Tours out of Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam
Vietnam and the neighbours
From Luang Prabang to Angkor the long way round
Start slow in Luang Prabang, take the train to Vientiane, fly to Hanoi, work south through Hue and Hoi An to Saigon and the delta, then go upriver to Phnom Penh and finish at Angkor.
Overview
One continuous line across three countries
This is the longest route we sell, and the only one that goes from end to end without doubling back. It begins in the north of Laos, crosses into Vietnam by air, runs the full length of the country by flight and road, and leaves it by water, up the Mekong from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, before a last stretch to the temples.
The legs are chosen for the journey as much as the destination. The train from Luang Prabang to Vientiane is fast and new, the Hai Van pass between Hue and Hoi An is done by daylight, and the river crossing into Cambodia replaces a flight with a day on the water. The ends are slow on purpose: four nights in Luang Prabang to begin, three at Angkor to finish.
- Length
- 24 days, 23 nights
- Start
- Luang Prabang
- Finish
- Siem Reap
- Borders
- Two by air, one by river
- Longest day
- The speedboat, 5-7 hours
- Pace
- Steady, with slow ends
Nights
Twelve stops, twenty-three nights
Day by day
Twenty-four days in order
Day 1
Arrive in Luang Prabang
Met at the airport by our Lao partner’s guide, twenty minutes to the peninsula. A slow evening by the river.
Day 2
The town and its temples
Wat Xieng Thong, the former royal palace and the monastery lanes, with lunch by the Nam Khan. Sunset from Mount Phousi.
Day 3
Pak Ou and Kuang Si
Upriver by boat to the Pak Ou caves, then the Kuang Si falls in the afternoon.
Day 4
A free day
For the morning market, a cooking class, or nothing.
Day 5
The train to Vientiane
The Laos–China railway covers the distance in about two hours, through tunnels and over viaducts that took the old road a full day. Afternoon at That Luang and Wat Si Saket.
Day 6
Fly to Hanoi
About an hour in the air. Afternoon on foot around Hoan Kiem lake and into the Old Quarter.
Day 7
Hanoi
The Temple of Literature, the museum of ethnology or the prison museum, and a street-food evening.
Day 8
To the bay
Two and a half to three hours to the pier, then an afternoon of kayaking and a night at anchor.
Day 9
Back to Hanoi
The early morning on deck, back ashore before noon and in Hanoi by mid-afternoon.
Day 10
Fly to Hue
About an hour and ten minutes. The citadel in the late afternoon, when the light suits it.
Day 11
The tombs of Hue
The emperors’ tombs south of the city, partly by boat on the Perfume river and partly by car, with lunch at a garden house.
Day 12
Over the Hai Van pass to Hoi An
The Hai Van pass by daylight
Three to four hours with stops, taking the pass road rather than the tunnel, with the coast below. Lunch in Da Nang, Hoi An by mid-afternoon.
Day 13
Hoi An
The old town with a guide in the morning, the afternoon on bicycles through the vegetable villages.
Day 14
Free in Hoi An
Beach, tailor, or My Son on request.
Day 15
Fly to Saigon
About an hour and twenty minutes. Our own team from here. An evening of street food.
Day 16
Saigon
The war museum, the palace and Cho Lon, then the afternoon free.
Day 17
Into the delta
South to Can Tho with a sampan morning at Cai Be, three and a half to four hours of driving in total.
Day 18
Cai Rang, then Chau Doc
The floating market at dawn, then about three hours west to Chau Doc. Sam mountain at sunset over the border plains.
Day 19
Up the Mekong to Phnom Penh
The speedboat, five to seven hours, with exit formalities at Vinh Xuong and entry at Kaam Samnor. Our Cambodian partner meets the boat in Phnom Penh.
Day 20
Phnom Penh
Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek in the morning, handled quietly and without hurry. The Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda later, if you want them.
Day 21
To Siem Reap
Five to six hours by road, or about forty-five minutes by air if you prefer to keep the day.
Day 22
Angkor
Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Ta Prohm, timed around the crowds and the heat.
Day 23
The outer temples
Banteay Srei and the grand circuit, and a last evening.
Day 24
Leave from Siem Reap
Transfer to the airport, about an hour from town.
Price
Price
| Travellers | Tier 1 — simple | Tier 2 — comfortable | Tier 3 — the good ones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 travelling | from 3695 | from 4620 | from 7020 |
| 4 travelling | from 3030 | from 3785 | from 5755 |
| 6 travelling | from 2735 | from 3420 | from 5195 |
Over twenty-three nights the hotel tier is by far the biggest lever. The train, the speedboat and the three flights are fixed-fare items quoted when we book. Travelling in November or late February rather than over Christmas and New Year saves more than dropping a tier in most cities.
Included
What is included
What the price includes
- Twenty-three nights in your chosen tier, with breakfast
- Private car and driver for all road travel
- English-speaking guides on touring days
- The train to Vientiane and three flights, economy
- The Chau Doc to Phnom Penh speedboat
- All meals on the boat night
- A three-day Angkor pass and the entry fees in the day-by-day
- Our 24/7 line throughout
What it does not include
- International flights to Luang Prabang and from Siem Reap
- Visas for Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia
- Travel insurance
- Drinks, dinners and tips
- The optional Phnom Penh to Siem Reap flight
Practical
Before you commit to twenty-four days
You arrive in Laos by air, enter Vietnam by air at Hanoi, and leave Vietnam by river into Cambodia. Laos and Cambodia both issue e-visas, but neither is accepted at every entry point, and the Cambodian river gate at Kaam Samnor is where the difference matters: if the e-visa does not work there, the visa is issued on arrival. We check each gate against your passport at booking and again before you travel.
Tickets for the Laos–China railway are sold only a short time before departure and the popular trains can sell out. We book as soon as sales open for your date; if the train is full, we fly or drive you to Vientiane instead and tell you straight away.
We operate the south of Vietnam with our own team. The north and centre, Laos and Cambodia are run with local partners we have worked with for years; we have no offices outside Saigon and do not say otherwise.
Not for everyone
Who this does not suit
Anyone who does not have twenty-four clear days should not squeeze this into twenty; take the three-week route instead, which flies more and drops the river. It also does not suit travellers who tire of change, since the middle section moves every two or three nights. If you want one base and day trips, book something else entirely.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Can we do it in the other direction?
Yes, from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang. The river crossing then runs downstream from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc, which is slightly quicker.
How much luggage is sensible?
One case each that you can lift, plus a day bag. The boat, the train and the bay cabin all have limited room.
Is there a day off anywhere?
Days 4 and 14 have nothing booked, and several others have free afternoons. You can also add a night anywhere; Hoi An and Luang Prabang are the usual choices.
Related
Read next
Laos
Luang Prabang
Temples, the river and the slowest town in the region.
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Central Vietnam
Hoi An
Old town, beach, tailors and the honest timing.
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Cambodia
Phnom Penh
The capital: palace, museum, the genocide sites and the river.
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Cambodia
Siem Reap
Angkor on a three-day pass, planned around the crowds.
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Example journey
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
Hanoi, Luang Prabang, Hoi An, Saigon and Angkor in three weeks.
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Tours
Tours
Day trips, regional routes and full-length itineraries.
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