Indochina for Families

16 days visiting

• Luang Prabang
• Hanoi
• Son Tay
• Halong
• Hoi An
• Saigon
• Siem Reap

From $4509 AUD pp (2 pax)

Day 1 Luang Prabang
Arrival in Luang Prabang
Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, your guide will present you with a welcome packet including all necessary documentation and vouchers and all contact information of your guide and local offices.
Transfer by air conditioned vehicle
– Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 2 Luang Prabang (Breakfast: Hotel )
Give alms to the monks (Tour will start early morning)
Give food and offerings to the monks in the early morning.
Sightseeing in Luang Prabang by Tuk Tuk
Set between the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers, Luang Prabang is a charming town filled with heritage buildings, colonial villas and gilded temples.
Visit the National Museum (former Royal Palace) and Wat Mai
Visit the National Museum (Royal Palace), a modest but graceful building which combines traditional Lao and French beaux-arts motifs. This turn-of-the century royal residence has been preserved as it was when the royal family last lived here and provides unique insights into the history of Laos. Then, visit Hor Phrabang. In the right front corner room of the Palace which opens to the outside, is a collection of the palace’s most prized art pieces, including the Phrabang, cast of a gold, silver and bronze alloy. This Buddha stands at 83 cm tall and weighs around 50 kg. Continue to Wat Mai, which was constructed in 1821 during the reign of King Manthatourath, and was once the residence of Phra Sangkharaj (the Patriarch of the Buddhist clergy).
Visit Wat Visunalat (Wat Visoun) and That Makmo
Wat Visunalat (Wat Visoun) was built in 1513 during the reign of Chao Wisunalat, it is the oldest operating temple in Luang Prabang with a collection of gilded wooden Buddhas from the 15th and 16th centuries. Also visit That Makmo, one of the more unusually shaped stupas in Luang Prabang. It is affectionately called by many locals as That Makmo, meaning Watermelon Stupa, on account of its rotund shape.
Visit Wat Xieng Thong
Wat Xieng Thong was built in 1560 and situated on the banks of the Mekong River, it is the most beautiful monastery in Luang Prabang and shows the typical Lao art style with old religious artifacts and some ancient masterpieces of Lao art.
Visit Wat Aham
Explore Wat Aham, an old temple known for its two enormous banyan trees.
Attend a traditional Baci Ceremony at Ban Ponepeng (Local House)
Find a reason to celebrate and join an ancient cultural ceremony in a local home. The Baci ceremony celebrates events such as a marriage, a birth, a success or even to honour visitors. The ceremony has deep meaning and involves chanting and the tying of white cotton strings around the wrists, binding everyone in an enlightening experience. Today’s Highlights: Baci ceremon – Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 3 Luang Prabang (Breakfast: Hotel )
Excursion to Kuang Si Waterfalls
Pack your swimsuit for a unique swimming experience at the spectacular Kuang Si Falls. Water tumbles over limestone rocks into numerous turquoise pools that are used as natural swimming holes. It’s refreshingly chilly and impossible to resist! On the way back to Luang Prabang stop for a walk around a local village. Today’s highlights: Kuang Si Waterfall, local village (Ban Ou or Ban Na Ouane)
Visit Kuang Si Butterfly Park
Visit Bear Sanctuary Rescue Centre at Kuang Si Waterfall
– Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 4 Luang Prabang – Hanoi (Breakfast: Hotel / Lunch: Meals incl. in itinerary (Laos) )
Sightseeing in Luang Prabang
Morning Cooking Class at Bamboo Tree Restaurant and Cooking School with market tour
Meeting at 8.30am at Bamboo Tree Restaurant (with welcome tea or coffee). Choosing the recipes and arrange payment for the class. Cook book is including the payment for the class. Visiting the market. Then Learning how to chop and cut the different ingredients, spices and vegetables. (E.g. bamboo sprouts, prepare stuffed lemongrass). Cooking � shared tasks e.g. rolling spring rolls or wrapping meat in Banana leaves. Preparation of sticky rice and steamed rice. History of Lao cooking and the neighbouring countries, Lao rice vodka Tasting. Cooking by yourself and cooking demonstration by chef. Lunch starts when all your dishes are done. We serve you drinks and tell you about Lao culinary traditions and eating habits. Receive Certificate of Achievement at the end of the class.
Transfer by air conditioned vehicle
Flight from Luang Prabang to Hanoi
Arrival in Hanoi
Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, your guide will present you with a welcome packet including all necessary documentation and vouchers and all contact information of your guide and local offices.
Transfer by air conditioned vehicle
Transfer to/from restaurant
– Overnight in Hanoi

