14-Day Vietnam and Laos Tour from Ho Chi Minh City to Luang Prabang

After breakfast, leave Ho Chi Minh City for Ben Tre, a peaceful province in the Mekong Delta known for its coconut gardens, narrow waterways and rural villages. The journey takes you away from the busy city and into the slower-paced landscape of southern Vietnam.

Upon arrival at Ham Luong Pier, board a local boat for a journey along the Ben Tre River. As you cruise through the waterways, observe riverside homes, fishing activities and local boats that remain an important part of daily life in the delta.

Continue with visits to a traditional brick kiln and a coconut processing workshop, where you can learn how local materials are transformed into products used in everyday life. Walk to a family-run workshop producing handwoven sleeping mats, then enjoy fresh tropical fruit and tea while meeting local residents.

Later, travel deeper into the countryside by motor cart or bicycle, passing village lanes, gardens and coconut groves. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before taking a traditional rowing boat through smaller canals shaded by lush vegetation.

In the afternoon, transfer to your homestay and enjoy time to relax in the peaceful village surroundings. In the evening, join your host family for a hands-on cooking experience, followed by a homemade dinner featuring local southern Vietnamese dishes.

Overnight in Ben Tre Homestay.

After breakfast at the homestay, begin the morning with a gentle cycling journey through the peaceful countryside of Ben Tre. Ride along quiet village paths shaded by coconut trees and observe the everyday rhythm of rural life in the Mekong Delta.

Visit a local market, where residents gather to purchase fresh produce, herbs, seafood and daily household goods. Continue to family-run workshops to learn about traditional village industries such as broom making and soy sauce production. These small-scale activities offer an authentic insight into local skills that have been passed down through generations.

Subject to the school schedule and local permission, a short visit to a nearby school may also be arranged, offering a respectful glimpse into everyday education in rural Vietnam.

Enjoy lunch at a local home before saying goodbye to your hosts and returning by road to Ho Chi Minh City. After checking in at your hotel, enjoy the remainder of the day at your own pace. Dinner is not included, giving you the freedom to explore the city’s restaurants, cafés or evening food scene independently.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, the gateway to central Vietnam. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and continue towards Hoi An.

On the way, stop at the Marble Mountains, a group of limestone hills known for their caves, pagodas and spiritual sites. Explore selected areas with your guide and learn more about the cultural and religious significance of this well-known Da Nang landmark. Some walking and steps are involved during the visit.

Continue to Hoi An and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant featuring regional dishes. Afterwards, check in at your hotel and take time to relax.

The remainder of the afternoon and evening is free for you to discover Hoi An Ancient Town at your own pace. Wander through lantern-lined streets, browse local shops and tailor boutiques, admire traditional architecture or relax at a riverside café. In the evening, you may explore the night market and enjoy Hoi An’s atmospheric lantern scenery independently.

Domestic airfare is subject to the services confirmed in your final quotation.

Overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast, begin your countryside discovery with a scenic cycling trip to Tra Que Vegetable Village, a farming community located just outside Hoi An Ancient Town. The village is known for its fresh herbs, vegetable gardens and traditional cultivation methods.

Walk through the gardens and learn how local farmers grow produce using natural techniques. Depending on seasonal conditions and local arrangements, you may take part in simple farming activities such as watering vegetables or preparing the soil.

Continue with a Vietnamese cooking experience using fresh local ingredients. Under the guidance of local hosts, prepare selected dishes before sitting down to enjoy the lunch you have helped create.

In the afternoon, travel to Cam Thanh Coconut Village for a traditional basket boat ride through the water coconut forest. Glide along the narrow waterways and learn more about the river-based lifestyle of local fishing communities.

Your final visit of the day is Thanh Ha Pottery Village, one of Hoi An’s traditional craft communities. Meet local artisans, observe the pottery-making process and, subject to local arrangements, try shaping a simple clay item by hand.

Return to your hotel in Hoi An and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

After breakfast, enjoy some free time in Hoi An before transferring to Da Nang International Airport for your flight to Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city.

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, your driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Hanoi. Check in and take time to rest before your evening experience.

