Wonderful Expedition in Vietnam & Laos – 15 days

You will kick off this journey with a visit to the millennium city, Hanoi. Thanks to the architecture of its buildings, blending both local and western styles, charming little streets, wide lakes, and large boulevards enhanced by lush vegetation, Hanoi is certainly one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Vietnam.

In the morning, you will visit Ho Chi Minh' House, One Pillar Pagoda, and Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) –1st national university in the history of the country.

After a good lunch at a local restaurant, you will go to West Lake (Ho Tay), the largest in Hanoi, where you will visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist site in the city. Later, you will go to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, where you will learn about the diversity of the Vietnamese people. After that, you will enjoy a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and in the Old Quarter, famous for its 36 streets – each one of them being a place where merchants specialize in a particular trade (such as jewelry or silk). You will end the day with the famous water puppet show, a must-do when you are in Hanoi.

Overnight at the hotel.

We will leave Hanoi around 8:00am and drive through the Red River Delta region, before finally reaching Ha Long port of embarkation. Then, you will board a magnificent junk and enjoy a delicious lunch onboard, while the vessel cruises through the jaw-dropping landscape made of karst islets floating on emerald waters. Ha Long Bay is officially listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

In the afternoon, you will visit “Surprise Cave” (Sung Sot), the largest in the Bay, where you will see imposing stalactites and stalagmites. Later, you will have free time to swim in the bay, take a kayak to explore the surroundings, or just relax on the boat while admiring the beautiful scenery. You will have a nice dinner around 7:30pm.

Overnight on the junk boat in Ha Long Bay.

Wake up in the morning and admire the sunrise while having a nice breakfast. The vessel will continue to cruise. You will then board a sampan for an excursion and visit the area. Later, you will go back to the boat and enjoy a brunch, before disembarking at the pier around 10h30:11:30am.

You will then be driven back to Hanoi. Free time for the rest of the day.

Overnight in Hanoi.

You will start the day with a trip to Duong Lam, an ancient town located on the edge of Hanoi. Duong Lam is famous for its 100-year old traditional houses designed with typical Vietnamese architecture. In Duong Lam, you will also visit the entrance gate of the village, secular banyan, Mong Phu communal house, and Mia Pagoda, among others.

Then, you head back on the road and at around 50 km from Duong Lam, you will see the first hills covered with tea plantations and peasants picking tea leaves. Later, you will stop to see the water wheels – an original irrigation method used by the Thai ethnic group. Finally, you will reach Nghia Lo in the late afternoon. There, you will enjoy a walk to visit Nghia An Village (inhabited by the Black Thai group) and discover their traditional stilt houses.

Overnight in Nghia Lo (either homestay or hotel).

After breakfast, we will ride along the famous Road No32 leading to Mu Cang Chai. While driving on this stretch of 100 km, you can marvel at extravagant rice terraces. Next, we stop at Khau Pha Pass to enjoy a beautiful view of Tu Le Valley.

We will head to Nga Ba Kim, then for a 6-km hike through La Pan Tan rice terraces, classified by the Vietnamese government as "National Heritage". After a stop at a Thai village, we will head to Mu Cang Chai.

Overnight in a homestay.

After breakfast, you will take the road to Sapa. On your way, you will visit several ethnic villages. Starting from Than Uyen, you will see beautiful hills covered by tea plantations of a vivid green color. You will also visit a village inhabited by the Lao Lu people.

Overnight in Lai Chau

After breakfast, you will hit the road again and travel through an amazing mountainous landscape. You will stop at Hong Thu Man Pass and visit villages inhabited by the Dao Tien people. Later, you will arrive in Dien Bien Phu. There, you will visit the remnants of the Indochina War: the Command Bunker of General De Castries and A1 Hill (Eliane 2 Hill).

Overnight at a hotel in Dien Bien Phu

After breakfast, you will be brought to Tay Trang international border pass, at 40 km from Dien Bien Phu. You will cross the border to exit Vietnam and enter Laos. Then, you will be brought to Muang La, while admiring the amazing mountainous landscape and catching a glimpse of the local ethnic minorities. You will reach Nam Kat Yorla Pa in the afternoon.

A whole day hiking in Nam Kat Yorla Pa Park, you cross the jungle with giant trees before arriving at the beautiful Nam Kat waterfall. Stop at the Nam Kat waterfall to enjoy its magnificent setting. Continuation of your walk across the 13 suspension bridges with a beautiful view of the surrounding area. Return to your hotel

Coach trip to Nong Khiaw through the breathtaking mountainous landscapes. This peaceful haven, located on the banks of Nam Ou River, is surrounded by amazing mountains and fabulous hills.

Stop on the road to visit the Hmong Village Ban Song Cha, visit the village ò Ban Nuang Tai where the Tai Lu live. Discover their local life and visit a traditional family. Option to do 3 hours trekking to Phou Phaden for the beautiful panoramic view of Nong Khiaw, a lovely valley with karst mountains.

Night in Nong Khiaw

After breakfast at the hotel, you will board a traditional boat to the ancient city of Muang Ngoi (1-hour boat ride). You will reach Muang Ngoi early, before starting a 30-min hike around 9:00am to Tham Kang, an ancient cave which was a refuge for villagers during the Indochina War (1960-1972). You will have the time to appreciate the surrounding countryside.

After this visit, you will hike to Ban Houay Boor (a village inhabited by the Khmu and T’ai)

Coach trip back to Luang Prabang.

Breakfast. Then, you will cruise on the Mekong River while enjoying the beautiful countryside, until reaching Pak Ou. There, you will visit the famous Pak Ou Caves, home to thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues of different shapes and sizes. Then, you will board a boat for an excursion along the river, until reaching Ban Xang Hai, a village specializing in manufacturing a local rice whiskey.

In the afternoon, you will visit Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Lek, villages specializing in weaving crafts. You will then continue until reaching Kuang Si Falls. During this journey, you will also go to ethnic minority villages: Ban Na Ouan (a H’Mong village), Ban Ou (a Laoloum village) and Ban Thapene (a Khmu village).

Check-in at the hotel and overnight.

Wake up early in the morning if you want to see the Tak Baat ritual, the morning alms round occurring every morning at dawn. Every morning (between 5:30am and 7:00am), Luang Prabang monks, cladded in their orange robes, line up in the streets with their black alms bowls. Sitting on the sidewalks, followers wait for each monk to pass by and collect sticky rice or other foods, and even money. By giving to the monks, the local people earn merit and blessings.

You will have all day to visit Luang Prabang. Today this town, the ancient capital of Xang Lane Kingdom, is the religious center of the country. Today, Luang Prabang is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Interesting sites to discover in Luang Prabang include:

Wat Visoun (or Wat Wisunarat): this temple dates from the 16th century and is today acting as a museum where you can find a lot of religious items

Wat Aham: dating from the 19th century, this temple is guarded by two tigers and by statues representing Ravana and Hanuman.

Wat Xieng Thong: largely recognized as the most elegant temple in the city, this 16th-century edification is remarkable due to its original architecture.

National Museum: the old Royal Palace now houses a collection of precious items that include the famous Pha Bang statue, a flamboyant 83-cm gold-alloy Buddha representation.

Phu Si (or Phou Si): you will have to climb 328 steps to get to the top of this hill, from where you can enjoy a panoramic view on Luang Prabang.

In the evening, you will discover the night market, where you will find beautiful artisanal fabrics.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Start your final day of the trip with a nice breakfast, before enjoying your free time at your own leisure, until being driven to the airport for your departure flight.

Please contact us for more information about this tour or to customize this itinerary.