EXPLORE MYANMAR AND THE INDOCHINA PENINSULA (LAOS, VIETNAM & CAMBODIA)
TOUR CODE: COM9
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Yangon welcomes you
Day 2: Yangon – Bagan (Flight)
Day 3: Explore Bagan
Day 4: Bagan – Heho (Flight) – Pindaya & Kalaw
Day 5: Kalaw – Inle Lake
Day 6: Inle Lake – Heho – Yangon (Flight)
Day 7: Yangon – Vientiane (Flight)
Day 8: Explore the Laos Capital
Day 9: Vientiane – Pakse (Flight)
Day 10: Wat Phou Cruise
Day 11: Wat Phou Cruise
Day 12: Pakse – Luang Prabang (Flight)
Day 13: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou caves
Day 14: Luang Prabang – Khouangsi waterfalls
Day 15: Luang Prabang – Hanoi (Flight)
Day 16: Hanoi – Halong Bay Cruise
Day 17: Halong Bay Cruise – Yen Duc Village – Hanoi
Day 18: Hanoi – Perfume Pagoda (full-day)
Day 19: Explore Hanoi capital
Day 20: Hanoi – Danang (Flight) – Hoian
Day 21: Hoian – My Son sanctuary
Day 22: Hoian – Cham island
Day 23: Hoian, Danang – Saigon (Flight)
Day 24: Saigon – My Tho – Can Tho
Day 25: Floating Market – Saigon
Day 26: Saigon – Siemreap (Flight)
Day 27: Siem Reap Temple Tour
Day 28: Siem Reap Temple Tour
Day 29: Siem Reap
Day 30: Siem Reap – Departure
Day 1: Yangon welcomes you (D)
Arrival Yangon, your tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer to your hotel.
Yangon city sightseeing – City center, Yangon riverfront and Shwedagon pagoda.
A welcome dinner will be at a local restaurant.
Overnight at Yangon.
Day 2: Yangon – Bagan (Flight) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Early morning transfer to Yangon Airport. Domestic flight from Yangon to Bagan (approx: 0630/0725 hours – direct).
From the airport, start visiting the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda, which is Bagan’s most important reliquary shrine – lookout for images of the 37 ‘nats’ housed in a small hall. See 13th Century frescoes adorning the corridors of Kyansittha ‘Cave’ Temple. Continue to Gubyaukgyi (Wetkyi In village), another ‘cave’ temple with fine frescoes of the ‘Jataka Tales’. The next stop is Htilominlo, the last Bamar style temple built in Bagan, with old murals and friezes. Visit the Taungphi village to see old monasteries, which have beautiful Khone Baung Dynasty frescoes. Then, pass through Tharaba Gateway into Old Bagan. Check into your hotel in the late morning.
In the afternoon, visit Ananda Temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four standing Buddhas, and the adjacent brick monastery from the early Bagan era with well-preserved murals. Make a photo-stop at the tallest temple measuring 61 meters – Thatbyinnyu known as ‘temple of omniscience’ and dating from 1144. Continue to Mingalazedi, the last of the large Pagodas built in the 13th Century, representing the pinnacle of Bamar pagoda architecture.
Enjoy the sunset at one of the monuments along Ayeyarwady River.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3: Explore Bagan (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Option: (operate from October to March and in the morning, not evening due to weather conditions):
Around 0530 hours the Balloon over Bagan shuttle bus will pick you up at your hotel (your guide will tell you the exact pick-up time). You will drive to the departure ground of the Balloons. While the team makes the Balloon ready to go, you enjoy some refreshments, but you can also take great pictures of this event. Then, depending on the wind, you will overfly Bagan for about one hour, and enjoy spectacular views of the ancient Kingdom of Bagan in your hot air balloon! The tour ends…..where ever the wind has brought you. A glass of sparkling wine ends this fantastic event….and the shuttle bus then brings you back to your hotel.
This morning, we have time to explore the Myinkaba village area.
