LAOS TO VIETNAM LUANG PRABANG TO HANOI BY BIKE 15 DAYS / 14 NIGHTS

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1 LAOS TO VIETNAM LUANG PRABANG TO HANOI BY BIKE 15 DAYS / 14 NIGHTS Grade Moderate- Level 5 Activity 11 Day Cycle, Adventure Touring, Cruising, Day Walks Accommodation 5 nights hotel/4 star eco-lodge, 9 nights guest house / home stay OVERVIEW This exceptional, fully supported cycling odyssey takes us through some of the most stunning landscapes and culturally significant parts of Laos then over the border for a richly rewarding taste of Vietnam. We commence cycling on the banks of the Mekong River in the World Heritage listed town of Luang Prabang with its exquisite golden temples and waterfalls. We continue through rolling mountain scenery to Nong Khiew then travel by boat to the village of Ban Sopjam where we stay with the village headman. Traveling northeast we cycle to the intriguing Vieng Say Caves where the Lao People's Revolutionary Party lived during the Secret War. Cycling to the Vietnamese border we cross over to explore the beautiful valley of Mai Chau and its many ethnic minority villages before completing our adventure in the bustling northern capital of Hanoi. HIGHTLIGHTS & ITINERARY Cycle on the banks of the Mekong river in the World Heritage listed town of Luang Prabang. Enjoy rolling mountain scenery to Nong Khiew. Stay with the village headman of Ban Sopjam. Discover the intriguing Vieng Say Caves. Explore the beautiful valley of Mai Chau and its many ethnic minority villages. Get amongst the bustle in the northern capital of Hanoi DAY 1 Join Luang Prabang DAYS 2/3 Cycle Luang Prabang DAY 4 Cycle to Nong Khiew DAY 5 Boat from Nong Khiew to Ban Sopjam DAY 6 In Bansopjam DAY 7 Boat from Ban Sopjam to Nong Khiew, cycle to Vieng Kham DAY 8 Cycle to Vieng Thong DAY 9 Cycle to Sam Neua DAY 10 Cycle Sam Neua to Vieng Say

2 DAY 11 DAY 12 DAY 13 DAY 14 DAY 15 Cycle around Vieng Say Caves Cycle to Nam Meo Border (Vietnam) Cycle to Mai Chau Cycle around Mai Chau, transfer to Hanoi Hanoi, trip concludes FAST FACTS o This is a fully supported cycling trip therefore a support vehicle travels with you while cycling to carry your luggage on cycling days and you when your legs get tired. o Most passport holders, including Australians,British,Canadians, Americans and New Zealanders require visas for Laos and Cambodia o There are no statutory vaccination requirements for this trip, however you should consult your physician prior to travel for current information o The group size is a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 16 o Private group options are available o A single supplement is available for this trip. o The group is led by expert local guides DAY TO DAY ITINERARY DAY 1: Luang Prabang Luang Prabang On arrival in Luang Prabang you will be met at the airport and transferred to our starting point hotel. A group meeting will be held in the hotel lobby at 5pm where you will meet your guide for a trip briefing before heading out for a welcome dinner to get to know your guide and other travelers. (Dinner) DAY 2: Luang Prabang After breakfast, we will fit you for your bike then enjoy a tour around Luang Prabang with the Mekong river as our backdrop. You will soon understand why it deserves the World Heritage title! Visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa. The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao. Phou Sii hill stands right in the center of this small city. Climb its 350 steps to enjoy commanding views for many miles in each direction. Wat Phou Sii sits atop the mountain, along side the skeletons of Indochina war anti-aircraft guns. Then continue on to visit Wat Mai. Built in 1796, the five-tiered roof of the wooden Sim (chapel) epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Wat Xieng Thong further emphasizes & characterizes the uniqueness of Luang Prabang, its several roofs sweeping low to the ground. See also the impressive "tree of life" mosaic here. The gilt panel on the exterior of the chapel depicts episodes from the Ramayana. Then visit the National Museum, once a king's palace, where displayed inside is a lovely collection of personal artifacts of the royal family, including photos, musical instruments, and many gifts received from the dignitaries of foreign countries. (Breakfast) Cycling: 3km DAY 3: Luang Prabang- Kuang Sii Waterfalls Today we cycle out south of town with to the Kuang Si Waterfall. The falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools. The water here has a clear blue-green tint due to the high mineral content. You can climb the stairs and look down from various high viewpoints on the way to the top! Bring a bathing suit if you d like to swim. We cycle back to town and enjoy our evening at leisure. (Breakfast) Cycling: 60km

