14-Nights Treasures of Indochine — CALL

MT Sobek: Southeast Asia Cultural Discovery

Day 1 Arrive in Bangkok, Thailand
Welcome to Southeast Asia! Since most flights arrive in Bangkok in the evening, we encourage you fly in at least one day ahead of schedule to help overcome jet lag before your tour begins. You may even choose to fly in a few days early to explore this fascinating city, which has many sightseeing possibilities. From the airport, catch a complimentary hotel shuttle or take the five-minute walk via an air-conditioned underground walkway to your accommodation.
Accommodation: Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel


Day 2 Fly to Laos & Explore Luang Prabang’s Temples
1.5-hour flight transfer
Meet your MT Sobek representative this morning and transfer to the airport for the flight to Luang Prabang, capital of the first Lao kingdom and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located on the Mekong River in a lovely mountain-encircled setting, Luang Prabang is renowned for its historic Buddhist temples, about 32 of which date from the 14th century. Luang Prabang is unhurried, relaxed, and perfect for strolling its ancient lanes and alleyways. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a city walking tour, beginning at the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum. Visit Wat Mai, with its unique five-tiered roof and golden bas-reliefs, and admire the stunning Wat Xieng Thong, rich with golden gates, ornaments, and colorful murals. Celebrate your first day with a welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Kiridara Hotel
(B, D)

Day 3 Cruise the Mekong to Pak Ou Caves
2-hour Mekong River cruise
After breakfast at the hotel, board a private longtail boat for a scenic two-hour ride up the Mekong River to Pak Ou Caves, filled with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues. On the return, cruise past fishermen and local villages. For many in the region, the Mekong plays a crucial role in daily life, representing one of the only means of transport and commerce. Savor a Lao Picnic Lunch on board. If time permits, stop on the way back at Ban Xang Hay, a village that specializes in making rice wine. Back in Luang Prabang, climb 328 stairs to summit Mount Phousi for a panoramic view of the city and countryside before visiting a hill tribe market.
Accommodation: Kiridara Hotel
(B, L, D)

Day 4 Enjoy a Day of Nature & Culture Around Luang Prabang
After breakfast, leave the city behind and see some of Laos' stunning landscapes on the drive to Kuang Si Waterfalls. Spend the morning walking around the cascading falls and gorgeous turquoise pools surrounded by lush forest, and perhaps take the challenging hike to the top of the falls! Heading back towards Luang Prabang, pause to explore Phosi Market, where fresh foods and highland handicrafts are sold. Stop at Ock Pop Tock's cafe for lunch with one of the best views on the Mekong and an educational visit to this non-profit organization that seeks to preserve traditional silk weaving techniques, a trade which was once an important source of income for many Lao families but is slowly fading out as modern technology has evolved.

(B, L)

Day 5 Experience the Tak Bath Ceremony & Fly to Cambodia
1-hour flight transfer
Rise early this morning to witness the Tak Bath ceremony. During the ceremony, devoted residents of Luang Prabang kneel on the sidewalk, bearing food in their hands, which they offer to the monks as they walk by clad in their saffron-orange robes. Stroll through the morning market nearby then return to the hotel for breakfast. Get a last look at Luang Prabang, zigzagging through the lanes and streets of the city, encountering friendly locals as they go about their daily routine, and stopping at more incredible pagodas, such as the ancient yet still in use Wat Visoun.?After lunch, board your flight to Siem Reap where you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel with time to freshen up before gathering for dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Treeline Urban Resort
(B, L, D)

Day 6 Explore Majestic Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom
4 miles (from temple to temple), negligible elevation gain or loss
Nothing prepares you for your first view of Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious edifice, which you behold today in the morning light. Built in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat was designed to represent Mount Meru, the home of the gods. Inside, the temple walls are covered with stone bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and more than 2,000 Apsara dancers. Take a break for lunch and a rest at the hotel during the hottest part of the day. In the late afternoon, explore Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire. Enter through the impressive stone South Gate and meander sandy trails that lead you through the dense jungle canopy to the grand Bayon Temple where enigmatic stone faces gaze down from 54 towers. See the bas-reliefs of the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King before completing your day with a sunset cruise on the moat surrounding Angkor Thom. This entire region of temple complexes is one of the world's most celebrated UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Accommodation: Treeline Urban Resort
(B, L, D)

Day 7 Discover Beautiful Banteay Srei & Other Temples
Today begin by exploring the "precious gem" of the Angkor area: Banteay Srei, or Citadel of the Women. This well-preserved temple is built of pink sandstone seen nowhere else in Angkor and displays some stellar examples of classical Khmer art. Stop at a local pagoda for a private blessing ceremony with Buddhist monks—a memorable experience! After lunch at a local restaurant, continue the explore this incredible site, beginning with Preah Khan, the first temple complex conserved by World Monuments Fund's continuing training program and restoration work at Angkor. Next you will find Ta Prohm, a temple which remains atmospherically overgrown by jungle, as most Angkor temples were when European explorers first stumbled upon them.

