Hanoi Trip Overview
The best of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos is unveiled on this journey from Hanoi to Siem Reap and Luang Prabang. We combine spectacular coastal scenery, colonial towns with evocative war memorials and lost temple cities. Experience the blend of old and new, classic and contemporary, traditional and modern, discover the region’s culture and beauty as we visit the stunning ancient temples of Angkor, visit panoramic Khoung Si Waterfall in Laos and be immersed in Vietnam’s features and vibrant streets. Add to the adventure an overnight boat stay on Halong Bay, friendly locals and lots of scrumptious food – the only thing left to do is choose when to go.
Additional Info
Duration: 17 days
Starts: Hanoi, Vietnam
Trip Category: Transfers & Ground Transport >> Bus Services
Explore Hanoi Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Hanoi, Vietnam, Vietnam
The best of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos is unveiled on this journey from Hanoi to Siem Reap and Luang Prabang. We combine spectacular coastal scenery, colonial towns with evocative war memorials and lost temple cities. Experience the blend of old and new, classic and contemporary, traditional and modern, discover the region’s culture and beauty as we visit the stunning ancient temples of Angkor, visit panoramic Khoung Si Waterfall in Laos and be immersed in Vietnam’s features and vibrant streets. Add to the adventure an overnight boat stay on Halong Bay, friendly locals and lots of scrumptious food – the only thing left to do is choose when to go.
Itinerary
Day 1: HANOI ARRIVAL – FOODIE TOUR BY NIGHT
Stop At: Old Quarter, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
There’s an old Vietnamese saying, “Hanoi has thirty-six streets and guilds – Jam Street, Sugar Street, Salt Street…”. Inside a modern and dynamic city, there appears an antique quarter, the Hanoi’s Old Quarter – the represented eternal soul of the city. These days, most Vietnamese and Westerners are familiar with the phrase “Hà Nội – Ba mươi sáu phố phường” (translated as “Ha Noi – 36 districts” or “Hanoi – 36 Old Streets”), or “Phố cổ Hà Nội” (translated as “Hanoi’s Old Quarter”), the top special historical vestige and sight-seeing of the capital, luring international visitors thanks to their mostly original state.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Hanoi at a 3 star- otel
Day 2: HANOI CITY TOUR ( B,L)
Stop At: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, 2 Hung Vuong Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh‘s Mausoleum has long been considered as the first place to come for the first time travelers to Hanoi thanks to its tremendous historical value. Everyone wants to make a pilgrimage there to show their respect for Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho – President Ho), the Greatest President, who led Vietnam to Independence. Being there, visitors can not only discover more about Ho Chi Minh’s life and role in Vietnamese history but also enlarge their knowledge about Vietnam’s history reflected in the complex’s components.
Duration: 50 minutes
Stop At: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Nguyen Van Huyen Street Cau Giay, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
The Museum Of Ethnology comes out of the recognition that Vietnam is a multi-ethnic country and that more attention should be paid to promote socio-cultural diversity. Despite being out of the way compared with other museums in Hanoi, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is worth a thorough visit, for those who are keen to learn about the multiculturality of Vietnam and for those who would appreciate some green space.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Hanoi at a 3 star- hotel
Day 3: HANOI – HALONG BAY – NIGHT ON BOARD ( B,L,D)
Stop At: Halong Bay Vietnam
Halong Bay is a beautiful natural wonder in northern Vietnam near the Chinese border. The Bay is dotted with 1,600 limestone islands and islets and covers an area of over 1,500 sqkm. This extraordinary area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. For many tourists, this place is like something right out of a movie. The fact is that Halong Bay features a wide range of biodiversity, while the surrealistic scenery has indeed featured in endless movies.
