Emotional Indochine tour
TOUR OVERVIEW
- 15 days
- Max people: 25
- Wifi available
- Jan 01 - Dec 31
- Min age:
- Pickup: Airpot
Embark on a captivating journey through the heart of Indochina with our specially curated ‘Emotional Indochine Tour’ designed for families. Experience the wonders of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia as you explore the most enchanting sites while creating unforgettable family memories.
Begin your adventure in the serene city of Luang Prabang, where you will be immersed in the local culture through a traditional blessing ceremony. Explore the historic temples and vibrant markets of Luang Prabang, discovering the rich heritage of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Continue your journey to Vietnam, where you will delve into the artistic world of Bat Trang ceramic workshop in Hanoi and enjoy a city tour showcasing the cultural landmarks. Traverse the picturesque landscapes of Ninh Binh and Halong Bay, marveling at the natural beauty that surrounds you.
In the charming town of Hoi An, participate in a cooking class to learn the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine and explore the iconic Golden Bridge. Delight in a cyclo tour through the bustling streets of Saigon, immersing yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of this dynamic city.
Conclude your adventure in Cambodia’s Siem Reap, where you will explore the magnificent temples in a traditional tuk-tuk, capturing the essence of this ancient civilization.
This 15-day journey promises a perfect blend of cultural exploration and family bonding, offering a unique opportunity to create lasting memories together. Join us on the ‘Emotional Indochine Tour’ for an unforgettable family experience across three captivating countries.
ITINERARY
Day 1Luang Prabang Arrival
You arrive in Luang Prabang and transfer to the city center to check into a hotel. This city was the capital of Lan Xang, the “Kingdom of a Million Elephants,” from the 14th to the 16th century. Luang Prabang is located in a privileged position, surrounded by mountains and embraced by the Mekong and Khan rivers. With its surrounding hills, which form a sort of peninsula between the two rivers, its majestic temples, and its multi-ethnic population, Luang Prabang takes on a suggestive and harmonious appearance, making it one of the most pleasant and charming places in Laos.
Requirements:
1/A passport with a residual validity of at least 6 months from the date of entry into the country and with at least 2 free pages.
2/A passport-sized photo.
3/Payment of the visa stamping fee (35 USD) for the single-entry visa.
You will be welcomed by the guide who will accompany you to the hotel. You will have free time to relax. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 2Luang Prabang - Blessing ceremony
Optional: Get up early around 05:30 a.m. to watch and participate in the offering of alms to hundreds of monks clad in saffron-colored robes (Buddhist monks) who receive alms from locals-a sight that inspires wonder in many travelers.
Inform your guide if you wish to make an offering so that he can prepare food for you. This morning ritual goes back generations in Laos. Watch the town come alive again in the morning and then return to your hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast, take a trip into the countryside (30 km south) to visit Kuangsi Waterfall, which although not very high is spectacular and really beautiful with its green surroundings, being a protected national park. We will stop along the way to visit a fresh produce market called Talad Phosy, and we will also visit Ban Na Oune, a small village of a mountain “Hmong” ethnic group, probably the best known minority group in Laos. Just before we get to Kuangsi Waterfall, there is another village of the Khmu ethnic group, called Ban Tha Pane, which we will visit. Our picnic lunch will be served in the shady park near Kuangsi Waterfall. There will be plenty of time to relax and bathe in the cool waters before returning to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.
In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic tour of the sacred city of temples; nearly fifty of which still remain in the city and surrounding areas. Visit the National Museum, the former Royal Palace housing the collection of precious objects, including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, gifts received from foreign dignitaries… etc, Wat Visoun, the 16th-century temple that has served as a small museum for religious objects; Wat Aham, the 19th-century temple, whose two guardians at the base of the steps represent two characters from the Ramayana–Hanuman, the monkey god, and a fierce Yaksa; Wat Xiengthong, the 16th-century temple, which more than any other temple in Luang Prabang, embodies all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture.
The rest of the day is yours to relax in one of the city’s many quaint cafes and bars or stroll along the beautiful riverbank.
Day 3Luang Prabang Visit
After breakfast at the hotel, you will have the option to participate in the Tak Bat (the alms-giving ceremony), an ancient Buddhist ritual where monks collect offerings (only food) from the residents of Luang Prabang. Following this, you will begin the day by ascending Mount Phousi, a very popular spot for admiring the sunrise over the Mekong River. From the top, you can enjoy a spectacular 360-degree view of the city, its numerous temples, and the surrounding landscape, stretching to the distant mountains. Next, you will visit the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong with its distinctive roof, representing an example of classical Laotian architecture. Then, you will stop at the Heuan Chan Heritage House, the first house supervised by La Maison du Patrimoine. Situated in the UNESCO heritage city of Luang Prabang, the Huean Chan House is a traditional house that is over 100 years old and is transforming into a museum, a cultural center, and a recreational center where you are welcome to visit and experience the authentic lifestyle in Luang Prabang.
