Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Private Tour

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Why You Should Go

This extensive Southeast Asia private tour offers an array of diverse cultures and sight-seeing opportunities unique to the countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Walk through the lively French-colonial streets of Vietnam, which pairs perfectly with the bustling waterways of Laos, and experience the contrast of the serene passage through the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia. During our travels throughout these three beautiful countries, Bev, Zen, and I very much enjoyed the wonderful food, engaging history, and the elements of spirituality within nature found throughout this tour.

Best Travel Time: Fall Winter

*All of our comprehensive private tour itineraries are inclusive of all luxury accommodations, private guide/driver throughout, daily meals as specified, INTERNAL flights/rail /private transfers as needed, & all taxes/service fees.

Angkor Ta Prohm Temple of Angkor Thom in Cambodia
Ancient ruins of Angkor Wat

Sample Itinerary

15 Days

Each private luxury tour is custom to the wishes of each client. This itinerary is a sample. Partnering with our long-established relationship with United Airlines, our sister company, TRAVNET, may provide competitive Polaris/Business Class international airfare, along with mileage points conversion.

1

Day 1

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.

vietnam-cambodia-saigon
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2

Day 2

Arrive Ho Chi Minh City
Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, you will be privately driven to the Park Hyatt Saigon.

Ho Chi Minh City, with more than 8 million inhabitants, is the country’s commercial center. This is a gritty, entrepreneurial city where it seems ambition is all pervasive.

Meals:
Accommodations: Park Hyatt Saigon

day-2-park-hyatt-saigon-pool
Park Hyatt Saigon pool
3

Day 3

Ho Chi Minh City Private Tour
After breakfast, you will be met by your private guide and driver for a full day of Ho Chi Minh City private touring. Your day will begin with a speedboat ride to the Mekong water wells and the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of narrow tunnels originally constructed as a means to resist French colonization and used extensively by the Vietcong during the Vietnam War. Today’s tour will also include stopovers at the War Remnants Museums, showcasing graphic displays of the “American War.” Following lunch at a local restaurant, you will have discretionary use of your guide for exploration of the Ben Thanh Market.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodations: Park Hyatt Saigon

Cu Chi Tunnel
Cu Chi Tunnel combat equipment
4

Day 4

Ben Tre Private Tour
Following breakfast, you will be met by your private guide and driver and transferred to Ben Tre (an approx. 2.5 hr. drive) for a full day of touring. Ben Tre is a picturesque province famous for its coconut production and quiet, peaceful network of crisscrossing rivers and canals. You will also stop at a brick factory, where the locals still use traditional, centuries-old, methods to make bricks by hand. You then have the option to trade the private car for bicycles to enjoy a scenic ride through the village, passing gardens and local houses. Following lunch at a local restaurant, you will stop to tour a noodle factory and enjoy a rice paper lesson from a Vietcong and his wife. This is a very enriching and beautiful experience!

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodations: Park Hyatt Saigon

Rice field and coconut at Ben Tre province, Vietnam
Rice field and coconut trees in Ben Tre Province
5

Day 5

(Optional) Hoi An Private Tour

You will have the opportunity to take a stop in Hoi An for a full day of private touring. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient town boasts well-preserved buildings, pedestrianized streets, and unique cuisine, allowing visitors a glimpse of its illustrious past. In the afternoon, you will venture to an ancient town in rural Hoi An for an immersive experience where you will meet with a host family illustrating their way of life. An optional cooking class with Mr. Duc Mango may also be offered.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Four Seasons Resort Hoi An (The Nam Hai)

Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos Private Tour
Hoi An, Vietnam
6

Day 6

Fly Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi
Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be privately transferred to the Sofitel Metropole Hotel. Hanoi represents all that is most compelling about Vietnam: the resourceful and entrepreneurial spirit of its people, its rich French traditions as reflected in its charming French-colonial architecture, and French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine makes this hotel a huge part of Vietnam’s cultural and political capital.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Sofitel Metropole Hotel

sofitel-1-copy
Sofitel Metropole Hotel in Hanoi
7

Day 7

Hanoi Private Tour
After breakfast at the Metropole, you will be met by your private guide and driver for a full day of private touring. Historic Hanoi offers a variety of sites including the imposing Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s house, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature. Upon visiting these sites, you will stop to have lunch at one of our favorite high-end, authentic Vietnamese restaurants. Following a refuel, you may stop at the national renowned coffee shop (with a satirical Communist era theme!), go for a cycle tour, and visit Thong Nhat Park (Lenin Park) and the Ngoc Son Pagoda on Hoan Kiem Lake.