(B, L)

Day 8 Fly to Vietnam & See Ho Chi Minh City by Foot & Jeep
1.5-hour flight transfer
This morning board your flight to Ho Chi Minh City, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, take a short walking tour of the vibrant city, including the 19th-century post office, opera house, and Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat). After dinner, take to the streets on an exciting ride around Saigon in an open-air US Army Jeep! Crisscross through bustling alleys of street food vendors, where locals come to eat at night. Then take a look into Vietnam's history of conflict, passing the US Consulate and former CIA Building, where helicopters evacuated the remaining US citizens in 1975, and the Reunification Palace, where the war ended as a North Vietnamese tank crashed through its gates. Visit a memorial to the persecution of Buddhists in the 1960s and return to your hotel to reflect.
Accommodation: Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon
(B, L)

Day 9 Savor UNESCO-Listed Hue & Take a Cyclo Ride
1.5-hour flight transfer
Fly to Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam. Hue is to Vietnam as Kyoto is to Japan. This intellectual and cultural center situated along the Perfume River has twelve educational academies and is home to fascinating 19th-century Imperial ruins, many of which remain unrepaired, serving as reminders of the Tet Offensive of 1968. Today visit the unusual royal tombs of monarchs from the last dynasty of Vietnam and the Thien Mu pagoda overlooking the river. This afternoon, board cyclos (three-wheel bicycle taxi) and travel through the old city to the impressive Citadel and Imperial City's pavilions, temples, and palace within. Although damaged during the war, the site retains a nostalgic sense of majesty.
Accommodation: Pilgrimage Village
(B, D)

Day 10 Drive to UNESCO-Protected Hoi An on the Coast
3-hour private van transfer
Depart Hue for Hoi An, a major Asian trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries whose architecture and relaxed lifestyle has changed little over the years. The scenic route passes through the photogenic fishing village of Lang Co before climbing over the Pass of Ocean Clouds. Drive through Danang and visit the Cham Museum, which contains the finest collection of Cham sculptures in the world. In the afternoon, set off on a walking tour of the old city. Visit the former merchants' homes, the 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, and a colorful local market.
Accommodation: Almanity
(B, L, D)

Day 11 Take a Day Trip to the My Son Temple Complex
2.5-hour private van transfer
Start your day with a drive to Phuoc Kieu, a 500-year-old village specializing in bronze casting. Stroll charming alleys and visit an artisan workshop where bells, gongs, vases, and other bronze items are crafted using traditional techniques. Continue to a lush green valley and one of the cultural highlights of Central Vietnam, the temple complex at My Son, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander among the red brick tower temples of the Champa Kingdom, in power between the 4th and 13th centuries. Return to Hoi An and enjoy a free afternoon to relax, shop, or explore on your own. Dinner tonight is at your leisure.
Accommodation: Almanity
(B, L)

Day 12 Revel in the Wonders of Hanoi
1-hour flight transfer
Drive to Danang for your flight to Hanoi, a governmental center of almost three million people. Founded in 1010 as Thang Long, Hanoi's narrow tree-shaded streets are filled with lovely examples of French colonial architecture. After lunch, see Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and former home, while learning about Vietnam's independence. Visit the "Hanoi Hilton" Prison, used by North Vietnam during the war. Spend some time exploring the old town by foot, visiting streets that specialize in hardware, funerary items, carpentry, and textiles and seeing a slice of local life. Continue to Hang Be Market, selling produce and street food and end the day at picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake.
Accommodation: Hotel de L’Opera
(B, D)

Day 13 Embark on a Lan Ha/Halong Bay Overnight Junk Cruise
3-hour private van transfer, overnight junk cruise
Optional 1-hour walk, swimming, and kayaking
Get an early start for the drive to Lan Ha/Halong Bay and step aboard for an overnight cruise on a junk, a wooden Chinese sailing ship. From the deck, enjoy spectacular views of this UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its emerald-green waters and its mystical landscape of 3,000 towering limestone islands. Cruise on a lesser-traveled route among the spellbinding islets to Lan Ha Bay—a separate section of Halong Bay. This is a quiet paradise known for its pristine beaches and many islands. Here you can kayak or simply enjoy a swim. Later you can catch the sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin and then join a traditional cooking class on the junk before savoring a sumptuous dinner.
Accommodation: Orchid Junk
(B, L, D)

Day 14 Cruise Back through Lan Ha/Halong Bay & Return to Hanoi
3-hour private van transfer
After awakening aboard the boat, greet the day with a morning tai chi exercise and an opportunity to view the sunrise over the bay. After breakfast, visit a beautiful limestone grotto, and then return to the boat for a final glimpse of Lan Ha/Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. Head back to Hanoi and enjoy an optional water puppet show before your farewell dinner with the group.
Accommodation: Hotel de L’Opera
(B, D)

Day 15 Depart from Hanoi
After breakfast, it's time to say so long to Vietnam and transfer to the airport for your homeward-bound flights.
Accommodation: Hotel de L’Opera
(B)