GRAND INDOCHINA TOUR

Escorted Group Tour Dossier. GT17

MEKONG TRAVEL - SIGHTSEEING TOUR POLICY

Major sightseeing highlights of Indochina include a huge variety of religious and historic monuments; a rich cultural and artistic heritage; museums and beautiful scenery. Such key elements are naturally include in sightseeing tour itineraries, but Mekong Travel also seeks out the less obvious attractions - interesting local markets, festivals, wherever these coincide with travel plans, traditional handicrafts and industries, plus the opportunity to meet local people in their own environments. Also include are opportunities to try regional cuisine and to see typical or traditional forms of entertainment.

Mekong Travel includes such extra dimensions to make any visit to Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia or Laos a richer, more rewarding and more memorable experience.

GENERAL ADVICE ON TRAVELING IN INDOCHINA

Never drink tap water - purified, bottled water is available everywhere.

Use an insect repellent against mosquitoes, especially in upcountry and forested areas. A hat and high factor block cream is advisable as protection against the hot tropical sun when sightseeing.

Casual and light clothing is required, preferable natural fiber, year-round, but a sweater or jacket may be useful in hill areas, particularly during winter months, when evenings can be quite cool. An umbrella or raincoat is essential if visiting during the monsoon months (May-September).

Travelers should take adequate supplies of any prescription medicines they may need, as supplies may not be available locally. A spare pair of eyeglasses, if worn, is also advisable. Useful too, is a flashlight, for exploring caves or details of temple interiors, which are often not properly illuminated

Take plenty of film, as locally available supplies are not always reliable. Photography in airports, railway stations and near any military installation is forbidden. Please use discretion when photographing people, especially with tribal people, who may have superstitions against this. For close-up shots always ask first.

Visitors are required to dress decently within the precincts of religious buildings. Ladies should not wear shorts or bra-less T-shirts in such places. Shoes and socks/stockings must always be removed at pagodas and monasteries. Shoulders and knees should be covered. Disregard of these rules causes serious cultural and religious offense to the devout Asian people. Visitors are advised to ignore touts who may approach them to exchange foreign currency, or to sell gems of dubious quality. Such offers, although apparently attractive, are breaking strict laws.

Begging is widespread in some parts of Indochina but not in others and visitors are requested not to encourage development of this practice by giving money, sweets etc. to children. If travelers wish to contribute to say, a village community, gifts should be directed to the local schoolteacher or headman.
Contributions can also be arranged to recognise local charities two of which we support.

HOTELS

In spite of the building boom that is creating new hotels up to international standards for the first time in key tourist centers, accommodations in Indochina still varies widely in quality and, during high seasons, availability can be limited. Mekong Travel clients will generally receive hotel reservation priority, but Mekong Travel cannot guarantee specific hotel requests and reserves the right to substitute accommodation of the best available alternative standard when a first-choice hotel is not available. Clients are advised that accommodations, especially outside the main locations, may not always be up to international standards.

Many people have no idea of the stunning visual beauty and traditional culture that Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia have to offer. It is a unique and fascinating region of great physical and rich cultural diversity whose history spans over 4,000 years.

Picture a land of idyllic tree-lined beaches, tranquil bays dotted with the sails of junks and sampans, offshore coral islands, mountains, valleys, primal forests, plains crossed by countless rivers and emerald rice fields enriched with the varied scenes of everyday life. The traditional rural life, embodied in the villagers tilling the land with rudimentary tools under their conical hats in the patchwork paddy fields, and children riding their water buffaloes home from the fields at the end of the day, contrasts dramatically with the sights, sounds and pace of the cities whose busy streets overflow with humanity borne along on a rising tide of bicycles and motor scooters.

The regions long history is an every present companion: sites of ancient battles, ancient civilisations and kingdoms which flourished in this enigmatic land long before the French colonialists, Communism and the tragic wars of the more recent past.

In traditionally agricultural countries, new to the concept of tourism, you have to expect the unexpected, if so you won't be disappointed.