Later, join a guided Hanoi Old Quarter street food tour, an enjoyable introduction to the capital’s food culture and everyday street life. Walk through lively streets and narrow lanes, stopping at local eateries and traditional food stalls to sample selected Hanoi specialties. Depending on the planned route, tastings may include dishes such as pho, bun cha, banh mi, spring rolls or Vietnamese coffee.

Beyond the food itself, this experience offers a closer look at how local people eat, gather and enjoy daily life in the historic heart of Hanoi.

Return to your hotel after the tour and spend the evening at your own pace.

Domestic airfare is subject to the services confirmed in your final quotation.

Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, begin a full-day exploration of Hanoi, combining important cultural landmarks with the atmosphere of the historic Old Quarter.

Start at Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in Hanoi, located beside West Lake. Continue to Ba Dinh Square, where your guide will introduce the historical importance of the surrounding landmarks and President Ho Chi Minh’s role in Vietnam’s modern history. Nearby, visit the distinctive One Pillar Pagoda, known for its lotus-inspired design.

Continue to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, which introduces the traditions, architecture, clothing and daily life of Vietnam’s diverse ethnic communities.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing your discovery of the city on foot.

In the afternoon, explore selected areas of the Hanoi Old Quarter with your guide. Begin near Long Bien Bridge, an historic landmark associated with Hanoi’s colonial-era past and modern daily life. Continue through local streets and markets, including Dong Xuan Market, colorful Hang Ma Street, traditional herbal medicine shops on Lan Ong Street and the commercial atmosphere of Hang Buom Street.

Visit Bach Ma Temple, one of the oldest temples in the Old Quarter, before taking a break at a local café to enjoy Vietnamese egg coffee. Continue towards Hoan Kiem Lake, the symbolic centre of the capital.

In the evening, attend a traditional water puppet show, a Vietnamese performing art inspired by rural life, folklore and local legends. After the show, dinner is at your own expense, allowing you to explore Hanoi’s dining scene independently.

Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, leave Hanoi for Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its limestone islands and calm emerald waters. Upon arrival at Tuan Chau International Marina, complete the boarding procedures for your overnight cruise.

Enjoy a welcome drink and a short safety briefing before lunch is served onboard. As the cruise begins sailing through the bay, admire the distinctive limestone formations rising from the water, including several of Halong Bay’s recognizable islets.

In the afternoon, visit Sung Sot Cave, also known as Surprise Cave. Reach the entrance by climbing stone steps, then explore the spacious chambers and impressive natural rock formations inside.

Continue to Ti Top Island, where you may relax on the beach, swim in designated areas or climb to the viewpoint for panoramic views across the bay, depending on local conditions and the operating schedule.

Return to the cruise in the late afternoon and enjoy leisure time onboard. The cruise program may include a cooking demonstration, fruit carving activity or sunset relaxation on deck. Dinner is served onboard, followed by a quiet evening on the bay. Optional squid fishing or onboard activities may be available according to the cruise schedule.

Cruise activities are subject to the selected vessel, weather conditions, tide levels and local authority regulations.

Overnight in Halong Bay.

Wake early to enjoy the peaceful morning atmosphere of Halong Bay. Subject to the cruise program, you may join a Tai Chi session on the sundeck as the day begins over the surrounding limestone islands.

After a light breakfast, continue with a morning excursion to Luon Cave, a scenic water cave surrounded by limestone cliffs and calm water. Depending on the cruise arrangements, explore the area by kayak or bamboo boat for a closer view of the bay’s natural landscape.

Return to the vessel, freshen up and complete check-out procedures while the cruise sails back towards the marina. Brunch is served onboard before disembarkation at Tuan Chau International Marina.

Meet your driver and continue by road to Ninh Binh, an area known for its rivers, limestone mountains, rice fields and peaceful rural scenery. The drive from Halong Bay to Ninh Binh usually takes approximately 4–5 hours, depending on traffic and rest stops.

Upon arrival, check in at your hotel in the Tam Coc area and spend the rest of the day relaxing after the cruise and overland transfer. Dinner is at your own expense.

Overnight in Tam Coc.

After breakfast, begin your exploration of Ninh Binh with a visit to the Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its waterways, caves and dramatic limestone formations.

