Insight Laos & Vietnam 10 days

Day 01: Luang Prabang - Arrival (B)

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

Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in Laos. 

Free time after checking in hotel

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 02: Luang prbang – City discovery (B)

For early risers, there is 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.

After breakfast, 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

After lunch, head out to visit to Wat Aham, followed by Wat That, where the ashes of King Sisavang Vong are kept inside the large, central stupa.

As the sun begins to set, head for the top of Mount Phousi. Climbing its 328 stairs, reach the peak of the hill just in time for sunset. The viewpoint offers stunning panoramas of the city and sprawling landscapes below. After descent, explore the nearby evening market where a collection of handicrafts and souvenirs can be found.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 03: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou Cave – Kuang Si waterfall (B)

This morning, get onboard a traditional long-tail boat to discover the famous Pak Ou Caves. Sitting at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers, these twin caves are carved into the surrounding limestone cliffs, filled with hundreds of ancient Buddha images and statues.

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. You will notice Buddhas in every position, every era of life, and every size line the cave walls and understand a sacred religious practice that depicts the devotion and commitment of Laotian to Buddhism. 

This afternoon, enjoy a scenic 1-hour drive south of Luang Prabang, to visit the Kuang Si waterfall, one of Luang Prabang’s most picturesque sights with a multi-tiered cascade of pale turquoise blue water flowing from the thick jungle above into perfectly sculpted limestone pools below.  Follow the unpaved trail as it gradually climbs through the forest to reach different levels of natural blue pools, some are shallow and one central pool has a rope swing. 

Take a leisurely hike through the natural park past the Asian Bear Rescue Center, housing 23 Asiatic Bears that were rescued from poachers

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 04: Luang Prabang – Fly to Hanoi (B)

Have breakfast and enjoy the morning free at leisure until transport is provided to the airport for departure flight.

Day 05: Hanoi - City discovery (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.

Then, take a sip of coffee at the trendy railway cafe, where you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness massive trains passing through tiny residences of local people.

The final touch of the day is a Water Puppet show. This is a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. Overnight in Hanoi

Day 06: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B/L/D)

After breakfast, take a 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 to 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 boats in Ha Long may change without prior notice depending on situation. 

Day 07: Halong  Bay – Hanoi – Fly to Danang - Hoi An (B/Brunch)

The boat cruises around Ha Long Bay, passing 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 go straight to Noi Bai airport (Ha Noi) for the domestic flight to Hoi An. Upon arrival, you are welcomed by our guide and driven to Hoi An town. Overnight at the hotel in Hoi An.

Day 08: Hoi an - City discovery - Lantern making (B)

After breakfast, we enjoy the morning walking tour to explore the tiny town of Hoi An with stops at a 400 year – old Japanese Bridge. This structure was first constructed in 1590s by the Japanese traders to link them with the Chinese quarters. We head towards the typical Phung Hung House, a gem with a mixture of Japanese and Chinese architectural elements.

And continue visiting the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. This colorful building is one of the five well-known halls in Hoi An and dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of sea who protects sailors from danger.

The next visit is to the home of a craftsman in the old streets. Here you’ll have a brief introduction to the history, shapes and colors of the lantern, as well as stages of making them. After that you can make a lantern on your own, decorate, pack and keep it as a souvenir of your time in Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An. 

Day 09: Hoi An - Free day (B)

Enjoy your free time in Hoi An at your own leisure. 

If you want to explore the region, you can join one of our below optional activities to explore Hoi An and surrounding area. 

Overnight in Hoi An. 

Day 10: Hoi an – Da Nang - Departure (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, make your last purchases in Hoi An until the transfer to Dang Nang for the departure 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.