A Journey Through Vietnam, Laos and Thailand

A Morning with the Future Artisans of Hanoi & Afternoon Street Food Tour

There is a certain mysticism to Vietnamese art, a pervading sense of folklore and tradition fused with more modern elements from both East and West. Hanoi is regarded as Vietnam’s cultural centre, making it the perfect location to explore this juxtaposition of old and new amongst the city’s impassioned generation of emerging artists. Led by a local art curator, tour the Hanoi Fine Arts University to see where the artists of the future hone their craft. Meet with both professors and students and learn their daily schedules and artistic influences, then explore the different departments that include oil painting, silk painting and traditional lacquerware. Take the opportunity to join in with a class taught by the students, who will share their skills and techniques whilst divulging into their dreams and visions for their future and for the future of Vietnamese art and its integral role in maintaining the country’s distinct cultural identity.

In the afternoon, you’ll take part in a typical Vietnamese and Hanoian pastime: street food. Enjoy a leisurely walk with a local guide into Hanoi’s frenetic Old Quarter, where you’ll navigate bustling streets bordered with food vendors tending steaming vats of Pho Ga (Vietnamese noodle soup with chicken), the locals lining up with rumbling bellies. Pho Ga is practically the national dish of Vietnam, consumed to an almost religious extent throughout the day. After experiencing Hanoi’s insatiable appetite for Pho, head to a nearby street market that is alive with the sights, sounds and smells that form Hanoi’s essence. Take a seat at a tiny shop and try some Banh Duc (cooked rice powder with Vietnamese spices). Your next stop is another quaint shop that sells varying types of traditional Northern Vietnamese cakes such as Com cake, a staple of every Vietnamese person’s childhood. Then, follow your guide down a small alleyway to get an idea of a typical tube house before stopping for a tasty Bahn Mi sandwich at the famous Banh My Lan Ongand, famous for their bread with pâté. With your savoury appetite well catered to, enjoy some Che – a Vietnamese sweet soup – before finishing off your culinary escapade with a steaming cup of Vietnamese egg coffee.


Accommodation: Capella Hanoi.

INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch

Lan Ha Bay Cruise

Rise early for coffee, tea and pastries before heading on-deck for an invigorating morning tai chi session. Afterwards, return to the restaurant to enjoy a broad range of healthy and hearty breakfast options. Meanwhile, the Ylang will sail towards the southern tip of Cat Ba Island, where you will board the smaller tender boat and visit one of the last remaining authentic floating fishing villages outside the town of Ben Beo. This floating village is home to approximately 300 families who make their living from fishing and aquaculture, as their ancestors did. Get a close-up look at how they navigate their watery world before continuing towards Ben Beo Pier, where you’ll go ashore and travel a short distance into Cat Ba National Park.

Here, you can embark on a mindful, leisurely walk through the lush jungle to get a feel for this tropical island. A designated biosphere reserve, Cat Ba National Park is home to over 1,500 species of plant, 78 species of birdife, 20 reptile species and 32 mammalian species including deer, macaques and civets. Once back on board, enjoy a delectable lunch as the Ylang resumes sailing northeast through the stony labyrinth of Lan Ha Bay. She will eventually reach a secluded spot in the bay, where the afternoon’s activities will commence. Choose to swim in the emerald waters, explore further afield by kayak or head to one of the idyllic beaches to lounge beneath the sun. Guests who prefer to stay on board can make use of the wellness facilities such as the steam bath or sauna.

As the sun sets, the ship will sail further north before mooring while you enjoy an exquisite multi-course meal in the restaurant. You can then join another singing bowl meditation session or simply unwind on-deck or in your cabin.


Accommodation: Heritage Line Cruises - Ylang.

INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hanoi to Luang Prabang

In the morning, you will be transferred to Hanoi’s airport for your scheduled flight to Luang Prabang, an ancient, mountain-encircled city in Northern Laos where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet.

On arrival in Luang Prabang, you will meet with your guide and proceed to your hotel, spending the rest of the day at leisure.


Accommodation: Rosewood Luang Prabang.

INCLUDES : Breakfast

Early Morning Alms Giving, Morning Market Lao Food Tour & Evening of Traditional Lao Storytelling and Dinner

A generations-old Buddhist tradition in Luang Prabang, the morning alms (“Tak Bat” in Lao) is an integral fabric of the city’s culture and its close-knit community. Wake up before dawn to witness a steady stream of saffron-robed monks progressing through the city streets, with residents lining the pavements to hand out alms (gifts). If you wish to make an offering yourself, inform your guide a day in advance so that a gift of alms can be prepared. After the almsgiving ceremony, the town will burst into life, making it an opportunistic time to explore the bustling morning market.

