DISCOVER CAMBODIA & VIETNAM FOR MHS OLD BOYS

Transcription

1 40 Allara St, Canberra City ACT, 2601 Ph: E: Web: DISCOVER CAMBODIA & VIETNAM FOR MHS OLD BOYS and FRIENDS Sunday 4 Friday 23 October 2015 This discovery tour is designed to suit all MHS Old Boys, partners and friends from youth to senior years. It has been planned by Colin Green with great assistance from Ross Goddard in Canberra, his company (Goddard & Howse) being the Vietnam and Cambodia customised tours experts. Tour Leader is Colin Green, formerly Executive Director MHSOBA, former senior Geography teacher at MHS and experienced tour organiser of teachers groups to China when it was just emerging to the modern world, He is leading the Adventure Tours to Yunnan Province, Southern China, September 2013, 2014 and 2015 ITINERARY Day 1 Sunday 4 Oct MELBOURNE - SIEM REAP [-/-/-] Arrive at Siem Reap airport, we will be met by our local English speaking guide and transferred to hotel for check-in. Dinner on own account. Accommodation at Tara Angkor Hotel (right) (3 nights). Day 2 Monday 5 Oct SIEM REAP [B=Breakfast/L=lunch/D=Dinner] Visit Beng Mealea and Banteay Srey temples. Lunch at local restaurant at Banteay Srey. On the way back from Banteay Srey temple, stop in a village for a fresh coconut drink and to observe how Cambodian people collect the sugar palm and manage the rice fields (depend on season). In afternoon, return to Siem Reap and visit a Floating Island Village (below). Welcome to Cambodia dinner at the Khmer Kitchen restaurant. Accommodation at Tara Angkor Hotel.

2 Day 3 Tuesday 6 Oct SIEM REAP [B] Visit the magnificent South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, Elephant Terrace and Terrace of Leper King. Lunch on own account. Visit of Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat temple (left) until sunset. Dinner on own account. Accommodation at Tara Angkor Hotel. Day 4 Wednesday 7 Oct SIEM REAP - KOMPONG THOM - PHNOM PENH [B] Breakfast at the hotel. Depart from Siem Reap by coaster with guide to Phnom Penh, 314 km for a 6-7 hour drive via Kompong Thom. On the road, visit Naga Bridge and Sambor Prei Kuk (left), a pre-angkorian site (7th C). The complex of Ishanapura is composed of 4 groups of temples. These are among the most ancient surviving examples of Khmer architecture. Stop and visit Skon, the Spider Village (above right). Lunch on own account. Continue drive to Phnom Penh. Arrive at Phnom Penh and transfer to hotel for check in. Dinner on own account. Accommodation at Amanjaya Hotel (2 nights). Day 5 Thursday 8 Oct PHNOM PENH [B/D] Phnom Penh city tour visit of: the Wat Phnom, Royal Palace (below) and Silver Pagoda then Toul Sleng museum (top left next page) followed by a visit to the killing fields (top right next page). Farewell to Cambodia dinner included tonight at Malis restaurant. Accommodation at Amanjaya Hotel.

3 Day 6 Friday 9 Oct PHNOM PENH - HO CHI MINH CITY (Vietnam) [B/D] Free at leisure until time to meet and transfer to airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) (timetable to be advised). On arrival at Saigon airport met by our local English speaking guide, then transfer to hotel for check in. Welcome to Vietnam dinner at Nam Phan restaurant (left). Accommodation at Eden Hotel, Deluxe (4 nights). Day 7 Saturday 10 Oct SAIGON (HO CHI MINH CITY) - CU CHI [B/L] In the morning visit History Museum (bottom right), War Remnants Museum, photo stop at Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post office and the Reunification Palace (left). Lunch at Pho Hoa restaurant, your chance to try one of the best noodle soups in town. In the afternoon, drive to visit Cu Chi Tunnels, (top right and bottom left) an amazing complex of the underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. Accommodation at Eden Hotel, Deluxe.