Board a traditional sampan boat for a scenic journey through the Trang An landscape. Travel along quiet rivers, beneath limestone cliffs and through natural cave passages while enjoying the peaceful surroundings. The boat ride generally takes approximately 2–2.5 hours, depending on the selected route and local conditions.

Afterwards, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, with the opportunity to try regional Vietnamese dishes.

In the afternoon, visit Bai Dinh Pagoda, an extensive Buddhist complex set among the green hills of Ninh Binh. Explore selected areas with your guide while learning more about Vietnamese Buddhist traditions and the cultural importance of the site. The complex includes large-scale architecture, long corridors lined with Arhat statues and impressive bronze Buddha images. Some walking is involved, and electric buggy transport may be used depending on the confirmed tour arrangement.

After the visit, return by road to Hanoi. After checking in at your hotel, enjoy the evening at your own pace.

Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, enjoy free time until your transfer to Noi Bai International Airport for your flight to Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Laos and one of Southeast Asia’s most atmospheric heritage towns.

Upon arrival at Luang Prabang International Airport, meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Take time to settle in and enjoy the peaceful character of this UNESCO-listed town, where Buddhist temples, traditional houses and French colonial-era architecture sit between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.

If your flight schedule allows, visit Mount Phousi in the late afternoon. Climb the steps to the summit for panoramic views across Luang Prabang, the surrounding mountains and the rivers below as the day draws to a close.

Afterwards, enjoy free time at the Luang Prabang Night Market, where local artisans sell textiles, handicrafts, souvenirs and traditional Lao products.

Regional airfare is subject to the services confirmed in your final quotation.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

For early risers, there is an optional opportunity to observe the traditional morning alms giving ceremony, an important spiritual practice in Luang Prabang. Guests wishing to observe or participate should do so respectfully, following local customs and the guidance provided by the local guide.

Continue to a local morning market, where you can see fresh vegetables, herbs, local snacks and everyday ingredients used in Lao cooking. Afterwards, return to your hotel and enjoy breakfast.

Begin your guided city tour at the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum, where you can gain insight into Laos’ royal history and cultural heritage. Continue to Wat Mai, admired for its elegant architecture and decorative golden reliefs.

Next, visit Wat Xieng Thong, one of Luang Prabang’s most significant temples. Located near the meeting point of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, the temple is known for its sweeping roofs, intricate mosaics and peaceful atmosphere.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant featuring Lao cuisine.

In the afternoon, continue to Wat Visoun, one of the city’s oldest temples, followed by a visit to Wat Aham, a peaceful religious site with an important place in local spiritual life.

The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to relax, visit a café or explore the charming streets of Luang Prabang at your own pace.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

After breakfast, transfer to the pier and board a traditional long-tail boat for an upstream cruise along the Mekong River. As you travel through the peaceful riverside landscape, enjoy views of forested hills, local fishing boats and villages along the riverbanks.

Arrive at the sacred Pak Ou Caves, located near the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers. These riverside limestone caves are home to thousands of Buddha images that have been placed there by local devotees over generations. Explore the lower and upper caves with your guide while learning about Lao Buddhist traditions and the spiritual significance of the site.

On the return journey towards Luang Prabang, stop at Ban Xangkhong, a traditional craft village known for silk weaving and handmade Saa paper. Meet local artisans and observe traditional techniques that remain part of the area’s cultural heritage.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing by road to Kuang Si Waterfall, one of the most beautiful natural attractions near Luang Prabang. Walk through the forest setting and admire the multi-tiered cascades and turquoise pools. Subject to weather and local conditions, there may be time to swim in designated areas.

During the visit, stop at the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre, located near the waterfall area, where rescued bears are cared for and visitors can learn more about wildlife protection in Laos.

After the visit, return to Luang Prabang and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy free time until your transfer to Luang Prabang International Airport for your departure flight.

Depending on your flight schedule, you may take a final walk through the quiet streets of Luang Prabang, relax at a café or shop for locally made textiles and handicrafts before leaving Laos.

Your 14-day Vietnam and Laos journey concludes after memorable experiences across vibrant cities, peaceful waterways, heritage towns, limestone landscapes, Buddhist temples and the timeless atmosphere of Luang Prabang.

End of Services