Kingdoms of Southeast Asia

Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand

Delve into an ancient and mysterious world of rural landscapes, bustling cities, and fascinating history in Southeast Asia. From Hoan Kiem Lake and the Hoa Lo Prison to a street food adventure through Hanoi, Vietnam’s balance of peace, modernism and prosperity engage your thoughts and senses. On a charming junk boat, bask in the serenity of Ha Long Bay. Find inspiration at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple, the world’s largest religious structure. A local Laotian family welcomes you into their home for dinner. Explore the hundreds of Buddhas found in the Pak Ou Caves. This is an incomparable mosaic of culture and history that unfolds within the blink of an eye.

Package Includes

• Your Tour Includes

  • 7 Handpicked Accommodations
  • 31 Meals
  • 2 Choice on Tour Options

  Must-See Inclusions:

  • Cruise along the famous Mekong Delta, rich with natural wonders.
  • Explore incredible Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious structure.
  • Overnight on a junk boat and cruise the waters of Ha Long Bay.

  Cultural Experiences:

  • Explore Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter on an exciting walking tour.
  • See the Cu Chi Tunnels, a maze of underground passageways used by the Viet Cong.
  • Visit with a Vietnam war veteran and learn about the war from his perspective.

  Culinary Inclusions:

  • A local Laotian family welcomes you into their home for dinner.
  • Learn the secrets of Vietnamese cooking during an interactive class.
  • Sample several famous Vietnamese dishes on a walking food tour.

Tour Highlights

• Hanoi
• Walking Food Tour
• Discussion with Vietnam War Veteran
• Ha Long Bay
• Hoi An
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Reunification Palace
• Mekong Delta
• Siem Reap
• Angkor Wat
• Luang Prabang
• Choice on Tour: Night Market Visit or Evening at Leisure
• Wat Xieng Thong
• Pak Ou Buddha Cave
• Monk Alms Offering
• Bangkok

Day: 1

Overnight Flight

Set out on a journey that reveals the best of Southeast Asia. From the villages of Vietnam and the temples of Cambodia to the friendly locals of Laos and the lively energy of Thailand, embark on an unforgettable cultural adventure. Start your journey in Vietnam – where lush valleys and verdant fields create a beautiful country with a long and rich history.

Day: 2

Hanoi, Vietnam

Silk Path Hotel

Arrive today in Hanoi. Layers of the city’s complex past can be found interwoven into its modern culture. Known for its French colonial architecture, tree-lined streets, and vibrant street food scene, Hanoi is Vietnam’s dynamic capital and second most populous city.

Day: 3

Hanoi

Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner Silk Path Hotel

Start your morning with a city tour of Hanoi and the Old Quarter. Visit Ba Dinh Square and the Temple of Literature. Follow the meandering streets, decorated with temples and pagodas, and feast on the history before you. After working up an appetite, enjoy a walking food tour featuring some of Vietnam’s most famous dishes such as banh mi and pho. Enjoy coffee and views of Hoan Kiem Lake – the “Lake of the Restored Sword” – at a rooftop café. Later this evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Day: 4

Hanoi

Breakfast Silk Path Hotel

Today you may choose to start your day early by joining your Tour Manager and locals as they practice tai chi at a local park. After, visit the infamous Hoa Lo Prison. This historic site, dubbed the “Hanoi Hilton” by American POWs, is now a museum that tells the story of colonial history from the Vietnamese perspective. Following your visit, sit down with a local veteran from the Vietnam War to chat and connect with him as he recounts his history. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you see fit. You may choose to join an optional tour to see the famous water puppets of Hanoi followed by dinner.

Day: 5

Hanoi – Ha Long Bay

Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner Bhaya Classic Halong Bay

Journey to Ha Long Bay and board a charming junk boat for an overnight cruise – the perfect vantage point for soaking up the landscape. Once on board, enjoy fresh seafood as you sail past vistas of low green mountains, small villages, hundreds of islands, and limestone peaks jutting out from the sea. Disembark to discover the wonders of nature, history, and archaeology. Back on board, sit back and relax as the sounds and peaceful sway of the boat lull you to sleep.

Day: 6

Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Da Nang – Hoi An

Breakfast Little Oasis Hotel & Spa

Your day begins with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck at sunrise. After a light breakfast we head off to visit Sung Sot cave, one of the many limestone grottos accessible by boat in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage that is Halong Bay. It is time to say farewell to this stunning natural wonder and cruise back to the mainland. Fly to Da Nang and travel to Hoi An (UNESCO), an ancient trading port.

Day: 7

Hoi An

Breakfast & Dinner Little Oasis Hotel & Spa

Start your day with a walking tour of the old town, stroll by the ornate Chinese-style temple Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, the famous 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge and the vibrant market on the banks of the Thu Bon. Finish with an introduction to the local tailoring culture in Hoi An, a tradition dating back to the days of the silk route. See the process of making cotton and silk cloth, and you may even choose to have some tailor-made clothes made. Enjoy a free afternoon to walk along the canals that cut through Ancient Town on your own, uncovering a preserved history interwoven into the modern way of life. Perhaps you’ll visit an art gallery, wander through a cultural museum, or go shopping for the perfect souvenir, before joining the group for a local dinner.

