Welcome to Laos! Our tour guide and driver will meet you upon your arrival at Luang Prabang airport and then transfer you to your hotel for check-in. During the rest of the day, you’re free to do as you please. 

Whether you opt for relaxing and wandering around the resort or catching a free shuttle bus to the downtown area to explore, we’re sure your first day in Laos will be a lovely one. 

At 17.00 you’ll head to the dock on the bank of the Mekong River (either by walking or by tuk tuk) and get ready to board the Nava Mekong Cruises boat for an incredible 3-hour sunset cruise. We’ll moor near a traditional village opposite the town of Luang Prabang and watch in awe as typical Lao dancers perform interpretations of the royal ballet, rural life, folk tales and legends. Dinner served will be a collection of typical Lao dishes which are tasty and nutritious. The boat will return to shore for 20.00 and a free shuttle bus will escort you back to your hotel.

Special note: Nava Mekong operates in the months of January-May and October-December on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed from the 1st-30th June 2019 and from the 1st July-30th September. Dinner cruise is available for charter only. 

OVERNIGHT IN LUANG PRABANG

Excursion by boat to Tham Pak Ou Caves (5-6 hours). 

After a hearty breakfast, spend the rest of the morning however you please before boarding the shuttle bus and heading to the downtown area for another lovely cruise upstream the Mekong River.

You’ll be left spellbound by the beauties of Pak Ou Cave and the scenic landscape along the banks of the river. After a two-hour upstream cruise, you’ll arrive at Pak Ou, home to the famous Tam Ting Cave with its thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of varying shapes and sizes.

En route, stop off at the village of Ban Xang Hai where potent rice wine whisky known as ‘lao lao’ is produced. (It’s open from 6am to 3pm and closed on every major Buddhist holiday.)

Afterwards, you’ll visit the weaving village of Ban Xang Khong, a stone’s throw from Luang Prabang and known for its traditional handwoven cotton and silk, as well as the production of local mulberry paper. Then, you’ll be escorted back to your resort. 

OVERNIGHT IN LUANG PRABANG

After breakfast, head to Ban Xom, a lowland Lao hill tribe village which is renowned for its production of cotton. After briefly wandering  around the village, make your way to the source of the Kuang Si Waterfalls where you’ll spend the rest of the day, marvelling at the fierce rush of water over multi-tiered limestone formations. 

You’ll also have the chance to visit a local village (Ban Ou or Ban Na Ouane) before returning to Luang Prabang by car and spending the afternoon at leisure. While away the hours at the resort or stroll around Luang Prabang.

You may also choose an optional evening tasting and traditions tour at an additional cost. This optional tour will see you participate in a traditional Baci Ceremony, designed to commemorate momentous occasions in an individual’s life (such as birth or marriage) or honour important visitors and guests.  This touris available on request and can be booked in advance only.

After this you’ll make your way to the city centre and watch as the locals gather to play their favourite game of Petanque during the evening. Feel free to join in and try your hand at this traditional game played far and wide across the country. To say thank you to the groups, we’ll take some snacks and ‘beerlao’ and then have a Laotian meal at a typical restaurant. 

OVERNIGHT IN LUANG PRABANG

After breakfast you’ll have some free time to do as you please before your transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Siem Reap. Our representatives will extend a warm welcome to you upon your arrival and will escort you to your hotel for check-in. 

OVERNIGHT IN SIEM REAP

Enjoy breakfast and then at 8am a shuttle bus with a tour guide will pick you up from your hotel for a full-day sightseeing tour.

Angkor Wat is the national symbol of Cambodia. It is the largest, best preserved and most religiously significant temple in all of the Angkor complex. Approaching the temple, you’ll  go across the large moat and  along a broad causeway lined with ‘naga’ balustrades. Ascend through a series of galleries and courtyards after entering the main building and reach the central sanctuary’s beautiful viewpoint. 

Here, feast your eyes on intricate stone carvings, including the 1,700 apsaras (celestial dancers).The best time to see the wonderful Angkor Wat is at sunrise and sunset. Covering an area of 10 square metres, the fortified city of Angkor Thom is home to many of Angkor’s most popular sights. You’ll first wander through the South Gate of Angkor Thom via the Naga Bridge.

