Explore Laos & Vietnam

− Explore the gems of Laos & Vietnam
− Relax and cruise in Halong Bay, Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994
− Visit Dien Bien Phu battle fields, known by Indochine War in 1954
− Enjoy cooking class and cycling around Hoian old town
− Incredible cruise in Mekong Delta
− Beach break on Phu Quoc Island with sea, sun, wind and seafood

Our commitments:

1. After reading this program, you can change the itinerary to fit your travel requirements: budget, hotels, preferences, leisure time, special needs... Our Travel Specialist will work with you to design a perfect holiday just for you. We are committed to offer you the BEST VALUE for QUALITY SERVICES and GREAT CUSTOMER CARE.
2. Local assistance: Vietnam Hello World Travel Company Team are available all time while you are on the tour: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
3. Our Travel Specialists at Vietnam Hello World Travel Company take care of your holiday. So, you can unwind and enjoy your touring without any hassle. We are on the ground to give you the best travel experiences.
4. Upgrade and VIP opportunities where available.
5. Please contact us for FREE Quote, Travel Advices and Information. 

Contact person: Ms. Jennifer Pham
E-mail: sales@vietnamhelloworld.com

Day 1: Vientiane – Arrival (-/L/-)
Meet upon arrival at Vientiane Wattay Airport, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Vientiane’s major attractions are the serene Buddhist monasteries that dominate the center of town. The city has kept its timeless charm with tree-lined avenues, brightly painted temples and quaint French architecture. 
Lunch at the local restaurant.
Afternoon we visit Vat Sisaket, the oldest original temple in Vientiane. Built in 1818, Vat Sisaket is the sole survivor of an invasion in 1828. Vat Sisaket features remarkable frescoes and 6,840 Buddha images. Nearby is Ho Phra Keo, once the royal temple of Lao monarchy. Built in 1565, Ho Phra Keo has been used as a museum since 1970 and contains some of the finest Buddhist sculptures and artifacts in the country. Special displays include antique brass drums and palm leaf manuscripts. The main structure originally housed the famous Emerald Buddha that now resides in Bangkok’s Wat Phra Keo. One of the most photographed images of Vientiane is Patousay, the victory gate also known as Anousavari. Constructed in 1958, its architecture is inspired by the Arc of Triumph in Paris. Another famous Vientiane landmark is the That Luang Stupa. King Setthathirath built this great sacred stupa, considered as the national symbol, in 1566. Its central structure is 45 meters tall and echoes the curving lines of an elongated lotus. The original stupa was said to contain relics of Lord Buddha. 
Accommodation at Mercure Hotel STANDARD Room in Vientiane. 

Day 2: Vientiane – Nam Ngum Lake (B/L/-)
Breakfast at the hotel. 
Drive to Vang Xang archeological site. The name means Elephant Palace, a reference to an elephant graveyard found in the vicinity. The site, which consists of a cluster of 10 high-relief Buddha sculptures on cliffs, is usually assigned to an 11th century Mon provenance. Walk along the canyon to see the Buddha images carved on the cliffs. Picnic lunch. Visit the famous weaving village of Ban Phone Ngeun, whose inhabitants come from Samneua, and then a Hmong village at Km 52. Continue to Nam Ngum Lake and take a boat trip (approx 2 hours) to explore the lush vegetation along the backwaters. Drive back to Vientiane by route N0 10th. Stopover to visit the salt extraction at Ban Keun and the zoo. Arrive Vientiane at late afternoon. 
Accommodation at Mercure Hotel STANDARD Room in Vientiane. 

Day 3: Vientiane – Hanoi (B/L/-)
Breakfast at the hotel. 
Visit Morning Market (Talaat Sao), which is known for its superior silk weaving, metal work and woodcarving. 
Lunch at the Kua Lao restaurant. 
Transfer to Vientiane Airport for departure flight to Hanoi. 
Upon arrival, welcome by our friendly local tour guide at Hanoi Airport, transfer to your hotel in Hanoi for check in. Rest of the day is at leisure. Accommodation in Hanoi.

