Sensational Vietnam & Laos

Expedition

Fall in love with Laos and Vietnam on this 2-week guided tour.

EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

Fall in love with Laos and Vietnam on this 2-week guided tour. Travel along the Saigon River in a speedboat, cruising past the city’s glittering skyscrapers to the Cu Chi tunnels. Here, walk through the tunnels dug during the Vietnam War and meet a Viet Cong veteran, who will share what it was like serving in the war. Board a private charter on the Mekong Delta and cruise to a coconut production plant, where you can taste the freshest-possible coconut juice. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel in Hue before it officially opens. See the ancient town of Hoi An, walking its narrow lanes and over its iconic Japanese Covered Bridge. Ascend to the top of Mount Phousi in Luang Prabang for a panoramic view of the city below.

highlights

Dining Summary

7 Dinner (D)
13 Breakfast (B)
5 Lunch (L)
1 Lunch with Wine (L)

Choice Highlights

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Ho Chi Minh City: Meander through the streets of Ho Chi Minh and hear more about the local street-side café culture, which sprung up when many French lived in the country. Discover the art of making the perfect cup of Vietnamese coffee before trying one.
Ho Chi Minh City: Continue with your exploration about the troubled past of the country at the War Remnants Museum.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Hue: Meet the headmaster of the Vietnamese Royal Martial Arts Academy and hear about the rigours of training for each martial art. Afterwards, watch at a live performance by the martial artists, admirably demonstrating their skill and discipline.
Hue: Take a boat ride to the private museum of Tran Dihn Son, whose great-grandfather was a high ranking mandarin during the Nguyen Dynasty and see the vast collection of rare antiquities collected by him and his ancestors.

Additional Included Highlights

You will be escorted by one of our fine Travel Concierges, handpicked to serve as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary, available on departures with 15 or more guests.
At every hotel, you'll be treated to seamless baggage handling, with prompt delivery inside your room.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available, does not apply to Halong Bay Cruise).
Complimentary airport transfers are included on start and end dates, when flights are included within the itinerary and when additional accommodation has been booked through Luxury Gold. Guests will be transferred with fellow Luxury Gold Travelers that arrive on the same flight.

Curated Experiences

Mekong River Delta: Meet Mr. Sau Tuong, a former soldier, at his home and see how he and his wife make a living making rice paper. This quiet existence is in stark contrast to the four years he spent fighting the Khmer Rouge, who terrorised Cambodia in the 1970s.
Hue: Enjoy a VIP visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel before it opens to other travelers. Hear more about Emperor Gia Long, the first ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty, who made this the center of a unified Vietnam.

Exceptional Dining

Ho Chi Minh City: Admire the marvelous views from a lively rooftop restaurant at your Welcome Dinner in Saigon. Get to know your Travel Concierge and fellow guests as you dine on local delicacies in a sophisticated setting, with the lights twinkling across the city.
Mekong River Delta: Pause for lunch at the enchanting Mango Home, a thatched restaurant located on the Mekong. Savor delicacies enjoyed in the delta, including noodle soup, grilled fish, and giant prawns fresh from the river, as you enjoy views of the lush countryside.
Hue: Arrive at the home of celebrated painter and singer, Camille Huyen, for a memorable meal and private concert. Stroll around the traditional home she shares with her husband and hear about their fascinating lives and the dream that brought them home.
Hoi An: Dine out with Your Choice this evening. Choose from one of three hand-selected restaurants, known to our local foodies, each specialising in different cuisine from traditional to modern Vietnamese, or a fusion of east and west to tantalise your taste buds.
Hoi An: Visit the beautiful Cam Thanh Village with its dense coconut jungles that were once a shelter for local people and soldiers during the Vietnam War, but today the village is an important supplier of seafood, vegetables and rice to the region. Step into a traditional bamboo-basket boat and glide across the water to the Thanh Dong village where you learn from the villagers how they cultivate and harvest vegetables according to local customs. Continue your voyage through a peaceful water coconut forest to a riverside restaurant overlooking the rice fields. Enjoy and participate in a hands-on cooking class alongside a local chef. Savor your creations for your Highlight Lunch.
Hanoi: Join a local foodie in the Old Quarter to explore the street food culture of Hanoi. Dine as the locals do, on delights such as steaming pho (a beef noodle soup), rice paper rolls and crab spring rolls.
Luang Prabang: Join your fellow travelers for a family style lunch that gives back to the community. Kai Phaen restaurant reinvests all profits back into their trainees and supporting social programs, so you are helping give them a brighter, more secure future.