Luang Prabang’s morning market is a hive of activity near the gold-glinting Royal Palace where locals gather to barter for fresh produce including rice, fish, vegetables, meat, and even frogs. Stop at some of the food stalls and learn how to cook local dishes before sampling some delicious Lao foods.

As evening falls, you’ll enjoy a captivating storytelling experience that will provide insight into traditional Lao myth and legend. Learn where Mount Phousi got its name as well as who established the ancient city of Luang Prabang and how they did it. In an intimate theatre in the city’s historic old town, listen as a local Lao storyteller recounts traditional folktales in English while accompanied by the mellifluous melodies of a khene – a Lao folk mouth organ instrument made from bamboo. Once the performance concludes, you’ll transfer to a local restaurant for a flavoursome Lao meal.


Accommodation: Rosewood Luang Prabang.

INCLUDES : Breakfast, Dinner

Khok Phou to Khok Ek (Jul-Oct) / Khok Phou to Khok Luang (Nov-Apr)

The next stage of your voyage down the Mekong River depends on the season. Either way, early risers will be rewarded with a daily yoga class on deck framed by the stunning Mekong backdrop as ethereal mist blankets the landscape.

If travelling between July and October, the Anouvong will set sail as you eat breakfast while observing the riverbanks. A mid-morning stop will take you to the charming village of Had Sako, nestled in the dramatic mountains. The village is home to a Hmong ethnic community, known for their corn cultivation. Traversing a scenic path that cuts through the rainforest, you’ll reach the secluded village to observe their traditional farming practise and agricultural methods. Afterwards, head to a local house to enjoy the locals in their traditional costumes performing with a “kene”, a Lao flute made from bamboo that is accompanied by a unique dance. In the afternoon, you’ll visit another village that is home to three distinct ethnic groups: Hmong, Khamo and Lao Loum. Each group is truly unique, and you can meet members of each and hear about their distinct cultures and daily lives. Back on board, enjoy a refreshing drink and snacks before sitting down for an exquisite dinner while a traditional dance performance is held on the terrace deck or sandbank. After dinner, you can relax in the cosy lounge for a cinematic experience centred around the film Chiang (1927), which was shot in the region.

For those travelling between November and April, a different itinerary is available. Begin the day with a restorative yoga session on the deck as the Anouvong sets sail for the village of Khok Luang, inhabited by the Khum people, who reside in simple bamboo huts elevated on stilts amid sweeping rice fields. Here you will meet either an elderly couple or a multigenerational family whose lives and stories are deeply rooted in the land. Afterwards, you will return to the ship for lunch. During the remainder of the day, you can relax on board with a broad range of entertainment to choose from as well as the onboard spa facilities. Come evening, you can enjoy dinner on the terrace deck should conditions allow, before retiring to the lounge to watch the 1927 film Chiang.


Accommodation: Heritage Line Cruises – Anouvong.

INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Huay Xai to Chiang Rai

For travellers between July and October, this last day of your Mekong voyage will commence at a more leisurely pace. You can choose to relax or take part in a fascinating presentation which unravels the complicated history of the Golden Triangle, exploring the region’s colonialism, opium production, conflicts and the roles played by Burma, Thailand, Laos, Britain and China. A term coined by American CIA agents operating in the area, the Golden Triangle relates to the fact the region is where the borders of Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand and Laos meet. The Anouvong will pass the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Tha rivers, a major tributary that is known as the Green River. Watch from deck as the captain expertly navigates the rocks, rapids and sandbanks. Next, you can enjoy a hands-on Lao culinary class, learning authentic Lao recipes and cooking techniques. After brunch, the ship will dock at the pier in Huay Xai, where you will disembark for the Lao-Thai border crossing.

Similar to July-October passengers, Travellers between November and April will begin the final morning with breakfast aboard the longtail boat while enjoying the charming riverine scenery passing by. The boat will then pass the Green River, docking at Huay Xai in the mid-afternoon for your border crossing into Thailand.

After crossing into Thailand, you will be met by a local representative and guide and transferred to your hotel.


Accommodation: Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort (or alternative hotel of equal standard).

INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart Chiang Rai

At a prearranged time, you will be transferred to Chiang Rai’s airport, arriving in perfect time for your departing flight.

INCLUDES : Breakfast