Indochina discovery 12 days

Day 01: Ha Noi – Arrival 

On arrival at Ha Noi Airport, you are greeted by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer.

Ha Noi – The capital of Vietnam, also known that “The cradle of Vietnam’s culture”. Lies besides modern constructions are many hidden gems that still retain their charm and culture from thousands years ago.

Depending on your arrival flight schedule, you either have the opportunity to rest at your hotel if the room is available (please note the check-in time is at 14.00 pm), or take your own exploration of the town.

Overnight in Ha Noi. 

Day 02: Ha Noi – City discovery – night train to Lao Cai (B)

Today, we start our exploration of Ha Noi, seeing the most notable landmark of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (close on Mon. and Fri. and Oct. to Nov). This imposing marble and granite monument was built towards Ba Dinh Square. We follow the footpath to the One Pillar Pagoda rising from the center of a square lotus pond, ascending on a single pillar and resembling a blossoming lotus flower.

The next place will be the fascinating Ethnology Museum (closed Mondays), which is both a research center and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. As an alternative to the Ethnology Museum, visit the highly acclaimed Hoa Lo Prison which was once known as “Ha Noi Hilton”

We continue the trip to the Temple of Literature & Vietnam’s first university, constructed in the 11th century, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam's past.

After that, visit Ha Noi’s Old Quarter also known as the ‘36 streets’. Take a walking tour through charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It's a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities.

Dinner on your own before transfer to Ha Noi Central Station to take the night train to Lao Cai. 

Overnight on train

Note: Local train is in basic condition, you will be shared with other passengers in 4berths carriage, air conditioned,

Day 03: Lao Cai - Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van(B)

|Hiking information: Around 8km on paved road 

Upon arrival at Lao Cai Station, you will met and transfer to mini hotel for freshen up and breakfast

Our guide and driver then will welcome you at the hotel and transfer Sapa town. Leave luggage at hotel and start your hike through the most beautiful landscape of the Muong Hoa Valley, home to magnificent views of mountain terrain with high and steep rice terraces dotted with the houses of H’mong people to Y Linh Ho Village

From the main road, follow the hiking path down to Y Linh Ho Village, alongside Muong Hoa Valley. Capture panoramic views of wonderful rice terraces as far as the eye can see. Then hike along Muong Hoa Stream to Lao Chai Village, home to Black H’mong community, living mainly on rice cultivation in terraced fields. Stop wherever you please to interact with locals or make nice pictures of Muong Hoa Valley. Visit a H’mong family, chat with them about daily life, H’mong culture & lifestyle, while enjoying a local snack with a cup of tea or coffee.

Then the driver will take you back to your hotel in Sa Pa town.  In the late afternoon, you will be free at your own exploration of town.

Overnight in Sapa

Day 04: Sapa - Hike to Ban Khoang - Ta Giang Phinh - limousine bus to Hanoi (B) 

| Hiking information: Around 4.5km on paved road

The morning day tour today will bring you to visit Ban Khoang & Ta Giang Phinh village, home to H’mong & Red Dzao people, with views of mountain terrain and rice terraces.

A short visit to Ban Khoang gives you an introduction to the Black H’mong & Red Dzao ethnic minorities. 

Continue your drive to Ta Giang Phinh village, home to a H’mong community living mainly on rice cultivation in terraced fields on high terrain. Wander around the village, learn more about H’mong traditional customs and culture, and capture panoramic views of wonderful rice terraces as far as the eye can see. Stop wherever you please to interact with locals or shoot nice pictures of rice terraces.

Then the driver will take you back to your hotel in Sa Pa town 

Free time in the afternoon till the transfer time to Hanoi by limousine bus. Arrive at hotel in the evening and overnight in hanoi

Day 05: Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay (B/L/D)

After breakfast, take 3.5 hour drive to Ha Long Bay, one of the World Natural Heritages recognized by UNESCO with thousands of spectacular limestone islands rising from the clear, emerald sea in the Gulf of Tonkin. 

Upon arrival, welcome aboard. Enjoy a welcome drink before check-in your cabin. While the boat is passing many rocky islets, caves, floating villages and beaches, a tasty lunch will be served on board with fresh seafood. Relax on the sundeck. Later on, the boat moves a quiet area to dock for overnight stay. 

Lunch and dinner with Vietnamese food is served on board. 

Overnight stay on board 

Note: The itinerary of boat in Ha Long may change without prior notice depending on situation.

