Indo China holidays
| country: | Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam |
| location: | Indochina holidays |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 5 Dec 2009: 9 Jan, 13 Feb, 27 Mar, 24 Apr, 22 May, 19 Jun, 17 Jul, 14 Aug, 11 Sep, 9 Oct, 6 Nov, 4 Dec 2010: 1 Jan, 29 Jan, 26 Feb, 26 Mar, 23 Apr, 21 May, 18 Jun, 16 Jul |
| price: | From £784 (11 days) including domestic flights only, as per the itinerary. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This journey through Indochina takes us from the exciting Thai capital, Bangkok, to Cambodia, where we explore the extensive archaeological site of Angkor. A particular highlight is Ta Prohm, where ancient trees have wrapped themselves around the ruins of equally ancient temples.
The Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, reveals the tragedies of the Khmer Rouge era. We then enter Vietnam serenely, crossing a little-known border post on a boat on the Mekong River. A night in a simple local home, located on an island covered with tropical fruit gardens, is a highlight, before we finish our journey in vibrant Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
Includes tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, accomodation (8 nights comfortable hotel, 1 night local guesthouse, 1 night basic hotel), transport, some meals (10 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner), sightseeing and entrance fees.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
The Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, reveals the tragedies of the Khmer Rouge era. We then enter Vietnam serenely, crossing a little-known border post on a boat on the Mekong River. A night in a simple local home, located on an island covered with tropical fruit gardens, is a highlight, before we finish our journey in vibrant Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
Includes tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, accomodation (8 nights comfortable hotel, 1 night local guesthouse, 1 night basic hotel), transport, some meals (10 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner), sightseeing and entrance fees.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself. Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum.
As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | (Fri) Arrive in Bangkok and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2-3: | City tour of Bangkok via the different forms of public transport available to citizens of Bangkok (Skytrain, canal boat, ferry and bus). Highlights of the city tour include Jim Thompson's house with its amazing Asian art collection, the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, a must for first-time travellers to Bangkok. We also visit Wat Po, home of the famous Reclining Buddha. Fly to Siem Reap, our base for visiting the world-famous temples of the ancient city of Angkor, home of the powerful Khmer Empire which dated from 802 AD to 1350 AD. |
| Day 4-5: | Tour the Angkor complex and explore Banteay Srei, famous for its detailed and intricate stone carvings. The impressive Bayon temple is the centrepiece of Angkor, whilst Angkor Wat is the largest and most complete structure. |
| Day 6-7: | Free morning in Siem Reap gives you a chance to relax in an outside cafe or visit the market in town. Fly to Phnom Penh and explore the Killing Fields and Silver Pagoda which lies in the palace complex, and is the most sacred temple in the country and was previously spared from destruction by the Khmer Rouge. The bloody rule of the Khmer Rouge is a painful, but unavoidable, part of Cambodia's recent history and visits to the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek tell the story of this tragic legacy. |
| Day 8: | Drive to Neak Luong and board a boat on the Mekong River to Vietnam. Overnight in Chau Doc, an active trading town due to its proximity with the border. The market area runs along the riverfront and sells black-market goods smuggled in from Thailand. |
| Day 9: | Stay on an island homestay in the Mekong Delta at Vinh Long. |
| Day 10: | An early start today as we visit the bustling morning floating markets and then cruise back to Cai Be before we drive to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). |
| Day 11: | Trip ends in Saigon this morning (Mon). |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Experience Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam through the eyes of locals, as your tour leaders gives you a first-hand insight into the colourful and diverse tapestry that makes up their homeland. Wandering around the amazing Angkor complex in Cambodia gives travellers an awareness of these important and yet fragile cultural relics and the importance of them being preserved and protected, so that they can be experienced and appreciated by future generations.
The concept of tourism in Vietnam and Cambodia, in particular, is fairly recent when compared to other countries in Asia and to support programs there, this operator is training their tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. By only employing tour leaders born and bred in the regions they visit, they are supporting local economies. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities. They are also involved in assisting a number of community projects in Vietnam aimed at bettering the standard of living for many of the local people. One of these causes is the Loreto Vietnam-Australia Project, based in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), which provides shelter for street kids and has also established a school for the blind. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |