Upon arrival at the Noi Bai airport in Hanoi and after clearing immigration and customs, meet with your guide with a welcome signboard marked “The Time Journeys’s LOGO & your name. Then your tour guide will transfer to your hotel in centre. The rest of the day is at your leisure to explore city.

Meals: NA
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

(schedule is not available on Mondays or Fridays)

Today, your journey will to see the capital of Vietnam, a city that celebrated 1.000 years in 2010 has countless fascinating cultural and historic sites and our days’ tour will visit the highlights.  See the grand and solemn mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Oct-Nov), the ‘icon of Hanoi’ – The One Pillar Pagoda, the beautiful Temple of Literature, West Lake’s Tran Quoc temple and Quan Thanh pagoda as well as the fascinating Ethnology Museum. Enjoy lunch at local restaurant.

Follow your guide, you will weave through the bustling Old Quarter’s 36 streets. All named for the producs historically sold here.  After visiting Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, you will enjoy a water puppet show for a look at traditional performance art in Vietnam before back to your hotel. Free time for visiting in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

08:00 am: Pick you up at your hotel and drive through the fertile farmlands of the Red River Delta to Halong City travel to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay and board your deluxe junk for your overnight cruise. Marvel at the dramatic vista and relax onboard, as you sail amongst the thousands of limestone islands that rise from the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Rock sculptures jut dramatically from the sea and the numerous caves and grottoes have created an enchanting, timeless world.

Set sail through Bay whilst a seafood lunch is served, then sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery as you cruise past various islands en route to fishing village. Explore the floating village by bamboo rowing boat. Visit Tien Ong Cave before returning to the junk for sunset cocktails and canapés, followed by dinner served on the deck or in the restaurant. Enjoy the magnificent scenery as the boat sails around the emerald waters and craggy limestone cliffs. Overnight on Halong Bay.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accommodation: Cruise in Halong Bay

Begin the day with a Tai Chi class on the top deck in early in the morning. Or just admire the beautiful scenery as the sun rises over the azure waters. Choose between an excursion to a secluded island with a sandy beach for a morning swim, or join the chef for a cooking demonstration to learn more about Vietnamese cuisine. Enjoy a buffet brunch as your junk cruises Halong Bay, passing islets and caves as you make your way back to the dock.

As your boat cruises back to Halong City through the spectacular karsts and limestone rock formations, have a leisurely morning before enjoying brunch on-board. Your driver will meet you upon disembarkation for the transfer to Noi Bai airport and your flight to Hue. Arrive in Hue, pick you up and transferring to Hotel. Free time.

Meals: Breakfast/ Brunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Start your day by floating down the peaceful Perfume River by boat for visiting a visit Mu Pagoda overlooking the Perfume River and Minh Mang’s Tomb. After having lunch at local restaurant, you will visit the Imperial Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945. Next to visit Khai Dinh’s Tomb which boasts a traditional Vietnamese design with European touch, making it unique from the other tombs in Hue. Finally, visit Trang Tien Bridge and Dong Ba Market before returning to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hue

Breakfast at your hotel, the guide pick you up and depart to Hoian. On the way to Hoian, stop over for visiting the picturesque fishing village of Lang Co Beach Cham Museum, ascending the Pass of Ocean Clouds for panoramic views of the surrounding. Arrive in Hoian a walking tour of Hoi An’s ancient town centre will take you back in time to when its was a major trading port in Asia. Visit old shophouses, the 400 year-old Japanese Bridge, a Chinese communal hall and the colorful market in this well-preserved town. After taking in the stunning riverside scenery along the Thu Bon River, return to your hotel. Free time in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Hoian

Breakfast at your hotel, free time for relaxing on beach or shopping until transfer to airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, pick you up and transfer to hotel. Free time

