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Sample Itinerary
Day 1 Luang Prabang, Laos
Arrival in Luang Prabang, the last royal
capital of Laos and one of Asia’s most beautiful cities.
The heart of town is situated on a slender spit of land set between
the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Upon arrival we’ll check in to our
hotel, the celebrated former residence of Prince Souvannaphouma.
Then set out on a walking tour of this historic UNESCO World
Heritage town, exploring its beautifully preserved Buddhist temples,
Lanna Thai and French fusion arhitecture.
Meander through charming
small alleyways, soaking up the serene ambience. We’ll end our tour
with a sunset view over Phousi Hill. Overnight Maison Souvannaphoum.
(B,L,D)
Day 2 Pak Ou/Luang Prabang
Today our travels take us through the scenic countryside, then we’ll
board a boat and cruise the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves, a mystical
pilgrimage site perched high above the Mekong River. Peering into
dark corners, your eyes adjust to reveal the serene faces and
figures of more than 3,000 Buddha images, some inlaid with
semi-precious stones. That these remain undisturbed in this remote
site in one of the world’s poorest countries is a testament to the
devotion of the people.
Stop at a colorful riverside hamlet where
the local farmers are famed for their homemade, potent rice whiskey.
We’ll return to Luang Prabang by boat in time for a leisurely lunch
overlooking the river. Later this afternoon explore some of Luang
Prabang’s most important temples including Wat Mai, Wat Wisun and
Wat Xieng Tong with its delicately painted gold leaf decorations.
Overnight Maison Souvannaphoum. (B,L,D) |
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Day 3 Countryside / Luang Prabang
Early risers will have a chance to
witness a moving ritual: as long lines of barefoot monks walking
silently along the streets on their morning alms rounds, watch
locals offer alms. This represents a symbiosis in which rice
sustains the monks’ bodies, while the monks’ prayers nourish the
spirit of those giving the rice.
Note: please observe a respectful
distance and silence while witnessing this sacred ceremony.
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After breakfast visit the colorful local fruit and vegetable market.
From here drive into the peaceful countryside, stopping to visit
small
villages along the way, including an idyllic Khmu hamlet, a
resettled Hmong community and a lowland Lao village that spins
cotton with hand-carved gins. This afternoon, we’ll visit a weaving
village. The rest of the day will be free to relax or explore on
your own.Tonight enjoy gourmet cuisine at our hotel. Overnight
Maison Souvannaphoum. (B,L,D)
Day 4 Luang Prabang/Hanoi, Vietnam
This morning visit the former Royal
Palace, now the National Museum. The Lao royal family lived here
until 1975. Its collection includes lovely murals of Lao life in
shimmering mosaics and in oil, and gifts from heads of state,
including a moon rock from Richard Nixon, given in 1972 (ironically,
about the same time U.S. bombing of Laos reached its peak). This
afternoon we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Hanoi.
Upon our arrival in Hanoi, check into our
restored colonial-period hotel. Tonight is free to relax and dine on
your own. Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel. (B,L)
Day 5 Hanoi
Early risers will have a chance to
join the locals in a morning private Tai Chi lesson and tea at the
scenic Hoan Kiem Lake. After breakfast visit Ho Chi Minh’s
Mausoleum, displaying Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body, and his lovely
wooden house on stilts. Other sights this morning include the One
Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, the site of Vietnam’s
first university and shrine for Confucian worship founded in the
year 1066. Visit Hoa Lo prison museum,
otherwise known as ‘the Hanoi Hilton’ built by the French to house
Vietnamese revolutionaries, it later was used to keep captured
American POWS during
the wartime, including John McCain.
Nearby is Craft Link, a
non-for-profit organization specializing in the production of
quality handicrafts from Vietnam’s many ethnic groups. Late this
afternoon depart on a cyclo tour of Hanoi’s colorful Old Quarter
with its narrow streets, charming shops and unique architecture.
Enjoy a traditional water puppet performance at the National
Theater, followed by dinner at a favorite local restaurant.
Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 6 Ha long Bay/Hanoi
Depart Hanoi early this morning and
journey to famous and magnificent Halong Bay, a UNESCO World
Heritage site. Arriving at the small port town of Bai Chay by noon,
we’ll board our private boat, a restored traditional Chinese junk,
and enjoy a half day cruise of the bay with a gourmet lunch on
board. Gently cruise amongst the 3,000 rocky limestone islands that
emerge from the emerald green waters. Return to Hanoi for a free
evening. Overnight Sofitel Metropole Hotel. (B,L)
Day 7 Hanoi/Hué
This morning we’ll visit the
ethnology museum on our way to the airport. Fly to Hué, a UNESCO
World Heritage site. Check into the hotel and enjoy lunch before
exploring the Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty. Those of Minh Mang
and Tu Duc are the loveliest while that of Khai Dinh is the most
unusual. The tombs are surrounded by vast, well-tended botanical
gardens with beautiful
open air pavilions. Some emperors were so concerned about their
grave being violated that upon completion of the tombs, all of the
thousands of workers who built them were put to death. Visit Thien
Mu Pagoda, Vietnam’s most famous landmark, and travel back down the
Perfume River, returning to Hué. This afternoon we’ll visit the
Citadel and the ancient Forbidden Purple City and then cross the
river to the Dong Ba Market, one of the most colorful anywhere in
Asia. A sea of conical hats for sale stretches for blocks, as do
colorful fabrics, fresh fish, and produce of all descriptions.
