Today you will fly to Siem Reap in Cambodia, with connecting flight(s) on the way.

On arriving at the airport in Siem Reap, you will pass through immigration and show your e-visa, which you have applied for and been issued with online at home. This fast tracks you through immigration with the least possible waiting time.

After picking up your luggage, you head out to the arrivals hall, where you will be met by a guide holding up a TourCompass sign with your name on it. After a transfer of about 1½ hours to your hotel, it’s time to rest after the flight, and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

Siem Reap is a laid-back and charming city, where you can go for relaxing walks in the French Quarter or under the shady trees along the Siem Reap River. Here, there are small shops, cafés and several markets. You can also explore the Siem Reap Night Market, where the odours from the many Khmer delicacies will make your mouth water. Choose a delicious piece of grilled meat or a noodle dish and sit down on one of the many stools next to the locals who are enjoying a snack. If you are a little daring, you can also try grilled crickets on skewers.

Today one of the absolute highlights of the trip and one of the world’s great wonders await you: the magnificent temple complexes at Angkor Wat and at the ruin city of Angkor Thom, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

You will be picked up from the hotel by the guide and driven a mere 5 km outside Siem Reap where the sights are located. As the temple area is quite large, the car accompanies you all day, so you are driven the longer distances from place to place, but you will be dropped off by the guide so that you can view all the sights on foot.

The ruins and temples are scenically situated in an area surrounded by jungle and a moat. The atmosphere here is serene and sublime. It’s like stepping into a whole new world.

You start out at the 12 km-long city wall by Angkor Thom’s beautiful south gate and moat, where it is always lovely and green, even in the dry season. Angkor Thom means the “great city” and it was the largest city of the Khmer Empire. The wall was built in the late 12th century. The next stop is at one of the main temples, Bayon, where an impressive sight awaits in the form of countless smiling Buddha faces. You then move on to the 350-metre-long Terrace of the Elephants, where the king could both stand and survey his troops and enjoy various ceremonies and performances. The name refers to the numerous sandstone carvings of elephants. You then continue to the king’s private temple, the pyramid-shaped Phimeanakas, which means “Celestial Palace”. Finally, you visit the famous Ta Prohm temple, made unique by the beautiful, large trees that have taken root in the temple buildings, becoming as one.

To avoid the hottest time of day, you will then be driven back to Siem Reap for a lunch break. After a much-needed rest, it’s time to explore one of the world’s biggest religious monuments and the best-preserved temple in Cambodia, Angkor Wat. Most people are blown away by the spectacular temple comprising three levels, crowned by the 5 towers, which are shaped like the buds of the lotus flower. In the inner courtyards and vaulted walkways, you can admire the endless friezes and stunning carvings. The day ends with a sunset over the jungle from the Bakheng Hill temple.

The day is at your leisure for relaxing by the pool, exploring the city or buying one of our exciting extra excursions as an add-on.

If you choose to explore the city, you can, for example, visit the small park Royal Gardens. Or how about a stroll in the charming side streets of the city, where you can come across small temples with gold roofs and the finest gardens? You can also take a seat at one of the many cosy cafés and restaurants along the river and watch life in the city.

In the evening, things liven up in Pub Street which, lined with restaurants and bars, is a natural gathering point.

In the afternoon, will you be picked up from the hotel and driven the short distance to the airport in Siem Reap before flying to Luang Prabang in Laos.

On your arrival in Luang Prabang, you will pass through immigration and be issued with your tourist visa. After picking up your luggage, you head out into the arrivals hall, where you will be met by a guide holding up an TourCompass sign with your name on it. After a 15-minute transfer to Luang Prabang, the rest of the day is yours to do as you please..

Luang Prabang is one of Indochina’s most beautiful gems, hence its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The centre of the city is located on a peninsula in the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and is surrounded by breathtaking scenery with forest-clad mountains, waterfalls and caves. The lush greenery is found throughout the city, between the elegant temples and cosy little, quiet streets.

The former royal capital of Luang Prabang is the epitome of Lao’s heart and soul with its unique mosaic of traditional Laotian culture and the beautiful buildings of the French colonial era.

