Day 1: Phnom Penh Arrival (D)
Welcomed by our tour guide upon arrival at Phnom Penh Int'l Airport. Transfer to check-in hotel. If time permits, we will have short city tour to the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, the National fine-arts Museum and Wat Phnom, the oldest monument in the city, from which Phnom Penh derived its name. Hanging around the Central Market and Russian Market to discover daily life of Cambodian people. Enjoy our welcome dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: Phnom Penh - Kompong Cham (B, L)
After breakfast in Phnom Penh depart for Kompong Cham - 125Km from Phnom Penh city, also called "The Garden City" and the main town in the province of that name. After check-in at your hotel we will continue by car to visit a rubber plantation and a rubber factory by crossing Kizona Bridge. Return to Kompong Cham for lunch. Visit Phnom Pros (the hill of men) and Phnom Srei (the hill of women) from which you can admire the surrounding panorama. Sightsee interesting temples in the area which dated back to 12th and 13th centuries. Return to the hotel for overnight.
Day 3: Kompong Cham - Kompong Thom (B, L)
Departing for Kompong Thom. Check-in hotel before leaving for Sambor Prei Kuk, the capital of the once powerful Empire of Chenla which predates the Khmer Angkor period. Stop en route for sightseeing. Visit Sambor Prei Kuk. According to inscriptions found in the area, Sambor Prei Kuk was the capital of Icanavarman (616AD - 635AD) and residence of the King who had conquered the Empire of Funan. Return to Kompong Thom. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: Kampong Thom - Siemreap (B, L)
After breakfast at your hotel, transfer by air-con vehicle to Siem Reap. Check in hotel after arriving. In the afternoon visit Tonle Sap lake by wooden boat and cruise about 1hour to visit floating village. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 5: Angkor Thom (B, L)
After early, transfer to see sunrise at Angkor Wat temple and then return to hotel for breakfast. Later start to explore south gate of Angkor Thom: the Bayon temple, the Baphuon, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Afternoon visit Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre Temple and view sunset from the top of Phnom Bakheng. Enjoy a traditional Apsara dance performance and overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 6: Siem Reap - Angkor Wat (B, L)
Visit the Ta Prohm temple which is a wonderful combination of human genius and natural beauty. Giant trees have grown here for centuries. Visiting Ta keo, the "Jewel of Crystal" dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva that was built at the end of the 10th century. Continue to visit the Thommanon, the Chau Say temples and the natural lake of Sras Srang. Lunch in Siemreap. Afternoon visit Angkor Wat. The founder of the temple was Suryavarman II who reigned Cambodia from 1113 to 1152 and built the five towers in the 12th century to dedicate to the Hindu God Vishnu. The plan of the pyramidal conception of the temple combined with spaces, alleys, ditches is an ancient masterpiece of architectural design and construction. Overnight at hotel in Siemreap.
Day 7: Siem Reap - Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)
Transfer to airport for flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Trans-Indochina tour guide and car pick up and transfer to downtown for check in hotel. Having lunch then taking a city tour to see the Notre Dame Cathredal, Reunification Palace, City Hall, Post Office, China Town. Overnight in Saigon.
Day 8: Cu Chi Tunnels - Tay Ninh Holy See (B, L)
Breakfast in hotel then begins with a visit to Tayninh, the centre of Caodaism, a local sect of Buddhism founded by a Vietnamese countryman in early 20th century. Arriving at noontime, you will have the chance to witness the daily ceremony at the temple of Cao Dai called Tayninh Holysee. On the way back to Saigon is located Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the few remaining monuments to the Vietnam War. Beneath the ground lie 200 km of tunnels, dug by hand and inhabited by the forces of the Vietnamese guerillas during the conflict. To this day, it remains one of the most impressive examples of how fierce the war was. Return to Saigon in late afternoon. Overnight in Saigon.
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City - Vientiane (B, L)
Breakfast in hotel then transferred to the Tan Son Nhat airport for the flight to Vientiane. On arrival in the Laos capital of Vientiane, you will be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating capital, with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. After a short rest, we start visiting the major sights of the capital; including the Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. Enroute to Lao’s national icon, the precious and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, you will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. The Mekong river side is the perfect place to end the day and admire the sunset. Overnight in Vientiane.
Day 10: Vientiane - Xieng Khoang (B, L)
We board a short afternoon flight to Xiengkhouang. Upon arrival, we transfer out to visit the Plain of Jars, an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are littered all over the plateau. We also have time, this afternoon seeing the old capital of Muang Khoun Province and the nearby villages, home to the Hmong hilltribe and Tai Dam people. They have an interesting local culture and a colourful history. Overnight in Phonsavanh
Day 11: Xieng Khoang - Luang Prabang by road (B, L)
Early morning, we visit the Central Market of Phonsavanh to watch the different hilltribe people barter and exchange merchandises. We then head out towards Luang Prabang. Enroute we stop off to see the Buddha images in Thampra, a site more than 200 years old, and various Hmong and hilltribe minority villages along the way. After a photo stop, we continue driving uphill, enjoying the splendid natural scenery of the mountains, the forest and landscape. The journey will take us over mountainous regions until we approach Luang Prabang, one of the most beautiful traditional towns in Asia.
After checking into your hotel, if time permits, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai; we then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa as well as capture a beautiful view of the city and the Mekong River at sunset. From there, we visit the Night Market, where you can browse a lovely selection of handmade textiles, made by the local people and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 12: Pakou Cave (B, L)
After breakfast, enjoying a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temples 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 gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as exploring the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. Along the way, we will stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where local rice wine is produced. On return, we take a short drive to another small village Ban Phanom, which is famous for its hand weaving. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 13: Departure (B, L)
Transfer to the airport for the departure flight. End of the tour.
