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New Year's 2008 in Vietnam, Angkor Wat & Bangkok
December 28, 2008 ~ 12 days for $3995* Includes superior first class and deluxe hotels, economy class Inter-Asia flights Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)- Hanoi -Siem Reap- Bangkok , comprehensive sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Hanoi , Halong Bay , Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei & Bangkok, & 13 meals plus dinner at former U.S. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge's home in Vietnam Hosted by José Catalán and Lance Wilson Options: • Eva Airways flights Boeing 777-300ER from Los Angeles: economy class for $1367; upgrade to Business Class round trip for $3379 more. IMPORTANT: Our flights depart USA on Friday, December 26, cross the international date-line and arrive Vietnam on December 28 • US Airways flights between Phoenix and Los Angeles $211 round trip • Bangkok & Chiang Mai for $1678 * 4-night extension with flights *Per person double. Airline taxes/fuel surcharges are extra. Subject to change. Inquire about upgrading to Premium Economy Class on Eva Airways. Day by day itinerary: Sunday, December 28, 2008: Arrival Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam Our local Virtuoso hosts will meet our optional Eva Airways flight this morning for our transfer to the Majestic Hotel (early check in subject to availability). For room upgrades see rate insert. The remainder of the day is free. Note: The optional non-stop EvaAirways flights from Los Angeles to Taipei connecting to Vietnam is on Friday, December 26 arriving December 28. Our new hotel: Our hotel for the next three nights is the Superior first class Majestic Hotel, located in the Hart of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Opened in 1925 as the city’s finest hotel, the Majestic has gone through several reincarnations over the years. During World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army used this French colonial structure as a military barracks. During the Vietnam War, it was frequented by foreign correspondents and espionage agents. In 2003 the Majestic was renovated adding a Spa, Serenade Restaurant, M.Bar, and the Catinate lounge with free Wireless Internet Access. Colonial guest rooms feature air-conditioning, Mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities, cable tv and safe deposits. Website: http://www.majesticsaigon.com.vn/ Monday, December 29, 2008: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam city tour. After a leis Tuesday, December 30, 2008: My Tho full day tour + dinner at home U.S. Ambassador H. Cabot Lodge. This morning we visit My Tho in the Mekong Delta. We start with a 2-hour scenic drive passing paddy fields and river tributaries. On arrival, we board our private motorized boat In the evening, we will drive to the home of the former U.S. Ambassador in Vietnam (1961 – 1963), Henry C. Lodge, for a private dinner with traditional Vietnamese entertainment. (B, L, D) Wednesday, December 31, 2008: Saigon to Hanoi flight (included). This morning we transfer to the airport for our 2-hour non-stop flight to Hanoi . Our local Virtuoso hosts will take us to the 5-Star InterContinental, Hanoi’s newest luxury hotel. Our new hotel: Opened in late 2007, the InterContinental Westlake Hanoi is the only hotel in Vietnam to be featured in Condé Nast Traveler 2008 “Hot List.” The hotel is on the historic West Lake, across from the 800-year-old Golden Lotus Pagoda, within a 10-minute ride from a wide range of sightseeing and shopping areas. Guestrooms showcase contemporary Vietnamese design at its best. The spacious interiors feature cream walls and dark timber, complemented by rich textures and vibrant colors. All rooms are equipped with LCD televisions, Bose system and large private balconies and beautiful views over Westlake.. Website: InterContinental Hanoi. Afternoon free. Tonight we gather before dinner to celebrate the New Year followed by optional New Year's Eve activities. (B) Thursday, January 1, 2009: Hanoi. Day at leisure to discover Hanoi on your own or take one of the optional excursions. (B)
Friday, January 2, 2009: Half-day Hanoi city tour and Hoa Lo Prison ( Hanoi Hilton). Hanoi lies in the mighty Red River Delta and has a turbulent history dating back more than a thousand years. It is a charming city with by many parks and lakes. This morning's tour includes the Old Quarter, which features magnificent French colonial architecture. Our visit begins with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside) and walk via the beautiful Presidential Palace to visit ‘Uncle Ho's' simple home. We will visit the lotus-shaped One Pillar Pagoda known as the Temple of Love , winding our way to the Temple of Literature , a university for centuries. We will also visit the historic Hoa Lo Prison ( Hanoi Hilton) constructed by the French in 1896 to house political prisoners. The Vietnamese took it over in 1954 and was subsequently used to house prisoners of war. From 1964 to 1973, Hoa Lo Prison was a major POW detention facility. Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain was a famous inmate as was Pete Peterson, the ambassador to Vietnam . Stories here are told from the Vietnamese perspective in photographs and writings grouped in one small room. The courtyard linking the two has parts of original tunnels once used by a hundred intrepid Vietnamese revolutionaries to escape in 1945. Only part of the original complex is left. It is now a tall, gleaming office complex popular with foreign investors.
