ADI02: Indochina Tour off the beaten track - 15 days from Laos

Luong Prabang – Xiengkhuang – Vieng Xay – Mai Chau – Son La – Dien Bien – Muong Lay – Sapa – Halong – Hanoi

This special Laos & Vietnam Tour take you to the hidden parts of Laos and Vietnam with cultural highlights of many ethnic minorities and amazing scenery, alot to explore...Your tour is an individual tour with a flexible schedule. There is no other traveler on the tour. You will have a private English speaking tour guide and a private air-conditioned vehicle at each destination.

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Day 1: Arrive Luang Prabang
Meals: None
+ Guide
Luang Prabang, the first stop for your Indochina tours is Unesco Heritage listed city. Upon your arrival, pick up and transfer to your hotel. Today, depends on your flight, we will arrange a suitable itinerary for you to visit Luong Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
 

Day 2: Luang Prabang – Big Brother Mouse – Ban Khia Luang – Pak Ou Caves
Meals: B, L
+ Guide
The day starts with a visit to the Big Brother Mouse shop to select some books for the village visit. We then head north by car along route 13, before taking a unpaved road to Ban Khia Luang village. We then have ample time to visit the school, play with the kids and watch them enjoy their new books.  We also take some time to explore the rest of the village, where you can see weaving and visit the local temple. We stop for lunch at the village, which can either be a western picnic lunch, or traditional Lao food such as sticky rice, laap and fresh vegetables cooked by the villagers. After lunch we say good bye to the village and drive to Ban Khoklin, which takes us through some beautiful scenery of mountains and paddy fields. At Ban Khoklin we then board a private boat down the Nam Ou River for 30 minutes to Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims and continue down the Mekong River back to Luang Prabang, arriving back there by late afternoon. Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

Day 3: Luang Prabang – Khuang Si Waterfall and Ban Chan
Meals: B, L
+ Guide
Today we cross the Mekong River by boat, to the picturesque village of Ban Chan, a pottery village. We then visit the morning Phousi Market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, a Hmong village, Ban Ou a Laoloum village and Ban Thapene, a Khmu village. This then takes us to the beautiful Khuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. We then return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
 

Day 4: Luang Prabang – Xiengkhuang
Meals: B, L
+ Guide
Today, we continue our beautiful Indochina tours with drive through wonderful natural scenery to Xiengkhuang. The journey will give you plenty of opportunities for photos and visiting hill tribe villages. Upon arrival, we transfer out to visit Site 1 of the Plain of Jars, an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are scattered all over the plateau.  Overnight in Xiengkhuang.
 

Day 5: Xieng Khuang – Vieng Xay
Meals: B, L, D
+ Guide
After breakfast, continue the trip to Vieng Xay- The former Pathet Lao (PL) revolutionary headquarters of Vieng Xai sit in a striking valley of fertile hills and limestone cliffs riddled with caves, several of which were used to shelter PL officers during the Second Indochina War. The town is famous for the caves in which the stoic officers and some 23, 000 people found shelter, but Vieng Xai itself is unbearably pretty. Manmade lakes spot the landscape and wildflowers explode in crimson and yellow to join the emerald and karst backdrop. The beauty of the terrain somehow underscores the decimation it suffered during the American bombing campaign. Overnight in Vieng Xay.

Day 6: Vieng Xay – Mai Chau

Meals: B, L, D

+Guide

Today, beautiful drive through of one of the most beautiful countryside of Laos to Na Neo border gate, continue to Mai Chau Valley (Vietnam) which is the heart of a beautiful valley that is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi. The modern village is an unappealing sprawl, but as you emerge on the rice fields and rural living it is transformed into a real paradise. It’s a stunning area, and most people here are ethnic White Thai who are very friendly. Tonight, we stay in the homestay, this evening, enjoy the traditional musice and dance

Day 7: Mai Chau – Son La 

Meals: B, L, D

+Guide 

After breakfast, we drive to Son La, a stop in Moc Chau with hundreds of giant grass farm for cows, You will know why this is the biggest milk centre in Vietnam, continue driving to Son La and enjoy the view of the Northern mountains, arrive in Son La at noon, check in hotel before visit “Son La prison" in the French war. Walk around the town and overnight in Son La.

Day 8: Son La – Dien Bien Phu 

Meals: B, L, D

+Guide 

Drive to DBP. Visit very primitive village of the Black Thai village on the way that you can see the very basic conditions of life. Continue to biggest daily hilltribe market in Thuan Chau, see different ethnic groups, local fruits, food, but it will be much more beautiful experience when reaching amazing Pha Din Pass, time for photos. Continue our drive to Dien Bien. Overnight in Hotel

Day 9: Dien Bien Phu – Lai Chau 

Meals: B, L, D

+Guide 

Morning visit of the museum and sites of Dien Bien Phu. Drive to Lai Chau, Visit a village of the Black Dao People, if lucky, you will see an art of hair make-up of the old ladies on the way. Tonight, we stay in Muong Lay, a very lovely town by “Black River”. Overnight Lan Anh Hotel.

