Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia: Trails of Indochina

DAY 1 Walking tour of Luang Prabang and Phousi Hill; 2.5 miles, easy city walking and 328 steps

There is no better place to begin a tour of Southeast Asia than in the Laotian town of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995. This ancient royal city is surrounded by mountains and was founded at the sacred confluence of the Mekong River and its tributary, the Khan River. Here in Luang Prabang time seems to stand still. Its quiet streets lined with whitewashed French colonial buildings lead to magnificent Buddhist temples with their fantastically sculpted roofs, painted in gold and vibrant colors, and their tranquil grounds. As part of the UNESCO plan, new buildings have been limited and development must be in keeping with the timelessness of these surroundings.

After meeting your guide(s), you set out for a short walk to the base of Phousi Hill, Luang Prabang’s most prominent landmark, set at the junction of the two rivers and considered a very sacred place. Climb the 328 steps leading to the summit for rewarding views over the entire town, and then continue on to Wat Visoun, a 16th-century temple housing a small museum of religious artifacts; and finally Wat Xiengthong, another 16th-century temple, which epitomizes the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang’s Buddhist architecture. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and later there is free time to either relax back at the hotel, or further explore this beautiful, ancient town.

Before dinner you proceed to a characteristic house built on stilts where you are welcomed with a traditional Lao Baci (pronounced “bah-see”) ceremony, a lovely custom, both holy and joyful, to bless you and wish the group a lucky walking trip. By the end of the ceremony, as the pace of life in Laos takes hold, you will likely understand the Lao refrain “bo pen nyang,” loosely translated by the combined ideas of “don’t worry be happy” and “mañana.” A traditional dinner this evening is in a wonderful local restaurant that provides a great introduction to the delicate flavors of Laotian cuisine. Try the phoan, incredibly delicious and healthy noodle soup, or tasty spring rolls filled with vegetables or meat.

DAY 2 Optional morning alms offering. Hmong Village: Ban Long Lao to Kuang Si Waterfall

Early risers may wish to join townspeople on the hushed streets giving morning offerings to monks en route to their temples. The orange-robed monks are participating in the Buddhist ritual of receiving alms, and locals lining the way fill their baskets with fruit, rice, and other small morsels as the monks walk past.

After breakfast, the destination is Ban Long Lao, a small Hmong village. Laos is one of Southeast Asia’s most diverse countries with literally dozens of ethnic groups each with their own language and customs. The Hmong is one of these groups. From here you will walk through open farmland and forest trails to the Kuang Si Waterfall, which, while not very high, is striking in its lush jungle setting. Upon arrival there are plenty of opportunities to swim in the refreshing pools and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Dinner this evening is at the hotel, a former royal enclave-turned-boutique hotel, and afterward you may wish to venture out on your own for a walk through the night market, a colorful and diverse Luang Prabang highlight, replete with local handicrafts, held every evening.

DAY 3 Luang Prabang Market, Wat Chomphet, and Wat Xieng Mene;

After rising early and enjoying a wonderful buffet breakfast of muesli, traditional noodle soup, fresh fruits, eggs, and pastries, you walk from the hotel to the morning market, already bustling with activity as produce from the surrounding hills and small farms is set out. You continue down to the Mekong River where you are ferried by a local boat to the opposite bank. The walk traces country paths that wind through rice paddies, villages, and up many steps to the ancient pagodas of Wat Chomphet and Wat Xieng Mene. Small children from the villages may escort you along the trail.

After this morning’s walk there are two optional activities. You have the chance to visit the wonderful textile co-op of Ock Pop Tok (Laotian for “East meets West”). This business provides sustainable employment to rural residents through the production and marketing of high-quality textiles. Meet the weavers and learn about these amazing contemporary and traditional designs. Alternatively you can visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center. This is Laos’s first exhibition space and fair-trade store dedicated to the collection, preservation, and presentation of traditional Laotian art and culture. The director of the center will speak about the interesting history of these Laotian tribes. Later this morning you return to the hotel, where you may freshen up and pack for your transfer to Hanoi. Lunch is at JoMa Cafe, situated in an historic restored French building. There will be an opportunity to have a guided tour of the National Museum, which is the former Royal Palace, before transferring to the airport.

Upon arrival in bustling Hanoi you are met by private coach and driven to your sophisticated five-star hotel situated in extensive gardens and manicured grounds on Hanoi’s West Lake. Dinner at the hotel is an enticing fusion of Asian and continental cuisine.