Later, we will explore Hanoi 's Old Quarter by cyclo and on foot with a visit to a typical house in the old quarter. In the 13th century, Hanoi's 36 ‘guilds' established themselves here, each taking a different street, like Silversmith Street or Coffins Street, Fish street. We return to our hotel for a free afternoon and evening. (B)
Sunday, January 4, 2009: Fly Hanoi to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Cambodia (included). Morning transfer to the airport our the non-stop 2-hour flight to Siem Reap. Our local Virtuoso hosts will transfer us to the exquisite Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor. . Evening at leisure. (B) For over 75 years, a visit to the ancient Angkor temples has been synonymous with a stay at Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor. Now sensitively restored, the hotel' complements the mystery and grandeur of Angkor as never before. Guests have an array of restaurants and bars, from the formal Le Grand to the Café d'Angkor and cocktails at the famous Elephant Bar. The Raffles Amrita Spa offers a gym, saunas, Jacuzzi and massages. Website: http://siemreap.raffles.com/ Monday, January 5, 2009: Siem Reap morning and afternoon tours. We will visit the A This afternoon we continue our visit to the picturesque Ta Prohm that had nearly disappeared into the jungle and remains overgrown -- an oddly haunting and exotic scene. The magnificent roots of a tree, pushing between the huge stone blocks of the temple in a sort of embrace, evoke feelings that you may remember forever. Continue our visit to more of the Angkor ruins, possibly including Neak Pean, East Mebon, located on an islet in the center of the Eastern Baray, and Ta Son, a Buddhist temple built in the late 12th century and in a ruined state. On our way back to our hotel we will stop at Les Artisans D'Angkor School and workshop where they preserve the traditional art and craft mostly lost during the Pol Pot regime. (B) Tuesday, January 6, 2009: Angkor Thom & Banteay Srei tours. After breakfast, we take a ‘tuk tuk' to visit the Angkor Thom with the temple of Bayon . The royal city itself covers four square miles and is located in the city's geographic centre. Its 50-tower temple is an awesome sight. At first glance it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, and then another and another until suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time. Incorporated into the wall surrounding the city is a number of earlier buildings. Further, visit to the surroundings of the complex including the Baphou, Elephant Terraces, Lepper King Terrace and Royal Place area. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a scenic drive to the rural outskirts and visit Banteay Srei . On our way, we pass a few small Cambodia villages that have likely remained essentially the same for centuries. The walls are densely covered with some of the most beautiful, deep and intricate carvings of any Angkorian temple. The temple's relatively small size, pink sandstone construction and ornate design give it a fairyland ambiance. Drive back to our luxury hotel for an evening at leisure. (B)
This afternoon, we will take a private long-tailed boat trip along the busy Chao Phya River & Klongs (canals) of Thonburi visiting Wat Arun (Temple of Dayn). We then drive to the Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha Temple in the same compound surrounded by crenellated walls built in 1782. The Emerald Buddha is the most sacred object of Thailand , held by all Thais as also the symbol of national independence. The highlight is the Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew) with its tiny jade image of the Buddha – the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand . We then visit Wat Pho, an enormous Buddha covered in gold leaf and lying on its side. (B) Thursday, January 8, 2009: Return to USA or 4-day Chiang Mai extension. Mid-morning you will be transfereed to the airport for our Eva Airways flight to Taipei connecting to the non-stop flight to Los Angeles , arriving at 2 p.m. the same day. Our optional US Airways flight to Phoenix arrives that afternoon. (B) New Year's 2008 in Vietnam, Angkor Wat & Bangkok: options & extension Optional Thai Airways flights from Los Angeles round trip, depart USA Friday, Dec. 26 Economy Class for $1367*. Eva Airways new image redefines Economy Class as never before. Economy Class in the new Boeing 777-ER features newly designed seats with individual, in-seat entertainment systems with a large assortment of film, music and interactive game choices, providing many hours of amusements and activities. Seats offer a 33 inch pitch and 17 inch width. Configuration is 3-3-3.
