Wonderful Southeast Asia

Upon arrival at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by guide and transferred to your hotel in the city center to check in. Relax after a long-haul flight.
 
In the evening, your Welcome Dinner will be catered at a nice restaurant in French colonial style with typical Vietnam cuisine. Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, the day starts with visit to the complex dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder, to see Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the house on stilts, and One Pillar Pagoda. Next up, visit the Centre Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi, which was built in the 11th century and was listed as a World Heritage Site list in 2010. Lunch will be at your own expense.
 
In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, constructed in the 11th century. And then take a cyclo (rickshaw) ride around the Old Quarter streets which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake to learn about the legend of the lake and visit Ngoc Son Temple, followed by the Water Puppet show - a uniquely Northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes rural life and episodes of national history. Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast at your hotel, depart by road to Ha Long Bay, your first World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. Travel through the rich farmlands of the Delta of the Red River and the landscape of rice fields, water buffalo, and daily life of the Vietnamese village. Arrive in Ha Long and board a traditional Junk. Lunch on board. The cruise passes by the many karst rock formations and islets in many funny shapes. The cruise may stop for a while to visit Surprise Cave. Later on, the Junk moves to a quiet bay to dock for overnight. Dinner and overnight on board.

In the morning, your brunch will be served while doing further cruising to explore the beauties of the bay before returning to the wharf. The Junk continues cruising toward Ha Long port for disembarking. Your car will be there to pick you up and return to Hanoi. You will drive straight to the airport for a flight to Hue.
 
Upon arrival, you are greeted by our guide and transferred to downtown. Check in to your hotel and overnight in Hue.

Hue is the last imperial capital of Vietnam. It’s well-known for magnificent architecture, pagodas and royal tombs laid in small villages and surrounding hills.
 
In the morning you’ll visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue, Minh Mang King’s Tomb (in typical formal oriental style), and Thien Mu Pagoda that is Hue’s best-preserved religious monument. It is a historic pagoda with its seven-storey tower on the banks of the Perfume River, apart their scenic riverside and hilltop location. Lunch will be at a local restaurant with Hue cuisine. In the afternoon we will visit the elaborate mausoleums of Emperors Tu Duc, and later in the afternoon take a boat cruise on the Huong River to admire the sunset. Overnight in Hue.  

Today we will heading to Hoi An through Hai Van pass, and Lang Co beach – one of the most beautiful beaches of Vietnam. Visit Cham Museum on the way, the open air collection of Cham sculpture. Many of the sandstone carvings are breathtaking. After check-in at your hotel, take a guided walking tour around Hoi An Ancient Town. The town was an old trading port, dating back to 15-16th century. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Assembly Hall, and the local market. There are numerous art galleries, souvenirs and tailor shops where you can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like!
Overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast, you will take a bicycle ride to Tra Que Vegetable Village. Walk around a vegetable garden and join the farmers in preparing the land, fertilizing it with seaweeds the local lake, raking, sowing, watering greens, picking greens and many more gardening activities. Enjoy foot massage and then spend the rest of the time to learn how to cook ‘Tam Huu' spring rolls & rice pancake with your host. Have lunch at the village before riding back to your hotel by bicycle.
 
Afternoon is free to do shopping in the town, have clothes tailored, or chill out poolside at your hotel, or you can take an optional tour excursion to My Son Sanctuary or experience a variety of Vietnamese street foods by motorbike. Overnight in Hoi An.

Breakfast at your hotel and you will have a free morning to enjoy the comfort of your hotel room amenities, or sunshine on the beach.
 
Check out your hotel by noon time and have lunch at your own expense before driving to the airport for a flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, you're met by our local guide and check in to your hotel. Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, we start a very special and busy day as you will explore some of Angkor’s most beautiful temples. You will visit Angkor Thom its West Gate – less discovered by mass tourism:

• The ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century), see the South Gate
• Bayon Temple- unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara
• Baphuon Temple: lying just to the north of Bayon, a pyramidal representation of mythical Mont Meru, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

In the afternoon, you will visit the famous temple: Angkor Wat, a World Heritage Site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories Hindu mythology. 
 
We continue to visit the fabulous Ta Prohm embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. Ta Prohm was built in the 12th century, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the mother of King Jayavarman VII. 
 
The day ends with more visits to Banteay Kdei and Pre Rup temples. Banteay Kdei was built in the 12th century by king Jayavarman II in Mahaya Buddhism. There are at least two different art periods Angkor Wat and Bayon discernable at this temple. Pre Rup temple was built in the second half of the tenth century (961) by the King Rajendraman II dedicated to the god Siva (Hindi), replica to Pre Rup style of art. Its high towers are the best place for watching the sunset. Overnight in Siem Reap. 

After breakfast, you will have another busy day! You‘ll visit more amazing temples outside of Siem Reap:

• Banteay Srei: nearly everyone’s favorite site. The special charm of this temple lies in its compact size, remarkable state of preservation, and the excellence of its decorative carving
• Banteay Samre: Its rose-colored sandstone walls are decorated with carvings and bas-reliefs, which are among the most accomplished Angkor has to offer.

In the afternoon, take a boat trip on Tonle Sap Great Lake to see a local floating fishing village and their daily life. Tonle Sap is the largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia and is full of living resources for millions of people both Vietnamese and Cambodian. People earn their living by catching fish on the lake or cultivating rice, vegetables around the lake.
 
