Explore many of the former royal capital’s cultural highlights. You’ll visit Wat Xieng Thong, one of the largest and most decorative temples, and Wat Mai, with its beautiful gilded façade. Then continue on to the former Royal Palace, a commanding structure in the centre of town that until 1946 was the heart of the Lang Xang Kingdom. Today it serves as the National Museum, containing rare religious and cultural artefacts. Next, climb 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi and enjoy panoramic views of the city.
Grab your swimsuit and travel a short distance from Luang Prabang to the Kuang Si Waterfall. The turquoise colour of the water with a backdrop of white limestone cliffs gives the waterfall a magical appearance. Depending on the season, the water level varies and swimming may not always be possible. Enjoy a dip and then return to Luang Prabang.

Rise early to the sound of the temple gong to witness Luang Prabang’s mystical ritual. Walk downtown to watch the daily procession of about three hundred young monks who silently walk and collect sticky rice and other food in their bronze bowls. The ritual is linked to a Buddhist tradition where monks beg for their daily food to demonstrate humility.
If you would like to be involved in the offering of food, your guide will be more than happy to show you the respectful way to interact with monks.
Feel free to take photos; however, please use discretion and refrain from using your flash. Enjoy the rest of your morning with a stroll through the hustle and bustle of Luang Prabang’s morning market where you will see the locals haggling for fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables.
Next, you´ll hop aboard a boat and cruise the tranquil waters of the Mekong River to the Pak Ou Caves, known locally as Tham Thin that sit at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers. Along the way you´ll observe the daily life along the river. We will also make a short stop at a local village to see the ancient art of weaving on wooden looms still in practice today.
Continue to the Pak Ou Caves, which consist of two limestone caves that have become Buddhist shrines. For hundreds of years, followers have come to the caves to pray and leave behind a statue of Buddha. Nowadays, the caves are packed with statues big and small with more being added each year. After enjoying the breath-taking caves, we have a short walk to the nearby village before cruising downstream back to Luang Prabang.

Today, we will travel from Luang Prabang to Vientiane by train.
Train Luang Prabang – Vientiane
Upon arrival in Vientiane, you’ll be greeted by your tour guide and driver then transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy at your leisure. You can explore Vientiane and its array of restaurants and activities or just relax at your hotel.

Begin this whirlwind tour at Wat Sisaket, Vientiane's oldest-surviving monastery with thousands of Buddha statues. Hear the history behind by Hor Pha Keo and how is was razed to the ground not once but twice by an invading ancient Thai army. You will see Pha That Luang, a national symbol of Laos that is represented on the national seal and currency. Admire the large stupa covered in gold leaf and surrounded by 30 smaller stupas. Make sure you see the impressive hand painted frescoes that adorn the internal walls. Climb to the viewing platform of Patuxai, Vientianes arc de triomphe, and a window into its French-colonial history.

Today free time at your own leisure before transferring to airport for your flight to Hanoi - the capital of Vietnam.
Upon arrival into Hanoi, be met by your guide who will transfer you to your hotel.
Please note:
* Estimated distance from hotels in the Old Quarter to the airport or v.v: ~25-30km Estimated driving time: ~30mins - 40mins. * International arrivals: Please proceed through immigration and customs, and make your way to the exterior arrivals area, using the exit indicated for your flight on the arrivals marquee (either exit A1 or A2). Our representative will be waiting here for you holding a Pick-up sign. He will then escort you to your vehicle to take you to your hotel.
Optional Tour
PRIHDHANOI STREET EATS EVENING: This evening you’ll enjoy a gastronomic masterpiece as you enjoy a private tour of Hanoi’s best street food offerings in the Old Quarter of the city. Your guide will meet you at your hotel before you head out to try some of the local fares. The hustle and bustle of the old quarter is a sight to behold as the vast array of goods and produce on sale come into view. You’ll set off with your guide around the maze of alleyways and streets. On our journey we will stop by a Pho shop where you’ll savour this world-renowned noodle soup, we will go on the hunt for some BBQ pork in the form of Bun Cha and wolf down some deep-fried spring rolls by the curbside. Whilst sampling these local food hotspots we will also try the famous egg coffee shop and learn about the history of this famous dish or grab a sugar cane juice with Kumquat as we go. Our final stop of the night will be a local Bia Hoi where you can sit back relax and soak up the atmosphere.
Please note:
* Pick-up and drop-off point at the hotel * Estimated duration: 3.5-4hrs * Walking distance: approx. 3-4 km * Please advise if you have any special food requirements and we will endeavour to facilitate this in advance. * The itinerary and food available can be changed depending on shop availability and weather. We will find a like-for-like replacement. * Blackout date: Lunar New Year period (Exactly dates will be updated on yearly basis).