DAY 4 Exploring the old quarter of Hanoi; 1-2 miles, easy. Afternoon options

Your first full day in Vietnam is devoted to exploring the capital city of Hanoi. While smaller than Ho Chi Minh City, it is a fascinating blend of centuries of Vietnamese, Chinese, and French history. In addition to numerous museums and government buildings, Hanoi also houses many of Vietnam’s universities.

Early risers may opt to transfer to Hoan Kiem Lake, regarded as the heart of the city. You will be able to see thousands of locals (mostly elderly) practicing Tai Chi and calisthenics, or playing badminton and ping pong. From here walk to Hang Be Market, where you can see upper class ladies shopping for their daily supplies. A transfer is provided back to the hotel in time for a delicious and extensive buffet breakfast.

The rest of the day will be spent in and around Hanoi’s Old Quarter, which preserves examples of traditional Vietnamese and colonial architecture in narrow streets that open up into newer districts, and onto green parks surrounding small lakes. This area is an amazing introduction to the country, lined with street-level shops that morph into the owners’ living rooms. Strolling past covered stalls, you might see an entire family on board a single motor scooter navigating the narrow streets and alleyways.

After a delicious local lunch in a building that was once a Colonial House, you may opt to relax back at the hotel, go to the B52 Lake and explore this neighborhood, or take a walk through the French Quarter.

Later this afternoon a wonderful Thang Long Water Puppet Show is included. This amazing art form originated over one thousand years ago in the Red River Delta. The performers who operate the puppets spend more than an hour in the water, and the result is an intriguing show full of local tales about ancient legends, romance, farming, fishing, and children playing. After freshening up, dinner tonight is in a restaurant famous for its delicious local specialties.

DAY 5 Drive to Halong Bay. Board traditional junk boat. Visit Vung Vieng Fishing Village

The destination for the next two nights is fantastical Halong Bay, 600-square-miles studded with almost 2,000 jutting, lushly forested limestone islands, or karsts. Halong translates as “where the dragon descends into the sea.” As legend tells it, Halong Bay was created by a great dragon who lived in the mountains. As it ran towards the coast with its tail flailing, it gouged out valleys and crevasses in the landscape. This journey provides unequaled access to the bay’s beauty. Situated roughly four hours east of Hanoi, you arrive in the bay around noon and board your private junk. Lunch is served on board, after which a visit to the floating fishing village of Vung Vieng is included. You will have the chance to experience the villagers’ daily life as well as the traditional culture and customs of the fishermen. Later there are opportunities for swimming and kayaking.

This evening enjoy your first dinner aboard the boat. The setting sun gives way to the quiet lapping of water and a night sky full of stars.

DAY 6 Cat Ba National Park, Forest Trail; 6 or 10 miles, moderate

Enjoy breakfast as the junk sets sail to Cat Ba Island. Your walk starts at the entrance to Cat Ba National Park and continues on through a forest trail up to a Ranger Station, where you can have a rest, chat with your travel companions, and eat a boxed lunch of fresh, local produce. On this walk the views are hidden by the lush vegetation, but it feels good to stretch your legs after being on the junk and at times you will also spot beautiful blossoms high in the trees. Once you reach the Ranger Station you may choose to either head back down the trail, or continue walking up the trail, which ends at a small pond. Those who do not wish to hike today may enjoy more time on the junk, swimming, kayaking, or even taking a bike ride.

A sunset cocktail is followed by a dinner of freshly caught seafood delicately seasoned and served in the junk’s dining room. The lights from the other boats anchored in the area reflect in the calm waters and provide a unique, intimate atmosphere.

DAY 7 Visit to Sung Sot Grotto. Transfer to Hanoi, flight to Danang

After a light breakfast on board, the junk makes its way to Sung Sot Cave, or the Cave of Surprises, the largest grotto in Halong Bay. It consists of two chambers, one being similar to a wide theatre hall, where many stalactites hang from the high ceiling, and a second chamber that is so immense it could hold thousands of people at one time. At the deepest point of the grotto, a “royal garden” appears with a clear pond and a fascinating landscape of mountains. Many birds and plants (benjamin figs, cycads and centenary banyan trees) live here. After this visit head back to the junk and enjoy a delicious brunch. After disembarking at Halong Pier, transfer back to Hanoi, where you board your flight to Danang. From here drive to Hoi An, where you have a chance to check in at the hotel and freshen up before enjoying dinner at Morning Glory, a local restaurant where you can experience the delights of Vietnamese cuisine.