In the evening, you have the option of a gastronomic “foodie” private tour where you will experience the diverse tastes and aromas of Vietnamese street food as well as Hanoian elite delicacies.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Sofitel Metropole Hotel

one pillar pagoda
One Pillar Pagoda
8

Day 8

Moon Garden House, Ky Son Village & Duong Lam Excursion
Today you will travel 34 miles out of Hanoi to the rural Ky Son Village, where you will experience an authentic snapshot of relaxed Vietnamese countryside life, including an authentic home cooking class. Here, you will also see the Moon Garden House, originally a summer house for a family of Hanoi architects.

You also have the option to enjoy a leisurely biking tour around the village with your local guide, where you will continue to Duong Lam, an ancient village with a history of more than 1,200 years!

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodations: Sofitel Metropole Hotel

The gate – Duong Lam ancient village
The gate to Duong Lam an ancient city
9

Day 9

Lan Ha Bay Cruise
Today, you will travel approximately 2 hours outside of Hanoi and embark on a cruise along Lan Ha Bay. On your drive to Lan Ha Bay, you will pass the Red River Delta where villages are trying to keep a centuries-old way of life alive. Recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage practice, a call-and-response style of folk music is performed by alternating all-female and all-male duets from neighboring villages. While viewing the beautiful scenery, keep this cultural practice in mind.

Upon arrival, your boat will weave through the limestone islands off the coast and pass by remote fishing villages at the foot of enormous mountains. Spend your day tasting culinary delights from high-class chefs onboard your boat or sunbathing on its spacious, rooftop sundeck. At night, enjoy the cool sea breeze during an evening of squid fishing under the stars. Your fresh catch will be prepared for you on the spot!

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodations: Orchid Premium

Orchid Premium on Lan Ha Bay
The Orchid Premium Cruise
10

Day 10

Fly Hanoi/Siem Reap
Upon arrival in Siem Reap, you will be privately transferred to the Amansara, where the remainder of your day will be free to spend at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amansara

amansara-lap-pool
Lap pool at the Amansara
11

Day 11

Angkor Wat Private Tour
Today, you may consider an early wakeup (4—4:30 a.m.!) to meet your private guide for the sunrise over Angkor Wat, a truly magical experience.

Following breakfast, you will be met by your private guide and driver for a full-day tour of the Angkor Wat temples. Built during the height of the Khmer civilization from the 8th and 13th-centuries you will explore the ancient and lasting remains of this sacred site spanning 400 sq. km with your private guide. Our Kipling & Clark overview of the fascinating Angkor Wat Temples can be found here.

To conclude your day, enjoy a brief helicopter fly-over of Angkor Wat and the surrounding areas!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amansara

burma-laos-cambodia-ta-prohm-temple-angor-wat
Ta Prohm Temple, Angkor Wat
12

Day 12

Siem Reap & Tonle Sap Lake Private Tour
Today, you will embark on a morning Angkor Thom-Bayon biking tour. En route, you will stop at the striking Bayon Temple. With its 54 mesmerizing “face towers,” the temple is a truly remarkable site within the Angkor Thom complex. Enjoy your trek through a labyrinthine of stone maze corridors, stairways, and lush greenery.

After, continue on to the Cambodian countryside and the sprawling jungle of Beng Mealea with your private guide. Here, your guide will drive you to the village to see your prearranged water-well donation and the benefit you have given to the community.

You will also have the opportunity for a touristy, but fun boat ride on Tonle Sap Lake, a floating village of Kampong Khleang.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amansara

burma-laos-cambodia-bayon-temple
Bayon Temple
13

Day 13

Morning Bong Thom Cooking Class + Fly Siem Reap/Luang Prabang
Your private Khmer cooking class will include a survey of the small, local market, learning traditional Cambodian recipes, and a delicious lunch. A big part of your experience here will be interacting with the smiling local Khmer villagers.

Upon arrival in Laos, you will be privately transferred to La Residence Phou Vao or Amantaka in Luang Prabang, with the remainder of your evening free to spend at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: La Residence or Amantaka

Drone aerial view of Luang Prabang, Laos
Luang Prabang
14

Day 14

Luang Prabang Private Tour
The ancient royal city of Luang Prabang is a place where time seems to stand still. It was mentioned by the New York Times as being one of the 43 most interesting places to visit! My family and I have always felt that Luang Prabang is one of the best hidden treasures in Southeast Asia. Your private tour today will include participation in Buddhist monk offerings, the National Museum, and a Buddhist Baci ceremony.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: La Residence or Amantaka

Buddhist Shrine Mount Phousi – Luang Prabang – Laos
Buddhist Shrine, Laos
15

Day 15

Fly Luang Prabang/Home

Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to Luang Prabang Airport for your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast

Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos Private Tour
Luang Prabang, Laos

Hotels

We feel this is the finest luxury hotel in Saigon. The relatively new Park Hyatt Saigon has a nice, old world French/Vietnamese charm. The 224-room 5-star property was designed in a French-colonial aesthetic, with large rooms. The rooms with French doors and wooden shutters are our favorites. The morning buffet breakfast is among the most lavish in all of Southeast Asia, featuring both Western and Asian options. If you have time you may enjoy the outdoor 60-foot pool set amidst lavish tropical gardens (also a nice spa!). This is a great location in District 1 overlooking the Opera House.

Park Hyatt Saigon

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We feel this is the finest luxury hotel in Saigon. The relatively new Park Hyatt Saigon has a nice, old-world French/Vietnamese charm. The 224-room 5-star property was designed in a French-colonial aesthetic, with large rooms. The rooms with French doors and wooden shutters are our favorites. The morning buffet breakfast is among the most lavish in all of Southeast Asia, featuring both Western and Asian options. If you have time you may enjoy the outdoor 60-foot pool set amidst lavish tropical gardens (also a nice spa!). This is a great location in District 1 overlooking the Opera House.

Our favorite hotel in all of Vietnam, the early 20th-century built French-colonial Sofitel Metropole is a truly a national treasure. When you stay here, you feel the grandeur and grace of a by-gone era, coupled with the comforts and amenities of a contemporary 5-star luxury hotel. We love the display of contemporary Vietnamese modern art adorning the lobby area, as well as the very special personal service. The Bamboo Bar and LeClub are places to be seen by the local Hanoi elite, with a nice small pool and spa! Kudos to G.M. Franck Lafourcade for the hotel’s service and his newly-planted garden!

Sofitel Metropole Hotel

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Our favorite hotel in all of Vietnam, the early 20th-century built French-colonial Sofitel Metropole is a truly a national treasure. When you stay here, you feel the grandeur and grace of a by-gone era, coupled with the comforts and amenities of a contemporary 5-star luxury hotel. We love the display of contemporary Vietnamese modern art adorning the lobby area, as well as the very special personal service. The Bamboo Bar and LeClub are places to be seen by the local Hanoi elite, with a nice small pool and spa! Kudos to G.M. Franck Lafourcade for the hotel’s service and his newly-planted garden!

An exclusive cruise, the Orchid Premium offers only 5 spacious suites, each with a balcony and private bathtub with views overlooking the crystal-blue waters of Lan Ha Bay. On the cruise’s top deck, there is a spacious sundeck and rooftop jacuzzi, both perfect for catching some sun. With a focus on restoring the “yin and yang” balance, the staff of the Orchid Spa provide a range of treatments and sensory experiences to heal both the body and mind. We thoroughly appreciated the cozy, high-end restaurant space where we enjoyed a delicious fusion of Asian-European cuisines and stunning views from its panoramic windows. One of our favorite features of the Orchid Premium is its high-touch service, as a private butler service is available 24/7!

Orchid Premium

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An exclusive cruise, the Orchid Premium offers only 5 spacious suites, each with a balcony and private bathtub with views overlooking the crystal-blue waters of Lan Ha Bay. On the cruise’s top deck, there is a spacious sundeck and rooftop jacuzzi, both perfect for catching some sun. With a focus on restoring the “yin and yang” balance, the staff of the Orchid Spa provide a range of treatments and sensory experiences to heal both the body and mind. We thoroughly appreciated the cozy, high-end restaurant space where we enjoyed a delicious fusion of Asian-European cuisines and stunning views from its panoramic windows. One of our favorite features of the Orchid Premium is its high-touch service, as a private butler service is available 24/7!

We believe the Nam Hai to be the finest 5-star beach property in the Hoi An area. Our favorite villa is the 861 sq. foot, one-bedroom beachfront villa – among 100 villas/suites that encompass Nam Hai’s spacious grounds. The three separate pools here are quite spectacular and great spas! We feel the stretch of beach along the property is perhaps the finest stretch of beach in all of Vietnam. As of December 2016, the Nam Hai reopened as Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai. This re-opening brought additions of an all-new beach bar, kids club, and world-class spa featuring eight private pavilions surrounded by the glass-like waters of a lotus pond.

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai

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We believe the Nam Hai to be the finest 5-star beach property in the Hoi An area. Our favorite villa is the 861 sq. foot, one-bedroom beachfront villa – among 100 villas/suites that encompass Nam Hai’s spacious grounds. The three separate pools here are quite spectacular and great spas! We feel the stretch of beach along the property is perhaps the finest stretch of beach in all of Vietnam. As of December 2016, the Nam Hai reopened as Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai. This re-opening brought additions of an all-new beach bar, kids club, and world-class spa featuring eight private pavilions surrounded by the glass-like waters of a lotus pond.

