Compare The Hidden Heart of Laos by Audley Travel vs Indochina Uncovered In 19 Days by Realistic Asia

Day 1 : International outbound flight

Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Luang Prabang.

Day 2 : Luang Prabang

Arriving into Luang Prabang you will be met and taken to your hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 3 : Luang Prabang

A chance to take part in a spiritual ritual that has been a part of Luang Prabang's heritage since time immemorial - alms giving to the local community of monks at dawn. You then return to your hotel for breakfast before spending the day with your own private guide exploring the delights of Luang Prabang using electronic bicycles. In the afternoon you will take a trip to the scenic waterfalls at Kuang Si.

Day 4 : Luang Prabang

Spend the day exploring this UNESCO World Heritage Site at your own leisure, soaking up the atmosphere of this most charming of towns.

Day 5 : Phonsavan

Transfer by road through the mountains to Phonsavan, home to the mysterious Plains of Jars. The road travels through some of the most impressive scenery in Southeast Asia.

Day 6 : Phonsavan

Visit the three sites of the strange giant stone jars and the ancient capital at Muang Kham. You may wish to try the hot springs while you are here.

Day 7 : Vang Vieng

Head on south to Vang Vieng, one of the most picturesque areas in the country.

Day 8 : Vang Vieng

Full day at leisure to explore this beautiful area.

Day 9 : Vientiane

Transfer from Vang Vieng with your guide and driver to Vientiane, the Laos capital.

Day 10 : Vientiane

A morning tour of Vientiane and the rest of the day free - we highly recommend the herbal sauna and massage in the grounds of a monastery on the edge of town, or just relaxing at your lovely hotel.

Day 11 : Hin Boun

Today you will head south with your guide and driver, to the beautiful Hin Boun National Park.

Day 12 : Thakek

This morning you will visit Kong Lor Cave, before heading on to Thakek, an attractive town with some interesting buildings and a good spot to break your journey south.

Day 13 : Thakek

Spend the day exploring the area with your guide, heading out to Buddha Cave. Evening in Thakek.

Day 14 : Champasak

Venturing further into the heart of Laos today you head south to the 4,000 Islands region, with three nights to explore the area.

Day 15 : Champasak

Spend a day on the water with your guide exploring this beautiful region.

Day 16 : Champasak

Head to the magnificent Wat Phou temple complex today, exploring these impressive ruins that pre-date Angkor Wat.

Day 17 : International return flight

A final morning to relax before a transfer to the airport. Your return flight will arrive the same day.

Day 1 Welcome to Cambodia - Siem Reap Arrival

Your Indochina adventure begins with your arrival in Siem Reap. Your private driver will meet you at the airport, holding a signboard with your name. He will escort you to your accommodation right in the heart of the city. You can easily explore the city at your own pace or relax at the hotel after the flight.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 2 Explore The Magnificent Angkor Wat (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel and start your sightseeing tour of the Angkor complex. Start your exploration with the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone. Continue your sightseeing to the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares.

We will stroll around this massive edifice, seeing the many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards, and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple. Then visit the famous jungle-covered temple of Ta Prohm. Here the enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man’s creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 3 Visit Local Villages And Tonle Sap Lake (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel, and be ready for your drive to Chrieve village. Admire the life of local people, take an oxcart ride, which is a great way to explore Cambodia authentically, meet a lot of encounters, and interact with local people by visiting their home gardens. Learn their ways of life, and Cambodian culture, help them with vegetable gardening, take beautiful photos, and enjoy seasonal fruits at a village house.

In the afternoon, we will visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap.

Take a boat trip in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the "Great Lake" of Cambodia, and be amazed by the unnumerous stilted houses on the way. Then visit "Chantiers Ecoles - Les Artisans d'Angkor" which provides training to young Cambodians to revive the ancient Khmer traditions of stone carving and wood sculpting. Then get back to your hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 4 Travel From Siem Reap To Phnom Penh By Bus (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel and check out the hotel. You will be transferred to Phnom Penh by bus. Upon arrival at Phnom Penh, have some rest for lunch. In the afternoon, you will visit the Royal Palace, where His Majesty, the King of Cambodia, and the royal family lived.

