VIETNAM, LAOS AND MYANMAR TOUR 22 DAYS

Destination: Ho Chi Minh City/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi/Mekong Delta/Dalat/Hanoi/Ha Long/Luang Prabang/Pakou/Khoungsi waterfalls/Xiengkhoung/Vientiane/Bangkok/Yangon/Bagan/Mandalay

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner, G=Guide

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City (D, G)

Arriving at the airport, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey before a welcome dinner. Your overnight stay will be in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh city tour 1 day (B, L, G)

After breakfast, you’ll start your city tour including the History Museum (special exhibition of the 5thC “Oc Eo” civilisation), the Museum of War Remnants (very partial, but riveting, recollections of the “American War”: not for the squeamish), the huge Ben Thanh market (one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City), the Jade Emperor Temple (superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell and incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries) and a lacquer workshop. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh/Tay Ninh/Cu Chi (B, L, G)

Drive to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See (in time to watch the mid-day ceremony), Cu Chi (intricate network of underground passages and bunkers that became legendary during the 1960′s for their role in the war of liberation). Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cao Dai is a “new” religion unique to Viet Nam with around a million followers. Both its creed and its architecture are remarkable and exotic.

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City/Vinh Long (B, L, D, G)

Drive to Vinh Long, cruise on Mekong River to visit traditional family-run brick kilns and a wide range of varied cottage industries, e.g. Overnight stay in an orchard house of local people beside canals.

Day 5: Vinh Long/Ho Chi Minh (B, L, G)

Morning boat cruise to visit a bonsai garden, the old house, local houses making confectionery and Cai Be floating market. You’ll also have chance to enjoy the Mekong Delta music performed by local people. Afternoon return to Ho Chi Minh City for an overnight stay.

Day 6: Ho Chi Minh/Dalat (B, G)

After breakfast, you’ll be free until transfer to the airport for your flight to Dalat. On arrival, you are met and transferred to hotel. Afternoon visit Linh Phuoc Pagoda – an interesting architecture with dragon statue made off La Rue beer bottles, and the embroidery workshop in a lovely garden setting. Overnight in Dalat.

Day 7: Dalat/Hanoi (B, L, G)

In the morning, you’ll have a ride in cable car to Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lam Lake and visit the Flower Garden. After lunch, visit to King Bao Dai’s Summer Palace, the Crazy House, and Da Lat market. Then, the car will take you to the airport for your flight to Hanoi. On arrival, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. Your overnight stay will be in Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi City tour (B, L, G)

An all day city tour, possibly including the Temple of Literature, (the first university in Vietnam dating back to the 11th C), the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ethnology Museum and the centre of Hanoi, including the Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ngoc Son temple and the bustling Old Quarter with a complex of architecture – traditional tube houses, religious buildings and the colonial houses. In the evening, you’ll have tickets for a performance of Cheo (an traditional music typical for the northern Vietnam). Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 9: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, D, G)

A morning drive to Ha Long Bay, (one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas – the world’s largest marine “karst” landscape). Travel by traditional-style boat to some of the less well-known grottoes and caves. Includes swimming, fishing, hill (not mountain) climbing for Bay overviews, exploring sea level caves in a small sampan, etc. All meals will be provided on board and your accommodation will be on the boat in a twin room with en suite toilet and shower.

Day 10: Ha Long/Hanoi (B, L, G)

Morning cruising Ha Long Bay, followed by lunch and then return to Hanoi for an overnight stay.

Day 11: Hanoi/Luang Prabang (B, G)

After breakfast, you’ll be free until transfer to airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos. After a short rest, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. We then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by the local and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 12: Luang Prabang/Pakou/Luang Prabang (B, L, G)

After breakfast, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, representing classical Laotian architecture. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which gives us a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside as well as an interesting visit to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. En route, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where the local speciality of rice wine is produced. Once back in Luang Prabang city we take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a village well known for its hand weaving. We also have time to visit Ban Xangkhong and Ban Xienglek, small villages well known for silk weavings and for Saa (jute) Papermaking Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 13: Luang Prabang/Pakou/Khoungsi waterfalls (B, L, G)

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (often in the form of sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual. You can also visit the morning Phosi Market where you can see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional handicrafts, and today you will visit local village of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay and Ban Thapene. Time permitting you may also wish to drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can take a dip in the inviting pools or walk along the forest paths. We return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and continue to Ban Phanom, a well-known weaving village, and then return to the city by late evening to admire the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 14: Luang Prabang/Xiengkhouang (Road) (B, L, G)

After breakfast, we visit the National Museum (close Tuesday) at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. Today, we drive 306km uphill a mountain surrounded by wonderful natural scenery to Xiengkhouang. Upon arrival, we transfer out to visit the Plain of Jars, an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are scattered all over the plateau. If time permits, we see the old capital of Muang Khoun and the nearby villages, home to the Hmong hill tribe people. They have an interesting local culture and a colorful history. Overnight in Phonsavanh.

