Discover Indochina

15 Days | 7 Citys

Discovering Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in a single tour – that’s the dream of many travelers to Indochina. With this tour, we’ll show you how it’s effortlessly possible. You’ll discover the cultural and historical sights of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, and you’ll also enjoy the magnificent landscapes.

Itinerary

Day 1 > Hanoi Arrival

Arrive at the international airport and be greeted by your tour guide. Transfer to your hotel in the city.

Check-in time: from 14:00

Day 2 > Hanoi sightseeing (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Discovery tour of Hanoi with a visit to the Jade Mountain Temple on the Lake of the Returned Sword, followed by a rickshaw ride through the labyrinth of old town streets, which gives you an insight into the everyday life of Hanoi residents.

In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, which was the first university in Vietnam and was built in 1070, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (from the outside) and the One Pillar Pagoda.

Overnight stay in Hanoi.

Day 3 > Halong Bay (F, M, D)

Breakfast at the hotel and bus ride to Halong.

In Halong, you will take an impressive boat trip to the bizarre limestone cliffs of Halong Bay and visit one of the numerous caves and grottos.

Includes lunch and dinner with various seafood on board.

Overnight stay on the junk.

Day 4 > Halong – Ninh Binh (dry Halong Bay) (breakfast/breakfast)

Morning: Light breakfast on board (bread, butter or cake, tea, coffee, etc.). Today, you’ll take a short rowboat ride through a beautiful grotto and see several smaller islands and limestone cliffs. Brunch is included.

Your journey continues to Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh), the capital of Vietnam during the Dinh and Le dynasties between 968 and 1009. Visit the two temples of the Ding and Le kings.

Overnight stay in Ninh Binh

Day 5 > Ninh Binh - Hanoi (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the enchanting “Dry Halong Bay,” you’ll take a boat trip through the peaceful landscape surrounded by mountains, an ancient fortress, and bizarre rock formations. Depending on the season, you may also encounter vibrant green rice fields.

In the afternoon, you’ll take a leisurely bike tour through the surrounding countryside’s small, hidden back roads. You can stop at any time to observe the daily life of the local residents. Depending on the season, you might even observe the various tasks being performed in the fields.

Return to Hanoi.

Overnight stay in Hanoi

Day 6 > Hanoi – Vientiane (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Depending on your departure time, you will have free time, followed by a transfer to the airport and flight to Vientiane.

After arriving at Wattay Airport, you will be transferred to your centrally located hotel. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital city, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Soviet, and American influences. A city tour will introduce us to the capital and we will visit the most important sights. We will begin with a visit to Wat Si Saket, the oldest temple in Vientiane, with thousands of Buddha statues. Also on your itinerary is the former royal temple Wat Phra Keo, the only remaining part of the royal palace. On the way to That Luang Stupa, you will have the opportunity to take a photo stop at the Patuxay Monument, the Laotian triumphal arch.

Overnight stay in Vientiane

Day 7> Vientiane (F)

Breakfast at the hotel

Free all day

Optional excursions:

Option 1: Buddha Park (half day, driving distance about 26km)

Today we’ll travel to the outskirts of Vientiane and visit the impressive Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge and Buddha Park, an enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures located in a meadow along the Mekong River, very close to the Friendship Bridge. The park contains approximately 200 religious works of art, some of which are up to 500 years old. The collection was assembled by a mysterious monk who wanted to spread his ideas about philosophy and the universe.

Afterwards, return to the city and transfer to your hotel.

Option 2: City tour + Buddha Park (full day)

After breakfast, we will explore Vientiane on foot, visiting Wat Ong Di, Wat Inpeng, and Wat Haisok Gom. We will then walk from one of the city’s main shopping streets to the Vientiane Central Market, where a wide variety of goods are sold, including food, household goods, souvenirs, textiles, gold, silver, and antiques. In the afternoon, we will travel outside of Vientiane and visit the impressive Lao Thai Friendship Bridge and Buddha Park, an enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures located in a meadow by the Mekong River, very close to the Friendship Bridge. The park contains around 200 religious works of art, some of which are up to 500 years old. The collection was assembled by a mysterious monk who wanted to spread his ideas about philosophy and the universe. A view over the Mekong at sunset is the perfect way to end the day.

Afterwards, return to the city center and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight stay in Vientiane.

Day 8>Vientiane – Vang Vieng (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Immediately after breakfast, we leave Vientiane and drive north. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of this mountainous region along the way. Your first stop is Vang Xang, a famous archaeological site dating back to the 11th century. In the afternoon, we reach the small town of Vang Vieng, idyllically situated in a bend of the Nam Song River. Along the way, we’ll see: The breathtaking landscape with its picturesque limestone cliffs remains untouched despite the tourism development that has occurred in recent years. Upon arrival in Vang Vieng, we pass the large Tham Jang Caves. These caves were used in the past by the local population as a hideout from Chinese invaders. We cross the Cung Huai Ngai River and discover the daily life of the local rural population in the small village of Ban.