3 DAY 4: Luang Prabang- Pak Ou- Nong Khiew We check out this morning and begin cycling north out of Luang Prabang. We arrive at Pak Ou village, cross the Mekong River and climb the stairs to Pak Ou Caves where hundred of Buddhist statues are housed. We then continue north through rolling mountain scenery to Ban Huay Pene, a Leu Tribal village and enjoy lunch along the way. We visit the old temple then travel the remaining distance by vehicle to Nong Khiew. (Breakfast & Lunch) Cycling: 75km DAY 5: Boat to Bansopjam This morning we take a boat up the Ou River, which originates near the border with China then feeds into the Mekong near Luang Prabang. We board a boat for our journey northward to a scenic village and overnight homestay. This village was the stage of an NXNE assistance project to build a new school. The locals are subsistence farmers as well as proficient hunters and fishermen. In the late afternoon, we will go for a refreshing bath in the river. Women should wear a sarong. Tonight we enjoy tasty organic Lao cooking! To get a real taste of Lao life, we will sleep in the village headman s house which will have comfortable mats, pillows and mosquito nets. Please be aware that there are no showers or western toilets in the village. (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Cycling: none DAY 6: Around Bansopjam Today we enjoy a local breakfast and explore the surrounding village. We will likely be the object of curiosity for the village children. They only rarely get the chance to interact and play with westerners. A game of football is a great icebreaker for those physically up for it. Watch the village women weaving their ancient patterns on aged looms, or just relax on our balconies. Depending on the season, we will suggest other interesting activities to watch or participate in. (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Tonight many of the villagers will gather around for a special farewell blessing ceremony. This rite, the Baci, is performed mostly for family and friends who are going on or coming back from a long journey. This is their way of saying thank you to you for visiting. Enjoy a feast afterwards! Cycling: none DAY 7: Boat Nong Khiew, Cycle Vieng Kham Nong Khiew This morning we say goodbye to the villagers and return by boat to Nong Khiew and pick our bikes. We then take a more leisure ride, as we cycle through rural villages and along side lush green rice fields as farmers go about the daily work. We arrive in the small town of Vieng Kham for your overnight stay. (Breakfast) Cycling: 55km DAY 8: Vieng Kham- Vieng Thong After breakfast we mount our bikes and continue on our path eastward. Today our road travels through Phou Loei National Biodiversity Protected Area, so the forests lining the road will be quite lush. A long days ride today so we will no doubt earn our delicious local Vietnamese meal and a good nights sleep! (Breakfast & Lunch) Cycling: 90km