This tour traces the complex history and culture of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and its people, introducing some of the many different faces and places of these fascinating countries. Almost all travel restrictions have been dropped, and you can now visit most parts of these countries.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

WEATHER. Except for Hanoi (between November and February) the weather will be hot and humid throughout, with temperatures during the day between about 28C and 34C. It is only a little cooler at nights. There is quite a range of seasons between the north and the South Vietnam: the south has a distinct hot dry season from February to June, and there is a pronounced wet season in the middle of the country in September and October. November to March is a cool season in the north, and there may be some drizzly rain: a jumper or warm jacket may be required. Other than that, rain when it does fall usually comes in short, violent bursts with bright sunshine in between. Laos tends to be drier than Vietnam and during the summer months slightly hotter, except in the mountains. Cambodia's weather patterns are much on a par with southern Vietnam although during the winter months a pleasant cool wind blows down from the Lao Mountains. It is unlikely that the weather will ever be perfect for the entire duration of any trip. In addition flooding does occur from time to time particularly north of Hue though this is unpredictable, as indeed is the weather in Indochina in general.

VACCINATIONS. No vaccinations are compulsory unless arriving from and infected area, but we recommend vaccination against hepatitis A and typhoid. Malaria prophylactics is strongly recommended and there has been some chloroquine resistance reported, so please see your Doctor for advice.

ACCOMMODATION. The accommodation on this trip is a mixture of good quality private hotels (mostly 2 to 3- star). The hotels have air conditioning and we will normally have twin rooms with private facilities. In general, the hotels we use are of a good standard, and will be clean and comfortable with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, minibar and TV.

FOOD. All breakfasts (e.g. bread, eggs or fruit and tea or coffee) are included. Lunches and Dinners will be taken as a group on a daily kitty of £7.

EXTRA EXPENSES. Vietnam Visa £40. Lao visa $50 paid on arrival, Cambodia visa $25 paid on arrival. Departure tax. There are also a number of entry fees not included in the price: as it is hard to say what people would like to visit. Optional tours if required.

GROUP, STAFF & SUPPORT. The group size will be between 6 and 16. All groups will be accompanied by an experienced English guide, plus a Vietnamese guide and where applicable a local driver. All your luggage and personal belongings will be carried by the support vehicle.

TRIP PROFILE. Our trip takes us from Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam onto the temples of Angkor in Cambodia via Phnom Penh. We use a combination of different types of transport, including mini bus, planes and boats.

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

Day 1

Mid-day departure with Thai International Airways from London, Heathrow.

Day 2

Arrive Bangkok at 06.05 for the connecting flight to Vientiane 08.20-09.30. Transfer to the hotel, which is located in the central part of the city. After a rest you will have an introductory talk and
city tour visiting Vat Sisaket, That Luang Stupa, Vat Hoprakeo and Patousay then we will have dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 3

Visit morning market before transfer to airport. Vientiane/Lunag Prabang by Lao Aviation. Transfer to hotel and visit various famous temples such as; Vat Vixon, Vat Aham and Phusi Hill.

Day 4

Visit Vat Xieng Thong and excursion by boat to the holy caves of Pak-Ou, housing thousands of Buddha images.
Visit local rice wine distillery and Ban Phanom weaving village.

Day 5

LUANG PRABANG - VIENTIANE
Morning visit the former King's Palace, now a national museum and transfer to airport for afternoon flight to Vientiane
Visit Buddha Park.

Day 6

VIENTIANE - DEPARTURE
Transfer to Wattay International Airport for departure. Arrive Hanoi and transfer to the hotel, which is located near the old quarter of the city. The afternoon explore this beautiful old city with its faded French colonial ambience its lakes, parks and temples. the tour will include Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and museum. In the evening we will watch a performance of Vietnamese water-puppetry before dinner. This art is unique to Vietnam.

Day 7

Morning city tour visiting the old parts of the city and Temple of Literature.
We leave Hanoi and travel to Halong
Bay.

Day 8

In the morning board our private boat for a journey around Halong Bay. Fishing junks sail by as we cruise among the 3,000 limestone peaks. Rising directly from the emerald sea this is an essential experience for anyone visiting Vietnam.
After a fresh seafood lunch cooked on board, we return to the main land and drive back to Hanoi.

Day 9

Morning flight to Danang and then drive to the ancient port of Hoi An.
Once one of the busiest bustling commercial ports in Southeast Asia.

Hoi An was visited by merchants coming from different regions and countries. Therefore, it still retains the characteristics of many foreign cultures, especially Chinese and Japanese.

