Mekong Journey (20 days)
The journey of a lifetime through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam, following the course of the mighty Mekong River.
Day 1: Arrival Chiang Mai (L)
Arriving at Chiang Mai, our guide will be at the airport to welcome you. After checking in at your hotel and a break, we go for Lunch then
drive to Doi (Mountain) Suthep, about 3500 feet above sea level, and the
most sacred Wat Prathad Doi Suthep where the marvellous Golden Pagoda is situated. From there you can enjoy the
panoramic view of Chiangmai city. In the evening don't miss a stroll at the fascinating Night Bazaar in the city.
Day 2: Chiang Mai (B/L/D)
Today we visit an Elephant Camp (60 kms north of Chiangmai), watching elephants training and working, then take an elephant
ride through foothills and jungle. After the ride we transfer by oxcart to restaurant for lunch. Afternoon trip
by bamboo raft to visit an orchid nursery and butterfly farm before returning to Chiangmai. This evening's dinner is at the Chiangmai
Cultural Center with traditional northern food and Thai dance performances. In the evening don't miss a
stroll at the fascinating Night Bazaar in the city.
Day 3: Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai (B/L)
Today we drive from Chiang Mai to Chaing Rai, stopping at the hot spring market then continue to the boat landing to
continue our journey to Chiangrai by boat on the Mea Kok River. After lunch at a local restaurant we drive on to the
Golden Triangle and transfer to hotel.
Day 4: Chiang Rai (B/L)
Today's tour includes the Yao and Akha Hill Tribe villages and the Opium museum. After lunch at Sri Wan riverside restaurant,
we take a boat trip to Chiang Siang and visit Wat Chedi Luang.
Day 5: Chiang Rai - Pakbeng (B/L/D)
An early start today as we transfer to Thai/Laos border to board the Luang Say Cruise Boat for the 2-day journey to Luang
Prabang on the Mekong River. The boat leaves Houei Say pier at 09:00 hrs towards Pakbeng. En route one stop is made to
observe rural life along the Mekong and visit minority ethnic groups; then a buffet lunch is served on board. Arrive Pakbeng
before sunset and check-in at LuangSay Lodge. Dinner is taken on the terrace overlooking the Mekong River.
Day 6: Pakbeng - Luang Prabang (B/L)
Breakfast at the lodge. (Optional: walk to Pakbeng market, where people from the surrounding minority villages exchange their
goods). At about 09:00 re-board the boat for the second leg of the cruise on the Mekong River. A short stop to
discover a Hmong village will be made before a buffet lunch on board. Continue to Pak-Ou village at the mouth of the Nam
Ou River and visit Tam Ting "Cave of a thousand Buddhas". Arrive at Luang Prabang before sunset, our Laos representative
will be at the pier to welcome you and transfer you to your hotel.
Day 7: Luang Prabang (B/L)
Today our tour of the former Royal capital, Luang Prabang, includes a visit to Wat Visoun,
the site of the impressive Thad Makmo stupa and Phou Sii hill which stands right in the centre of the small city, where you
can climb its 350 steps to enjoy commanding views over the Mekong. Wat Phu Sii sits atop the mountain, alongside the skeletons of
Indochina war anti-aircraft guns. Then we continue, visiting Wat Mai (1796) with its five-tiered roof, and Wat Xieng Thong which is
considered to characterize the uniqueness of Luang Prabang's local style, its several roofs sweeping low to the ground. We see also
the impressive "tree of life" mosaic here. The gilt panel on the exterior of the chapel depicts semi-erotic episodes
from the Ramayana. Later we visit the National Museum, which was once the king's palace. Displayed inside is a collection of
personal artifacts of the former royal family. Dinner at a local restaurant and evening walk of the night market.
Day 8: Luang Prabang (B/L)
Today we visit the Tad Khuang Sii waterfall, on the way visiting a Hmong village and Ban Ouh village where Lao and
Lu hill people live. The falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of
cool, turquoise pools. The water here has a clear blue-green tint due to the high mineral content.
You can climb the stairs and look down from various viewpoints on the way to the top. We take a picnic
lunch by the waterfall then return to Luang Prabang and take the afternoon at leisure.
Day 9: Luang Prabang - Vientiane (B/L/D)
If you like, we can take you into the centre of Luang Prabang at 5:30 in the morning to watch local people give food
to the hundreds of monks who line the street. You can also give rice to the monks - your guide will provide sticky rice.
(This dawn tour is optional - a very early start!) Afterwards a stroll though the morning market before
returning to your hotel for breakfast. Transfer to airport for your flight to Vientiane. Pick up and transfer to hotel.
