Itinerary

Day 1:     Depart USA  
Begin your adventure on your international flight.

Day 2:   En route

Day 3:    Arrive Hanoi, Vietnam
Arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital built around lovely Hoan Kiem Lake. Your hotel is near the famed Opera House and wide boulevards of the French Quarter.  Hanoi is hardy mix of crowded streets and cheerful small parks, of serene temples such as One Pillar Pagoda, emerging from a pool of water in the form of a lotus, and ancient Temple of Literature. You also visit the Fine Art Museum.  Metropole Sofitel

Day 4:    Hanoi / Halong Bay / Hanoi
This morning, visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum in an imposing marble and granite edifice near Presidential Palace. Then, set out for stunningly handsome Halong Bay. The wildly scenic “Bay of the Descending Dragon,” has thousands of grottoes as well as verdant limestone isles that rise majestically from glassy waters.  Cruise through this enchanted setting as though through an artist’s masterpiece. Marvel at the many remarkable natural formations. This evening, return to Hanoi.  Metrople Sofitel (B)

Day 5:    Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Fly today to Saigon – officially known as Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam’s dynamic southern commercial capital.  Your sleek hotel is in prime downtown district near History Museum and colorful Saigon Market. This afternoon see colonial Notre Dame Cathedral, the bustle of everyday life in central markets and huge Chinese neighborhood of Cholon. At a special dinner, sample fresh, complex tropical flavors of southern-style Vietnamese cuisine.  Caravelle Hotel  (B,D)

Day 6:    Ho Chi Minh City / Cu Chi Tunnels 
Travel into the countryside to the elaborate Cu Chi Tunnels,  a remaining symbol of the war era.  This complex of secret underground tunnels, built by the Viet Cong, connected command posts, hospitals, shelters and weapon factories. At Cao Dai Great Temple in Tay Ninh, you may witness a charismatic chanting ceremony.  Caravelle Hotel (B)

Day 7:    Ho Chi Minh City / Mekong Delta
Today’s excursion to My Tho features a day-long boat trip on the Mekong Delta. My Tho, capital of Tien Giang Province, has an economy founded on fishing and agriculture. Crops include coconuts, bananas, mangoes, longans and citrus fruit. The delta rests in the southernmost region of Vietnam, and is known as Vietnam’s bread basket for the cultivation of rice that feeds the nation. You visit one or two of the islands that rely on traditional handcrafts, bee farms and coconut candy production. Dragon Island, for instance, is home to orchards and rural fishing villages. Vinh Trang Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in the delta. Monks here provide shelter to orphans and other needy children. Caravelle Hotel (B)

Day 8:   Ho Chi Minh City / Siem Reap, Cambodia
Fly this morning to Siem Reap, where you begin your investigation of the great mythic temple cities of Angkor, built nearly a thousand years ago at the height of the Khmer civilization. See amazing bas-relief carvings and monuments of Angkor Wat. Enter the vast walled city of Angkor Thom, guarded by two rows of eerily smiling stone figures. An architectural microcosm of the mythical world, the center complex houses some of the city’s important monuments – Bayon, Baphuon, Terraces of Elephants and the Leper King, and Phimeanakas with its Royal Enclosure. End the day with sunset views of Angkor Wat. Grand D' Angkor (B,D)

Day 9:    Siem Reap
Continue your exploration of Angkor’s extraordinary surroundings.  Some ruins, such as Ta Prohm, have been left largely as they were found.  You can almost imagine being the first explorer to rediscover these treasures of sculptures engulfed by roots and buildings crowned by giant trees. Equally memorable are the Banteay temples including Banteay Srei, the Citadel of Women, a jewel of Cambodian sculptural art in pink sandstone. Grand D' Angkor (B,D)

Day 10:    Siem Reap / Bangkok, Thailand
Gilded temple spires and watery thoroughfares gleam in the distance as you touch down in Bangkok, capital of the Royal Kingdom of Thailand.  Enjoy your prestigious riverfront hotel, where no expense is spared to create a special kind of luxury. Peninsula Bangkok (B)

Day 11:    Bangkok / Ayuthaya
Travel by road to explore the ruins of the venerable Thai capital of Ayuthaya. Gain a fascinating glimpse into Siam’s past splendor.  Majestic palaces, temples and canals fill this grand city, once considered the "Venice of the East." Return to Bangkok aboard the Pearl of Siam. Peninsula Bangkok (B)

Day 12:     Bangkok 
Unquestionably the most awesome sight in Bangkok is the Grand Palace and adjoining chapel of the Emerald Buddha, the focus of your afternoon tour. The elaborate richness of the palace’s brilliant halls, pavilions, spires and murals contrasts with the powerful simplicity of the 31-inch-high Emerald Buddha carved from a single block of jade. Crown the day with a dinner of authentic Thai cuisine, accompanied by classical dances set to the rhythms of a traditional theater orchestra. Peninsula Bangkok (B)

Day 13:     Bangkok / Singapore
Fly to the island nation of Singapore, where sarongs, minarets and spires mix easily with sleek modern skyscrapers and tropical gardens. An afternoon tour delves into some of the ethnic neighborhoods that populate the island such as Chinatown and its staggering selection of shops, and Little India and fascinating Sri Mariammam Temple, sculpted with colorful gods, demons, mortals and animals. Stay at the legendary Raffles, where W. Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling once stayed. Raffles Singapore (B)

Day 14:     Singapore / Sentosa Island
Travel by breezy ferry to Sentosa Island and visit its groundbreaking Underwater World and World War II Museum. Return to the mainland on a panoramic cable car ride to Mount Faber. Raffles Singapore (B)

Day 15:     Singapore / Hong Kong
Today, fly to Hong Kong, another vital island and longtime gateway for much of Asia. A blend of Chinese heritage and British colonial nuances, Hong Kong boasts dynamic modern commercial areas and premiere shopping districts as well as traditional lanes teeming with shops and cafes. Peninsula Hong Kong (B)

Day 16:     Hong Kong
This morning, enjoy the sights of old and new Hong Kong. The rest of the day is free for independent activities.  Peninsula Hong Kong (B)

Day 17:     Hong Kong / USA
Bidding farewell to the gracious people and landscapes, your tour ends. Crossing the International Dateline, you arrive home the same day.  (B)

9/08