Siem Reap is a must-see for ruins & religious theme enthusiasts. Spending some days immersing your self into its culture is a lifetime experience. We believe that wandering around a market would not be a good match to your purposes. Therefore, Artisan d’Angkor workshop is our best solution. Artisan d’Angkor was established as a natural offshoot of the Chantiers-Écoles project, a school-to-work transition for young craftsmen that are trained in stone and woodcarving, lacquer ware, furniture construction and silk weaving.
A highlight of the visit will be the opportunity to hear the manager talk about the program. Share with us more about your wishes and we will tailor a tempting itinerary just for you.While roving through land-locked Laos, you will be pleasantly surprised by our special arrangement to visit the studio of Mrs. Carol Cassidy, a textiles expert. Her workshop is a stunning venue where you can observe the silk producing process. There are many other special visits that we can arrange to satisfy your “hunting instinct”.
If your time is flexible, you could also enjoy a cocktail reception with Mr. Thep Thavansouk a well-known artist. Or, to diversify your trip, we can arrange a visit to one of the still untouched traditional Lao villages, the Phone Say. There you get a chance to interact with Ms. Phongsamout Simoukda who, for almost 30 years, has been practicing the hand-weaving skills she inherited from her mother. You will have the option to experience a home-hosted meal with her family.
Day 1: Saigon – arrival
Upon arrival in Saigon, get picked up and transferred to the hotel for check in. If time permits, set out on a visit to the Fine Arts Museum for an overview of Vietnamese contemporary art period then make a stop at one of the studio of a well-known artist, opportunity to interact with the artist to have a better understanding of the development of the Vietnamese art today and art experience.
Accommodation: in Saigon
Meals: None
Day 2: Saigon
Breakfast at the hotel. Take a city tour of Saigon including the Old Saigon Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, former Presidential Palace and Saigon Fine Arts Museum. Then visit the Saigon Artists Association to meet with some famous artists who will join us for lunch at the Mandarin restaurant. Afternoon, explore Chinese district of Cholon with the herbal market located along Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street. We end the day with a stroll at the central Ben Thanh market before driving back to hotel.
Accommodation: in Saigon
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 3: Saigon – Danang (Air)/Hoian
At leisure for your last minute shopping in Saigon. Take the afternoon flight to Danang. Upon arrival, get picked up and transferred to Hoi An for check in. After check in, we will make a visit to one of the Art studios along the narrow street of the Hoian town. Then, time for clothes made at one of the tailor shop nearby.
Accommodation: in Hoian
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Hoi An
Hoi An, former international trading port during the 17-18th century, Hoi An is a charming small town with an eccentric mix of western and eastern-influenced architecture. Morning, enjoy a walking tour of Hoi An on its narrow cobblestone streets visiting former merchants’ houses, Phuc Kien Pagoda, the 400-year old Japanese Covered Bridge and the colorful bazaar. We will be surprised to learn about the well-preserved tradition, which stays unchanged for centuries. Lunch at Brother Café restaurant. Afternoon, free on your own in this boutique ancient town or take an easy ride through the countryside of Hoi An for around 10 km.
Accommodation: in Hoian
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 5: Hoian/Danang – Hue
After breakfast, check out and drive to Hue with a stop in Danang to visit to the Cham Museum, the best collection of the Cham ruins dating from 2nd to 15th century. The objects on display represent the art of architecture and sculpture of the Hindu influenced ancient civilization of Champa. The visit is accompanied by a Cham Specialist. Then, head to Hue via the Haivan Cloudy Pass, where a spectacular panorama of the central coastline can be viewed at the summit. Stop at Lang Co fishing village for seafood lunch and walk on the white sandy beaches. Arrive Hue, transfer to the hotel for check in. Afternoon, take a dragon boat across the triangle of the Perfume River upstream to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s most preserved religious monument. On the way back, visit the Dong Ba market to have more information about the Hue food and specialty.
Accommodation: in Hue
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 6: Hue – Hanoi (Air)
After breakfast, continue to visit the former imperial city of Hue offering an insightful look into its regal past with visits to the Citadel. Home-hosted lunch is at Hue’s famous writer/ historian – Mr. Phan Thuan An, formerly the home of Princess of Emperor Dong Khanh. The house is typical for Hue ancient architecture and art. Afternoon, visit the Fine Arts College with an opportunity to interact with the students/ teachers. Then, get transferred to the airport for the flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, get transferred to the hotel for check in. Evening, enjoy the water puppet show at the theater.
Accommodation: in Hue
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 7: Hanoi
Morning sightseeing tour of this charming capital city to visit the One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Temple of Literature. At the Temple of Literature, attend a 30-minute cultural talk delivered by a well-known Vietnamese historian. Lunch is at the Indochine restaurant with a special guest, Ms. Suzanne Lecht - who has lived in Hanoi for years and worked as an art consultant; an opportunity to interact with Suzanne over her life experience and professional presentation of Vietnamese Artists profile. Afternoon, visit the Hanoi Artist Association to have an overview over the Vietnam contemporary art period and today art development. Continue to visit Mai’s Art Gallery and some other Galleries nearby.
Accommodation: in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 8: Halong daytrip
Pick up at the hotel around 07:00am to Halong bay. Enjoy the journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and the village life. Stop en route for a cup of coffee at Sao Do. Arrive Halong around mid-noon, board a traditional private junk for a 5-hour cruise among the 3000 spectacular limestone islands. A seafood lunch is served on board. Pick up at the wharf and back to Hanoi with a stop to visit the But Thap pagoda, the most ancient and beautiful pagoda in the North. Arrive Hanoi late the afternoon. Transfer to the hotel for check in.