The best way to get to Halong City is by car, minibus or bus from Hanoi which is only 170km away. If budget is not a problem, an hour-long helicopter transfer is also available.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnightnight on board
Day 4: HALONG BAY – HANOI – FIGHT TO DANANG (B,L)
Stop At: Da Nang Catheral, 156 Tran Phu Street, Hai Chau 1 Ward, Hai Chau District, Da Nang Vietnam
Da Nang marks the halfway point between the capital in the north, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City in the south. It’s the fourth largest city in Vietnam. Apart from some shopping highlights and historical sights, the main reason for most travellers staying here is its proximity to the well-known My Khe Beach, Lang Co Beach, Hoi An and My Son.
Lang Co Beach is lined with palm trees, the water of the nearby ocean crystal-clear and enticing, lapping onto white sand. It is a peninsula with a sparkling lagoon on one side, and the beach on the other. The area is fairly under-developed, although recent years have seen many new hotels opening. My Khe Beach is more developed, since it was a popular spot for American soldiers seeking R&R during the Vietnam-US War. Water sport activities here are in abundance, and it can get very crowded over weekends and holidays. Da Nang’s coastline stretches 30 kilometres, renowned for calm, cool waters and also popular for fishing, water-skiing, diving
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Hoi An at a 3 star- hotel
Day 5: HOIAN – FREE DAY
Stop At: Hoi An Ancient Town, Hoi An 560000 Vietnam
Hoi An, once a major Southeast Asian trading post in the 16th and 17th centuries, is basically a living museum that houses old-town architecture.Some notable heritage buildings include Chinese temples, a Japanese-designed bridge, pagodas, wooden shop-houses, French-colonial houses, and old canals. Although large-scale trading had long moved elsewhere, Hoi An has been successful in preserving and restoring its charming roots and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in December 1999.
Hoi An Riverside is the best place to be at night as the area is lit by quaint and old-fashioned lanterns, making it an atmospheric and beautiful spot. For those who love sea, sun and sand, Hoi An offers two lovely beaches five kilometres away from the town centre – a sort of holiday within a holiday.
Hoi An is also known for its great food, fun shopping, skilled tailors, friendly people and cosy atmosphere – all key characteristics that draw people to this picturesque town.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Hoi An at a 3 star- hotel
Day 6: HOIAN – MY SON TOWERS TOUR (B,L)
Stop At: My Son Sanctuary, Duy Phu Vietnam
My Son was also a political centre and a royal burial ground and the complex consists of more than 70 structures devoted to Hindu gods and goddesses and the most noticeable one, Shiva, was considered the protector of the Champa’s kings. Their skilful use of red bricks and sandstone is remarkable.
Like many historic sites around the world, My Son was destroyed by time and wars and after lying neglected for a long time it was rediscovered and renovated by the French in 1898. Sadly the most recent war did great damage to the complex as the Americans bombed this area knowing that the Viet Cong used it as a hiding place, mistakenly thinking that the enemy would not touch a holy site.
However, the majority of the central complex managed to survive the bombs and parts of the ruins have now been rebuilt. Overall, this Hindu sanctuary reminds visitors of other similar sites in Southeast Asia including the great Angkor Wat in Cambodia. A must-visit for those who appreciate history.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Hoi An at a 3 star- hotel
Day 7: HOIAN – TRANSFER TO HUE ( B)
Stop At: Hue, Hue, Thua Thien – Hue Province
Huế is a city chock-full of stories. The Kings of the Nguyễn Dynasty built their feudal capital along Huế’s fertile riverbanks and atop its forested hills, but their imperial legacy is just one of many reasons to visit. Huế’s refined cuisine is the stuff of legend, and its leafy streets are lined with mossy pagodas, art déco mansions, and eye-popping markets. Through the whole scene flows the Perfume River, setting a languid pace the rest of the city is happy to follow.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Hue at a 3 star- hotel
Day 8: HUE CITY TOUR – FLIGHT TO SAIGON (B,L)
Stop At: Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the business and financial hub of Vietnam, with a prominent history going back hundreds of years. The Khmers originally settled the region, with the Vietnamese taking over in the 17th century. The French conquered Saigon, as it was then known, in 1859, and made it the capital of Cochin China in 1862, which resulted in numerous elegant architecture and broad boulevards that are still present to this day. At the peak of the Vietnam War in 1969, the city had 4.5 million inhabitants who were all evacuated when Saigon and the rest of the South fell to North Vietnam in 1975.