Then, head to the Bayon Temple through a passage of big trees and playful monkeys and explore Baphuon, Elephant Terrace, Leper King Terrace, the Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas. 

Then, proceed to Ta Prohm, one of Angkor’s most popular attractions because its jungle and monuments look practically the same as when European explorers first discovered them. 

Watch the sunset bleed its golden glow over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkor temple – be sure to have your cameras at the ready! 

OVERNIGHT IN SIEM REAP

After breakfast, you’re free to spend the day at leisure – whether that’s taking a ferry ride on the Tonle Sap Lake or unwinding with a massage. 

OPTIONAL TOUR 1: Paddle through a village in the Floating Forest

Step back in time with this wonderful excursion to a floating village on the great Tonle Sap Lake. You’ll drive 22km from Siem Reap to Kompong Phuk , and board a traditional boat for an hour’s cruise. 

The buildings of this floating town can be accessed by small boats and rickety ladders and are home to both villagers and their livestock. 

Support the local economy by taking a canoe ride with one of the villagers to explore the surrounding mangrove forest. The peaceful labyrinth of waterways play host to a whole range of species, including water-birds and crab-munching macaques.

Special Note: The tour is from 8am to 12pm or 2pm to 6pm. It doesn’t operate during the dry season (March to July) due to low water level. It is recommended for customers aged 12+ years. 

OPTIONAL TOUR 2: Boat excursion to Chong Kneas floating village

Enjoy a boat ride to Chong Kneas Village and feast your eyes upon the beautiful scenery and intriguing life of the residents. 

Visit Psah Chah Market, originally destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and restored in 1996. It offers travelers the chance to stock up on knickknacks and snacks at its food stalls and souvenir shops. 

Special Note: The tour is from 8am to 12pm or 1pm to 5pm. Also this optional tour is available upon request and can only be booked in advance.

OVERNIGHT IN HO CHI MINH CITY

After breakfast get ready for a coach journey from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh (Giant Ibis Bus – 314km). Upon arrival, you will meet one of our representatives and transfer to your hotel in Phnom Penh where you can spend the afternoon at leisure OR you may also choose any of the below mentioned optional tours at an at an additional cost.

1) Phnom Penh City Tour

The tour begins with a visit to the dazzling white and gold complex of the Royal Palace and the adjacent Silver Pagoda. The Royal Palace is still King Norodom Sihamoi’s official residence while the Silver Pagoda is also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha. 

Next, venture to the Museum of Genocide, the former Tuol Svay Prey High School, which the Khmer Rouge set up as a prison in May 1976, to detain those accused of opposing the Pol Pot regime. 

Please note that the tour is from 2pm to 6pm. 

2) Take photos in Phnom Penh

Heading out on foot, you’ll explore the sights of a local community and witness the transformation of this central urban neighbourhood through the work of street artists. Feast your eyes upon diverse murals painted by the likes of Lisa Mam, Cambodia’s first female urban street artist, and Chifumi, a French artist whose style is characterized largely by pop art style paintings of gesturing hands. Take some photos of the vibrant concrete canvases and learn more about local life.

Special Note: The tour is from 3pm to 5pm. It’s advisable to wear comfortable walking shoes, sun protection (sunglasses, sun screen, parasol) and you will be informed of the meeting point once booking has been confirmed.

OVERNIGHT IN PHNOM PENH

Following breakfast, you’re free to spend the day at leisure – whether that’s relaxing at the hotel, exploring Phnom Penh or opting for one of the optional tours below. 

OPTIONAL TOUR 1: Cycling on Silk Island 

Today you’ll cycle into the outskirts of the city, first reaching the island of Koh Dach after two ferry crossings. At Koh Dach (also known as Silk Island) watch as the villagers produce silk using weaving methods handed down through generations. 

Afterwards, go by bike along the narrow paths, whizzing past the beautiful pagoda, the local school and vegetable and fruit plantations. Residents of the area also earn a living by growing beans, corn, bananas, mangoes and sesame.

