The Grand Mekong Trail

Arrival at Bangkok Airport (Thailand). You are met by your guide who will transfer you to the hotel in the border town of Chiang Khong (approximately 4.5 hours drive).

Overnight: Chiang Khong

Early departure from the hotel with your local guide and transfer to the Chiang Khong border crossing. 

Upon arrival, customs and immigration formalities on the Thailand side, then a canoe crossing of the Mekong River to reach Ban Houeisay in Laos around 8:00 AM. Your Lao guide will be waiting for you at the border crossing.

Boarding a traditional boat for an approximately 6-hour cruise to Pakbeng (private boat).

The main thoroughfare between the north of the country and Luang Prabang is a busy road lined with villages of wooden and bamboo houses, some built on stilts, others not, depending on the ethnic group. We'll stop in two villages along the way. 

Lunch will be served on board.

Stops along the riverbanks in small villages allow you to meet local ethnic minorities (Hmong, Khamu, Lu, etc.). The cruise ends with your disembarkation at the end of the day in Pakbeng, a large town located at the confluence of the Mekong and the smaller Beng River, in a breathtakingly beautiful setting.

Overnight: Pakbeng

In the morning, your Mekong River cruise continues towards Luang Prabang, located 165 kilometres downstream, a journey of approximately 7.5 hours. 

The cruise continues towards Luang Prabang with a stop at the famous Pak Ou caves, named after the Mekong tributary, known as "the mouth of Ou." You will visit the Tham Ting and Tham Phun caves. These caves were carved by natural erosion into limestone cliffs and are now dedicated to Buddhist worship. Many families make pilgrimages here, which is why you can see approximately 4,000 Buddha statues placed there by the Laotian people as a sign of devotion. 

Arrival in Luang Prabang and check-in at the hotel.

In the evening, enjoy a free stroll through the night market, where you can browse a beautiful selection of handmade textiles.

Overnight: Luang Prabang

Breakfast at the hotel before visiting the city of Luang Prabang.

Discover the Wat Xieng Thong temple, the monastery of the Golden City, whose ornaments, mosaics, and stupas are among the most exquisite. 

The tour of Luang Prabang continues with a visit to the city's historic temple: Vat Visoun, built in the early 16th century. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1887, and the architects responsible for its renovation chose to give it an architectural style inspired by the Khmer temple Vat Phou.

A short walk away, discover Wat Aham, then the city's first monastery, Wat Saen.

Finally, visit Wat May, built in the typical Luang Prabang style.

In the afternoon, you will learn about the history of the region and the royal family at the Royal Palace, now a museum. 

In the evening, stroll through the stalls of the vibrant night market. Every night, ethnic minorities gather along the main street to sell their local produce.

Overnight: Luang Prabang

Breakfast at the hotel

This morning, we invite you to participate in the Bamboo Experience. You will learn about bamboo processing and its significant role in Lao culture. Your guide will demonstrate the techniques and uses of various bamboo products, such as fishing tools and musical instruments.

Participate in a bamboo weaving workshop led by an expert instructor. Then, enjoy a bamboo cooking demonstration, including bamboo shoot soup and bamboo shoots wrapped in banana leaves with sticky rice. 

Savour your creations in a traditional Laotian pavilion-style house overlooking stunning landscapes and rice paddies.

In the afternoon, transfer to Kuang Si. Upon arrival, take a short walk to visit the bear sanctuary. Kuang Si will amaze you with its beauty. It's a collection of natural pools with turquoise water where you can swim. 

Return to Luang Prabang by vehicle in the late afternoon. 

Overnight: Luang Prabang

You will be met by your driver and transferred to Luang Prabang Airport for your morning flight to Pakse. 

Upon arrival in Pakse, you will be driven to Tad Fane waterfall, located 38km from Pakse, at the gateway to the Bolaven Plateau and within the Dong Hua Sao protected area.

Next, a visit to the Tad Ngern waterfalls, nestled in the heart of the lush forest, is also spectacular, with its two torrents cascading over 40 meters. You can swim at the base of the falls, but be careful of the current.

The Bolaven Plateau, or simply Bolaven, is a gently mountainous region east of Pakse. The plateau rises to between 1000 and 1300 meters in altitude and is covered with dozens of coffee and tea plantations.

This is where we find one of the world's most famous coffees, sometimes called the "Champagne of coffee." The plateau is also home to ethnic minorities such as the Laven, the Mom-Khmer Alak and the Katu.

Return to Pakse.

Overnight: Pakse

In the morning, we will head to Champasak to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruin of Vat Phu, the most dramatic of the temples and one of the Lao World Heritage sites recognized by UNESCO in 2001. 

Stop at Ban Khiet Ngong village for an elephant ride to the summit of Phou Asa, topped by the ancient citadel. From there, you'll have a panoramic view over the Dong Houasao protected area and the Mekong Valley.

