Travel the Mekong countries - Tour Planning

TOUR PLANNING

The Mekong region, with Thailand as its hub, provides almost limitless tour possibilities. Excursions can vary from a day or two in Vientiane, to two weeks or more exploring Vietnam from north to south, or a similar amount of time touring the major sights of Myanmar. A single programme may easily combine two or three countries, especially Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Below are examples of four possible itineraries:

Day 1. Fly from Bangkok to Vientiane and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour.
Day 2. Full day at leisure in Vientiane.
Day 3. Fly from Vientiane to Hanoi and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour.
Day 4. Morning sightseeing in Hanoi, afternoon at leisure.
Day 5. Fly from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour.
Day 6. Full-day excursion to Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Cathedral at Tay Ninh.
Day 7. Fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour.
Day 8. Morning flight to Siem Reap followed by sightseeing tour of Angkor Wat and the Bayon. Afternoon return flight to Phnom Penh and transfer to the hotel.
Day 9. Fly from Phnom Penh to Bangkok.

Day 1. Transfer from hotel to Bangkok International Airport and fly to Vientiane. Afternoon city tour.
Day 2. After visiting the morning market, fly from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. Afternoon city tour.
Day 3. Full-day excursion by boat along the Mekong River to Pak Ou Cave. Picnic lunch and visit to a local village.
Day 4. Visit Luang Prabang Museum located in the former Royal Palace followed by a flight to Vientiane.
Day 5. Fly from Vientiane to Hanoi and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon tour of city temples followed by evening water puppet show.
Day 6. Visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh Museum followed by coach trip to Ha Long Bay via Haiphong. Overnight at Ha Long.
Day 7. Boat trip in Ha Long Bay. Return by coach to Hanoi and transfer to the hotel.
Day 8. Early morning flight from Hanoi to Danang followed by a coach excursion to Hoi An and China Beach. Afternoon by coach from Danang to Hue and transfer to the hotel.
Day 9. Morning boat trip on the Perfume River. Afternoon sightseeing at
the Forbidden City and Imperial Tombs.
Day 10. Morning flight from Hue to Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour.
Day 11. Full day at leisure, or optional tours to either My Tho in the Mekong delta or Tay Ninh and Cu Chi Tunnels.
Day 12. Morning flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour.
Day 13. Morning flight to Siem Reap and transfer to the hotel followed by a tour of Angkor Wat and the Bayon.
Day 14. Full-day tour of other temples at Angkor.
Day 15. Morning flight from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and connecting flight back to Bangkok.

Day 1. Transfer from hotel to Bangkok International Airport and fly to Yangon followed by transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour.
Day 2. Morning at leisure followed by an afternoon flight to Heho and road transfer to the hotel at Naungshwe beside Inle Lake.
Day 3. Full-day sightseeing of Inle Lake and surroundings. Late afternoon transfer by road to Taunggyi, capital of the Shan State.
Day 4. Sightseeing in Taunggyi followed by road transfer to Heho and flight to Bagan.
Day 5. Full-day sightseeing of Bagan’s ancient temple ruins.
Day 6. Further sightseeing at Bagan.
Day 7. Morning flight from Bagan to Mandalay. Afternoon city tour.
Day 8. Morning flight from Mandalay to Chiang Mai, followed by transfer to the hotel in the Mae Sai valley and visit by pick-up truck to a Lisu hilltribe village. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 9. Minibus transfer to Thaton via Chiang Dao and on to Mae Salong for an overnight stay.
Day 10. Early morning visit to a viewpoint overlooking Thailand, Myanmar and the Mekong valley. Road transfer via Mae Sai and hilltribe villages to the Golden Triangle for an overnight stay.
Day 11. Minibus transfer to Chiang Khong and cross the Mekong into Lao PDR, followed by a longtail boat ride to Luang Prabang via Pakbeng and Pak Ou Cave. Overnight at Luang Prabang.
Day 12. Morning temple tour followed by a road excursion to Khouangsi Waterfall with picnic lunch.
Day 13. Visit Luang Prabang Museum before a domestic flight to Xieng Khouang province and visit the Plain of Jars.
Day 14. Morning road excursion to the ancient site of Muang Khoune. Afternoon flight to Vientiane and transfer to the hotel followed by a city sightseeing tour.
Day 15. Morning temple tour followed by a flight from Vientiane to Bangkok and transfer to the hotel.

Day 1. Fly from Bangkok to Kunming and transfer to the hotel.
Day 2. Full-day excursion to the Stone Forest.
Day 3. Morning flight from Kunming to Lijiang followed by a sightseeing tour of the old town.
Day 4. Full-day road excursion to Tiger Leaping Gorge and Yangtze River.
Day 5. A 4-hour drive from Lijiang to Dali, hotel transfer and sightseeing tour of Dali.
Day 6. Tour of Dali’s surroundings, including cruise on Erhai Lake.
Day 7. Fly from Dali to Kunming and connecting flight on to Jinghong. Transfer to the hotel.
Day 8. Sightseeing tour of Jinghong and its environs.
Day 9. Morning coach excursion to the botanical gardens and the villages of Dai and Jinuo minorities. Afternoon flight from Jinghong to Kunming and transfer to the hotel.
Day 10. Morning excursion to sights on the outskirts of Jinghong followed
by an afternoon flight to Bangkok.