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THE HERITAGE OF INDO-CHINA – 14 DAYS

THE HERITAGE OF INDO-CHINA – 14 DAYS

Route: Luang Prabang – Pak Ou – Vientiane – Savannakhet – Lao Bao – Hue – Danang – Hoi An – My Son – Tra Kieu – Ho Chi Minh City – Vinh Long – Mekong Delta – Cu Chi -Phnom Penh – Siem Reap

The expedition, which will start in the spiritual capital of Laos, following the course of the Mekong river, will guide you through Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, revealing in front of you beautiful beaches and revealing the heritage of Indo-china hidden in the old Laotian temples of Luang Prabang and Vientiane, traditional crafts, villagers, Pak Ou Caves, the imperial city of Hue, the secret behind the spirit of the old days in Hoi An, the remains of the ancient Kingdom of Champa, dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, the floating fair valley of the Mekong River, the underground tunnels of the Vietnamese fighters and monuments of the capital of Cambodia – Phnom Penh, and after crossing the great lake of Tonle Sap end in Siem Reap, at the gates of the miracle of religious architecture in the world, the majestic ruins of Angkor, which crown the sightseeing trip.

Day 1. Arrive in Luang Prabang
Upon arrival at the airport in Luang Prabang, guests will be greeted by a guide and driver. On the way to the hotel a brief orientation tour of the spiritual capital of Laos. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 2. Luang Prabang – Pak Ou
After breakfast, guests will venture out on a cruise up the Mekong River to the Pak Ou caves. Along the way, the boat will stop at Ban Xang Hai to allow guests to look at the production of traditional alcohol manufactured in this village for centuries. Alongside the two towering limestone carved walls in the cliff caves of Pak Ou, lie thousands of gilded Buddha statues, the smallest of which are small enough to fit in your hand, the largest rival the size of a man. After visiting, for a fee guests can enjoy lunch in a restaurant opposite the caves Pha Anh.

In the afternoon, after returning to Luang Prabang, tour participants will get to know the city and its attractions. See Wat Visun temple courtyard, on which stands the Watermelon Stupa, an unusual structure in the shape of the fruit from which it is named. Then they will visit Wat Aham, which is an altar featuring two ministering spirits of the city of Luang Prabang. The trail ends with a visit to the temple Wat That where a large, centrally located Stupa of the ashes of King Sisavang Vong lies. After the tour guests will be transported to the hotel in Luang Prabang, where they will spend the night.

Day 3. Luang Prabang – Vientiane
After breakfast, guests will venture to the village of Ban Xang Khok, whose inhabitants engage in the manufacturing of silk, cotton and natural paper from mulberry trees. A visit to this village is an opportunity to purchase a number of traditionally-made souvenirs, the price of which you can haggle for.

Then the guests will be driven to the airport in Luang Prabang. At 12:30 Laos Airlines plane (flight number QV102) will fly you to Vientiane. In the capital of Laos you will land at 13:10 and begin a tour of the city. The first place on the route you will visit is the temple Wat Sisaket, it survived after the invasion of Siam in 1828. It was built in the style of Siamese and placed in the middle of a peaceful garden.

Its walls are surrounded by thousands of small silver, bronze and stone statues. Another point of the trip will be visiting the temple Vat Ho Phra Keo, where from 1565 to 1779 stored Emerald Buddha, and which is now Lao and Khmer museum of sacred art. The next visited site will Stupa That Luang, the most important place of Laos and a national symbol, which according to legend houses a relic of Buddha.

Guests will also see Patuxai, the Victory Gate, which is the equivalent of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, from which it was modeled. From the top of the gate offers a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings. The last point of the trip will be a visit to the Morning Markets Market Talat Sao, where you can find lots of souvenirs, woven garments, silk products, jewelry and many other items.

After the tour, the participants will be transported for an overnight stay at the hotel in Vientiane.

Day 4. Vientiane – Savannakhet – Lao Bao – Hue
After breakfast, guests will venture to the Lao Bao, a town on the border with Vietnam. Upon arrival to Lao Bao visa formalities will be completed, cross the border of Vietnam and will commence onward journey to Hue. In the late afternoon or early evening arrive to the hotel in Hue, the former imperial capital, where guests will spend the night.

Note: you must advance to get a visa in advance authorizing entrance into Vietnam.

Day 5. Hue
Breakfast and boat trip on the aromatic River to the most famous places of worship in Hue, Thien Mu pagoda and the mausoleum of former emperor Minh Mang, beautifully situated in gardens and lakes. In the afternoon – a visit to the elaborately decorated tombs of emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh and the Imperial Citadel, where between 1802 and 1945 Nguyen dynasty governments ruled. If time permits, guests will also visit one of the many gardens or the lively Hue Dong Ba market. Lunch will also be served. After visiting accommodation in Hue.

Day 6. Hue – Danang – Hoi An
After breakfast guests will leave Hue, heading through the picturesque fishing village of Lang Co and Clouds Pass to Danang city. When you reach the beautiful beach to see the Non Nuoc, and then will visit Cham Museum, which boasts the most beautiful collection of sculptures from the Kingdom of Champa in the world.