This morning will begin with a visit to one of Luang Prabang’s largest and most decorative temples, Wat Xieng Thong. Also known as the Temple of the Golden City, the temple is adorned with neat, gold-plated mosaics and its characteristic layered roof, which hovers just above the ground. It is a splendid example of the classic Luang Prabang style from the 16th century. In olden times, this was where the coronation of the new king took place. Today, it is the gathering place for major annual celebrations.

The tour continues to another of Luang Prabang’s most important temples, Wat Mai, which was formerly the royal family’s temple and residence of the highest Buddhist dignitary, Pra Sangkharat. The temple’s gold-plated façade greets you, and inside, the gold-plated pillars with their neat carvings do their best to outshine the golden Buddhas. The atmosphere here can only be described as majestic.

Opposite Wat Mai in the middle of Luang Prabang, and surrounded by fine gardens, awaits a visit to the former royal palace of King Sisavang Vong, built in 1904 during the colonial era. Today, the palace has been transformed into a national museum, where you can see the well-preserved royal chambers with rare religious and cultural artifacts. You will get a feel of how life was lived on the polished floors.

After the royal palace, the tour continues up 328 steps to the highest point in the city on Mount Phousi. On the way up, you will pass small temples and Buddha statues where you can stop if you need a breather. Your efforts are richly rewarded when you reach the top in the form of a picturesque panoramic view of beautiful Luang Prabang with its rivers, temples and lush mountain scenery in the background.

After a lovely lunch and a short drive 30 km south of Luang Prabang, a refreshing dip Kuang Si Falls may sound tempting? Surrounded by lush tropical jungle, the Kuang Si Falls cascade over 3 levels down a steep hillside. The longest drop is at 60 metres, and at the lowest level, you can cool off in the calm pools of turquoise blue water.

The day ends with a visit to the nearby Sun Bear Reserve. Run by the Free the Bears organisation, the reserve is a sanctuary for black Malay bears, which are highly endangered as their bile is sought after for medicine. Here, you will be told all about the centre’s work with the beautiful bears.

The days is your own to enjoy Luang Prabang’s many wonders and mystery or choose one of our extra excursions.

Bright and early every morning, a very special event takes place in Luang Prabang, when 300+ monks proceed silently through the streets of the city to collect alms. All families send a representative onto the street with food or drinks, which is shared between the monks’ collection pots. You cannot fail to be amazed by the respectful silence and great dignity with which this daily ritual takes place.

And be sure to visit Luang Prabang’s colourful and lively night market, which is one of the best in South-east Asia and open every night from 5 pm – 11 pm.

The time has come to say goodbye to charming Luang Prabang. In the afternoon, will you be picked up from the hotel and driven to the airport before flying to the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. After arriving at the airport in Hanoi, you go through immigration and collect your luggage. Your guide is waiting for you in the arrivals hall, holding up an TourCompass sign, and you will be driven to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

Hanoi oozes atmosphere with its bustling scooters, rickshaws, the old quarter with exciting little shops and the French Quarter with its colonial buildings and peaceful parks. The beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake with its distinctive red bridge sits like an oasis in the heart of the city.

Today’s sightseeing promises an exciting day for all the senses in Hanoi.

You will be picked up from the hotel by the guide and start by heading to one of Hanoi’s main attractions, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, located on Ba Dinh Square. This is the final resting place of national icon Ho Chi Minh, who led Vietnam’s independence movement against French colonisation. The mausoleum was built in 1973, modelled on Lenin’s mausoleum in Russia. We would like to inform you that Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed for approximately two months a year due to renovation work.

You will then move on to the imperial citadel Thang Long, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. The citadel has been the political centre of power for more than 1,000 years, and research and excavation work are still carried out on the site to this day.

It’s now time for lunch, and you’ll be served a light but delicious lunch here, consisting of either bun cha (Vietnamese meatballs with noodles) or pho (Vietnamese noodle soup).

The tour then continues to one of Hanoi’s most picturesque and well-preserved buildings, the Temple of Literature, a prime example of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Built as a university in 1070, it was here that the country’s powerful officials, the Mandarins, were educated in accordance with Confucius’ teachings. The area also includes various courtyards with beautiful architect-designed gardens where the students could relax.

You will then see the historic Long Bien Bridge over the Red River, built by the French colonial power and completed in 1903 as a strategically important point for securing control over northern Vietnam. Today, cyclists, scooters and pedestrians flock across the bridge, which still plays a role in the capital’s self-perception and is often mentioned in songs and poems.

It’s time to sit back and rest your legs a bit and enjoy Hanoi from a rickshaw, which takes you on a half-hour tour of the Old Quarter. This is where the locals buy everything from noodles to Buddha statues. The 36 small streets are named after what is sold in the shops on that street (Tin Street, Bamboo Street, etc.).

The day rounds off late afternoon with a cup of Vietnamese coffee at a café overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake.

You are free to explore Hanoi on your own or choose one of our extra excursions.

There is plenty to do in the bustling capital. While away many an hour in the charming Old Quarter by Hoan Kiem Lake, where you will find old colonial buildings as well as a large selection of shops, restaurants, cafés and art galleries.

From Hanoi, the tour goes through the lush delta of the Red River to Ha Long Bay, where you join a mini cruise.

Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most outstanding natural areas. In the bay, hundreds of green-clad limestone cliffs jut vertically out of the sea, which over the course of the year fluctuates in colour from deep blue to jade green. On the large island, Cat Ba, there are several villages, with smaller fishing villages on some of the smaller islands. For travellers, Ha Long Bay is first and foremost a wonderful world-class natural area, while for the Vietnamese it is also associated with legends of dragons and drama. Ha Long Bay is about 1,500 km² in size and was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.

You arrive in the town of Ha Long at noon and board your cruise ship, where you receive a short safety briefing followed by check-in. The boat heads out towards the secluded islands in the bay, and you can now relax and just enjoy the view of the islands and the floating fishing villages. Along the way, you visit a pearl farm, and make a stop at Ti Top Island, where you can swim and hike up to a viewpoint that offers stunning views of the bay. In the evening, you can fish for octopus from the stern of the boat and enjoy watching the magnificent sunset.

NOTE!! In the event of bad weather with storms, the Vietnamese authorities reserve the right to close Ha Long Bay to navigation for safety reasons. This happens a few times a year. In such cases, the mini cruise will be replaced with hotel accommodation and an excursion in Hanoi.

Start the day with a refreshing dip in the warm, clear waters of Ha Long Bay, or perhaps you’d simply like to enjoy the sunrise from the ship’s magnificent sun deck. Breakfast is served as the ship gently begins to head back to port. Along the way, depending on the season, you will either visit either the island of Ti Top (in summer), where you can swim or hike, or a pearl farm (in winter). Late morning, you go ashore and are driven back to Hanoi by car. You spend a few hours here on your own before being accompanied to the train which will take you to Da Nang. The night train departs from Hanoi at 7 pm and arrives in Da Nang at 11 am the next day.

For an additional fee, you can fly from Hanoi to Da Nang instead of taking the night train. This option will include an extra night in Hoi An.

You wake up to a beautiful view as the train makes its way along the coast. Look out over the green mountains and the beautiful blue sea.

You arrive in Da Nang mid-morning, where you are met by a guide who drives you to your hotel in Hoi An. The rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

Most people fall in love with the charming, colourful coastal city of Hoi An, which is best known for its architecture, silk production, great tailors and the Old Town, which has made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Thu Bon River runs through the middle of the Old Town. Away from the river, you will find yourself in a maze of cosy streets. Wherever you turn, you will see how the former colonial powers have each made their mark on the district. Colourful lanterns, Japanese houses, Chinese temples and French yellow merchants’ houses fill the cityscape. Shops, street kitchens, cafés and restaurants line the streets, where you can while away several hours. The streets might be busy, with many tourists, but there is still a lovely calm to the area, and the district has managed to retain its authenticity and charm.

There is no set itinerary today, so you are free to explore the city on your own, head out to one of the nearby beaches or choose one of our exciting extra excursions.

You will be picked up from the hotel and driven to the airport in Da Nang, from which you will fly home with connecting flight(s) on the way. If you wish to extend your tour with either a beach holiday on the exotic island of Phu Quoc, the vibrant metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or the imperial city of Hue, you continue to the destination of your choice.

You land in the UK after an unforgettable holiday.