16 Day Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos Private Tour

The 16 Day Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos Private Tour, also known as the Indochina Tour is a multi-country odyssey that passes through some of South-east Asia's most beautiful regions enriched in culture and history from ancient civilizations.

On our private guided journey you will experience a host of local experiences, visit stunning national parks and heritage sites as well as historic monuments and museums dedicated to the turbulent events of recent history. Among these amazing excursions you will also enjoy a relaxing cruise on the famous Halong Bay, a magical destination consisting of thousands of sculpted limestone islands that rise from the waves like dragons' teeth.

Visitors will also enjoy a tour of the ancient Angkor Wat Temples famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone as well as being an architectural masterpiece.

In Laos, guests will enjoy a leisure cruise on the Mekong River visiting the Pak Ou Caves as well as local villages known for their rice wines and also a few prominent temples. The tour ends with a visit to the Nahm Dong park to enjoy the fresh cool clear natural pools.

Superior Tour (Incl. Flights from JNB)

May - Nov'21
2 Adults Traveling

R 63,045 per person sharing

May - Nov'21
5-6 Adults Traveling

R 56,590 per person sharing

Luxury Tour (Incl. Flights from JNB)

01 May - 22 Dec'21
2 Adults Traveling

R 73,960 per person sharing

01 May - 22 Dec'21
5-6 Adults Traveling

R 67,675 per person sharing

Itinerary

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, you will be greeted by our driver and transferred to your hotel.

This full day tour takes you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilts House, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda and, nearby, the Old Quarter also known as the 36 streets and guilds. Also on the tour, the Lake of the Restored Sword and Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, peaceful West Lake (with lovers street Thanh Nien), the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple and one of the city's museums, either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum. Waking around Hanoi Old Quarter to see the daily life of local people.

In the evening, you will enjoy the for The Quintessence of Tonkin show (operate on Tuesday – Thursday & Saturday only) - an outdoor spectacle that reaffirms Hanoi's position as the cultural capital of Vietnam. Showcasing traditional elements of Vietnamese culture in a contemporary and innovative way, the Quintessence of Tonkin delivers audiences a unique and memorable exploration of the Red River Delta — the beating heart of northern Vietnam

Overnight in Hanoi

Please note that  the HCM  Mausoleum is closed on Fridays and Mondays and most museums are closed on Mondays.

After pick-up from your hotel, you will leave Hanoi by private car/van at 7:30 am, arriving at the jetty around 12:30 pm. You will be welcomed aboard and set sail through the bay while lunch is served. You will pass through the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons' teeth. After lunch, you will take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay dotted with golden sails, and then go swimming on a quiet beach or sunbathing on the sundeck. Later in the afternoon, you will visit an interesting fishing village with the opportunity to interact with fishermen who have been living in the bay for almost three generations. Back on board, you can enjoy cocktails while watching the sunset. Later, you will unwind at a lavish dinner before an overnight stay on the deluxe junk.

Greet the day with a morning tai chi session, with an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, you will visit a beautiful limestone grotto and then go back to the boat for a final glimpse of Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. Checkout is at 11:45 am and the boat arrives at the harbor by noon for the drive back to Hanoi airport for flight to Danang.

Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Hoi An

Flight Hanoi – Danang @ 16.30 – 17.50

Free at leisure to explore the ancient town on your own. Overnight in Hoi An

After leaving Hoi An, you will drive to Danang Airport. From Danang, you will take the one-hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), where you will transfer directly to your centrally located hotel.

Afternoon, you will embark on a city tour of Saigon, including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office, Jade Emperor Pagoda, the War Remnants Museum and bustling Ben Thanh Market. You will stay overnight in HCMC.

Flight Danang - Hochiminh @ 10.00 – 11.50

7:00 am:  Early in the morning, Les Rives guide will meet you at your hotel’s lobby and bring you by car to our speedboat at Tan Cang pier.

7:20 am:  Then you will depart Saigon by speedboat. Within 15 minutes, the banks of the river change from city sprawl to lush jungle. A light breakfast of sandwiches or pastries, fresh tropical fruits and Vietnamese iced coffee (Ca phe sua da) is served, as your guide explains rural traditions and aspects of riverbank life.

8:50 am: You will arrive at the Cu Chi Tunnels site before the majority of larger bus tours arrive. Watch a brief introductory ‘propaganda’ video to the Cu Chi area.