4 Day 8 Sunday 11 Oct SAIGON - MY THO DAY TRIP [B/L] Take a 2-hour drive trip to My Tho, a prosperous town of 170,000 inhabitants on the Mekong Delta. It is noted for its exuberant orchards and immense rice fields. Enjoy a boat ride on the Mekong River and visit an orchard on an island. On the way, stop at the Vinh Trang Pagoda (right), a very beautiful and well maintained sanctuary. Drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. Dinner on own account. Accommodation at Eden Hotel, Deluxe Day 9 Monday 12 Oct SAIGON - FREE DAY [B] Full day is free at leisure. Walk from the hotel to specific locations you would like to investigate further. Accommodation at Eden Hotel, Deluxe Day 10 Tuesday 13 Oct SAIGON - DA NANG - HOI AN [B] Transfer to the airport for flight to Da Nang (timetable to be advised). Welcome on arrival and transfer by coaster to Hoi An. After lunch take a walking tour of Hoi An, discover the historic town which used to be a prosperous seaport city during the 16th to 18th centuries. Visit Hoi An colourful local market, Tan Ky old house (above right), Fukien Assembly Hall (above centre), and the 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge (above left). Travellers can also see local residents raise silkworms and produce silk for Hoi An s burgeoning textile industry (next page top left).

5 Accommodation at Hoi An Heritage Hotel, Deluxe (previous page bottom right) (3 nights). Day 11 Wednesday 14 Oct HOI AN [B/L] Visit to tailors for made to measure clothing (below left). Half day cooking class at Red Bridge Cooking School (right) (starting at 11 am) and includes an excellent lunch. Accommodation at Hoi An Heritage Hotel, Deluxe. Day 12 Thursday 15 Oct HOI AN - FREE DAY [B] Full day is free at leisure. Made to measure clothing delivered to hotel. Accommodation at Hoi An Heritage Hotel, Deluxe (both right). Day 13 Friday 16 Oct HOI AN - HUE [B] Leave Hoi An for a spectacular coach drive over Hai Van pass to the Imperial Capital of Hue. You will pass through many pretty red-tiled villages, enjoying spectacular views of sky and sea, en route stopping to visit Marble Mountain (left) and Cham Museum in Da Nang. Lunch at local restaurant on own account. In the afternoon, take cyclo ride to the Imperial City from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945, recognized as World Heritage since 1994; continue to Dong Ba Market (below) by cyclo. Accommodation at Morin Hotel, Deluxe Colonial (left) (2 nights).

6 Day 14 Saturday 17 Oct HUE [B/L] In the morning take a boat cruise along the Perfume River (left) to visit Thien Mu Pagoda (right), one of the oldest ancient architectural structures for religious worship in Hue. Continue to visit Khai Dinh (bottom left) and Minh Mang Tombs and Tu Duc Tomb. Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon free. Accommodation at Morin Hotel, Deluxe Colonial. Day 15 Sunday 18 Oct HUE - HA NOI [B] Transfer to the airport for flight to Ha Noi (timetable to be advised). Welcome on arrival and transfer to hotel for check in (early check in subject to availability). Take a panoramic cyclo tour followed by a visit of Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake (left) then the rest of the day is free at leisure. Accommodation at Conifer Boutique Hotel (right), deluxe room (4 nights). Day 16 Monday 19 Oct HANOI - HA LONG [B/L/D] Early morning drive 160 km East Hanoi to Ha Long. Boarding and check-in with welcome drink, then the cruise starts through Cho Da, Dinh Huong, Ga Choi and Hoa Cuong limestone islets while a lunch is served on board. Then visit Sung Sot Grotto, the Cave of Surprises, before taking a swim at Titov Beach or Soi Sim Beach s pristine waters. The vessel then cruises further to reach its overnight anchorage location near Ho Dong Tien or Luon Cave. Enjoy the sunset from the sundeck or while swimming; then a dinner will be served on board. Evening is devoted to relaxing in that peaceful setting, or to experience night fishing from the boat s deck. Overnight on board of Pelican cruise in a deluxe cabin. Note: The above itinerary for Ha Long is subject to change with or without prior notice and our local guide will not escort guests on board.

7 Day 17 Tuesday 20 Oct HA LONG - HANOI [BRUNCH] Early wake-up for a light breakfast with stunning scenery, then a small boat will take you to visit Luon Cave. Back on board the cruise heads further to Tuan Chau pier. Transfer by tender to Pelican and Image cafe. An early lunch is served on board while the cruise goes back to Ha Long City for disembarking at noon time. End of the cruise. Drive back to Ha Noi to enjoy famous Water Puppet Show, the unique Vietnamese traditional art. This art originates from rural festivals in Vietnam. The artists - men and women - stand waistdeep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move about, talk, laugh and even dance on the water surface. Accommodation at Conifer Boutique Hotel, deluxe room. Day 18 Wednesday 21 Oct HA NOI CITY TOUR [B] Visit Ho Chi Minh s Mausoleum* (far left) and his former residence, the One Pillar Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. Continue to visit the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison ( Ha Noi Hilton ) (left). Lunch at Koto restaurant on own account. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Accommodation at Conifer Boutique Hotel, deluxe room. * HCM mausoleum may be closed during the months of October and November due to annual cleaning and maintenance. Day 19 Thursday 22 Oct HA NOI - FREE DAY [B/D] Full day is free at leisure. Farewell to Vietnam dinner at Wild Rice restaurant (bottom right). Accommodation at Conifer Boutique Hotel, deluxe room. Day 20 Friday 23 Oct HA NOI - MELBOURNE [B] Free at leisure until time to meet and transfer to the airport for departure flight to Melbourne (timetable to be advised). The end of the arrangement and a memorable journey to Cambodia & Vietnam

