Three countries. Fifteen days. One family of three — including our daughter on her first international trip.
We flew out of Mumbai with a plan that looked slightly mad on paper: Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in a single trip. Hot air balloons, ancient temples at sunrise, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, an overnight cruise among limestone karsts, and a mountain village where we got locked out in a rainstorm.
It worked. Not perfectly — there are things we’d change, and we’ll tell you exactly what — but it worked far better than we dared hope.
This is the complete route: every city, every transfer, every honest lesson. If you’re an Indian traveller planning Southeast Asia and you can’t decide between these three countries, here’s the answer we landed on: don’t decide. Do all three.
The Route at a Glance
Mumbai → Luang Prabang → Vang Vieng → Vientiane → Siem Reap → Ho Chi Minh City → Phu Quoc → Hanoi → Sapa → Halong Bay → Da Nang → Mumbai
| Days | Destination | Country | Nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Luang Prabang | 🇱🇦 Laos | 2 |
| 3–4 | Vang Vieng | 🇱🇦 Laos | 1 |
| 4–5 | Vientiane | 🇱🇦 Laos | 1 |
| 5–6 | Siem Reap | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 1 |
| 6–7 | Ho Chi Minh City | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 1 (transit) |
| 7–10 | Phu Quoc | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 3 |
| 10–11 | Hanoi | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 1 |
| 11–13 | Sapa | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 2 |
| 13–14 | Halong Bay (Lan Ha) | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 1 (cruise) |
| 14–15 | Da Nang | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 2 |
Days 1–3: Luang Prabang, Laos — The Gentle Start
Start your trip in the calmest place on the route. Luang Prabang is a UNESCO-listed town of golden temples, garden cafes and the Mekong river — the perfect landing spot when you’re adjusting to a new region.
Don’t miss: Kuang Si waterfall (the turquoise is real, not a filter), Mount Phousi at sunset, a Mekong river cruise at golden hour, and the night market.
Where we stayed: A hotel with garden breakfasts we still talk about.
Read the full guides: Luang Prabang Travel Guide → · Kuang Si Waterfall → · 2 Days in Luang Prabang → · Best Things to Do →
Days 3–4: Vang Vieng, Laos — The Hot Air Balloon
A few hours south by road (or the scenic train), Vang Vieng is limestone karst country. Everyone told us it was a party town. Nobody mentioned the hot air balloon.
₹17,000 per person for an hour over the mountains at sunrise — the single biggest splurge of our trip and the one we’d repeat without hesitation. We didn’t land where we started, and that was half the fun.
Honest note: one night here was not enough. If we did this again, we’d take two.
Read the full guides: Vang Vieng Travel Guide → · Hot Air Balloon Guide → · Vang Vieng Budget →
Days 4–5: Vientiane, Laos — Half a Day Is Enough
Laos’s capital is the quietest capital city we’ve ever visited — and that’s its charm. The Patuxai monument (Laos’s own Arc de Triomphe), a giant reclining Buddha, and riverside calm.
Half a day covers it. Fly out to Siem Reap the next morning.
Read the full guide: Vientiane in Half a Day →
Days 5–6: Siem Reap, Cambodia — The 3.45am Alarm That Was Worth It
One night, one unforgettable morning. We left our hotel at 3.45am with a packed breakfast the hotel prepared without being asked, and stood at the Angkor Wat reflecting pool as the sky turned from grey to gold.
Then Bayon’s 216 stone faces. Ta Prohm’s jungle roots. And that evening, three hours of Apsara dance.
Honest note: two nights would have been better — we missed the Phnom Bakheng sunset. Learn from us.
Read the full guides: Ultimate Cambodia Guide → · Angkor Wat Sunrise → · 2 Days in Siem Reap → · Where to Stay → · Budget Guide →
Days 6–7: Ho Chi Minh City — The Transit Night
Almost every Indian route into Vietnam goes through Ho Chi Minh City. Ours did too. We landed late, stayed near the airport, ate well, slept properly, and flew to Phu Quoc the next morning.
No sightseeing, no regrets. Sometimes a transit night done well is exactly what a long trip needs.