Overnight stay in Vang Vieng

Day 9> Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today, after breakfast, we head north to Luang Prabang, one of the best-preserved traditional cities in all of Southeast Asia. On well-maintained roads, we pass through breathtaking landscapes, with a mixture of steep terraced fields and farming villages scattered in the mountains. There are several opportunities for photo stops, as the villages in the region are very diverse. In particular, wealth is unevenly distributed. In the small village of Muang Xieng Nguen, we spend some time strolling through the village to get to know the residents and their lifestyle.

Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, we’ll have plenty of time to visit some of the city’s sights, including the city’s oldest temple, Wat Sene, and Wat Mai. No visit to Luang Prabang would be complete without climbing the 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill. From the top, the view over the city and the Mekong River at sunset is truly impressive. During the climb, you’ll see various sacred temples, including the gilded stupa of Wat Phou. In the evening, explore the city’s night market, where you’ll find a wide selection of handmade textiles and souvenirs.

Overnight stay in Luang Prabang.

Day 10> Luang Prabang (F)

Your half-day city tour begins with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which houses a number of interesting artifacts. We then drive to the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong temple, with its soaring roofs. The temple is a fine example of classic Laotian architecture. We’ll also have enough time to visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines at Wat Aham.

Overnight stay in Luang Prabang

Day 11> Luang Prabang (F)

Breakfast at the hotel

Enjoy the whole day at leisure at the hotel. We recommend attending an early morning ceremony with saffron-clad monks distributing sticky rice to the faithful. Laos is the only country where this Buddhist tradition is still widely practiced. Your tour guide will be happy to provide you with tips and information.

Optional excursions:

Option 1 : Visit the Kuang Si Waterfalls (including lunch)

You’ll travel to Kuang Si on a road lined with small farming villages and rice fields. The scenery along the way—in addition to rice, pineapples are the main crops here—will impress you. In the Hmong village of Ban Longlao, you’ll meet some of the locals. Their language and culture are distinct from traditional Laotian culture. Near the waterfalls, you’ll take a two-hour hike through the jungle to this turquoise-colored natural spectacle.

After lunch, you’ll have time to relax and swim in the pools created by the waterfall. Then, you’ll begin the climb to the summit, through the beautiful natural surroundings along the riverbank, which are characterized by tranquil pools.

Note: Please wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots for the hike.

Return to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.

Overnight stay in Luang Prabang

Day 12> Luang Prabang – Siem Reap (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Depending on your departure time, you will have free time, followed by a transfer to the airport and flight to Siem Reap.

Optional excursion in Luang Prabang:

After breakfast, we cross the river and visit the Wat Lange Khun temple and the Tham Sakkarin limestone cave in a village. We also visit the village committee. Back in Luang Prabang, we visit the Center for Traditional Arts and Ethnology. Here, you will receive extensive information about the various hill tribes living in Laos. At a local weaving center, you will gain insight into the organization of the local weavers, which offers them the opportunity to earn a decent living through weaving.

After arrival in Siem Reap transfer to the hotel.

Overnight stay in Siem Reap.

Day 13> Siem Reap (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

You’ll travel by tuk-tuk to the famous ancient royal capital of Angkor Thom, with its impressive gates. You’ll visit the royal temple of Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King, among others. Of course, the Bayon Temple is also included in your itinerary. In the afternoon, the tour continues to the Angkor Wat temple, from which the entire complex takes its name, and the world-famous Ta Phrom temple, whose walls are partially overgrown with giant jungle trees, creating a particularly mystical atmosphere.

Enjoy the sunset from the Pre Rup Temple.

Overnight stay in Siemreap.

Day 14> Siem Reap–Tonle Sap (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast, we travel by bus to Tonlé Sap Lake. Dozens of houseboats house the floating homes of fishermen line the lake’s shores. We visit the “Lake Nomads” community by boat, who roam Tonlé Sap Lake to pursue their occupation of fishing, but have also built floating houses, schools, churches, shops, and administrative buildings on the lake. These stand on platforms that rise and fall with the changing water level of the lake.

In the early afternoon you will return to Siem Reap, where you will have some free time.

Day 15> Siem Reap – Return or onward journey (F)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Depending on your departure time, you will have free time, followed by a transfer to the airport and your return or onward flight.

Optional excursion :
Departure to visit the temples of the Rolous group: Preah Ko and Bakong. The temples are located approximately 12 km south of Siem Reap, near the village of Rolous. They date back to the 9th century. Preah translates as ‘holy’ and Ko means ‘bull’. Preah Ko is a Hindu temple, the ‘Temple of the Sacred Bull’.

The Bakong temple complex, which we visit next, is located 500 meters beyond Preah Ko and dates back to the 9th century. Bakong is made entirely of sandstone and is considered the first major state temple of the Khmer.

Hotel list

Location	Hotel	Ratings
Hanoi	Thien Thai Hotel	4⭐
Halong Bay	Victory Cruise	4⭐
Ninh Binh	Legend Ninh Binh Hotel	3⭐
Vientiane	Chanthapanya Hotel	3.5⭐
Vang Vieng	Vansana Vang Vieng Hotel	4⭐
Luang Prabang	Sala Prabang Hotel	4⭐
Siem Reap	Kou Prey Hotel	3⭐

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