We will continue our journey by car to Don Khong Island, the largest island in the southern Mekong region known as the 4000 Islands, one of the most scenic areas of Laos.

Overnight: Khong Island

Transfer to the fishing village of Nakasang, from where you begin your excursion by local boat through the 4000 Islands to Don Khone and Don Det. The two islands are connected by a bridge, making it very easy to walk between them.

You might come face to face with an old locomotive, rusty but a witness to a rich history. This locomotive was used on a few kilometres of the railway line built during the French protectorate era.

Next, we discovered another marvel of the 4000 Islands region: the Liphi Falls. These falls form churning rapids that the Laotians refuse to approach too closely because spirits are said to have taken refuge there.

Return to Nakasang village by boat, and the vehicle will be waiting to transfer you to visit the other Mekong waterfall – Khone Phapheng, the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia (the Niagara of the East).

Return to Khong Island for the night.

Overnight: Don Khong Island

Transfer to Pakse airport to catch the flight to Siem Reap.

Arrival, pick-up and transfer to the city. Check in at the hotel.

End of the day, free time for your personal exploration of the city.

Overnight: Siem Reap

Departure from the hotel by Tuk Tuk to explore Angkor Thom (Great City), upon arrival at the south gate of Angkor Thom, you can enjoy photos at the entrance to the city with the scene of the churning of the sea of ​​milk.

Visit the famous Bayon, where 54 towers with four gigantic, enigmatic faces represent universal love, boundless compassion, sympathy, and equanimity. 

Your visit continues along the Terrace of the Elephants, which hosted the splendour of royal audiences and public ceremonies, and then you will also visit Ta Prohm, a temple overgrown by the jungle and discovered in 1860 by the French explorer Henri Mouhot.

In the afternoon, we visited Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its soaring towers and unique bas-reliefs, it is one of the most extraordinary monuments ever conceived by humankind, erected in the 12th century in honour of Vishnu. Compared to all other temples, Angkor Wat is the most famous and majestic.

Overnight: Siem Reap

After breakfast at the hotel, depart by bus for a short hike to Kbal Spean (the River of a Thousand Lingas), 49 km north of Angkor. The lifeblood of Angkor, the Kbal Spean, once irrigated the rice paddies of the ancient city.
In its bed, the Khmer carved Shiva statues and stone squares used to bless the waters before they reached the Royal City. 

The tour continues with a visit to the legendary Banteay Srei, the Citadel of Women. This jewel of pink sandstone houses remarkable sculpted lintels in an incredible state of preservation. 

Lunch will be at a local restaurant at the foot of the hill.

In the afternoon, on the way back to Siem Reap, visit the palm sugar factory.

Next, transfer to Kampong Pluk Village on the shores of Tonle Sap, Cambodia's Great Lake, where you will observe life in lakeside villages, fishing techniques, fish farms and private crocodile farms.

Overnight: Siem Reap

Transfer to Siem Reap airport to catch the flight to Phnom Penh.

Arrival, pick-up and transfer to the city. Check in at the hotel.

End of the day, free time for your personal exploration of the city.

Overnight stay in a hotel in Phnom Penh

Overnight: Phnom Penh

You will depart in the morning for the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former secondary school that was transformed into a large prison under the Khmer Rouge, known as "S 21", where thousands of prisoners were held, tortured and killed.

Next, a visit to the Choeng Ek massacre field, which was used as a burial site for victims of Tuol Sleng prison during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Then, a bike ride along the Mekong.

In the afternoon, you will visit the National Museum of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, a superb example of Khmer architecture, which was officially opened in 1920, mainly exhibiting sculptures dating from different periods of Cambodian history.

At the end of the day, you will discover the Russian Market in Phnom Penh, one of the best places for shopping in the capital, and then the Central Market, one of the city's must-see monuments.

Overnight: Phnom Penh

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, you will depart to explore the Royal Palace, built in 1866 by King Norodom. It comprises various structures within an enclosure, including a pagoda and the Silver Pagoda, which houses masterpieces such as a solid gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds and weighing 90 kg, as well as an emerald and Baccarat crystal Buddha dating from the 17th century.

Afterwards, you will leave the Royal Palace for the National Museum of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh, home to the most fabulous collection of sculptures from the Angkorian period. 

You will be taken to the docks of the capital and board a speedboat for a cruise to Chau Doc in the Mekong Delta. You will sail south along the Bassac River and will be able to see numerous temples and small riverside villages along the way. You will leave Cambodia at the Kaam Samnor border crossing and enter Vietnam at Vinh Xuong.

You will then continue your journey south, gradually reaching the Mekong Delta and the river's bustling waterways. Fishing boats and all kinds of vessels enliven the delta. Finally, you will arrive in the vibrant city of Chau Doc, your base for the night.

Dinner is at your leisure.