Magnificent Stays

Hoi An: The luxurious Anantara Hoi An Resort is moments away from the city's charming historic center. Take in the tranquil atmosphere, treat yourself to a massage at the spa, or cool down in the pool.

Passport Moments

Ho Chi Minh City: Join a Viet Cong veteran to visit the underground Củ Chi tunnels and learn more about this complex network originally built in 1948. See where many thousands of troops trained and lived under difficult conditions during the Vietnam War.
Ho Chi Minh City: Experience the vibrancy of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, as you visit its most iconic attractions, including the Central Post Office, designed by Alfred Foulhox.
Mekong River Delta: Board a private vessel for your Mekong River Cruise, taking you down the most important waterway in Southeast Asia. Gain a fascinating insight into coconut processing, one of the major industries for people who live along the river.
Mekong River Delta: Enjoy a ride on a tri-motorcycle through the tropical scenery of the Mekong delta, passing limestone mountains and rows of neat rice paddies. Arrive at a rustic rice noodle factory to see how the favored breakfast meal of Vietnam is produced.
Hoi An: Explore the Ancient Old Town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see well-preserved buildings that date back several centuries. See the 18th-century Japanese covered bridge with its elaborate carvings and spot many colored lanterns along the way.
Hanoi: Take a spin on a nifty electric cart for a fun way to get around Hanoi. See the main sights of the city, including the beautiful French neoclassical Opera House, the center for cultural and historical events in Vietnam.
Halong Bay: Board a luxury junk boat for a special cruise around the magnificent Ha Long Bay, famous for its emerald waters and thousands of limestone islands dotted with rainforests. Explore mysterious caves and marvel at a memorable sunset over this scene.
Halong Bay: Visit the spectacular Tien Ong cave with its immense stalactites and stalagmites, resembling various forms, including one called “the fairy godfather.” Sail to Cua Van floating village, amid the towering rocks, where fishermen have lived for hundreds of years.
Hanoi: Meet a renowned local scholar during a special visit to the famous Temple of Literature, built in 1070 to honor the great philosopher, Confucius. Learn more about the culture of Hanoi and Vietnamese architecture before touring the picturesque grounds and seeing the Well of Clarity.
Luang Prabang: Rise with the sun to participate in the centuries-old Buddhist tradition of offering alms to the monks from the temples of Luang Prabang. Share this deeply spiritual ceremony with the local people as the barefoot saffron-robed monks collect “tak bat.”
Luang Prabang: Join a sunset cruise on the Mekong for the final evening of your spellbinding journey. Observe rural life along the tree-lined banks of this magnificent river while enjoying a chilled drink and the sun melting into a glorious pink and orange-hued skyline.
Luang Prabang: Uncover the highlights of Luang Prabang with your Local Expert during a walk through this UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the fusion of traditional and colonial style architecture, as you wander through the streets seeing the buzz of local life.

Personalise your day

Ho Chi Minh City: Meander through the streets of Ho Chi Minh and hear more about the local street-side café culture, which sprung up when many French lived in the country. Discover the art of making the perfect cup of Vietnamese coffee before trying one.
Ho Chi Minh City: Continue with your exploration about the troubled past of the country at the War Remnants Museum.
Hue: Meet the headmaster of the Vietnamese Royal Martial Arts Academy and hear about the rigours of training for each martial art. Afterwards, watch at a live performance by the martial artists, admirably demonstrating their skill and discipline.
Hue: Take a boat ride to the private museum of Tran Dihn Son, whose great-grandfather was a high ranking mandarin during the Nguyen Dynasty and see the vast collection of rare antiquities collected by him and his ancestors.