9:00 am: Explore the tunnel site, which includes weapon and booby trap exhibitions, navigating authentic Viet Cong tunnel, visiting different underground bunkers (kitchens, meeting rooms, ammunitions etc.), a firing range and much more. Try the local cassava root that sustained Viet Cong fighters for years.

11:00 am: Enjoy a delicious traditional Vietnamese lunch by the river, consisting of authentic fried spring rolls, chicken and beef dishes and soup.

11:30 am: Say goodbye to Cu Chi Tunnel and return to Ho Chi Minh City.

01:00 pm: Arrive back at Tan Cang’s pier. Les Rives staff will take you back to your hotel by car.

Afternoon Half Day Program (5-6 hours)* Les Rives also offers an afternoon schedule which departs at 11:00 am and returns to Ho Chi Minh City at 5:00 pm.

Please note that due to the individual nature of the tours, times are approximate and can vary slightly.

After breakfast at hotel, you will transfer to Cai Be. Meet the cruise at Cai Be jetty at 10:00 am. Your crew is set to welcome you aboard with cold towels and a refreshing drink while the Cai Be Princess sampan sets off for its leisurely cruise towards Tan Phong Islet. From the boat’s unique vantage point, observe life as it is lived along the river - endless boats both big and small, people working the fields, and brilliant landscapes in every shade of green. Once at Tan Phong Islet, take a short cycling trip through the villages and fruit gardens, looking out in particular for the red, spiky rambutan with its deliciously sweet flesh, the specialty of the islet. Make stops along the way to visit local cottage industries where families make everything from rice paper and rice flour cakes to roof panels from water coconut fronds and homewares from water hyacinths.

From the islet, travel via rowing sampan through the peaceful, narrow canals, back to the Cai Be Princess where you’ll continue on to the village of Phu An. Your cruise ends at Le Longanier Restaurant. Lunch is served in this elegant colonial-style villa set in a lush tropical garden by the river surrounded by fruit trees, giving you a sense of how the privileged class lived in Indochina times. After lunch at approximately 2:30 pm, take a short walk along the canal towards Ba Bon Bridge where your personal vehicle awaits to drive you back to Ho Chi Minh City

*Note: Actual itinerary may vary depending upon river tide, arrival time or other conditions

Pick up from airport and then transfer to check in the hotel. Then continue to ride the Kongkear Angkor is a unique Khmer tradition boat service in Siem Reap-Angkor archaeological park. Travel along the water way where history, nature and culture come alive. You will enjoy and view the past and photograph along the great all of Angkor Thom, Royal Secret Path and City Guard Post. You can also see the beautiful sunset at Great wall. Then transfer to back for hotel for your overnight stay. Overnight in Siem Reap

Flight Hochiminh  - Siemreap @ 12.00 – 13.00

Breakfast at hotel: Start your sightseeing tour of Angkor area we spend a full day exploring the wondrous ancient ruins with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the impressive Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the largest as well as the most complete temple of Angkor Wat. This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. We visit the jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm is an incredible sight. There are enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers which embrace themselves in the stone foundations of the structure giving the impression of man's creation being reclaimed by the powerful forces of nature. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Breakfast at hotel: Then transfer to visit the floating village of Kompong Pluk where you will take the wood boat to explore the Cambodian houses on stilt and the flooded forest before reaching to Tonle Sap lake to take a glimpse of fishermen and other activities. We spend the rest of day visiting the "Chantiers Ecoles - Les Artisans d'Angkor" which provides training to young Cambodians in an effort to revive the ancient Khmer traditions of stone carving and wood sculpting. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Free at leisure until transfer to airport for flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, pick up and transfer to hotel. Free at leisure and overnight in Luang Prabang.

Flight Siemreap – Luang Prabang @ 16.55 – 18.25

Wake up as the sun rises, we will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning alms giving, which dates to the 14th century. More than 200 Buddhist monks depart from various temple to gather their daily meal from the faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets.

From there, we will visit the temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace. Just set on the ground, the local people come here to barter their day’s catch from rice, to vegetable, to fish, or chicken. This is the best chance to experience the flavor of local life

After breakfast, you will first visit Royal Palace Museum, which was built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family.

We then embark on a leisure cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside, before reaching 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 arrival back in the city, we will visit the old Wat Sene and the nearby magnificent Wat Xiengthong a superb piece of Lao temple architecture, which presents a sweeping two-tiered roof and ornate mosaics including a beautiful ‘tree of life ‘glass montage on the rear temple wall.