4 DAY 9: Vieng Thong- Sam Neua Today we cycle through more mountainous terrain. We get started early and pedal to Sam Neua. Along the way we take a short detour and visit the mysterious menhirs standing stones) at Hintang. No one is quite sure who built them or why, perhaps burial sites or markers of some sort. The stones were first inconclusively studied by the archaeologist Madame Colani and her expedition in the 1930s. We ride until the mid afternoon, then climb into the van to make it to Sam Neua before dark. (Breakfast & Lunch) Cycling: 85km DAY 10: Sam Neua Vieng Say This morning we explore the quaint morning market along the Xam River in this mountainous town. Today s ride is much shorter to give us a bit of a rest. We cycle to Vieng Say, the cave city which was home to the Lao People s Revolutionary Party. Marvel at the amazing karst landscape in the middle of town. Visit the Information Center near the guesthouse to learn more about the interesting historical significance of the area during the Indochina War. With the help of a local guide, we travel to some of the nearby caves to see how the Lao People s Revolutionary Party lived during the war. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant then relax in this charming town in the late afternoon. (Breakfast & Lunch) Cycling: 35km DAY 11: Vieng Say- Hospital Cave Today after breakfast, we travel to the nearby Hospital Cave. This extensive cave was used as a hospital during the war. Inside we can see intact medicine bottles still strewn about the rubble. After the bombing raids ended, a new hospital building was built in front of the cave. Now the site is a local school. We return to our guesthouse and enjoy your afternoon and evening at leisure. (Breakfast) Cycling: 5km DAY 12: Vieng Say- Nam Meo Border (Vietnam) Today after breakfast, we set off and say goodbye to Laos as we cycle to the Vietnamese border. We say good bye to our Loasian guide here and are met by our Vietnamese guide who will cycle with us throughout the Vietnam section of our journey to ensure the best local knowledge for our group. (Breakfast) Cycling: 50km DAY 13: Nam Meo- Mai Chau Today after breakfast, we cycle through the beautiful country side of Vietnam on the way to Mai Chau. Enroute we will have plenty of opportunity to catch the activities of locals in the field. Tonight we will indulge ourselves in the comfort of Mai Chau Lodge, a perfect introduction to our stay in Vietnam. (Breakfast & Lunch) Mai Chau is located in a beautiful valley with patchwork quilt rice fields, farms and stilted houses. In the spring Mai Chau displays a riot of blooming flowers and peach blossoms. Only 60km s southwest of Hoa Binh is the home of the White Thai and H mong hilltribe people Cycling: 80km DAY 14: Mai Chau- Hanoi Mai Chau Today after breakfast we cycle around the beautiful outlying villages and to the local market to visit the minority White Thai. It is interesting to see their custom and life style, their houses on stilt and the local handicrafts produced by them. Late afternoon, we drive to the capital of Vietnam. Tonight we will join for a farewell dinner. (Breakfast) Cycling: 25km

5 DAY 15: Hanoi The Huc Bridge Today is departure day. The trip concludes after breakfast then airport transfers will be arranged. (Breakfast) NB: The itinerary may alter due to weather or local conditions. COUNTRY INFORMATION Laos Laos is a landlocked country sharing common borders with China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The Mekong River flows through the country and forms the major portion of the border with Thailand. The country supports a population of more than 6 million inhabitants comprising 68 ethnic groups, such as Hmong, Khmu, Yao and Akha. Each group has its own distinctive customs and traditions. With a population density of 19 people per square km, Laos is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Asia. The history of Laos begins with the beginning of unification of Laos in 1353 by King Fa Ngum. The King made his capital at Luang Prabang and ruled the kingdom called Lane Xang, which means million elephants. In the 16th century his successors helped establish Buddhism as the predominant religion of Laos. In the 18th century, Lane Xang entered a period of decline caused by dynastic struggle and conflicts with Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Khmer kingdom. In the 19th century, the Siamese (Thai) established authority over much of what is now Laos. The country was divided into principalities centered around Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champassak. In the last century, the French integrated all of Laos into the French control and directly ruled the country as part of French Indochina. It wasn t until 1949 that the French recognized the independence of Laos within the French Union. During the Vietnam War the Communist Party (LPRP) within Laos gained momentum and on December 2, 1975 the Lao king renounced his throne in the constitutional monarchy and entrusted his power to the Lao people, but the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) dissolved the coalition cabinet and took control. Vietnam Vietnam stretches over 1600 km along the eastern coast of the Indo-Chinese peninsula from 8' 34" N to 23' 22" N. The land mass is 329,566 square kilometres, making it larger than Italy and slightly smaller than Japan. Vietnam is a country of immense beauty and geographical diversity. The country is roughly divided into three main areas Bac Po (north), Trung Bo (centre) and Nam Bo (south). The main feature of the north of Vietnam is mountains and forests along with the vast Red River Delta. The north is also home to the Gulf of Tonkin and a maze of islands in the bay. Central Vietnam is made up of agricultural plains wedged between the Truong Son Mountains and the South China Sea making some dramatic mountain passes overlooking ocean vistas. The Mekong Delta dominates the south of the country. Vietnam has been the site of battles and invasions for over 2000 years. Influences of invaders or modern day 'liberators' have left the country with a unique cultural identity and a complex and fascinating history. This history has given Vietnam a diverse population made up of different ethnic groups, particularly from China. The predominant ethnic group is known as kinh and make up about 90% of the population. There are dozens of other ethnic groups including Cham and Khmer particularly in the south of the country. Since the early 1990's, Vietnam has been opening its doors to tourism. Although the relatively long periods of isolation and a history of war has not produced a laid-back tourism paradise like Thailand facilities and infrastructure in the country are