Stop off at the shaded huts along the river for  a local Khmer-style lunch before boarding a wooden boat in the afternoon for a cruise back to Phnom Penh.

Special Note: Tour is from 9am to 4pm and includes lunch. The distance is 40km and requires a moderate amount of energy. During the rainy season (May to September), cycling can be a bit more of a challenge because of the road conditions.

OPTIONAL TOUR 2:  Oudong excursion

Setting off northeast from Phnom Penh, you’ll make your way to Oudong – the former capital of Cambodia between 1618 and 1866. Phnom Oudong features several stupas containing ashes of former Khmer kings.

After exploring the temples, you’ll stop off at the ethnic Cham Village and ‘silversmithing’ village of Kompong Luong. Take a quick tour of a local workshop led by the Cambodian Craft Cooperation (a German NGO) and then return to Phnom Penh.

Special Note: Please note that the tour is from 8am to 12pm or 2pm to 5pm and does not include lunch.

OPTIONAL TOUR 3: The Killing Fields

The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek sit just outside of Phnom Penh and provide a moving reminder of the atrocities committed during the Pol Pot regime. This is the site where thousands of people were killed and buried in mass graves between 1975 and 1978. 

Special Note: Please note that the tour is from 8am to 12pm or 2pm to 5pm and does not include lunch.

OVERNIGHT IN PHNOM PENH

After breakfast, we’ll escort you to Phnom Penh bus station ready for your departure to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) by bus. When you reach your destination, you’ll be taken to your hotel for check-in. Time permitting, you’ll stroll around the downtown area of this commercial, financial and cultural centre.

You may also choose any of the below mentioned optional tours:

OPTIONAL TOUR 1: Foodie tour in Saigon

Heading to Ben Thanh Market in the early evening, immerse yourself fully in the bustling foodie heaven of Saigon. Accompanied by a guide, you’ll visit the local hangouts and sample popular dishes. Then, cap off the evening with a cocktail at one of the rooftop bars.

Special Notes:

• Tour is from 5.30pm to 9.30pm and operates daily. 
• Walking distance is 5km but can be shortened (please inform us in advance). 
• This is a child-friendly tour and the recommended age for taking part is 8+ years.
• Please let us know if you have any food allergies. 
• The dress code to visit the Air Sky Bar is smart casual. 
• Certain adjustments can be made to the tour depending on weather conditions.
• Transfer to/from hotel is not included and the excursion does not operate during the Lunar New Year or on public holidays. 

OPTIONAL TOUR 2: Discover Saigon at night time by Vespa

Soak up the liveliness of Saigon with a nighttime vintage Vespa ride. Starting your evening with drinks at the popular Zoom Café, you’ll get to know your drivers for the night before whizzing off through Old Saigon. 

Breathe in the mouth-watering scents wafting out from restaurants, pass by important historical sites such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Post Office and the City Hall, and stop off for seafood appetizers in local eateries before hunkering down over a delicious barbecue dinner with southern rice pancakes and fresh spring rolls. 

Cap off the evening with a visit to hidden cafes and bars.

Special Notes: The tour is from 6pm to 10pm and includes dinner. Customers wishing to book this excursion will be required to sign a release form either prior to arrival or on the ground before the tour commences. 

OVERNIGHT IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Half of today will be spent discovering the hidden gems of Ho Chi Minh City, particularly near the town centre. En route to the Reunification Palace, we’ll pass by the now-demolished wartime American Embassy. The Palace was the former residence of the President of Southern Vietnam up until 1975 and nearby you’ll find some impressive French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the old Saigon post office.

Next, you’ll be whisked off to the Jade Emperor Pagoda and the War Remnant Museum, reminiscent of a turbulent time in Vietnam’s history. We’ll round up the sightseeing tour with a walk around Ben Thanh Market where there are bargains aplenty! 

In the afternoon, you’ll take a transfer of about 30km north-west of Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi Town. The Cu Chi tunnels served as the base for the Vietnamese operations during the Tet Offensive of 1968 and stretch over 200km. These tunnels contain living areas, weapon factories, hospitals and command centres. During your excursion, you’ll be provided with an insight into how these tunnels operated, as we take you through a widened section of the underground network and offer you the chance to fire off rounds from an AK47 or MK16 at a nearby rifle range.

