Combining outdoor activities and cultural excursions, our four-day Luang Prabang Family Adventure is highly recommended as a getaway package for the entire family. We have selected family-friendly accommodation and restaurants, kept travel times to a minimum and incorporated a variety of excursions so that parents can enjoy a hassle-free vacation and spend quality time with their children.

The first day starts with an electric bike tour of Luang Prabang, followed by a game of petanque, a Lao dance performance and a visit to the colorful night market. The second day highlights an alms-giving ritual, a hike around Kuang Si waterfalls and a traditional baci ceremony. On the third morning, a cruise along the Mekong River to Kamu Lodge includes a stop at the Pak Ou caves. Spending the night at Kamu Lodge, guests are free to partake in the wide array of activities available, from rice planting to gold panning, fishing to village trekking. By boat, guests return to Luang Prabang the following morning and they will have the rest of the day at leisure. For more program details, click here.

New Luxury Option for Hue Dinner Cruises
La Residence Hotel and Spa in Hue is now offering dinner cruises along the Perfume River. Seating up to 25 passengers, the 2-hour cruise offers a Vietnamese set dinner and live traditional Vietnamese music and can be privatized for groups. Available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, these cruises provide a stylish way to sightsee Hue’s iconic river. Click here to view details of La Residence or contact vietnam@exotissimo.com to book the dinner cruise.

New Deluxe Cruise Option for Tonle Sap and Mekong River
The Jayavarman is the latest boat addition on the popular route between Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Saigon. It is a 60-m deluxe riverboat with 27 cabins and suites as well as 800m² of public space across its 4 decks. Operated by Heritage Line Cruise Company, the Jayavarman has various river itineraries ranging from one to seven nights. The company does not operate the Phnom Penh – Siem Reap route during the low water season from April to June.

Along the Mekong is an exciting new tour specially created for travelers seeking an authentic experience in Cambodia. This 8-day tour is filled with responsible touring elements with visits to several charity-based initiatives to support the local community. The program highlights a visit to the rural Mekong island of Koh Trong by bicycle or horse-cart for an immersive local experience. Click here to view the detailed itinerary. Similar routing is also available on Along the Mekong: Southern Laos to Siem Reap that crosses the borders into Pakse, Laos. To view this program, click here.

VIETNAM

In Vietnam, we are glad to announce that the ground situation in Hoi An and Danang has improved significantly since yesterday and we even experienced some sunny weather in Hoi An!

Hoi An

- Hoi An: Bach Dang and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets are still flooded. However all other sightseeing sites are open, including Japanese bridge, Fujien Pagoda, Phung Hung and Quan Thang old houses, Ceramic and Sa Huynh Museums.

- Restaurants Cargo Club, Mango Room, Morning Glory and Brother’s Café will not open until tomorrow (Friday).

- Hotels Pacific, Ancient House and Lotus are now accessible again.

- The pool at Riverside Resort will take a week to be cleaned.

- Boat trips are still not possible on Thu Bon.

- My Son is NOT accessible yet.

Hue

- Hue City: water has receded and all sightseeing sites are open.

- Boat trips on the Perfume River are NOT possible yet.

Roads

- Road to Hoi An from Cua Beach: OK

- National Road No. 1 between Hue and Danang is open again

Train

- From Danang/Hue to the north: OK by today (Thursday); To the south by Friday, 2 Oct 09.

Hotels Partly Opened

- Victoria Hotel: the SUP and DLX rooms remain operational although the garden, pool and the beach need a complete clean-up. All cancellation fees will be waived until 5 October and normal operations will resume on 6 October 09.

Hotels Still Closed
- Golden Sand Resort: closed until 7 Oct 09 inclusive

- Life Resort Hoi An: closed until 14 Oct 09 inclusive.

LAOS

The Lao Government has urged the population to remain vigilant against Ketsana’s potential threat in Bolikamxay, Khamouane and Vientiane, the 3 provinces bordering Vietnam. The Mekong River is not threatening to flood yet and no heavy rains have fallen in Laos. There are no disruption to flights or tours in major tourist destinations such as Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Pakse and Champassak.

CAMBODIA

Currently the situation in Siem Reap and northern Cambodia is stable, but there has been severe flooding in a number of areas including the Siem Reap city center. The Siem Reap river has overflowed its banks and the water level is still rising. The airport remains open, but we had to cancel all boat trips to the lake as all access roads are closed. Transportation around various parts of the town has been affected by the flooding. All our clients are completely safe and no hotels have been affected. We are staying in constant contact with all our clients and will keep everyone updated as the situation progresses. The road between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is partly flooded around Kampong Thom but remains accessible. The situation in Phnom Penh is good despite seeing heavy rains every day.

THAILAND

The situation in Thailand is fine with only the northeastern part of the country on high alert. Heavy rains and some flooding have been experienced in provinces such as Ubon Ratchathani but Ketsana is expected to weaken as it moves further inland. There is no flight disruption and all roads and airports remain open and accessible.

Isaan Insight is a new 9-day cultural program that offers rewarding insights into Thailand%u2019s northeastern provinces, a region least known to foreigners. This program includes visits to Khmer-style temples, Mekong River, pre-historic sites and villages with Vietnamese and Lao influences. This itinerary also features stays at unique properties, including Phunacome Resort in Loei which is part of the Isan Boutique Collection. For clients desiring a lavish stay, Sedhapura makes a fabulous alternative in Ubon Ratchatani.

Click here to view the details of Isaan Insight tour.

The Nava Mekong is a traditional river boat that provides guests with a unique sightseeing-cum-dining experience along Mekong River. For lunch cruises, the boat sails up the Mekong River to Pak Ou. Traditional Lao music and dances are performed for dinner cruises in the evenings. The boat seats up to 40 passengers comfortably.

This year, Mekong River Cruises will present three new luxury cabin cruisers that sail between Southern Laos and Northern Thailand on the Mekong River. The vessels are named Mekong Explorer, Mekong Islands and Mekong Sun. Varying from five to nine days, the long-distance river cruises are a good way to explore the natural beauty and splendor of Laos.

Meaning ‘peaceful’ in the Hmong language, Lanjia Lodge is a new eco-friendly and community-based lodge in Kiew Karn Village, Chiang Khong District in Chiang Rai Province. It is nestled within a Hmong and Lahu village on a hill that overlooks the Mekong River and Laos. The eco-lodge features a total of 16 rooms spread across four local style thatched cottages. Guests can experience first-hand how sustainable tourism can play a positive role in the preservation of these ethnic minority cultures.

Dating back to the Angkorian period, the annual Bon Om Touk (Water Festival) is the most exuberant occasion in the Cambodian calendar. Held over a three-day period during the first full moon of November, the festival marks the reversal of currents in the Tonle Sap River and represents a thanksgiving to the Mekong River for providing livelihood to the people. In Phnom Penh, many Cambodians flock to the river banks to watch the traditional boats race. In the evening, illuminated boats cruise along the river and complement the nightly fireworks display.
The Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia, in collaboration with the National Committee for National and International Festivals, will arrange complimentary seats for visitors who would like to witness this event. Please contact us at cambodia@exotissimo.com for more information.