Grand Indochina
This amazing 29-day tour of Indochina, from the vibrant cityscape of Bangkok to the magnificent limestone karst of Harlong Bay, this trip encompasses the very best. Sail the Mekong, marvel at the wonders of Angkor Wat, and savour the noodles in Hoi An. Join the locals enjoying coffee at a lakeside café in Hanoi, and shop for souvenirs in Ho Chi Minh City. This adventure offers up the best combination of must-see highlights and free time, with hotels, transport, and a number of included activities.
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Day 1 – Bangkok
Start your amazing Indochina Encompassed tour with your International outbound flight to Bangkok.
You are free to explore the city until the evening welcome meeting, getting the chance to meet your leader and fellow travelers.
Day 2 – Bangkok – Chiang Mai
Today enjoy a guided 1hr longboat tour of Bangkok’s Klongs (canals) to see skyscrapers, temples, and shops in the distance, and the densely populated waterfront settlement up close. Then enjoy a guided tour of the Royal Temple of Wat Po, immersing yourself in Thai Buddhist culture, visit the famous giant 46m (151ft) reclining Buddha, covered in gold leaf. After, there is time for shopping, stroll along Khao San Road, or opt for a visit to Grand Palace. In the evening board the overnight train to Chiang Mai.
During the monsoon season, there may be alternative transport (July to October) as Thai trains may be disrupted in the North.
Meals Included
Day 3 – Chiang Mai
Arriving early in the morning, enjoy some time to explore, stroll around the city independently. You may opt to experience the flavours and scents of traditional northern Thai cuisine during a home style-Thai Cooking Class. Or explore by tuk-tuk the rural lanes of Chiang Mai. Later take the private vehicle for approximately 45 mins, setting off to visit the temple complex, Doi Suthep. You may be lucky and witness the chanting of the monks. Enjoy wandering through the night market, finding amazing food, music, and local artists selling handmade crafts.
Day 4 – Chaing Mai – Chiang Khong
Enjoying your private vehicle to Chaing Khong (approximately 5 hours), this sleepy trading town nestled on the bank of the Mekong River. On the way visit Wat Rong Khun, better known among travelers as the White Temple, an unconventional Buddhist temple designed by prominent Thai painter-turned-architect Chalaermchai Kositpipat. You will be amazed at the contemporary exterior made up of a mosaic of mirrors. The interior walls have pop culture and sci-fi influence, adorning murals of Batman, Superman, Predator, and the Matrix.
Meals Included
Day 5 – Chiang Kong – Muang Pakbeng
Cross the border into Laos, passing through immigration, then take a songthaew (local bus) to the traditional slow boat, traveling down the Mekong River for this 8-10hour journey, adjusting to the relaxed pace of life in Laos, having unsurpassed views of the riverside villages, the tropical jungle, and mountains.
Day 6 – Muang Pakbeng – Luang Prabang
Continue your journey on the slow boat down the mighty Mekong River before arriving at Luang Prabang. Enjoy a visit to the dramatic Pak Ou caves, considered an important spiritual site by many of Laos people, filled with images on the limestone walls and thousands of Buddha statues.
Meals Included
Day 7 – Luang Prabang
Today enjoy a guided tour of the Ethnology Museum, learning about the dress and customs of local people. The onto Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre, for an introduction to Laos textiles and handicrafts. Before lunch with a local family. Spending the afternoon relaxing at the stunning Kuang Si Waterfalls. Take a dip in the turquoise waters and explore multiple picture-perfect pools, framed by the jungle landscape.
In the evening why not visit one of the best Night Markets in Southeast Asia, wander through the stalls lining the streets offering trinkets, clothes, statues, souvenirs not forgetting the amazing food on offer.
Meals Included
Day 8 – Luang Prabang
With so much to do and see in Luang Prabang, today is a day for you to spend as you wish, you may choose to have a relaxing day or opt to learn about Laotian cuisine with a cooking class, enjoy a massage or cycle around the town, tour the local waters by kayak, seeing many sights that you may miss on shore. Perhaps in the evening enjoy a traditional performance at the Royal Ballet Theatre, learning more about Laotian culture through the art of dance.