Tonight enjoy traditional music and a delicious dinner at a local
restaurant Overnight La Residence Hotel and Spa. (B,L,D)
Day 8 Hue/Hoi An
This morning we drive south, through
some of Vietnam’s most beautiful scenery. At the 1,500 foot Hai Van
Pass—Pass of the Ocean Clouds— the mountains meet the South China
Sea and the views are spectacular. We’ll stop for a cool drink at
Lan Cao to stretch our legs, then at the fascinating Cham Museum in
Danang. This small museum amply documents a little-known culture,
displaced by the more vigorous Viets, that produced elegant
monuments and fine sculptures. Close to Danang is China Beach.
Time permitting, we’ll stop for a walk on the beach of this former
U.S. R&R base. Arrive in Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site,in
time for lunch. For hundreds of years thiswas the most flourishing
port in the country and attracted traders, and influences, from
China, Japan, and Europe. The town has remained intact and it’s
still possible to wander here and
imagine oneself in another age. After a sunset boat trip, with a
stop at a quaint boat-building village, enjoy another great dinner
at a marvelous local restaurant. Overnight Life Resort.
(B,L,D)
Day 9 Hoi An - My Son
Early this morning, depart for an
optional journey to the Cham ruins of My Son, recently clas- sified
a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Located in a beautiful, green
valley surrounded by impressive mountains, the ruins are the largest
and most intact remains of the ancient Kingdom of Champa in Vietnam.
Then stop at a villageknown for its brass gongs. For those choosing
to stay in Hoi An, enjoy a free morning.
Reconvene for lunch,
followed by an exploration of the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Tang Ky House and the Fukhien Association. This afternoon, test your
skills at Vietnamese cooking by joining a cooking class with
personal friends of ours. They will give us an introduction to
traditional methods and ingredients used in Vietnamese dishes. Savor
your own creation at dinner. Overnight Life Resort. (B,L,D)
Day 10 Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Fly to Saigon. Check into our hotel,
then enjoy an exploration of this vibrant city with visits to the
Reunification Palace, War Remnant Museum and Emperor of Jade Pagoda.
The late afternoon will be free. This evening we’ll have dinner at a
favorite local restaurant. Overnight in Saigon at the upscale
Sheraton Saigon Hotel, centrally on Saigon’s most famous Dong Khoi
Street. (B,L,D)
Day 11 Cu Chi/Saigon
Take an excursion into the
countryside to visit Cu Chi, where the famous Viet Cong tunnels are
located. Starting in the 1940s, this handdug network of tunnels
offered refuge for the underground (literally) resistance movement
against the French and then later the Americans. The massive system
of tunnels stretched over 75 miles underground, from Saigon to the
Cambodian frontier. Those who wish can descend into the tunnels to
gain a firsthand view of the terrible conditions faced by the Viet
Cong who lived here.
This excursion provides insightful lessons in
how the tenacious Vietnamese won their last three wars against
formidable powers with vastly superior technology. Upon return to
Saigon explore Chinatown’s Binh Tay market, Thien Hau Chinese
Temple, and Notre Dame Cathedral. See the Truc Mai House to visit a
family of local artists and to hear a musical performance. Learn
about traditional Vietnamese instruments through conversations with
the artists and hear performances from each family member. Overnight
Sheraton Saigon Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 12 Siem Reap, Cambodia
Enjoy a leisurely morning before our
flight to Siem Reap. Cambodia. Upon arrival begin our exploration of
this vast temple complex at Angkor. These famous monuments evidence
the richness of the Khmer civilization and constitute one of the
world’s greatest monuments, as a testament to the greatness of a
continent’s lost empire.
Henri Mouhot, the 19th century French
explorer who is credited with rediscovering the ruins after hundreds
of years of neglect, declared in awe that the Angkor complex was,
“greater than anything left to us by ancient Greece or Rome.”
Explore mystical Angkor Thom, accessing through the remote south
gate entrance, then see the Terraces of the Elephant and Leper King.
A labyrinthine series of walled passages carved from the grey stone
offer a glimpse back in time. This evening enjoy an elephant ride to
Phnom Bakeng for panoramic views of the area before dinner. Spend
the next two nights at the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa. Its elegant
colonial charm provides the perfect ambiance to complement the
legendary temples of Angkor. Overnight Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa.
(B,L,D)
Day 13 Tha Phrom/Angkor/ Bantheay Srei
This morning visit Ta Phrom and then
Angkor Wat, entering from the more remote east. Exquisite bas relief
carvings of dancing gods and prancing animals grace the walls of
Angkor Wat, while the overall architectural grandeur places it among
the most awe-inspiring sights in the world. Of particular note are
the Churning of the Sea of Milk, the sublime Vishnu statue, and the
later addition of Buddhist statues as the Khmer civilizations
converted to Theraveda Buddhism. We’ll break mid day to rest and
relax at our hotel or to visit Artisans d’Angkor.
This afternoon
head to the outlying Banteay Srei Temple, “The Citadel of Women,”
with its rose colored, sandstone walls. The standard of work and the
state of preservation make Banteay Srei Temple, “The Citadel of
Women,” with its rose colored, sandstone walls. The standard of work
and the state of preservation make Banteay Srei extraordinary. Stop
at Prasat Kravanh and Sra Srang, the royal bath. Time permitting,
visit a local village. Tonight we’ll enjoy a sumptuous farewell
dinner at our hotel.
Overnight Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa. (B,L,D)
Day 14 Siem Reap/Departure or Extend
Enjoy an optional sunrise tour of
Angkor Wat, if you wish by bicycle. Free at leisure until transfer
to airport for flying home or begin a private extension perhaps to a
beach on Phu Quoc Island (Vietnam) or in southern Thailand. (B,L)
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