Continue to Silver Pagoda, which serves less as a functioning temple than a repository for cultural treasures such as 90 kg golden Buddha encrusted with 2086 diamonds. Finally, visit Wat Phnom Temple, one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh, which was built in 1373 on an artificial hill by the wealthy widow Daun Chi Penh.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 5 Phnom Penh - Travel To Chau Doc By Speed Boat (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel, and meet your driver around 11 am, who will take you to the port to embark on the speedboat.

At 12:00 pm, the speed boat will depart from Sisowath Quay – Kh Daun Penh (International floating port) to Chau Doc. You will cross the border between Cambodia and Vietnam. You will arrive at Chau Doc around 17:30. Our driver will meet you and take you to the hotel, where you can relax after the trip.

Overnight in Chau Doc.

Day 6 Visit Floating Market And Tra Su Cajuput Forest - Transfer To Can Tho (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel and embark on the boat to visit a floating market. Mekong Delta is famous for its floating wholesale markets, and you will be amazed by the number of boats, selling the local fruits and vegetables. Then visit Tra Su flooded forest, also referred to as Tra Su cajuput forest, or Tra Su bird sanctuary. It is located just 10 km from Vietnam – Cambodia border. This flooded forest features the typical ecosystem of the Mekong Delta, which can be seen clearly during the flooded season, from September to November.

Admire the look of the forest, which is "dressed up" with the green carpet of duckweed covering the whole large area. You will feel like being in a fairy-tale for sure. Then you will be transferred to Can Tho.

Overnight in Can Tho.

Day 7 Can Tho - Flight To Hoi An (B)

Relish the remaining moment in Can Tho before your private driver escorts you to the airport to take the flight to Da Nang. When you arrive at Da Nang Airport, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation in Hoi An. The rest of the time is free at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 8 Hoi An Leisure (B)

Have a free day to explore Hoi An at your own pace. The best way to explore this charming town is to rent a bicycle at the hotel and cycle around the town towards the riverside or the beach. At the beach, you will find many small cafes where you could relax with a fresh fruit drink after swimming. The water in the sea is warm and calm.

You could visit a tailor-shop which could make you and your loved ones a new piece of clothes, bag or shoes overnight.
In the evening we recommend you to walk around the Old Town area, which looks charming when the shops light their lanterns. You and would really feel like being in a fairy-tale. And don’t skip the colourful performances organized on the street in the evening.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 9 Hoi An - Flight To Hanoi (B)

Relish the remaining moment in Hoi An before your private driver escorts you to the Da Nang airport to take the flight to Hanoi. When you arrive at Noi Bai Airport, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation in Hanoi. The rest of the time is free at leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 10 Get Away From The Crowds With Ba Vi Eco Tour (B/L)

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel then our experienced English-speaking guide escorts you on the trip to Ba Vi, a countryside located on the outskirt of Hanoi.

Arrive at Ri village, enjoy the welcome drink and snacks and meet your first host - Mr. Duoc, who is a Vietnam War veteran and tea-farm owner. Listen to the stories of Mr. Duoc's life during the war while enjoying the drink and then visit his tea plantation. You will learn how to pick the best tea leaves to make the most wonderful beverage in Vietnam. Carry on with the tea production at his small workshop, where most of the work is manual.

Then have a short drive to Moc village, where you will meet your next host Mrs. Chin, who will teach you how to cook local Vietnamese dishes. Later have the meals you made for lunch in a beautiful tropical garden.
Have a short break after lunch, and join Mrs. Chin for a walk around the village. You will visit some local families to understand the rural lifestyle and learn how tofu, conical hats, and other local products are made. Then have a cycling trip through beautiful paddy fields to meet your last host Mr. Chinh, who will meet you with fresh mint lemon juice. All ingredients are freshly picked from his own garden.
Wrap up your countryside tour with traditional feet soak in warm water with herbs, following the traditional recipes of the Muong ethnic minority. It will relax you (and your feet) after cycling around the village. Later, enjoy a transfer from Ba Vi back to your accommodation.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 11 Hanoi - Halong Bay Overnight Cruise (B/L/D) - Shared Cruise

In the morning, check out of the hotel, and get picked up by the Cruise team. Take the most scenic route to reach Halong Bay, taking you across the Red River Delta with emerald green rice paddies stretching for as far as the eyes can see.