Evening is free time to walk along the busy pub streets, pop up at a bar for a cool drink or do shopping at the Angkor Night Market. Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, you will drive to the airport for a flight to Yangon with transit via Bangkok. Upon arrival at Yangon International airport, you’re greeted by our guide and drive to the awe inspiring Shwedagon Pagoda, perhaps the most beautiful pagoda complex in all of Asia. After visit, transfer to hotel for checking in. Overnight in Yangon.

Enjoy the breakfast at your hotel and take a morning flight to Bagan. On arrival, take a leisurely drive (about one hour) through the Bagan countryside to Mt. Popa, which supposedly rose the ground in a massive earthquake in 442 BC. Mt. Popa is famous as the abode of the Nats (Spirit Gods) and for its panoramic view of the local tropical region. There is a volcanic plug with a temple on top that we can walk up to if we like (777 steps!). On the way to Mt. Popa, you will visit a local toddy palm farmer at his hut and see how he collects the toddy palm the palm trees to make the strong alcoholic toddy palm drink and also the toddy palm sugar candy. Return to Bagan by sunset and the rest of the day is leisure. Overnight in Bagan.

For early risers, enjoy the Balloon ride over the temple world of Bagan, then back to your hotel for breakfast.
 
After breakfast, you begin our visit to one of Asia’s most stunning archeological destinations with its more than 2,000 pagodas dotting the plains along the legendary Ayerwaddy River. See the bustling NyaungOo local market and some of Bagan’s most distinctive pagodas including Shwezigon, a prototype of later Myanmar stupas and Wetkyi-in-Gubyaukgyi, a 13th century cave temple with fine wall paintings. One of the most outstanding is the magnificent Ananda Pagoda, the most revered pagoda in all Myanmar and containing four tall standing Buddhas within.
 
Afternoon sightseeing highlights include Sulamani Temple built by King Narapatisithu, Dhammayangyi Temple, a massive later period temple with the finest brickwork in Bagan, and Thatbyinnyu Temple which towers above other monuments of Bagan. We can also visit a Thanaka museum, dedicated to the tree bark and root of the Thanaka tree used in making a fragrant white colored paste which Myanmar women wear for skin beauty and protection the sun. Visitors can learn how to make and apply the Thanaka paste. As the sun goes down, you will enjoy the sunset boat cruise on Ayeyarwady River.  Overnight in Bagan.

Early morning, you will board a flight to Heho, where you will met our guide and drive to magical Inle Lake. Situated 900 meters above sea level and 22 km long by 11 km wide, this large shallow lake is in an idyllic setting surrounded by mountains and is home to the Intha people, renowned for their floating gardens and the unique one-legged rowing style of their fishermen. We travel by small private boat on the lake, visiting the famous Paung Daw Oo pagoda, with its five famous Buddha images (four of which are carried in great ceremony around the lake during the PaungDawOo festival) and also nearby Inpawkhone Village where, in houses on stilts, we see traditional silk weaving with hand looms and the processing of lotus blossoms as they are made beautiful fabric.
 
After your lunch time break on the lake, visit traditional craft-making such as blacksmithing, cheroot (local cigar) rolling, and boat making. Then enjoy a boat ride through the Kaylar village observing the many houses on stilts and the ways of life. We will see the floating gardens up close, then on to the ‘NgaphaeChaung Monastery’ which is an interesting old traditional monastery on the lake. End your day at your hotel and overnight at Inle Lake.

Take a morning flight to Mandalay and after our arrival, transfer the airport toward Mandalay, the last royal capital of the Burmese kingdom and a city rich in history and culture. On the way, we stop at the ancient royal capital of Amarapura (a capital twice during the Konbaung period), and enjoy a walk on U Bein Bridge which stretches 1.2 kilometers over Lake Taungtaman. Built around 1850, it is the oldest and longest teakwood span in the world. As we stroll in the vicinity of U Bein Bridge, you can also see traditional silk and cotton weaving for which Mandalay is noted.

Afternoon sightseeing highlights include the highly revered Mahamuni Pagoda, a gold leaf hammering craftshop, Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Kuthodaw Pagoda, renowned as the World's largest book for its 729 stone slabs containing the entire Buddhist scriptures, and if time permits, climb up to Mandalay Hill for a view over the city and Ayeyarwaddy River. Overnight in Mandalay.

After breakfast, you will board a morning flight back to Yangon, and then connect to a flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival, you're welcomed by our guide and check in your hotel. Refresh at your hotel.
 
By the sunset, you will meet our guide and transferred to De Moc Hotel near Democracy Monument. Enjoy a dinner with Thai cuisine at a local restaurant before joining in “Bangkok Nightlife” by a tram. The ride starts at De Moc Hotel, passing many of Bangkok’s famous buildings, illuminated at night. You will pass the Democracy Monument, Parliament Building, Dusit District, Golden Mountain, Wat Ratchanada, Rajdamnoen Road, Phra Sumen Fort, Wat Phra Keio & Grand Palace. A beautiful night walk around Wat Pho can be also included.
 
After a one hour tram ride, you will return to Democracy Monument. You may want to walk to Khao San Road, only about 5 minutes walking-distance, to enjoy the nightlife, or you may go back to your hotel. Overnight in Bangkok.

After breakfast, you will be free in Bangkok to do shopping or visit the city’s highlights on foot. You can extend your holiday to explore more of Thailand: Bangkok’s surroundings, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, or beaches in the South (Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Krabi). If your time is limited, we will transfer you to the airport for your departure flight. Goodbye to Wonderful Southeast Asia!