Indochina Ultimate Journey 23 Days

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, your guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. After check-in, the remainder of the day is free for you to relax after your journey or perhaps begin exploring this fascinating city.

Tour guide: English speaking tour guide
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, experience Hanoi from a local perspective on a half-day exploration combining walking and traditional cyclo rides. Begin with a cyclo tour through the atmospheric Old Quarter, where each street was traditionally named for the goods sold there – a fascinating glimpse into the city’s commercial history that continues today.

Hop off your cyclo at the bustling Dong Xuan Market, Hanoi’s largest indoor market, where you can observe locals shopping for everything from fresh produce to household goods. Continue on foot toward Hang Than Street and the vibrant Chau Long local market, where vendors display colorful arrays of fruits, vegetables, meats, and spices.

Your journey takes you to the serene West Lake area and Quan Thanh Temple, one of Hanoi’s oldest Taoist temples dating back to the 11th century.

The tour concludes at Hanoi’s famous train street, where homes and businesses sit just feet away from active railway tracks. Here, enjoy a Vietnamese coffee at a local café while watching trains pass through this unique urban setting – a perfect photo opportunity and glimpse into how traditional and modern life intertwine in Vietnam’s capital.

Tour guide: English speaking tour guide
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, embark on a scenic two-hour drive south to Ninh Binh. Upon arrival, board a private sampan boat at Tam Coc for a 90-minute journey through a breathtaking scenery of limestone peaks rising dramatically from rice paddies.

Following lunch at a local restaurant featuring regional specialties, challenge yourself with a climb to the Mua Cave viewpoint. The ascent of approximately 500 steps rewards you with panoramic vistas over the entire Tam Coc valley – a photographer’s dream with limestone mountains and emerald rice fields stretching to the horizon. Take time to explore the cave itself and capture memorable images of this stunning landscape.

Complete your day with a bicycle tour through the tranquil Thung Sen area. Pedal along peaceful country lanes, visit the historic Thai Vy Temple dedicated to a Tran Dynasty king, and experience authentic rural life up close. The flat terrain makes this ride suitable for all fitness levels, and it provides wonderful opportunities to interact with local farmers and observe traditional Vietnamese countryside living.

Overnight in the peaceful setting of Tam Coc.

Tour guide: English speaking tour guide
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, depart Ninh Binh for the approximately 4-hour drive to Halong Bay. Arrive at Sunworld International Harbor around noon and board a tender boat to your luxury cruise ship. Once aboard, enjoy a welcome drink and safety briefing before checking into your comfortable cabin.

As you begin cruising through the less-visited Bai Tu Long Bay, savor a delicious lunch while taking in the spectacular scenery of thousands of limestone islands rising from emerald waters. In the afternoon, enjoy kayaking through hidden lagoons, swimming in crystal-clear waters, and relaxing on the pristine beaches of Cap La.

As evening approaches, join the sunset party with Happy Hour drinks while the boat anchors in the tranquil Cong Do area for the night. A delicious BBQ dinner served on the sundeck (weather permitting) caps off your day, followed by evening activities like board games, squid fishing, or simply stargazing from the luxury sky bar with a cocktail in hand.

This overnight cruise consistently ranks as travelers’ most memorable experience in Vietnam, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty, adventure, and comfort in one of the world’s most spectacular seascapes.

Tour guide: English speaking guide on board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Wake up early to catch the magical sunrise over the bay – a perfect time for photographs as the morning light plays across the limestone formations. Join an optional Tai Chi session on the sundeck to start your day with gentle exercise in this serene setting.

After a light breakfast, visit the traditional Vung Vieng Fishing Village by bamboo boat, where you’ll witness the daily routines of fishing communities who have lived on these waters for generations. Back on the main boat, enjoy your final views of Halong Bay during lunch as you cruise back to shore.

After disembarking around noon, transfer back to Hanoi in time for your flight to Da Nang in central Vietnam. Upon arrival in Da Nang, your guide will meet you and drive you to nearby Hoi An.

Tour guide: English Speaking guide on board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, explore Hoi An Ancient Town on a guided walking tour through this exceptionally preserved trading port. Begin at the ornate Chinese Assembly Halls, where Chinese merchants from different regions established gathering places that showcase the rich cultural exchange between China and Vietnam through intricate architecture, elaborate carvings, and colorful ceramic decorations.

Continue to the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, a symbol of Hoi An that dates back to the 16th century. This unique structure blends Japanese design with Vietnamese elements and once served as a physical link between the Japanese and Chinese quarters of the town.