First, we visit Gubyaukgyi Temple admiring the fine stuccowork. We continue to Nanpaya temple, built in the Mon style with intricate stone carvings, and said once to have been Manuha’s residence. See the four Buddha images in Manuha Pagoda and later stop at Myazedi stupa to see Myanmar’s “Rosetta Stone”, bearing inscriptions written in four languages.
Lunchtime.
In the afternoon, visit Moe Moe Lacquerware factory to watch craftsmen skillfully making this most famous of Bagan handicrafts. After that visit to Abeyadana Temple with frescoes representing Bodhisattvas and the gods of Indian mythology. Continue to Dhammayangyi, a massive-looking temple dating from 1170 that is famous for its interlocking mortarless brickwork. Next, visit Sulamani by horse cart, one of Bagan’s great two-storied Bamar style temples, which has 4-seated Buddha images. Enjoy the sunset at the top of one of the temples.
Overnight in Bagan.
Day 4: Bagan – Heho (Flight) – Pindaya & Kalaw (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, transfer to Bagan airport for domestic flight to Heho. (approx: 0820/0900 hours – direct).
Upon arrival airport, drive to Pindaya caves – natural limestone caves not only with numerous stalactites and stalagmites but also filled with about 8,000 various sizes of Buddha images believed to be there since the 11th century; and famous Botoloke Lake. Ethnic groups like Shan, PaO and Danu are living environs of Pindaya. The place nowadays is also famous for traditional Shan paper making and Shan umbrella making.
Proceed to Kalaw, an old British hill resort stands at the altitude of 1,315 meters, is also known as Pine Land. The sightseeing includes Shweumin natural caves; taking along the up-down meandering roads of Kalaw to have the panoramic view of Kalaw; old colonial-style buildings from a hillock opposite of Kalaw.
Overnight at Kalaw.
Day 5: Kalaw – Inle Lake (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning drive to Nyaung Shwe (approx. 2 hrs) and board your own local boat to take you to your hotel. Inle Lake, one of the magical lakes in Myanmar located 900 meters above sea level surrounded by beautiful mountains of Shan plateau, is the homeland of the Inthar tribe. If by chance today coincides with the market day, we will visit the regional market which is held on a 5 days rotation basis in different areas of the Lake.
We will visit Phaungdawoo Pagoda – famous for its richly gilded five small Buddha images; the Ngaphechaung monastery (also known as jumping cat monastery) was built more than one and a half-century ago and features many interesting old Buddha Images. Other attractions include the unique leg-rowing style and fishing method of the Inthar, floating gardens used as vegetable plantations, silk and cotton weaving cottages and blacksmith.
Overnight at the hotel on the lake at Inle lake.
Day 6: Inle Lake – Heho – Yangon (Flight) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
We explore the southern part of the Lake by boat sailing through small twisting and turning creeks to reach Indein village. This small village located on the southwestern bank of the lake is famous for its ruined clusters of pagodas dated back to the 16th century. The tranquil peaceful ambiance and the ruins overgrown with bushes will bring you centuries back.
In the afternoon, transfer to Heho airport for your domestic flight to Yangon. Arrival Yangon, transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at the in Yangon.
Day 7: Yangon – Vientiane (Flight) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport to take a flight from Yangon to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
Our Laos representative will be at the airport to welcome you & transfer to your hotel for check-in.
Free time at your leisure. Overnight in Vientiane.
Day 8: Explore the Laos Capital (B,D)
A city tour will take you to the Towering Golden stupa of That Luang, the most revered religious site in Laos.
Later, you’ll travel down Lane Xang Avenue to Wat Sisaket, where hundreds of statues of the Buddha are nestled into Alcover in the wall.
After lunchtime, take advantage of some free time to indulge in a little shopping and pampering. Later, you’ll have the unique opportunity to take part in a traditional Baci ceremony, after which you’ll be treated to some local flavors with a homemade dinner Lao!
Overnight at the hotel in Vientiane.
Day 9: Vientiane – Pakse (Flight) (B)
After breakfast, we’ll depart for the Wattay airport for your flight to Pakse.
