January 5 – 17, 2009 • $4860 from Los Angeles via Cathay Pacific

Hanoi • Halong • Hue • Hoi An • Danang • Cholon • Saigon • Cu Chi

Preliminary Day by Day Itinerary

January 5 MEET AT LAX
Monday
We will meet at LAX at approximately 10:00 PM in anticipation for our very early flight first thing Tuesday morning.

January 6 DEPART U.S.A.
Tuesday
We’ll board our early morning flight at 12:20 AM for our end destination of Hanoi, Vietnam. (Meals enroute)

January 7 ARRIVE HANOI
Wednesday
We will arrive in Hong Kong, Japan for a brief transfer. We’ll board our short transfer flight at 9:00 AM and arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam at 10:00 AM. Welcome to Vietnam! After clearing immigration and customs, our guide will meet the group and assist with your transfer to the hotel.

After checking in, this afternoon, you’ll enjoy a cyclo ride passing by the various charming colonial buildings of Hanoi. ‘Xich-Lo’ or ‘Cyclo’ (or ‘cyclo-pousse’ in French), is a pedal-trishaw unique to Indochina, and was used throughout the colonial era and still is popular to this day. Travelling by cyclo is a marvelous way to tour around Hanoi city, and to be amongst the masses on the road.

For the evening, our guide will meet the group at the hotel to brief everyone on the itinerary. A welcome dinner will be prepared at a deluxe Vietnamese restaurant, the Wild Rice, where the menu is typical of Northern Vietnam cuisine. This will be your first introduction to Vietnamese cuisine! Your guide will also join the group and explain about the Northern culture, its cuisine and even how to use chopsticks. Following the dinner introduction, you will return to your Superior Room at the hotel.

(D) ***** Sunway Hotel

January 8 HANOI
Thursday
Today, we’ll enjoy Pho noodles for breakfast, a specialty of Hanoi. This will be followed by an interesting stroll through the Old Quarter to enjoy the vibrant local daily life. You may encounter some interesting culinary street vendors and the small market—it’s a great opportunity to experience different aspects of he local cuisine related culture along the way. Then enjoy a visit to the Museum of Ethnology to enhance your understanding of Vietnam’s diverse cultures through its unique presentation of objects used in daily life and its traditional dress. Afterwards continue to an ancient Pagoda where a vegetarian lunch here will be enjoyed with some of the Vietnamese nuns at this pagoda. It’s a great chance to interact with them to see how they prepare the food—and also to learn something about the life as a nun!

Following lunch, we will visit the Temple of Literature to have an overview of Hanoi culture and history, proceeded by a tour of the Fine Arts Museum.

This evening, attend a water puppet show, which is a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form especially designed for depicting scenes from rural life and many episodes of national history. There will also be an opportunity to interact with the puppeteers after the show. Dinner will be at a local specialty restaurant, Cha Ca La Vong, which is well known for its delicious fish paste. We will then return to our same hotel, in our Superior rooms.

(B-L-D) ***** Sunway Hotel

January 9 HANOI
Friday
After breakfast, meet with a famed local chef of Hanoi. This 60-year-old lady has inherited a special cooking skill from her mother, who used to be the chef of the French Ambassador to Hanoi in the 1950s. Embark on an interesting market tour with the chef at a local market to enjoy the bustling atmosphere of local daily life at Hang Be Market. Here you will have an opportunity to learn how to choose the freshest ingredients. After buying the goods, you will be taken to her own cooking venue for a private cooking demonstration! You will be assisted with cooking your lunch, and eat what you have prepared. The remainder of your day is free for your leisure, it would be a great opportunity for shopping. Again return to your same hotel, in your Superior rooms.

(B-L) ***** Sunway Hotel

January 10 HANOI
Saturday HALONG
After breakfast, we’ll take a coach and transfer to Halong City with a coffee break en route at a local coffee shop (3 hour drive, apx). After arriving at the quayside, we will then board our deluxe junk boat where a welcome drink awaits! After a relaxing break, enjoy a delicious seafood lunch while cruising through Bai Tu Long bay. Those familiar will surely recall the famous Indochine film featuring charming Actress Catherine Deneuve. Later, weather permitting, we’ll have an opportunity to go trekking or swimming at Soi Sim Island. After your little adventure, get back on the water to enjoy further cruising as we head to visit the Hang Doi water tunnel via rowboat. Around 6:30 PM, we’ll dock for the night and enjoy dinner on board. After dinner you can dance and interact with Halong Ginger’s staff and crew.

