Mysterious Indochina 10 days
Siem Reap - Angkor Wat - Angkor Thom - Phnom Penh
Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Xieng Khuang

Itinerary

Day 1 - Siem Reap

• Arrival in Siem Reap
• Transfer
• Sightseeing in Angkor
• Visit Angkor Wat
ANGKOR WAT: a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu by King Suryavarman II, who reigned between 1131 and 1150. It was constructed over a period of 30 years and is world famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology. In 1992 the UNESCO declared the monument and the whole city of Angkor a World Heritage Site.
• Visit temple for sunset
Watch the sun set over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple.
• Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 2 - Siem Reap

• Sightseeing in Angkor
• Visit Angkor Thom
ANGKOR THOM: a fortified Royal City (10 square kilometers) built by King Jayavarman VII, who ruled from 1181 to 1201. The city has five monumental gates and is encircled by a moat 100 meters wide. In the center of the walled city are the city’s most important monuments including Bayon, Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Phimeanakas with Royal Enclosure.
BAYON: Jayavarman VII's temple mountain that stands at the center of Angkor Thom. It is one of the most popular of Angkor's monuments and a place of narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs and an amazing collection of towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces.
BAPHUON: the pyramid shape represents the mythical Mount Meru and marks the center of the city that was here before Angkor Thom.
PHIMEANAKAS: near the center of what was once the royal palace within Angkor Thom. Phimeanakas means ‘Celestial Palace’, though today there is not much left to indicate its former splendour.
FORMER ROYAL PALACE: nothing remains today except two pools that were used by royalty for washing.
TERRACE OF ELEPHANTS: this terrace was used for viewing public ceremonies and was a base for the King’s grand audience hall. The famous lines of elephants are at either end of the retaining walls.
TERRACE OF THE LEPER KING: North of the Terrace of Elephants is a platform named ‘Terrace of the Leper King’. On the platform is a nude statue – one of Angkor’s mysteries.
• Visit Ta Prohm
TA PROHM: one of the most popular attractions of Angkor as much of the jungle has not been cleared and it looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across them.
• Visit Banteay Srei Temple
BANTEAY SREI: built in the late 10th century, it is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. The temple is square with entrances on the east and west. Of main interest are the three central towers which are decorated with male and female divinities and beautiful filigree relief work.
• Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 3 - Siem Reap

• Sightseeing in Angkor
• Visit Banteay Kdei Temple
BANTEAY KDEI: a massive Buddhist temple dating from the second half of the 12th century. It is surrounded by four concentric walls, the outer walls measuring 500 by 700 meters.
• Visit Sras Srang
SRAS SRANG: a basin opposite of Banteay Kdei measuring 800 by 400 metres with a tiny island in the middle where only the stone base remains of what was once a wooden temple.
• Visit Pre Rup Temple
PRE RUP: built by Rajendravarman II (ruled 944 to 968), it consists of a pyramid shaped temple with the upper-most of the three tiers carrying five square shrines arranged as a quincunx. The name means ‘turning the body’ and refers to the traditional method of cremation.
• Visit Ta Keo
TA KEO: built by Jayavarman V who ruled from 968 to 1001), it was the first Angkorian monument built entirely of sandstone and was dedicated to Shiva. The summit of the central tower is 50 meters high and is surrounded by four lower towers.
• Visit Preah Khan
PREAH KHAN: a temple built by King Jayavarman VII with towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors in a jungle setting. Preah Khan covers a very large area but the temple itself is enclosed within a rectangular wall of around 700 by 800 meters.
• Visit Neak Pean Temple
NEAK PEAN: built by King Jayavarman VII (ruled 1181 to 1201), it is a Buddhist temple consisting of a square pool with four smaller square pools arranged on each axis. In the centre of the large central pool is a circular island encircled by two nagas with intertwined tails.
• Overnight in Siem Reap

