Cross Border Journeys

Cruise through Southern Laos from/to Pakse (5/7 Days)

Grand Indochina Journey: Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Individual Journey/Small Group Trip/Family Journey

Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia—old French Indochina—are culturally linked, yet remarkably distinct, and the amalgam offers the traveler unsurpassed richness and diversity.

Each country hosts its own particular abundance of cultural treasures and natural beauty.

Arrival in Luang Prabang, the last royal capital of Laos and one of Asia’s most beautiful cities. The heart of town is situated on a slender spit of land set between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Upon arrival we’ll check in to our hotel, the celebrated former residence of Prince Souvannaphouma. Then set out on a walking tour of this historic UNESCO World Heritage town, exploring its beautifully preserved Buddhist temples, Lanna Thai and French fusion arhitecture. Meander through charming small alleyways, soaking up the serene ambience. We’ll end our tour with a sunset view over Phousi Hill. Overnight Maison Souvannaphoum. (B,L,D)

Note: please observe a respectful distance and silence while witnessing this sacred ceremony.

After breakfast visit the colorful local fruit and vegetable market. From here drive into the peaceful countryside, stopping to visit small villages along the way, including an idyllic Khmu hamlet, a resettled Hmong community and a lowland Lao village that spins cotton with hand-carved gins. This afternoon, we’ll visit a weaving village. The rest of the day will be free to relax or explore on your own.Tonight enjoy gourmet cuisine at our hotel. Overnight Maison Souvannaphoum. (B,L,D)
 

Day 2 Pak Ou/Luang Prabang

Today our travels take us through the scenic countryside, then we’ll board a boat and cruise the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves, a mystical pilgrimage site perched high above the Mekong River. Peering into dark corners, your eyes adjust to reveal the serene faces and figures of more than 3,000 Buddha images, some inlaid with semi-precious stones. That these remain undisturbed in this remote site in one of the world’s poorest countries is a testament to the devotion of the people.

Stop at a colorful riverside hamlet where the local farmers are famed for their homemade, potent rice whiskey. We’ll return to Luang Prabang by boat in time for a leisurely lunch overlooking the river. Later this afternoon explore some of Luang Prabang’s most important temples including Wat Mai, Wat Wisun and Wat Xieng Tong with its delicately painted gold leaf decorations. Overnight Maison Souvannaphoum. (B,L,D)

Day 3 Countryside/Luang Prabang

Early risers will have a chance to witness a moving ritual: as long lines of barefoot monks walking silently along the streets on their morning alms rounds, watch locals offer alms. This represents a symbiosis in which rice sustains the monks’ bodies, while the monks’ prayers nourish the spirit of those giving the rice.

Day 4 Luang Prabang/Hanoi, Vietnam

This afternoon we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Hanoi. Upon our arrival in Hanoi, check into our restored colonial-period hotel. Tonight is free to relax and dine on your own. Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel (B,L)

Day 5 Hanoi

Early risers will have a chance to join the locals in a morning private Tai Chi lesson and tea at the scenic Hoan Kiem Lake. After breakfast visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, displaying Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body, and his lovely wooden house on stilts. Other sights this morning include the One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, the site of Vietnam’s first university and shrine for Confucian worship founded in the year 1066.

Visit Hoa Lo prison museum, otherwise known as ‘the Hanoi Hilton’ built by the French to house Vietnamese revolutionaries, it later was used to keep captured American POWS during the wartime, including John McCain. Nearby is Craft Link, a non-for-profit organization specializing in the production of quality handicrafts from Vietnam’s many ethnic groups. Late this afternoon depart on a cyclo tour of Hanoi’s colorful Old Quarter with its narrow streets, charming shops and unique architecture. Enjoy a traditional water puppet performance at the National Theater, followed by dinner at a favorite local restaurant. Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 6 Halong Bay/Hanoi

Depart Hanoi early this morning and journey to famous and magnificent Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Arriving at the small port town of Bai Chay by noon, we’ll board our private boat, a restored traditional Chinese junk, and enjoy a half day cruise of the bay with a gourmet lunch on board. Gently cruise amongst the 3,000 rocky limestone islands that emerge from the emerald green waters. Return to Hanoi for a free evening. Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel. (B,L)

Day 7 Hanoi/Hue

This morning we’ll visit the ethnology museum on our way to the airport. Fly to Hué, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Check into the hotel and enjoy lunch before exploring the Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty. Those of Minh Mang and Tu Duc are the loveliest while that of Khai Dinh is the most unusual. The tombs are surrounded by vast, well-tended botanical gardens with beautiful open air pavilions. Some emperors were so concerned about their grave being violated that upon completion of the tombs, all of the thousands of workers who built them were put to death.

Visit Thien Mu Pagoda, Vietnam’s most famous landmark, and travel back down the Perfume River, returning to Hué. This afternoon we’ll visit the Citadel and the ancient Forbidden Purple City and then cross the river to the Dong Ba Market, one of the most colorful anywhere in Asia. A sea of conical hats for sale stretches for blocks, as do colorful fabrics, fresh fish, and produce of all descriptions. Tonight enjoy traditional music and a delicious dinner at a local restaurant Overnight La Residence Hotel and Spa. (B,L,D)

A bass-relief rubbing from a 19th century bronze dynastic urn in Huế, the former royal imperial city of Vietnam. For more details, see my introduction to the "Bass reliefs of Hue" set.