(B-L-D) ***** Halong Ginger Boat

January 11 HALONG
Sunday HANOI • HUE
Get up early to catch the sunrise on the bay and enjoy a Tai Chi demonstration on the sun deck. Relax with a cup of hot coffee or tea. We depart for a visit to the splendid Sung Sot grotto and get a quick glimpse of a nearby fishing village. Enjoy late a buffet brunch on board while cruising back through Halong bay to the pier. Arrive at the pier around 11:00 AM and it’s time to say goodbye to the crew. Return to Hanoi and transfer to the airport with lunch en route. We’ll board a flight to Hue at 7:25 PM and arrive at 8:35 PM. Upon arrival, we’ll be met and assisted with our transfer to the hotel for check into our Superior Rooms.

(B-L) ***** Saigon Morin Hotel

January 12 HUE
Monday
Welcome to Hue! It is the former capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty of emperors, from 1802 to 1945. After breakfast, we’ll board a dragon boat and cruise across the triangle of the Perfume River upstream. Upon arrival at Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s most preserved religious monument, visit the octagonal tower and interact with the monks to learn about their life and experiences, as well as how they grow rice and vegetables here. After this visit, transfer by coach to the home of the historian, Mr. Phan Thuan An. This is the former home of the princess of the Emperor Dong Khanh. Here his wife, Mrs. Van, a celebrated Hue chef, will present a cooking demonstration of Hue specialties. After lunch, visit the Imperial Citadel and the Royal Relics museum. In the evening we’ll continue our adventure to a nice local restaurant so we can experience other Hue specialties such as Banh Beo, Banh Loc, Banh Nam and Chao Tom. We end the day with a walking tour through the colorful Dong Ba Market to learn about all kind of Hue recipes and ingredients. We once again return to the same hotel, in our Superior rooms.

(B-L) ***** Saigon Morin Hotel

January 13 HUE
Tuesday HOI AN
Optional: Get up early in the morning at 5:00 AM and visit the unique rice noodle making homes and factories. We’ll proceed to breakfast and continue on to experience the most elaborate mausoleums of Emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Lunch will be at a restored Royal home with Royal Cuisine! After lunch, depart from Hue to Hoi An Ancient Town (3-hour drive). We make a stop at the Lang Co fishing village located on a sand dune ridge for a photo opportunity.

We continue the scenic drive over the Hai Van Pass (which translates to “Ocean Clouds”), the summit of which presents a spectacular panoramic view of the central coastline. After this amazing photographic opportunity we continue to Hoi An. We’ll be met and assisted with our check in to our hotel and have a chance to relax. Dinner will be at Full Moon, with a mixture of Central and Chinese cuisines.

(B-L-D) ***** Hoi An Riverside Resort

January 14 HOI AN
Wednesday
This morning, experience living and working with the local people in the rural outskirts of Hoi An. Also this morning we’ll fit in an interesting trip to Tra Que, which is mainly a vegetable farming village. Stroll around the vegetable gardens and join the local farmers in preparing the land and fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake. Learning how they locally cultivate their vegetables by raking, sowing, watering and picking greens and other fun gardening activities. Afterwards we’ll have a home hosted lunch with the local family with many regional delicacies including “Tam Huu”, a spring roll made from the Tra Que vegetable. We head back to the town and enjoy a peaceful walking tour of Hoi An, including an amazing 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge. We’ll also see the Assembly Hall of the Cantonese Chinese Congregation founded in 1786 (the Phuc Kien Pagoda), the Tan Ky House built almost 200 years ago, and the central market. In the central market we will have an overview about the food and raw materials of Hoi An. We return to our hotel for the evening. Be sure to rest well as tomorrow starts very early.