Day 4 - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh

• Transfer
• Flight from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh.
• Transfer
• Sightseeing in Phnom Penh
Cambodia's capital sits at the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers. Considered the loveliest of the French-built cities of Indochina, it was founded as a small monastery in 1372 by a rich Khmer woman called Penh after she found four Buddha statues in a tree trunk on the banks of the Mekong. She set up the monastery on a nearby hill or "phnom" in Cambodian.
WAT PHNOM: a temple and location of the first pagoda on this site built in 1372 by Penh to house the four Buddha statues found on the banks of the Mekong. It is the only hill (27 meters) in the capital.
ROYAL PALACE AND SILVER PAGODA: the royal palace stands on the site of the former citadel, Bantey Kev (built in 1813). Visitors are not allowed in some portions of the grounds, as the palace is the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni. The silver pagoda is often called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Preah Kaeo after the statue housed there. The wooden temple was originally built by King Norodom in 1892 and inside, its floor is comprised of more than 5000 silver blocks which together weigh nearly 6 tons.
NATIONAL MUSEUM: designed by a French archeologist and painter, George Groslier, in Khmer style in 1920 to exhibit works previously scattered throughout the country. It contains a collection of Khmer art including the beautiful 6th century bronze statue of Vishnu.
TUOL SLENG MUSEUM (Museum of Genocide): formerly the Tuol Svay Prey High School, in 1975 it became the Khmer Rouge's main torture and interrogation center. It was known as Security Prison 21, or just S-21.
CENTRAL MARKET or RUSSIAN MARKET: Visit one of Phnom Penh's two great markets. The Central Market is located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building, and is filled with jewelry, fabrics and all types of souvenirs. The Russian Market is a sprawling labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, jewelry and more. Both are fascinating places to browse.
• Overnight in Phnom Penh

Day 5 - Phnom Penh - Vientiane

• Excursion to the Killing Fields
THE KILLING FIELDS OF CHOEUNG EK: people tortured in the S-21 prison (a former school taken over in 1975 by the Khmer Rouge and turned into a torture chamber) were brought here to be executed. Many mass graves were found in this area.
• Transfer
• Flight from Phnom Penh to Vientiane.
• Arrival in Vientiane
• Transfer
• Overnight in Vientiane

Day 6 - Vientiane - Luang Prabang

• Transfer
• Flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang.
• Transfer
• Sightseeing in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, the ancient capital city of the Lan Xang Kingdom, is famous for its historic temples and beautiful setting surrounded by mountains. In 1995 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
WAT XIENG THONG: built in 1560 and situated on the banks of the Mekong River, it is the most beautiful monastery in Luang Prabang and shows the typical Lao art style with old religious artifacts and some ancient masterpieces of Lao art.
WAT WISUNALAT (Vat Visoun): built in 1513 during the reign of Chao Wisunalat, it is the oldest operating temple in Luang Prabang with a collection of gilded wooden Buddhas from the 15th and 16th centuries. WAT MAI: constructed in 1821 during the reign of King Manthatourath, it was once the residence of Phra Sangkharaj (the Patriarch of the Buddhist clergy).
WAT THAT LUANG: the ashes of King Sisavang Vong are interred inside the large central stupa, which was erected in 1910. The inside of the huge sim dating back to 1820 contains a few Luang Prabang Buddhas and other artifacts.
WAT SAEN: Thai style wat built in 1718 and restored in 1957. The abbot Ajannn Khamjan who was ordained here in 1940 is one of the most revered monks in Luang Prabang and perhaps in all of Laos.
• Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 7 - Luang Prabang

• Excursion by boat to the Pak Ou Caves
PAK OU CAVES: this are two caves (Tham Thing – lower cave and Tham Phum) located in the steep rock cliff at the confluence of the Mekong River and Ou River. They are full of Buddha images of varying styles, ages and sizes.
BAN XANG HAI: located near the Pak Ou Caves, this village was once a 'Jar-Maker Village' and nowadays the community fill the jars (which come from elsewhere) with láo-láo, the local rice whisky.
• Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 8 - Luang Prabang - Xieng Khuang

• By vehicle from Luang Prabang to Xieng Khuang
A slow journey along mountain roads with stunning views of the forested mountains, lush valleys and karst formations.
• Sightseeing in the Plain of Jars and Muang Khoun
PLAIN OF JARS: large area extending around Phonsavanh from the south-west to the north-east where huge jars (up to 1000kg each) of unknown origin are scattered about in at least a dozen groupings. It is one of the most intriguing sights in Laos.
MUANG KHOUN: The ancient capital that was founded by Chao Noi Muang and was a stronghold for the Xieng Khouang royal family was destroyed during the Indochina War. The town was rebuilt after 1975 with rows of wooden Lao houses and a market area. It has an impressive location as it is surrounded by mountains.
• Overnight in Xieng Khuang