Read the full guide: Ho Chi Minh City Transit Guide →
Days 7–10: Phu Quoc — The Island Reward
Three nights of island time, right when the trip needed it. The world’s longest cable car over turquoise sea. VinWonders and Grand World. Island hopping. Beaches.
This is where the pace slows and the family recharges — deliberately placed mid-trip.
Read the full guides: Phu Quoc Travel Guide → · Where to Stay → · Budget for Family of 3 → · VinWonders vs Grand World →
Days 10–11: Hanoi — One Day, Done Right
Fly north. One day in Vietnam’s capital: a hazy golden sunset over Hoan Kiem Lake, the serene Ngoc Son Temple, aimless walking in the Old Quarter, street food, and an evening watching the city from a pub chair.
Read the full guide: Hanoi Travel Guide →
Days 11–13: Sapa — The Roof of Indochina
A private car north into the mountains. Cat Cat village’s rice terraces and H’mong culture. The cable car to Fansipan — the highest peak in Southeast Asia. A glass bridge 300 metres above the valley. And massages after, which we declare non-negotiable.
Getting back: the overnight Sapa Express train to Hanoi — comfortable, punctual, ₹5,000 for the three of us.
Read the full guides: Sapa Travel Guide →· Fansipan Cable Car → · Where to Stay → · Sapa Budget →
Days 13–14: Halong Bay — The Night We Forgot We Were on a Boat
An overnight cruise in Lan Ha Bay (Halong’s quieter neighbour) on the Mon Cheri. Five-course meals. Kayaking through silent channels. Squid fishing after dark. Tai Chi at sunrise.
₹62,000 for the three of us — every meal, every activity, pickup from the train station and drop to the airport included. Expensive, and worth every rupee.
Read the full guides: Halong Bay Guide → · Cruise Guide: Day Trip vs Overnight → · Mon Cheri Review → · Halong Bay Budget →
Days 14–15: Da Nang — The Rainstorm Finale
Our last stop gave us our best story. Ba Na Hills at night, in the rain, on the Mercure’s private cable car. Locked out in the French village, soaked and laughing. The Golden Bridge — giant stone hands holding a golden walkway in the clouds.
Hoi An was flooded and we couldn’t go. Next time.
Read the full guide: Da Nang Travel Guide →
The Full Budget — Family of 3
| Category | Approx. Cost (₹) |
|---|---|
| International flights (Mumbai return) | 90,000–1,20,000 |
| Domestic/regional flights (5 sectors) | 60,000–80,000 |
| Hotels (13 nights) | 70,000–90,000 |
| Halong Bay cruise (all-inclusive) | 62,000 |
| Hot air balloon (3 pax) | 51,000 |
| Fansipan + activities + entries | 25,000–30,000 |
| Food (beyond included meals) | 30,000–40,000 |
| Local transport, visas, misc | 25,000–30,000 |
| Total (family of 3) | ₹4.1–5 lakh |
Not a budget trip — but for three countries, fifteen days, and a lifetime of stories, it compares well against a single-destination European holiday at the same price.
What We’d Change (Honest Section)
Add a night in Vang Vieng. One night was rushed for how much we loved it.
Add a night in Siem Reap. The Phnom Bakheng sunset deserves its own evening.
Check Hoi An flood season. October–December carries real flooding risk. We lost Hoi An entirely to it.
Keep the transit night in HCMC. It looked like dead time on paper. It was essential recovery in practice.
Visas for Indian Travellers — Quick Reference
- Laos: Visa on arrival available for Indians (~USD 40) or e-visa in advance
- Cambodia: E-visa required — USD 30, 3 business days at evisa.gov.kh
- Vietnam: E-visa required — apply at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn well in advance
Full details in each country’s Ultimate Guide: [Vietnam →] · [Laos →] · [Cambodia →]
The Verdict
Fifteen days, three countries, one family — and the answer to “was it too ambitious?” is no. The route flows naturally: Laos’s calm start, Cambodia’s single spectacular morning, Vietnam’s variety as the main act.
Our daughter’s first international trip had hot air balloons, ancient temples, glass bridges and a rainstorm on a mountain. We’ll take that over a resort week every single time.
Planning this route? Ask us anything in the comments — we answer everything.