12 Days Best of Thailand and Vietnam Tour

Day 1 Welcome to Bangkok!

Flight: International flight on your own arrangement or upon request

Welcome to Thailand! Upon arrival, your guide will greet you at the airport and escort you to hotel for check-in.

The rest of the day you can freely explore the city, or have a good rest at the hotel.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Day 2 Bangkok City Highlights Tour

Meals: B

After breakfast, you will have a full-day city tour of Bangkok. First visit Wat Traimit, known as the Temple of the Golden Buddha. It is the home to a gold Maravijaya Attitude seated Buddharupa statue, with a weight of 5.5 tons.

Then visit Wat Arun, known as the Temple of the Dawn, which is one of the most published images of Bangkok. In the middle of the temple, an 82 metres high beautifully decorated Khmer-style tower stands, where you can walk up the steep stairs and admire the view of Bangkok and the rivers.

After that, explore Wat Pho, also called the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Finally, head for the Grand Palace, one of the must-sees in Bangkok, followed by Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Day 3 Bangkok Excursion to Kanchanaburi

Meals: B

In the morning, visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, where you can experience the traditional Thai market with numerous vendors selling local food, fresh fruit and products from their boats.

After an exploration of the market, drive to Kanchanaburi that is famous for the Death Railway built during WWII. Made famous by the book and movie The Bridge on the River Kwai, the bridge and railway are notable attractions in Kanchanaburi. Today, carriages still go on the tracks, taking travelers through the fields of sugar cane and rice terrace.

Finally, pay a visit to the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre to learn more history about the railway.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Day 4 Flight to Chiang Mai | Tour of Chiang Mai

Flight: Domestic flight is on Indochina Tour's arrangement

Meals: B

In the morning, drive to the airport for a flight to Chiang Rai. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will welcome you at the airport and then escort you to hotel for check in.

After a short rest, go to tour the beautiful temples in Chiang Mai. Start with the Buddhist temple of Wat Umong, nestled in the forested foothills of Suthep Mountain. Before you head inside to see the impressive Buddha statue, learn about the Buddhist proverbs posted throughout the grounds.

Then visit Wat Suan Dok built in the 14th century, a white bell-shaped temple housing a 20-foot (6-meter) Buddha. See the large prayer hall and the unique open-sided chapel. Also, you have the opportunity to chat with the monks about Buddhism and their temple life.

Overnight in Chiang Mai.

Day 5 Day Trip to Elephant Nature Park

Meals: B

Today, tour the elephant rescue and rehabilitation center - Elephant Nature Park, involving in the rescues of the disabled elephants, dogs and cats.

You can volunteer and care for the animals. Take your time to wander freely on the grounds and get close to these gentle giants. You get the opportunity to feed them and learn how to bathe them.

If time permits, in the afternoon, visit Wat Phra Singh which houses the famous Phra Singh Buddha image. Continue on to Wat Chedi Luang which once contained the Emerald Buddha and later became partially in ruins due to an earthquake in the 1500s.

Then stop at Wat Chiang Man which is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai and houses one of Thailand's greatest treasures, the Crystal Buddha. Finally, visit Wat Jet Yot, a peaceful temple that is surrounded by greenery.

Overnight in Chiang Mai.

Day 6 Flight to Hanoi

Flight: International flight include in quotation and will be on INT's arrangement

Meals: B

Today, enjoying your free morning until transfer to airport for flight to Hanoi, Vietnam. Upon arrival, your guide will greet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel for check in.

The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 7 Hanoi City Tour

Meals: B

In the morning, your guide and driver will pick up at your hotel, start the tour to beautiful Tran Quoc Pagoda located on the shores of West Lake. This Pagoda is full of amazing Buddhist symbolism that visitors can learn more about.

Then, head to visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the final resting place of Vietnamese great father, President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house, where he lived on and off from 1958 to 1969.

The next destination is One Pillar Pagoda, a group of structures consisting of a pagoda and a tower built in the middle of a square lake. Leave the pagoda for the Temple of Literature, which is the first college of Vietnam.

In the afternoon, you need to choose one of the city’s museums (History Museum or Ethnology Museum) to visit. After that, drive back to admire Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple before taking cyclo tour through the Old Quarter, also known as the 36 streets, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s a great place to explore in Hanoi.

Optional:
Later afternoon, you can watch a Water puppet show for one hour. It is a unique traditional performance of Vietnam.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 8 Full Day Halong Bay Cruise

Meals: B / L / D

After breakfast, drive about 3 hours to Halong Bay, one of the Wonders of the Orient. Around noon, your Halong Bay Cruise starts from Tuan Chau Island, the gateway of Halong Bay.

In the afternoon, explore the treasures spread across the Halong Bay, covering some stunning caves, pristine beaches, picturesque floating villages, and fantastic rock formations rising up out of the emerald water.

While onboard, you can enjoy the services of Spa and Massage. Another highlight of the cruise is the innovative and varied cuisine offered in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages. You can watch the chef's cooking demonstration and try to learn how to prepare traditional Vietnamese cooking.

Overnight in Halong Bay Cruise.

Day 9 Halong Bay Cruise - Hanoi | Flight to Saigon

Flight: Domestic flight include and arranged by Indochina Tour

Meals: B

Wake up to Tai Chi exercises on the sun deck and continue cruising the bays. The breakfast buffet will be served in the restaurant, followed by a visit to the limestone grotto. Disembark in Halong City around noon and transfer back to Hanoi Airport and flight to Saigon.

Upon arrival, your guide will meet you at airport and escort to hotel for check in.

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 10 Saigon Tour

Meals: B

Today, you will be escorted to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. Discover these amazing systems developed by the guerrillas fighting in the Vietnam War. You'll have an opportunity to see the various weapons used in the war on display. Then learn about the innovative ways the guerrillas survived and fought back in the war. The impressive underground system they built remains to tell the story of the Vietnam War.

In the afternoon, see the highlights of Saigon and learn the history of these iconic landmarks.

You’ll explore some of the most important sights in Ho Chi Minh. Start by visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral. Constructed by French colonists during their settlement, discover its significance as the largest cathedral in Southeast Asia.

Across the road is the Old Saigon Post Office, a neoclassical architectural building considered one of the main attractions in the city. Visit the Reunification Palace, home of South Vietnam’s President during the war.

The next stop is Cholon, the Chinatown in Ho Chi Minh. Explore the thickly settled district rife with tea-houses and pagodas, and the famous Binh Tay Market.

Finish the afternoon with a visit to the Emperor Jade Pagoda. Also known as the Tortoise Pagoda, this figurine-filled place of worship is considered by many to be Saigon's finest.

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 11 Mekong Delta Discovery: My Tho

Meals: B

This morning, transfer to remote My Tho. This burgeoning capital rests in the Mekong Delta and is surrounded by beautiful countryside known as the "rice basket of Vietnam".

Firstly, head to visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, decorated with mosaics made from broken pottery. Overlooked by a tall white Buddha, it is set amongst lovely gardens overflowing with flowers, shrubs, lotus pools, and tombs, and ornate gates that provide entry.

Continue on a boat ride along the river to view the stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages.

After lunch, visit An Khanh, a small village that specializes in fruit orchards and coconut sweets. If time permits, you can take a short cycling trip through the island or explore the island on foot (the island is flat and relatively small).

Overnight in Saigon.

Day 12 Farewell from Saigon!

Flight: International flight on your own arrangement or upon request

Meals: B

Today, you can enjoy your free time to explore this city until transfer to the airport. Hope you have a nice trip home and look forward to traveling with you again!

Service End.