Overnight: Chau Doc

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, departure for a tour of Chau Doc. You will ascend Mount Sam, home to a concentration of temples and pagodas that make Nui Sam a famous pilgrimage site throughout the country (Ba Chua Xu Temple, Tay An Pagoda, and the Tomb of Thoai Ngoc Hau). From the mountaintop, you will have a panoramic view of the Mekong Delta, encompassing both Vietnam and Cambodia.

Next, depart for an excursion to the Tra Su Bird Sanctuary (35 km/45 min), a flooded forest—a type of forest typical of southern Vietnam—covering 845 hectares and home to 140 plant species, 11 animal species, and 23 fish species. Enjoy a sampan ride through the tranquil canals, discovering various rare bird species. Take a walk along tree-lined trails, accompanied by birdsong.

At the end of the day, a boat trip to visit floating fish farms, followed by a stop to visit a Cham village and its mosque.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight: Chau Doc

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, transfer by road to Long Xuyen (80 km – 1.5 hours).

You will visit the Long Xuyen floating market by small motorboat, undoubtedly the largest and most bustling market in the entire region, representing typical trade activities unspoiled by tourism. Boats piled high with fruits and vegetables crowd the waters, ready to trade from the first light of dawn.

Afterward, cross the river on a ferry with the locals. Then, enjoy a bicycle ride through the countryside and villages on Ong Ho Island to discover the daily life, Khmer-style houses, and traditional crafts of the local people who live in the delta. 

Lunch at a local home in the village.

In the afternoon, travel to Sadec, the birthplace of Marguerite Duras, taking the Vam Cong ferry. Visit the primary school where Marguerite Duras received her early education and the house of her lover, Huynh Thuan.

Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in Sa Dec

Overnight: Sa Dec

Breakfast at a local's home.

Made famous by the film "The Lover," based on the novel by Marguerite Duras, the small town of Sa Dec owes its current reputation to the vast nurseries that surround it. We therefore offer you an authentic bicycle ride through the heart of these nurseries to better understand the traditional crafts and picturesque life of the region.

Continue the journey to Vung Liem (90km – 2 hours). After crossing the Quoi Thien ferry, a bike ride or a walk will take you to your local home.

After lunch, depart to discover authentic life on Quoi Thien Island.

Bicycles are the only means of transport on this island, apart from motorbike taxis. It is located at the meeting point of the provinces of Ben Tre, Vinh Long, and Tra Vinh; it is a hidden gem, untouched by tourism, covered with immense orchards and small canals bordering the mangroves. 

Discover the homes and customs of an island where time seems to have stood still. The father will be delighted to share his passion for cockfighting, a popular activity on the island and one that can sometimes bring in a lot of money! 

Return to the house and dinner with a local family.

Overnight: Vung Liem

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for Ben Tre (60 km – 1.5 hours drive) to explore another region of the Mekong Delta, formed by the nine branches of the life-giving river. 

Upon arrival in Ben Tre, you will be met by our local guide and then visit a brick kiln. Enjoy a boat trip along the river to observe the daily activities of the locals, including coconut processing in Ben Tre. 

Continue your cruise through the small canals of Coi Son to the Nhon Thanh market, followed by a walking tour of the surrounding village, including a mat-weaving workshop. Sample local fruits and honey tea. Take a ride in a traditional dugout canoe ("xe loi") through the village.

Lunch at a local restaurant where you can try the regional specialty, "elephant ear fish," served with rice pancakes and a typical sauce. In the afternoon, take a rowboat cruise along the Vong Canal to the Ben Tre River to rejoin the larger boat. Return to the pier. Disembarkation followed by transfer to Saigon. 

Upon arrival, check into your hotel. 

The rest of the afternoon is free. Dinner is on your own.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure from the hotel in the morning for a full-day tour of Saigon.

You will begin by visiting the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace of the President of South Vietnam during the period of North-South division of Vietnam before 1975.

Next, you will discover the Ngoc Hoang Temple, which pays homage to the Jade Emperor. With its monumental polychrome sculptures, intricate mosaics, fragrant incense, and a tranquil garden, it is one of the most beautiful temples in the city.

Before lunch, we will stop at Notre Dame Cathedral and the former Central Post Office, which is prominently located in the center of a square, and Dong Khoi Street (formerly Catinat Street) with its luxury boutiques and lively atmosphere.

In the afternoon, continue your day's sightseeing with a visit to the Museum of Traditional Medicine, also known as the FITO Museum, where you'll find an incredible collection of instruments and artifacts related to traditional Vietnamese medicine.

Then, visit Cholon, the "Big Market" district, located 4 km from the center of Saigon, home to half a million Vietnamese of Chinese descent, the Hoa.

Next, visit the Giac Lam Pagoda, one of the most beautiful and oldest pagodas in Saigon. Return to the hotel at the end of the day.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Free time until the transfer to the Saigon airport for the return flight.