Mon, Jan 9th 2012, 03:52

The group of three Indochina countries stretching on the banks of the Mekong River is known as a largely unexplored part of the world. These countries have so much to offer for visitors.

The group of three Indochina countries stretching on the banks of the Mekong River is known as a largely unexplored part of the world. These countries have so much to offer for visitors.

Driving to Ha Long Bay, our car passed through peaceful countryside along Red River Delta. Our group was welcomed by the boat captain and embarked for exploring the magnificent scenic spot. The cabins were comfortable with air conditioning and theirs own small bathroom and toilet, definitely value for money. The waiters were cheerful and helpful; they wore eye-catching uniforms and just kept on bringing more food to our table. Our cruise passed by spectacular stone blocks, and stopped at Surprise Cave, a large and amazing grotto with three rooms. The first looks like a wide theater hall with many stalactites hanging from the high ceiling and the inner chamber is a large room with lighting system adding more charm to the beauty of the grotto. At the side of the entrance, the rock seems to form the shape of a horse with a long sword. The Hanoi capital was an attractive destination with a lot of nice sites. The prior visit was a pagoda supported by only one pillar in the middle of a lotus pond. Temple of Literature, where you can enjoy the quiet space, beautiful gardens, architecture…, was also a must-see in Hanoi organized in five landscaped courtyards. The first two courtyards are primarily gardens and trees. The third one has a lotus pond and the stellar. And the final courtyard is a tribute to Confucius. In Hoa Lu, take time to discover Cuc Phuong, a national park. We were pleasantly surprised. The primate station was great with lively monkeys. We wished they would become our pets in some recent days. We still continued to explore this place despite the rain. Afterwards, two remaining temples of the ancient citadel was a must-see. A lanky man who led us to the thousand-year-old tree and a cave of prehistoric people loved showing us the park as much as possible; and all loved seeing it through his eyes.

After spending so much time to surfing on the internet, we finally decided to choose a tour operator in Vietnam to be able to experience as much as possible during the trip.

Driving through countryside roads, we arrived at Wat Phnom temple, surrounded by big old trees. The main entrance to the temple was via the grand eastern staircase, guarded by lions and balustrades. The visit of an orphanage made us really interested in the work done there. Not only do the people there take care of children and provide them with necessary skills, but they also try to be self supportive by growing their own vegetables and keeping some livestock. Children warmly greeted and loved to talk to us, definitely the highlight of our trip. These children deserve better care from the commodity. Our blue wooden boat on Tonle Sap Lake passed through floating houses and schools, markets around the community and even floating basket ball courts! Journey out in the lake gave us the chance to experience the centuries-old lifestyle of the inhabitants. The boat then stopped at a school, where we met young Vietnamese volunteer teachers and naïve kids.

A destination you could not pass through in Vientiane was Wat Si Saket, an old temple. The highlight was unique niches in the walls lined with many Buddha images. It attracted us from the first sight; we felt so peaceful in the temple and understood more about Lao's culture. Our next visit was the Morning Market, a very busy place. Enjoy a good wander and buy what you like… full of funny stories in each stall. A visit to Laos is not complete without going to the Royal Palace Museum, a huge place with gardens and building units located for several miles. The museum houses a lot of interesting historical items; each tells a story…. And if you want to enjoy Laos specialties, just head to the night food market situated on a small road. It was so flavor and the food was great as well… but quite spicy. If you like active activities, Vang Vieng is sure to have something you may come up with! Start kayaking with a fast exciting stream…. adventurous feelings, and extend into a longer river exploration. When paddling through somewhere, we saw local people doing the gardening activities on the bank, healthy boys catching fish with nets, even some herds of water buffalo cooling off the river. A leisurely boat ride on Nam Song River was a great chance to experience the local daily life. Through this journey, we would like to give you advice: you must personalize a Vietnam Cambodia tour at least once time in your life!

Written By Lee Rajna is a writer on travel. She loves traveling around the world to discover new cultures.