In the afternoon, you will take a two-hour traditional boat ride along the Mekong to the mouth of the Nam Ou River to reach the Pak Ou Caves. Here, you can admire the two famous caves of Tham Ting and Tham Poum, located at the bottom of a steep limestone slope, characterized by the presence of numerous Buddha images of every style and size. You will return to Luang Prabang. The evening will be free for dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 4Luang Prabang Visit - Flight to Hanoi
Breakfast included at the hotel.
After breakfast, you will transfer to Luang Prabang airport to catch a flight to Vietnam.
You will arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam. In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Ethnology and take a pleasant walk around the Returned Sword Lake, Ngoc Son Temple.
Day 5Hanoi - Bat Trang ceramic workshop - City tour
Departure to the village of Bat Trang, located on the banks of the Red River, 20 km from the center of Hanoi. Built more than 700 years ago, this village is renowned for its production of ceramics and is one of the most famous traditional craft villages in the country.
Upon arrival, you will have the opportunity to visit the communal house dedicated to the man who founded the village and discover the art of ceramics. Additionally, you will have a special visit to a small ceramic factory run by a local family, where your guide will illustrate the production processes of the artifacts. You will also have the chance to test your skills by working closely with the artisans.
Subsequently, you will explore the ceramics market of Bat Trang, where you can admire and purchase hand-painted ceramics by local residents, using techniques passed down by the artisans of Bat Trang over the centuries. You will have some free time to buy the souvenirs you wish to take with you or as gifts for your loved ones.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (only from the outside, as it is closed on Mondays and Fridays) before taking a pleasant stroll in the botanical gardens and visiting the Presidential Palace. You will explore Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house, where he lived and worked, and Ba Dinh Square, the place where Ho Chi Minh read the declaration of independence of Vietnam from the French in 1945. Later, you will stop at the One Pillar Pagoda, considered one of the most important symbols of the city.
Following that, you will visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, dating back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De. Finally, you will take a 40-minute cyclo ride around Hoan Kiem Lake (the lake of the Returned Sword), which evokes the legend of a giant turtle and a magical sword used to drive the Chinese from Vietnam. You will also explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi, with its famous bustling streets.
The day will conclude with a water puppet show, depicting the daily life, culture, and beliefs of the Vietnamese people through water puppets. The tour will end around 6:00-6:30 pm.
Dinner will be on your own, and you will spend the night at a hotel in Hanoi.
Day 6Hanoi - Ninh Binh
Breakfast at the Hotel.
Meeting with our guide at the hotel reception at 08:30. Transfer to Ninh Binh, a place rich in historical, cultural, religious, and natural wonders. During the journey, you will cross the Red River Delta, where you will have the opportunity to make a brief stop to admire the beauty of the area.
Upon arrival in Hoa Lu, the former capital of Vietnam from the 9th to the 10th century, you will visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh dynasty (968-980) and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le dynasty (980-1009), who played a fundamental role in obtaining the country’s independence after a thousand years of Chinese rule.
Lunch will be at your leisure at a local restaurant.
The next stop will be Tam Coc, also known as “Halong on land,” which appeared in the famous French film “Indochina.” Upon arrival at the pier, you will board a private rowing boat for a ninety-minute cruise along the Ngo Dong River. You will pass through three caves and admire a beautiful landscape dotted with small villages, rice fields, cemeteries, and temples.
The tour will then continue to Bich Dong (closed around 4:30-5:00 PM), a typical pagoda located in the Red River Delta countryside, built in the 15th century. Upon arrival, you will cross a stone bridge to reach Chua Ha and from there, more than 100 steps will lead you to Chua Trung – the cave pagoda housing unique clay statues. Subsequently, you will walk up to Chua Thuong. In this place, you will not only have the opportunity to learn about Buddhism but also enjoy an incredible panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.
Dinner will be at your leisure, and you will spend the night at a hotel in Ninh Binh.
Day 7Ninh Binh - Halong
Breakfast at the Hotel.
The scheduled meeting is at 07:30 at the hotel reception with the driver for the private transfer to Halong Bay or the shared transfer via the cruise company’s bus to Halong (about 4 hours with a short intermediate break).
