Authentic experience of Vietnam Laos itinerary | 7 days 6 nights

Upon arrival Hanoi, meet up with the tour guide and driver of Indochina Leisure at the airport then they will transfer you to your hotel in city centre. Kick off Laos and Vietnam itinerary. 

Check in and Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.
 

08.0am: You leave Hanoi for Halong Bay (the World Natural Heritage site) via the Red River Delta. After 3.5 hours driving, arrival at Halong Pier, you check out the junk cruise while lunch is served. You will cruise passing through the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons teeth.

After lunch, keep Vietnam Laos itinerary by taking a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay, swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck.
 
In the late afternoon, you visit an interesting fishing village with an opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. At sunset, you do kayaking or simply take a bamboo row boat to discover a water tunnel with many coral reefs in a scenic lagoon.

Back on board, enjoy watching the peaceful sunset and later unwind at a restaurant. You will stay overnight onboard.

This early morning, after waken up by the sounds of waves and birds welcoming the new day, guests of Vietnam and Laos itinerary will have an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay.

After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto. You will have one more time take a walk back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock.

Check out the junk and get on car to return to Hanoi. Dinner on your own. Overnight stay at the hotel in Hanoi.
 

08.00: Our driver & guide will pick you up at your hotel to start the trip. The post-colonial capital city of Hanoi is a unique Asian city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, numerous lakes, pagodas and temples.

This full day tour of Vietnam and Laos tour takes you around Hanoi s most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ho Chi Minh s Mausoleum and his Stilt House, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby.

Also on the tour will be the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, and one of the city s museums, either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum.
 
You will stay overnight in Hanoi after water puppet show performance and 1 hour cyclo ride around the Hanoi Old Quarter before transfer to the airport for your flight to Luang Phrabang. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to hotel. Luang Prabang has been claimed by the UNESCO to be ‘the best preserved city in South East Asia’.

During our time here, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai, we then climb up to the top of mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset and the Mekong River.

From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textile made by local and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang.

Dinner on your own. Overnight in Luang Prabang. 

On the firth day of Laos and Vietnam itinerary, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture.

We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as explore the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims.  Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine.

On return, we take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a small village known for its hand weaving. Luch in local restauarant and free time !

Dinner on your own. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
 

An optional early start of Vietnam Laos itinerary gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. From there you will visit the morning Phosi Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.

Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Hmong Village, Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and Ban Thapene, Khmu Village, then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the turqoise pools or walk along the forest trails.

After returning to Luang Prabang by late afternoon, we continue to Ban Xangkhong, a village well known for its silk weavings and for its Saa (jute) Papermaking. We return to the city by late evening to observe the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Luch in local restauarant and free time !

Dinner on your own. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
 

After breakfast, we visit The National Museum (close Tuesday) at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign. Also the Central Market is not to be missed.

After visiting these sights in the morning, you have free time to explore the town and stroll around the shopping area.
 
The tour ends after your transfer to the airport for departure.
End of Vietnam and Laos itinerary 7 days 6 nights !