Well-being

Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19. All Travel Concierges, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Highlights

Dining Summary

7 Dinner (D)
13 Breakfast (B)
5 Lunch (L)
1 Lunch with Wine (L)

Choice Highlights

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Ho Chi Minh City: Meander through the streets of Ho Chi Minh and hear more about the local street-side café culture, which sprung up when many French lived in the country. Discover the art of making the perfect cup of Vietnamese coffee before trying one.
Ho Chi Minh City: Continue with your exploration about the troubled past of the country at the War Remnants Museum.

Choose between two carefully selected activities

Hue: Meet the headmaster of the Vietnamese Royal Martial Arts Academy and hear about the rigours of training for each martial art. Afterwards, watch at a live performance by the martial artists, admirably demonstrating their skill and discipline.
Hue: Take a boat ride to the private museum of Tran Dihn Son, whose great-grandfather was a high ranking mandarin during the Nguyen Dynasty and see the vast collection of rare antiquities collected by him and his ancestors.

Additional Included Highlights

You will be escorted by one of our fine Travel Concierges, handpicked to serve as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary, available on departures with 15 or more guests.
At every hotel, you'll be treated to seamless baggage handling, with prompt delivery inside your room.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available, does not apply to Halong Bay Cruise).
Complimentary airport transfers are included on start and end dates, when flights are included within the itinerary and when additional accommodation has been booked through Luxury Gold. Guests will be transferred with fellow Luxury Gold Travelers that arrive on the same flight.

Curated Experiences

Mekong River Delta: Meet Mr. Sau Tuong, a former soldier, at his home and see how he and his wife make a living making rice paper. This quiet existence is in stark contrast to the four years he spent fighting the Khmer Rouge, who terrorised Cambodia in the 1970s.
Hue: Enjoy a VIP visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Imperial Citadel before it opens to other travelers. Hear more about Emperor Gia Long, the first ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty, who made this the center of a unified Vietnam.

Exceptional Dining

Ho Chi Minh City: Admire the marvelous views from a lively rooftop restaurant at your Welcome Dinner in Saigon. Get to know your Travel Concierge and fellow guests as you dine on local delicacies in a sophisticated setting, with the lights twinkling across the city.
Mekong River Delta: Pause for lunch at the enchanting Mango Home, a thatched restaurant located on the Mekong. Savor delicacies enjoyed in the delta, including noodle soup, grilled fish, and giant prawns fresh from the river, as you enjoy views of the lush countryside.
Hue: Arrive at the home of celebrated painter and singer, Camille Huyen, for a memorable meal and private concert. Stroll around the traditional home she shares with her husband and hear about their fascinating lives and the dream that brought them home.
Hoi An: Dine out with Your Choice this evening. Choose from one of three hand-selected restaurants, known to our local foodies, each specialising in different cuisine from traditional to modern Vietnamese, or a fusion of east and west to tantalise your taste buds.
Hoi An: Visit the beautiful Cam Thanh Village with its dense coconut jungles that were once a shelter for local people and soldiers during the Vietnam War, but today the village is an important supplier of seafood, vegetables and rice to the region. Step into a traditional bamboo-basket boat and glide across the water to the Thanh Dong village where you learn from the villagers how they cultivate and harvest vegetables according to local customs. Continue your voyage through a peaceful water coconut forest to a riverside restaurant overlooking the rice fields. Enjoy and participate in a hands-on cooking class alongside a local chef. Savor your creations for your Highlight Lunch.
Hanoi: Join a local foodie in the Old Quarter to explore the street food culture of Hanoi. Dine as the locals do, on delights such as steaming pho (a beef noodle soup), rice paper rolls and crab spring rolls.
Luang Prabang: Join your fellow travelers for a family style lunch that gives back to the community. Kai Phaen restaurant reinvests all profits back into their trainees and supporting social programs, so you are helping give them a brighter, more secure future.

