16 DAY Road to Phnom Penh AHAFBP-7

Transcription

1 16 DAY Road to Phnom Penh AHAFBP-7 This tour visits: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia Wander upwards through northern Thailand with street eats by tuk tuk and overnight trains. Then onto Laos to give monks their alms, hit up the Golden Triangle and a float on with a Mekong River cruise. Venture downwards to Vang Vieng for kayaking and cave exploring then Siem Reap for Bayon s stoney faces and Phnom Penh s walkable waterfront. It s the ultimate journey, are you ready for it? The Bucket List More Inclusions Bangkok Tuk tuk street food tour White temple of Wat Rong Khun Mekong river boat cruise Visit Pak Ou Caves Chiang Mai city tour by trishaw 15 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners 14 nights in hotels & 1 night aboard an overnight train Small group Guided tours of all major cities Awesome Trip Leader + Local Guides Modern air-conditioned vehicle Your Itinerary

2 Day 1 Bangkok, Thailand Touch down in Bangkok and find your feet in the capital. Meet the group and freshen up for tonight's entertainment - and by entertainment we mean adventure! We re talking must-be-seen-to-be-believed-super-charged-street-eats tour via the best type of transport. Can you guess how we roll? You got it! It s all about the tuk tuk - vroom vroom and yum yum! -Dinner Day 2 Bangkok to Chiang Mai Shake off last night's excitement and prepare for today s escapades. Visit the Wat Traimit, then suss out the ever-relaxed reclining Buddha of Wat Pho. Last but not least, check in with the glittering Grand Palace. Phew! What a day. Next, we re ticking off all the transport with our first overnight train of the trip. Wake up, new destination. Easy. Be sure to dream of tomorrow's adventures in Chiang Mai. -Guided tour of Bangkok Day 3 Chiang Mai For obvious reasons, no trip to Thailand would be complete without stepping into Chiang Mai the heart and soul of the north. Today, get acquainted with the old city via trishaw. Spot the moats and medieval styles that dominate the city, then keep your eyes peeled for the smiling faces of the locals. Go for the hat-trick of temples as you stop at Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Puak Tam and the Three Kings Monument. Spend the rest of the night exploring the local cafe and restaurant scene and continue your #livelikealocal mission. -Guided tour of Chiang Mai via trishaw Optional activities: -Khan Toke Village cultural show and dinner

3 Day 4 Chiang Mai Today, it s all yours to take on Chiang Mai. Act like a monkey - but don t make a fool of yourself, and join the optional Flight of the Gibbon experience. For the foodies, we have an optional cooking class for you to flex your skills. For dinner, it s all you to go hunting for local Thai fare in the streets of Chiang Mai. Optional activities: -Flight of the Gibbon treetop adventure -Cooking class Day 5 Chiang Mat to Chiang Rai Visit Wat Rong Khun and view the Golden Triangle from above, then onwards to Chiang Rai. Before the day is out, soak up as much Thainess as you can. -Visit Wat Rong Khun and Golden Triangle -Lunch Day 6 Chiang Rai to Pak Beng, Laos Cross the Friendship Bridge then climb on board and get cruise-y along the Mekong River. -Mekong River cruise -Lunch -Dinner Day 7 Pak Beng to Luang Prabang This morning we re back on the Mekong cruisin with a quick stop to the local market. Stop for a tipple at the whiskey village and pass the Pak Ou Caves to arrive in Luang Prabang. Tomorrow, free day to chase waterfalls. -Visit the Pak Ou Caves -Lunch

4 Day 8 Luang Prabang Laos we re talking! It s city tour time! Take it all in with a local guide. Make time to explore the old quarter in search of a local foodie experience. Oh, and the markets - don t forget to pick up handfuls of textiles and treats. You ll love it. -Guided tour of Luang Prabang. Day 9 Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng This morning, we partake in the daily almsgiving of the monks. Then, our next stop is Vang Vieng - get excited peeps! It s a traveller's haven calling your name. -Participate in the giving of the alms Day 10 Vang Vieng Grab your paddle and gear up for an optional kayaking sesh in the Nam Song River and splash your way through the day. For the land lovers, how about a spot of rock climbing? Maybe even squeeze in a cave exploring sesh? If you re after the chilled vibes, grab a book and relax - this is your adventure, enjoy it! Optional Activities: -Kayaking Day 11 Vang Vieng to Vientiane Prep your day pack we re off on a half day city tour. Pay attention as we visit the historical site Wat Sisaket and former temple Wat Ho Phra Keo housing Laotian art. Then Patuxay, the Victory Monument. To end the day, tonight s dinner fare is whatever you fancy. - Guided tour of Vientiane

5 Day 12 Vientiane to Siem Reap, Cambodia Today we re flyin to Siem Reap to cross off one of the world s must-do before you die sights in Angkor. Steal a Tomb Raider moment and meet the stoney faces of Bayon Temple, the Ta Prohm Temple held up by tree roots, and watch the sunset at Pre Rup Temple. -Visit Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple and Ta Promh Temple Day 13 Siem Reap Learn a thing or two about life in Cambodia with an optional visit to the headquarters of a local organisation. See how local crafts are made then enjoy a Khmer feast for lunch. Your mission tonight: track down the buzzing bar scene in the centre of town - trust us, it s the place to be. Optional activities: -Chansar Community visit Day 14 Siem Reap to Phnom Penh Glimmering Phnom Penh awaits us today. Get cracking with a visit to the Royal Palace. Spend the rest of your day at a riverside cafe with the locals and watch the sunset roll down. Day 15 Phnom Penh Spend the day exploring the French-built capital, or visit Silk Island village or round off the second part of today with a sobering visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum to learn about the darker side of Cambodia's history. -Dinner Optional activities: -Tuol Sleng & Killing Fields -Cooking class

