Project Description

Journey Along the Mekong

16 Days / 15 Nights

Mekong River
Mekong River
Mekong River

PRICE AND DATE

DATES Twin
Sharing
Jan 01-Apr 15, 2024 CAD 6,180
Apr 16-Sep 30, 2024 CAD 5,835
Oct 01-Dec 31, 2024 CAD 6,515

*Minimum 4 on Luang Say boat

Prices include accommodations with breakfast, private transfers & tours, admissions, some meals, boat tickets.

Prices exclude gratuities, all flights, visa fees, surcharges (weekend, fuel), compulsory dinners.

To customize this tour, please call 1-800-387-0387

E-Mail: tours@jadetours.com

CUSTOMIZE

ITINERARY

Day 01. Arrival in Bangkok

Welcome to Thailand!

Thailand might almost have been designed with holidays in mind, so blessed is the country with attractions from bustling modern cities to golden tropical beaches. It’s a famously friendly country; thanks to the renowned hospitality of the Thai people, it’s known as ‘The Land of Smiles’.

Arrival at Bangkok Airport.

Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, please follow the Exit signs (Exit B & C). Then go through and turn right. Please, follow the sign “Meeting Point”. You can meet our Tour Guide or Airport Rep who’s hold your welcome signate at Gate 4 area.

Transfer from Bangkok Airport to Hotel. Free at leisure.

Spend the night in Bangkok.

Day 02. Bangkok

Private Full Day Bangkok Highlights: City, Temples and Klong Tour

Start the day visiting two of the most impressive sights in the city. The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho is an enormous Buddha covered in gold leaf and lying majestically on its side. The Grand Palace has no equal and is a must see for every visitor to Bangkok. Built by King Rama I in 1782 it was the centre of power for more than 150 years; today it is Bangkok’s most celebrated landmark. Within the compound is the Temple of The Emerald Buddha – Wat Pra Kaew – which houses Thailand’s most precious image of the Lord Buddha. Lunch will be served in a Thai restaurant. Next, travel along the picturesque Chao Phraya River and through the klongs (canals) of Thonburi. Observe and photograph the serene family homes and temples along the waterways which gave the city the name Venice of the East. Finally, pay a visit to one of the city’s most photographed sites, the shimmering Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). The majestic shrine has a pagoda of 76m high. It is decorated with glazed ceramic pieces that reflect the sun’s rays and give the temple its name.

Duration: 5.5-7 Hours

Note: You are required to wear proper attire (no bare shoulders, bare knees or strapless heel shoes). Shoes must be removed before entering all temple buildings. Sights can be closed during public holidays

Spend the night in Bangkok

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 03. Bangkok – Chiang Rai

Transfer to Bangkok Airport for flight to Chiang Rai.

Arrive at Chiang Rai airport meet and greet with your tour guide then drive to the pier and by traditional boat cruise along Mae Kok River passing the village, fields, and observe the local life. Arrive at the local villages of the Karen ethnic minorities. Walk around the village to explore the way of their life.

Spend the night in Chiang Rai

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 04. Chiang Rai

A thrilling boat ride along the Mae Kok River ends with a visit to traditional Karen Hill tribe village. They originated in Burma and form the largest hill tribe population in Thailand. Afterwards the trip continues on to a local hot spring and the lahu hill tribe lives nearby.

 Spend the night in Bangkok

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 05. Chiang Rai – Pakbeng by Shompoo Cruise Downstream (Join-in)

Transfer to Lao border’s check point Chiang Khong for a cruise down to Pakbeng.

 Meals included: Breakfast

Note: our guide will drop off the clients at Thai side only.

Shompoo Cruise Downstream (joined boat) schedule:

From October to March: Departure every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

Shompoo cruise guarantees each departure for a minimum of 8 passengers.

 Dinner at your hotel

Overnight in Pakbeng

Meals included: Lunch. Dinner

Day 6. Pakbeng – Luang Prabang by Shompoo Cruise Downsream (Join in)

At 8:00am, the boat leaves Pakbeng. On the way, one lunch served on board and 2 stops: visit first Pak Ou Caves (Tham Ting), go then to Ban Xang Hai, a lao lao whisky village.

Arrival in Luang Prabang (CALAO BOAT PIER or Similar) around 4:00pm.

Transfer from pier to your hotel for check-in.

Dinner at your hotel

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals included: - Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner

Day 7. Luang Prabang – Cooking Class - Kuang Si Waterfall

Morning cooking class at Bamboo Tree Garden restaurant (join with other guests)

8.30: 8.45AM Students meet at the Bamboo tree restaurant (Vatsene village on Namkhan river-side) and welcome with tea or coffee.