OVERNIGHT IN HO CHI MINH CITY

You will take a flight to swap the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City for the quieter streets of Hanoi. After reaching Noi Bai Airport, our tour guide will extend a warm welcome and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. 

The afternoon can be spent however you please. 

OVERNIGHT IN HANOI

Between 07.30 and 08.30 you’ll be whisked off from your hotel by shuttle bus with a tour guide (only applicable for those who use our shuttle bus service). Then, at 10.30 you’ll stop off at Hai Duong City, a haven of hand-made Vietnamese handicraft products.  At 12.30 you’ll reach Tuan Chau Marina Pier (Tuan Chau Island) where a variety of different activities await:

• 08:15 -08:30: Our shuttle bus with tour guide will pick you up at your hotels
• (Note: This pick-up is just applied for those who use our shuttle bus service)
• 10:30: Stopover in Hai Duong City where you can experience our hand-made Vietnamese handicraft products.
  
• 12:30: Arrive in Tuan Chau Marina Pier (Tuan Chau Island). Followed by activities such as:  boarding Luxury Flamingo Cruise for departure, Welcome drink will be served and cruise briefing, safety instructions, check-in cabins by Cruise Manager
• 13:30: Great lunch is served while cruising passing by islets.
• 15:00: Kayaking around Pearl Farm Village, visit Titop Island. Free choice of activities such as sunbathing, swimming and conquering the peak of the biggest island in Halong and taking panoramic photos of Halong bay in the afternoon.
• 17:30: Happy Hour. Buy 2 beverage get 1 for free
• 18.00: Cooking Class. Our Chef will demonstrate the preparation of a particular Vietnamese cuisine in the dining room. Our guide will let you know what item will be prepared and will explain the process during the demonstration. Duration about 20 – 30 minutes
• 18:30: Enjoy Sunset Party with fruits and tea
• 19:30: Under the magnificent night sky, our luxury set menu dinner is served with variety of Vietnamese and Asian foods
• 21:00: Joining the squid fishing on boat with our crews and can enjoy the squid cooked with assistance from our chef or laze yourself with our happy-hour drinks at the bar.

OVERNIGHT ON THE FLAMINGO CRUISE

After waking up early to witness the beautiful sunrise, you’ll kick-start your day.

06:15: Tai Chi class on the Sun-Dec                                                                                                                                                           

07:15: Have light breakfast with Coffee, tea, and bakeries on board    

 07:45: Arrive at the Surprising cave, the biggest cave in Ha Long Bay with 10,000 square meters, when you visit the cave like our Vietnamese house with three chambers as lobby, dining room and bedroom with most beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. We will tour the cave for about 60 minutes.        

09:00: Upon return to the boat you will have time to freshen up and finish packing. When checking out please remove all of your belongings from the cabins, you may leave heavy luggage outside of the cabins.  

10:00: Relaxing on the sundeck or in the dining room enjoying the bay scenery as we approach the pier  10.45: Brunch is served. After brunch, Relax on the sundeck or in the dining room enjoying the bay scenery as we approach the pier.                        

11:45: Disembark at Marina coffee – Gate 26 in Tuan Chau New Marina.

OVERNIGHT IN HANOI

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, get ready for a jam-packed day. You’ll be escorted to visit the Ho Chi Minh complex where you can visit the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh himself. Then, continue to the Temple of Literature and gaze at its walled courtyards and graceful gateways, founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, before taking a stroll through the Old Quarter’s narrow network of alleys and shops known as ‘the 36 streets’. Soak up the sun and enjoy a Vietnamese coffee at a local café, before visiting the Ancient House on Ma May Street. You’ll also be able to enjoy an hour’s foot massage at a spa, spending the afternoon at leisure.

OVERNIGHT IN HANOI

Post-breakfast, relax and enjoy your morning until our guide and driver pick you up and transfer you to Noi Bai Airport for your departure flight back to the UK. We hope you’ve had a wonderful time in Southeast Asia!

END OF TOUR