Inspiring Indochina

Day 1  Siem Reap, Cambodia        
Your Vietnam and Cambodia luxury tour begins by private transfer to your elegant hotel, former home of Cambodian royalty presenting French colonial elegance amidst manicured gardens of frangipani trees and located minutes from the temples of Ankor Wat. Tonight, dine in a traditional Khmer wooden house at restaurant Mahob where you’ll feast on Khmer cuisine of aromatic satays, curries, fried rice and fresh fish.    

Day 2  Angkor Wat        
Discover Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm with a renowned archaeologist feeling like an explorer yourself as you witness how nature has crept in and reclaimed the land after the fall of the Angkorian empires. Take in a different view later today as you watch the last rays of light beam across the stone temples on a tranquil sunset over Angkor Wat. Then join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience attending a performance of ‘Phare, the Cambodian Circus’ for a dazzling display of theater, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion performed in a story about Cambodian life and society. End the day with dinner at Malis, the flagship restaurant of Master Chef Luu Meng renowned for its fresh seasonal produce and delicate flavors.    

Day 3  Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam      
Fly to Ho Chi Min City to start the next part of your journey. Once you have checked in to your central hotel you will meet up with your fellow travellers. This evening enjoy dinner in one of the busy rooftop restaurants of Saigon and watch the lights of the city from a perfect vantage point.

Day 4  Ho Chi Minh City & the Cu Chi Tunnels    
Travel by speedboat from the city's glittering skyscrapers to the green paddy fields scattered along the Saigon River. Your destination is the Cu Chi tunnels, which were dug during the Vietnam War, where you will meet a Viet Cong veteran. After lunch, explore the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City including the Notre Dame Cathedral and Gustave Eiffel's Central Post Office. Head to a charming coffee shop and learn the art of brewing Vietnamese coffee. Personalise your day with a visit to the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine or the War Remnants Museum.    

Day 5  Mekong Delta        
Delve into life of the Mekong Delta through insider experiences with locals. Take a private charter to a coconut production and processing center to taste juice fresh from the coconut and see where locals still use centuries-old methods to make bricks at a small kiln. Go local hopping on a tri-motorcycle to zip along village roads past green paddies to a rice noodle factory to see how rice noodles are produced. After seeing so much of the land’s bounty, sit down for a lunch of Mekong Delta specialties at Mango Home. End the day at the home of Mr. Sau Tuong, a former soldier who fought the Khmer Rouge, for insight into how life in Vietnam has evolved since the 1960s and how they earn a living from making traditional rice paper.    

Day 6  Ho Chi Minh City to Hue    
Marvel at vistas of lush countryside as you fly to Hue where you’ll cycle through brilliant green rice fields to Phu Mong village. Take in the traditional garden house and craft houses of this quiet locale before an extraordinary evening of music and dance. Visit Ben Xuan Garden House Theater, a magnificent structure built in Hue royal architectural style located by the Perfume River. You’ll be welcomed by the owner Ms. Camille Huyen, a celebrated painter and singer with royal ancestry and her husband, a former Swiss banker. Combined, the two put on an intimate and welcoming hosted meal which includes a stroll of their self-designed traditional house and a small concert that features Huyen on vocals, accompanied by local musicians playing traditional instruments.    

Day 7  Hue        
Encounter the best of Hue beginning with a morning visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel before it opens to the public. Enter the towering main gates on a state-of-the-art electric cart as a renowned local historian points out the extravagant architecture and gardens of the former royal court. Continue your exploration of Hue’s royalty at the tomb of Minh Mang, the second Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, before a quiet lunch alongside the Perfume River. Curate your afternoon discovering more cultural highlights: Take a short cruise to the private museum of collector Tran Dihn Son to view his collection of rare antiquities. Or, take a cyclo ride to An Dinh Palace, the private residence of Khai Dinh, Vietnam's last emperor.    

Day 8  Hue to Hoi An    
Sit back and relax on a scenic drive over the spectacular Hai Van Mountain to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An. Encounter the ancient city through the eyes of a local exploring former merchants’ homes, colourful communal halls, narrow lanes lined with traditional houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge enchanting you with its elegant and detailed carvings. Meander down a small alley to discover an ancient house where the art of healing through martial art a - combination of Qigong and traditional Vietnamese martial art - has been passed down for generations. Learn basic steps under the guidance of the master who created this particular blend himself. This evening, choose to dine on traditional local cuisine, modern Vietnamese or East-meets-West fusion.

