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FROM
ANGKOR WAT TO HA LONG BAY
A World Heritage Sites Tour of Cambodia and Vietnam |
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The
histories of Cambodia and Vietnam have influenced each
other for many generations. Our two-week program covers
the best of these two Indochina countries from the Angkorian
era to the French and beyond. This journey is one of artistically
designed temples, lush scenery and landscape, markets,
sounds, music, the scent of the Perfume River and, above
all, friendly and sociable people. There can be no doubt,
this is a distinct world.
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Tour
Summary
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Map |
Day
|
Place
|
|
01
|
Phnom
Penh |
|
02
|
Phnom Penh / Siem Reap |
| 03 |
Siem
Reap |
|
04
|
Siem
Reap / Saigon |
|
05
|
Saigon |
|
06
|
Saigon |
|
07
|
Saigon
/ Dalat |
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08
|
Dalat
/ Nha Trang |
|
09
|
Nha
Trang |
|
10
|
Nha
Trang / Danang / Hoi An |
|
11
|
Hoi
An |
|
12
|
Hoi
An / Hue |
|
13
|
Hue
|
| 14 |
Hue
/ Hanoi |
| 15 |
Hanoi |
| 16 |
Hanoi
|
| 17 |
Hanoi |
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|
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UNESCO
World Heritage Sites Visited
This tour has been tailored to include the following World
Heritage Sites |
|
World Heritage Sites in Cambodia covered on this tour |
|
Angkor (1992) |
Angkor
is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East
Asia. Stretching over some 400 sq. km, including forested
area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent
remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire,
from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous
Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple
with its countless sculptural decorations. UNESCO has
set up a wide- ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic
site and its surroundings. |
| World
Heritage Sites in Vietnam covered on this tour |
| Complex
of Hue Monuments (1993) |
Established
as the capital of unified Vietnam in 1802, Hu� was not
only the political but also the cultural and religious
centre under the Nguyen Dynasty until 1945. The Perfume
River winds its way through the Capital City, the Imperial
City, the Forbidden Purple City and Inner City, adding
natural beauty to this unique feudal capital. |
| Ha
Long Bay (1994, 2000) |
Ha
Long Bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some
1600 islands and islets forming a spectacular seascape
of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature,
most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by
man. The exceptional esthetic values of this site are
complimented by its great biological interest. |
| Hoi
An Ancient Town (1999) |
Hoi
An constitutes an exceptionally well preserved example
of a South-East Asian trading port from the period of
the 15th to 19th centuries. Its buildings and its street
pattern reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign,
that combined to produce this unique heritage site. |
| Detailed
Itinerary |
Day 01 Wednesday:
Arrive Phnom Penh (CAMBODIA)
Sohm swaakohm! (Welcome in Khmer) Phnom Penh is located at
the confluence of the beautiful Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap
rivers and is considered the loveliest of the French-built
cities of Indochina. It was founded as a small monastery in
1372 by a rich Khmer woman named Penh after she found four
Buddha statues and set up a monastery at a nearby hill or “Phnom”.
We visit Wat Phnom temple, where the first pagoda was built
and Wat Ounalom which was built in 1443 to house a single hair
of Buddha and is comprised of 44 structures facing the Silver
Pagoda. Next is the National Museum containing a fine collection
of Khmer art including a beautiful 6th century bronze statue
of Vishnu. The Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide), became
the Khmer Rouge’s main torture was known as Security
Prison 21. We culminate the day with a visit to the Central
Market, distinguished by its central dome and filled with shops
selling jewelry, fabrics and all kinds of souvenirs making
it a great place for shopping.
Overnight: Sunway Hotel, Phnom Penh (1 night)
Day 02 Thursday: Phnom Penh/Siem Reap (Flight)
This morning we take a short flight to Siem Reap where we tour
the majestic Angkor Wat, a temple that was constructed over
a period of 30 years and illustrates some of the most exquisite
examples of Khmer and Hindu art. In 1992, the monuments and
the city of Angkor were declared a World Heritage Site. Our
next stop is at the Angkor Thom, a fortified Royal City (10
square kilometers/4 square miles) encircled by a moat 100 metres/109
yards wide with five monumental gates. In the center of the
walled city are the most important monuments including the
Baphuon, the Terrace of Elephants and the Bayon - Jayavarman
VII’s temple mount standing at the center of Angkor Thom.
