Tour Code	:	MIL	Price	:	From US$3,859/Adult
Trip Style	:	GARUDA	Duration	:	14 Days
Country Visit	:	Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
Region Visit:	:	Siem Reap, Luang Brabang, Hanoi, Halong Bay
Start Location	:	Siem Reap
End Location	:	Hanoi

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Types of activities

Our adventure travel holidays are rated not just in terms of the destinations we visit but also by the type of journey and activity we offer. To ensure you select your ideal adventure holiday please click on each of our activity logo on our trip to get more detail information. If you have any further questions send us an email office@spiritasiatravel.com or give us a call (+855) 12 315 315.

Cycling Activities:

Spirit Asia Travel adventures designed some great cycling itineraries throughout Indochina. Cycling from Angkor to Ho Chi Mint City, Cycling around Cambodia include the beaches till the Khmer Empire site of Angkor. Day cycling through villages and rural area to meet poor kids, visit their school, give them some basic needed such as toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, and school supplies. The ride can vary from moderately hilly paved roads to off road rides of 40 to 80km a day. Adventures with multiple days of riding can include up to 8 hours per day of strenuous cycling, requiring an above average level of fitness. Remember that we always have a support vehicle behind with the group during cycling. Email our office if you have any special needed or you have your own route to ride the bike in Indochina

Types of activities

Day Walking Activities:

Spirit Asia Travel itineraries designed most of the day include some walking or hiking. We walks through city streets, villages, market, temples, and require the ability to climb stairs and ramps. Day walking/hike is part of our multi-day adventures activities, the ability to navigate narrow paths and moderately steep climbs is required during the trip.

Types of activities

Kayaking Activities:

Spirit Asia Travel adventures offered some kayaking trips along the Mekong River in Laos and Cambodia. During the cruising day in Halong Bay in North-Vietnam we also include kayaking on the coastlines to enjoy the sites. No special requirement for this adventure as it is a highlight of Indochina. Jump in… and let do it!

Types of activities

Diving Activities:

Spirit Asia Travel Adventures offered an opportunity to dive amongst the underworld of marine life in the ocean of Asia. Enjoy diving in Gulf of Thailand with beautiful corals and amazing diving at world heritage site of Nha Trang in Vietnam.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL SIEM REAP

Today you will arrive in Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor (Wonder of the World). During our three full days enjoying this area we will visit the world famous Angkor complex and step up and give back with some time at with the local school kids and our favourite orphanage. Siem Reap itself is a lively town with great cafes and for those of you who like nightlife the club scene is lots of fun.

Today we will transfer you from the airport to your boutique hotel and if you arrive early you will have free time to relax by the pool.

In the afternoon, our guide will come and meet you and share useful information for the next couple days. Then for our first evening we will enjoy a Champagne cruise on Kongkear Angkor a unique Khmer traditional boat service through the Siem Reap-Angkor archaeological park. We will travel along the water way where history, nature and culture come alive. The late afternoon light is perfect for photography along the great wall of Angkor Thom, Royal Secret Path and City Guard Post. And we view the beautiful sunset on top of the Great wall. Overnight in Siem Reap

Meals: Welcome Dinner

DAY 2: ANGKOR COMPLEX AT SUNRISE

We will rise in the darkness to ensure a great spot to enjoy the famous sunrise take our breakfast at the temple, and will explore Angkor Wat.

Later we will go to the Children’s Hospital - the Jayavarman 7 hospital run by Swiss doctors to support the poor children. (If you wish to help these kids, you may choose to donate blood - this is entirely voluntary - and then our tour will continue to visit more temples).

Lunch is provided at a local restaurant after which we will visit Angkor Thom Capital starting from the South Gate. There are many temples in this capital such as Bayon, Baphuon, Elephant terrace and the terrace of Leper King. We continue on to the jungle temple called Ta Phrom built in the late of 12^th century devoted to the King’s mother. Overnight in Siem Reap

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 3: TONLE SAP LAKE - ORPHANAGE

Afterbreakfast at the hotel we will join a boat trip to the fishermen’s village of Kompong Phluk. We visit the village, local school, the pagoda on the only butte (the only building which is not on stilts) and see the activities of the villagers before doing a traditional boat cruise. Small canoes, paddled by villagers, will take you deep into the dense flooded forest - a peaceful quiet and special place. Returning to town for lunch afterwards, we visit to the Happy Family Orphanage where about 44 orphans live. We will take time to buy some food for them in the market, clean, paint, and play with the children.

