Compare Indochina: Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos 2019 by Tauck vs Best of Cambodia: Siem Reap & Phnom Penh by Odynovo

Day 1 Arrive in Hanoi

Tour begins: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi at 6:00 PM. Transfers are included from Hanoi Int'l Airport to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner.

MEALS : D

LODGING : Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

PORTOFCALL : Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 2 Highlights of Hanoi, Old and New

Leave your preconceived images behind as you become acquainted with gracious Hanoi, ranking among the world's most attractive and interesting cities. Walk and take a buggy ride through Colonial Hanoi, seeing the Opera House and other local sights. Go inside infamous Hoa Lo Prison ("Hanoi Hilton"), where Senator John McCain and Douglas "Pete" Wilson were once imprisoned, and continue on to Da Ba Dinh Square to view Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace and the One-Pillar Pagoda. Attend a traditional water puppet performance this evening before dinner on your own. Please note: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex is closed each year for annual renovations from September to December; Ho Chi Minh's stilt house and the One-Pillar Pagoda are still open for viewing.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

PORTOFCALL : Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 3 An overnight Cruise on Ha Long Bay

Head north to Ha Long Bay for an extraordinary glimpse of rural life by land and sea. See villagers working in rice paddies, water buffaloes grazing in the open and ancient temples standing as testaments to history. Limestone islets, some 3,000 of them, line Ha Long Bay on the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Board the Paradise Elegance, combining traditional oriental design and modern amenities, for an overnight cruise among the limestone islands. After lunch onboard ship and more sightseeing on the bay, enjoy some free time to go swimming or kayaking, followed by a cooking demonstration before dinner onboard this evening.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Paradise Elegance

PORTOFCALL : Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Day 4 From the bay to Hoi An via Da Nang

After spending part of the morning cruising on Ha Long Bay, disembark Paradise Elegance and return to Hanoi to catch your flight to the city of Da Nang on the South China Sea. From there, you'll travel a short distance to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An, where you'll spend the next two nights in Grand Deluxe rooms in your MGallery Collection hotel, the Hotel Royal Hoi An.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Hotel Royal Hoi An

PORTOFCALL : Hoi An, Vietnam

Day 5 Exploring Hoi An, a World Heritage Site

A busy international trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries on the banks of the Thu Bon River, Hoi An is known for having preserved the traditional streets, temples and housing that reflect its multicultural heritage. Highlights include an 18th-century Japanese-style bridge with its own pagoda, the Phung Hung House and a riverside street market. After touring Hoi An's historic highlights via cyclo, spend the rest of the day and evening exploring this living museum as you wish, or simply relaxing at your hotel.

MEALS : B

LODGING : Hotel Royal Hoi An

PORTOFCALL : Hoi An, Vietnam

Day 6 To Ho Chi Minh City & Cu Chi Tunnels

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City this morning; upon arrival, head to the Cu Chi Tunnels in Ben Duoc for a close-up look at the Vietnam War. Stretching out in a 120-mile underground network of meeting rooms, triage centers and kitchens, Cu Chi offers a unique look at the wartime life of Viet Cong guerillas and peasant soldiers. Enjoy dinner tonight at a local restaurant.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : InterContinental Asiana Saigon

PORTOFCALL : Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Day 7 Discovering Ho Chi Minh City

You may remember this former French colonial city as Saigon; today, Ho Chi Minh City bustles with forward-looking energy in glittering skyscapes, street vendors and open-air cafés. See vestiges of its past on a sightseeing tour that includes Reunification Hall, formerly the presidential palace of South Vietnam, the Post Office and the Cathedral. After lunch, spend the rest of the afternoon and evening exploring as you please in Ho Chi Minh City.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : InterContinental Asiana Saigon

PORTOFCALL : Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Day 8 Life in the Mekong Delta

From Ho Chi Minh City, drive to the Mekong River town of Cai Be and board a motorized sampan to cruise through small villages along the banks and floating markets for an authentic look at daily life along the river and the Mekong Delta. Stop at a local rice paper workshop and a fish sauce factory to sample their wares. Lunch at a local farmer's home provides a look at daily life before you return by land to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : InterContinental Asiana Saigon

PORTOFCALL : Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Day 9 Fly to Phnom Penh

Take a morning flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, arriving in time for lunch. This afternoon, visit the Apsara Arts Association, dedicated to the preservation of traditional Cambodian dance and culture. Dine in style this evening at one of the city's top restaurants for fine French cuisine. Your home for the next two nights is the landmark Raffles Hotel Le Royal, where French colonial ambiance has been welcoming royalty, celebrities and jetsetters for over eighty years.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Raffles Hotel Le Royal

PORTOFCALL : Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Day 10 The Many Faces of Phnom Penh

Explore Phnom Penh's Royal Palace complex this morning, where you'll find solid silver tiles on the floor of the Silver Pagoda, which today serves as a repository for religious and cultural treasures; the architecture of the various buildings in the complex is extraordinary. Visit the National Museum, housing the world's premier collection of Khmer art, including bronzes, ceramics and sculpture, and chronicling Cambodia's history and culture. After lunch, join us for a poignant, optional trip to the infamous "Killing Fields" of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Museum, memorializing the victims of the infamous "S-21" prison operated at the site.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Raffles Hotel Le Royal

PORTOFCALL : Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Day 11 Fly to Siem Reap & visit Angkor Wat

Drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor. More than 1,000 archeological sites have been identified at what were the ancient Khmer metropolitan areas. Begin exploring some of them today on a guided visit to Angkor Wat, said to be the largest temple ruins in the world; the bas-reliefs that adorn the massive temple are among the finest examples of 12th-century Khmer art. Dine at your hotel, Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, this evening.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor

PORTOFCALL : Siem Reap, Cambodia

Day 12 Ancient Temples of Angkor

View amazing sculpted monuments celebrating the ancient Khmer Empire on a guided tour that takes you to the root-shrouded Temple of Ta Prohm, imperial Angkor Thom, elaborate Elephant Terrace and the incomparable Bayon Temple. After lunch at a popular local restaurant, the rest of the day is free to spend as you please; dine at your hotel tonight.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor

PORTOFCALL : Siem Reap, Cambodia

Day 13 Fly to Colorful Luang Prabang in Laos

The beguiling Laotian city of Luang Prabang captivates with gold-leafed monasteries, French architecture, fragrant flowers and flavorful spices. Enjoy dinner at your luxurious hotel after settling in for a three-night stay.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : The Luang Say Residence

PORTOFCALL : Siem Reap, Cambodia

Day 14 Alms in Luang Prabang & local rural life

Shortly after dawn in Luang Prabang, a gong announces the end of morning prayers and the beginning of a procession of monks emerging from the temples to seek alms; rise early this morning to experience this extraordinary ritual. After breakfast, explore the National Museum, preserved from its days as a royal residence at the turn of the 20th century and depicting day-to-day life for the rich and royal; visit the Wat Mai temple; and take an orientation tour of the city. Then, a scenic drive through the countryside leads to the multi-tiered cascades of the Tad Kouang Si waterfalls, tumbling over limestone formations to create turquoise-colored pools; the wildlife-rich jungle surrounding the falls entices with natural footpaths perfect for hiking. Return to your hotel in Luang Prabang for an evening spent at as you please.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : The Luang Say Residence

PORTOFCALL : Luang Prabang, Laos

Day 15 Waterfalls, visit to a special village and a traditional Lao Baci ceremony

Morning sightseeing takes you to picture-perfect Tad Kouang Si waterfalls. Have lunch at a local restaurant in Luang Prabang, then join us this afternoon for a visit to an elephant village for an educational opportunity - and time spent interacting with the elephants! Join us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner that is highlighted by a special Lao welcome and a traditional Lao Baci well-wishing ceremony, complete with music and dance.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : The Luang Say Residence

PORTOFCALL : Luang Prabang, Laos

Day 16 Life in the Laotian countryside & journey home

Spend the morning on a community based living rice farm in the countryside, surrounded by mountains and rice paddies. You'll have an opportunity to experience the life of local rice farmers and try your hand at some of their daily activities, or view them from the comfort of a traditional Lao rice house balcony, surrounded by rice terraces and an organic vegetable farm. There will also be time to visit local handicraft workshops featuring crafts including bamboo weaving, blacksmithing, and sugar cane processing, and a tour of an organic garden offers insights on how natural herbs are used in traditional medicine. Return to your hotel for lunch, then a late-day flight brings you back to Hanoi. Tour ends: Hanoi. Fly to Hanoi International Airport to connect with your flight home, arriving early evening; international flights should depart no earlier than 9 PM. Allow three hours for flight check-in at the airport.

MEALS : B, L

PORTOFCALL : Luang Prabang, Laos

Day 1 Arrival, Siem Reap

Overnight: Siem Reap
Welcome to Siem Reap, Cambodia! Upon arrival at the airport, your guide will greet you with a warm welcoming smile and then transfer you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of today is free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

Day 2 Siem Reap

Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning, you will have an eye-opening adventure in Angkor Thom. Passing through the south gate, you will arrive at Bayon Temple, renowned for the smiling Buddha faces at the top of the towers. Close by is Elephant Terrace, highlighted by exquisite bas-reliefs showing a parade of elephants and other beasts. Continue on to Angkor Wat Temple, the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. Finally, go on to Bakheng Temple for the fantastic sunset view of the distant Angkor Wat in the jungle.

Day 3 Siem Reap

Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Wake up early for a stunning sunrise view of Angkor Wat. You can have breakfast at the hotel or takeout is available. Then, set off to visit Banteay Srei Temple, which is praised as the "jewel of Khmer art" for its miniature scale, elaborate bas-reliefs and built of red sandstone. En route, you will stop at some local villages to get close to the local daily life of villagers. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue your visit to Ta Prohm Temple, where stone pillars and carvings intertwine with massive tree roots and jungle. Before retiring to your hotel, make a final stop at Ta Keo Temple.

Day 4 Siem Reap - Phnom Penh

Overnight: Phnom Penh
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, you will enjoy a countryside tour at Khmer Village with picturesque rice fields and palm trees. After that, hop aboard a boat for a cruise on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Take in natural beauty and get close to the local life of floating villages. After lunch, if time allows, you will have a chance to visit Artisans D' Angkor and Old Market before your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

Day 5 Phnom Penh

Overnight: Phnom Penh
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning, you will explore the famous Royal Palace, followed by a stroll around Silver Pagoda, the best part of the Palace. Next, walk into the nearby National Museum. The day continues with a visit to Wat Phnom, admiring stunning views from the top. Later, learn about the memories of the infamous Khmer Rouge at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Killing Fields of Choeung EK.

Day 6 Phnom Penh, Departure

Meal: Breakfast

This morning is at leisure before your guide transfers you to the airport for your flight back home.