(B-L) ***** Hoi An Riverside Resort

January 15 DANANG • SAIGON
Thursday CHOLON
Since we leave quite early for the airport, a boxed breakfast will be provided. We’ll transfer to the airport and board our short flight to Saigon, which will depart at 8:00 AM and arrive at 9:10 AM. Upon arrival, meet and be assisted with your transfer to the hotel to check in and drop off your luggage. After check in, embark on a day trip of Saigon’s historic landmarks including the Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral (1880). We’ll also experience a highlighted tour of the former Presidential Palace which was once headquarters for the Saigon Government during the “American War”. In the afternoon, we visit one of two museum, based on the groups choice. We can see the Historical Museum or the War Remnants Museum. Afterwards, continue to visit Saigon’s ‘twin city’, the Chinese district of Cholon, to enjoy the bustling wholesale quarter of Ho Chi Minh City. We’ll also briefly explore Thien Hau temple, built by Cantonese Buddhists at the end of 18th century. This evening, enjoy dinner at the deluxe Mandarin Restaurant. Then we return to our Deluxe hotel rooms.

(B-D) ***** Duxton Hotel

January 16 SAIGON
Friday CU CHI
After breakfast, we’ll be accompanied by a well-known Saigonese chef and make an interesting market tour at the City’s Central Ben Thanh market, to introduce and buy the ingredients. Afterwards, transfer to the Restored Former Private Residence of Henry Cabot Lodge (twice U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam during the Sixties). Here we’ll partake in an interactive cooking class. Enjoy lunch with the dishes that we have cooked. This cooking class offers a diverse and fascinating insight of Vietnamese cuisine from Northern to Southern Vietnam.

In the afternoon, enjoy 2-hour-drive through a typical southern Vietnamese countryside to Cu Chi district. Upon arrival in Cu Chi, we see for ourselves the underground village built by Cu Chi guerrilla fighters and the remains of a real bloody battle field which is simply a network of tunnels built during the long years of wars. On the way, we can make an optional stop at a rural rice paper making village. Following our full day, we return to our same hotel back to our Deluxe rooms.

(B-L) ***** Duxton Hotel

January 17 DEPART SAIGON
Saturday ARRIVE U.S.A.
After breakfast you may have a bit of free time prior to our 11:40 AM flight. We’ll be assisted with our transfer to the airport for our departure flight back to LAX, U.S.A. (B-Meals enroute)

January 17 - 23, 2009 • $2540

January 17 SAIGON
Saturday SIEM REAP
ANGKOR WAT
After breakfast and some free time, we transfer to the airport for our short flight to Siem Reap. It leaves at 11:40 AM and arrives at 12:40 PM. Upon arrival, meet and be assisted with our transfer to the hotel. Afternoon around 2:00 PM, we set out to Angkor Wat to see the intricately carved Khmer ruins—one of the world’s most impressive ruins. The temple still owns hundreds of fine carvings of Apsaras and the scenes from Hindu mythology. The Khmer civilization constructed the temple between the 9th and 13th centuries. Strolling around the massive hallways, you will find many small shrines still in use by the local people at the ancient site. Dinner tonight is at the very nice Madam Butterfly Restaurant where we’ll enjoy local traditional cuisine. We will then return to our hotel and enjoy our Superior rooms.

(B-D) ***** Prince D’Angkor Hotel

January 18 SIEM REAP
Sunday ANGKOR THOM
TA PROHM
Prepare yourself for an amazing day! After breakfast, we set out 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. Enjoy an interesting round trip elephant ride to the Bayon temple. At first glance it seems a shapeless mass of stone, but further scrutiny reveals a face, and then another, and another! Suddenly you are engulfed by the silent, heavy, enigmatic and silent gaze through the half-closed eyes, staring out from a primitive and remote time. Incorporated into the wall surrounding the city is a number of earlier buildings. Furthermore, visit to the surroundings of the complex including the Baphou, the Elephant Terraces, the Leper King Terrace and Royal Place area. We top off our amazing morning with a marvelous lunch at the Café Indochine.

In the afternoon, continue exploring the picturesque Ta Prohm that has nearly disappeared into the jungle and still remains overgrown, it is 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”, evokes feelings that a visitor will surly remember forever. Then, visit the Phnom Bakheng temple, the first major temple to be constructed in the Angkor area. Afterwards, the Apsara Dancers at the Angkor Village Hotel will treat us to a cultural dinner and performance! We return to our same hotel and rest for our next day of adventure in our Superior rooms.