On arrival at the pier, you will board the cruise and enjoy the fantastic views of limestone rocks and the karst grottoes. Have an utterly delicious seafood lunch and enjoy the time at the sundeck exploring the Bay.

The cruise will stop in a secret place where you will spend time kayaking or swimming, so you can explore the karst grottoes closer. Towards the evening, you will return to the boat for an early dinner, followed by some time at leisure. You can optionally attend the activities taking part on the boat or just relax.

Overnight on cruise.

Day 12 Morning In The Most Stunning Bay - Travel Back To Hanoi (B/L)

Rise early today to view the sunrise at the wonder of nature with breakfast served in the dining room. A Tai Chi class on the sun deck will awake your mind and muscles.

Then head off to visit the limestone cave full of stalagmites and stalactites. After your exploration return to the boat to check out and enjoy the brunch while the cruise is sailing back to the harbor. Later you will be transferred to your accommodation in Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 13 Hanoi - Flight to Vientiane (B)

Relish the remaining moment in Hanoi before your private driver escorts you to the airport to take the flight to Vientiane (Laos).

On arrival at the Vientiane Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. If time permits we will show you around the major temples of Vientiane including the oldest Wat Sisaket, a temple of thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit the Lao national icon, That Luang Stupa, and stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph.

Overnight in Vientiane.

Please note: on particular days of the week, the flight from Hanoi to Vientiane could with a stopover in Bangkok.

Day 14 Vientiane - Flight To Pakse (B)

Get up early and take the morning flight to Pakse. Upon arrival at Pakse airport, you will be picked up and transferred to the hotel. After checking in, the rest of your time is free at your leisure.

Overnight in Pakse.

Day 15 Exploring the most beautiful Waterfalls in Pakse (B)

After breakfast, today we drive further south to visit Khone Phapheng Falls on the journey. Khone Phapheng is considered the largest waterfall by volume in South East Asia; this is really an impressive sight with marvelous nature near the Lao-Cambodian border, which is teeming with wildlife making this area one of the most breathtaking destinations in Laos. If time permits, we can visit the Don Khone area, which takes you to visit the remains of the French period, Liphi Waterfall or "the Corridor of the Devil". Then, we drive back to Pakse.

Overnight in Pakse.

Day 16 Pakse - Bolaven Plateu - Transfer To Luang Prabang (B)

We leave Pakse around 08:00 am and drive to a village known for its knife making, before going to visit some coffee and tea plantations where we see the production process. We continue to Tad Fan Waterfall, a 120 meters high twin waterfall, and visit the area, house of many coffee plantations. We head on to Tad Yuang where we have lunch, relax, and take a swim if you want.

In the afternoon, we back to Pakse for catching a flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. 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. Today is free at your leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 17 Luang Prabang - Kuang Si Waterfall (B)

Have breakfast at the hotel and meet your guide in the hotel lobby. Today we will visit Phousi Market, where you will see a big diversity of local specialties such as dried buffalo skin, local tea, and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables, and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups such as Hmong village Ban Ouray, Laoloum village Ban Ou, and Khmu village Ban Thapene.

After exploring the villages, we will take you to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall, where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. We then return to Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 18 Luang Prabang Sightseeing - Pak Ou Caves (B)

Today, we enjoy a short guided tour to the city's oldest temples of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture. We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River.

Enjoy the breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside along the way. Visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. On the way, we will stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where the local rice wine is produced. On return, we take a short drive to another small village Ban Phanom, which is famous for its hand weaving.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 19 Luang Prabang Departure (B)

Relish a healthy breakfast on the final day of your trip to Indochina. Complete the hotel check-out formalities, after which you can visit the local markets to buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Later your private driver will transfer you to the airport to take your flight back home.

Trip Ends.