Visit the serene Phuc Kien Pagoda, originally built by Chinese merchants from Fujian province, where you can admire the intricate woodwork, vibrant decorations, and peaceful atmosphere of this still-functioning religious site.

Complete your tour at the historic Tan Ky House, a well-preserved 18th-century merchant’s home that has remained in the same family for seven generations. The house perfectly illustrates Hoi An’s trading history with its blend of Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese architectural elements and displays of artifacts from the town’s commercial heyday.

The afternoon is free for you to continue exploring independently, perhaps shopping for custom-made clothing from Hoi An’s famous tailors, relaxing at a riverside café, or visiting the town’s vibrant central market.

Tour guide: English Speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast

Today is yours to enjoy Hoi An at your leisure or choose from several optional excursions.

Option 1: My Son Sanctuary Half-day tour

After breakfast, you’ll embark on a half-day private tour to My Son, the center of Cham culture. Explore the ancient My Son holy site’s remains and consider the Champa people’s heyday, which spanned the 4th through the 13th centuries.

Option 2: Hoi An cooking class

Culinary enthusiasts can join a cooking class by starting your day at 8:15 AM with a refreshing drink and a quick chat about what’s in store. Then, dive into the heart of Hoi An’s bustling market. Here, you’ll see, smell, and taste the fresh ingredients that make Vietnamese cuisine so special. Chat with friendly local sellers and try some tasty treats along the way.

Next, hop aboard our boat for a scenic 25-minute ride down the Hoi An River. Keep your camera ready – you might spot some interesting local life on the banks!

At the Red Bridge Cooking School, you’ll explore our lush herb garden before learning about famous Vietnamese dishes. Our expert chefs will show you how to cook each meal step-by-step. You’ll even learn how to make your plates look beautiful with food carving tricks.

Option 3: Hoi An bike tour

In the afternoon, spend time leisurely cycling though the scenic countryside of Vietnam, far from the traffic the motor scooters, and the noises the city, visit vullage of making sleep mat, rice noodles making.

For a glimpse into rural Vietnamese life, join an afternoon bicycle tour through the picturesque countryside surrounding Hoi An. Cycle along quiet paths to visit traditional villages including Tra Que Organic Vegetable Village, where farmers use seaweed from nearby lagoons as natural fertilizer to grow exceptionally flavorful herbs and vegetables. Meet local families, observe traditional farming methods, and enjoy the peaceful scenery of rice fields and river islands.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast.

For a hands-on culinary experience, head to a cooking class (Source: Internet)

After breakfast, transfer to Da Nang Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in, followed by lunch.

The tour continues in the afternoon with a visit to the War Museum and the Reunification Palace following check-in and lunch. The official one, which served as the office of the Southern President of Vietnam, is filled with amazing images and wartime artifacts. You’ll later pay a quick visit to the neighboring historic post office and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Your tour concludes at the bustling Ben Thanh Market, where you can practice your bargaining skills while shopping for souvenirs, textiles, and local handicrafts among hundreds of vendors selling everything from fresh produce to fashion items.

Tour guide: English speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast.

After breakfast, travel approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Ho Chi Minh City to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an immense network of connecting underground passages that were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots, living quarters, hospitals, and supply routes during the Vietnam War.

Begin with an introductory video about the construction and purpose of the tunnels before exploring the tunnel complex itself. Your guide will explain how the tunnels were constructed and the ingenious ways in which the guerrilla fighters lived and fought underground. You’ll have the opportunity to crawl through a section of tunnel that has been widened for tourists, getting a vivid sense of the challenging conditions faced by those who used them during the war.

This excursion provides crucial historical context for understanding Vietnam’s recent past and the resilience of its people during wartime. Return to Ho Chi Minh City in the early afternoon, with the remainder of the day free for personal exploration or relaxation.

Tour guide: English speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast

Today is yours to explore Ho Chi Minh City at your own pace or take the optional full-day excursion to the Mekong Delta.

Mekong Delta optional tour:

After breakfast, take a smooth drive from Sai Gon to Cai Be then the program will start with a visit of a local market. Then, the rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals to enjoy the peaceful time. Back to our boat to go across one of the longest river in the world, Mekong River, to come to An Bình Island. Travel on a handmade canal to Ut Trinh home & have an optional lunch. After lunch, we can walk around this orchard & enjoy some cups of tea when listening to the traditional music in the ancient house.

Walk in the local village to visit the local family to see how to make rice paper, coconut candy, pop-rice… Enjoy some sweets with a cup of hot tea.