Day 4: Hanoi City Tour (B/L/-)
Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Monday, Friday and during the months of September and October) and his former residence (closed on Monday and Friday), One-Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, known as the first university of Vietnam and built more than 1,000 years ago. 
Continue the city tour to one of the following museums (Note that museums are closed on Mondays.): 

• Fine Arts Museum 
• Vietnam National Museum of History 
• War Museum
• Museum of Ethnology 
• Hoa Lo Prison Museum 

After lunch, enjoy a leisurely one-hour cyclo tour through Hanoi. Visit the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. Hoan Kiem Lake was already considered the most beautiful lake in Hanoi when Ngoc Son Temple was built on an island in the 19th century. Initially, the temple was called Ngoc Son Pagoda and was later renamed Ngoc Son Temple, since temples are dedicated to saints. Saint Van Xuong, considered to be one of the brightest stars in Vietnam's literary and intellectual circles, was worshipped there along with other National heroes. 
Enjoy the evening with a performance of the famous water puppet show. The Vietnamese traditional art of water puppetry has roots that date back to the 10th century when it originated in the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam. The farmers in the region celebrated festivals and harvests by performing this unique art form. The puppets are made of wood and usually stand sixteen inches high, but can be as tall as three feet. Puppets are attached to a long bamboo pole and dipped in and out of the water by a person behind a rattan curtain. Learning to manipulate the puppets is usually a tradition that is passed on as a family secret. It takes a great deal of skill and because the puppeteer’s hands are underwater it is easy for them to hide their methods. The fascinating part is that the central stage is below the water line, and the puppeteers stand in the waist-deep water. A rattan curtain hides them, but they can see the stage and the audience through the bamboo slats. 
Accommodation at CHALCEDONY Hotel in Hanoi, DELUXE room. 

Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B/L/D)
08:00AM  Rendez-vous at the lobby of your hotel in Hanoi. Depart for Halong Bay, 180km east of Hanoi, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. 
12:30      Receptionists welcome guests at the Tuan Chau International Harbour. 
12:45      Captain welcomes guests to Syrena cruises by tender. Check in whilst enjoy a welcome drink, safety briefing and check in cabin. 
13:00      Leave Tuan Chau International Harbour, discover the Halong Bay - natural wonders of the world. Have lunch while cruising through famous sights including Ba Hang fishing village, Dinh Huong island, Cho Da islet, Ga Choi islet…
14:30      Cruise stops at Bo Nau Cave, the core area of the world natural heritage. Transfer by tender to the Surprise Cave – one of the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay. 
15:45      Leaving Surprise cave, transfer by tender to the Titov island. Enjoy swimming, relaxing on the beach or climb the steps of the rock to the top of the island for photo taking. On the top of the mountain, you can see a corner of magical Halong Bay.
16:45      Back to the cruise. Relax and enjoy sunset on the sun deck.  Cruising to the overnight anchorage.
18:00 – 19:00       Enjoy HAPPY HOUR from 18:00 – 19:00 - Buy one drink get one free (wine excluded).
18:30      Join the cooking class and learn how to cook Vietnamese traditional dishes. 
19:00      Dinner is served with a variety of Vietnamese fusion cuisine. 
20:30      Evening activities include:                
- Film entertainment in the dining room.                 
- Squid fishing with our crew.                 
- Foot reflexology & massage (chargeable): please contact our cruise team to book the service. 

Note: Our Tour Guide will not escort you onboard. 

Day 6: Halong Bay – Hanoi (B/-/-)
06:00       Morning wake up call upon request.
06:30 Enjoy Tai Chi instructions on the sundeck in 30 minutes whilst cruising to Luon Cave.
07:00 Enjoy light breakfast in the restaurant. Coffee, tea, fresh milk, water, pastries, fresh fruit, cereals will be served in the dining room.
08:00 Transfer to Luon Cave by tender. Visit Luon cave by a traditionally woven bamboo boat rowed by a local boatman.
08:30 Return to the cruise, take time to freshen up and check out of the cabins. Please leave your luggage outside your cabins (staff will then transfer to the pier upon arrival for you). Depart for Tuan Chau International Harbour.
09:15 Enjoy brunch served in the dining room. Settle bills in the dining room after brunch (if any).
10:45 Transfer by tender back to Tuan Chau Harbour and disembarkation.
11:00 Drive back to Hanoi. Visit one pottery atelier en-route. Drop off at your hotel. 
Accommodation at CHALCEDONY Hotel DELUXE Room in Hanoi. 