Day 9 - Xieng Khuang - Vientiane

• Visit the local market
• Visit this lively open-air local market. Transfer
• Flight from Xieng Khuang to Vientiane.
• Transfer
• Sightseeing in Vientiane
The capital city and seat of government sits in a bend of the Mekong River amidst fertile alluvial plains. Vientiane (pronounced 'Wieng Chan' by the locals) is a laid-back city with interesting wats and lively markets.
HO PHA KEO: the former royal temple of the Lao monarchy built in 1565 by King Setthathirat and now converted into a museum containing some of the best examples of Buddhist sculptures found in Laos.
WAT SI SAKET: constructed in 1818 by King Anouvong in the early Bangkok style, small niches are carved into its interior walls, containing more than 2,000 silver and ceramic Buddha images.
PATUXAI: a large monument in the style of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the huge arch at the end of Thanon Lan Xang has a stairway that leads to the top levels of the monument, providing a good view of the city.
PHA THAT LUANG (Great Sacred Reliquary or Great Stupa): built between the 11th and 13th centuries AD, it is the most important national monument in Laos, a symbol of both the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty.
• Overnight in Vientiane

Day 10 - Vientiane

• Transfer to the airport for departure flight to the next destination

Prices

USD p.p	1 Pax	2 Pax	3-6 Pax	SGL S/C	Booking
Var A	2,280	1,470	1,300	170
Var B	2,510	1,590	1,420	280
Var C	3,120	1,910	1,750	570

All prices are per person in USD, based on twin-sharing in double rooms in the default hotel for the listed category.
Above prices are subject to US$14/Person airport tax for all international flights out of Vietnam from 1 November 2006 which will be calculated as a seperate service on top of the international airfares in all quotations and invoices.
* Meal plan: ABF.
** Reduction for 3rd pax in triple room A:$30; Var. B:$76; Var. C:$153
*** Child reduction (sharing bed of parents): under 2 years FOC; under 12 years -30%.

NOTE: The itinerary can slightly change according to the season, local conditions, climate, flight schedules and room availability.

Hotel	Var A	Var B	Var C
Siem Reap	Monica Angkor Hotel Standard Soria Moria Boutique Hotel Standard Nokor Phnom Hotel Standard	Angkor Holiday Hotel Deluxe Standard Borei Angkor Hotel Deluxe Khemara Angkor Hotel ROH Lotus Angkor Hotel Deluxe	Angkor Palace Resort & Spa Deluxe Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa Superior
Phnom Penh	New York Hotel Standard Princess Hotel Phnom Penh Standard	The Juliana Hotel Superior	Inter Continental Hotel Deluxe
Vientiane	Lane Xang Hotel STD room	Chanthapanya Hotel Standard Day Inn Hotel Standard Twin	Don Chan Palace Hotel Superior Room Lao Plaza Hotel Superior Novotel Vientiane Hotel Superior
Luang Prabang	Sanakeo Hotel Standard / 2nd Floor Haysoke Hotel Standard	Le Parasol Blanc Hotel STD room Mouang Luang Hotel Standard Sala Luang Prabang Classic Room	Santi Resort and Spa Deluxe The Grand Luang Prabang Hotel & Resort Deluxe

We will confirm one of the hotels mentioned above according to the selected category. Please note that compulsory gala dinners and peak season surcharges may apply during peak periods surrounding the public holidays of Christmas and New Year - these surcharges will be confirmed at the time of booking.

Included in the price:(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)

Accommodation and meals as described (please note that some hotels provide only CBF).
All transfers within the journey, including pick-up at airport.
Domestic airfares as states in the itinerary in economy class.
All entrance fees.
English, French or German speaking guides (other languages available upon request).

Not included in the price:

Visa fees.
Airport taxes.
Personal expenses such as drinks, laundry, souvenirs.

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Customizing your tour

The tour above is a typical tour. If it doesn't fit your requirements, do not hesitate to talk to us about your preferences. In most cases, we will be able to customize this tour or package to match your expectations. Please click here to tell us about your request...