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

Breakfast at your hotel, drive to the outskirt of Saigon to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, located in an area known in the American War in Vietnam as the Iron Triangle, the remains of a real bloody battlefield, which is a complex network of tunnels built during the long years of wars. The walking visit of the tunnels is specially led by one of the former VCs who used to live and fight in Cu Chi during the wars, giving you an authentic look at the former Vietnam War to understand how the guerrillas lived and fought by visiting different bunkers for weapon, guard, Commander, meeting, kitchen, dinning, etc. After lunch in Cu Chi, driver back to Ho Chi Minh City for visiting the Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral circa 1880, a highlight tour of the former Presidential Palace, once headquarters for the Saigon Government during the “Vietnam War” and the War Remnant Museum to have an overall picture of the most recent wars in country. Afterwards, continue the drive to visit Ben Thanh Market which is a big marketplace in the downtown area of the city and is one of the earliest surviving structures in Saigon since the French occupation. With over 3000 stalls in the market, there is nothing you cannot find in this oldest and busiest market in Vietnam.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City

After escaping from Ho Chi Minh City’s urban sprawl, you’ll travel to My Tho. There, you’ll cruise on the Mekong through the Bao Dinh natural canal, view the stilt houses and the fruit plantation along the river sides. Proceed to the Tortoise island. Lunch served in the heart of the orchard. Enjoy the nice boat rid to My Tho  e through the Tan Thach natural canal in Ben Tre, cruise under the shadow of the water coconut trees. Visit the family where you can experience the agricultural lifestyle. Trekking through the fruit plantation in Thoi Son island, enjoy the rowing boat ride along the creeks before returning to My Tho by motorized boat. Then transfer to Can Tho. Arrive in Can Tho, free time.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Can Tho

Take a leisurely boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river (Bassac River), then proceed to Cai Rang floating markets which are the liveliest in the whole religion.

Have you ever tasted Vietnamese vermicelli soup? Well, now go and see how it is made. Then wander around the village and meet the friendly local people and experience how to pass a “Monkey bridge” which is built by only o­ne stem of bamboo. Visit the orchard garden. Stop for lunch.  Proceed to Chau Doc via Long Xuyen to visit the crocodile farm. Check in o­n arriving in Chau Doc. Admire the landscape from the Sam Mountain summit down the Vietnamese – Cambodian border, visit the Caved pagoda. Overnight in Chau Doc.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Chau Doc

Breakfast at your hotel. Take a morning speed boat ~ 4.5 hours to Phnom Penh. Visa on arrival at Cambodia border (20 usd each, 1 photo 3x4cm) local Cambodian guide meet at Phnompenh boat pier and transfer to hotel. Arrive in Phnom Penh The private quarters of the Royal Palace are now home to the royal family and are therefore very close to the public. At the northern area of the palace grounds is Silver Pagoda, the most sacred temple in the country. And visit the National Museum, which is dedicated exclusively to Khmer art and sculpture. The majority of the exhibits are from the Angkor period from 9th to 15th century, but some date from as early as the 4th century.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Phnom Penh

After breakfast at your hotel, take a flight to Siem Reap. Arrive in Siem Reap, the guide pick you up and transfer for visiting Artisans d’Angkor focuses on training unschooled rural youth in traditional handicraft skills. Here you can discover traditional Cambodian handicraft skills and observe the artisans at work. Ancient techniques are still practiced here such as wood and stone carving, lacquering, gilding and silk painting. A guided tour will provide you with more insight into this organization and you may direct any questions to one of the artisans through your guide. Meet one of the directors from Artisans d’Angkor who will explain about the overall operations and their goals for the future. You will also learn more about the artisans’ backgrounds and how this training has helped them to get a head start in life. And continue to visit to Angkor National Museum, in November 2007, the Angkor National Museum opened its doors, offering a comprehensive collection of Cambodian artifacts showcasing the origins of Khmer art, culture, and architecture. With eight galleries in total, it covers in depth the history of Cambodia and the Khmer Empire as well as a fascinating collection of Buddhist artifacts. Apart from the antiques and historical relics, they have successfully integrated state-of-the-art multimedia technology to help bring the exhibitions to life.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Early morning, visit the picturesque Ta Prohm that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever. And continue to visit the intricately carved Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat – one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still owns fine Apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. And continue exploring the mysterious Royal city Angkor Thom. City & Bayon Its 54-tower temple is an awesome sight. At first glance it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, and then another and another until suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time. Further, visit to the surroundings of the complex including the Baphou, Elephant Terraces, Lipper King Terrace and Royal Palace Enclosure area and visit one more ruin in Angkor Area of Preah Khan temple, built in 12th century by King Jayavarman VII and it is the same style to Ta Prom Temple.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