6 Day 16 Phnom Penh Aww bye guys! It was fun while it lasted! Say goodbye and get planning that next adventure. Accommodation We endeavour to select a combination of good quality hotels that reflect the character of the local area as well as being as centrally located as possible, all the while striving to keep the cost affordable. Your trip will stay in a range of hotels of three and four-star quality. Please be aware that some hotel rooms, especially those in major urban centres or older cities, may be smaller than what you are used to in other parts of the world. Standards and ratings may also be different to your home country. Rooms are en-suite and either twin- or triple-share, depending on what you have booked. If you are a solo traveller, you will always be sharing a room with someone of the same sex. If you are travelling as a couple and would prefer to have a double bed, please officially request a double room with your travel agent or Topdeck trip consultant. We never presume that two people travelling together are a couple, even if you share the same surname, unless informed otherwise. Optional Activities On all trips we have arranged extra activities that we think will enhance your travel experience, but you have a choice as to whether or not you will participate. These are not included in the cost of your trip. They are usually organised on a group participation basis and should be taken into consideration when budgeting your spending money. None of the Optional Activities on your trip are operated by Topdeck, nor do they form part of your contract with Topdeck for your trip. Topdeck arranges the activity as an agent of the local supplier. Should you participate in any Optional Activities your contract will be with the local supplier and their conditions will apply. Please note: while we make every effort to keep these prices as accurate and up-to-date as possible, they are subject to change and in rare circumstances the actual price may vary slightly to what is published here. Thailand - Chiang Mai Khantoke dinner with show 1,100 THB Flight of the Gibbon Treetop Adventure 3,600 THB Full day cooking class at Baan Thai cookery school 1,000 THB Laos - Vang Vieng Full day Nam Song kayaking 41 USD Laos - Luang Prabang

7 Zipline & rope course 60 USD Full day countryside cycling tour 51 USD Cambodia - Siem Reap Community Village full day tour 49 USD A night at the circus 16 USD Sunset quadbike riding 30 USD Cambodia - Phnom Penh Killing Fields half day tour 35 USD Meals Your included meals are detailed in the 'More Inclusions' section of this document. Breakfasts are included every day in the hotel (except on the first morning). They are usually 'continental breakfasts', which are typical in most countries. A typical breakfast may consist of cereals with milk or yoghurt, bread, croissants, cold meats, cheese and a range of spreads, with fruit juice, tea or coffee to drink. It is rare to get a hot breakfast in Asia, though on some occasions there may be some hot food available as well. Included evening meals are in local restaurants or accommodation places, and are either two or three courses. In most cases table water is provided with the meals, and if you wish to purchase additional drinks you can do so at your own expense. If you have any dietary requirements we will make every effort to cater to your specific needs as long as you advise your travel agent or Topdeck Trip Consultant when you book, or make note of this in the Topdeck app when you check in (refer below). But please be aware that although we will do everything in our power to arrange it, we cannot guarantee that every restaurant we use will be able to cater to all dietary needs, particularly in Asia. We also cannot cater for tastes or dislikes, as most of our included evening meals feature a set menu. No Tip Necessary Your Topdeck crew never expect tips themselves and will not ask for any; that s not what friends do! We also know how much tipping can cost you. So go ahead, spoil yourself with the money you will save by travelling with Topdeck (just don t forget Mum s souvenir). Topdeck Travel App Our travel app has landed! With a range of awesome features including a Currency Converter, Budget Tracker, Check-In tool and Social Timeline you can plan your trip like a pro. Think of it like your very own Topdeck Trip Leader, always on call with the latest info, weather, maps and city guides to give you the trip of a lifetime, all in the palm of your hand. Please note: The Topdeck Travel App should only be downloaded once you have booked onto your trip. You will not be able to log in unless you have a Topdeck Booking Reference Number. Get it for iphone

8 Get it for Android Passenger safety One of the best parts of travelling is experiencing the nightlife and entertainment each city has to offer. However, amidst the fun and excitement, it s important to be aware of your surroundings and personal safety as well. Before you hit the road with us, it s important to be aware of the following: When you re on a night out, remember to avoid walking alone, particularly through deserted areas like beaches and back streets. Always stick together, take a taxi where possible, and keep a note of your accommodation details so you can find your way back to your fellow Topdeckers if you become separated. In some countries, alcoholic measures can be considerably larger than what you may be used to. Try to keep track of what you re drinking, and if you see one of your trip mates looking a little worse for wear, take them back to your accommodation. Be cautious when accepting drinks from strangers and never leave your drink unattended. It s also important to be aware that what you might consider harmless flirting may be interpreted differently in some countries. Be yourself and have fun, but don t be naïve, and be mindful of the signals you are sending out so that you don t find yourself in an uncomfortable situation.