6 changing rapidly. Vietnam is still a communist country although the Government is at times very pragmatic and forward thinking. You still need to carry with you an abundance of patience and a good sense of humour to overcome the overt bureaucracy and the inevitable delays, however, the fascinating history and culture; the resilient and proud people; and the beauty of the varied landscape help to overcome any possible frustrations. CLIMATE In Laos the dry or cool season begins at the end of October and lasts until the end of February. It is necessary to take along a warm jumper or fleece during the cool season, as nights can be very cold, especially in mountainous areas such as Luang Prabang. The hot season lasts from March to June and light cotton clothing and hats are recommended. The rainy season starts in June and ends in October. In Vietnam the climate can vary markedly from region to region due to its length stretching 1650 km from north to south. Generally two distinct seasons prevail in Vietnam. From November to April, the temperatures are usually fairly cool, especially in the north of the country. In the mountain areas temperatures can be as low as 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) and there can be a constant light drizzle. Hotter temperatures and heavy monsoon rains characterize the months from May to October although you can experience rain at any time. The hottest months of the year are June, July and August. Southern Vietnam s weather patterns are more constant with a rainy season from May to October and a relative dry season from November to February. The temperatures in the south can rise as high as 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) from March to May. PRIVATE GROUPS The adventures featured in our brochures, and on our website, are just a starting point for many of our private group travellers. we can organise custom designed itineraries for groups of friends, clubs, charity s, schools or even work colleagues. Our team will assist you with all aspects of your private group adventure from itinerary design to group flights. SCHEDULED DEPARTURES January February 3 17 March 31 March 14 April May 2 14 June 7 21 July 4 18 August 25 August 8 September 6 20 October 3 17 November 24 November 8 December 1 15 December December COST 2012 From NZ$3290 per person share twin INCLUDED IN COST o 14 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 3 dinners Airport transfers on day 1 and day 15 o Expert bilingual guide o Bike mechanic o 21 speed steel framed mountain bikes o Medical kit o Comfortable well located accommodation o and local homestay o Private air-conditioned vehicle o Support vehicle on cycling days o Sightseeing and entrance fees as listed o in itinerary NOT INCLUDED IN COST o International Airfares o Departure Taxes o Meals not indicated in the program o Any optional tours, and entrance fees not listed in the itinerary o Personal travel insurance (compulsory) o Expenditure of a personal nature such as drinks, souvenirs and laundry o Excess luggage charges o Visas fee: Laos and Vietnam. We advise that you obtain both of these visas prior to departure from you home country. o Tips and gratuities

7 o Bike helmet SUGGESTED EXTENSIONS o Halong Bay Extension o Thailand and Loas Cycle o Vietnam by Bike o o Vietnam North to South Ho Chi Minh to Angkor Wat Cycle Important Note: These trip notes represent the most current information for this itinerary, and may supersede any information in the current brochure, including but not limited to the itinerary and price. Book through : Asia Holidays / vietnam.co.nz andrew@vietnam.co.nz Tel: