Mekhala Cruise

Welcome to Thailand!

Bangkok, Thailand

Upon arrival, you will meet your driver and tour guide at the airport and then transfer to the hotel in the city center. Check-in, and the remaining time is at your leisure.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Included: Airport pick-up and Accommodation.

Today, you will spend time visiting all the highlights of Bangkok. After breakfast, we visit the Grand Royal Palace, which is dedicated to the ceremony of the royal family of Thailand. Then, we visit the nearby magnificent Wat Phra Kaew, which is known for the Stature of the Emerald Buddha. After that, continue to visit Wat Pho, a giant house of the lying Buddha. Then, we visit the Wat Traimit, also known as the Golden Buddha.

Have lunch at a local restaurant.

Wat Phra Kaew

In the afternoon, board a long-tail boat for an excursion along the Chao Phraya River and many bustling interior canals that offer fantastic views of local life close by. Along the way, we stop at Wat Arun, the temple of the Aube. Return to the hotel and free time for relaxation.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel, then prepare for a trip to visit the beautiful ancient city of Ayutthaya. Along the way, you will stop at Bang Pa-In and visit the Summer Palace of King Rama V with its mixture of Thai, Chinese, and Gothic architecture, such as Aisawan Thiphya-At, Warophat Phiman, and Wehart Chamrun.

Arrival at Ayutthaya in the midday. This is a World Heritage City and the historic capital of Thailand. Begin your historical exploration by visiting Wat Mahatad, the royal monastery that served as the residence of the supreme monk. Then, visit Wat Phrasisanphet, the largest and most important temple, which was used as a residential palace. You will also visit Wihan Phramongkhon Bophit, the large bronze Buddha image. Initially, this was enshrined in the open area outside the Grand Palace and later covered by a building called Wihan.

Ayutthaya, Thailand

In the afternoon, board on boat trip at Wat Chong-lom Pier (Nonthaburi). Enjoy your buffet lunch here while enjoying the stunning scenery on the River of Kings. Along the way, you will stop and pass by some famous landmarks such as the Royal Barges House, Thammasart University, Siriraj Hospital, the Royal Grand Palace, and the graceful Temple of Dawn.

Upon arrival at Ayutthaya, transfer to the hotel and spend the remaining time at your own leisure.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Enjoy your leisurely breakfast at the hotel and then transfer to the airport for a flight to Siem Reap.

Siem Reap Night Street

Upon arrival at Siem Reap airport, you will be welcomed by our guide and driver and then transferred to the hotel for check-in procedures. After that, embark on an exciting journey to some famous temples of Siem Reap, such as Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool, and Preah Khan Temple, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then spend time exploring the antique capital of Angkor Thom. Begin your adventure at the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk and the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvana, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Angkor Wat Complex in Cambodia

In the afternoon, visit Ta Prohm, which has been intact since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Then, visit Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious site. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Enjoy the wonderful sunset from the top of Phnom Ba Kheng Hill as it is fascinating to end your day. After the tour, return to the hotel and spend the rest of the day relaxing.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Have breakfast at the hotel and drive up the Kulen Mountains for a visit to a Grand Buddha Statue. You will visit the River of Thousand Lingas and the Great Waterfall as well. On the way back, pay a visit to Banteay Srey, which is known as the Citadel of Women or a Pink Temple, and Banteay Samre Temples.

Banteay Srey

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

In the morning, enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake at Kampong Phluk Village. This is the largest permanent freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and flows into the Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh.

Tonle Sap Lake

You will visit a fisherman’s floating village with floating schools, a floating police station… It is the same as a big village floating on the lake and this village moves with the flow of the river. Next, transfer to Siem Reap Airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

When you arrive at the airport, you will meet our tour guide and driver, and then transfer to the hotel for check-in. The remaining time is at your own leisure. You can relax at the hotel or stroll around the street to get used to the bustling city.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Siem Reap – Ho Chi Minh City flight ticket, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Today, you will spend time visiting all the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City in the morning and then visit the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Start your half-day city tour by visiting the Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification Palace, which was the presidential palace of the south. We continue to visit other beautiful architectures from the French Colonial times, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic Central Post Office, followed by the visit to the War Remnants Museum.

