MEKONG RIVERBOAT ADVENTURE - HO CHI MINH CITY TO SIEM REAP

Transcription

1 MEKONG ADVENTURE - HO CHI MINH CITY TO SIEM REAP An eight day cruise on the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia with excursions including Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh City See the impressive 'Happy Buddha' at the Vinh Trang Pagoda View Angkor Wat at sunrise and visit Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm Time for sightseeing in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap HOLIDAY CODE MRB Cambodia, Vietnam, Discovery, 10 Days 7 nights riverboat, 2 nights hotel, 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners, max group size: 28, 8 days mekong river discovery

2 PAGE 2 VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE Introduction The Mekong River originates on the Tibetan Plateau and travels through China s Yunnan Province, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand before reaching our section of this awesome river in Cambodia and Vietnam. We board the beautiful Toum Tiou II Riverboat and begin our adventure holiday in Ho Chi Minh City; over the following 8 days with Toum Tiou II as our home we make our way north, visiting Phnom Penh, roaming the famous floating markets of Cai Bei, completing our cruise holiday in Siem Reap where we watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat and visit Ta Prohm; well known for featuring in the original Tomb Raider film. This relaxing riverboat holiday allows us to experience the best of this stunning area of south east Asia in style. Explore International. This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience! Is this holiday for you? This is principally a touring and sightseeing holiday. There'll be some light walking and hiking, suitable for most fitness levels. All cabins are en-suite, with twin or double beds. Whilst on deck or during excursions, you need to be prepared for hot temperatures, however it will get much cooler in the evenings. All excursions are included, but you do not need to participate in them all. Presentations, lectures and videos will also be shown on the boat. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Meet the group at the hotel in Ho Chi Minh City in the evening. Transfer from the airport is provided. HOTEL Day 2: Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels and board the riverboat. After breakfast at our hotel we meet our guide and visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. These are a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces. We embark at about 3:30pm and enjoy a drink with the welcome meeting, where we'll meet and start to get to know the crew. MEALS BD Day 3: Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, boat ride to Thoi Son Island and Cai Be to the floating market.

3 PAGE 3 This morning we visit the Visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, an impressive Buddhist temple which was completed in 1850, with a short tour of My Tho town en route. We then take a local boat to Thoi Son Island to see a coconut product manufacturer, taste some local fruit and honey. Thoi Son is a fertile island famous for its verdant fruit orchards. From here we continue on to Cai Be and enjoy a visit to the famous floating market - a true feast for the senses. We meet up with our riverboat home in the late afternoon - in time for a relaxing drink on the terrace and dinner on board. MEALS BLD Day 4: Visit the Kien An Cung Pagoda in Sa Dec and see the sunset from Sam Mountain. A relaxing morning as we enjoy breakfast while cruising along the Mekong. We will also take lunch on board today, before we make a visit to the Kien An Cung Pagoda. The one thousand square meter Kien An Cung Pagoda was built between 1924 and 1927, it has fiinely carved gilded woodwork and delicate frescoes which flank the altar, this faces an open-air courtyard where incense is burned to facilitate contact with the gods. Our late afternoon is spent gazing out over the rice paddies or relaxing in a hammocks. We can head into the local town for dinner - our leader will be happy to pass on some recommendations. MEALS BL Day 5: Cross the border into Cambodia and continue on to Phnom Penh. Today we cross the border into Cambodia and continue onto the busy capital of Phnom Penh. In the evening we head out into the city for a traditional cyclo tour, to see the city from a new perspective. We will pass the post office and Van's restaurant, both stunning colonial buildings, and make your way to the Royal Palace and National Museum. Dinner will again be at our choice of restaurant. During the border crossing all passengers must stay on board and the formalities are done on the riverboat. The ship will usually stay at the border for a 2-3 hours whilst all the formalities are completed. Depending on the time spent at the border, the itinerary for the afternoon may vary, although this process is usually quite simple delays can happen. MEALS BL Day 6: A full day in Phnom Penh, visit the Tuol Sleng Museum and Killing Fields. Free time in the afternoon. After breakfast we leave the boat to spend a full day in the capital. We visit the sobering Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21 prison) and the Killing Fields, both with a local guide. After lunch at the famous 'Friends' restaurant we have a free afternoon in Phnom Penh. Optional activities include, visiting the Russian Market, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda or Wat Phnom. Our guide will confirm where and when to meet to rejoin the boat in the evening. MEALS BL Day 7: Wander through the town of Koh Chen and visit Kampong Tralach. In the morning we visit the small town of Koh Chen where we wonder through the narrow streets and visit a family run silver and copper workshop, here we watch the cratfsmen and women at work. We head back to the boat for lunch and sail a little further down the river to Kampong Tralach. Here we visit the local Vihara (Buddhist monastery) and Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. The Vihara dates back to early last century and is home to