This is one of the most popular and interesting of Angkor’s
monuments with its narrow corridors, steep flights of stairs
and an amazing collection of towers.
Overnight: Angkor Century Hotel, Siem Reap (2 nights) (B)
Day 03 Friday: Siem Reap
We spend another day at Siem Reap and visit more interesting
sites. Banteay Srei, built late in the 10th century, is a square
Hindu temple with entrances on the east and west. We also visit
the three central towers decorated with male and female divinities
and beautiful filigree relief work. Banteay Samre, Ta Keo and
Ta Prohm. One of the most popular attractions of Angkor, Ta
Prohm looks very much as most of the Angkor monuments would
have appeared when European explorers first stumbled across
the site. Pre Rup and Eastern Mebon wrap-up an extraordinary
day of sightseeing. (B)
Day 04 Saturday: Siem Reap/Saigon (VIETNAM) (Flight)
Chào ban! (Welcome in Vietnamese) Upon arrival to one
of Vietnams largest cities we are met and transferred to our
hotel.
Overnight: Majestic Hotel, Saigon (3 nights) (B)
Day 05 Sunday: Saigon
We have a whole day to explore some of the most interesting
sites, including the beautiful neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral,
the Central Post Office, the Opera House also known as “Saigon
Concert Hall’, the Jade Emperor Pagoda with its colorful
and mysterious ambiance, the Reunification Palace and Ben Thanh
Market. We also visit the Giam Lam Pagoda built at the end
of the 17th century and the oldest pagoda in Saigon, Binh Tay
Market, and finally the Thien Hau Pagoda, one of the most active
in Cholon. (B)
Day 06 Monday: Saigon
Today we take an interesting excursion to My Tho, the capital
of Tien Giang Province. The economy of My Tho is based on fishing
and the cultivation of rice, coconuts, bananas, mangos, longans
and citrus fruits. We have the opportunity to visit the centuries-old
My Tho Church and experience the Central Market, filled with
stalls selling everything from fresh food and bulk tobacco
to boat propellers. Cao Dai Temple in the Long An Province,
is a smaller temple than the one at Tay Ninh, but is well worth
a visit. The Vinh Trang Pagoda is a beautiful and well-maintained
sanctuary where charitable monks provide a home to needy children.
Finally, we visit Dragon Island with its many longan orchards
and lush, palm-fringed shores lined with traditional wooden
fishing boats. (B)
The above tour/excursion may be substituted for Cu Chi & Tay
Ninh.
Day 07 Tuesday: Saigon/Dalat (Drive 298 kms/185 miles)
This morning we journey northeast for Dalat. En Route we have
the opportunity to stop at Dambri Falls, the highest falls
in Vietnam, where the views are breathtaking. This area is
inhabited chiefly by Montagnards. We also stop at Pongour Falls
that, during the rainy season, form a full semicircle. Next
on our journey is Langa Lake, a reservoir that is crossed by
a bridge and is residence to many floating houses. Finally
we explore Dinh Quan, where we will find 3 inactive volcanic
craters dating from the late Jurassic period.
Overnight: Novotel Hotel, Dalat (1 night) (B)
Day 08 Wednesday: Dalat/Nha Trang (Drive 213 kms/132 miles)
Today is our day to tour Dalat beginning with the Hang Nga
Art Gallery, a café and art gallery run by the gallery's
eccentric owner. The French District is a delightful area for
walking around, and is reminiscent of a French provincial town.
