Morning
Start your day by waking up early to participate in the daily morning almsgiving, a sacred tradition in Laos that dates back to the 14th century. Witness the serene procession of Buddhist monks collecting alms along the streets.
Following this spiritual experience, head to the domestic market near the former Royal Palace. Here, you can immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the market, where locals gather to buy and sell fresh produce and traditional goods.
Afternoon
Begin your afternoon with a visit to Wat Sen, the city's oldest Buddhist temple, where you can explore its rich historical and architectural heritage. Then, you have a chance to take a picturesque cruise upstream on the Mekong River, offering breathtaking views of the serene countryside.
Continue your adventure to the awe-inspiring Pak Ou Caves, a 16th-century cave monastery adorned with thousands of Buddha images. Marvel at the religious artifacts within this unique and spiritually charged site.
After that, take a moment to stop at Ban Muang Keo, a renowned village celebrated for its traditional Lao rice whisky distilling. Gain insights into the time-honored methods involved in crafting this local beverage.
Continue your journey to two prominent temples in Luang Prabang: Wat Mai and Wat Visoun. Each temple boasts distinctive architecture and cultural significance. Moving on, we go visit the Traditional Art and Ethnology Center, where you can deepen your understanding of Laos' diverse ethnic cultures through engaging exhibits and displays.
After the tour, overnight in Luang Prabang.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang
Hey there fellow travelers! I just got back from an amazing 15-day adventure exploring Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and I can't wait to share my experience with you.
Itinerary (10/10):
The itinerary was perfectly crafted, hitting all the must-see spots in each country without feeling rushed. From the… More Hey there fellow travelers! I just got back from an amazing 15-day adventure exploring Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and I can't wait to share my experience with you.
Itinerary (10/10):
The itinerary was perfectly crafted, hitting all the must-see spots in each country without feeling rushed. From the serene beauty of Luang Prabang to the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City and the awe-inspiring temples of Siem Reap, every day was packed with exciting experiences.
Food/Drink (9/10):
The local cuisine was a highlight of the trip. I indulged in delicious pho in Vietnam, fresh seafood in Hoi An, and flavorful Cambodian dishes in Siem Reap. One point deducted only because I wish there were more opportunities to try street food.
Tour Guide (9.5/10):
Our tour guide was exceptional! Knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing their culture and history. They made the trip even more enjoyable with their insights and recommendations.
Entertainment/Activities (10/10):
There was never a dull moment on this trip. Whether cruising through Halong Bay, exploring ancient temples, or biking through rice paddies, each activity was memorable and enriching.
Accommodations (9/10):
The accommodations were comfortable and well-located. Most hotels were clean and provided great service, although a few could use some minor updates.
Overall Experience (9.5/10):
This trip was a dream come true! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a comprehensive and exciting journey through Southeast Asia. Special shoutout to Hang Moon from BestPrice Travel for their exceptional support and making this adventure seamless. Can't wait to plan my next trip with them!
If you're considering this tour, don't hesitate—book it now and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Cheers to unforgettable memories and new friends along the way! Less
Hi Moon,
Instead of completing your survey, I will provide our opinion of the trip with words. We believe surveys are misleading, particularly the ratings, which are subjective.
When we plan or rate a trip, we look for adventurous activities, inclusion of top tourist attractions, sightseeing, entertainment… More Hi Moon,
Instead of completing your survey, I will provide our opinion of the trip with words. We believe surveys are misleading, particularly the ratings, which are subjective.
When we plan or rate a trip, we look for adventurous activities, inclusion of top tourist attractions, sightseeing, entertainment and pretty scenery. As I previously explained, we were happy with the trip and had a great time, but there were areas for improvement with the tours, which I cover below. You did an excellent job with the logistics and getting us from point A to point B.
We liked all the hotels and their breakfasts. The staff at Hanoi Tirant and Hoi An Lantana Riverside were extremely helpful and personable, which added to the experience. The Victoria Nui Sam and Somadevi Angkor were both very nice and we had time to enjoy the pools at both hotels.
Guides
Sugar, our guide in the Mekong Delta has an amazing personality, is high energy and this added to the experience. Both Thip in Chiang Mai and Jira in Bangkok took their jobs seriously, were motivated and had a desire to provide a good experience. Some of the other guides appeared to be bored and were just going through the motions. Our guide in Phnom Penh did not know the itinerary or the schedule.
