14 day Ecotour Of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam

Luang Prabang

Day 1: Welcome To Luang Prabang!

Welcome to Luang Prabang, a World Heritage town since 1995! It is a combination of world-class comfort and spiritual nourishment.

Upon arrival at Luang Prabang, you will be transferred to your hotel. You can spend the day at your own leisure!

Luang Prabang

Day 2: Discover The Sights Of Luang Prabang

After breakfast, you can enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene. Also visit the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture.

You will visit the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts and Arts and Ethnology Centre. You may also wish to drive to the beautiful Kuangsi Waterfall where you can splash around in the turquoise pools or walk along the forest paths. There’s also an opportunity to visit the bear sanctuary nearby, run by Free The Bears Fund Inc.

You will then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset and the Mekong River. The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find handmade textiles, produced by the locals.

Luang Prabang

Day 3: Marvel At The Elephant Camp

Rise and shine! Depart from your hotel. Arrive at the Mandalao Elephant Conservation camp. Get an in-depth introduction into elephant behavior and communication with special emphasis on baby “Kit” and his training.

Meet the Elephants and cross the river for your first introduction to elephants bathing. Begin your spa-like bathing experience with the elephants. Pass the beautiful Lao gardens before exploring the jungle-covered Huay Nok stream.

Learn first-hand how your presence on tour helps Kit. After some final treats for the elephants begin the trek back to Manda Lao. Enjoy traditional Lao cuisine made primarily from our own organic produce. After lunch, you will get your transfer to Ban Pak Ou, from there you will take a boat to visit Pak Ou Cave before cruising down to Luang Prabang.

Siem Reap

Day 4: Fly To Siem Reap

Catch your flight from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap. Say farewell to Luang Prabang. You will leave for Siem Reap in the afternoon.

It is home to the famous Angkor Wat, one of the greatest cultural monuments in the world. Once you arrive in Siem Reap, you will be transferred to your hotel to relax and rest. Sleep well to prepare yourself for the activities tomorrow!

Siem Reap

Day 5: Explore Angkor's Temples

Get up in the early morning, ride a Tuk-Tuk to catch the sunrise in front of Angkor Wat temple and then come back to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, continue with your car to visit the South Gate of Angkor Thom City and then exploring the mysterious Royal City Angkor Thom. 

Continue to visit the picturesque Ta Prohm that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. 

In the late afternoon, you will drive back to visit the intricately carved Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat – one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still owns fine Apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. This evening, enjoy dinner with an Apsara dance show.

Hanoi

Day 6: Catch Your Plane To Hanoi

In the morning, you can board your flight to Hanoi. Vietnam’s cultural heart that still bears traces of centuries of changes and known for its peaceful lakes, French styled buildings, old quarter streets, tree-lined boulevards, and brightly painted temples and pagodas.

Upon arrival, your driver and a private luxury car will greet you with a beautiful bunch of flowers and take you to the hotel in Hanoi. The remainder of the day will be all yours to stroll around the Old Quarter of Hanoi and its raucous streets full of traditional vendors and artisans.

Mai Chau

Day 7: Soak In The Countryside At Mai Chau

Soak in the countryside fresh air of Mai Chau. Depart from Hanoi to Mai Chau – an idyllic valley home to many hill tribes including the Dzao, Muong, and Thai. Arrive in Mai Chau around noon, check in your room.

In the afternoon, cycle to explore Mai Chau beautiful ethnic villages including Na Thia, Nhot, Pom Coong, Lac and Chieng Chau villages. Be welcomed by the friendly local people, talk with them and discover their traditional culture.

Take it all in: the spectacular scenery of Mai Chau and the relaxed rhythm of local life. Return to the Mai Chau Ecolodge. For evening enjoyment, you may choose to take part in a traditional dance show with Ruou Can (a local wine), a cooking class, a weaving class or all.