Most notable in this complex of historical relics is the hundreds of ancient houses. These are original works of art. All the houses were made of durable wood and consist of one or two storeys, decorated with horizontal lacquered boars and vertical parallel panels engraved with Chinese characters. Pillars are carved with ornate designs. Ancient Chinese and Japanese Pagodas lie among ancient streets. The numerous rivers and canals in Hoi An explains the presence of many bridges with very original architectures.

Hoi An is a very pleasant small town set back from the sea on a river estuary. Despite having one of the highest concentrations of tourists there is a reason for this. The town was one of the major seaports of SE Asia in the 17-19th Centuries and human remains have been found here dating back to 2200 BC. The town has 844 structures of historical significance and is a fascinating place to wander around.
Restaurants and cafes are abundant particularly in Le Loi St.
Hoi An is an excellent place for silk and the tailors are very cheap, you will also find many art shops selling a wide range of fabulous paintings.

Mid afternoon we will then cross the impressive 'Hai Van' pass, stopping to admire the view as we descend and then a brief stop at Lang Co beach before we reach Hue.

Day 10

The day is spent visiting the Imperial City.

The Tomb of King Minh Mang
Built from 1841 to 1843 on Cam Khe Mountain of the left side of Perfume the River, it is 12 km from Hue. With its solemnity, majesty and melancholy surroundings the tomb is considered typical architecture of the Nguyen dynasty.

Tomb of King Tu Duc.
Lying on Van Nien Mountain in Duong Xuan Thuong village it is 7 km from Hue. The work was started in 1864 and completed in 1867.
Tu Duc was a king as well as a poet. He designed his own tomb and supervised himself its construction, as he had no son to take care of it (a long tradition requires that a filial son should build tombs for his parents).
As he stands watching the monument looming against exquisite scenery the tourist may associate this masterpiece and its surroundings with rhymes in a well-balanced poem.

The tomb of King Khai Dinh
Its construction took a good ten years, from 1920 to 1930, on Chau Ngu Hill, 10 km from Hue. It is a "magnificent monument that blends western and oriental cultures". The art of joining broken pieces of porcelain into hierographic characters and symbolic decorative patterns reached a high degree of workmanship.
Hue is well known for its hundreds of pagodas most typical of which is Thien Mu pagoda on Ha Khe hill on the left bank of the Perfume River, four kilometers southwest of Hue. The Phuoc Duyen tower of the pagoda reflected into the flickering water of Perfume River has stood there for centuries to witness the vicissitudes of this imperial capital.

The Imperial City at Hue is built on the same principles as the Forbidden Palace in Peking (Beijing). It is enclosed by 7-10m thick outer walls (Kinh thank) along with moats, canals and towers. Emperor Gia Long commenced construction in 1804 after geomancers had decreed a suitable location and orientation for the palace. The site enclosed the land of eight villages for which the inhabitants received compensation, and covers 6 square kms; sufficient area to house the emperor and all his family, courtiers, bodyguards and servants. It took 20,000 men to construct the walls alone. Ten gates pierced the walls of the citadel, although many are in poor condition. Not only has the city been damaged by war and incessant conflict, but also by natural disasters such as floods which in the mid 19th century inundated the city to a depth of several meters.

Day 11

Morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (formally Saigon) is a complete contrast to Hanoi the capital. It is a city with a vibrant atmosphere and fast changing skyline. Colourful markets street cafes and shops selling just about everything you can imagine are open from early morning. This is a great town just to stroll around, taking in the atmosphere and visiting the many museums, markets and pagodas. The rest of the day is spent on a city tour.

Day 12

Day free for shopping or sightseeing. Alternatively take an optional tour.
1) CU CHI TUNNELS & TAY NINH :
Forty kilometres from Saigon, are the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels. At the tunnels we take a guided tour to see how the guerrillas fought and lived in the incredibly harsh and cramped conditions. After lunch we travel to Tay Ninh and the Cao Dai temple.
The Cao Dai is a religious sect founded in 1926 which embraces all religions - mixing Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism and even Taoism into its creed and featuring a priesthood and structure based on the Roman Catholic Church.
2) Mekong Delta:
This trip makes a pleasant journey through the waterways in the Delta. Traveling by small boat, you will visit Coconut Island, honey and fruit farms and see day today living on the Delta.