Next we are off to Cam Ly Falls, the grassy areas around the
15m/16 yard-high cascades are the habitat of horses and Dalat
cowboys. The Valley Of Love was named the Valley of Peace by
the Emperor; however in 1972 its name was changed by romantically-minded
students. Dalat Cathedral was built between 1931 and 1942 for
use by French residents and holidaymakers and features stained-glass
windows that put us in medieval Europe. Domaine De Marie Convent
is a pink tile-roofed structure and was once home to 300 nuns.
Thien Vuong Pagoda, also known as the Chinese pagoda is set
on a hilltop amid pine trees. Later this afternoon we depart
for Nha Trang, the home of tens of thousands of descendents
of the Cham people.
Overnight: Lodge Hotel, Nha Trang (2 nights) (B)
Day 09 Thursday: Nha Trang
This day is full of interesting sites! The Po Nagar Cham Towers,
built between the 7th and 12th centuries, were used for Hindu
worship as early as the 2nd century AD. The Oceanographic Institute
has an aquarium and specimen room open to the public. Next
we are off to the Lang Son Pagoda, with an exquisite entrance
and roofs decorated with mosaic dragons. At the top of the
hill, behind the pagoda, is the huge white Buddha seated on
a lotus blossom. Nha Trang Cathedral, built in the French Gothic
style, stands on a small hill overlooking the train station.
The Bao Dai Villas, formerly the retreat of Bao Dai Vietnam's
last emperor, were used by high-ranking officials of the South
Vietnamese government. (B)
Day 10 Friday: Nha Trang/Danang/Hoi An (Flight/Drive 30 kms/18
miles)
We are transferred to the airport for a short flight to Danang
where we start our tour with the Cham Museum. Founded in 1915
by the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, it has the finest
open-air collection of Cham sculptures in the world. China
Beach, made famous in the American TV series of the same name,
stretches north and south of the Marble Mountains. The Marble
Mountains consist of 5 stone hillocks made of marble and each
is said to represent one of the five elements of the universe.
The largest and most famous, Thuy Son, has a number of natural
caves, in which Buddhist sanctuaries have been built over the
centuries. We continue to Hoi An, a picturesque riverside town
south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it
was one of South East Asia's major international ports from
the 17th to 19th centuries.
Overnight: Hoi An Beach Resort, Hoi An (2 nights) (B)
Day 11 Saturday: Hoi An
A full day visiting the many interesting sites of Hoi An, including
Quan Cong Temple, founded in 1653. The Phuoc Kien Pagoda is
a typical example of the Chinese 'clans' that were established
in the Hoi An area, was built around 1690. The Japanese Covered
Bridge, constructed in 1593 was built by the Japanese community
of Hoi An, to link them with the Chinese quarters across the
river. The Sa Huynh Museum contains exhibitions from the earliest
period of Hoi An's history. Finally we visit the Phung Hung
House, a structure that combines Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese
architectural styles and has been the home to one family for
eight generations. (B)
Day 12 Sunday: Hoi An/Hue (Drive 132 kms/82 miles)
A scenic drive to Hue begins this day. Upon arrival, our afternoon
tour includes the 19th Century Imperial City that was for a
long time the cultural and intellectual center of Vietnam.
Our tour includes the Citadel that was built in the early 19th
century and modeled after the Forbidden City in Peking. Ngo
Mon Gate is the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure
and faces the Flag Tower. The Forbidden Purple City was reserved
for the personal use of the emperor and the only servants allowed
into the compound were eunuchs. Evening is free to mix and
mingle with the local Hue people.