Mai Chau - Hanoi

Day 8: Spend Time Amidst The Mai Chau Countryside

After breakfast, spend the full morning to relax in the comfort of your room or unwind at the swimming pool & massage centre. You can also choose to explore the surroundings on your own.

Check out around 12.pm and transfer back to Hanoi. 

Ha Long Bay

Day 9: Marvel At The Sights Of Halong Bay

Today you'll head out on a scenic drive to Halong Bay, a World Heritage Site Bay. It lies in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars.

The site's outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest. You will enjoy a welcome coffee upon arrival in Halong Bay before boarding for the overnight boat trip. Enjoy your seafood lunch on the jungle-covered boat then begin your fantastic cruise on Halong Bay. The scenery is truly breathtaking and is continuously changing.

This includes a visit to Sung Sot Cave, round over Tuan Chau Island, Dinh Huong Island, Ga Choi Island, DogIsland, Sail Island and a swim at Titop beach. Then you can kayak on your own. Dinner will then be on board while watching the sunset.

Ha Long Bay - Hoi An

Day 10: Cruise Through Halong Bay

Early risers can enjoy a morning view of Bay’s landscapes with a cup of tea, coffee, fresh fruits. Sitting on the upper deck, you can admire the breath-taking beauty of the rocky Islands rising from the crystal-clear waters of the Bay.

The quietness is almost eerie; you can hear birds singing, cicadas chirping ashore and the gentle lapping of the waves against your boat, the perfect soundtrack to accompany the fresh air and gentle breeze. Dive into the emerald green waters and splash around in the calm stillness of the morning. If you don’t feel like swimming or kayaking, feel free to sleep in or enjoy the bay from the sundeck.

Enjoy the brunch as your boat weaves through strange-shaped limestone rock formations. Then you will return to the port and transfer to the airport for flight to Da Nang. Your driver will pick you at the airport and take you to Hoi An.

Hoi An

Day 11: Explore Magical Hoi An

Your Farming & Fishing Tour provides you with a close-up and intimate look to both the local farming and fishing communities. Accompanied by your tour guide, you will start the day leisurely cycling along country roads and witnessing local Vietnamese rural life first hand.

This pristine and beautiful experience will offer you an array of distinct and unique photo opportunities - maybe a water buffalo working in a rice paddy field, colorful road-side market stalls or farmers tending their crops. Later, you will board your Hoi An boat for a river cruise to meet and engage with and enjoy the hands-on experience of traditional net fishing.

You will also experience paddling the unique Vietnamese bamboo basket boats while exploring coconut-palm flanked waterways.

Ho Chi Minh City

Day 12: Travel To Saigon

Board the flight in the morning to Saigon. Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) which is the largest of Vietnam's cities.

The hustle and bustle of life co-exists with 300 years of timeless traditions and the beauty of a mixed colonial-orient culture. Upon arrival, your guide will take you to hotel for check-in & relax.

Mekong Delta

Day 13: Explore The Mekong Delta

Arrive at Ben Tre, where the boat will cruise along the Ham Luong River, a branch of the Mekong. It will stop off at various local workplaces to give you a picture of how the local economy works.

Highlights of the a stop-offs include viewing a Traditional Brick kiln where bricks are still painstakingly made by hand and fueled by rice husk - an agricultural waste. Also, visit a coconut processing workshop where you can sample fresh coconut. 

The boat will then stop at a quiet village where you can have a short walk to experience real Delta village life, before boarding your “xe loi” (a kind of motorized rickshaw) or cycling around the village amongst ravishing rice fields. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. The last trip of the tour will be by aboard a traditional sampan boat for a relaxing ride along narrow canals. Return to Saigon afterward.

Ho Chi Minh City

Day 14: Farewell, Vietnam!

Any fantastic trip will come to an end, but the memories will remain in your heart forever. Therefore, though you will bid farewell to Vietnam today and board the flight home, your memories will fly home with you. See you next time!