Meals Included
Day 9 – Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng
This morning taking a private vehicle, driving winding mountain roads through gorgeous scenery reaching Vang Vieng (approximately 7hours) to the homestay in a nearby village. Back with the group, often split by two houses, you will enjoy traditional Laotian food whilst getting to know your host family, eating, and sleeping.
Meals Included
Day 10 – Vang Vieng
Today you have time to spend at leisure before moving onto a hotel for the night. You may wish to explore the countryside by bicycle or Kayak.
Meals Included
Day 11 – Vang Vieng – Vientiane
Today take a private vehicle onto Vientiane, a journey of approximately 5-6 hours, the capital city of Laos, one of Asia’s sleepiest capital cities. Free time for you to stroll around the market or opt to visit some of the sights, have a massage, or indulge for one last time in the Laotian cuisine.
Meals Included
Day 12 – Vientiane to Hanoi
Today take the short two-hour flight from the quiet and tranquillity of Laos onto the bustling capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi. Transfer to the city centre hotel, enjoy the time at your own leisure to head out and start exploring. There are so many things to do and optional tours to enjoy, you may want to try Hanoi Street Food Walking Tour, sampling local fare whilst walking through the back streets and markets of the city’s old quarter. Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam. Or visit the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu), it housed the country’s first university in 1076, exploring its five courtyards.
Meals Included
Day 14 – Hanoi – Ha Long
Today board a traditional junk boat at Ha Long Bay harbour and cruise out onto the serene waters. Marvel at the massive limestone karst mountains jutting out of the water, creating this unforgettable spectacular scenery. Swim, kayak or go cave exploring on one of the islands (weather dependant). Sample a variety of fresh seafood meals before drifting to sleep in a cozy cabin on board.
On rare occasions, extreme weather conditions will mean that Halong Bay will be closed to tourist's vessels. Should this happen an alternative activity will be provided.
Meals Included
Day 15 – Long – Hue
Enjoy breakfast on board before sailing back to the port for your return to Hanoi. The journey in a shared van will take about 4 hours. Enjoy a couple of hours exploring the City before boarding your overnight southbound train to Hue (13-14 hours).
Meals Included
Day 16 – Hue
Arriving early to Hue, this former imperial capital of Vietnam. Visit the Tien Mu Pagoda, one of the tallest and perhaps, most elegant pagodas in Vietnam, at seven stories high. Then, embrace the concept of Feng Shui with a visit to the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. These extremely ornate tombs provide a fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers.
Day 17 – Hue – Hoi An
Enjoy your 4hour private vehicle drive, crossing the Hai Van pass (weather permitting), providing fantastic views in all directions, arriving in Hoi An in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure exploring this wonderful quaint town.
Meals Included
Day 18 & 19 – Hoi An
There’s plenty to do so for the next 2 days spend your free time exploring all Hoi An has to offer. You may wish to take a cookery class, learning more about Vietnamese food and the distinct flavours. Buying fresh ingredients from the market before preparing some popular regional dishes, then enjoying your tasty creations. Or perhaps visit one of the many famous tailor shops turning out gorgeous dresses, amazing suits, and almost anything else, usually completed in the day!
You may also choose to take a riverboat trip on the Thu Bon River for an alternative tour of the city. You may wish to try your hand at the art of making traditional lanterns or take a visit of the ruins of My Son. There are endless things to do!
Meals Included
- Breakfasts
- Lunch – Day 18
Day 20 – Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City
Enjoy the drive to Da Nang for your 1hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City, this former capital of South Vietnam, and the country’s commercial centre. Enjoy this hectic city, exploring the small alleys and busy streets. Sample some of the amazing delicious local food stalls at Vĩnh Khánh Street (Seafood Street). Lined with restaurants spilling out onto the sidewalk, this is street-food central, with lots of sizzling outdoor grills and bubbling vats of aromatic treats working their magic in an atmosphere of joyful conviviality. Snails are a specialty here, cooked in a variety of ways – in coconut milk, with morning glory (a local vegetable) or covered in chili.