Today, start your journey to the highlights and hidden gems of Hanoi at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing structure that houses the remains of the revered former president who led Vietnam’s campaign for independent from colonial rule. Next, head onward to the Temple of Literature, an ancient collection of courtyards, gardens and architecture built in homage to the Chinese scholar Confucius. Considered the oldest university in Vietnam, the Temple of Literature dates back nearly one thousand years!
Follow your guide’s lead while you weave through some of the Quarter’s 36 streets named for the products historically sold here. Along the way, pass by some of the only remaining streets that continue selling the goods of their namesake, including Tin and Bamboo Street. Head through labyrinthine back alleys well off the tourist trail and see Hanoi at its authentic best. Peer into temples and traditional houses, hear the stories of the ancient city and meet the people who call this fascinating city home. Head to your next stop at Ngoc Son Temple on the tiny island on the lake before wrapping up your guided walk with a cup of egg coffee at a local café. Enjoy a water puppet show for a look at traditional performance art in Vietnam before heading back to your hotel.

This morning you’ll be met by your guide and driver at your hotel before being driven around 100 kms south from Hanoi to Hoa Lu the ancient capital of the Dinh and Le dynasties. Dating back to the 11th century there is little of the former capital that remains, luckily some of the ruins and tombs have survived for almost a thousand years. Spectacular scenery shrouds the remains as you explore.
Afternoon, make your way onwards to nearby Tam Coc, or Three Caves in Vietnamese. This area of natural beauty is often referred to as Halong Bay on land.
Boarding a small boat, you’ll meander down the river to the ancient caves, seeing limestone karsts reaching skywards out of emerald rice paddies - some wonderful photo opportunities are to be had. Head back to the pier where your driver will be waiting to transfer you back to Hanoi where you’ll arrive late afternoon.

Estimated pick-up time: 08.00AM estimated duration: 9hrs

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight. Estimated distance from hotels in the Old Quarter to the airport or v.v: 25-30km Estimated driving time: ~30mins - 40mins.
Upon arrival, be met by your guide and transfer by road to your hotel.
Please note: Estimated distance from the airport to hotels in Hoi An old town or vice versa: around 30 - 35 km - Estimated driving time: appx. 45 - 50 minutes.
Enjoy a half-day tour of Hoi An, a former trading port town known for its blend of Chinese, Dutch, French and Japanese cultures. Hoi An is known for its beautiful architecture, homemade silk, mouth-watering cuisine and expert tailors. Hoi An is also a UNESCO Heritage Site and is pedestrianized in the centre, making it the perfect place to wander and soak up the atmosphere.
The tour includes stops at several famous landmarks. The first is Chua Ong Pagoda, dating back to 1653 and built in honour of the Chinese general Quan Cong, who is worshipped by many as a symbol of loyalty and justice.
Today, you will visit several iconic sights in Hoi An, beginning with the 17th century Chua Ong Pagoda before moving on to the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall to see the Jinshang Temple. Take a short walk to Tan Ky House, a 200-year old ancestral house before taking a stroll over the famous Japanese covered bridge, dating back to the 16th century. End your tour with a boat cruise along the Thu Bon River.
Note: Estimated pick up time: between 1.00 PM - 1.30 PM - Estimated duration: appx. 4 hours.

Meet your guide and depart out of Hoi An to My Son, the former ancient capital of the Cham civilization. The Cham people ruled central Vietnam from the 2nd - 13th century and previously stretched all the way to Cambodia and Laos. At My Son now, you can visit the ruins of many temples and structures that have decayed and been looted throughout the years.
Note: The tour can start in the morning (between 7.30 AM - 8.30 AM) or afternoon (1.00 PM - 1.30 PM) - Estimated duration: 4 hours.

Optional Tour
HOI AN - VEGETABLE VILLAGE HALF DAY TOUR
Today, head out of Hoi An for a half-day tour of a vegetable village. 8.30am or 3.30pm: After a short drive through the local countryside we arrive at Tra Que Village, and the home of your host, Mr Tuan. A welcome drink of freshly picked fruits is waiting, before we take a walk around the village and learn about the history and customs of this charming village. We walk through the organic herb gardens where hundreds of local farmers work their fields using the traditional
methods of hundreds of years ago - no electrical machinery here.