Have lunch at a local restaurant.

Ho Chi Minh City Tour

In the afternoon, head to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a famous historical site, that plays a significant role in the Vietnam War. Upon arrival, you will listen to a brief introduction and then watch a documentary about how the tunnels were constructed and how the people survived the harsh conditions of wartime. After that, you will explore the tunnels by yourself and can even try real shooting if you love. Then, special tea and cassava (guerrilla food during wartime) will be served.

Return to Ho Chi Minh City and spend the night here.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Have breakfast at the hotel.

Then, transfer to Cai Be and indulge in the wholesale floating market on the Tien River. This site entitles you to know something about the local trading habits that have changed due to the age of modern society, when more terrestrial transportation and high techniques of agriculture have dominated everywhere. There, you can realize how diverse the area is and how rich orchard gardens are, which makes it the basket of fruit in the lower part of the Mekong River.

Next, we will walk around in small towns, where you can see the beauty of an old house and learn about the culture of the people who live there. Then, we stop by a small family business for a quick look. The owners make coconut candy and crispy rice popcorn there. We can enjoy fresh fruit and slow-paced southern Vietnamese folk music. This is a type of music that is strongly associated with the life and culture of people in the Mekong Delta.

Mekong River

Then we paddle through small rivers, which is fun because it gives us a chance to relax, look around, and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of the Upper Mekong Delta. When you get to Tan Phong Island, you should also enjoy the peace and quiet of nature.

You will have lunch with local people to catch a glimpse of traditional Vietnamese cuisine. The meal is cooked and served in the middle of a yard nearby. After that, we ride our bikes through orchards on the village road, meet local people, and learn more about how their daily lives are.

We take a boat back to Cai Be around 6 or 6:30 and meet your bus there to return to Ho Chi Minh City. After that, we take the night flight to Da Nang. When you get to Da Nang, we’ll take you to Hoi An, where we’ll spend the night.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Ho Chi Minh City – Da Nang flight ticket, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

You will wake up early this morning and head off to the Farming & Fishing Life Eco Tour. Starting at Tra Que Village, where you will get a personal insight into the local farming communities. We set about joining the farmers in preparing their land for sowing, helping to fertilize the garden using seaweed from the local river, and watering it using huge tin cans strapped to our backs.

Hoi An Eco-tour boat

Then, we’ll begin our leisurely cycling tour through the countryside, witnessing local Vietnamese rural life firsthand. Late in the morning, we’ll board our Hoi An Eco-tour boat for a river trip. We will meet and observe local fishermen working their craft before getting hands-on experience with traditional net fishing. We next move to a Vietnamese bamboo basket boat for a fast sprint down a coconut palm-lined canal. Lunch today is served on board our boat and is made using veggies harvested earlier in Tra Que Village.

After lunch, we have some free time to stroll around Hoi An ancient town and admire some famous buildings such as the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Pottery Museum, Tan Ky’s old house, the Cantonese congregation, and the Silk Street of Hoi An.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Enjoy your last minute in Hoi An, then transfer to Da Nang International Airport to catch a flight to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

When you arrive at the airport, you will meet our driver and tour guide, then transfer to the hotel in the city center. Check in and relax for a while. Then you will participate in the city tour through all popular tourist destinations. The first stopover is Tran Quoc Pagoda, located on the east side isle of the West Lake (Tay Ho district). This pagoda has a harmonious combination of the majesty and hoariness of architecture and the peaceful landscape of West Lake.