Day 5 Hanoi (Breakfast: Hotel )
Sightseeing in Hanoi
Experience street food and market visit with local chef
On arrival at Hanoi Cooking Centre (HCC) try a cup of La Han, a special Vietnamese tea, before go across the road to taste Pho – a typical food of Hanoian. Take another short walk to Chau Long market to see all sorts of fresh vegetables, live fish, frogs, eels, silk worms, along with other bizarre products. Next stop is Hang Ga to sample the Banh Cuon (steamed rice noodle filled with pork & mushroom) and talk a short walk to Ngo Cho Dong Xuan to taste Hanoian’s traditional dishes: bun cha, prawn cake, snail soup. On the way back, stop at Yen Phu to visit a typical old cafe dating back to 1936 before returning to HCC.
Sightseeing in Hanoi
There’s no arguing
Hanoi has to be the coolest city in Vietnam. And no, we’re not just referring to the climate. This chaotic, colourful, motorbike-clogged, 1,000-year-old city is a delicious mix of East and West. Hanoi clings on tightly to its heritage, best seen in the Old Quarter
a maze of narrow alleyways that date back to the 13th century. In the Museum of Ethnology we can see art and artefacts from Vietnam’s many ethnic groups. In the heart of Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake. Today’s Highlights: Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Museum of Ethnology
Visit a Water Puppet Show
See a Water Puppet Show, a fantastic art form originating in northern Vietnam, best seen in Hanoi – Overnight in Hanoi

Day 6 Hanoi – Son Tay (Breakfast: Hotel / Lunch: Meals incl. in itinerary (Vietnam) / Dinner: Meals incl. in itinerary (Vietnam) )
Transfer from Hanoi to Moon Garden
Homestay experience at Moon Garden at Ky Son village with biking around Ky
Arrive at Moon Garden and spend some time to explore the homestay, wander into Ky Son village or take a cooking class. After lunch indulge in a traditional hand spa and then chat with the family and learn some Vietnamese. The more energetic can take a choice of two bike rides: Short ride: A 6km ride to discover the nearby farming communities, visit a local home, the kindergarten (if open), and chat with local people about their daily life. Help out with plowing, making rice beds, transplanting seedlings or harvesting rice. Long ride: A 12km ride to discover the farming communities. Also visit the Duong Lam ancient village to see the Mia Pagoda and Mong Phu Communal House. Cycle back along the ritual paths of Thang Thac village and discover the Ngo Quyen tomb and Phung Hung temple. Return to Moon Garden for a steam bath. Observe the evening Buddha worship and then sit down to dinner. Before bedtime enjoy a foot bath with ginger, salt and mugwort medicinal herbs – Overnight in Son Tay

Day 7 Local Village (Vietnam) – Son Tay – Hanoi – Halong (Breakfast: Hotel / Lunch: Meals incl. in itinerary (Vietnam) )
Homestay experience at Moon Garden at Ky Son village with biking around Ky
Before breakfast try traditional Yijinjing exercises and then have a stroll around Ky Son village to interact with the locals and learn about their daily life and farming. Visit the villager’s bee house or maybe help the farmers in the fields depending on the harvest season. Visit the kindergarten (when open) and see what goods are on offer at the village market. Back at Moon Garden take lunch and then enjoy free time until departure by relaxing in a hammock, taking photos wearing traditional Vietnamese clothes, or exploring the local area.
Transfer from Moon Garden to Hanoi
By vehicle from Hanoi to Halong Bay
Stop en-route for stretch your legs and use the restroom at one of the souvenir shop for charity. – Overnight in Halong