The city has recovered in the 30 years since then, with the current population at over 7 million. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, after the spiritual leader of Vietnamese Communism, but residents were so reluctant to adopt the new name that authorities kept the official name but the city centre is still called Saigon.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Ho Chi Minh at a 3 star- hotel
Day 9: SAIGON CITY + CU CHI TUNNELS TOUR (B,L)
Stop At: Cu Chi Tunnels, Phu Hiep TL15 Phu Hiep, Ho Chi Minh City 700000 Vietnam
Most people think of the most modern and crowded city in Vietnam when it comes to Ho Chi Minh City. However, the city itself also has a great deal of historical values relating to the war against the French and American army to offer both locals and tourists. If you want to get to know more about Vietnamese history, visiting Cu Chi Tunnels is a great activity, and also one of the most rewarding things to do in Ho Chi Minh. It is 100% worth your short trip from the center of Ho Chi Minh City.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Ho Chi Minh at a 3 star- hotel
Day 10: SAIGON – PANORAMA MEKONG RIVER CRUISE ( B,L)
Stop At: Mekong Delta, Mekong Delta
By the time it reaches Vietnam, the Mekong River has already covered more than four thousand kilometres from its source high on the Tibetan Plateau; en route it traverses southern China, skirts Burma (Myanmar), then hugs the Laos–Thailand border before cutting down through Cambodia and into Vietnam – a journey that ranks it as Asia’s third-longest river, after the Yangtse and Yellow rivers. Flooding has always blighted the delta; ever since Indian traders imported their advanced methods of irrigation more than eighteen centuries ago, networks of canals have been used to channel the excess water, but the rainy season still claims lives from time to time.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Ho Chi Minh at a 3 star- hotel
Day 11: CAIBE/CAI RANG FLOATING MARKET – SAIGON ( B,L)
Stop At: Cai Be Floating Market, Cai Be Vietnam
Cai Be, Cai Rang, Phung Hiep and Phong Dien Floating Market make the four largest and busiest markets in Mekong Delta. Cai Be market was said to originate from the early trading activities by residents from the Central of the country. They have founded the land and settled down here since the 17th century. However, some might argue that Cai Be was established during the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Ho Chi Minh at a 3 star- hotel
Day 12: SAIGON – SIEM REAP (B)
Stop At: Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Province
Siem Reap is a cheerful city that embraces travelers like old friends. This region was the site of successive capitals of the Khmer Empire from the ninth to the 15th centuries. The ruins, collectively known as the Angkor Archaeological Park, are located about four miles north of the city center. The 150-square-mile complex, which includes the famous Angkor Wat Temple, is Siem Reap’s biggest tourist draw. But in recent years, this ancient yet dynamic destination has been attracting travelers to stay longer and explore its other facets. A few days in this Cambodian city shows that Siem Reap straddles the best of both worlds—a glorious past and a vivid present. The best way to get to know it is to explore it slowly, one story at a time.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Siem Reap at a 3 star – hotel
Day 13: Banteay Srei & Small Circuit & CNN Hero (Meal: Breakfast, Dinner)
Stop At: Banteay Srei, Banteay Srei, Siem Reap Province
We head further out through rural countryside to the small but beautiful temple of Banteay Srei. This temple is largely built of pink sandstone, a harder rock that can be more elaborately carved and better survives the rigors of time. Stop at a local village to visit families who are producing palm sugar.