When going on tours, we look for value added. In other words, is the tour something we could not do on our own and is it a good use of our time. In our opinion, the tours are an area that needs improvement. The lunches on the tours were all good.
Ha Long Bay – This should have been an amazing part of our trip, but it was not. We were supposed to go to a cave and the staff confirmed that we were going to visit one. Instead, we went under a bridge, which they identified as the cave. This was a major omission. We spoke to our friends, who went to Ha Long Bay on a day trip several days after we did. They shared their photos, and they went into an actual cave, hiked and kayaked in a more scenic area. An overnight tour should be much better than a day tour, but this was not the case. Our Ha Long Bay tour was not a highlight.
Chiang Mai – We were only in Chiang Mai for one full day. Our tour took us two hours away from the city. Fortunately, our guide eliminated the tours of the gem and silverware factories and we skipped lunch so we could get back to the city to explore the beautiful temples, which is the reason to visit Chiang Mai. This tour may have been acceptable if we were in Chiang Mai for 3 or 4 full days, although it still too far to be taken to go on factory and village shopping tours. This poor scheduling almost caused irreparable damage to our trip. Also, we did not need to go so far away to go to a Silk Worm Factory, as we already had done this in Hoi An.
Hoi An Tour – We enjoyed the visit to the Silk Worm Factory and the dance performance. The rest of the tour through the Old Town we could have done on our own more efficiently. The guide was not planning to take us to the Tan Ky House, which is the most famous attraction in the Old Town. I had to convince her to take us there, which was surprising, since it is a top attraction in the Old Town.
Hanoi Tour – We were supposed to go to the Temple of Literature, but the guide removed it from our tour. The guide stating that he was adding Train Street to our tour because a train was arriving soon. He misled us, as he later stated that the Train Street stop was instead of the Temple of Literature. The Temple of Literature is a top attraction in Hanoi and should have been included in the tour.
Other – There was a lot of wasted time going to and from the other hotels at each location. Also, the tours, when possible, should start earlier in the morning to allow for more daylight after the tours are done each day. Many of the tours we could have done on our own and were not really value added. Tours should provide a lot adventure, experience, entertainment or scenery, that one cannot do on their own. Positive tours included the Hoi An Vespa, Hoi An Basket Boats and Siem Reap Bike Tours, which all satisfied this criteria. On the Vespa Tour, the visits to the Woven Mats, Rice Noodle and Woodworking factories were very interesting, as was the Silk Factory on the tour in Hoi An.
In summary, we had a very lovely trip and we thank you for putting it together. I apologize if we were too critical about the tours, but from our experience, this is what we look for when we travel.
Best Regards,
Lawrence L. Less
The trip was good, and the team fixed issues quickly. Some guides were great and helpful. The food was delicious in some places, but it could have been more flavorful overall.
Hoi An was charming, and exploring the historical sites in Hue was interesting. The Cu Chi Tunnels were cool to see. The Halong Bay cruise was amazing, and Siem Reap's temples were impressive.
Will recommend to others.
The 11 days spent touring Indochina's top sights were wonderful. All throughout the journey, Hannah and her staff were there to support us. All pick-ups and drops-offs were on time, and the day trips and guides were excellent. The lodging was excellent and in a perfect location.
Best Price Travel made Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam great. Hannah from the office organized everything and responded quickly. She personally greeted me in Hanoi.
Visiting three countries required simple transfers! Fun activities and time to explore. Clean, pleasant hotels were all over.
I was the lone… More Best Price Travel made Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam great. Hannah from the office organized everything and responded quickly. She personally greeted me in Hanoi.
Visiting three countries required simple transfers! Fun activities and time to explore. Clean, pleasant hotels were all over.
I was the lone participant in this group excursion, which turned private. That was enjoyable, although I missed being in a regular group because I had to join various groups for certain events. Hannah informed me of my daily schedule and pick-up hours.
I deducted a rating since I was told it would be hard to travel from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang after booking the package. Hannah got me to Laos, but I had to pay more and skip Siem Reap, which was unfair because I purchased this package since it covered all three countries.
This trip went well and as anticipated. Highly recommended. Hanna also deserves 5 stars for getting it done. Less