Day 8 Halong (Breakfast: Hotel / Lunch: Meals incl. in itinerary (Vietnam) )
Transfer to/from Tuan Chau Marina Port
Excursion by boat through Halong Bay including lunch
Halong Bay was formed by dragons who used their tails to gouge out valleys and crevasses, and spat out jewels that turned into islands. Or so the Vietnamese believe. Whether true or not, this is an otherworldly landscape. On a traditional wooden junk we’ll drift through a fairyland of sheer limestone islands that rise from the emerald water. We’ll pass by unique rock formations and discover caves in the rocks. At a floating village we’ll see pearl fisheries and fishermen casting their nets. Today’s Highlights: Boat trip through Halong Bay, Surprise Cave, Titov Islan – Overnight in Halong

Day 9 Halong – Hanoi – Danang – Hoi An (Breakfast: Hotel )
By vehicle from Halong to Noi Bai Airport
Flight from Hanoi to Danang
By vehicle from Danang airport to Hoi An
Sightseeing in Hoi An
Pretty as a picture Hoi An! The quirky mix of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and European influences make this ancient town a photographers’ paradise. We’ll walk through the narrow winding streets past ochre-hued stone houses, lantern-filled shops and colourful fishing boats. One of the most iconic sights is the Japanese Covered Bridge. There are also ancient temples and merchant homes over 200 years old. Today’s Highlights: Japanese Covered Bridge, Sa Huynh Museum, Tran Family Chapel, Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall, Lantern Making Workshop
Attend a lantern making workshop
Visit the Ha Linh lantern workshop to learn about the history, shape and colour of the lanterns, and to see how they are made. Then try your hand at making a lantern that can be kept as a souvenir – Overnight in Hoi An

Day 10 Hoi An (Breakfast: Hotel / Lunch: Meals incl. in itinerary (Vietnam) )
Pedal and Paddle in Hoi An
Take off your shoes and roll up your trousers! We’re going to join the farmers in the rice paddies to learn how to plant rice and tend to the soil using basic tools still used today. Our lunch will be cooked from the fresh ingredients found on the farm. In addition we’ll explore the countryside and riverside villages by boat and bicycle. In local workshops we’ll see how traditional handicrafts are made. A local family will welcome us into their home for a cup of tea. We’ll take a spin in a round basket boat and paddle through the intricate nypa-palm waterways and mangrove forests. This is a fun day for all the family to engage with nature and the local way of life. Today’s Highlights: Tra Nhieu village, cottage industries, Cam Thanh village, farm experience – Overnight in Hoi An

Day 11 Hoi An – Danang – Saigon (Breakfast: Hotel )
By vehicle from Hoi An to Danang airport
Flight from Danang to Saigon
Transfer by air conditioned vehicle
Sightseeing in Saigon
Ever-vibrant, ever-changing
this is the buzzing city of Saigon, where sleek skyscrapers loom over incense-infused temples and motorcycles rule the roads. There’s classic European-style landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House, the ornate City Hall and the art-deco Post Office. Reminders of a recent past can be seen in the Reunification Palace, famously stormed by tanks in 1975. We’ll visit all the main sights of the city and make time to browse the stalls in the bustling Ben Thanh Market. Today’s Highlights: Reunification Palace, Emperor of Jade Pagoda, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market
Transfer to/from show
Enjoy A O show
The A O Show Saigon is an interesting mix of the new and the old, combining elements of Vietnamese music, dance and Cirque du Soleil. Developed in 2009, and performed across Europe, the show currently calls the 500-seat Saigon Opera House, home. During the one-hour performance the artistes will perform a variety of feats ranging from travelling across the stage in human-sized baskets to making bamboo/human bridges – Overnight in Saigon

Day 12 Saigon (Breakfast: Hotel / Dinner: Local Restaurant (Vietnam) )
Excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels
We’re going underground – deep into the Cu Chi Tunnels! These hand-dug tunnels changed the course of the Vietnam War. The well-camouflaged entrance holes lead into a network of incredibly narrow tunnels that stretch for over 200 kilometres connecting command posts, hospitals and shelters. We’ll learn about the life of the Vietcong and venture into some of the tunnels. The deadly, bamboo-spiked booby traps are another must-see. Today’s Highlights: Cu Chi Tunnnels
Afternoon at leisure
Transfer to/from restaurant
– Overnight in Saigon