We’ll pay a visit to the Landmine Museum where Mr. Aki Ra, a former child soldier in the Khmer Rouge has dedicated his life to helping others in need. After having spent most of his child years fighting for the Khmer Rouge and later the Vietnamese army, Mr. Aki Ra was trained by the United Nations to detonate land-mines; his fantastic work earned him a nomination for CNN Hero of the year in 2010.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Siem Reap at a 3 star – hotel
Day 14: Angkor Thom & Angkor Wat (Meal: Breakfast)
Stop At: Angkor Wat, Sangkat Nokor Thum, Siem Reap Cambodia
Angkor Wat is an enormous Buddhist temple complex located in northern Cambodia. It was originally built in the first half of the 12th century as a Hindu temple. Spread across more than 400 acres, Angkor Wat is said to be the largest religious monument in the world. Its name, which translates to “temple city” in the Khmer language of the region, references the fact it was built by Emperor Suryavarman II, who ruled the region from 1113 to 1150, as the state temple and political center of his empire.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Siem Reap at a 3 star – hotel
Day 15: Siem Reap – Luang Prabang, Sabaidee “Hello” LAOS (Meal: Breakfast)
Stop At: Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang Province
Luang Prabang rose to prominence as the capital of the first Lao kingdom (Lan Xang – land of the million elephants) from 1353 onwards. The city owes its present name to the Pha Bang, a revered Buddha image (now in the Royal Palace Museum) which was brought to the city by King Visoun during the golden age of Lan Xang in the early 1500s.
The fragmentation of the Lao kingdom at the end of the 16th century saw Luang Prabang become a militarily weak independent city state paying tribute to the surrounding kingdoms. Ultimately the 1887 sacking of the city by the Chinese Haw led the Luang Prabang monarchy to accept the protection of the French, whose influence led to the construction of the many fine colonial villas that sit harmoniously alongside the traditional Lao architecture.
The city fell into decline in the latter half of the 20th century following the reluctant withdrawal of the French, and the 1975 revolution which brought an end to the Luang Prabang monarchy.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Luang Prabang at a 3 star – hotel
Day 16: Pak Ou Buddha Caves & Khouangsi Waterfall (Meal: Breakfast)
Stop At: Pak Ou Caves, Near Pak Ou the Tham Ting Near the Village of Ban Pak Ou – Mekong River, Ban Pak-Ou 0603 Laos
Pak Ou Caves is located on the Mekong River, in the north of Luang Prabang. “Pak Ou” is meaning the caves at the estuary of Ou River. The cave system including 2 caves: Tam Ting and Tam Pum. Tam Ting caves, which means the cave of a thousand Buddha statues. According to the name, there are thousands of Buddha statues in all sizes from small to as high as the height of a person. The latest research shows that there are about 4,000 statues in two caves, 1,500 in the upper cave called Tam Pum cave and 2,500 statues in the other one as known as the main cave is called Tam Ting cave. Most of these statues are made from wood, painted with red or black lacquer, and finally covered with gold leaves. There are also some made from the horns of animal, bronze and ceramic.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Luang Prabang at a 3 star – hotel
Day 17: Luang Prabang – Departure (Meal: Breakfast)
Stop At: Royal Palace Museum, Haw kham Old Quarter, Luang Prabang 0600 Laos
The Royal Palace Museum in Luang Prabang (also known as “Haw Kham” or “Golden Hall”) was once Laos’ Royal Palace. It houses a lot of interesting historical items. Every item tells a story…so you will learn quite a lot about Lao history and about Laos’ royal.
Built in 1904, it features a blend of Lao traditional and French style. It was built for King Sisavang Vong and his family during the French colonial era.
After the death of King Sisavang Vong, the crown Prince Savang Vatthana and his family were the last to occupy the palace. After the revolution in 1975, the building was taken over by the government. The palace was then converted into a national museum and opened to the public in 1995.
Located in the city just the other side of the road from Phousi mountain, the palace is in walking distance of all main hotels and guest houses.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