We return to the home of Mr Tuan, and this is where the real fun begins. Everyone is given farming instruments, and we set about joining the farmers in preparing the land for sewing or planting. Our farmer describes the traditional farming methods while we help fertilize the garden using seaweed from the local river, and then water it using huge tin cans strapped to our back. Time is then spent picking vegetables and herbs, and learning how to wrap them to prevent damage. Sharing with you about the traditional methods of gardening in organic way. Many of the local herbs are used by the farmers for traditional village medicines. You will have a chance to enjoy the herbal foot massage with a real farmer concept.
Experience half day to be in the farmer house you will have the opportunity to interact with local farmers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in daily cooking life. It's now time to try are hands at making the village speciality named “Tam Huu” spring rolls - using the local herbs and vegetables we have just picked or Xeo Cake (Banh Xeo). We then sit down and enjoy a lovely local meal before travelling back to your hotel.

Day at leisure
Optional Tour
PRIFDTAM THANH VILLAGE AND KY ANH TUNNEL Today you will be meeting with one of our Vivu Local Legends. These are a collection of locally selected superstars each with a memorable story to share of their impressive lives, crafts or cuisines. Please enjoy hearing their stories and feel free to ask questions directly or through your guide.
In the morning, set off for a 1 hour drive from Hoi An to Ky Anh Tunnels and follow in the footsteps of Mr Ta, one of the witnesses during wartime to discover the tunnel networks. This incredible Ky Anh Tunnel network sits underneath the village of Thach Tan and while there are numerous entrances to the network of tunnels scattered throughout local villages, the main access is found here. In the past, there were as many as 32 kilometres of tunnels stretching through the area, although now the restored sections are much shorter, totalling a few hundred meters. There are a couple of entrances to the tunnel network in Thach Tan, one at the local communal house or Dinh, and another in the backyard of a local house. Afterwards we will travel to the beautiful and remote village of Loc Yen. An ancient village lying in a beautiful valley in the Tien Canh commune, surrounded by rivers, streams, and mountains and where you will enjoy a wonderful cycling experience. En route to Loc Yen, you will cycle along winding roads and through vibrant rice fields. Upon arrival, you will find many ancient houses in typical traditional Vietnamese architecture surrounded by beautiful lush gardens. This pretty village of Loc Yen is unique with its stone alleyways, canals and terraces and the residents of the village are truly Vietnamese, friendly, welcoming and hospitable. Lunch will be prepared and served by a member of a local family residing in one of the ancient houses. Enjoy your delicious lunch and wonderful local experience before continuing to Tam Ky City. The total distance of cycling required on this tour is approximately 8km. Following lunch we will begin our journey back to Hoi An via the Heroic Mother Thu statue. She stands 18.6m high and 120m wide and was designed to resemble Mrs Nguyen Thi Thu, who sadly lost 12 children and grandchildren during the Vietnam War. Our final stop will then be by Tam Thanh village, where the mural project in the village has transformed this remote fishing village into a fascinating artwork gallery, where more than 100 houses have been painted to reflect the local culture, people and nature.

Be met by your guide and transfer by road to the airport for your onward flight.
Please note: Estimated distance from the airport to hotels in Hoi An old town or vice versa: around 30 - 35 km - Estimated driving time: appx. 45 - 50 minutes.
Upon arrival, our guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel.

In the afternoon, your guide will meet you at your hotel and drive to Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, one of Saigon’s most notable pagodas. Built in traditional Vietnamese architecture style, the main building boasts intricate wood carvings. The main hall is home to a huge Buddha statue whilst the backside hall is dedicated to Mother Goddesses, venerable monks and spirits.

You will also visit the War Remnants Museum, where Vietnam’s government has assembled presentations - some of them graphic - of wartime hardships and atrocities.
The tour continues with a stop at the Reunification Palace, where a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates in 1975 to end a war that killed an estimated 58,000 Americans and three million Vietnamese.
Visit the city’s Central Post Office, which was designed by the French architect Alfred Foulhoux.
Next, stroll toward the Saigon River along Dong Khoi Street, which figured prominently in Graham Greene’s famous Vietnam novel, The Quiet American, to the Saigon Opera House, a commanding building completed in 1901. Shelled during World War II, it was used to shelter French citizens fleeing North Vietnam in 1954, the year Vietnam earned its independence from France.
Please note: * Estimated pick-up time: 01.30PM - Estimated duration: 4hrs

Immerse yourself fully in the local culture of the Mekong Delta with a day trip to rustic Ben Tre.
A journey of about two and a half hours will bring you to a peaceful area of lush orchards, green rice paddies and coconut fields. The local residents have found many other uses for the humble coconut, including turning them into household items and cosmetics.
We'll take a scenic bike ride along shady paths visiting the home of a friendly local as we go. Our two-wheeled exploration will continue along rural pathways that wind their way alongside dense vegetation and small tributaries of the Mekong. Board a rowing boat and cruise along the small canals under the shade of the coconut trees. After our exploration we'll enjoy a delicious lunch of local specialties cooked by the host, and visit some local workshops to see how rice paper and sticky coconut sweets are made Worth Noting - Sometimes our boat trip may not be able to run during adverse weather particularly during the rainy season (typically June/July) vegetarian options are available upon request. Start time: 08Am; Finish time 05PM.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight.