Accommodation: in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 9: Hanoi – Luang Prabang (Air)
Breakfast at the hotel. Take a short flight to Luang Prabang, the mountain kingdom of Luang Prabang, the ancient first capital of Lane Xang kingdom, the center of religious life in Laos and today the World Heritage City. Meet and transfer to the hotel for check in. Then, enjoy a walking city tour with scholar Mr. Francis Engelmann, a writer and since 1994, consultant to UNESCO on preservation projects, through ancient temples including Wat Xieng Thong and Wat Visoun and the National Museum. This is a great opportunity to learn about life of an expat in this charming and laid-back town.
Accommodation: in Luangprabang
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Luang Prabang
Morning blessing ceremony with monks at Wat Siphouthabath: At around 07am, transfer to the serene Wat Sibounheaung, a nearly century old temple. Guide to prepare offerings such as fruits, candles and incense sticks to offer to the monks before enjoying a morning blessing ceremony that is believed to bring you health, happiness and longevity. After the blessing, a white thread will be tied your wrist – it is believed that this will make your wishes come true. Here you can witness the evening chanting, and learn more about a Buddhist monk’s life by interacting with 20years old monk Mr. Khampheng. You will also get to understand the influence of Buddhism in daily local life.
Travel on a long-tailed boat for a few hours on the Mekong River to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves in the side of a lime stone cliff and opposite of the mouth of the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers. The sanctuaries at Pak Ou consist of two large caves, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images, which range from mere centimeter to two meters in height. En route, Lao typical villages are barely visible behind a screen of foliage. Slender canoes bobbing by the shore and bamboo poles and floats mark the location of nets and fish traps. Visit Ban Xanghai, the well-known village for Lao traditional rice whisky to be distilled and tasted. Lunch at local restaurant on the bank of the Mekong river. Return to Luang Prabang by the same boat, continue by car to Phone Say village. Nestled along the Mekong River, Phone Say appears to be one of the most rarely untouched traditional Lao villages in town. This hidden charming village is just half an hour walking from the main road or by boat but right there you lose yourself into another tranquil corner of the world with the featured sound of rattle from weavers’ looms working diligently all the day long. Ms. Phongsamout Simoukda (Ting) who has been inherited a hand-weaving skill from her mom for almost 30 years. She now owes a small workshop with nearly 14 teen-weavers who only working here after school time. The home-hosted dinner is prepared by her younger sister Mrs. Bounkhong, she’s teaching cooking at a college in Luang Prabang.
Accommodation: in Luangprabang
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: Luang Prabang – Vientiane (Air)
After breakfast, take a short flight to Vientiane, an ancient city, situated on the bend on the left bank of the Mekong as the largest city and the capital of Laos. Meet on arrival at Wattay airport, you are welcome to Vientiane, the city of the moon – an ancient city, situated on the bend on the left bank of the Mekong as the largest city and the capital of Laos. Transfer to hotel for check-in. Afternoon is spent by taking a sightseeing of the city’s major historic sites including religious museums of Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple to have been survived from the Siamese war of 1828 and its cloister contains more than 8000 Buddha statues; Wat Ho Prakeo, the former home-temple of the Emerald Buddha statue or Pra Keo, but today it contains a collection of Buddha statues, antiques and all artifacts found in around Vientiane; That Luang Stupa, the single most important monument in Laos, which was built to cover the original small stupa, containing a piece of the chest bone of Buddha; Patouxay (Arch de Triumph), built quite recently in commemoration of those who died during the wars in the past and it is today as the land mark of Vientiane. Late the evening, drive to visit a Laos textile Gallery owned by Ms. Carol Cassidy, an American textile expert who has made a lot of efforts to preserve traditional weaving methods and also to visit the Morning market, the biggest shopping centre in Vientiane.
Accommodation: in Vientiane
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12: Vientiane – Siem Reap (Air)
Morning at leisure. Then, transfer the airport for the flight to Siem Reap, gateway to the Angkor temple complex. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for check in. Start exploring the picturesque Ta Prohm that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown, an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that a visitor may remember forever. Afternoon, continue your exploration to the walled city of Angkor Thom, the royal city itself, covers four square miles and is located in the city’s geographic centre. Its 50-tower temple is an awesome sight. At first glance it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, and then another and another until suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time. Incorporated into the wall surrounding the city are a number of earlier buildings. The day ends by taking the elephant ride to watch the sunset at Phnom Bakheng over the panoramic view of Angkor Wat and West Baray.
Accommodation: in Siemreap
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13: Siem Reap
Morning, enjoy a scenic drive to the rural outskirt 35km from the town and visit to Banteay Srei, the birthplace of Khmer classical style architecture. This is a small temple but its carvings are so impressive. Afternoon, explore the intricately carved Khmer ruins at Angkor Wat and surrounding sites – one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The Khmer civilization constructed the temple between the 9th and 13th centuries. Strolling through the massive hallways, you will find many small shrines still in use by the local people at this ancient site. Stop at Artisan d’Angkor workshop for your shopping interest and a chance to meet with the manager for a talk show of the program and history. Here you will find many lovely and precious things to bring home.
Accommodation: in Siemreap
Meals: Breakfast & L unch
Day 15: Siem Reap – Departure
After breakfast, at leisure for your shopping around until get picked up and transferred to the airport for the flight home.
End of services
Meals: Breakfast