Overnight: Saigon Morin Hotel, Hue (2 nights) (B)
Day 13 Monday: Hue
A jaunt to Tu Duc Tomb, once the Royal Palace of Tu Duc, begins
our day’s tour. Constructed between 1864 and 1867, its
pavilions are framed in a tranquil setting of forested hills
and lakes. The Khai Dinh Tomb, the last monument of the Nguyen
dynasty, sits magnificently on the slopes of Chau E Mountain
in Chau Chau Village and houses a long staircase flanked by
dragons and decorated with stunning ceiling murals and ceramic
frescoes. Located just outside of Hue on the bank of the Perfume
River, Thien Mu Pagoda was a hotbed of anti-government protests
during the early 1960s. The Emperor Minh Mang Tomb complex
built in 1840 is known for its magnificent architecture, military
statuaries and elaborate decorations. It is perhaps the most
beautiful of Hue's pagodas and tombs, a fitting end to a spectacular
day. (B)
Day 14 Tuesday: Hue/Hanoi (Flight)
Morning free at leisure till we are transferred for our short
flight to Hanoi, a city of lakes. Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam,
is a charming city of peaceful shaded boulevards, French style
buildings and public parks. Balance of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Sunway Hotel, Hanoi (3 nights) (B)
Day 15 Wednesday: Hanoi
The first of our two full day of Hanoi sightseeing includes
the One Pillar Pagoda built by the Emperor Ly Thai Tong. Built
of wood on a single stone pillar, this structure was designed
to resemble a lotus blossom. Hoan Kiem Lake is located in the
heart of Hanoi and is home to a small Tortoise Pagoda topped
with a red star perched on an islet in the middle of the lake.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the final resting place of Ho
Chi Minh, Vietnam’s great leader of independence. Our
journey today concludes with a visit to St Joseph Cathedral,
a striking neo-Gothic cathedral noteworthy for its square towers,
elaborate altar and colourful stained-glass windows. (B)
Day 16 Thursday: Hanoi
Our excursion to Ha Long Bay includes a boat ride to Hang Dau
Go, a huge cave consisting of three chambers that are reached
climbing 90 steps. The cave derives its Vietnamese name from
the third of the chambers, which is said to have been used
by Tran Hung Dao during the 13th century to store bamboo stakes
that were used against Mongol invaders. Bo Nau is the 'Pelican'
cave of interest. Thien Cung is "Heaven Palace".
(B)
Day 17 Friday: Depart Hanoi
This morning we depart Vietnam having filled our senses with
the rich offerings of this historic and artistically rich country. (B)
|
|
B
= Breakfast
|
L
= Lunch
|
D
= Dinner
|
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|
Departure Dates |
|
2008
Jan 02 & 30,
Feb 27,
Mar 05 & 19,
Apr 02 & 16,
May 07 & 21,
Jun 04 & 18,
Jul 02 & 16,
Aug 06 & 20,
Sep 10 & 24,
Oct 08 & 22,
Nov 05 & 19,
Dec 03 & 17
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| Prices |
| Season |
Tour
Price US$ / CA$ |
Single
Sup US$ / CA$ |
| 2008 |
2880 |
795 |
| Tour
Price Includes |
Tour
Price Does Not Include: |
• Hotel
accommodation as mentioned or similar
• Meal plan as mentioned (B = Breakfast)
• All
sightseeing and transfers
• Entrance Fees to Museums and Sites
• Services of local English speaking guides |
• International
Airfare / Departure Taxes
• Insurances
• Visa Fees
• Drinks / Beverages with meals
• Tips / Gratuities to Drivers & Guides
|
| Domestic
/ Regional Airfare INCLUDED in Tour Price |
| Phnom
Penh-Siem Reap, Siem Reap-Saigon, Nha Trang-Danang,
Hue-Hanoi. |
| Estimated
International Airfare(not
included in tour price) |
| East
Coast |
US $ / CA $
1400 |
| West
Coast |
US $ / CA $
1200 |
| Please
note:
This tour operates with a minimum of 02
and a maximum of 15
participants. |
| Other
Dates / Customized Itinerary / Languages |
In addition to our set programs we are also pleased
to offer customized tours.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your
individual needs.
Customized tours can be conducted in English, French,
German, Spanish or Italian. Each departure is conducted
in the designated language only. |
| Contact
Information |
|
|
Fax:
+1-604-264-7774
|
| 206–8678
Greenall Ave |
Phone:
+1-604-264-7378 |
| Burnaby
B.C., Canada |
Toll
Free (US & Canada): 1-800-663-0844 |
| V5J
3M6 |
Email:
bestway@bestway.com |
|
30
years in small group journeys
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Site
updated April 04, 2008
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