Day 7: Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu (B/-/-)
Breakfast at hotel,
In the morning, pick up at your hotel and transfer to Hanoi / Noi Bai Airport for flight to Dien Bien Phu, famed for battle fields in 1954 during Indochine War.
Meet on arrival, transfer to the hotel for check - in.
Afternoon: visit Dien Bien Phu Museum and A1 hill then continue to Dien Bien Phu Cemetery to observe a minute’s silence in memory of the heroes who devoted their lives for the victory of the historical Dien Bien Phu campaign. Back to the hotel for refreshment. 
Overnight at MUONG THANH Hotel DELUXE room in Dien Bien Phu.

Day 8: Dien Bien Phu – Hanoi (B/L/-)
Visit General De Castries’s Bunker, Old Muong Thanh Bridge and Nam Rom river. 
Then, transfer to Dien Bien Phu Airport for flight to Hanoi. 
Upon arrival, pick up at Hanoi Airport and transfer to your hotel in Hanoi for check in. Rest of the day is at leisure. 
Accommodation at CHALCEDONY Hotel DELUXE Room in Hanoi. 

Day 9: Hanoi – Hue (B/-/-)
In the morning, pick up at your hotel and transfer to Hanoi / Noi Bai Airport for morning flight to Hue. 
Upon arrival, you will be welcome by our local tour guide at Hue Airport and transfer to Hue centre for discovery. 
Explore the Imperial City of Hue:
The first stop is the Hue Imperial Citadel. The Hue Citadel is situated on the Northern bank of the Perfume River and built by Emperor Gia Long it was designed for the exclusive use of the Emperor and his household. The Citadel is a square 2 km wall encompassing 3 walled enclosures; the Citadel, Kinh Thanh Hue, the Yellow Imperial city, Hoang Thanh and in the centre the Forbidden Purple city Tu Cam Thanh where the Emperor lived. The Hue royal complex has been officially recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1993. 
Afterwards, you will visit Tu Duc Royal Tomb, one of the three most beautiful mausoleums around Hue. Check in at the hotel. Leisure time.
Accommodation at ELDORA Hotel DELUXE room in Hue.

Day 10: Hue – Hoian (B/L/-)
In the morning, enjoy a scenic boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue. Then cruise upstream to visit the Minh Mang Royal tomb, set amidst a lush pine hill by the river and considered to be one of the most beautiful mausoleums. Each ruler of the Imperial City built his own tomb during his reign. 
Then, we leave Hue for Hoi An for around 03 hours. Have a short stop at Hai Van Pass. 
Upon arrival, check in at your hotel in Hoi An and rest of the day is at leisure. 
Accommodation at ROYAL RIVERSIDE Hotel, DELUXE City View room in Hoian.

Day 11: Hoian Discovery (B/L/-)
In the morning, explore the Hoian Ancient Town, listed by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage since 1999. Known to early Western merchants, Hoi An was one of the major trading centres of Southeast Asia in the 16th century. Hoi An has a mixed Chinese-Vietnamese atmosphere with low, tiled-roof houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets is still virtually intact. Many of the houses are constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer panels engraved with Chinese characters and pillars carved with ornamental designs. You will visit some of the historic merchant and community houses, places of worship and the famous Japanese covered bridge.
Lunch at local restaurant.
Take a short boat ride across the river to a boat builder’s yard and woodcarvers. You will also visit a pottery and brick-making village. Back to the hotel for overnight.
Accommodation at ROYAL RIVERSIDE Hotel, DELUXE City View room in Hoian.

Day 12: Hoian  Cooking Class – Cycling to Tra Que village (B/L/-)
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:15AM We start the day with a welcome drink at Hai Café (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Ancient Town, Tel: 3863210) – our meeting point.
Visit Hoi An’s colourful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy. On arrival, we explore the cooking school’s herb garden, before learning about some of Hoi An’s and Vietnam’s well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours – the Red Bridge chefs first demonstrate each dish before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration).
After the lesson, we sit down and eat what we have cooked. 
01:00 Enjoy a relaxing cruise back to Hoian old town. We continue our exciting journey with biking tour.
We ride to Tra Que village to participate into the farmer’s work. You also can work as farmers to take care of vegetables or spicy plants. Relax with food massage, special aromatic herbs.  
Back to the hotel. Refresh and relax. Overnight in Hoian.
Accommodation at ROYAL RIVERSIDE Hotel, DELUXE City View room in Hoian.