Lunch at local restaurant, then our afternoon city tour includes Wat Hoprakeo, built in 1566 by King Setthathirat to house
the Emerald Buddha, Wat Sisaket, the only temple in Vientiane that survived the destruction of the city by the Siamese
(Thai) in 1828; ThatLuang Stupa Museum shrine (great Sacred Stupa) ,the most important national monument in Vientiane,
with a golden stupa believed to contain a relic of Lord Buddha; Pratuxay Monument situated in the centre of Vientiane
prefecture, its architecture inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and incorporating typical Lao motifs.
Finally see the sunset at Mekong riverside. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 10: Vientiane - Siem Reap (B/L/D)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia, where our guide will meet you and transfer to hotel. After lunch at a local
restaurant, take a boat trip & enjoy the wonderful views of Tonlesap Great Lake in the afternoon, also
visit the beautiful Phnom Krom temple by the Tonle Sap Lake. Evening at local restaurant with traditional Cambodian
dance performance on stage. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 11: Siem Reap (Angkor) (B/L)
Today we have a full day visit to the antiquities at Angkor, starting with the ancient royal capital city of Angkor Thom:
the Bayon Temple, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda, Terrace of Elephants and Leper king and Taprohm temples. After lunch at a
local restaurant, we will visit the world famous Angkor Wat and the Ta Som, Ta Keo and Pre Rup temples.
Return to town.
Day 12: Siem Reap - Phnom Kulen - Siem Reap (B/L)
This morning we drive to Phnom Kulen where the 'River of 1000 Lingas' features thousands of symbols carved into the
sandstone rocks under the water. We also visit the Rock temple, with its large reclining Buddha, and take a picnic
lunch by the waterfall. On the return trip, we visit the oldest temple in Angkor, the 10th century Banteay Srei. This
temple has the best engravings among all the ruins and was used in the film 'Lara Croft Tomb Raider'.
Day 13: Siem Reap - Phnom Penh (B/L)
Transfer to airport for your flight to Phnom Penh. Our guide will meet you nad transfer you to your hotel. Today our city tour
of Phnom Penh includes the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, the Independence monument the Raung Damrei Museum and National
Museum of Fine Arts.
Day 14: Phnom Penh (B/L)
Today we visit Toul Sleng Museum of Genocide and Cheung-Ek Killing Fields. After lunch at local restaurant, afternoon
tour of Central Market and Russian Market or at leisure.
Day 15: Phnom Penh - Chau Doc (B/L/D)
Today we set off for Vietnam by river. First transfer to pier for the boat on the Mekong River towards the Mekong Delta, Vietnam,
stopping for immigration formalities at the border. On arriving at Chau Doc, our Vietnam guide will be at the pier to
welcome you and transfer to your hotel. After lunch, a walking tour of market and then a drive up Sam Mountain to watch
the sunset over the Cambodian border. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 16: Chau Doc - Can Tho (B/L)
This morning we will take a traditional boat to visit a floating market in Chau Doc and floating villages where there are
many fish farms: one of the biggest exporters of fish to European countries. Continuing the tour you will visit little
Cham peoples village,one of the Vietnamese minority peoples with their Moss temple, after this we will have lunch in
Chau Doc before driving to Can Tho for overnight.
Day 17: Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City (B/L)
In the early morning we will take a boat to visit Phong Dien & Cai Rang floating market which offers excellent
photo opportunities of the trading life of the river. We return to hotel for breakfast then continue to Ving Long
to get more experience of Mekong river life, taking a small boat through the narrow canals a,d visiting
some home factories. After lunch at a bonsai garden with speciality food - "Elephant's Ear" fish, we travel by
road onwards to Ho Chi Minh city.
Day 18: HCMC (B/L)
A full day city tour of HCMC today includes a tour of The Reunification Palace (former Presidential Palace),
the Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Lam Son Square, Ben Thanh Market, Thien Hau pagoda, The Museum of HCM Campaign,
China Town in Cholon and Binh Tay Market etc.
Day 19: HCMC (B/L)
Enjoy a morning drive through typical southern Vietnamese countryside to Tay Ninh Province in the west of Vietnam.
At Tay Ninh visit the incredible Cao Dai Great Temple, with architecture that could have come straight from a Walt
Disney fantasy and where all the major faiths of the world blend together in a unique religious cocktail. Lunch. In the
afternoon visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters
during the long struggle for independence. Return to HCMC.
Day 20: HCMC - Departure (B)
Free at leisure until it is time to transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
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