DAY 8 Cam Thanh and Cam Chau villages and countryside; Guided tour of Hoi An;

Begin your day by winding through two villages, all the while appreciating the typical Vietnamese scenery: ultra-green rice paddies, traditional houses, and perhaps a family piled high on a single moped, carrying their wares to a local market. Walk through the local villages of Cam Thanh and Cam Chau, where there may be a chance to stop at a local school and visit with the children. Continue on to the wonderful old part of Hoi An, where your guide shares amazing insights into the history of this area.

Hoi An was an international trading center from the 17th to the 19th centuries, frequented by merchants from China, Japan, India, and Holland. The winding narrow streets and old Chinese-style buildings of its historical center are remarkably intact and have earned it the status of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Particularly fascinating is the Japanese covered bridge, built by the 17th-century Japanese colonists and unique with its Buddhist temple on one side. Go inside a former merchant’s house as well as shops, courtyards, and temples, eventually reaching Hoi An’s colorful central market, its stalls brimming over with tropical produce. Nearby visit the cloth market, where fabric can be purchased and made into a garment in one day.

Later, gather for a delicious dinner at Brother’s Café overlooking the Hoi An River.

DAY 9 Transfer to Siem Reap, via Ho Chi Minh City. Afternoon visit to Angkor Thom; 1 mile, easy

An early morning departure from Danang takes you to Siem Reap, Cambodia, the “Great Gate to Angkor.” There will be a transfer in Ho Chi Minh City and you will have airport assistance during the transfer. On arrival in Siem Reap you will be met at the airport by your local Cambodian guide and then transferred to your hotel. After time to check in and freshen up, enjoy lunch at the hotel’s poolside restaurant. After lunch take a tuk-tuk to the gate at Bayon, which is at the beginning of your walk to explore the mysterious royal city of Angkor Thom. Stroll along the trail to the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Wander through the narrow alleyways and see its awe-inspiring fifty-tower temple. The enormous stone sculptures reveal enigmatic faces from a remote era. Continue on to Takeo Temple, a towering but plainly decorated structure dedicated to Shiva. Known in its time as the “mountain with golden peaks,” it was the first temple to be constructed wholly of sandstone. Here you will watch a spectacular sunset over the temples before dinner in a local restaurant, your first chance to enjoy Cambodia’s delicious cuisine.

DAY 10 K’Bal Spean Trail; 3 miles, easy to moderate. Afternoon visit to Ta Prohm

This morning you depart early from the hotel in order to beat the heat. Transfer to K’bal Spean, which is situated on the southwestern slopes of the Kulen Hills and within Phnom Kulen National Park. It was here in 802 AD that King Jayavarman declared himself the god-king and broke away from the Java kingdom. This is the birthplace of the Angkor kingdom and modern Cambodia. You follow a trail through a pretty forest, where at the top you find the K’bal Spean site and riverbed which is covered with sculptures of lingas, the symbol of the god Shiva’s supreme essence. This amazing Hindu site, referred to as the “River of a Thousand Linguas,” predates Angkor Wat by roughly two hundred years, making it one of the most ancient sites in the region. Along your route there is a lovely waterfall and great views of the valley below.

Back in Siem Reap a lunch at the Paul De Brule Tourism School is planned. This school provides a five-star lunch cooked by students who are studying to be chefs at this educational center. Later this afternoon you visit Ta Prohm, a site nearly lost due to the deep jungle growing around it. The overgrown vegetation combined with the remains provide a somewhat haunted and exotic landscape. Enormous tree roots, pushing between the stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, emphasize the legend of a “lost city.” Intentionally left partially unrestored, massive fig and silk-cotton trees grow from the towers and alleyways, offering ample photo opportunities of temple ruins juxtaposed with overgrown trees. Time permitting, visit a center for local artisans to learn about how traditional practices are being passed on to the next generation. Dinner will be eaten back at the hotel, which serves some of the best authentic Cambodian food in the area. Later you enjoy a performance by musicians from Cambodian Living Arts, a project of World Education, which supports the revival of traditional Khmer performing arts.

DAY 11 Visit of Angkor Wat; 1 mile, easy. Departure

This morning you rise very early in order to beat the crowds and the hot sun with an exploration of Angkor Wat—the enormous and intricately carved Khmer ruins—one of the world’s architectural wonders. A product of the Khmer civilization, the temple was constructed between the 9th and 13th centuries. Strolling its extensive alleys and courtyards, you see many small shrines still in use by the local people living near the ancient site. Housed in the main temple are hundreds of fine carvings of Apsaras, depicted from Hindu mythology.

After this remarkable visit to Angkor Wat, bid your traveling companions goodbye at a celebratory farewell lunch. A complimentary transfer to the airport is included for your onward travel.