Day 06: Ha Long Bay - Ha Noi  - Fly to Luang Prabang (Brunch) (by flight)

The boat cruises around Ha Long Bay, passes by many islets named by their shapes such as Dog, Incense Urn, Fighting Cock, Finger, etc. Breakfast or brunch is served while the boat then continues cruising towards the wharf. 

After disembarkation, travel back to Ha Noi city. Then going straight to airport for flight to Luang Prabang 

Upon arrival, our guide and driver will be waiting and take you to the hotel for check in. 

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 07: Luang Prabang – City Discovery (B)

Today, we spend a full day exploring the key highlights that make the elegant tranquility of the charming town of Luang Prabang. Visit the Royal Palace featuring the combination of the French beaux-arts styles and traditional Laos architecture. The palace is now turned to a National Museum (close every Tuesday) boating the precious collections of the Royal artifacts. 

Drive or enjoy a leisurely walk on through the peaceful tree-lined streets to admire some of Luang Prabang’s famous temples including Wat Xieng Thong, a great masterpiece of mosaics and carved wood featuring traditional Lao style; Wat Vitsoun, the most ancient temple of Luang Prabang, was built with simple architecture and housed the Prabang Buddhas ancient statues and steles.

In the afternoon, visit Wat Mai, one of the town's most sumptuous monasteries, famed for its classic Laos architectural style. 

Climb up to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa and admire the panoramic sunset view of the Mekong and Khan rivers as well as the mountain range. At the end of the day, opt to stroll around the Street Night Bazaar where you can find the various handicraft collections.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 08: Luang Prabang – Pakou cave – Kuang Si waterfall – Baci ceremony (B)

Having breakfast at the hotel, we then get onboard a traditional long-tail boat for cruising gently on Mekong River to the famous Pak Ou Caves. Upon arrival, start exploring the magical cave systems: the lower cave houses a photogenic group of Buddha statues, silhouetted against the stunning riverine backdrop, the upper cave is a 7-minute climb up steps surrounded by lush trees. 

On the way back to Luang Prabang, stop at Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Lek which specializes in silk weaving and Saa Paper (paper made from the bark of the Saa Tree).

Continue then with a drive through the Luang Prabang countryside to Kuang Si Waterfalls. Upon reaching Kuang Si Waterfall, enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings or explore the surrounding dense jungle on foot. For the adventurous, it is possible to walk to the top of the falls via a steep track where beautiful views await.

 These waterfalls cascade down a multilevel limestone formation creating a series of turquoise blue pools perfect for swimming on a hot day (if swimming, please dress modestly).

On the way back, take part  in a Baci ceremony where you will have white cotton strings ties around your wrist for good luck! Baci is a ceremony to celebrate a special event, whether a marriage, a homecoming, a welcome, a birth, or one of the annual festivals. 

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 09: Luang Prabang – Alm giving - Fly to  Siem Reap (B)

Early risers may join a very special dawn visit to watch the monks collecting alms.  As the sun begins to rise, long lines of orange-robed monks leave their pagodas and walk barefoot down the streets collecting offerings from Luang Prabang residents.  It is a beautiful, serene ceremony that highlights the spiritualism of the Laos people. Before returning to the hotel, you will visit the morning market where you can find all ingredients for local food.
Later, we transfer to the airport for an afternoon flight to Siem Reap.

Upon arrival at airport, meet our guide who is waiting for us right outside of the arrival terminal. Transferring to our hotel and checking into our hotel’s room.

Free time for your first glimpse of town.

Overnight in Siem reap

Day 10: Siem Reap – Full day Angkor Temples (B)

We start this day tour with Angkor Thom, an epic collection of striking structures encompassed in quadrangle area. The walkway leads us to  the Royal Enclosure where remains some  mysterious ruins, including the Royal Palace, Phimeanakas Temple, and  Royal Terraces. These structures built from perishable materials have long vanished. The memorable climax of our visit is Bayon Temple  built in the centre of Angkor Thom. This enigmatic complex contains  54 towers, each topped off with the four faces of  Compassion Buddha. 

Upon leaving Angkor Thom Area , we take a short drive to  the architectural masterpiece of Angkor Wat - one of the modern wonders of the world. Be amazed by the sheer size of the temple and learn how the Khmer Empire prospered between the 9th and 13th Century, around the time when the temple was built.

We round out day tour with a walk up the Pre Rup Temple to enjoy the spectacular sunset over these sandstone monuments.