Early morning, make the trip to admire the breathtaking natural scenery of the Bolaven Plateau, the center of coffee production in Laos, visit Tadfane, and Tadlo waterfall. Visit hill tribe villages around before returning to Pakse by late evening.
Overnight in Pakse.
Day 10: Wat Phou Cruise (B,L,D)
After breakfast, transfer you to Wat Phou Cruise. You’ll board a long tail boat for an Adventurous trip through rapids and sandbanks to the town of Champassak. From there, you’ll visit Wat Phou, a Hilltop Angkorian temple that is shrouded in curtains of an emerald forest.
Enjoy a relaxing cruise down-river, then take dinner on board while docked next to a remote Laotian village.
Overnight on board.
Day 11: Wat Phou Cruise (B,L,D)
On your first morning on board, we’ll set sail for the village of Huei Thamo, the jumping-off point for a walk through the shade of the forest to the hidden temple of Oum Moung. Afterward, return to continue your voyage to the inland archipelago paradise of 4000 islands. Soak up the centuries-old traditional life in the village of Meuangkong, then return to the boat to be serenaded by the song of the buffalo Toads as you enjoy a Starlite dinner on board.
Overnight on board.
Day 12: Pakse – Luang Prabang (Flight) (B,L)
Enjoy breakfast on the deck as you cruise to the village of Ban Veuthong, where you’ll step onto a local ferry en route to the spectacular Khong Phapheng waterfalls. Set out from a fishing village on a long tail boat ride to Khone village-keep an alert gaze, and you may catch a glimpse of the rare Irrawaddy river dolphin.
Later afternoon, return to the town and then transfer to the airport for a flight to Vientiane, and then connecting flight to Luangprabang. Upon arrival, and then transfer to your downtown hotel for rest.
Overnight at the hotel in Luangprabang.
Day 13: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou caves (B,L)
An early wake up will give you the chance to experience one of the most unforgettable rituals in all of Asia, as a procession of orange-robed monks walking emerge from the mist on a procession to receive Alms.
Afterward, continue your exploration of Luang Prabang’s spiritual side with a tour of Wat Xieng Thong, the most important monastery in Laos.
Later, board a boat for a journey upriver to Pak Ou, where limestone Caverns contain thousands of images of the Buddha. After a picnic lunch and a visit to several remote villages, return to enjoy the evening in Luangprabang.
Overnight at the hotel in Luangprabang.
Day 14: Luang Prabang – Khouangsi waterfalls (B,L)
Set out in the late morning for a trip to a Khmu minority village, and a visit to the Khouangsi Waterfalls. Under a leafy forest canopy, you’ll find the multi-tiered event culminate in a crystal pool that is ideal for swimming and relaxation.
After a picnic lunch near the case, stop at two traditional villages to learn about cotton production and the making of Sa paper.
Overnight at the hotel in Luangprabang.
Day 15: Luang Prabang – Hanoi (Flight) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time for leisure until transfer to Luangprabang airport for a flight to Hanoi.
Arrival Hanoi. Car and guide pick up. Transfer to your downtown hotel for rest. Free time at leisure.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 16: Hanoi – Halong Bay Cruise (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
08h30 AM, we drive to Ha Long Bay – the most famous Natural World Heritage site of Vietnam recognized 02 times by UNESCO in 1994 and 2000.
11h30-12h00: Arrive at the harbor. Welcome and transfer to the cruise ship. Briefing about the itinerary, safety instructions and check-in cabin.
Enjoy seafood lunch served on board.
You will visit a floating fishing village. Contemplate beautiful landscape with thousands of islands of different shapes and sizes.
Time for relaxing on the deck, kayaking (on your own account) & swimming (if time permits).
Cooking demonstration in the dining room.
Enjoy your dinner served on board.
Overnight onboard (Non-private cruise ship).
Day 17: Halong Bay Cruise – Yen Duc Village – Hanoi (B,Brunch)
Waking up early for Tai Chi exercises on the sun deck, and watching the amazing sunrise over the Bay. After Tai Chi, reward yourself with a healthful and light breakfast in the ship’s restaurant.
Relaxing on the sundeck to enjoy your cruising time on the Bay. Enjoy a brunch buffet as you cruise back to port. Cabin check-out.