Day 13: Hoian – Hochiminh City (B/-/-)
Breakfast at hotel
Leisure time until transfer to Danang Airport for flight to Hochiminh City.
Meet on arrival at Hochiminh Airport and transfer to the hotel for check-in. Leisure time. 
Overnight at LE DUY GRAND Hotel DELUXE room in Hochiminh city.

Day 14: Hochiminh – Cuchi Tunnels - City Tour (B/L/-)
Breakfast at hotel
Morning: Drive to Cuchi tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched from Saigon to Cambodian border and was three levels deep. There are more than 200km of underground tunnels, consisting of a main axis system with many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters and other tunnels. The remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience and a feel of what underground life in the war must have been like.
Back to Hochiminh centre for lunch at local restaurant.
Afternoon: Your sightseeing tour takes you atop Saigon’s newest landmark, the 262 m high Bitexco Financial Tower which has a shape of a lotus, Vietnam’s national flower. The high speed elevator takes you up to the observation deck where they can experience a fantastic 360 degree view of Saigon city and its surroundings. Visit Lam Son - Opera Square with its famous historic landmarks, such as the Opera House, the Continental Hotel, known from the movie “The Quiet American” and the Caravelle Hotel. Continue to Notre Dame Cathedral. Inaugurated in 1880, the cathedral became the spiritual and cultural crucible of the French presence in the Orient. As was the Post office designed by Gustav Eiffel and resembling a grand railway station. Visit the former Presidential Palace, renowned for its symbolic role in the fall of Saigon in 1975. Round up your tour with a visit to the colourful Ben Thanh Market. 
Overnight at LE DUY GRAND Hotel DELUXE room in Hochiminh city.

Day 15: Hochiminh City – Cai Be – Can Tho (B/L/-)
Today, we leave the bustling and stunning city behind to discover the gems of Mekong Delta.
The program will start with the visit of Cai Be colorful floating market cruising among local barges full of fruits and vegetables. Then, an optional stop can be made at local workshops where you can see how to make rice paper, coconut candy and pop-rice, pop-corn... It is so interesting to visit the handicraft village where you can see how they make some special products: making rice-net for spring-rolls, fish sauce & soya sauce, sewing coconut-leaves for cottage roof...
Lunch can be served at Ut Trinh home.
After lunch, we can walk around and then we will enjoy some kinds of fruits when listening to the traditional music. The rowing boat will take you deeper into the countryside on smaller canals and to enjoy the peaceful time. It is so interesting to see traditional houses made of wood and palm tree leaves and see some activities of the local farmers with an opportunity to make contacts with them and see how they catch fish or pick up fruits by ancestral ways in Mekong Delta.
One more option for you if you like biking! It will be so amazing to bike on village paths to see the local farms, houses, real life and the ancestral ways to pick up fruits in Mekong Delta…The cruise will end at Vinh Long city.
Continue our journey by car to Can Tho. Upon arrival, check – in at the hotel. Leisure time. Overnight in Can Tho. 

Day 16: Can Tho – Cai Rang Floating market – Phu Quoc Island (B/L/-)
Morning, explore Cai Rang floating market, the largest wholesale floating market in the Mekong Delta, starts around 05:00 and runs until around midday. The market is about six kilometers from Can Tho, or about a 30-minute boat ride. While floating down the river, you will glimpse life along its shores. You’ll pass vibrantly painted boats anchored along the shore, merchant vessels carrying loads down the river and houses built on stilts over the water. Once you finally reach the market, it’s an impressive site. A stretch of boats selling all variety of goods lines the river. Not really a place for souvenirs, people come here instead to buy large quantities of goods, mostly foodstuffs, and you will get an idea of what water commerce in the Delta looks like. Your guide on the boat will usually give you tidbits of information about Cai Rang as you weave through the hordes. You’ll learn that boats identify what they are selling by hanging a sample off the top of a long pole; if you want pineapple, simply scan the horizon for a hanging pineapple. You’ll also get the opportunity to interact with some of these floating merchants; most commonly this happens when a small boat selling drinks latches onto the tour boat’s side.
Afterward, head out to Binh Thuy ancient house where the décor for the movie “lover” was used by French filmmakers. Drive back to Hochiminh Airport. Lunch on the way.
Upon arrival at Hochiminh Airport for flight to Phu Quoc Island. 
Meet on arrival at Phu Quoc Island Airport and enjoy a seat-in-coach transfer to the resort for check – in.
Leisure time. Overnight at Phu Quoc ECO BEACH Resort, Deluxe Beach Front Bungalow.