9.00 AM         visit the Market “Pho See”

10.30AM         Welcome to our Bamboo tree organic garden.

learn how to prepare your ingredients and spices (eg. Vegetables, decorations for the dishes. And also learn the technique of “How to stuff lemongrass

12.05PM        You will now cook under the guidance of our professional chef, and taught the traditional Lao way.

  1. – 14.00 once all your dishes are completed you will sit down to a beautiful lunch (cold drinks will also be served)

After you will take a tour and learn more about vegetables. Or welcome to take a short tour visit the village or take a stroll to the hill that overlook. 

Pack your swimsuit for a unique swimming experience at the Kuang Si Waterfall is the biggest waterfall in the Luang Prabang area with three tiers leading to a 50-metre drop into spectacular azure pools before flowing downstream. The pools also make great swimming holes where both tourists and locals can enjoy a refreshing dip.

Once there, take also the opportunity to visit the Bear Rescue Center founded by “Free the Bears” Foundation. The Foundation helps to rescue bears held in horrifying conditions throughout Asia, and regularly milked for their bito be used in traditional medicines. It also provides ongoing care to hundreds of rescued bears and operates rescued bear sanctuaries in several countries. Return to the city

Climb up to Mount Phousi for the sunset. Climb 328 steps starting from the entrance on the opposite side of National Museum, or 410 steps on the other side of Khan River to the small temples atop Phou Si. The hill is 150m high and sits in the middle of the town, offering beautiful views over the temples and river.

Transfer to/from Talat Night Market (Hmong Market).

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meals included: Breakfast. Lunch

Day 8. Luang Prabang – City Tour by tuk tuk – Ho Chi Minh City

05:30: early in the morning observe Takbat, the daily alms giving ceremony for monk’s rounds. This ritual is truly part of Lao people’s life and offers a memorable experience and great photo opportunities. Your guide will explain how to follow the strict customs and rules involved. After the alms giving, visit the local fresh market. Return to your hotel for breakfast.

9.00: Take a tuk tuk to visit the National Museum and Wat Mai, a modest but graceful building which combines traditional Lao and French beaux-arts motifs. This turn-of-the century royal residence has been preserved as it was when the royal family last lived here and provides unique insights into the history of Laos. Then, visit Hor Phrabang. In the right front corner room of the Palace which opens to the outside, is a collection of the palace’s most prized art pieces, including the Phrabang, cast of a gold, silver and bronze alloy. This Buddha stands at 83 cm tall and weighs around 50 kg. Continue to Wat Mai, which was constructed in 1821 during the reign of King Manthatourath, and was once the residence of Phra Sangkharaj (the Patriarch of the Buddhist clergy).

Wat Xieng Thong, which was built in 1560 and is situated on the banks of the Mekong River. It is the most beautiful monastery in Luang Prabang and features the typical Lao art style with old religious artifacts and some ancient masterpieces of Lao art.

Visit Wat Visoun (Wat Wisunalat), the oldest living temple in Luang Prabang, Wat dating back to 1513 and contains a collection of antique wooden Buddhas.  Visit the nearby Wat Aham

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight to Saigon

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Meals included: Breakfast. Lunch

DAY 9. Ho Chi Minh CityvCu ChivHo Chi Minh City B, L

Drive to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, an intricate network of over 200kmlong tunnels, used by the Vietcong in the Vietnam War. The deadly bamboo-spiked booby traps are another must-see.

Afternoon enjoy a city tour of Ho Chi Minh City including the Opera House, Hotel de Ville (City Hall), Central Post Office, and the Ben Thanh Market for great bargains.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh

Meals included: Breakfast. Lunch

DAY 10. Ho Chi Minh City Can Tho B, L

A bicycle ride will bring us to the home of local antique collector, Uncle Six, who will show us how he climbs the coconut trees using just his bare hands.  Sail along the water palm creek by a rowing boat will give you a glimpse of daily life on the delta. Lunch will be an assortment of delicious dishes cooked by one of the locals of the Mekong Delta.

Overnight in Chan Tho

Meals included: Breakfast. Lunch

DAY 11. Can Tho Chau Doc

The merchants have a great way of showing off their wares at the Cai Rang Floating Market. Get close up photos of the colorful boats piled high with seasonal vegetables and tropical fruits. Mingle among the merchants as they trade from boat to boat.

Overnight in Chau Doc

Meals included: Breakfast.

Day 12. Chau Doc - Phnom Penh

Transfer to the pier and board Victoria Express Boat for Phnom Penh.

Welcome to the Kingdom of Cambodia!

Cambodia is much more than temples. Its history is both inspiring and sobering, uplifting and heartbreaking. Visit Siem Reap’s magnificent temples, abandoned centuries ago by the Khmer kingdom and now surrounded by its lush forests.

