The Ultimate Indochina Trip

DAY 1 You've Arrived

You will arrive in Bangkok in the early morning and connect across to the onward flight to Hanoi (with your bags checked straight through), which takes just under two hours. You will be met at the airport for the transfer to your city centre hotel, and the rest of the day is yours to spend as you please. Perhaps take a stroll, armed with our detailed destination Dossier, and enjoy a leisurely lunch or, simply enjoy some R&R at the hotel.

DAY 2 Historic Hue

Spend today enjoying a private guided tour through Hue with a knowledgeable local guide. Begin your day at the UNESCO celebrated Imperial Citadel, where your guide will teach you about the ancient and modern history of the Nguyen Dynasty and really make the various monuments come to life. Then, pay a visit to the tomb of Minh Mang before enjoying a home-cooked lunch in a peaceful village. After that, spend a few hours meandering through the lush ornamental gardens that once hosted the royal family. Finally, round off the day with an afternoon boat ride along the Perfume River, and a visit to Hue's iconic Thien Mu Pagoda.

For dinner, ask your guide or us for recommendations or simply wander and graze on street eats.

DAY 3 To Hoi An

Leave Hue behind and continue your journey south today as you head to Hoi An. A driver will meet you at your hotel for the three-hour drive, passing through some truly spectacular scenery including the famous Hai Van Pass.

When you arrive in the city and your new hotel, settle in and then head out to begin exploring. We can recommend a restaurant or you might like to simply consult your handy Dossier.

DAY 4 To Ho Chi Minh

Wake up early today and head to Da Nang Airport with your driver. Here you can catch a direct hour-and-a-half flight to Ho Chi Minh, where you'll be collected and taken to your new hotel in the heart of this bustling city. We have organised a full afternoon of exploring for you. Meet with a respected local scholar and head out for an afternoon exploring the city known as the 'Pearl of Indochina'. With numerous unique and historically significant examples of architecture Ho Chi Minh is a great example of how Indochina's culture has changed over time. Your guide will introduce you to the pagodas, museums and European architecture of the city's recent past to the growing number of skyscrapers, explaining the history behind them all as you walk.

This evening, settle in to this new city with dinner and drinks at a recommended local restaurant.

DAY 5 To the Delta

Your time in Vietnam has nearly come to an end, but not before you head to the famous Mekong Delta for a few days experiencing rural life on the waterways. Meet your driver at your hotel and make the four-hour drive south to Can Tho, the small city at the heart of the delta. After checking into your hotel, spend this afternoon cycling around the quiet lanes and dirt paths. Cycling is the perfect way to get around here as the roads are flat and the sites are all close together. See little cottages, farms harvesting or planting rice, hidden temples and lots of friendly locals who are keen to interact with visitors. The evening is then yours to enjoy soaking up the atmosphere here.

DAY 6 To Cambodia

After two weeks exploring Vietnam, it's time for part two of your Indochina adventure today. Start your day with breakfast before hopping aboard a luxurious transfer boat to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The journey is around five hours long and takes you up the Mekong past beautiful scenery and local life on the riverbanks. You should arrive at around lunchtime and will be greeted at the dock in Phnom Penh by a driver who will drop you at your new hotel.

This evening, enjoy a guided food tour as an introduction to the city, which really comes alive at night. Start with a sundowner at the city's highest restaurant before being whisked off by tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) to a local restaurant to whet your appetite with some local 'tapas'. Your main course will be at a hidden gem of a restaurant, an absolute local favourite, where you will feast on Cambodian barbeque dishes and local beer. End the evening on the riverfront with coffee and pudding at one of the city's night hot spots or if you'd prefer, you can continue your exploration of Phnom Penh's nightlife from the back of your tuk-tuk.

DAY 7 To Siem Reap

Leave Phnom Penh behind today as you meet your driver at your hotel and make the transfer to the airport. From there you'll catch a short 45-minute flight to Siem Reap where you will be met and taken to your new hotel. Over the next few days you'll have plenty of time to explore the famous Angkor temples and other sites around Siem Reap, so today enjoy some R&R. You might like to go for a dip in the pool or enjoy the sunshine with a good book before dinner.

DAY 8 Part Three

Nearly another week has passed and today the third and final leg of your trip begins. A driver will collect you from your hotel and take you to the airport in Siem Reap, where you can then catch a direct hour-long flight to Pakse in Laos. Deep in the south of Laos, where most tourists don't venture, Pakse and the surrounding Bolaven Plateau is a beautiful, riverside region. With a driver-guide to meet you from the airport your explorations will get under way straight after the flight. During the day, visit Tad Fane and Tad Yuang waterfalls and a local coffee plantation, where you'll stop for lunch and be taught how the locals harvest and process the beans. You'll also visit the three staggered waterfalls at Tad Lo and meet the local weaving women in Ban Houay Houn village, before eventually arriving at your hotel for dinner.

DAY 9 To Vientiane

It's time to move on to your new destination this morning. Meet your driver and make the drive back to Pakse airport where you'll be able to catch a direct flight north to the under-rated Laotian capital, Vientiane. The flight is again less than an hour long so you'll be arriving in this new city before you know it.

After checking in to your hotel, spend a few hours wandering around and exploring before this evening's food focused tour. With a local guide by your side you'll spend the evening winding through the vibrant street markets, starting with a cold beer at sunset and then moving on to sample a range of local fare from noodles to fried insects (!) and barbequed meat to fruity ice cream. The streets really liven up at night and this is a great way to sample some delicious delicacies and a slice of local life.

DAY 10 To Luang Prabang

It might only have been a flying visit but today you'll leave Vientiane behind and head further north again, this time to Luang Prabang, the jewel in the Laotian crown. A driver will meet you at your hotel after you've had time for a leisurely brunch and will then whisk you off to the airport. The flight from there to Luang Prabang is less than an hour long so you'll be in the capital and meeting your driver by early afternoon.

Once settled into your hotel, the rest of the afternoon and evening is yours to spend exploring and adjusting to the fact that this is the last stop on your epic Indochina adventure. Our Dossier should come in handy when it comes to deciding where to eat tonight.