Day 13 Saigon – Siem Reap (Breakfast: Hotel )
Transfer by air conditioned vehicle
Flight from Saigon to Siem Reap
Transfer
Sightseeing in Angkor
Visit Angkor Wat
The crown jewel of Khmer architecture, Angkor Wat is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. Upon entering the main structure, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyard before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside. On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface of the temple, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted from the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day, but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones.
Visit a temple for sunset
Watch the sun set over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple – Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 14 Siem Reap (Breakfast: Hotel / Lunch: Bong Thom Homestay/ Restaurant / Dinner: Chanrey Tree )
Excursion to Banteay Srei
Banteay Srei is one of the most romantic temples in Angkor. Built from pink sandstone, the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual delicacy. Today’s Highlights: Banteay Srei.
Visit Angkor Butterfly Center
Visit the Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre, an interactive butterfly facility located on the road to the Banteay Srey Temple. Experience the butterflies flying and feeding, and witness the complete life cycle of many species. The butterflies (in pupae form) are farmed sustainably by people from villages in the Siem Reap province.
Enjoy lunch and ox cart ride
Enjoy the unforgettable khmer traditional cuisine lunch at the local village.After lunch you can explore the ox cart riding along the local village to see the cultivation local home in the village,sugar palm makers and handicraft.
(The availability of sugar palm makers and handicraft programme is depend on the season(not available around May- Oct). If the programme is not available, an alternative programme e.g. palm leave basket makers, farm visit, etc. will be offered)
Transfer to/from restaurant by tuk tuk
Enjoy dinner at Phare Cafe
Enjoy dinner in the open-air seating of Phare Cafe, next to the authentic red big top where Phare, the Cambodian Circus, performs.
Visit Angkor Night Market
Angkor Night Market was the first night market to open in Cambodia. The market consists of small huts built from natural materials and beautifully designed in Khmer style. There are 240 souvenirs shops which sell traditional Cambodian-made handicrafts such as clothing, silk, paintings, photographs, and jewellery, wood and stone carvings. After a tiring evening of shopping you can pamper yourselves with the original Dr. Fish massage, body and foot massage, spa or relax at the two bars. Angkor Night Market is a good place to shop and dine in a vibrant contemporary Khmer environment – Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 15 Siem Reap (Breakfast: Hotel / Dinner: Meals incl. in itinerary (Cambodia) )
Treasure Hunt via tuk-tuks to Temples include Bayon and Ta Prohm
This visit must be executed in a manner that is lively and engaging. It must hold the interest of both children and adults. We stress that our style of visits to historical sites is one of storytelling rather than
Water blessing performed by the monk from Tep Pranom pagoda at one of the ancient temples Angkor Thom
Water Blessings are a traditional Cambodian practise that date back to ancient times. There are two main forms of the water blessing which you can participate in. The first is a blessing accompanied by a light sprinkling of water. The second is a longer ritual where you will be covered in water blessed by the monks. For this ritual you can change into a sarong so your clothing remains dry. At the end of the blessing your wrist is adorned with special red ties that signify the blessing performed. Blessings can be performed for individuals but are also a special way for newlyweds to celebrate their union. The water blessing is said to bring peace, good luck and happiness. Receive a blessing of your own during this 1-hour water blessing experience at the Tep Pranom pagoda.
Angkor Ziplining Adventure (Clients who wish to book and participate in this activity will be requested to sign an ICS release form either prior to arrival or on the ground before commencing the tour)
For a fun-filled time for all ages enjoy an exhilarating flight through the tropical rainforest. Not far from the temples of Angkor, is the Flight of the Gibbon, a unique zipline canopy course that has been engineered to the highest standards. After a thorough safety briefing and introduction to the equipment, prepare to start your eco- adventure. Fly through the tropical rainforest as you zip between suspended sky bridges and traverse hanging bridges that span hundreds of metres. View the surrounding jungle from the treetop platforms and abseil from towering trees. Throughout the morning you will be accompanied by the sky rangers who will share their knowledge of the Cambodian jungle. With your feet firmly back on land, enjoy lunch in the natural surroundings before heading back to your hotel – Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 16 Siem Reap (Breakfast: Hotel )
Time at leisure
Transfer by air conditioned vehicle