HERITAGE MEKONG TOUR OF BANGKOK, LAOS & HANOI

11 DAYS/10 NIGHTS

DAY 1:  ARRIVE BANGKOK – SIAM NIRAMIT SHOW

Arrive in Bangkok airport, meet and transfer to hotel for check-in.

Free to walk around the vicinity of your hotel to discover the many

delights that Bangkok has to offer – health massages, great

shopping, coffee cafes, Thai food and other things.

This evening attend a fantastic show at “Siam Niramit”.

Overnight at hotel in Bangkok

DAY 2: CANAL TOUR + GRAND PALACE & EMERALD BUDDHA TEMPLE  (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Pick up for a morning tour of the klong (canals) of Thonburi and

the Chao Phraya River by boat to see traditional river life as it was

lived decades ago, visiting the small floating market at Wat Sai

where some boats converge to sell their produce. Feed the giant

catfish in the klong to gain merit and tour the Temple of the Dawn

at about noon (12pm). Lunch in a restaurant. Afternoon tour to

Grand Palace built by the Chakri kings in 1772 until King Rama VI

(1910-25), and the Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew) the

royal chapel and palladium of the Kingdom.

Free at leisure for the rest of the afternoon to indulge in health massages, shopping or whatever you wish to do by consulting your guide. 

Overnight at hotel in Bangkok.

DAY 3: DAMNERN SADUAK FLOATING MARKET - ROSE GARDEN TOUR  (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Full-day tour to Damnern Saduak Floating Market 85km southwest of Bangkok and enjoy the rural scenes and see the provincial towns of Thailand before arriving at the river junction to take a boat right into this largest and most authentic of Thailand’s floating markets. See traditional sugar-palm making from the coconut and palmyra palms. Continue the tour to the Rose Garden to see a folk show and an elephant demonstration show. Ride on an elephant if you like at a small charge. Lunch at the Rose Garden. Transfer back to the hotel by late afternoon.

Overnight at hotel in Bangkok

DAY 4: BANGKOK – LUANG PRABANG (B, D)

Buffet breakfast at the hotel

Free until time to transfer to Bangkok airport for your departure flight to the world heritage city of Luang Prabang in northern Laos.

Arrive in Luang Prabang, meet and transfer to hotel.

 Afternoon city tour to include Wat Visoun, Wat Mai, Wat Sene 

 and Wat Xieng Thong (the best of them all). Then climb the 329

 steps up Phousi Hill for a panoramic view of the city and river. When you descend the Hmong makeshift night market would have been set up on the road at the foot of this hill.

Dinner of set French meal at L'Elephant Blanc restaurant.

Stroll in the main street, Thanon Sisavangvong, before returning to the hotel.

Overnight at hotel,  Luang Prabang. 

 Day 5:  PAK OU CAVES (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to the Pak Ou caves by boat up the Mekong River. The boat cruise is leisurely and you can see river fishing, washing, gathering stones from the river-bed for building purposes, children frolicking in the water and rustic villages along the river banks. The Pak Ou caves are visited by the local people during “Buddha Days” for worship and to present a Buddha or an elephant image as a mark of devotion. The caves have hundreds if not thousands of these images. See rice wine distillation at Ban Sang Hai. It used to be a pottery producing village before it found its present-day vocation of making and selling rice liquor (lao lao), said to be of excellent quality. Return to Luang Prabang for lunch at Indochina Spirit restaurant. 

Afternoon trip to the Kuangsi Falls and visit a village along the way which is well known for its good weaving and embroidery works.

Dinner in Pakhuay Mixai restaurant of authentic Lao food.

Overnight at hotel, Luang Prabang. 

Day 6:  LUANG PRABANG – VIENTIANE (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel. City sightseeing to include the National Museum (former King's palace) to see examples of Lao treasures and cultural legacies; and the memorabilia of the last Laotian king.