Day 15: Xiengkhouang/Vientiane (Flight) (B, L, G)

Following breakfast, we visit the Central Market. After you will have free time to explore the town further before catching our flight back to Vientiane. After checking into the hotel, time permitting we continue our sightseeing tour of the surrounding areas of Vientiane; we visit the impressive Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge and Buddha Park, an enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures on the Mekong Riverside meadow, close to the Friendship Bridge. There are approximately 200 religious images dating back over 500 years, which were created by a mysterious monk spreading his philosophy on life and revealing his ideas about the universe. A spectacular view of the Mekong River at sunset is a perfect way to finish the day. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 16: Vientiane (B, L, G)

AM: After breakfast, we continue to explore Vientiane capital by visiting the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. Enroute to Lao’s national precious heritage, the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.

PM: We continue visiting the rest of Vientiane by foot, including Wat Ong Tue, Wat Inpeng and Wat Haisok. We pass by the major shopping area continuing to the Vientiane Central Market of Talad Sao and Talad Kouadin where various goods are displayed for sale; including fresh food, household goods, souvenirs, textiles, gold, silver and antiques. We return to the Mekong Riverside in the late afternoon for observing the sunset. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 17: Vientiane/Bangkok/Yangon (B, D, G)

After breakfast, you’ll be free until transfer to airport for your flight to Bangkok where transits to Yangon. On arrival, the car will pick up and take you to visit Bangkok City or rest at a local hotel. Then, you will return the airport to catch your flight to Yangon. On arrival, you will be picked up and transferred to the hotel for check-in. Dinner at restaurant with cultural show. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 18: Yangon/Bagan (B, L, G)

After breakfast, we leave this city for the airport for Bagan. Sightseeing Bagan by visiting: Nyaung Oo Market, Shwezigon Pagoda – the prototype for later Myanmar pagodas built by King Anawrahta, Ananda Temple – King Kyansittha’s masterpiece and the crowing achievement of the early style temple of architecture, Kyansitha Umin, Thatbyinnyu Temple – the highest building on the Bagan plain and Htilominlo Temple – the largest temples of Bagan. Lunch at restaurant. Evening visit Lacquer-ware making home cottage, Manuha Temple, Myinkaba Gubyaukgyi Temple – known for its wall paintings depicting scenes from the Jataka and Dhamanyangyi Temple . Evening sun-set view of Bagan from Buphaya or Shwesandaw Pagoda. Dinner at restaurant with shadow Puppet Show.

Day 19: Bagan (B, L, G)

Today we will have an absolute tour around heritage site of Bagan which includes visit Ananda, an architectural masterpiece of the early-style temple with two original standing Buddha images whose facial expressions change depending on the distance the statue is viewed from. The Ananda Okkyaung is one of the few surviving brick monasteries from the early Bagan period and the next temple to be visited, Thatbyinnyu, is the highest in Bagan, rising to 61m. End the day with a horse and carriage tour among the temples passing by the traditional village of Taungbi, Sulamani Temple and the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork. Enjoy the sunset over the site from the upper terrace of Myauk Guni Temple.

Day 20: Bagan/Mandalay (B, L, G)

Have breakfast at our hotel then transfer to airport for Mandalay. Sightseeing Mandalay to Mahagandaryone Monastery For offering alm food to Thousand monks, U Pain Wooden Bridge, Mahamuni Image – a bronze Buddha image castled during the lifetime of Buddha himself, Tapestry works, Wood carving & bronze castling workshops, Marble carving workshop and silk weaving home cottage. Lunch at restaurant. After lunch, continues to Mandalay Palace, Shwenandaw Monastery – noted for its exquisite wood carvings, gold leaf beating workshop, Atumashi Monstery, Kuthodaw Pagoda – known as the world biggest book and finish the tour by visiting Mandalay Hill to watch the sun-set and the panoramic view of the city.

Day 21: Mandalay/Yangon (B, L, G)

Breakfast at your hotel then fly to Yangon. Visit Buddha’s Tooth Relic, Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda, Maha Pasana Cave and Souvenir Shop. Lunch at restaurant. After lunch, visit Glass Factory, Chaukhtatkyi Reclining Buddha, Bogyoke (Scott) Market for free shopping, Sule Pagoda, Mahabandoola Park Independent Monument – the heart of Yangon City surrounded by memorable scene of various colonial style buildings and Nan Thida Jetty.

Day 22: Yangon departure (B, L, G)

Wake up for a walk to the colonial part of Yangon from Sule Pagoda to City Hall building, the British buildings of Emmanuel Church to Inland Water Transport. Following, you will encounter the exotic food stalls and local markets of Yangon.

In the afternoon, you will have time to discover, Chaukhtatgyi pyay, the biggest reclining Buddha statue in Myanmar. Followed by a stroll to Shwedagon pagoda, the most prominent Buddha monument with highest tower made of gold and diamonds, shining to the sky of Yangon. Proceeding to Yangon airport for your departure flight.