Tonight we will enjoy our dinner with a traditional dancing show at one of the many excellent restaurants in town. Overnight in Siem Reap

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 4: SIEM REAP FLY TO LUANG PRABANG

As there is only one flight in the early afternoon from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang this morning you will have another half day to explore the town of Siem Reap on your own or relax by the pool at the hotel before pick up and transfer to airport.

Our guide will meet us on arrival at airport and transfer us to our hotel. Tonight, before dinner we will visit the Hmong night market along the main street which is a highlight in Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

DAY 5: ROYAL PALACE MUSEUM

Early this morning we will rise to see the morning procession of monks along Sisavangvong Road lined with the local people waiting to make their offerings of food. Then after breakfast at hotel, then we will start our walk at the bustling Talat Dala, the city’s main market. The area surrounding this market is Luang Prabang’s commercial nerve centre, and you’ll find all sorts of intriguing shops and vendors here. Then, we will go to Wat Wisunalat, one of the city’s oldest temples. At the eastern end of the temple compound is the bulbous That Makmo – the Watermelon stupa. Adjacent to the northern side of the temple is another older temple, Wat Aham which is known for its two large and venerable banyan trees. We will continue to visit a temple of Wat Xieng Thong considered the most magnificent temple of Luang Prabang. It was built in 1560 by Setthathirat King in the classical Lao architecture style. Our afternoon will be spent exploring more of the city, visiting the Royal Palace Museumandthen ascending the steps to the summit of Phu Si for the beautiful views of the town. In the late afternoon, we will walk to the Lao Red Cross where you will be able to enjoy a traditional steam bath, using more than 25 different locally-grown herbs, or a professional massage to release the fatigue of the day. Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 6: ELEPHANT VILLAGE

Early in the morning, we leave Luang Prabang and drive 15km along the banks of the Nam Khan River to the Elephant Village. This project brings the elephants a more comfortable retirement by providing professional medical care, nutritious food, caring staff, and a natural environment. You will be able to take a scenic ride on an elephant or learn about the training of younger elephants in the skills needed for tours, about how to take care for the elephants with some basic “mahout training” or even how traditional technology can transform elephant dung into biogas, fertilizer and hand-made paper. We return to Luang Prabang for another overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 7: COOKING CLASS & PAK OU CAVES

After breakfast, we transfer to join an interesting cooking lesson at Tamarind cooking school - one of the best cooking venues in Luang Prabang. You will visit the fresh morning market, where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Then gather at the school to cook and eat Laos’s specialties (seasonal menu). In the afternoon, we will enjoy a boat ride about 25km from Luang Prabang along the Mekong River, and at the mouth of the Nam Ou, are the famous Pak Ou caves. The lower cave – Tham Ting – is entered from the river by a series of steps and can easily be seen in daylight, however, the upper cave – Tham Phum – requires artificial light (be sure to bring a torch). These caves, dug into a limestone cliff facing the river, are crammed with Buddha images of all styles and sizes.

On the way to Pak Ou, you will see a lot of small villages. We will stop at Ban Xang Hai (Jar-Maker Village) a village famous for distilling Lao traditional rice alcohol. On the way back, we will be able to visit also a village making paper using traditional methods. Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 8: LUANG PRABANG FLY TO HANOI

Today after breakfast, our guide will take us to Luang Prabang Airport to catch our flight to Hanoi Capital of Vietnam before 9am. Upon arrival in Hanoi we will be transfered to our hotel for check in and here we can relax until lunch.

The afternoon will be exploring the Old Quarter by Cyclo, an area characterised by narrow roads and alleys and a lot of attractive old buildings as well as the relaxing Hoan Kiem Lake area, situated in the heart of Hanoi, with the beautiful Ngoc Son Pagoda on an island accessible by an old red wooden bridge, the Bridge of the Rising Sun. Our last spot will be the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater where we will enjoy a performance of the traditional art of roi nuoc or water puppetry. Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 9: TAY TUU FLOWER VILLAGE

After breakfast, a short drive will take us to Dong Ngac Cultural Village 15 Km away from the city centre. The village is well known in North Vietnam thanks to its history and people. There are not many high buildings but ancient wooden houses, paved incline lanes – vestiges of history, the village gates or calm ponds. On arrival, we will firstly stop at a local market to see a morning market of local people then to purchase some offering for families we visit. After that, we take a short walk to the hosting family’s house for a welcome drink and get ready for the biking around the village.

