Explore the three countries, each with its own unique culture, history and traditions, that share the Indochinese Peninsula between China and India on Tauck’s new-in-2012 Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam tours. The French influence is still felt in the cities while life in the countryside, a world of rice paddies, small villages and floating markets along the banks of the Mekong River, continues on much as it did before the French arrived. Two nights in Hanoi reveal one face of Vietnam and time in the resort town of Na Trang and in the Mekong Delta plus an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay and two nights in Ho Chi Minh City complete the portrait of Vietnam, then and now. From your arrival in the capital city of Phnom Penh by boat to days spent exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor and its treasures, Cambodia casts its own spell. In Laos, only welcoming tourists since the late 1990s, 49 ethnic groups put their own spin on life and living, providing a cultural richness as seen in the cuisine, the customs, the temples and the markets. These 16 days in Indochina will expand your horizons, deepen your insights and transform your view of the world.
Departures
23 Sep; 10, 21, 28 Oct; 14 Nov; 2, 19 Dec 2012.
Inclusions
- Overnight “junk” sailboat cruise aboard Bhaya III on the emerald waters of beautiful Ha Long Bay lined with naturally sculpted limestone islets – an extraordinary cultural experience
- A sampan cruise through small craft villages and floating markets of the Mekong Delta with a close-up visit to a candy and rice paper workshop, followed by lunch at a farmer’s house
- Giving alms to the streaming line of hundreds of monks as dawn breaks in Luang Prabang in Laos – authentic and life-altering!
- A speedboat cruise to Phnom Penh for a two-night stay with an opportunity for a lecture on – and a visit to – the “Killing Fields”
- A cyclo ride and a water puppet performance during a two-night stay in the colonial city of Hanoi
- A boat ride to see daily life unfold in the rural areas of Nha Trang with stops at a household bakery and open-air market
- Two nights in a Raffles hotel close to ancient Angkor Wat
- A traditional Lao Baci well-wishing ceremony at a gala farewell dinner with dancing and music
- Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
- 39 meals (15 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 12 dinners), gratuities to ship staff, local guides, taxes, service charges, admission fees and porterage