Magnificent Stays

Hoi An: The luxurious Anantara Hoi An Resort is moments away from the city's charming historic center. Take in the tranquil atmosphere, treat yourself to a massage at the spa, or cool down in the pool.

Passport Moments

Ho Chi Minh City: Join a Viet Cong veteran to visit the underground Củ Chi tunnels and learn more about this complex network originally built in 1948. See where many thousands of troops trained and lived under difficult conditions during the Vietnam War.
Ho Chi Minh City: Experience the vibrancy of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, as you visit its most iconic attractions, including the Central Post Office, designed by Alfred Foulhox.
Mekong River Delta: Board a private vessel for your Mekong River Cruise, taking you down the most important waterway in Southeast Asia. Gain a fascinating insight into coconut processing, one of the major industries for people who live along the river.
Mekong River Delta: Enjoy a ride on a tri-motorcycle through the tropical scenery of the Mekong delta, passing limestone mountains and rows of neat rice paddies. Arrive at a rustic rice noodle factory to see how the favored breakfast meal of Vietnam is produced.
Hoi An: Explore the Ancient Old Town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see well-preserved buildings that date back several centuries. See the 18th-century Japanese covered bridge with its elaborate carvings and spot many colored lanterns along the way.
Hanoi: Take a spin on a nifty electric cart for a fun way to get around Hanoi. See the main sights of the city, including the beautiful French neoclassical Opera House, the center for cultural and historical events in Vietnam.
Halong Bay: Board a luxury junk boat for a special cruise around the magnificent Ha Long Bay, famous for its emerald waters and thousands of limestone islands dotted with rainforests. Explore mysterious caves and marvel at a memorable sunset over this scene.
Halong Bay: Visit the spectacular Tien Ong cave with its immense stalactites and stalagmites, resembling various forms, including one called “the fairy godfather.” Sail to Cua Van floating village, amid the towering rocks, where fishermen have lived for hundreds of years.
Hanoi: Meet a renowned local scholar during a special visit to the famous Temple of Literature, built in 1070 to honor the great philosopher, Confucius. Learn more about the culture of Hanoi and Vietnamese architecture before touring the picturesque grounds and seeing the Well of Clarity.
Luang Prabang: Rise with the sun to participate in the centuries-old Buddhist tradition of offering alms to the monks from the temples of Luang Prabang. Share this deeply spiritual ceremony with the local people as the barefoot saffron-robed monks collect “tak bat.”
Luang Prabang: Join a sunset cruise on the Mekong for the final evening of your spellbinding journey. Observe rural life along the tree-lined banks of this magnificent river while enjoying a chilled drink and the sun melting into a glorious pink and orange-hued skyline.
Luang Prabang: Uncover the highlights of Luang Prabang with your Local Expert during a walk through this UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the fusion of traditional and colonial style architecture, as you wander through the streets seeing the buzz of local life.

Personalise your day

Ho Chi Minh City: Meander through the streets of Ho Chi Minh and hear more about the local street-side café culture, which sprung up when many French lived in the country. Discover the art of making the perfect cup of Vietnamese coffee before trying one.
Ho Chi Minh City: Continue with your exploration about the troubled past of the country at the War Remnants Museum.
Hue: Meet the headmaster of the Vietnamese Royal Martial Arts Academy and hear about the rigours of training for each martial art. Afterwards, watch at a live performance by the martial artists, admirably demonstrating their skill and discipline.
Hue: Take a boat ride to the private museum of Tran Dihn Son, whose great-grandfather was a high ranking mandarin during the Nguyen Dynasty and see the vast collection of rare antiquities collected by him and his ancestors.

Well-being

Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19. All Travel Concierges, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Trip details

Trip Type: Group Tour

Comfort: Deluxe

Travel Styles: Family, 55+, Luxury

Starts: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Finishes: Luang Prabang, Laos

Duration: 14 days

ITINERARY

1Day 1: Dynamic Ho Chi Minh City

Your Vietnam luxury tour begins by private transfer to the five-star hotel in the heart of the city. Dine tonight in one of Saigon’s rooftop restaurants.