(B-L-D) ***** Prince D’Angkor Hotel

January 19 SIEM REAP
Monday LUANG PRABANG
After breakfast, transfer to boutique Shinta Mani Hotel for a 2 hour cooking class to try with Khmer Food and enjoy lunch with the dishes that we have cooked. Then, transfer to the airport for our flight to Luang Prabang, which departs at 3:00 PM and arrives at 6:25 PM. Upon arrival, meet and be assisted you’re your transfer to the hotel for checking into our Deluxe rooms.

(B-L) ***** Villa Santi Hotel

January 20 LUANG PRABANG
Tuesday
After breakfast, we’ll start exploring this sacred city of temples, of which nearly fifty still remain in the town and the surrounding areas. We’ll first visit the National Museum and the former Royal Palace. The Royal Palace houses a collection of valuables including the famous Prabang Buddha statue and gifts received from various foreign dignitaries. We will also admire the following temples: Wat Visoun, the 16th century temple, served as a small museum for religious artifacts; Wat Aham, the early 19th century temple, whose two guardian figures at the foot of the steps represent two characters from the Ramayana (Hanuman, the Monkey God and a fierce Yaksa); Wat Xiengthong, the 16th century temple, which more than any other temple in Luang Prabang, epitomizes all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture. We can also take an optional visit to Phousi Hill which climbs up 328 steps to the summit of Phousi Hill. It simply dominates the sky-line of Luang Prabang and provides the finest panoramic view in the whole city. This evening we’ll return to our Deluxe rooms, once again at Villa Santi Hotel.

(B) ***** Villa Santi Hotel

January 21 LUANG PRABANG
Wednesday PAK OU CAVES
BAN XANGKHONG
An optional early wake-up call can be made so you can participate with local people giving food to hundreds of Buddhist monks who are returning from morning prayers. Afterwards we’ll head back to hotel for breakfast. Then travel on a long-tailed boat for a few hours on the Mekong River to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves in the side of a lime stone cliff. The sanctuaries at Pak Ou consist of two large caves, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images, which range from mere centimeters to two metres in height. En route, typical Laotian villages are barely visible behind a thick screen of foliage. Slender canoes bobbing by the shore and bamboo poles mark the locations of nets and fish traps. Lunch will be at a local restaurant on the bank of the Mekong River. We return to Luang Prabang by the same boat and continue by car to visit Ban Xangkhong. This village is well-known for its wood paper making and naturally dyed Laotian silk weavings. We will once again return to the Villa Santi, to our Deluxe rooms.

(B-L) ***** Villa Santi Hotel

January 22 LUANG PRABANG
Thursday
After breakfast, at around 8:30 AM transfer to Tum Tum Cheng restaurant which was opened in 2001 by Chef Chandra. Mr. Chandra has 20 years of cooking experience near Wat Khily with welcoming tea and coffee. Then, we will select our recipes. At 9:30 AM, visit the Market “Pho See” and you’ll be guided to select the freshest raw materials. Back to the restaurant to learn how to handle the different ingredients spices & vegetables (like bamboo, sprouts, stuffed lemon grass, etc.) You can help out in such shared tasks as rolling spring-rolls, wrapping meat in banana leaves, preparation with sticky & steamed rice. You’ll be briefed on Laos’ culinary history as well as its neighboring countries. You will also have the opportunity to sample some Laos rice whiskey “Lau Laos”. Afterwards, we’ll be cooking by ourselves with the Chef, during his cooking demonstration. We’ll be served all dishes that we’ve prepared, with soft drinks. Enjoy a short discussion about Lao traditional cuisine and general eating habits. You will then receive a Certificate of Achievement! The remainder of the day is free at your leisure. We will once again return to the Villa Santi, to our Deluxe rooms.
(B-L) ***** Villa Santi Hotel

January 23 DEPART
Friday LUANG PRABANG
Wake up to breakfast and the remainder of your day is free at your leisure. A few hours prior to our 11:30 AM flight we’ll transfer to the airport for our final departure flights back to U.S.A. (B-Meals enroute)