Your driver and bus will transfer you back to Hanoi. You’ll stop at Yen Duc village. This is one of the villages in the Red River Delta that still preserves its authentic lifestyle. The local people’s lives revolve around rice cultivation and farming activities.
Taking a short walk through the village, you’ll see the charming rice fields, traditional houses and gardens, and friendly locals working on their farms…
Arriving at a Northern traditional house, you’ll taste some seasonal fruit and local specialties then enjoy a 30-minute Vietnamese water puppet show.
Walking back to your bus and continuing the way to Hanoi. Check into your hotel.
Having dinner at a fine dining restaurant in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 18: Hanoi – Perfume Pagoda (full-day) (B)
07.30: We pick you up at the hotel and depart for the Perfume Pagoda (Huong pagoda).
10.00: Arrival at the Perfume Pagoda. After a scenic hour and a half boat ride along the Yen stream and a 2-hour trek, you reach the Huong Tich Cave which houses the Pagoda of the Perfume Vestige. Next, you’ll visit the Thien Tru Pagoda or Pagoda leading to Heaven.
16.30: After the boat trip back to Ben Duc, we drive back Hanoi and will arrive in the city around 18.30. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 19: Explore Hanoi capital (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free time all day. You can relax, do shopping or visit some attractions of the city: Ho Chi Minh Museum, the One-pillar Pagoda, The First University, The Hoan Kiem Lake or the West Lake…
Overnight in Hanoi. (No guide, no car).
Day 20: Hanoi – Danang (Flight) - Hoian (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer you to Noi Bai Airport for a flight to Danang city.
Arrival Danang, pick up and transfer to Hoian (about 30km from Danang) for check into your hotel. Free afternoon to explore Hoian Ancient Town by yourself…
Overnight in Hoian.
Day 21: Hoian – My Son sanctuary (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning drive to My Son sanctuary. Explore the ancient religious center of Cham people. Most of the monuments were destroyed during Vietnam’s wars.
Drive back to Hoian. Afternoon, free time at leisure.
Overnight in Hoian.
Day 22: Hoian – Cham island (B,L)
Breakfast at the hotel.
7:30 AM: Transfer to Cua Dai harbor. Embark onto a speed boat to Cham Island (25-30 minutes).
Arriving Cham island. You’ll visit the boat shelter, Hai Tang pagoda, the fishing village, a local market.
Enjoy your lunch with seafood and local specialties.
Afternoon, go to Chong beach for swimming in the clear blue water, snorkeling to explore the beautiful coral reefs and tropical fish.
Relax and return to your boat. Return to Cua Dai harbor then transfer to your hotel.
Overnight in Hoian.
Day 23: Hoian, Danang – Saigon (Flight) (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Danang Airport for a flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
Arrival Saigon, pick-up and transfer to your hotel. Free time for visits, relaxation, shopping…
Overnight in Saigon.
Day 24: Saigon – My Tho – Can Tho (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
08h00AM: We depart from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho city (Mekong delta).
A smooth one and half hour bus ride passing the green rice fields leads you to the beautiful rural My Tho city.
Embark on a boat to enjoy your cruise on the Mekong river.
Visit fisherman’s wharf and see 4 islands: Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, Phoenix. Stop at Thoi Son island (Unicorn) to taste tropical fruit while you are listening to the sound of “Southern Vietnamese folk music” performed by the islanders. Visit an orchid garden.
Visit a coconut candy workshop, a famous specialty of Ben Tre province. Transfer to Ben Tre by boat. Take a short walk on village roads to explore the daily life of local people.
Then visit a family size honey bee farm and enjoy honey tea. You’ll take a rowing boat trip on Vam Chua arroyo. Visit a rice paper production workshop and back to My Tho pier.
Lunchtime. Drive to Can Tho. Check into the hotel. Overnight in Can Tho.
Day 25: Floating Market – Saigon (B)
Early morning, transfer to the boat pier. Take a boat on Hau River to visit Cai Rang Floating Market which is the biggest one in the region. Enjoy local fruit selling on surrounding boats.