* Estimated distance from hotels in city center to the airport or v.v: ~8km. - Estimated duration: 40 mins

Upon arrival, meet your guide and driver for your transfer to hotel.

Explore the rich heritage of capital city Phnom Penh. Considered the ‘Pearl of Asia,’ Phnom Penh has an exotic post-colonial culture. Situated on the banks of the Ton Le Sap and Mekong Rivers, Phnom Penh was largely constructed in the 1920s and boasts some of Asia’s best preserved Art Deco architecture.
Set off from your hotel to the majestic Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda complex. Admire the elaborately constructed palace buildings, some of the 5,000 silver floor tiles that give the Silver Pagoda its name, as well as spectacular gold and bejewelled Buddha statues that are considered national treasures. Walk to the nearby National Museum, a beautiful sandstone museum that showcases the world’s largest collection of Khmer art. After wandering around the museum, continue on to Wat Phnom, the most important temple in Phnom Penh. Situated atop a 27- meter high knoll, the temple overlooks the city and offers a pleasant green respite for tourists and locals alike.
Next visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former secondary school that was converted by Khmer Rouge into one of the regime’s largest detention and torture centres, Security Prison 21. An important educational site, the museum chronicles the Cambodian genocide and documents the atrocities that occurred within its walls. Please note that images on display are graphic and can be unsettling.
Drive to Choeung Ek, one of the mass grave sites of the Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge executed over a million men, women, and children between the years 1975 and 1979. Today, Choeung Ek is a memorial with a Buddhist stupa filled with skulls and bones to honour the victims.

Today you will fly from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.
Your guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the airport.
Arrive in Siem Reap, your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

Optional Tour
DINNER WITH TRADITIONAL DANCE SHOW Enjoy an evening filled with traditional Aspara dance. The show brings ancient Khmer culture to life while you enjoy a dinner of traditional Cambodian cuisine

Start your visit at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, where statues of the gods of good and evil line the entrance. Your next stop is Bayon, a richly decorated temple. Its most distinctive feature is the hundreds of smiling faces that grace the towers. Impressive bas-reliefs tell stories of daily life and of the great battles that were fought between the Khmers and ancient Thais.
Move on to Phimeanakas, shaped like a pyramid with two ponds in the rear. Walk to the top of the temple for impressive views of the Angkor complex.
Take a short drive to Ta Prohm, one of Cambodia’s most beloved temples. Unusually, Ta Prohm is in much the same condition in which it was found. The combination of large trees growing out of the ruins and the surrounding jungle give the temple a truly magical feel.
Return to Siem Reap for lunch (at your own expense) and to escape the hot sun. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument and best-preserved temple in the complex. This visually spectacular massive three-tiered pyramid has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its flag. Admire the grandeur of its architecture and its extensive decoration of bas-relief friezes.
End your day taking in the views of the sunset over Phnom Bakheng Temple or Prasat Chhrung before returning to Siem Reap.

Take a short 15-kilometer drive to Tonle Sap Lake, located south of Siem Reap. The lake is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and the lifeblood of Cambodia as three million people depend upon it for their food and livelihoods. Each year, millions of fish come to spawn in the seasonally flooded forest surrounding the lake, attracting a myriad of water birds. Take a boat tour and see the floating village of Chong Kneas. Here you will get to see first-hand what life is like on the water, the floating market, the local fishery, and crocodile farm. Enjoy the scenery of the lake and keep an eye out for wildlife.
Optional Tour
EVENING CAMBODIAN CIRCUS AT PHARE Get a taste of both contemporary and historic Cambodia with an evening under the big top in downtown Siem Reap. Phare Cambodian Circus, an NGO that supports disadvantaged Khmer youth with art and performance training, is a show without animals that showcases a talented cast accomplished in acrobatics, contortion, aerial ballet, tightrope walking, juggling, mime, drama, and comedy. Cambodia has a long history of circus tradition, dating back as far as the 6th century from temple carvings depicting circus performances for ceremonies and festivals. While the show is fully modern, it draws on Cambodian tradition, folk stories, and folk music.

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the airport.