Day: 8

Hoi An

Breakfast & Lunch Little Oasis Hotel & Spa

Explore the flavors of Hoi An. Board a basket boat and journey along the Co Co River for an immersive cooking class. Learn how to catch seafood in the river and grind rice into flour. Use your ingredients to cook four classic local dishes which you’ll enjoy for lunch. Soak up the local atmosphere with a free afternoon and evening.

Day: 9

Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City

Breakfast Novotel Saigon Centre

Leave Hoi An and fly to Ho Chi Minh City, the energetic urban capital formerly known as Saigon. On an eye-opening city tour, you’ll see the Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral,* and the Reunification Palace. Head over to explore treasures from local vendors on display at the Old Market in District 1.

Day: 10

Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh City

Breakfast & Lunch Novotel Saigon Centre

Take to the waters of the famous Mekong Delta. As you sail along, your guide will delve into the history and culture of the region. Discover the region’s cottage industry with a visit to a coconut candy factory and learn how this confection is made. Enjoy lunch featuring southern Vietnamese cuisine before traveling back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Day: 11

Ho Chi Minh City

Breakfast & Dinner Novotel Saigon Centre

Spend your morning at the Cu Chi Tunnels, a maze of underground passageways used as hideouts by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in metropolitan Ho Chi Minh City before your dinner at a local restaurant.

Day: 12

Ho Chi Minh City – Siem Reap, Cambodia

Breakfast & Dinner Borei Angkor Resort

This afternoon, board your flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia’s gateway to the wonders of Angkor. In this ancient city, you’ll discover a world where colonial and Chinese architecture melds into a sophisticated urban and culinary scene. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant accompanied by a traditional Khmer dance performance.

Day: 13

Siem Reap – Angkor Wat – Siem Reap

Breakfast Borei Angkor Resort

Depart for a sunrise at Angkor Wat, a perfect example of classic Khmer architecture. Enter its eastern gate and exit to the west, watching the sunlight dance along stones. Later, visit Ta Prohm, a sprawling monastic complex that is overgrown with jungle. At Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmers, visit the Terrace of the Leper King and the temples of Baphuon and Bayon, 11th- and 12th-century masterpieces at the center of the city.

Day: 14

Siem Reap – Preah Dak – Siem Reap

Breakfast & Lunch Borei Angkor Resort

Start your day with an Impact Moment experience at the Visitor Center of APOPO, where “hero rats” are trained to navigate minefields and save lives. Learn about the country’s history with war and meet the professional rats at a demonstration. Then travel to the village of Preah Dak to learn about daily life and see how Nom Banh Jok (rice noodles) are created. Get a peek into the local culture at the palm sugar market, where tree sap is gathered and cooked for sugar. Make your way to Les Chantiers Ecoles, where local apprentices are trained in fine arts, and peruse the different workshops of sculpture, carving, and more. You may choose to end your day with a visit to Phare, the Cambodian Circus.

Day: 15

Siem Reap – Luang Prabang, Laos

Breakfast Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang

Board a flight to Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. Get acquainted with the city with your guide. Then, it’s your choice! Venture into the lively outdoor markets at night -OR- return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

Day: 16

Luang Prabang

Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang

Hop into a tuk tuk with a guide and make your way to the city center, including a visit to the National Museum – the former Royal Palace. Continue to Wat Xieng Thong monastery, decorated in eye-catching gold. Meander along the Nam Khan River to Wat Khili, highlighting the local culture and history. After lunch, cruise to the Pak Ou Caves, shrouded in mystery and home to thousands of Buddha statues. End your day with a home-hosted dinner and traditional Baci ceremony – celebrating a significant event in someone’s life.

Day: 17

Luang Prabang – Ban Long Lao – Luang Prabang

Breakfast & Lunch Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang

You may choose to rise early and begin your day with a traditional alms offering to local monks. After breakfast back at the hotel, journey to a traditional Hmong hill tribe village in Ban Long Lao and learn about this ethnic group and their way of life. Set out on a hike** through lush jungle and panoramic mountain scenery to the incredible Kuang Si Waterfall. Return to Luang Prabang for lunch in a local restaurant.

Day: 18

Luang Prabang – Bangkok, Thailand

Breakfast & Dinner Hotel Muse Bangkok

Board your flight to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. A feast for the senses, this bustling city on the banks of the Chao Phraya River blends cosmopolitan sophistication with a strong sense of history and tradition. Tonight, join your fellow travelers and toast to the end of your adventure on a Klong dinner cruise.

Day: 19

Bangkok – Tour Ends

Breakfast

Return home with memories of your travels through the kingdoms of Southeast Asia.

Call 516 248 3496 or email wisewomentravelellen@gmail.com for more info.

Deposit of $1000 for the tour, and full payment for the airfare required within 5 days of booking. Travel insurance optional and recommended $256 per person.

How to book: Call 516.248.3496 or email wisewomentravelellen@gmail.com Airfare can be priced and booked 11 months in advance. Deposit required. Full payment due 95 days in advance. Travel insurance is recommended and paid for with your deposit for complete coverage.

Did you know? When you book your airfare as part of your tour package with us, you get airport transfers in your destination free of charge,  In addition, if you live within 50 miles of the airport, we’ll include your round trip transfers from home, too. (one address only)

What’s special about Wise Women Travel trips:

This group is a perfect way for you to travel and not have to go alone.

• Small congenial groups
• New to the group? Make friends to travel with
• Have your own room; or share.  Even if you are on your own, you’re not alone.  We are always looking out for you.
•  Join us from anywhere  – Airfare from many cities