Optional biking can be made for a leisure! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local daily life: orchard, school, church, pagoda, traditional houses and maybe the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta…Visit the brick kilns where you can see how the local people create beautiful potteries from clay. The cruise will end at Vinh Long city and our tour guide and driver will pick you up to transfer you back to HCM.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

Discover another side of Mekong Delta by riding motor cart ride

Enjoy free time until your transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for your flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s vibrant capital city situated at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Royal Palace is a royal residence now where His Majesty, the King of Cambodia, and the royal families live. It is like a small town of royal dynasties. Continue to Silver Pagoda and followed by visit Wat Phnom Temple is one of the most important pagodas in Phnom Penh. Built in 1373 on an artificial hill by the wealthy widow Daun Chi Penh.

The afternoon is free for personal exploration of Phnom Penh’s vibrant markets and riverfront area. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Optional to upgrade into full day tour: For those interested in gaining deeper understanding of Cambodia’s recent history, we offer an optional afternoon tour to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21 prison) and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. These sobering sites document the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975-1979. While emotionally challenging, many visitors find these sites provide essential context for understanding Cambodia’s present-day society and the remarkable resilience of its people. For families traveling with younger children, parents may choose to visit these sites individually while others enjoy the hotel pool or other activities more suitable for children.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Phnom Penh before transferring to the airport for your short flight to Siem Reap, gateway to the magnificent temples of Angkor. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

The remainder of the day is free for you to relax or begin exploring this charming town.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at hotel. Begin your journey at Angkor Thom, the last great capital of the Khmer Empire. Enter through the imposing South Gate with its rows of gods and demons lining the bridge over the moat, and continue to the enigmatic Bayon Temple, famous for its 216 serene stone faces gazing out from 54 towers.

Explore the Terrace of the Elephants, a platform where the king viewed public ceremonies, the Terrace of the Leper King with its intricate carvings, and the pyramidal Baphuon temple recently restored after years of painstaking work.

In the afternoon, visit Ta Prohm, left largely as it was found, with massive tree roots embracing ancient stones in a powerful display of nature reclaiming human creation. This atmospheric temple featured in the film “Tomb Raider” and offers some of the park’s most photogenic scenes.

Your day culminates at the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. As you explore its extensive grounds and intricate bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and scenes from daily life, you’ll understand why this temple is Cambodia’s national symbol and pride.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy free time in Siem Reap until your transfer to the airport for your flight to Bangkok.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at hotel, full day city tour with highlights. Start visit The Grand Palace & The Emerald Buddha is to Thailand what the pyramids are to Egypt and the Eiffel tower to Paris; the face of the nation and well worth an in-depth guided visit. Dive in deep with your guide, learn about the why and how of the colors, the symbolism behind the postures of the guards, the religious aspect of the palace and temple for the Thai and the function of the complex today.

Enter the always bustling Wat Pho; home to the 45 meter long Reclining Buddha and the perfect place to make your offering for your wish to be granted.

By boat you explore Chao Phraya River and the lesser known canals and slide through these quite, green places where local families still live like in the past.

Climb up sacred Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn, for a fulfilling view over the River of Kings and the Grand Palace on the other side.

Continue, food tour at China town; Bangkok’s Chinatown is a popular tourist attraction and a food heaven for new generation gourmands who flock here after sunset to explore the vibrant street-side cuisine. Packed with market stalls, street-side restaurants and a dense concentration of gold shops, Chinatown is an experience not to miss. The energy that oozes from its endless rows of wooden shop-houses is plain contagious – it will keep you wanting to come back for more.

Tour ends, transfer back to hotel

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, check out and transfer to Bangkok Airport for your flight to Trat in eastern Thailand. Upon arrival, your driver will meet you for the transfer to Koh Chang, including a short ferry crossing to this tropical island paradise.

After check-in at your beachfront resort, the remainder of the day is free for you to begin enjoying the island’s natural beauty.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy full days of island relaxation or adventure – the choice is yours.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy full days of island relaxation or adventure – the choice is yours.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy full days of island relaxation or adventure – the choice is yours.

Tour guide: English Speaking Guide
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, check out of your resort and transfer by van and ferry to Trat Airport for your flight back to Bangkok. Arrive at Bangkok Airport, you will be greeted by privately van transfer to city hotel.

The remainder of the day is free for you to revisit favorite spots in Bangkok, explore new areas or simply relax at your hotel.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

Today is entirely yours to spend as you wish in Bangkok. This free day allows you to personalize the conclusion of your Southeast Asian adventure according to your interests, whether that means more sightseeing, shopping, or simply savoring final moments in this vibrant city.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, enjoy free time until check-out from your hotel. Your private driver will transfer you to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport in plenty of time for your departure flight.

Tour guide: N/A
Meals: Breakfast