Day 10: Lai Chau – Sapa 

Meals: B, L, D

+Guide 

Drive to Sa Pa, during your way, you will see many different ethnic villages of the Lao, Lu, Black Dao, Tien Dao, Day, Red H’mong before driving up to the highest pass in Vietnam - Hoang Lien Son. Stop over at “Heaven Gate” for a wonderful view down to amazing valley and Fanxipang - the highest mount in Vietnam (Roof of Vietnam). You also visit “Silver Waterfall” - the nicest one in the area before getting to your hotel in Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 11: Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta van  – Sapa

Meals: B, L

+Guide 

Sapa - The Queen of the Mountains, overlooking a beautiful valley, lofty mountains towering over the town on all sides, Sapa Tour is gateway to another world of mysterious minority cultures and luscious landscapes and great choice for Vietnam Tours maker to arrange Vietnam Culture Tours, Vietnam Trekking Tours, Vietnam Homestay Tours... After breakfast, we will do one of the most beautiful Sapa Tours with the drive to visit Lao Chai and Ta Van village of the Black H'mong and the Day people where you can enjoy fresh air, amazing scenery of the imposing mountain range, trek down world's most beautiful terraced rice fields, visit some local family on the way and learn unique culture and life of these ethnic groups. Back to Sapa by private car, free at leisure for the rest of the day. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 12: Sapa – Lao Cai

Meals: B, L

+ Guide

The markets in the Northern Vietnam are always the colorful meeting places for the hill tribes, spotlight for any Sapa Tours and of course, your unique Vietnam Tours experience. Minority people come down from the mountains to sell their products, or just for catching up on the latest news, gossip, drinking away troubles or seeking for lover. In the morning, drive to visit one of the areas weekly markets;

Market days: 

Can Cau Market - Saturdays

Bac Ha Market or Muong Hum Market or Muong Khuong Market - Sundays

Cao Son Market - Wednesdays

Lung Khau Nhin Market - Thursdays

Coc Ly Market - Tuesdays

In the late afternoon, your Sapa tour guide and driver transfer you back to Lao Cai to catch the night train back to Hanoi. We hope that you have enjoyed your Sapa Tours with us. We say goodbye with sincere thanks and looking forward to welcoming you again for your coming Vietnam Tours and Sapa Tours.

Overnight on the train.

Day 13: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay Cruise

Meals: B, L, D

+ Guide

Pick up from the train station, this early morning, we have already arranged a room in a mini hotel for you to have shower and breakfast.

Halong Cruise must be the most beautiful tour in Vietnam for any visitors to Vietnam. After breakfast, we drive to Halong Bay (165km), Vietnam most scenic sight, a recognized World Natural Heritage Site and highlight of any Vietnam Tours. Upon arrival, board your traditional wooden junk. Welcome drink on board. After a relaxing break, enjoy a delicious seafood lunch while cruising through the wonderful Ha Long bay visiting its amazing grottoes and caves. Opportunity to dive off the boat and have a pleasant swimming in the deep blue water of East Sea before relaxing on your sun deck to view a Halong sunset.  Dinner on board with excellent fresh seafood. Overnight on board.

Day 14: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi

Meals: B

+ Guide

People describe Halong Bay as majestic and mysterious, inspiring and imperious and words alone cannot do justice to the natural wonder that is Halong Bay. Imagine 3000 or more incredible islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin and you have a vision of breathtaking beauty. Halong Bay is pure art, a priceless collection of unfinished sculptures hewn from the hand of nature and it is said that your Vietnam Tours will not be complete without a trip to Halong Bay and spending one night on romantic Halong Cruise.

This morning, let get up early to catch the sunrise on the bay, doing Ta Chi on sundeck and relax with a cup of hot coffee or tea when the boat cruising to explore more of Halong Bay. All makes your Indochina Holiday with full sweet memory. Back to Halong city at around noon where Vivutravel's private guide and driver are waiting for the transfer back to Hanoi.

Day 15: Hanoi Departure

Meals: B

+ Guide

Free time at leisure for you to wrap up your memorial Indochina tours until Vivutravel's private guide will see you off at the airport with the sincere thanks for traveling with Vivutravel. We hope that you have enjoyed your Indochina tours with us and look forward to your next Indochina tours. Vivutravel says goodbye and see you again!!!

END OF LAOS & VIETNAM TOUR OFF THE BEATEN TRACK