Let’s see what Cambodia’s capital city has to offer! The riverfront promenade that lines the mighty Mekong is a hive of activity, from the chaotic traffic to busy pavements full of street-side vendors and pedestrians. We’ll visit the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda, and then rub shoulders with the royals in the Royal Palace, where King Norodom Sihamoi still lives today. Let us know if you have a preference!

Overnight in Phnom Penh

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 13. Phnom Penh – Siem Reap and Sunset at Floating Village

Pick up and transfer to airport for your departure fly to Siem Reap!

Fly to Siem Reap and enjoy a half-day at floating village. Enjoy the views of Kampong Kleang, a fishing community on the edge of the Tonle Sap Lake. We’ll cruise past wooden houses built on towering stilts, submerged forests and fish farms.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch

Day 14. Phnom Penh – Siem Reap and Sunset at Floating Village

Wake before sunrise this morning and make the 15-minute journey to Angkor Wat, a legendary UNESCO World Heritage Site. Said by some to symbolize the soul of the Khmer people, the magnificent temple was built during the reign of King Suryavaman II in the early 12th century. Historians believe that many of the fascinating bas reliefs and stone carvings immortalize many of the mighty king’s wars. Images of Apsara dancers decorate the five famous towers which replicate the universe according to Hindu mythology.

After viewing of the stunning sunrise, then leave to have Breakfast at Hotel.

Finished the breakfast and continue to visit the crowning jewel of Khmer architecture, Angkor Wat is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. To approach the temple, first cross the vast moat, continuing along a broad causeway lined with naga balustrades. After entering the main building, ascend through a series of galleries and courtyards before reaching the central sanctuary, which offers beautiful views back over the causeway and across the surrounding countryside. On the way, stop to enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface, with some 1,700 Apsaras, or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Along the outer gallery walls run the longest continuous bas-relief in the world, which narrates stories from Hindu mythology, including the famous Churning of the Ocean of Milk.

The fortified city of Angkor Thom covers an area of 10 square km. Enclosed by the walls and wide moat; the city includes many of Angkor’s most popular sights. Enter by the monumental South Gate over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons and gods, each carrying a giant naga. Continue to the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper Kings, former spaces for public ceremonies, both adorned with dramatic bas-reliefs. Visit the ruined Baphuon, Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas before continuing to the mysterious Bayon Temple. In this temple, one of the most popular and compelling in Angkor, explore the galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs and ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary, where you will find giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle. And let’s not forget the haunting beauty of Ta Phrom – left to the clutches of the jungle, bound by the roots of massive trees. But nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale and the spiritual atmosphere that you will experience when seeing these ancient monuments in real life.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 15. Siem Reap – Banteay Srei – Kbal Spean

Excursion to Banteay Srei and Kbal Spean (8 Hours)

Banteay Srei was 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 primary interest are the three central towers which are decorated with male and female divinities and exquisite filigree relief work. At Kbal Spean, also known as the River of 1000 Lingas, there are carvings in the riverbed (in the same way as at Kulen). It should be more spectacular but many of the carvings have been looted. Near Kbal Spean is a waterfall that can be reached by hiking 2km uphill.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 16. Siem Reap Departure

Transfer to airport for your flight home.

Meal(s): Breakfast

第二天:罗马斗兽场
第二天:罗马斗兽场
第二天:罗马斗兽场
第二天:罗马斗兽场

Lanjia Lodge Extension

3 Days / 2 Nights

DATES Twin
Sharing
Single
Supplement
April  – Oct CAD 500 CAD 90
Nov  – Mar CAD 580 CAD 90

Prices include transfers to/from the lodge by air-conditioned van, accommodation in non-conditioned room, meals prepared by the hilltribes, and daily activities within the community.

DAY 1 Chiang Rai  – Chiang Khong            D

Transfer to Lanjia Lodge located on Ban Kiew Karn in Chiang Khong. Upon arrival, a traditional local Herbal juice will be served. Tonight, dinner will be served along with traditional Hmong tribe entertainment.
Overnight: Lanjia Lodge (2 nights)

DAY 2 Chiang Khong       B, L, D

Learn about the people who live alongside the Mekong River and who depend on the giant catfish known as Pla Buek (world’s biggest freshwater fish) for their livelihood. Tour the Hmong and Lahu hill tribe villages and enjoy tea in a Hmong “Shaman’s” house. Experience how to make Hmong batik handkerchief with village ladies of the Hmong tribe and help villagers to plant trees at the herbal plant nursery project, a project dedicated to His Majesty the King to commemorate his 84th birthday in 2011.

DAY 3 Chiang Khong – Houei Say Cruise           B

Transfer to Houei Say and continue to Day 5 of Journey Along Mekong.