Halong Bay, known as “where the dragon descends into the sea” in Vietnamese, is a charming bay with thousands of limestone islands, karst caves, cliffs, and islets that make it a picturesque and fascinating place. Wonderful, mysterious, and majestic, Halong Bay was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994 and is considered one of the new seven wonders of the world. Arrival at the port will be around 12:00-12:30. The cruise company’s program will follow.
Please note:
- Lunch and dinner with a selection of seafood served on board the junk (beverages not included).
- Overnight stay in a private deluxe cabin on board the junk (equipped with air conditioning and shower).
- The cruise program may be subject to change without notice due to weather conditions or decisions of local authorities.
- There is only one English-speaking guide provided by the cruise company on board.
Day 8Halong - Hanoi - Flight to Danang - Hoi An
06:30: You can participate in the Tai-chi session at dawn on the solarium terrace or simply enjoy the stunning view of the bay while sipping a cup of tea or coffee.
07:00: Breakfast will be served in a Western style, to provide you with the necessary energy to tackle a new day of exploration in the bay. During breakfast, you can admire the enchanting panorama that will give you the right energy to face new adventures.
08:00-10:00: Scheduled activities from the junk
10:00: Brunch will be served on board
11:30-12:00: Return to the port and disembark at the Ha Long cruise port.
12:00: Return to Hanoi by a private car that will take you directly to Noi Bai Airport to take a flight to Danang, you will be met by a driver in the arrivals hall. You will be provided with a transfer and hotel accommodation in Hoi An.
Day 9Hoi An - Golden bridge - Hoi An
Meeting with our guide at the hotel reception at 08:30. You will be picked up directly from the hotel and transferred to the Bana Hills complex (60 km – 02h). Once there, you can take the cable car to the top of the mountain, which is 1487 meters above sea level. During the visit, you will have the opportunity to explore various attractions such as “Bynight by train”, “Debay wine tunnel” (with a supplement of 2.5 USD per person) and the possibility to taste a glass of wine from the year 1923. You can also visit the “Le Jardin D’amour” Garden, the Linh Ung Pagoda, the Thich Ca Buddhist statue, and much more.
Lunch will be on your own at Bana Hills. Continuing with the “Fantasy Park“, you can have fun in the dinosaur park or in the maze. Later, reach the top of the mountain, which is at an altitude of 1487 meters, and visit the bell tower, the Nghinh Phong tower, and the golden bridge to take beautiful photos of the mountain and the city of Da Nang. At the end of the visits, take the cable car to leave Ba Na Hill and return to the point where the driver is waiting for you for the transfer to the center of Da Nang. The duration of the tour is about 6 hours. Dinner at your leisure and overnight stay in a hotel in Hoi An.
Day 10Hoi An Cooking class - city tour
Breakfast at the hotel. Welcome from the Hoi An hotel between 8:15 and 8:30 in the morning. Then they will pedal to the colorful local market of Hoi An. Here you will have the opportunity to interact with local vendors and learn the ingredients you will use in the cooking class. Make sure to have your camera ready! Then they will get back on the bikes and head to the Tra Que herb village. Enjoy a moment of rest and a special welcome drink upon arrival. You will be taken to the herb gardens where local farmers work on their crops using traditional methods dating back 300 years. Learn the traditional methods of preparing and cooking Vietnamese food. Learn to make vegetable flowers and animals as decoration. After the lesson, taste what you have cooked. (Ingredients can be substituted to meet dietary needs or allergies).
Free lunch. In the afternoon, you will take a guided tour of Hoi An city: a short walk to the symbol of Hoi An – the Chua Cau or Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the 17th century to connect the Japanese quarter to the Chinese quarters. Continue to the ancient house of Quan Thang, one of the most authentic houses in Hoi An, characterized by lively and refined architecture and sculptures made by artisans from the famous Kim Bong carpentry village in oriental style. This house offers a glimpse into the daily life of the Hoi An family. End the day at the Phuc Kien or Fujian Assembly Hall, built in the 17th century, which is a meeting place for residents, traders, and visitors from a specific region of China called Fujian. End of the day and rest at the hotel. Free dinner.
Day 11Hoi An - Flight to Saigon - Cyclo tour
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Da Nang airport by private car for the flight to Ho Chi Minh. In the afternoon, join the lively streets of Ho Chi Minh City on a cyclo tour and see more than you could on your own in 3 hours. This is a great way to visit points of interest in 3 hours. Our tour guides will provide you with all the information about each stop. We offer 2 options, please choose one of the following here below: Please note that for group tours, we do not offer pick-up service, please come to our meeting point at Cyclo Resto.