Meals Included
Day 21 – Ho Chi Minh City
This morning, take a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, this complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. If you’re not claustrophobic, try crawling through some of the tunnels! They also had underground hospitals, stored ammunition, and served as a hidden base for attacking forces. Later enjoy free time to explore as you wish.
Meals Included
Day 22 – Ho Chi Minh City
Today enjoy the private vehicle drive to Mekong Delta, where the Mighty Mekong empties into the South China Sea. Enjoy the small boat, navigating through the narrow canals, witnessing local living along the way. Stop to see cottage industries and their products, particularly delicious is the locally famous chewy coconut candy!
Meals Included
Day 23 – Ho Chi Minh City – Phnom Penh
After breakfast, traveling about 2-hours on a local bus to the border Moc Bai, and cross into Bavet, Cambodia where you take a seat on a local bus for approximately 3 hours to Phnom Penh. Enjoy a cyclo tour of the city (three-wheel bicycle taxi). Touring the busy streets, soaking up the real vibe of the city. Passing the stunning colonial buildings and along the riverside road taking in the atmospheric cafes that line the street.
Meals Included
Day 24 – Phnom Penh
Learn more about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge visiting the killing fields o Choeung Ek; the grounds now stand as a powerful memorial filled with victims’ skulls and mass graves. Tour this sombre, yet serene, site with a guide.
Learn about the dark history and devastation that occurred at Tuoi Sleng Museum (security prison 21) with a local guide. The prison, used by the Khmer Rouge regime, you will hear the stories behind sombre photos lining the museum walls.
This afternoon, enjoy free time to explore at your leisure, you may wish to tour the Royal Palace complex to see the neighbouring Silver Pagoda (aka the Temple of the Emerald Buddha). With its many magnificent treasures inside this beautiful vihara (Buddhist monastery), including the 5,000 tiles of silver lining the floor. Or visit Wat Phnom (Hill Temple) in the later afternoon, a historic monument with lots of green space.
Meals Included
Day 25 – Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
Today leaving behind Phnom Penh, driving through the beautiful Cambodian countryside in a shared van. The journey will take about 6 hours. Enjoy your time at leisure for the rest of the day or opt for an evening at the amazing Phare Cambodian Circus, a unique socially conscious circus, seeing acrobatics, contortion, and aerial arts melded with theatre, modern dance and more.
Meals Included
Day 26 & 27 – Siem Reap
The next two days in Angkor exploring this former capital of the Khmer kingdom and one off the wonders of the archaeological world. Witness some of the highlights Angkor offers, like the sunrise at the magnificent temple of Angkor Wat, the enigmatic Bayon within the walled city of Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm, also known as the ‘Tomb Raider’ temple.
Whilst enjoying a traditional meal with friendly locals in their home or at one of the projects, you will learn all about Khmer food. Find out what it’s like living on a lake when you opt to tour the floating villages of Tonle Sap, planting your rice, pig farming, even attending churches and school, they are all done on top of the water. For the evening you may opt for a quad bike ride, follow your guide through the scenic countryside surrounding Siem Reap. Passing rice fields, buffalo, temples and small villages in the dusk light stop off at a viewpoint to enjoy a memorable sunset
Meals Included
- Breakfasts
- Lunch – Day 26
Day 28 – Siem Reap – Bangkok
Today leaving Siem Reap in the private vehicle for the journey of around three hours onto Paoy before crossing the border into Thailand. Once through the border jump into your shared van for the four-hour journey to Bangkok.
Meals Included
Day 29 – Bangkok – International inbound flight back to the UK
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before departing your hotel, transferring to the airport for your international inbound flight home.
Meals Included
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