Big Indochina Adventure (27 Days)

Guide

A highly trained Trip Manager who brings your adventure to life, along with Local Guides who make tourist traps a thing of the past. This is your team. Smart, friendly, fun, and integral to everything we do

Meals

26 Breakfast (B) 5 Dinner (D) 7 Lunch (L) Mekong River Delta: Grab your buddies and take a shot at catching an elephant ear fish for dinner. FYI: it tastes better than it looks.

Others

Bangkok: Nose around the gilded Royal Palace, then travel like a local: floating down the Rivers. Kanchanaburi: A sombre slice of history. See the Death Railway Museum, WWII Cemetery and the famous Bridge itself. Kanchanaburi: Cool off in emerald pools, shower under a waterfall and get your step count up. All in a day's work. Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya: Golden temples, a giant reclining Buddha and so many incredible sights to see. Try not to fall off your bike in shock! Chiang Mai: Lift your spirits with a trip to this gilded, mountaintop temple. It’s a dazzling work of art with unbeatable city views. Pak Beng: Float down the Mekong from Pak Beng, past craggy caves and sleepy hillside villages. A proper taste of Laos life. Luang Prabang: Definitely the most surreal caves we’ve ever seen. Rock caverns packed with thousands of mini-Buddha statues. Pics or it didn’t happen. Luang Prabang: Cycle around the former capital of Laos. Then visit Big Brother Mouse to help locals improve their English. Luang Prabang: Meditate at this ornate temple, or just marvel at its gilded beauty and take lots of pics. Luang Prabang: Always wanted to live like a Buddhist? Here is your chance to offer an ‘Alms’ to monks, in the spirit of karmic giving. Vientiane: No Laos trip is complete without seeing Patuxai and Luang Stupa. So much gold. You might need shades to look at it. Phnom Penh: A sombre but important remembrance for the victims of the Khmer Rouge. Visit the fields and Genocide Museum. Vang Vieng: Fasten your seatbelts folks, we’re off to Phnom Penh Phnom Penh: Time to take to the sky. Siem Reap, here we come! Siem Reap: Visit Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Bayon – where Tomb Raider was filmed. But dress appropriately (no hotpants, soz). Siem Reap: Back on the plane. (Didn’t get a window seat last time? Now’s your chance…) Mekong River Delta: Watch and learn as local craftspeople make rice wine, tea, sweets and more local delicacies. Ho Chi Minh City: Brave this subterranean world. The hand-dug tunnels were built by the Viet Cong to hide out during the war. Ho Chi Minh City: Tick off all of the landmarks on your bucket list – Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post Office and the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh City: A meaningful reminder of the atrocities of the Vietnam War and its impact on local people and wildlife. Ho Chi Minh City: Passports at the ready folks. Nha Trang: Next stop, Hoi An. But before we hit the streets, it’s time to hit the sky one more time. Hoi An: Immerse yourself in all the crazy sights and sounds, then take a photo by the ornate Japanese bridge. Hoi An: This 15th century port and UNESCO site is best explored on two wheels with a local expert. Don’t forget your Go-Pro! Hue: Probably one of the world’s best road trips. You’ll feel like you’re climbing up into the clouds. Hue: Always secretly wanted to go on one of these? Us too. But watch out for the shell shocked tourists! Hue: Visiting Thien Mu Pagoda and Imperial Citadel will give you goosebumps, as they conjure up visions of an ancient world. Hue: Next stop, Hoi An. But before we hit the streets, it’s time to hit the sky one more time. Hanoi: Listen up culture-lovers. This shrine – dedicated to ancient philosopher Confucius – is known as ‘Vietnam’s first university’. Halong Bay: Grab your new BFFs and hang out in this mini paradise. The powdery sand and turquoise waters will bless you with #islandvibes Halong Bay: The best way to drift off into dreamy sleep? Drifting along the Gulf of Tonkin in a traditional Chinese-style Junk Boat, of course! Halong Bay: Yet another work of art from Mother Nature. These huge underground caves are made for exploring. But can you spot the ‘mammoth’? Kanchanaburi: Help to protect to these majestic giants by learning about their struggle while watching them roam free - the way they were meant to live. ​ Luang Prabang: Your chance to watch Lao textile artisans at work, making clothes and homeware using special techniques. Vientiane: See the amazing efforts of this non-profit, which gives prosthetic limbs to disabled locals – some of who are victims of unexploded bombs. MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® Experience Siem Reap: Not only is the food top-notch, this social enterprise, the Tree Alliance Restaurant, makes a mission out of training and employing street youths. Respect.

Transport

Transport is included.

Accommodation

Guest houses and 3-star hotels are the name of the game, plus you'll get the chance to shack-up aboard a Chinese-style junk boat and an overnight sleeper train. We like to keep it intrepid, but there's no compromise on comfort.

Hygieneprotocol

All guests travelling with Contiki through December 31, 2022 are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which may include a booster shot to keep the vaccination status current and valid, depending on the travel destination. Children not eligible for vaccination and/or booster at the time of travel must provide a verifiable and negative Covid-19 test result, taken within 72 hours prior to the start of the tour (taking time zones into consideration) for all tours departing until December 31, 2022. For guests travelling with Contiki from 1 January 2023, Covid-19 vaccinations and boosters are highly recommended, but no longer required. Please note that regardless of time of travel guests will need to comply with specific vaccine and/or booster requirements imposed by airlines and/or authorities in the destination visited, as well as requirements for accessing restaurants and venues, which may be more restrictive than above. It is guests’ responsibility to ensure that they comply at all times with these requirements. No refunds will be given if guests are unable to undertake some or all of their vacation due to their failure to comply with these requirements.

Others

Tipping. Pre and post tour accommodation. Single supplement (Optional).

Flights

International flights not included.

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost and will be provided to you with your finalised travel documents. Ziplining - US$98.

Insurance

Insurance not included.