9 Days Vietnam and Laos Culture and Nature Tour

Day 1 Welcome to Hanoi!

Flight: International flight on your own arrangement or upon request

Welcome to Hanoi! Upon arrival, your local tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport. Then, the guide will escort you to the hotel and help you check-in. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2 Hanoi City Tour - Discover the Capital City of Vietnam

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 3 Hanoi - Halong Bay, Full Day Halong Bay Cruise

Meals: B / L / D

After breakfast, travel to Halong Bay, one of the Wonders of the Orient (3 hr. drive). Your cruise across Halong Bay starts around noon on Tuan Chau Island at the doorstep of Vietnam's most fascinating wonder. As the boat sets sails, you will be greeted by the Paradise Crew and Cruise Manager who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard.

During the afternoon, discover some of the treasures spread across the Bay of the Descending Dragon: fascinating caves, pristine beaches, picturesque floating villages, fantastic rock formations rising up out of emerald water. While onboard, you can take advantage of the leisure of the Spa, Beauty & Massage services; surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you can attend the chef's cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.

One of the highlights of your stay on board is the innovative and varied cuisine offered at Lunch and Dinner in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages from around the world.

Overnight in Halong Bay.

Day 4 Halong Bay Cruise - Hanoi | Flight to Luang Prabang

Flight: International flight include and arranged by Indochina Tour or upon request

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 Luang Prabang.

Upon arrival, your local tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport. Then, the guide will escort you to the hotel and help you check-in.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 5 Luang Prabang City Tour

Meals: B

Your full day city tour begins after breakfast, you will visit the Royal Palace Museum (closed on Tuesday), which hosts a range of interesting artifacts; See the city's oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground and representing classical Laotian architecture; Visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham.

In the afternoon, head to visit the Arts and Ethnology Centre to learn about Laos’ many ethnic cultures before heading out of town to see the weaving villages of Ban Xiengkhong and Ban Xienglek. Later, return to the city for a visit to Wat Mai. Finally climb to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa and a sunset view of the city and the Mekong River.

At night, you will visit the famous Night Market, where you'll find handmade textiles made by local and hill tribe peoples living in the surroundings.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 6 Boat Trip to Pak Ou Caves | Kuang Si Waterfall

Meals: B

Your memorable trip will start from partaking in an alms ritual in the morning, you will accept the blessing by monks who you give the alms. Have breakfast in the hotel and then, visit the Royal Palace Museum to learn some history of Laos. Continue to you will embark on a private boat for a 2 hours boat trip along the Mekong River to the Pak Ou Cave. During the boat trip, you will enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Mekong River and see the daily fishing life of local people in the riverside.

Then, go to visit the Pak Ou Cave which locates by the Mekong River. Here, you will discover a number of gold lacquered Buddha statues in the cave.

After that, you can have an excursion to Kuang Si Waterfalls, where you will enjoy the beautiful natural scenery, have fun in waterfalls and relax.

In the evening, you can wander around the city and the night market to discover the local life of Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 7 Full Day Mahout Experience at Elephant Village Camp

Meals: B

Today you will learn how to be a Mahout and then get ready to get wet as you plunge into the Nam Khan river and give the elephant a refreshing bath! (No Elephant Ride)

8:00 am - 8:30 am: Pick up by our English speaking guide from your hotel lobby within Luang Prabang;

Arrival at the Elephant Village Camp: Welcome greeting by your guide and participate in a short briefing about elephants;

Elephant feeding: Get up close and personal with elephants;

Explore elephant village: Visit our elephant hospital, museum, gallery, and dung paper making facility;

One on one experience: Enjoy the impressive experience of being a Mahout! (Notice: 1 person per elephant)

Boat trip to the Tad Sae Waterfall: Ride in a traditional Lao long boat to the Tad Sae Waterfall and relax or swim in the clear water. Swimsuit recommended! (Notice: water levels will vary with seasonal conditions)

Bathe your elephant: Take your own elephant down to the Nam Khan river for an exhilarating and once in a lifetime bathing experience!

Boat trip back to camp: Traverse the Nam Khan River in a traditional Lao long boat from the waterfall back to our Elephant Camp.

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Depart the camp. Transfer back to your Hotel in Luang Prabang

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 8 Day Tour at the Living Land Rice Farm

Meals: B

Today, the tour will bring you to experience the process of making rice at a Living Land Farm, a project that supports the local community through the cultivation of rice, vegetables, and herbs.

This organic project was started in response to destructive farming methods that persist elsewhere in Laos, and the farm sells produce to Luang Prabang restaurants and supports education for underprivileged children.

Start by helping out in fields where farmers plow, plant, and harvest without the aid of machinery. Roll up your pants and push up your sleeves as you get knee-deep in the mud to plant rice, or learn to steer a water buffalo to plow the field. Help out with picking the herbs, plucking vegetables, or husking the rice, or just enjoy the view from the shady verandah.

Overnight at Luang Prabang.

Day 9 Farewell from Luang Prabang

Flight: International flight on your own arrangement or upon request

Meals: B

Today, the guide will transfer you to the airport. Hope you have a nice trip home and look forward to traveling with you again!

Service End.