Cruising back to the pier. Transfer to the hotel. Time for your breakfast and check-out.
Visit Binh Thuy ancient house where the famous French film “The Lover” was shot.
Leave Can Tho city, drive back to Saigon. Stop on the way for your lunch.
The evening is free at your leisure. Overnight in Saigon.
Day 26: Saigon – Siemreap (Flight) (B,D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport to take a short flight to Siem Reap city (Cambodia).
Our professional tour guide will welcome you at the airport. Then transfer to the chosen hotel.
In the afternoon, we drive to visit the Roluos group of temples. These 3 monuments served as the capital during the reign of King Indravaraman I (877-89), are among the earliest large and permanent temples of the Khmer classical art period. Preah Ko, erected by Indavaraman I in the late 9th century was dedicated by the King to his ancestors. Bakhong is the largest and the most interesting of the Roluos group temples with its active Buddhist monastery. Lastly Lolei, who’s four brick towers are replicas of the ones at Preah Ko, it was built on an islet in the center of a large reservoir by Yasovarman I – the founder of the first city of Angkor.
In the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and some time to enjoy the nightlife of Siem Reap.
Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.
Day 27: Siem Reap Temple Tour (B,D)
Breakfast will be at the hotel.
In the morning, we will visit Wat Thmei (New Wat) The wat contains a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. 500m west of the road to Angkor about 1.5km north of town. Then continue to visit the 7th world heritage, Angkor Wat a unique and stunning blend of spirituality and symmetry, an enduring example of man’s devotion to his Gods. It is the largest and undoubtedly the most breathtaking of the monuments of Angkor and it is widely believed that it is the largest religious structure in the world.
Lunchtime.
In the afternoon, visit the South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk) the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century) and visit Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avalokitesvara), the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, impressive laterite and sandstone pyramid. The lack of surviving carving leases it practically uninteresting, but it is the tallest scalable temple in Angkor Thom, providing a nice view from the top. The Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King and visit the fabulous Ta Prohm Temple, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees.
In the evening, enjoy a buffet-style dinner at the local restaurant where you can sample many Cambodian and South East Asian dishes whilst watching a dance show made up of traditional Cambodian dances including the classic Apsara Dance.
Day 28: Siem Reap Temple Tour (B,D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
After breakfast, you will visit Banteay Srei, the exquisite “Women’s Citadel”. Located 32 km from Siem Reap town, this was Cambodia’s last major Khmer temple to be re-discovered. And then visit Banteay Samre, built in the third quarter of the 12th century.
Lunchtime.
In the afternoon, explorer to grand circle: Preah Khan temple, built by the King Jayavarman VII and, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Ta Som temple, East Me Bon, is a large temple-mountain-like ruin, rising three levels and crowned by five towers. Jayavarman IV, a usurper to the throne, moved the capital from Angkor to Kh Ke in 928AD. Sixteen years later Rajendravarman II returned the capital to Angkor and shortly thereafter constructed East Mebon on an island in the middle of the now dry Eastern Bary. The temple is dedicated to Shiva in honor of the king’s parents. Then move to the major Pre Rup temple, built by Rajendravarman II in the late 10th century.
In the evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant & Overnight the same hotel in Siem Reap.
Day 29: Siem Reap (B,L)
Breakfast will be at the hotel.
In the morning, The Angkor National Museum, presenting one of the most immense and prestigious collections of Buddha Statues and relics ever assembled just in one gallery. The Angkor Nation Museum in Siem Reap offers eight chronologically ordered galleries of Angkorian-era artifacts and multi-media presentations of Angkorian history and culture. The museum has just recently its doors and is still in the process of putting the finishing touches on some of its exhibits.
And visit Les Artisans d’Angkor and see their stone and wood carving workshops where the artisans are taught to use traditional Khmer techniques.
Free time for shopping, relaxation…
Overnight the same hotel in Siem Reap.
Day 30: Siem Reap – Departure (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Relax until transfer to the International Airport for your departure flight. End of service.
Contact us via: info@vietcalatravel.com
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