OPTION 1: CYCLO AND SPECTACULAR POINTS OF INTEREST
• War Remnants Museum
• Reunification Palace
• Vietnamese Temple
• Buddhist Monument
• Notre Dame Cathedral
• Central Post Office
• Opera House
• Saigon River
• Ben Thanh Market
**Note: Our cyclo driver will only pass by the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace to cover all the listed points of interest.
OPTION 2: CYCLO AND MARKETS + HIDDEN GEMS
• The largest wholesale flower market
• Electronic market
• Motorcycle spare parts market
• Thien Hau Temple (the oldest Chinese temple) in the Chinese quarter
• Oldest apartment of Nguyen Thien Thuat”
Dinner will be on your own, and you will spend the night at the hotel.
Day 12Saigon - Ben Tre - Saigon - Flight to Siem Reap
Breakfast will be served at the hotel.
You will meet our guide at the hotel reception at 08:30. During the morning, you will head to Ben Tre, a beautiful region located in the Mekong Delta, famous for the production of coconut sweets. Upon arrival at Phong Nam Bridge, you will take a boat trip along the Ben Tre River to discover the local daily life. Along the canal, you will visit a kiln to observe how bricks are traditionally produced, as well as one of the numerous workshops dedicated to coconut processing, where you will have the opportunity to taste fresh coconut and see how every part of this fruit is transformed into derivative products. You will continue the boat trip to the village of Nhon Thanh. Here, you will have the chance to sample fresh fruit. Subsequently, you will take a bicycle (or Tuk-tuk) ride along a trail that crosses the villages, enjoying the view of coconut plantations, rice fields, and surrounding gardens.
Lunch will be on your own at a small local restaurant. A short walk will allow you to immerse yourself more deeply in local life. Later, you can take a boat ride on the narrow canal, shaded by wild palms. Return to Saigon. Transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport by private car for the flight to Siem Reap.
You will have the opportunity to have dinner at your leisure and to spend time exploring the city or simply relaxing.
Day 13Siem Reap Visit in tuktuk
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:30: Start the day with a visit to the Angkor area, where you will spend the entire day exploring the marvelous ancient ruins. Notable sites include the South Gate of Angkor Thom, famous for its colossal stone-carved human faces, the imposing Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the majestic Angkor Wat Temple, the largest and most complete of all. This architectural masterpiece dates back to the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares.
You will have lunch on your own at a local restaurant.
Explore this imposing structure, admiring the numerous galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards, and ponds filled with water reflecting the majestic Ta Prohm temple in the jungle, a spectacle of rare beauty. The huge fig trees and giant creepers that wrap around the stone foundations of the structure give the impression that human creation is being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. You will conclude the day by admiring a lovely sunset at the Ta Prohm Temple.
In the late afternoon, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the sunset on the hill of Bakeng.
Optional: You will take a short Tuk Tuk ride and have the chance to participate in the Buddhist ceremony, where you will be blessed by the monks who will wish you happiness and prosperity for your vacation, with a supplement of 10 USD per person.
For dinner, you will be free to choose from local restaurants. You will stay overnight in Siem Reap.
Note: During the visit to the Bakan Tower of Angkor Wat:
- Visitors are required to wear appropriate attire, covering shoulders and knees (shorts, miniskirts, or short pants are not allowed).
- Visitors must wait in line and take turns to climb the Bakan Tower of Angkor Wat.
- Children under twelve are not allowed to climb this tower.
- The tower will be closed during Buddhist Sabbath days, i.e., Buddhist religious days (four days a month).
Day 14Siem Reap Visit
Breakfast at the hotel.
At 08:30, the tour guide will arrive at the hotel to meet you. Rise early in the morning to head to the floating village of Kompong Khleang, located about an hour away from Siem Reap and visited by thousands of tourists every year. Kompong Khleang is one of the most impressive villages due to the height and size of its stilt houses. You will take a walk in the village to meet the locals and visit a house where a family raises crocodiles. Afterward, you will board a local boat that will take you through all the canals to the large lake, where the inhabitants move their houses according to the season.
Lunch will be on your own at a local restaurant.
Afterward, you will visit the Banteay Srei temple (10th century), considered the treasure of classical Khmer art. Then, continue your visit to Banteay Samre, built in the third quarter of the 12th century. This complex consists of a central temple with four wings, preceded by a hall and accompanied by two well-preserved libraries. Continue the visit to Preah Khan, Kravan, and Neak Pean. Overnight stay at a hotel in Siem Reap.
Day 15Siem Reap Departure
Breakfast at the hotel.
You will have free time in Siem Reap until the transfer to the airport without the presence of a guide. Please note that the room will be available until 12:00. Please inform us in advance if you wish to extend your stay in the room beyond the departure time. We wish you a safe journey back!