Overnight in Siem Reap 

Day 11: Siem Reap – Full day Angkor Temples (B)

Today, drive out to visit the Banteay Srei that translates to “the Citadel of the Women”. Originally constructed in the 10th Century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, this red sand-stone temple is one of Angkor’s most significant structures as its walls are decorated with elaborate carvings which have been remarkably well preserved. 

Continue on your exploration of the famous jungle temple of Ta Prohm where several shots of the adventure movie “The Tomb Raider” were filmed. This beautiful Buddhist temple was not restored and looks just as it did when French explorers stumbled it in the 1860s. The magnificent tree roots have merged over the centuries with the temple’s huge stone blocks, emphasizing a ‘forgotten city’ feeling. 

Visit the Angkor Silk Farm 15 km west of Siem Reap, where you can witness the entire process of silk creation from the breeding process and life cycle of the silkworm to the spinning of the silk, the dying process and the creation of beautiful silk weavings on wooden hand looms.

Overnight in Siem Reap 

Day 12: Siem Reap – Tonle Sap lake – Departure (B)

Situated 18 kilometers away from downtown Siem Reap, Kampong Phluk is one of the most impressive and untouched permanent settlements on the Tonle Sap Lake. Today, visit the floating village of Kampong Phluk, a village a bit further away but which receives very fewer tourists. Thus, this stilted village is the best place to see the authentic life of the local fisherman and their families who live amongst the flooded mangrove forest. Along the way enjoy the views as the local community goes about its daily life

However, this activities boat trip out depend on the schedule of your departure light. Trip ends after being transferred to airport for your onward flight

List of our hotels:

The hotels offered by Horizon Vietnam Travel are classified from 02 to 05 stars at the international standard, and comfortable with all the required services.

+ Standard Category: 2 stars. The rooms are correct, clean, and equipped with a bathroom, satellite television, and air conditioning.

+ Superior category 3 stars. The rooms are generally spacious, and the services and facilities are more numerous.

+ First class category: 4 stars. The rooms are luxurious and spacious and have a wide choice of quality services.

+ Deluxe Category: 4-5 stars. Hotels are of excellent comfort and have a wide range of excellent services. (swimming pool, spa, jacuzzi…).

+ On the other hand, we have developed fair tourism, through contact with the local population, the possibility of sleeping with the locals and sharing their daily life. The conditions of these accommodations that we offer you are well insured and with the best possible conditions.

Our services include:

• Private transportation with air-conditioned vehicle
• Accommodation in the planned hotels or similar in the program with daily breakfast as mentioned 
• Meals are provided in local restaurants of typical Vietnamese cuisine (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner included)
• The English-speaking guide for each city.
• All entry fees to tourist sites
• All the permission to enter the tourist areas
• Boat tours as described in the program
• 02 bottles of mineral water of 0,5 (l)/person/day
• Other services as mentioned in the program (bicycle, boat trip, etc...)
• All fees for all other services as clearly described in the program above.

Our services exclude:

• Airfare on all domestic and international flights (quote separately)
• Drinks and surcharge for special requests on foods and meals
• Entrance fees, guide service during free time & other personal expenses
• Surcharge for public holidays (if any)
• Surcharge for other language-speaking tour guides (upon request)
• Travel insurance 
• Vietnam visa stamping fees 
• All other services are not stated in the program.

More information:

Horizon Vietnam Travel gives you an estimated price per person on our website for the group of six people in low season with standard 2 and 3-star hotels.

The price of this trip varies according to the services chosen (category of accommodation, activities during the trip,...), the tourist seasonality of the year (Christmas and end of year holiday, Lunar New Year holiday in Vietnam), the booking delays and especially the number of participants of your group you wish to travel with.

Please note that Horizon Vietnam Travel only organizes private "tailor-made" trips for groups from 2 persons. We generally propose an offer including all the services on the spot from your arrival until your departure.

Depending on your wishes and your budget, this tour can be adapted and modified in terms of duration, content and departure date.

HORIZON VIETNAM TRAVEL calculates its prices as closely as possible in order to guarantee you the best price/quality ratio.

Our advice: the earlier you book, the better your chances of getting good rates, especially for air services, think about it!

Note: The price of international flights is not included in this estimate.

Please note that this tour is only a first draft and you can also customize it according to your wishes. We remain at your disposal to build your trip perfectly to your expectations and your budget

To obtain a detailed and personalized estimate, please contact us to request an estimate.