephant Terrace and Leper King Terrace.
In the afternoon, proceed to the amazing Angkor Wat. The five towers of Angkor Wat are the representation of the five peaks of Mount Meru, home of the gods and center of the Hindu universe. Later on, watch the beautiful sunset view from the top of Bakheng Temple. In the evening, enjoy an Apsara Dinner Show at Angkor Village.
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- Siem Reap
Day 9: Siem Reap
If you like, you can go to Angkor Wat to see the beautiful sunrise and talk to the monks and nuns at a pagoda in the early morning. After breakfast, travel through the rural countryside to visit the pink sandstone temple of Banteay Srei Temple, the "jewel of Khmer art". In the afternoon, proceed to Ta Prohm whose temple stones have become intertwined with thick forest vegetation over the centuries; and Ta Keo Temple known as the "mountain with bronze peaks".
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- Siem Reap
Day 10: Siem Reap - Luang Prabang
In the morning, board a local long tail boat on the Tonle Sap Lake to have a glimpse of Kompong Phluk, a small village located at the edge of the lake. The boat will go through high stilt houses where you can get to know local people's life there. In the afternoon, check out the hotel and take your flight to Luang Prabang.
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- Luang Prabang
Day 11: Luang Prabang
In the early morning, you can watch the morning alms giving ritual in which monks from the temple travel barefoot through the city in an orderly procession collecting alms. After that, go to the Morning Market and then get back to the hotel for breakfast.
In the afternoon, explore the Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Visoun, Wat Aham and Wat Mai. Continue to catch the sunset view from the top of Mount Phousi and stroll around the Phousi Night Market.
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- Luang Prabang
Day 12: Luang Prabang
Today, get onboard a boat on the mighty Mekong River, cruising upstream to the Pak Ou Caves which displayed hundreds of sacred centuries-old Buddha images. En route, stop at Ban Xang Hai, where the local specialty of rice wine is produced, and Ban Xang Khong, a village that has specialized for many years in manufacturing and selling products made from silk and Saa Paper.
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- Luang Prabang
Day 13: Luang Prabang
Today, take a boat trip to Tad Sae Waterfall, a spectacular natural wonder best seen in the wet season. The falls pour over beautiful limestone formations across a variety of levels into large pools below, which are fantastic to swim in. After lunch, back to Luang Prabang and have some leisure time.
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- Luang Prabang
Day 14: Luang Prabang - Hanoi
Today, get closer to the elephants at Elephant Village and reach to the Kuang Si Waterfalls, relax and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. After lunch, fly to Hanoi. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and escort you to the hotel. You can relax at the hotel or enjoy a stroll in the surroundings.
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- Hanoi
Day 15: Hanoi
In the morning, tour the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays), the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature. In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Museum of Ethnology before taking a cyclo ride along the streets of the Old Quarter. Next stop is Hoan Kiem Lake, where you will enjoy a famous Water Puppet Show.
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- Hanoi
Day 16: Hanoi - Halong Bay
Today, check out and explore the fascinating and breathtaking of Halong Bay by a cruise. The ship will cruise around the exotic karsts island. You'll also get to see the 450 meters long Surprise Cave, the biggest and the most amazing cave in Halong Bay. If the weather is fine, you can have various activities like kayaking, swimming, diving, etc.
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- Halong Bay
Day 17: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Hue
Get up early and attend a Tai Chi class on the sundeck. Continue your cruise trip and enjoy a leisure time until lunch time. After that, disembark and back to Hanoi. Our guide and driver will wait you at the pier. Then drive to Hanoi Airport (around 4 hours) for late afternoon flight to Imperial City - Hue City. Upon arrival, hotel checks in and free at leisure in the evening.
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- Hue
Day 18: Hue
Today, visit the magnificent Minh Mang Tomb and then take a boat trip along the Perfume River as it carries you to Thien Mu pagoda, the best-preserved religious monument in Hue. Proceed to the UNESCO listed Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City, where you will appreciate the fantastic architecture and gardens. End the tour with a stroll to Dong Ba Market.
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- Hue
Day 19: Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An
Today, you'll leave for Hoi An. Travel over the beautiful Hai Van Pass and enjoy the wonderful panorama from the top of the Pass. Stop at Non Nuoc Beach and Cham Museum in Da Nang before proceeding to Marble Mountain. Upon arrival in Hoi An, check in to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
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- Hoi An
Day 20: Hoi An
Wander along the lanes and gain an insight into Hoi An'spast as you explore this heritage listed town. See the 400-year-old Japanese Bridge, famous Chinese Temple and old Vietnamese merchants' houses.
In the afternoon, take a boat ride on the Hoai River to Thanh Ha Pottery Village where many beautiful miniature buildings are made of clay.
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- Hoi An
Day 21: Departure
In the morning, head to Da Nang Airport to take your flight to Ho Chi Minh City and then get onboard your return flight.
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