Upgrade to Business Class round trip for $3379* more. Eva Airways Business Class offers perfection in every aspect of service, on the ground and in the air. Two abreast shell chairs provide a generous 61 inches (five feet) of leg room, with 180 degree recline for sleeping. Each seat includes the latest high-tech entertainment system with large format, touch control screens offering an exceptionally wide range of entertainment choices of movies, music, interactive games and information channels. Configuration is 2-2-2.
Optional US Air round trip flights between Phoenix and Los Angeles is $211* Airline taxes and fuel surcharges totaling approximately $425 per person and Vietnam and Cambodia visas are extra. Fares are subject to availability and may change until ticketed. Flights from other cities are available.
Bangkok & Chiang Mai 4 night Extension for $1678* Includes round trip economy flights from Bangkok , extra night in Bangkok, 3 nights in Chiang Mai deluxe hotels, hotel and airport transfers, sightseeing in Ayuthaya, Wieng Kum Kam and Chiang Dao Elephant Training, breakfast daily and two luncheons. A minimum of 5 guests is required. Room upgrades are available at a supplement. Friday, January 8, 2009: Bangkok extra day sightseeing and lunch. Following breakfast on our second day in Bangkok we enjoy a full day tour to Ayuthaya , the former capital of Thailand (1350-1767) 50 miles north of Bangkok . Our first stop is at the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace, built during the Ayuthaya era. The palace is beautifully decorated in both traditional Chinese and European styles. We tour the exotic Aisawanthipaya Art Pavilion, a unique Chinese-style hall with a collection of Thai, Chinese and European artifacts as well as many monuments. We arrive at Ayuthaya, the Ancient city to visit the 600-year-old Wat Maha That and Wat Na Phra Mane with the splendid Golden Buddha with the 3000-year old green stone carved Buddha and Wat Lokayasutharam enshrining a Largest Reclining Buddha image built during the Early period of the Ayuthaya Region. We return to Bangkok on our cruise with lunch on board. (B, L) Saturday, January 9: Fly Bangkok to Chiang Mai (included) + sightseeing. This morning we t Our new hotel: The Puripunn is an intimate small luxury property with only 30 rooms constructed in a contemporary Lanna Asian-style inspired by traditional homes of Chiang Mai’s colonial period. The hotel is situated in the midst of one of Chiang Mai's centuries-old communities where ancient Lanna treasures, cultural traditions and way of life have been well-preserved. Many night pubs, restaurants, shops, and sightseeing attractions are within a few minutes’ stroll of Puripunn and the downtown Night Bazaar. The hotel offers the Punna Café with Thai and Western cuisine, swimming pool, Spa. The air-conditioned rooms have mini-bars, complimentary Wi-Fi and flat-screen tv’s. Website: http://www.puripunn.com/
Sunday, January 10: Chiang Mai ‘blessings' & bicycle sightseeing. You may wake up in the early morning and take part in a daily Buddhist ceremony " Tak Bat " or merit making by giving food and other items to monks on their alms rounds at the Status of Kruba Sri Vichat , the holy monk of Northern Thailand . After, continue to Wat Suan Dok to offer some ‘requisites' to a monk and receive blessings from him. Food for monks and Sangkhatan ‘requisites' are included. Return to your hotel for breakfast. A fun way to visit Wieng Kum Kam, an ancient city that was built by King Mengrai in the 14th Century, is by bicycle. Explore the royal temple of Wat Kanthom, the shrine of King Mengrai, Wat Hao Nong, Wat Pu Pia and Wat E-kang which were just discovered during archeological excavations, and many others, which are part of the architectural heritage of Chiang Mai. Drive back or cycle back to the hotel. The remainder of the day is free. (B)