If time permits, we will drive out of the city to visit Ban Xangkhong, the Thai Lue village, which is famous for its arts and crafts. We also visit the nearby village of Ban Xienglek specializing in making the traditional Saa paper.

You may make a stop at the nearby petanque course and join a game with the local team.
Late afternoon, we will make a stop at Wat Prabath to admire the sunset; this is the ideal place to catch the last beauty of the day.

The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of handmade textiles made by local and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang.
Overnight in Luang Prabang

Tip:
+ If you are fond of various ethnic cultures, you can visit Traditional Art and Ethnology Center (closed on Monday). (not included – payable on spot)

+ In the evening, we recommend joining the Royal Ballet Theatre at the National Museum to watch the traditional show of Phralak Phralam and learn about the history and culture of Laos (not included – payable on spot)

+ For the dinner, we recommend you try a bowl of Khaupoon at Tamarind Restaurant, which will be the highlight of your culinary exploration of Luang Prabang (not included – payable on spot – pre-reservation is recommended)

After departing at 8:30 am from your hotel, transfer to Nahm Dong park, which locates in Ban Xiengmouk, 10Km from city center.

Arriving at the park, we will have a short welcome by the park manager before joining the morning activities here.

First, we will join the cooking class, by which you can discover the Lao cuisine through several traditional dishes. Not only can you learn techniques and recipes, but you can visit the gardens of the park and pick your own ingredients.

The course is minimum 5 dishes depending on the season. A booklet with all recipes is provided.

The lunch will be served with what you have created.

You can either spend the rest of the afternoon stroll around the park, relax by one of the huts at the camp, or enjoy the fresh cool clear natural pools.

Return back to hotel for overnight

Optional Activity:  Zipline in 1 hour with surcharge at $25/pax

Tip:
+ We recommend trying a traditional Lao massage at Lao Red Cross, which will help you recover from the exploration in the last 2 days. The price ranges from $5-8 per hour depending on the set that you choose, with or without oil. (not included – payable on spot).

+ Late afternoon, join the cinema at Amalea Restaurant to watch the 100-year-old Chang Movie, which is the oldest film about Laos. This silent film is the story about a poor farmer in northern Nan Province (northern Thailand) and his daily struggle for survival in the jungle.

The dinner is recommended at the restaurant before returning to your hotel (not included – payable on spot)

There are no activities planned for today, so you are free to enjoy your free time as you wish until being transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Tip: we recommend joining a morning Yoga class at Luang Prabang Yoga, which will take about 1 hour starting at 07:30AM at Utopia Bar & Restaurant before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Class fee is KIP40,000/person ~ $5 (payable on spot in KIP only – pre-reservation not accepted). Note: you need to come on time if you are interested. In case you come late, you are not allowed to join. Here is the class schedule & pricing

Package Includes:

  • Return flights from Johannesburg to Vietnam
  • Internal Flights
  • Airport Taxes
  • Private door-to-door pick-up & drop-off services
  • All private transportation with guide
  • Accommodation shared in Double/ Twin room with daily breakfast
  • All In-tour flights as per itinerary
  • Experienced English speaking guide
  • Halong Bay cruise program with in-house guide on board
  • Private boat trip as per tour
  • Meals as stated in the itinerary (B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner)
  • All sightseeing tickets
  • Tissues and water on coach
  • Services charges and government tax
  • Exclusive and personalized single agent/single customer service
  • No extra charge after services confirmation
  • 24/7 hotline support guaranteed.

Accommodation Options

Superior Version

Hanoi - Hanoi Pearl Hotel
Halong Cruise -  Heritage Cruise
Hoi An - Hoi An Silk Marina Resort
Hochiminh - Silverland Charner Hotel
Siemreap - Golden Temple Hotel
Luang Prabang - Le Bel Air Resort
* Hotels are 4 Star Standard

Luxury Version

Package Excludes:

  • Health and visa requirements
  • Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
  • Travel insurance
  • Beverage
  • Peak season surcharge if any
  • Compulsory Gala dinner on X-Mas or New Year if any
  • Vietnam visa
  • Cambodia visa fee (currently US$30 per person for visa on arrival)
  • Other services not mentioned above.

Prices are subject to change due to airfare increases, currency exchange, fluctuations and any unforeseen circumstances, without prior notice.