North Vietnam & Laos Adventure – 13 Days

After breakfast, depart for a 2.5-hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay.

The Halong Bay itinerary below is an example of our standard service on a three-star junk/cruise. Our luxury cruise itineraries on the Violet, Jasmine, Ginger, Paradise, or Au Co offer a variety of programs. Please contact us for more information.

Spend 24 hours on a traditional junk cruise through the incredible bay, a natural wonderland of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around 12:00 p.m. and board your junk. As we sail out into the mystical bay, enjoy a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard. Cruise around some of Halong’s many islands in the afternoon, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Visit one of the bay’s three largest caves along the way (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and cool off in the Gulf of Tonkin’s warm waters (weather permitting). Pass the night on your junk, serenaded by the gentle rocking of calm waters.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Accommodation: on cruise on Halong Bay.

Wake up early and do Tai Chi on the top deck, or simply relax and watch the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the morning before rowing out to explore the nearby islands. Return to the junk for brunch, then use the sundeck to admire the incredible rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as you make your way back to Halong City. Your driver will be waiting for you at the dock and will take you back to Hanoi. A 3-hour Hanoi City Landmarks tour is available.

Meals: Brunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Your driver and guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and drive you to Mai Chau, a small town nestled in the midst of a lush valley surrounded by emerald-green rice fields. Enjoy scenic views of the scenic landscape, which is dotted with pagodas and rural villages. Visit the Muong tribe along the way, and then stop at Thung Khe Pass for a breathtaking view of Mai Chau Valley. After lunch in Mai Chau, spend the afternoon trekking along the Song Ma River, away from the typical tourist trail. Trek through terraced rice paddies and small villages, discovering the natural beauty of the valley and learning about the culture of the local White Thai people. Spend the night in a Thai village, having dinner with a local family and watching a live dance and music performance in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Accommodation: Homestay in Mai Chau.

Begin the day with a simple breakfast with your host family. Farewell to your homestay host and drive to Son La. We’ll stop en route to visit villages of various tribes, including the H’mong, Thai, Muong, and Dzao, as well as an orchard and tea farm in the Moc Chau plateau, Vietnam’s premier tea-growing region, before arriving in Son La (200 kilometers from Mai Chau) for a late lunch. In the afternoon, continue along winding mountain roads through North Vietnam’s stunning countryside. The most picturesque scenery here is Pha Din Pass, well-known as a historical site during the First Indochina War, which ended in 1954, and a charming and dangerous pass at an elevation of 1,300m with a breathtaking view. According to local legend, “Pha Din” means the link between Heaven and Earth. Check into your hotel upon arrival and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel in Dien Bien Phu.

Dien Bien Phu is located in a heart-shaped basin near the Laos border. The famous historical battleground where the Vietnamese defeated the French, bringing the French colonial occupation to an end in 1954.
Begin the day with a trip to the local market, where you will meet charming Thai tribes dressed in traditional costumes and purchase farm products.

The military base and historical site of the First Indochina War is next. We drive 30 minutes outside of town to The Command of Dien Bien Phu Campaign (Muong Phang) – Located in a primitive forest in Muong Phang commune to the commanding bunker of General Commander-in-chief Vo Nguyen Giap and Hoang Van Thai.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Dien Bien Phu Museum, which was built in 1984 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, before heading to A1 Hill, the most important French camp and the bunker of French General De Castries.

In the afternoon, spend some time relaxing by the hotel pool or strolling around town.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Dien Bien Phu

After breakfast, drive south through the peaceful Muong Thanh Valley to the Tay Trang border gate into Laos, where our Laos guide and driver will be waiting for you.

(Immigration and customs procedures may take up to 30 minutes.)
After crossing the border, you will continue through one of Laos’ most remote regions to Muang Khua, a one-horse border town on the Nam Ou River’s banks. Depending on your schedule, you can either stop for lunch at Pak Nam Noy or drive another hour and a half to Ban Na My.

Then continue on to Nong Khiaw, a charming rustic little town on the Ou River’s bank. It is crammed between some of the most spectacular limestone mountains north of Laos.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Nong Khiaw

Note: The Tay Trang border gate immigration normally closes for lunch between 12.00 – 13.30

After breakfast, take a pleasant walk around the village, taking in the village atmosphere and enjoying the great views of the Nam Ou river, or visit a small temple complex in the center of town. Continue the 2-hour drive to Pak Ou Caves, passing through picturesque scenery along the Nam Ou River and beautiful mountainous setting en route to a pantheon of gold Buddha statues tucked into the nooks of the limestone cliffs.

Take a cruise down the Mekong from the cave to the village of Ban Xang Hai. Before continuing down the Mekong to Luang Prabang, stop here to learn how the locals make LauLao (Lao whisky) and LauHai (Lao wine). Check into your hotel, then go for an evening stroll through the charming streets, taking in the sunset over the river and the surrounding lush countryside. The evening’s highlight is a visit to the city center’s local night market, where ethnic minority people gather to buy and sell their wares.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang, the former capital of Laos and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located where the Nam Khan River meets the Mekong. This city is known to enchant its visitors with its lantern-lit streets lined with a mix of faded colonial mansions and sparkling mosaic temples. Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a half-day tour of Luang Prabang. Begin at the Royal Palace Museum, then proceed to the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, a prime example of classic Laotian architecture, before seeing the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. Spend the rest of the day relaxing in one of the city’s many quirky cafés or strolling along the beautiful riverbank.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Today you drive from Luang Prabang to Xieng Khuang through the pristine countryside of Laos. This is a 7-hour drive with breathtaking views of Laos’ rain forests and mountain ranges. You will stop for photos and visit various hill tribe villages along the way. Check into your hotel upon arrival and relax.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Phonsavan.

Begin the day by visiting Phonsavan’s bustling central market. Before heading out to see the great stone wonders of Xieng Khuang, the Plain of Jars, stop by the MAG (de-mining organization) exhibition. First, you’ll visit Site 1, where hundreds of large stone jars are scattered across the beautiful plateau. The forested area of Site 2 follows, followed by a short scenic trek to Site 3, passing through the Thai Dam and Laos Leum village. Enjoy an afternoon tour of Muang Khoun’s old capital and nearby H’mong and Thai Dam villages.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Phonsavan.

Today you fly from Phonsavan to Vientiane on a short domestic flight. Your driver and guide will meet you at the airport and transport you to your downtown hotel. After a brief rest, embark on a sightseeing tour of Laos’ eccentric capital, stopping at all of the city’s major attractions. Begin the tour at Wat Si Saket, Vientiane’s oldest temple, which houses over 2,000 ceramic, gold, and silver Buddha images. Then we go to Haw Pha Kaew, the Royal Temple that once housed the famous Emerald Buddha, before continuing on to Pha That Luang, Laos’ most important national monument. Finish your tour at Patuxai, Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane.

Have breakfast at the hotel and then enjoy a free morning at your leisure before driving to the airport to catch your departure flight home.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: N/A.