Monday, January 11: Chiang Dao Elephant Training Camp. Travel north on Chiang Mai-ThaTon route, to Chiang Dao Elephant Training Camp. Enjoy the spectacular scenery along the way. Arrive at the camp, watch a herd of elephants taking a bath in a mountain stream and a brief demonstration of elephants work in the remote jungle. After the show, take 1.5 hrs elephant ride to Lisu hill tribe village followed by 1 hr rafting along Mae Ping River . Picnic lunch provided en-route. (B, L) January 12: Chiang Mai - Bangkok - home. Free at leisure until your transfer to the airport for the flight to Bangkok , connect the optional Eva Airways flight via Taipei to Los Angeles arriving that same afternoon. Optional US Airways flights to Phoenix are available. PLEASE REFER TO BRUCHURE INSERT FOR DEPOSIT AND CANCELLATION POLICIES. TRIP INSURANCE IS AVAILABLE AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. New Year's 2008 Special Travelex 360 Trip Cancellation & Medical Protection Insurance Important: rates do not vary according to age Save Up to 50% on regular trip insurance plans
Included features*: • Pre-departure trip cancellation for medical reasons. Pre-existing conditions covered if insurance is taken within 14 days of deposit • Post-departure trip interruption • Medical expense • Travel delay • Accidental death and dismemberment • Baggage and personal effects * Please refer to 360o Travelex Travel Protection brochure and policy. Restrictions and exclusions apply. Sample “Active” Optional Excursions December 29: Cu Chi tunnels $45 half day (afternoon) In the afternoon around 0200PM, take 2-hour-drive through the typical southern Vietnamese countryside to Cu Chi district. Upon arrival in Cu Chi, we experience ourselves the underground village built by Cu Chi guerrilla fighters, the remains of a real bloody battle field which is simply a network of tunnels built during the long years of wars. This trip is specially led by a VC, who used to live under the tunnels. Return Saigon in late afternoon. Cu Chi tunnels are about 45 miles form Saigon and it normally takes 1-1/2 hours. We will leave our hotel after lunch and return around 6:30 p.m.
January 01: Full Day bicycling Thay pagoda and handicraft village with lunch $159 This morning, shuttle 20 miles from Hanoi to Thay pagoda dating from the 15th century with a fantastic collection of carved wooden Buddha statues. Start biking from Thay Pagoda toward Lang - Hoa Lac highway on paved road with rice fields along the way, stopping en route at the traditional So noodle making village. Bike through interesting villages and interact with local people to experience the reality of daily life deep in the Vietnamese countryside, far from the beaten path. Enjoy picnic lunch before enjoying a nice leisurely walk under cool shade of betel nut trees through Da Ngu village to Chuong conical hat making village. Shuttle back to Hanoi for late afternoon. Guests will depart around 8 a.m. and return around 4 p.m. It takes 45 minutes from our hotel to Thay Pagoda then will bike a total of about 20 miles while visiting the temples, handicraft villages and interacting with local people.
January 5 and 6: bicycling to Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom Temples $72 per person While the other guests drive to get there, you can bike to the temples -- and what an experience it is! Stop en route to interact with local people and visit local home, if guests wish.
January 6: Elephant 20-minute ride at Bayon temple $28 per elephant (up to 2 guests per elephant)
January 6: 15-minutes Tethered balloon ride over temples $20 per person For reservations or information please email Seasidejourneys@earthlink.net Or call Lance Wilson or Gay Mullan at Navigant Vacations in Scottsdale at 1-480-949-1919 - 800-336-2242 ext. 3221
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Saturday, January 3, 2009: Hanoi – Halong Bay cruise (full day trip) with lunch. 
Wednesday, January 7, 2009: Fly Siem Reap – Bangkok (included) & sightseeing. 