On the road from Danang to Hoi An guests will visit five sacred hills known as the Marble Mountains, on which are built dozens of Buddhist shrines. After arriving in Hoi An you will be transported to your hotel. The town of Hoi An was in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries an important Asian port, and its architecture and the relaxed lifestyle of inhabitants has changed little since that time. In Hoi An, guests will be able to stroll through the historic center to visit former merchants’ houses, go to a 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge and see the colorful markets. After the tour through the city streets come back to the hotel.

Day 7. Hoi An – My Son – Tra Kieu – Hoi An
Breakfast and half day excursion to My Son, the capital and religious center of the former Kingdom of Champa. In this place, located 40 km. southwest of Hoi An, in a valley surrounded by lush vegetation rise up dozens of towers and temples built of red brick, the origin of which is estimated from the periods between VII and XIII centuries.

On the way back to Hoi An guests stop in to visit the capital of the Kingdom of Champa from the period between IV and VIII century, Tra Kieu. Some of the finest sculptures are now in the Cham Museum in Danang originate from that place. After returning to Hoi An guests will have time for individual sessions, which they may spend, for example searching for souvenirs in art galleries and shops with silk, or choosing a bike ride along the beach of Cua Dai. Spend the night at a hotel in Hoi An.

Day 8. Hoi An – Danang – Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast, tour participants will go to Danang airport and will fly to Ho Chi Minh City. On arrival set off on a tour of the dynamic Ho Chi Minh City, which many of its inhabitants still call Saigon. They see the former Presidential Palace, the War Museum, Notre Dame, Saigon Old Post Office, a factory of lacquered objects, and Thien Hau Pagoda in the bustling Chinatown.

Day 9. Ho Chi Minh City – Vinh Long – Ho Chi Minh City
Breakfast and then drive from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh Long, located in the Mekong Delta. After reaching the Cai guests will change for boats to watch the typical Mekong delta floating market. Then sail on their journey, to the island of Binh Hoa Phuoc, where they will visit tropical fruit orchards and where at the famous garden of bonsai Mr Sau Giao lunch will be served. After the meal guests will commence on a cruise to Vinh Long, where overland they return to Ho Chi Minh City, where they will spend the night.

Day 10. Ho Chi Minh City – Cu Chi – Phnom Penh
After breakfast guests will leave Ho Chi Minh City, heading for Phnom Penh. On the way to the capital of Cambodia they will stop in to visit the Cu Chi, a unique network of underground tunnels bored by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence. Then the journey will continue to power Bai on the border between Vietnam and Cambodia, where the visa formalities will be completed.

Note: a visa to enter the territory of Cambodia must be obtained in advance.

After arriving in Phnom Penh, guests will be transported to their hotel. The city was once considered a pearl of Southeast Asia and one of the most beautiful cities in the Orient. Despite recent turbulent events, it managed to keep the former colonial charm. In the afternoon – a visit to the National Museum, the Silver Pagoda, the Royal Palace and Wat Phnom hill, which is the place the city’s founding. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 11. Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
After breakfast, transportation to the domestic airport in Phnom Penh, where guests will fly to Siem Reap. The city of Siem Reap is the base for travelers going to Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer empire and its legendary temples. Upon arrival guests will begin to learn about it’s history visiting the temples of Angkor, in the group of Roluos Preah Ko, Ba Kong and Lo Lei.

In the afternoon continuation of exploring the ruins: Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, Chau Say Tevoda, Thommanon, as well as a fantastic temple of Ta Prohm entwined in roots of giant figs and gigantic creepers. After exploring accommodation in Siem Reap.

Day 12. Siem Reap
In the morning, after breakfast, guests will take a trip to the temples of South Gate and the ruins of the city of Angkor Thom: the famous Bayon temple, Baphoun, Terrace of Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon, visit the great twelfth-century temple of Angkor Wat. While among surrounded by jungle ruins, guests will have the opportunity to admire the sunset over the temple of Angkor Wat, and will then be taken back to the hotel to spend the night in Siem Reap.

Day 13. Siem Reap
After breakfast, guests will venture to the temple of Banteay Srei, Kbal Spean – River of a Thousand lingas, and the temple of Banteay Samre. In the afternoon visit the temples Pre Rup, Neak Pean and Preah Khan. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 14. Departure from Siem Reap
After breakfast, guests will cruise the great Tonle Sap lake and visit the market in Siem Reap and attend workshops of Artisans d’Angkor, where the work is sculpture in wood and stone. It will also be the opportunity to visit the Museum Landmines Mr. Aki Ra before passing through the airport in Siem Reap, where tour participants will fly back to their country of origin.

In the price are included: accommodation in a double room with breakfast included in the tour program and runs in an air-conditioned vehicle, assistance of an English-speaking guide, flight on the route to Phnom Penh – Siem Reap, an elephant ride, entrance fees to the places included in the program, refreshments during the tour .

In price are not included: Cambodian visa (may be issued upon arrival at a price of about $20 per person; 1 passport photo required), tax outlet at the airport in Siem Reap (about $25 per person), other air connections, meals other than included in the program, expenses of a personal nature (laundry, telephone, drinks, tips, etc.), all services not included in the program and fees for use with video cameras and cameras during the tour.

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