Day 9  Hoi An    
Glide across the water in a traditional “thung chai” bamboo-basket boat to the dense coconut jungles that were once a shelter for locals and soldiers during the Vietnam War and is now the beautiful Cam Thanh Village. Learn from the villagers how they cultivate and harvest vegetables according to local customs. Continue your voyage through a peaceful water coconut forest to a riverside restaurant overlooking the rice fields to participate in a hands-on cooking class alongside a local chef and savour your creations.

Day 10  Hoi An to Hanoi        
Jet off to Hanoi, Vietnam’s glistening capital city known for colonial-style architecture, ancient temples and vibrant culture. Get acquainted with your surroundings at your five-star boutique hotel before enjoying a ride aboard an electric cart to see the historic colonial-style, bold-hued yellow Opera House, avenues lined with French mansions, Sword Lake and the 18th-century Jade Mountain Temple. Savour the best of the city joining a local gourmand in the Old Quarter for exploration of Hanoi's colourful and robust street-food culture. Delight your senses and tempting scents waft out of stalls and you learn what locals eat and sample the city’s best dishes, including Gỏi Cuốn (spring rolls) beef pho, and com cake amidst the busy hum of nightlife.    

Day 11  Hanoi to Halong Bay      
Discover Ha Long Bay’s emerald waters on your luxury junk boat. Your overnight cruise will carry you through “the bay with a thousand islands” to the mysterious Tien Ong Cave to wander among the stalactites and stalagmites where archeologists have found artifacts dating back to 10,000 B.C. Sail to Cua Van floating village, a tucked away UNESCOrecognized Natural World Heritage Site of over 300 houseboats where fishermen have lived for hundreds of years to learn from the locals what life is like in this remote community. Tonight, learn from the on-board chef in an on-board traditional Vietnamese cooking demonstration or cool off with a drink on deck and watch the sun dip behind the horizon.

Day 12  Halong Bay to Hanoi        
Greet the day finding your flow and centre with Tai Chi on the upper deck, or enjoy an early morning swim before lingering over brunch as you cruise past the limestone formations back to Hanoi. Relax at your luxury hotel in the heart of the city.    

Day 13  Hanoi        
Visit the captivating Temple of Literature built in 1076 to learn about Hanoian culture and Vietnamese architecture. View the Well of Clarity with a local scholar who shares their insights into this famous institution honouring Vietnam’s finest scholars and signifies the beginning of a uniform educational system in Vietnam as you stroll the spacious temple grounds of towering gates, pavilions and five elegantly landscaped courtyards. In the evening, toast to your travels over dinner.  

Day 14  Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Laos      
Jet off to Luang Prabang, once the royal seat of the Lane Xang Kingdom and still the centre of Lao culture. Tucked in a mountain valley at the meeting of the Mekong and Khan Rivers, this sleepy town is also UNESCO World Heritage Site with a fascinating history and vibrant culture. Check into your luxury hotel admiring its blend of elegant colonial style and lush, tropical gardens surrounded by mountain ranges. Explore the area on one of your hotel’s provided bikes to take in the nearby attractions or cool off with a dip in the pool before enjoying a meal of Lao or western cuisine at your beautiful resort.  

Day 15  Luang Prabang        
Uncover the real Luang Prabang, choosing to experience a living Buddhist tradition going back generations as you rise early to observe the offering of alms to hundreds of saffron-robed monks. Then watch the town come to life at the morning market before ascending Mount Phousi to bask in spectacular views of the Mekong and Khan rivers and surrounding mountain ranges. Feast on a delectable family style lunch at local restaurant, Khai Phaen, named after a popular Laotian snack unique to Luang Prabang. Learn about the local rural lifestyle at Wat Xiengthong, the Temple of the Golden City, that remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art. Your adventure culminates with a private sunset cruise on the mighty Mekong where you’ll watch life along its banks and enjoy a cool drink as you toast to your travels.    

Day 16  Luang Prabang        
Your Ho Chi Minh to Luang Prabang luxury tour concludes after breakfast with private transfer to the airport.