Hoan Kiem Lake – Temple of Literature – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Then, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the resting place of the great leader of Vietnam, and the nearby Stilt House, where Uncle Ho lived and worked until the last years of his life. You will also stop by the One Pillar Pagoda. The next stop is Hoa Lo Prison, where the French held mainly political prisoners and those awaiting sentencing at the nearby Court of Justice.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Da Nang – Hanoi flight ticket, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Today, we will leave Hanoi for an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay.
When you board the boat, enjoy a welcome drink and get a brief introduction about the cruise and safety guidelines, then check into your cabin.

Have lunch while cruising in the magnificent Ha Long Bay, admiring the majestic limestone karsts, then anchor at the Titop Island. You will join a guided visit to Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave), one of the biggest, wildest, and most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay. Then, climb to the peak of Titop Island for the panoramic view of the bay. After that, go down and swim in the crystal water. Return to the boat and enjoy the sunset while relaxing with Happy Hour from now to dinner time at the bar.

Ha Long Bay Cruise

Dinner is served on a boat. If you prefer a private dinner, please request it ahead of time. In the evening, you can join squid fishing with the crew, sing karaoke, or simply laze around or relax in your cabin.

Overnight on the boat.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Start your day with an amazing dawn on the legendary Gulf of Tonkin. You can admire nature waking up when the sun shines the first light. Refresh your body and soul with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck.

Later, join a guided tour to explore hidden parts of the bay, Luon Cave. You will share a sampan with other tourists with a local rower or take a kayak on your own. This allows you to admire the limestone karsts at a short distance. After adventure time, come back to the boat.

Have lunch on the boat.

Tai Chi Session in Ha Long Bay

In the afternoon, disembark and transfer to Hanoi. Then head to Noi Bai International Airport for the flight to Luang Prabang, the last destination in your 16 days in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos.

Upon arrival, our tour guide and driver will meet you at the airport and then escort you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Hanoi – Luang Prabang flight ticket, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

In the morning, we will ascend Mount Phousi’s 328 steps for a delightful exploration of the sacred golden stupa and a stunning perspective of the city and the Mekong River. We then visit Wat Mai, the largest and most richly decorated temple in Luang Prabang, which was built in the 20th century. Then, come to the National Museum at the former Royal Palace to admire the lovely collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture from the early kings to the last sovereign.

Pak Ou Caves

We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which provides us with a panoramic view of the peaceful countryside as well as an intriguing visit to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. We will explore the Tham Ting and Tham Phoum caves, which are home to hundreds of Buddha statues.

Then, return to Luang Prabang in the afternoon and visit Ban Xang Khong, a village famous for silk hand-weaving and traditional Saa paper-making. We will visit the Night Market, where you can find a great collection of handmade textiles manufactured by the hill tribes and locals who surround Luang Prabang.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.

Have breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, visit the spectacular Wat Xiengthong, which has roofs that sweep down the ground and symbolize traditional Laotian architecture. We then visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (closed on Mondays), where you can see precious items, traditional attire, and tools from each of the 20 ethnic minority groups that live in Luang Prabang. Then, go to Wat Visoun, the city’s holiest temple, which was completely rebuilt in 2087 after being devastated by invading Black Flags from southern China.

Kuang Si Waterfall

Then, take a private vehicle to Kuang Si Waterfall. On the way, stop by Ban Na Oune Village, which is home to a Lao ethnic minority tribe. Once at the waterfalls, enjoy a leisurely stroll through the national park to the Kuang Si Waterfall, passing via the Asian Bear Rescue Center. You’ll enjoy feeling the mist from the cool, turquoise waters of the several waterfalls. Swimming in the cool waters is possible.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Included: Transportation, Accommodation, English-speaking guide, Visit fees, Meals: breakfast.Have breakfast at the hotel.

Enjoy your leisurely time at your hotel and then transfer to the airport for the departure flight. This is the end of your 16-day adventure in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Thank you for choosing IDC Travel as your companion. Safe flight and see you soon on the next holiday!

Included: Airport drop-off and breakfast at the hotel.