Built around the former guesthouse of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, each of this villa’s 24 rooms come with a private driver, floor to ceiling windows, and furnished patios. The aesthetic is minimalist and classic with open plan rooms and secluded gardens for the courtyard suites. A short remork (Cambodian tuk-tuk) ride away from the ruins of Angkor Wat, The Amansara has an indoor/outdoor dining pavilion serving both Khmer and Western dishes, a rooftop bar and lounge, spa, lap pool, yoga studio, and steam baths. In terms of luxury and location, the Amansara is simply unmatched in Cambodia and has been home to Jackie Kennedy and Angelina Jolie during their respective visits to Cambodia.

AMANSARA

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Built around the former guesthouse of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, each of this villa’s 24 rooms come with a private driver, floor to ceiling windows, and furnished patios. The aesthetic is minimalist and classic with open plan rooms and secluded gardens for the courtyard suites. A short remork (Cambodian tuk-tuk) ride away from the ruins of Angkor Wat, The Amansara has an indoor/outdoor dining pavilion serving both Khmer and Western dishes, a rooftop bar and lounge, spa, lap pool, yoga studio, and steam baths. In terms of luxury and location, the Amansara is simply unmatched in Cambodia and has been home to Jackie Kennedy and Angelina Jolie during their respective visits to Cambodia.

Located in the Mekong Valley on the grounds of a former French hospital in Luang Prabang, the 24-suite Amantaka is the perfect place from which to experience Lao’s spiritual capital. Simultaneously embracing the past through architecture and experiences alongside modern amenities such as private pools and state of the art spas is what Aman does best, perfectly embodied at the Amantaka. Amenities include three dining venues, swimming pool, Aman spa, and cultural activities such as walking tours of Luang Prabang and the Mekong River cruises.

AMANTAKA

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Located in the Mekong Valley on the grounds of a former French hospital in Luang Prabang, the 24-suite Amantaka is the perfect place from which to experience Lao’s spiritual capital. Simultaneously embracing the past through architecture and experiences alongside modern amenities such as private pools and state of the art spas is what Aman does best, perfectly embodied at the Amantaka. Amenities include three dining venues, swimming pool, Aman spa, and cultural activities such as walking tours of Luang Prabang and the Mekong River cruises.

This beautiful 34-room luxury property has been among the top two or three hotels in Luang Prabang for quite some time. Though its hillside location overlooking the city is a bit far from the main Luang Prabang area, we feel the atmosphere here is quite special and reminiscent of the early 20th-century French-colonial era. Kudos to the very nice spa and the infinity pool. Bev and I feel the food here is simply outstanding — our meals at La Residence were perhaps our favorite in the city during our last stay here. As a reference point for the quality here, the Orient-Express folks operate and manage the hotel.

La Residence

View More Info >>

This beautiful 34-room luxury property has been among the top two or three hotels in Luang Prabang for quite some time. Though its hillside location overlooking the city is a bit far from the main Luang Prabang area, we feel the atmosphere here is quite special and reminiscent of the early 20th-century French-colonial era. Kudos to the very nice spa and the infinity pool. Bev and I feel the food here is simply outstanding — our meals at La Residence were perhaps our favorite in the city during our last stay here. As a reference point for the quality here, the Orient-Express folks operate and manage the hotel.

Request Custom Itinerary

1

Thank you for your interest in Kipling & Clark. We look forward to serving you!


Please note we specialize in global private luxury travel, including private guides and drivers throughout,

high-quality accommodations, inclusive of safari lodges and ryokans, in-country rail/air, and all taxes/service fees.


Dependent on destination and seasonality, our comprehensive private tour costs are upward of USD 5K-6K per couple per day.

                                         (312) 351-3121

                            rlynch@kiplingandclark.com



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Location

Overview

Vietnam
Temperature
Highs: Mid 90’s
Lows: High 70’s
Area
329,247 SQ KM
127,123 SQ MILES
Capital
Hanoi
Population
92 Million
Language
Vietnamese
Currency
Dong
Laos
Temperature
Highs: Mid 90’s
Lows: High 70’s
Area
236,800 SQ KM
91,400 SQ MILES
Capital
Vientiane
Population
7.2 Million
Language
Lao
Currency
Lao Kip
Cambodia
Temperature
Highs: Mid 90’s
Lows: Low 80’s
Area
181,035 SQ KM
69,898 SQ MI
Capital
Phnom Penh
Population
16 Million
Language
Khmer
Currency
Riel

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