India: Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam

Day 1 Hanoi

Arrival in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

Day 2 Hanoi - Halong Bay

Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning we will transfer to Halong Bay, where the ship will be waiting for you.
After lunch, you will follow the route of the filming of the Hollywood movie: "King Kong. Skull Island". The first point of your program will be the cave and the island of Soi Sim, where you will enjoy a beach holiday and a walk around the island.
Then - return to the ship, dinner. After dinner, you can take part in night squid fishing or play board games.
Night on the ship.

Day 3 Halong Bay - Hanoi

Breakfast on the ship. Before breakfast, we offer you to attend tai chi gymnastics classes or just enjoy the panoramic views of the bay.
Today you will visit the fishing village of Ba Hang and small islands.
Lunch on the ship and a traditional master class in cooking local dishes.
Upon arrival at the pier, you will be transferred to Hanoi airport and fly to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, meet at the airport and transfer to the hotel.
Check in at the hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 4 Hanoi - city tour - Luang Prabang

Breakfast at the hotel.

Hanoi city tour with a visit to the sights of the capital of Vietnam: the Temple of Literature, which was founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Than Tong and dedicated to the great scientist and philosopher - Confucius. In 1076, the first Vietnamese university was founded here. The Temple of Literature is a large complex surrounded by five fenced courtyards connected by gates, located among the greenery of gardens and artificial pools. The Temple of Literature is one of the few remaining examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture.
You will also visit the Lake of the Returned Sword. This is the heart of Hanoi and one of the most striking sights of the Vietnamese capital.

Then you will see the One Pillar Pagoda. It was built in 1049 during the reign of Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. This is a unique monument of Hanoi architecture of the 11th century. The temple is built of wood on a single stone pillar with a diameter of 1.25 meters.
You will visit the Central Square of Hanoi, where on September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is located on the square.
Then - the Taoist Chan Vo Temple. During the tour of the temple, you will be introduced to the art of wood carving and the art of bronze casting in Vietnam in the 19th century.
Your penultimate stop will be the West Lake. This is the widest lake in Hanoi with its picturesque shores. The West Lake was once a resort where Vietnamese kings walked and relaxed. And at the end of the tour you will have a walk around the Old Quarter of Hanoi by minibus (30 minutes). This area, resembling a triangle in shape, consists of 36 streets - according to the number of merchant and craft guilds, each of which occupied its own street.
Free time for shopping in the shops on Silk Street.

Transfer to the airport.

Evening flight from Hanoi to Luang Prabang. Arrival in Luang Prabang. Meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel, accommodation in the room.
Luang Prabang is located on the banks of the Mekong River, surrounded by mountains and forests. This open-air museum city combines the beauty of Buddhist temples and French colonial buildings. Almost all the religious monuments of the city have come down to us in their original beauty.
Night in Luang Prabang.

Day 5 Laung Prabang

Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion with a Russian-speaking guide.

You will see:

• Wat Mai Temple is the largest temple in the city with a beautiful five-tiered roof, built in 1796. In the central hall of the sacred abode, you can see a gilded bas-relief depicting the life story of Buddha. The main hall is a good representation of the traditional architectural style of Luang Parabang.
• National Museum (former royal palace) - was built in 1904, when Laos was under the protectorate of France, so the building feels a harmonious combination of French colonial and traditional Lao architectural styles. The chambers of the king and queen have been preserved almost in their original form and include a bedroom and dining room, as well as a music room with traditional Lao musical instruments.
• Wat Xieng Thon is a former royal monastery and now a valuable historical and cultural monument and the most beautiful religious building in Luang Prabang. It was built in 1560 and has hardly changed its original appearance since then. The temple building is an embodiment of classical temple architecture in Luang Prabang, with roof slopes gradually curving down almost to the ground. Inside the temple there is a sanctuary containing a very rare statue of a reclining Buddha.
• After visiting the temple, you will take a two-hour cruise up the Mekong to the famous mysterious caves of Pak Ou, during which you can enjoy the views of provincial life in Laos. On the way, visit the local villages of Ban Sanghai and Ban Xienglek, where paper is made, textiles and local rice vodka are sold.
• Pak Ou is a Buddhist shrine located in caves on the Mekong River, where a rich collection of several thousand Buddha statues is collected.
• On the way back, you will visit the former royal village of Ban Phanom, famous for its hand-woven textiles.

Return to the hotel. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 6 Luang Prabang - Siem Reap

Breakfast at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Transfer to the airport. Flight Luang Prabang - Siem Reap. Arrival in Siem Reap, meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Siem Reap is a city located among rice plantations along the river of the same name, is the gateway to the thousand-year-old complex of Angkor temples.