8 TOUR COST: AUD $4,750 pp* Single supplement is $1,250 additional *Note: If the currency exchange rate continues to fall below 80 cents to US$1 then there will be a surcharge adjustment on this quoted price. Including the following organised by Goddard and Howse: - International flights from Australia - Domestic flights within Saigon/Siem Reap; Phnom Penh/Saigon; Saigon/Da Nang & Hue/Hanoi - Ticket tax and airline charges - All private transfers and tours with English speaking guide as indicated in the program - Accommodation at hotels in Vietnam and Cambodia with daily breakfast as specified - All entrance fees as per program - Water and fresh tissues during tour - All meals as mentioned in the program - Transportation by air- conditioned vehicles - Service charges, room tax and baggage handling - Temples passes in Cambodia - Welcome dinner in Siem Reap at Khmer Kitchen - Farewell dinner in Phnom Penh - Welcome dinner in HCMC (Saigon) - Farewell dinner in Ha Noi - Day trip to Mekong Delta -1/2 day cooking class at Red Bridge Cooking School - Perfume River cruise in Hue - Overnight on the Pelican cruise at Ha Long Bay - Water Puppet show at Thang Long Theatre Ha Noi - Tipping guides and drivers (rather than tour participants having to tip throughout I have included a fixed amount per person in the tour price) Not including: - Travel Insurance - Vietnam and Cambodia Visa (please see passport and visa detail section) - Other service tipping or personal expenses not mentioned in the program Provided by the Tour Leader, Colin Green OAM - Comprehensive Tour Booklet specific to all places and sights visited, together with useful geographic, historic and demographic information, compiled from a large number of authoritative sources. This will be distributed to all tour particpants as a pdf file to be downloaded, read and brought with you on the tour. It will be useful background reading each night before the next day s itinerary. - Daily Summaries Report, written following each day s activities, and compiled as a detailed journal, with selected pictures, upon the group s return. This will then be forwarded by as a pdf file for downloading. It will provide an excellent chronological summary of all places visited and restaurants where the group eats together. - A complete DVD produced and distributed to all participants based on each person contributing about best pictures taken on tour. This DVD will be suitable for play on your computer or through a DVD player on your television. The photographs are completed animated, with a background music soundtrack. The DVD will take about 6-8 weeks to compile following the conclusion of the tour. There is no additional cost for your copy of this DVD. - There will be an Online Survey distributed via a web link to all participants at the end of the tour which can be completed quickly online. People should be aware of this at the start of the tour so particular comments relevant to the day s activities can be individually recorded on a daily basis. This will ensure maximum feedback with little reliance on one s memory remaining accurate over the 3 weeks we are on tour. This will asist in the preparation of the following year s tour to the same areas.

9 - Periodic payments, starting with a deposit of $2,000, which is refundable in full if you decide by the end of March not to participate. The second payment of $1,500 will be due at the end of May 2015, with the final payment of $1,250 due at the end of July If a decision is made to cancel after 31 March 2015 then $500 of the deposit will be forfeited. OTHER REQUIREMENTS Visa & Passport Goddard & Howse will arrange the issue of your visas. Simply present your valid passport (please check that your passport has at least six months validity) and passport size photographs at time of final payment and we will do the rest. The current cost of a Vietnamese visa is $95 per application (1 form and 1 photo); Cambodian visa is $45per application (one form and 2 photos) Travel Insurance You will need adequate travel insurance for this trip. If you have not made other arrangements we have details of policies which will cover you for most contingencies. Apart from the initial deposit payment the remaining payments (2 and 3) may be paid directly to Goddard and Howse by credit card to gain travel insurance benefits if applicable. Travelers Medical Vaccination Centre Pay a visit to the TMVC or consult your local doctor regarding the current vaccination requirements for travel to this part of the world. Frequently Asked Questions Please visit our website at and view the tour notes for travelling to Vietnam and Cambodia. Here you will find valuable information which will help with your preparation.