Drop in at the large morning market for an awareness of the daily foods of the local people before transfer to the airport for the flight to Vientiane. At Vientiane airport, meet and drive to the city for lunch in a restaurant before sightseeing of the Buddha Park of mythical Buddhist and Hindu deities and sacred animals designed by a mystical monk on parkland beside the Mekong River; and the Friendship Bridge linking Laos and Thailand. Return to Vientiane for dinner with Lao cultural show.

Overnight at hotel, Vientiane. 

 Day 7:  VIENTIANE – HANOI (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel. City tour to Wat Sisaket, the oldest original temple still standing in Vientiane whereas all others were destroyed by the invading Siamese in the mid-19^th century. This amazing structure features remarkable frescoes and Buddha statues. The following sight is the former royal temple of Haw Pha Kaew, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha image now in Bangkok. We also visit the imposing Patouxai Monument well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triomphe before continuing to the imposing sacred structure and symbol of Laos, That Luang Stupa. Religious activities go on day and night by locals as well as Lao from other parts of the country.
Lunch of Lao cuisine at Kua Lao restaurant.
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Hanoi.

On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met and transferred to hotel. Hanoi, Vietnam's capital city, is a stylish and gracious city that retains an unique old-world charm and some of Asia’s most striking colonial architecture. The many lakes and parks make for a relaxing atmosphere. Some of its museums are well-worth visiting. If time permits we will experience a short cyclo excursion through the bustling Old Quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places by local compradors.

Overnight in hotel, Hanoi.

Day 8:  Hanoi – City Tour (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we enjoy a half-day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. This place has deep significance of the secular and spiritual nature for many Vietnamese who come in large groups to give honour and render respect to the father of their independent nation. The complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda whose origin dates back to the founding of Hanoi in the reign of Emperor Ly Thai Tong (r.1028-1054). We follow this with a trip to the Temple of Literature, well known as Vietnam’s first university since 1076, and the History Museum which displays an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating Vietnamese history. The peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem and the bustling Dong Xuan Market are also visited before we go for lunch in a restaurant.

Return to our hotel and be free at leisure.

Overnight in hotel, Hanoi.

Day 9:  HALONG BAY (B, L)

Breakfast at the hotel.  Morning departure for Halong Bay through the scenic countryside, a drive of about three hours eastwards.

Halong has northeast Vietnam’s most magnificent karst scenery famed for its 3000 islands and fantastic rock formations jutting out from the sea. The wondrous Halong Bay is truly one of Vietnam’s most impressive scenic sights. Heading out of the town we embark on a boat for an exploration of the bay. This exciting five hour cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and numerous limestone peaks rearing amazingly from the clear and emerald water. The limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. Along the way we will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. After a seafood lunch on board we return to our hotel in Halong Bay to relax by the sea and beach.

Overnight in hotel, Halong Bay.

DAY 10: HALONG BAY – HANOI (B, D)

Breakfast at the hotel. Free to enjoy Halong Bay until 1pm when we drive back to Hanoi, stopping en route at Dong Trieu pottery village. Dinner in a restaurant before attending an evening performance of Hanoi's famous water puppets at Thang Long Theatre, the most famous in Hanoi.

Overnight in hotel, Hanoi.

DAY 11 HANOI – DEPARTURE (B)

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

(End of Heritage Mekong Tour)

INCLUDED:

-  Air ticket Luang Prabang - Vientiane and domestic airport tax

- Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with driver

-  10 nights’ accommodation in hotels of your choice in the list 

-  Meals as indicated: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner

-  English or French speaking guide

-  Entrance fees including boat fares in Bangkok and Halong Bay.

NOT INCLUDED:

- International air tickets to and from Laos and to Hanoi (BKK-LPQ, VTE-HAN, and from Hanoi) and from Japan.

- Visa fees (US$30 for visa-on-arrival in Laos). For Vietnam, application for a visa at a Vietnamese embassy beforehand.

- Departure airport taxes.