18 Days Indochina Discovery Journey

About the destination: The capital city of Laos is located on the banks of the Mekong River. Vientiane,with a population of 600,000 people, is not a typical Southeast Asian capital. This relaxed capital has a small town atmosphere and still retains much of the old way of life. Vientiane is easy to navigate and explore, and most of the sights are located in the city center. The city is full of beautiful Buddhist temples, That Luang Stupa, Wat Sisaket and Haw Pha Kaew are the most famous temples, but during a stroll through the city, you will encounter several beautiful temples, buildings and markets. Don’t miss the sunset over the Mekong River. Along the river there are many small bars and restaurants, and this is a great place to watch the sunset and enjoy a cold drink. Relaxed and evocative, Vientiane is the most peacefully satisfying of Southeast Asian destinations.

About the destination: Luang Prabang, literally: "Royal Buddha Image" is the capital city of Luang Prabang Province in north central Laos. The city is located at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers north of Vientiane. The main part of the city consists of four main roads on a peninsula between the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers. The city is well known for its numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries. One of the major landmarks in the city is a large steep hill on which sits Wat Chom Si. Luang Prabang has both natural and historical sites. Among the natural tourism sites are the Kuang Si Falls, Tat Sae Waterfalls, and Pak Ou Caves. Phou Si, in the center of the town, has broad views of the town and river systems, and is a popular place to watch the sun setting over the Mekong River. The Haw Kham Royal Palace Museum and the Wat Xieng Thong temple are among the best known historical sites. Mountain biking is quite common, with people often biking around the town or to the waterfalls for the day.

About the destination: Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is one of the most charming cities in Asia with a unique character. Years of foreign occupation have left a mark on this city as it is shown in the interesting museums, the historical buildings, the pagodas, the mausoleum, and its own French quarter give the city a very distinctive atmosphere. The best way to get to know Hanoi is to walk around. The historical center is not very extensive, many places to visit are there or in the immediate surroundings, and walking is the best way to have some contact with the friendly people of Hanoi. Hanoi is known as a city of lakes as there are many lakes and trees all around the city, the biggest being the West Lake, Ho Tay, and the most famous in the city center being the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ho Hoan Kiem. The beautiful thing about Hanoi is the interesting contrasts of architecture, ranging from the traditional old buildings of the Old Quarter to the European style huge buildings of the French Quarter to the Communist monuments at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and surrounding areas, not to mention the beautiful traditional architecture of its temples such as the Quan Su Pagoda. Hanoi is a peaceful and hectic city, buzzing with street life and exotic markets yet serene around the tranquil pagodas and temples. The City of the Soaring Dragon is the place to be in Vietnam.

About the destination: Hạ Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination, in Quảng Ninh Province, Vietnam. Hạ Long Bay is a center of a larger zone which includes Bái Tử Long bay to the northeast, and Cát Bà islands to the southwest. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - Ban Sen, a thickly forested, almost uninhabited island reachable by ferries to Quan Lan from Cai Rong. - Cat Ba, the home of the endangered cat: Ba langur, a national park, numerous caves and the most popular destination in Ha Long Bay for tourists. - Quan Lạn, a historically significant outlying island with the beginnings of some tourism infrastructure and some beautiful beaches. - Van Don, a large island that is well inhabited, little visited by tourists and connected by road to the mainland near Cửa Ông. - Dau Be Island. This is a very popular swimming and diving spot because of its rich coral and deep grottoes with three inland lakes. - Bo Hon Island. The Virgin Cave (Hang Trinh Nu) is one of the most famous caves in Halong Bay. It is probably best known for its shrine. There are two chambers in the cave with a square-shaped outer chamber and a ceiling about 30 metres high. The inner chamber formations look like sentries conversing with one another and another formation, resembling a general surveying his troops, lies in the middle of the chamber. The moving light reflected from the water outside seems to bring these formations to life.

About the destination: Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. It is a popular resort town and a gateway to the Angkor region. Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are museums, traditional Apsara dance performances, a Cambodian cultural village, souvenir and handycraft shops, silk farms, rice-paddies in the countryside, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today—being a popular tourist destination—has a large number of hotels, resorts, restaurants and businesses closely related to tourism. This is much owed to its proximity to the Angkor temples, the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia.

About the destination: Phnom Penh, located at the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers, is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. There is a very strong French influence in Cambodia, particularly Phnom Penh, so much so that the city was once known as the Paris of the East. The French developed the canal system, ports, roads and buildings. Even though most of the city’s French flair has disappeared, there are a few beautiful French colonial buildings remaining. The Riverside district with its charming river walk, is full of hotels, restaurants and bars looking over the river and is very handy for visiting the main tourist sites. The main tourist attractions in Phnom Penh are Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the Killing Fields, the National Museum, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the temple Wat Phnom. Today, Phnom Penh is one of the fast growing cities in Southeast Asia and you can find upmarket cuisine, a very good arts scene and a vast array of markets. Phnom Penh is a worthwhile destination and a convenient base to explore the rest of the country.

About the destination: Bangkok, one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities, is the capital of Thailand. Bangkok is hot and crowded, but it's fairly clean and offers lots of fun things to do. Bangkok has great shopping, plenty of culture, amazing temples, delicious food and a decent art scene. Most of Bangkok's sights are concentrated on the island of Rattanakosin, often referred to as the Old City. The Grand Palace is the absolute must see site. The Grand Palace complex also houses the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Keow, the most sacred Buddhist temple. Other famous temples in Bangkok are the Wat Pho and Wat Arun temples. Bangkok is a great place for shopping. There are many shops, shopping centers and markets to satisfy every wish. The nightlife scene in Bangkok is as varied as the city itself, from beer bars to exclusive clubs, night shopping markets, discos to hippie parties. Bangkok is a large sprawling metropolis, noisy and crowded yet peaceful and delicate. It is one of the world’s top destinations that one has to visit at least once in life.