Accommodation: InterContinental Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City.
Meals: Dinner

2Day 2: Marvels of Saigon

Travel to the Cu Chi tunnels to meet a Viet Cong veteran. Learn the art of brewing Vietnamese coffee or visit the War Remnants Museum.

Accommodation: InterContinental Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

3Day 3: Cruise the Mekong Delta

Take to the waters to explore the Mekong Delta. Enjoy a ride on a tri-motorcycle and learn about coconut production before visiting the home of a former soldier.

Accommodation: InterContinental Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

4Day 4: Royal Refinement in Hue Relaxed Start

Cycle through green rice ﬁelds to the traditional garden houses of Phu Mong village. Dine at Ben Xuan Garden House Theater, serenaded by local musicians.

Accommodation: Pilgrimage Village, Hue.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

5Day 5: Highlights of Hue

Enjoy a VIP visit to the Imperial Citadel and royal tomb of Minh Mang. Visit with the headmaster of the Vietnamese Royal Martial Arts Academy or a collector in his private museum.

Accommodation: Pilgrimage Village, Hue.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

6Day 6: Romantic Hoi An

Explore Hoi An through the eyes of a local. Enter former merchants’ homes, stroll lanes of traditional houses and cross the Japanese Covered Bridge. Dinner is your choice of traditional cuisine, modern Vietnamese or East-meets-West fusion.

Accommodation: Anantara Hoi An Resort, Hoi An.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

7Day 7: The Locals in Hoi An Relaxed Start

Glide to the Thanh Dong village in a traditional bamboo-basket boat learning from the villagers and a professional chef how to make Vietnamese food.

Accommodation: Anantara Hoi An Resort, Hoi An.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

8Day 8: Hanoi Street Food Tasting Tour

Check in to your boutique hotel before joining a local gourmand for exploration of Hanoi's colorful street food culture.

Accommodation: Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

9Day 9: Cruise Along Ha Long Bay

Discover Ha Long Bay’s emerald waters on your private, luxury junk boat and visit the Tien Ong Cave and Cua Van. Learn from the masters with a traditional Vietnamese cooking demonstration or relax on deck as the sun sets.

Accommodation: Paradise Cruise, Ha Long Bay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

10Day 10: Ha Long to Hanoi Relaxed Start

Greet the day with Tai Chi before lingering over brunch as you cruise past the limestone formations en route to Hanoi.

Accommodation: InterContinental Westlake, Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast

11Day 11: The Temple of Literature Relaxed Start

Tour the Temple of Literature and view the Well of Clarity with a local scholar. Toast your travels over dinner.

Accommodation: InterContinental Westlake, Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

12Day 12: Welcome to Laos

Jet off to Luang Prabang, once the royal seat of the Lane Xang Kingdom and still the center of Lao culture. This town is also UNESCO World Heritage Site. Check into your luxury hotel admiring its blend of elegant colonial style and tropical gardens surrounded by mountain ranges.

Accommodation: The Luang Say Residence, Luang Prabang.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

13Day 13: Luang Prabang and Sunset Cruise

Uncover the real Luang Prabang; experience a living Buddhist tradition as you observe the offering of alms to hundreds of saffron-robed monks. Bask in spectacular views of the Mekong and Khan rivers from Mount Phousi, and learn about the local rural lifestyle at Wat Xiengthong. Your adventure culminates with a private sunset cruise on the mighty Mekong.

Accommodation: The Luang Say Residence, Luang Prabang.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch with Wine

14Day 14: Depart Luang Prabang

Your Ho Chi Minh to Luang Prabang luxury tour concludes after breakfast with private transfer to the airport.

Meals: Breakfast

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Partner Details

Luxury Gold

In Business Since 1978

A world of immersive journeys awaits you, each with VIP experiences, exceptional dining, magnificent hotels and a Travelling Concierge who’s there to tailor everything to your desires.