Day 13

Morning departure from Ho Chi Minh Penh by Vietnam Airlines or Royal Air Cambodge. Arrive Phnom Penh and transfer to hotel. Afternoon City tour; visit National Museum, Silver Pagoda and Royal Palace
The city is conveniently located on the banks where three rivers - the Mekong, the Tonle Sap and the Bassac - converge, a location known to Cambodians as Chatomuk, or four faces. The French influence can be felt today in the city, a legacy of a 90-year period that saw the construction of many lovely colonial era residences for French administrators.

Independence Monument
Designed by Khmer architect Ban Molyvann, Independence Monument commemorates the end of Cambodia's rule by France in 1953.

Royal Palace
Built in 1866 by King Norodom, the Royal Palace is now home the His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk Varman, King of Cambodia, and Her Majesty Preah Reach Akkamohesey Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, the Queen. Most of the buildings inside the palace walls are closed to the public except on special occasions.

Silver Pagoda
Located within the Royal Palace compound, the Silver Pagoda is so named because of its floor, which is made up of 5,000 silver tiles. On display inside are hundreds of royal gifts received by the Royal family over the years. Among the treasures are a solid gold Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds and weighing 90 kilos and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha. The compound also houses Wat Phnom Mondap, containing Buddha's footprint. The walls surrounding the compound - the oldest part of the palace - are covered with frescos depicting episodes from the Khmer version of the Ramayana, the Reamker.

National Museum
Located just north of the Royal Palace, the National Museum has recently been restored and represents the finest of Phnom Penh's architecture on display inside.

Tuol Sleng Museum
It's hardly surprising that the city's two most dramatic monuments are those connected with the darkness and brutality of that time. One is the Tuol Sleng Museum, formerly Tuol Svay Prey High School, which the Khmer Rouge turned into Security Prison 21 - their main detention, interrogation and torture center for class enemies during Year Zero. It's a bleak collection of old school buildings surrounded by a tall fence topped with barbed wire and although a lot of its most hideous features - the various instruments of torture - have been removed, it still chills the heart when you try to imagine the suffering and despair of the thousands of people who passed through this charnel house.

Day 14

Morning transfer to the airport for the short flight to Siem Reap by Royal Air Cambodge. Check into hotel and spend the rest of the day visiting Angkor Wat, South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Elephant Terrace etc.

Day 15

Visits to various temples making up this vast complex.

ANGKOR TEMPLE
The majestic temples of Angkor belong to the classic period of Khmer art and civilization. Today, a millennium after they were built, they awe visitors with their perfection and enormity.
The temples are the creation of a succession of Khmer kings who presided over an empire that dominated the region from 800 to 1430, reaching its peak in the 12th century. The period began with the ascension to the throne by King Jayavarman II.
From the 15th century, the temples were abandoned, forgotten by the world until their "rediscovery" in 1861 by French naturalist Henri Mouhot.
The jungle setting and silence enhance the mystery of the temples. One early discoverer's reaction upon seeing Angkor Wat more than 130 years ago may not be so different from what travelers can experience today.

Many of the temples remain in surprisingly good condition. Others are under restoration, and visitors can get a firsthand look at the painstaking efforts underway to preserve the relics. Architectural historians from a variety of countries including France, India, Japan, the United States, Indonesia and Hungary in the past few years have contributed their expertise to preserve the temples. The ruins cover an area of 400 square kilometers in the province of Siem Reap containing more than 100 monuments.

Day 16

Siem Reap-Bangkok by Bangkok Air Ways and connect International flight to Bangkok.

Day 17

Arrive early morning at London, Heathrow airport.

DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES

Dept: Monday 3rd September 2007 Return: Wednesday 19th September 2007
Dept: Monday 12th March 2007 Return: Wednesday 28th March 2007

Price £1285.00 ground price, plus £675.00 return international flights. Total price £1,960.00 per person.

Single supplement £250.00

We will arrange twin share accommodation for single travellers, the supplement is for those requesting for their own rooms.

For currency conversions, click here: XE.com Personal Currency Assistant

We will arrange twin share accommodation for single travellers, the supplement is for those requesting for their own rooms.

The information in this dossier has been given in good faith and covers the average range of conditions to be found on the trip. These are poor countries where services are not up to International standards consequently unexpected changes sometime occur.

Please call us with any question you may have.

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