This morning we visit the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya which flourished in the late 9th and earlier 10th centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred to the Rolous group (Lo Lei, Preah Koh, and Bakhong Temples). Lunch with the local family and then we will continue to drive to the rural outskirt 35km from Angkor area to visit the smallest, but magnificent, Banteay Srei built in the 10th Century and dedicated to Shiva. The temple was the birthplace of Khmer classical style architecture and the bas-relief work is the best example of Khmer classical art remaining. The pink sandstone structure bears a series of striking and beautiful sculptures, lintels, pediments and friezes. Khmers say the temple must have been carved by women for the details are too fine for the hands of a man. On the way back to Siem Reap we will visit the Banteay Samre Temple adorned with impressive reliefs depicting scenes of Vishnu as well as Krishna legends.

Meals: Breakfast/ Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Siem Reap

Breakfast at your hotel, free time until transfer to airport for a flight to Vientiane. Arrive in Vientiane, visit religious museums of Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple to have been survived from the Siamese war of 1828 and its cloister contains more than 8000 Buddha statues; Wat Ho Prakeo, the former home-temple of the Emerald Buddha statue or Pra Keo, but today it contains a collection of Buddha statues, antiques and all artifacts found in around Vientiane; That Luang Stupa, Symbol  of Lao nation the single most important monument in Laos, which was built to cover the original small stupa containing a piece of the chest bone of Buddha; Patouxay (Arch de Triumph), built quite recently in commemoration of those who died during the wars in the past and it is today as the land-mark of Vientiane.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane

Taking a trip by road to outskirts of Vientiane, following the road along the bank of Mekong river to visit the Buddha park of Xieng Khuan, the park (28km East of Vientiane), containing a combination of hundred status of Hindu divinities and Buddha. En route, we stop looms their stilt houses. We drive pass villages on the bank of Mekong through beautiful views of vegetable garden, tobacco plantation … etc. It’s nice make photo stops and see rural life of local people. We also have a nice view of the Mekong friendship Bridge as the border between Laos and Thailand after visiting then  Buddha park, we return along another road back to Vientiane.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane

After breakfast, We drive ahead to Vang Vieng, about 3 hours from the capital. Once a key military airfield during the Indochina wars, the town’s central feature is the long-abandoned runway along the eastern side of town.  On the west side, a small river separates the town from the nearby caves & mountains, which can easily be visited from town. Visit Jag Cave, Visit Mulberry Organic farm. Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Vang Vieng

After breakfast,  Visit the local market and we drive to Luang Prabang, drive passes through splendid scenery and past many panoramic lookout points on the winding mountaintop road.  There are several stops en route to take in the scenery.  Arrive in Luang Prabang, check into the hotel, and enjoy an exploring the former royal capital & crown jewel of the ancient Lane Xang Empire (pronounced ‘lan sang’) – the Land of a Million Elephants. Shopping Night Market. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang

After breakfast Visit the National Museum, once a king’s palace.  Displayed inside is a lovely collection of personal artifacts of the royal family, including photos, musical instruments, and many gifts received from the dignitaries of foreign countries. Begin a Mekong Riverboat trip with your guide on the mighty Mekong River to visit the famous & sacred Pak Ou Buddha Caves.   These caves, overlooking the confluence of the Mekong & Ou Rivers from on high, have been home to many thousands of Buddha images that were placed here by local people since 16th century, when King Setthathirat found the caves and declared them a holy spot. On return  Visit Por Sa Paper Handicraft & textile area at Ban Xang Khong. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang

Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to the airport for your departure flight. to take you to the airport for your departure flight. Your journey with The Time Journeys is now complete…

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Time check out is 12:00

Have a nice journey !
The time journeys can arrange additional customized trips for you if the above itinerary does not match your expectations.