As we cycle we will venture deeper into the village to visit the Communal House, the grounds and architecture of which are built in the shape of a dragon, the oldest house in the village belongs to the Do family and is more than 300 years old. Also visiting the Nguyen family with a house given by the King; passing by the oldest school in the village built in 1921. We then continue cycling to Tay Tuu Flower village where there are many beautiful colourful flowers.

After our cycling tour, we go back to the host to join her cooking demonstration finally rewarding ourselves with a rest time in the reclining chairs in the fragrant retreat of our host’s village garden.

In the early afternoon we will drive back to the city centre, on the way visiting Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple which are located by the West Lake. We then continue to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar Pagoda for a short visit before ending the tour in the Temple of Literature. Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 10: HANOI - HALONG BAY

We will leave Hanoi in the morning to drive to Halong City where we will board to a traditional junk. Our boat journey will include a delicious lunch while cruising this fasscinatingHalong Bay. We will stop in one of the numerous limestone caves formed by a selective erosion over the millennia and filled with many strange-shaped stalactites and stalagmites. Then as the day comes to a close, we will anchor in a secluded bay where you will have the chance to enjoy a swim in the emerald waters (weather permitting) before enjoying our dinner on board during sunset. Overnight on cruise at Halong Bay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 11: BOAT CRUISE

This morning, you will wake to enjoy your breakfast overlooking the bay. We will spend the day cruisingaround spectacular Halong Bay, a labyrinthine seascape of about 2,000 pinnacles-shaped limestone and dolomite outcrops, isolated caves and sandy coves. According to legend, the bay was formed by a gigantic dragon plunging into the sea which gave its name to the bay as ha long means descending dragon. In the morning, we will explore some more caves; in the afternoon, we will relax on the Junk, by reading, sunbathing or swimming. Overnight again on cruise at Halong Bay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 12: HALONG BAY - HANOI - DEPARTURE

Today our boat cruise will return to Halong City and then we will drive back to Hanoi Capital and your tour will end after we arrive Hanoi. There are international flights from Hanoi to Bangkok, Singapore and many other Asian destinations. If you still love to explore more of Vietnam it is also possible to travel by train from North to Central and Southern Vietnam. Also, it is possible to join some of our adventures in Vietnam if you wish to extend your holiday in this region.

Meals: Breakfast only

End of services…

Service included:

Entrance fees during guiding
Accommodation on twin share basis inc taxes
An experienced English-speaking guide
All private transfers with air-conditioning vehicles
Boat trips
Meals as stated on the itinerary
Water and cool napkin during the trip
Elephant trekking
Halong Bay boat cruise
Cycling
Cooking Class

Service excluded:

Personal travel insurance (compulsory!)
Donation during visit to NGOs
Airfare, airport taxes & excess baggage charges
Visa & visa fees, passport & vaccination charges
Arrival and departure transfer
All optional tours & activities during free time
Expenditure of a personal nature, such as souvenir, laundry, postage, Phone calls…
All beverages during the included meals
Tips

Experience Indochina, the local way…

Our adventures are designed to be flexible with comfortable accommodation arranged depending on the itineraries and the areas visited. We use a combination of Guesthouse, Motel, Homestay, Camping, Boutique Hotel and 3, 4, 5 star hotels with swimming pool depending on your choice of journey. Each will be suitable to your choice and stay during your holiday. All accommodation is carefully chosen - hotels are clean, with unsuited bathroom, air-conditioning and television. The Guesthouse, homestay and camping will have shared bathroom facilities. All are clean and comfortable. We really care about your accommodation during your holiday and as we are local Khmer people ourselves, we understand the accommodation that we will choose for you and your family.

Choosing locally owned facilities helps the Indochina people in their lives - and will support our local families during your journey. These people are friendly welcoming and exceptionally hospitable. We are sure you will sleep soundly and eat very well.

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