Day 8 Hué/Hoi An

This morning we drive south, through some of Vietnam’s most beautiful scenery. At the 1,500 foot Hai Van Pass—Pass of the Ocean Clouds— the mountains meet the South China Sea and the views are spectacular. We’ll stop for a cool drink at Lan Cao to stretch our legs, then at the fascinating Cham Museum in Danang. This small museum amply documents a little-known culture, displaced by the more vigorous Viets, that produced elegant monuments and fine sculptures. Close to Danang is China Beach. Time permitting, we’ll stop for a walk on the beach of this former U.S.

R&R base. Arrive in Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site,in time for lunch. For hundreds of years thiswas the most flourishing port in the country and attracted traders, and influences, from China, Japan, and Europe. The town has remained intact and it’s still possible to wander here and imagine oneself in another age. After a sunset boat trip, with a stop at a quaint boat-building village, enjoy another great dinner at a marvelous local restaurant. Overnight Life Resort. (B,L,D)

Day 9 Hoi An - My Son

Early this morning, depart for an optional journey to the Cham ruins of My Son, recently clas- sified a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Located in a beautiful, green valley surrounded by impressive mountains, the ruins are the largest and most intact remains of the ancient Kingdom of Champa in Vietnam. Then stop at a village known for its brass gongs. For those choosing to stay in Hoi An, enjoy a free morning. Reconvene for lunch, followed by an exploration of the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Tang Ky House and the Fukhien Association. This afternoon, test your skills at Vietnamese cooking by joining a cooking class with personal friends of ours. They will give us an introduction to traditional methods and ingredients used in Vietnamese dishes. Savor your own creation at dinner. Overnight Life Resort. (B,L,D)

Day 10 Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

Fly to Saigon. Check into our hotel, then enjoy an exploration of this vibrant city with visits to the Reunification Palace, War Remnant Museum and Emperor of Jade Pagoda. The late afternoon will be free. This evening we’ll have dinner at a favorite local restaurant. Overnight in Saigon at the upscale Sheraton Saigon Hotel, centrally on Saigon’s most famous Dong Khoi Street. (B,L,D)

Day 11 Cu Chi/Saigon

Take an excursion into the countryside to visit Cu Chi, where the famous Viet Cong tunnels are located. Starting in the 1940s, this handdug network of tunnels offered refuge for the underground (literally) resistance movement against the French and then later the Americans. The massive system of tunnels stretched over 75 miles underground, from Saigon to the Cambodian frontier. Those who wish can descend into the tunnels to gain a firsthand view of the terrible conditions faced by the Viet Cong who lived here.

This excursion provides insightful lessons in how the tenacious Vietnamese won their last three wars against formidable powers with vastly superior technology. Upon return to Saigon explore Chinatown’s Binh Tay market, Thien Hau Chinese Temple, and Notre Dame Cathedral. See the Truc Mai House to visit a family of local artists and to hear a musical performance. Learn about traditional Vietnamese instruments through conversations with the artists and hear performances from each family member. Overnight Sheraton Saigon Hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 12 Siem Reap, Cambodia

Enjoy a leisurely morning before our flight to Siem Reap. Cambodia. Upon arrival begin our exploration of this vast temple complex at Angkor. These famous monuments evidence the richness of the Khmer civilization and constitute one of the world’s greatest monuments, as a testament to the greatness of a continent’s lost empire. Henri Mouhot, the 19th century French explorer who is credited with rediscovering the ruins after hundreds of years of neglect, declared in awe that the Angkor complex was, “greater than anything left to us by ancient Greece or Rome.” Explore mystical Angkor Thom, accessing through the remote south gate entrance, then see the Terraces of the Elephant and Leper King. A labyrinthine series of walled passages carved from the grey stone offer a glimpse back in time. This evening enjoy an elephant ride to Phnom Bakeng for panoramic views of the area before dinner.

Spend the next two nights at the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa. Its elegant colonial charm provides the perfect ambiance to complement the legendary temples of Angkor. Overnight Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa. (B,L,D)

Day 13 Tha Phrom/Angkor/Bantheay Srei

This morning visit Ta Phrom and then Angkor Wat, entering from the more remote east. Exquisite bas relief carvings of dancing gods and prancing animals grace the walls of Angkor Wat, while the overall architectural grandeur places it among the most awe-inspiring sights in the world. Of particular note are the Churning of the Sea of Milk, the sublime Vishnu statue, and the later addition of Buddhist statues as the Khmer civilizations converted to Theraveda Buddhism. We’ll break mid day to rest and relax at our hotel or to visit Artisans d’Angkor. This afternoon head to the outlying Banteay Srei Temple, “The Citadel of Women,” with its rose colored, sandstone walls.

The standard of work and the state of preservation make Banteay Srei Temple, “The Citadel of Women,” with its rose colored, sandstone walls. The standard of work and the state of preservation make Banteay Srei extraordinary. Stop at Prasat Kravanh and Sra Srang, the royal bath. Time permitting, visit a local village. Tonight we’ll enjoy a sumptuous farewell dinner at our hotel.
Overnight Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa. (B,L,D)

Day 14 Siem Reap/Departure or Extend

Enjoy an optional sunrise tour of Angkor Wat, if you wish by bicycle. Free at leisure until transfer to airport for flying home or begin a private extension perhaps to a beach on Phu Quoc Island (Vietnam) or in southern Thailand. (B,L)