Day 7 Siem Reap

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit to the most famous temple - Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century. The structure and appearance of the temple was supposed to symbolize the mythical sacred mountain Meru, repeating its outlines, respectively, the towers of the temple are its peak, the walls are rocks, and the moat is the ocean surrounding the center of the Universe. Today, Angkor Wat is the main attraction of the Kingdom of Cambodia, it is not surprising that its image can even be seen on the national flag. Angkor Wat is a complex three-level structure with many stairs and passages. The temple is crowned with five towers in the shape of lotus buds, one in the center and four on the edges. Galleries run along each of the three levels. The galleries of the first level, the total length of which is approximately 800 m, are decorated with two-meter bas-reliefs depicting various scenes from mythology and the life of the ancient Khmers. The galleries of the second level are decorated with sculptures of dancers, the total number of which reaches two thousand. Angkor Wat is surrounded by a 190 m wide moat, where crocodiles were bred in ancient times. On the western side, the moat is crossed by a stone dam, along which the path to the entrance to the temple passes.

Visit to the Ta Prohm temple.

Ta Prohm is one of the most attractive temples of Angkor. The temple was not specifically cleared of jungle and appears in the form in which the French saw it. Towers literally torn apart by tree trunks, statues of gods entwined with vines, and roofs of galleries sagging under the weight of huge roots - this is how this temple looks today.
Lunch at a local restaurant (for an additional fee).
After lunch, visit to the main temples of Angkor Thom.

Dinner and national show - Apsara dances. Ancient Khmer dances of the legendary Apsaras, which are a combination of unique gestures and incredible plasticity. Each dance is a separate story, carrying a sacred meaning. Each movement is a fascinating flow of energy. Even in ancient times, women who performed the main Khmer dance - Apsara, were elevated to the rank of goddesses and revered by everyone, including kings.

Return to the hotel. Night in Siem Reap

Day 8 Siem Reap

Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to Phnom Kulen mountain.
We will see the river of "a thousand lingams" - the bottom of which is decorated with stone carvings of deities for hundreds of meters. Climb the holy mountain Phnom Kulen and visit the 16th century temple with an 8-meter high silhouette of the "reclining" Buddha. Then you will visit the waterfall (if you wish, you can swim - we recommend taking towels and bathing accessories).
Next - a visit to the Banteay Srei temple, built at the end of the 10th century. The Hindu temple made of pink sandstone is dedicated to the god Shiva. The temple site is surrounded by a wall, behind which there is a moat. The temple consists of three prasat towers. The walls of the towers are decorated with reliefs. Banteay Srei Temple is also called the "Woman's Citadel".
Return to the hotel. Night in Siem Reap.

Day 9 Siem Reap – Phnom Penh

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
Transfer without a guide to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia (travel time 5-6 hours). Arrival in Phnom Penh. Accommodation at the hotel.
Sightseeing tour of the city, you will see:

• The Royal Palace is one of the most impressive architectural structures of the capital. It was built in 1866 by King Preah Bat Norodom. The location of the palace was calculated with great precision by a commission of royal ministers and astrologers, at that time it was believed that the king was a direct descendant of the Gods, whose role was to live and rule on Earth under the protection of heaven.
• Silver Pagoda - officially considered a royal temple, amazes with its luxury. It houses numerous Buddha statues made of precious metals and stones, the most famous of which are the crystal "Emerald Buddha" dating back to the 17th century, and the statue of Buddha Maitreya (Buddha of the Future), encrusted with 2,086 diamonds.
• National Museum - was built by the French in 1917-1920 and dedicated to King Sisowath, it houses more than 5,000 exhibits telling about the history and art of the country. The most valuable monuments of the Angkorian period are lingams, statues and other artifacts, including the statue of the leper king from Angkor Wat.

Return to the hotel. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 10 Phnom Penh - Chau Doc - Can Tho

Breakfast at the hotel. Free time and check out (before 12:00). Transfer without a guide to the pier and boarding a comfortable ship "Blue Cruise".
Day cruise on the Mekong to Vietnam.
Meeting at the pier in Chau Doc, transfer to the city of Can Tho.
Accommodation at the hotel. Night in Can Tho.

Day 11 Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
Excursion to the Mekong Delta: a boat trip along the Tien Giang River, with a visit to the floating market of Cai Rang. At the floating market, the stalls are located right in the boats. Here you can buy various souvenirs and fruits. Then you will visit the islands, the town of My Tho, taste exotic fruits, tropical tea with honey, get acquainted with local life and local handicraft production: making rice cakes and Vietnamese sweets from coconut.
Lunch with traditional Vietnamese dishes.
Transfer to Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Day 12

Ho Chi Minh
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out. Transfer to the airport.