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Southeast Asia is a treasure box of culture,
history, and natural wonders. There is so much to see and
experience that it is a challenge to choose the most interesting
and beautiful places in this land of many splendors. We have
selected a wonderful taste of the region, beginning with
Thailand, long hailed as the Land of Smiles and noted for its
hospitality. We continue to Viet Nam, a stunningly beautiful and
distinctive country with a fascinating history. We complete our
Southeast Asia Splendor with a visit to Angkor Wat, truly one of
the most mystical and mesmerizing historical sites in the world.
In two weeks, you will see an incredible
variety of cities, countryside, temples, ruins and other
memorable places. You will meet friendly locals in native
villages of Cambodia, at seaside resorts in Viet Nam, and city
dwellers in Bangkok. You will go home with a better
understanding of the diverse cultures of the region and perhaps
a lingering desire to return to this special land.
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En route our flight crosses the International
Dateline. Many of us will arrive in Bangkok in the late evening.
We will transfer to our Bangkok hotel for a two-night stay in
this luxurious hotel in the heart of Bangkok, close to evening
attractions.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will
set out for the main sights of Bangkok. First we visit the Grand
Palace, the former home to Thai Royalty. Inside the Grand Palace
grounds we see the exquisite Emerald Buddha. Next to the Palace
is the majestic Reclining Buddha, measuring over 110 feet! Lunch
will be served at the Sala Rim Naam Restaurant across the Chao
Phraya River, after which we will visit the Jim Thompson House,
an authentic Thai-style house owned by the “father” of the
Thai silk industry. We return to our hotel for dinner, but those
who have the energy may want to venture out on the town
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After an early morning flight to Hanoi, we
check into the grand Hotel Sofitel Metropole for a three-night
stay. This distinctive hotel, well situated in the heart of the
city, was recently renovated to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Hanoi, a Paris-inspired gem, is resplendent with classic French
colonial architecture, lovely city parks, art studios and of
course fine cuisine. After lunch, we will have a city
orientation tour. Tonight our dinner will be at one of Hanoi’s
most famous restaurants, “The Emperor.”
After breakfast the next morning, we
will devote the day to touring the city and learning of Ho Chi
Minh’s heritage. We will start at Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum,
where lines of respectful admirers and curious visitors wait to
view his remains. We’ll see the presidential palace, and then
look into the more humble personal home of the former leader,
where he did most of his writing. We’ll see the One Pillar
Pagoda and visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum. We will also stop at
the Fine Arts Museum with its wonderful collection of lacquer
paintings. Lunch will be at “Seasons of Hanoi.” The
afternoon is free to relax, shop, or sightsee on your own. This
evening we attend Hanoi’s famous water puppet theater. Dinner
will be on your own.
On our last full day in northern
Vietnam, we will ride to Halong Bay, along Vietnam's seacoast.
This bay is known for its needlepoint mountains that have been
sculpted over millennia by the wind and water.
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We are scheduled to arrive at Danang Airport
after lunch. We’ll start with a city tour including a stop at
the Cham Museum. Hindu in origin, the Cham people left a legacy
of excellent sculptures, now housed in the only museum of its
kind in Vietnam. After our brief tour of Danang, we head to Hoi
An. On the way, we’ll we stop at the Marble Mountains for
photo opportunities. Our accommodations for the next two nights
are at the Victoria Hoi An Hotel, a lovely resort on a beach,
three miles from the main town. This quaint, but elegant hotel
will be the perfect place to pause and enjoy the natural beauty
of Vietnam.
In the morning, we will take a boat ride
to the village of Cam Ha. This ancient village is famous for its
pottery. We’ll return to Hoi An for lunch, and then have time
to tour the town. Hoi An is a World Heritage Site with
architecture reminiscent of a bygone era. The influence of
Japanese, French, Chinese, and Indian traders are visible in the
beautifully preserved ancient houses. Cars are not allowed in
Hoi An, so it is an excellent walking village.
The next day, we will bid good-bye to
our peaceful setting and transfer to the airport for a one-hour
flight to bustling Ho Chi Minh City.
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Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh we’ll check into
the Delta Caravelle Hotel for the next two nights. We’ll spend
the afternoon sightseeing including: the former Presidential
Palace, the War Crimes Museum (now known as the “History
Museum” due to more open diplomatic relations) and Notre Dame,
an impressive neo-Romanesque cathedral. Dinner will be at the
Hoi An, one of the city’s finest Vietnamese restaurants.
The next morning, we head to the Cu Chi
Tunnels. This former Vietcong network of tunnels runs 150 miles
and was like an underground city, though extremely diminutive.
We will be invited to inspect the tunnels (not for the
claustrophobic!) and learn more about the history of the
Vietcong during the war. Lunch is at the Lemon Grass, a typical
Vietnamese restaurant.
The afternoon and evening are free to
enjoy Vietnam’s major commercial city. Dinner is on your own.
Try one of the Italian restaurants for a break from Asian food,
or look for one of the fine French Vietnamese cafes popular with
locals. In the morning we transfer to the airport for our flight
to Cambodia.
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After arriving at the Siem Reap airport, we
will transfer to the Sofitel Royal Angkor Hotel. This lovely
five star resort will be our home for the next three days, and
offers a variety of services and amenities (including spa
treatments) which you may want to indulge in during your stay.
After lunch, we will head out to watch the sunset over the main
temple of Angkor Wat.
The Angkor Wat complex of buildings and
temples covers a vast area and we’ll explore several of the
most interesting and important sites. We’ll visit the South
Gate of Angkor Thom, an imposing stone edifice with fifty-four
towers, each carved with the four faces of the Bodhisattva.
We’ll tour the Terrace of the Elephants and the Khmer Royal
Palace. One highlight will be a visit to Ta Prohm
Temple.Virtually untouched by man, it seems to be held hostage
by the trees, and is a reminder of the precariousness of nature.
One afternoon we’ll take a break from temple hopping to enjoy
a boat ride on Lake Tonle Sap. The charming lakeside fishing
village is a bridge between primitive life and modern ways. Peek
into one of the boat homes and you may see the blue image of a
television screen, blue because the auto batteries on which they
run their power may not have enough energy to generate full
color!
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We transfer to the airport for our flight back
to Bangkok. Tonight we will enjoy a Farewell Dinner. Some
travelers may be continuing on our Luang Prabang extension the
next day. Others may be flying home, or perhaps taking a few
extra days in Bangkok, or at one of the nearby beach
communities.
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Fly from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Laos, the
ancient capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom, the "Land of a
Million Elephants." Transfer to the Hotel Villa Santi for
four nights. Sightseeing in Luang Prabang includes the national
museum, which was formerly the Royal Palace, and historic
temples, including Wat Mai. We’ll take a boat trip upstream on
the Mekong to the renowned caves of Pak Ou, which house hundreds
of Buddha statues. We’ll venture into the countryside by road
to visit Kuangsi Waterfall and Ban Phanom, a local village which
specializes in weaving. We’ll also take a full-day excursion
to Ban Long Lao village of the Hmong ethnic group. This village
is located on the side of a mountain, where we also see the
beautiful Tadsae Waterfall.
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Today we fly back to Bangkok from Luang
Prabang for one last night before flights home. |
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