Sunset over Halong Bay

World Heritage Indochina

Trip code
WHI001

If you’re only going to visit Indochina once, why not pack the highlights of all three countries into one trip?

Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos – three beautiful countries with distinctive yet intertwining cultures, histories and cuisines. This itinerary will take you through the best of the region in just over two weeks, on an anti-clockwise loop from Saigon to Siem Reap. Fancy lengthening your exploration or spending time on the beach? We’ll customise your holiday any which way you wish.

Pricing

Price based on 3* accommodation
From
A$4,692
pp
Price based on 4* accommodation
From
A$5,600
pp
Price based on 5* accommodation
From
A$7,000
pp
Let us help plan your holiday and make it perfect for you

Key facts

15 nights/16 days
Discover Vietnam’s cities on tours of Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hoi An and Hanoi with top-notch guides, a local scholar and a conservation expert
Spend the night aboard a traditional junk in Lan Ha Bay, Halong’s peaceful neighbour
Cycle around Luang Prabang and make stops at the ethnology centre and a weaving workshop
Finish at the mighty temple complex of Angkor, and take a gondala cruise on the moat of Angkor Thom
Image
DAY 1-2 HO CHI MINH CITY DAY 5-6 HOI AN DAY 8-9 LAN HA BAY DAY 7 HANOI DAY 13-16 SIEM REAP DAY 10-12 LUANG PRABANG DAY 3-4 HUE
Image
DAY 1-2 HO CHI MINH CITY DAY 5-6 HOI AN DAY 8-9 LAN HA BAY DAY 7 HANOI DAY 13-16 SIEM REAP DAY 10-12 LUANG PRABANG DAY 3-4 HUE

Transport in detail

This trip includes three flights of an hour to 90 minutes, as well as three transfers by car, each around 2.5 hours.

What's great

This trip packs in the most spectacular landscapes and monuments Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos have to offer

We’ve included lots of time with tried-and-tested guides and knowledgeable experts who’ll give you a deep insight into each destination

The world and his wife descend on Halong Bay these days. Instead, we recommend Halong’s quieter neighbour Lan Ha Bay, where the scenery’s just as spectacular

Fancy extending your trip with some time on the beach? Let us know and we’ll add a Cambodian Island (November to March), or some more time in Hoi An (March to August)

Things to consider

Exploring Indochina’s greatest hits means you’re never far from the tourist trail, although our guides are skilled at helping you avoid the crowds

There's a lot of fascinating temples, each one different to the last, but all that history might not be everyone’s cup of tea

You’ll only have time to dip a toe in Laos and Cambodia, both countries which have lots to offer. It’s like visiting London and skipping the rest of the UK – completely understandable if time is of the essence

The experience

Think of the itinerary detailed here as a starter for ten. Tell us which bits take your fancy, we’ll throw in some ideas of our own, and create a bespoke holiday just for you.

Day 1-2

Ho Chi Minh City

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, aka Saigon, a thriving, youthful metropolis on the edge of the Mekong Delta, and a great place to get to grips with Vietnam’s recent history. Dive straight into the US-Vietnam War at the former Presidential Palace and the War Remnants Museum. This lays the foundations for an afternoon with a well-respected local scholar who’ll show you hidden history spots off the tourist trail. Visit Pho Binh, a private house where the Viet Cong Commanders gathered to plan the infamous Tet Offensive in 1968. You’ll also see a restored opium factory which played an important role in Vietnam’s power struggles during the first half of the 20th century.

Scooter on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City

Highlights

Get the lowdown on Vietnam’s history with a local scholar

See colonial architecture and important landmarks in the US-Vietnam War

Explore off-the-beaten-track sights - a private house and an opium factory

Aerial view of Ho Chi Minh City

Day 3-4

Hue

After the skyscrapers and car horns of Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, on the banks of the Perfume River, is a breath of fresh air. Women in conical hats tend market stalls laden with tropical fruit, students pour over textbooks in cafes and Buddhist monks and nuns gather to pray in the pagodas. Hop in a cyclo to explore the Imperial City, once the seat of the Nguyen dynasty. The last emperor, Khai Dinh, built a beautiful palace just outside the city which you’ll visit with a knowledgeable guide, who’ll also show you the tombs of eunuchs who lived in the Royal Court. In the afternoon, discover Hue’s garden houses, designed to create harmony between architecture and nature.

Temple in Hue

Highlights

Learn about life under the Nguyen dynasty on a cyclo tour

Visit the private residence of Khai Dinh, Vietnam’s last emperor

Explore Hue’s garden houses, once home to members of the Royal Court

Tu Duc's Tomb in Hue

The finer detail

  • Breakfast every day
  • Three lunches: one on the Lan Ha Bay cruise; one during the Luang Prabang cycling tour; one in a traditional villa in the Angkor Temple Complex
  • One dinner: on the Lan Ha Bay cruise
  • Three full-day experiences: city tour of Hue & visit to the Garden Houses; tour of Luang Prabang by bike; tour of the classic Angkor temples
  • Four half-day experiences: Ho Chi Minh City tour; Saigon’s hidden history; Hoi An tour with a conservation expert; city tour of Hanoi
  • One evening experience: gondola cruise on the moat of Angkor Thom
  • Overnight cruise on Lan Ha Bay with activities
  • All entrance fees to sites included in guided experiences
  • All internal transport & accommodation

Day 1:
Car transfer from Ho Chi Minh City to airport (30 minutes)

Day 3:
Flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue (1.5 hours)

Day 5:
Car transfer from Hue to Hoi An (2.5 hours)

Day 7:
Car transfer from Hoi An to Danang Airport (45 minutes)
Flight from Danang to Hanoi (1.5 hours)
Car transfer from Hanoi Airport to Hanoi (45 minutes)

Day 8:
Car transfer from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay (2.5 hours)

Day 9:
Car transfer from Lan Ha Bay to Hanoi (2.5 hours)

Day 10:
Car transfer from Hanoi to Hanoi Airport (45 minutes)
Flight from Hanoi to Luang Prabang (1.25 hours)

Day 13:
Flight from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap (1.5 hours)

Day 16:
Car transfer from city to Siem Reap airport (20 minutes)

  • Visas
  • International flights
  • Meals not mentioned
  • Entrance fees to any sites not included in guided experiences
  • Tips for guides & porters