Days 17 - 19: Phu Quoc Island (B/-/-)
Breakfast at the hotel
Full day at free time for your relaxation or enjoying recreational activities on beach. 
Overnight at Phu Quoc Eco Beach Resort, Deluxe Beach Front Bungalow.

Day 20: Phu Quoc Island – Hochiminh City – Departure (B/-/-)
Breakfast at hotel, 
Leisure time. Seat-in-coach transfer to Phu Quoc Airport for flight to Hochiminh City.
Upon arrival at HCM/Tan Son Nhat International Airport, check-in for departure flight. Tour ends. Check-out before 12:00

PRICES: from US$1,869 per person.

INCLUDING: 

• DOUBLE/ TWIN room at selected hotels with daily breakfast
• One night cruise aboard junk (NON - PRIVATE Boat) in Halong Bay
• Entrance fees and permits
• Boat trips in Vientiane, Halong Bay, Perfume River, Hoian, Mekong Delta
• Private transfers by AC vehicles
• ENGLISH Speaking Guides in each region
• Cooking Class & Cycling Tour in Hoian
• Meals (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch; D: Dinner) as mentioned in program

EXCLUDING:

• Vietnam & Laos visa and visa stamp fees
• International airfares to/from Vietnam & Laos (quoted separately, if requested)
• Domestic airfares & airport taxes Economy Class on Vietnam Airlines (quoted separately, if requested)
• Optional tours, excursions, activities
• Surcharges for other language guides
• Surcharges for night-time services, especially applied for transfers with arrivals after 23:00 hrs and arrivals or departures before 06:00 hrs.
• Surcharges for Lunar New Year (TET) Holiday
• Personal travel insurance
• Personal expenditure, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, camera fees, communications, postage, gratuities etc.
• Meals and services other than mentioned in the programme
• Drinks with meals
• Compulsory gala dinners during festive seasons and peak season surcharges which will be advised at the time of booking
• Visa application and visa stamp fees at Vietnamese Embassies overseas and/ or upon arrival (Please note that a visa is compulsory for most nationalities.)
• Early check-in and late check-out at hotels, if not mentioned in the programme

HOTELS:
1. MERCURE Hotel STANDARD (***) in Vientiane
2. CHALCEDONY Hotel DELUXE (****) or similar in Hanoi
3. SYRENA CRUISES DELUXE Balcony (****) in Halong Bay
4. MUONG THANH Hotel DELUXE (****) in Dien Bien Phu
5. ELDORA Hotel DELUXE (****) or similar in Hue
6. ROYAL RIVERSIDE Hotel DELUXE City View (****) or similar in Hoian
7. LE DUY GRAND Hotel DELUXE (****) or similar in Hochiminh city
8. ECO BEACH Resort DELUXE BEACH FRONT BUNGALOW (****) in Phu Quoc Island.

AIRFARES (Subject to change by the carrier without prior notice)
1. Airfare Vientiane – Hanoi: US$ 170/ person on Vietnam Airlines Economy Class
2. Domestic flight & taxes Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu – Hanoi: US$ 170/ person on Vietnam Airlines Economy Class
3. Airfare Hanoi – Hue/ Danang - Saigon: US$ 220/ person on Vietnam Airlines Economy Class
4. Airfares Saigon – Phu Quoc/ Phu Quoc – Saigon: US$ 169/ person on Vietnam Airlines Economy Class

VISA FEES:
1. Laos visa on arrival: US$30/ person
2. Vietnam visa on arrival: US$40/ person