4 PAGE 4 some outstanding mural paintings. As it stands isolated in the middle of the rice fields, it is a modest pagoda that receives very few international visitors - there is the option to take a tuk tuk ride or buffalo cart to reach the monastery (this will be at a small additional cost). In the early evening we return to the boat where we can freshen up for dinner. MEALS BLD Day 8: Visit the local market at Kampong Chhnang and sail onto Chnok Tru and the floating villages. As we enjoy breakfast we sail on to Kampong Chhnang, one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonle Sap River. We learn more about the fish farming, pottery and sugar palm production in the area and take a walk through the local market. Another beautiful and relaxing meal onboard for lunchtime as we make our way to Chnok Tru. Here we hop in a local boat to visit one of the largest floating villages on the river. Again we come back to the boat for our evening meal, something a little different this evening however as it is the captain's farewell dinner - possibly a cocktail before we eat is in order. When water levels are too low (possible from mid December to mid August) it may not be possible to visit the floating village at Chnok Tru. Alternatively, the group will visit a floating village at Kampong Chhnang and anchor near Koh Chen. MEALS BLD Day 9: Sail to Siem Reap and bid farewell to the boat and crew. Free time in Siem Reap. With our bags already packed we can enjoy the last few hours onboard, peacefully watching the world go by as we cross the Tonle Sap Lake. In the late morning we arrive at the pier near Siem Reap and bid farewell to the boat. We have some free time to explore Siem Reap in the afternoon, with plently of temples, shops and cafes we will easily full our time - our guide will also be able to help suggest specific places to see. We visit the New Hope project (a cookery school for young adults) for dinner and learn about the important work being done here. When water levels are too low (possible from mid December to mid August) it may not be possible to sail to the port in Siem Reap. Alternatively, the group will transfer from Koh Chen to Siem Reap by bus. The meal at New Hope will be moved to dinner and include an evening tuk tuk ride to the restaurant. HOTEL MEALS BD Day 10: Visit Angkor Wat at sunrise. Depart in the afternoon. An early morning as we head out to see the spectacular Angkor Wat complex at sunrise. We spend a couple of hours here exploring before we pop back to our hotel for breakfast and checkout, as we then have a further couple of hours to look around this stunning complex, including the famous enigmatic faces of Bayon within the walled city of Angkor Thom, and tour Ta Prohm (aka the "Tomb Raider" temple). We finish the holiday back at the hotel at about midday, ready for our onward journey. MEALS B

5 PAGE 5 Holiday Information What's Included Airport transfer on Day 1 All accommodation as described Land excursions as described with our expert team Meals as detailed in the Meal Plan Lecture and guidance programs during the Riverboat experience What's Not Included Travel insurance Tips for staff Some meals as detailed in the Meal Plan Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc Meal Plan 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners are included. Unlimited bottled water is included onboard. Other soft and alcoholic drinks are extra. Joining Arrangements & Transfers You can arrive at any time on Day 1 and airport transfers are provided. Your return flight must depart no earlier than 3pm on Day 10, no airport transfer is provided on Day 10. Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation. Accommodation During this trip the group will spend 1 night at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh at the start of the holiday. You will then spend 8 nights onboard the riverboat. Cabins on board all have exterior view windows with air conditioning and private/ensuite bathrooms. Also please note that the rooms are set up with either twin beds or a double bed, if your booking is for more than 1 person please confirm which you would prefer at the time of booking. There will be times when you may want to or have to do your own laundry so we suggest you bring non-polluting/ biodegradable soap. Single cabins are possible - please contact the office for prices and availability. Please note that hot water shortages and power outages can be fairly common. We appreciate your patience and understanding that these occurrences are outside of our control. Group Leader & Support Staff A carefully chosen team will lead our voyage. They are chosen not only for their local knowledge and wealth of experience but also for their great love of the area. With formal lectures, as well as informal briefings and discussions, your team will cover all aspects of the voyage. Officers and crew, all highly experienced in varying types of navigation, man the ship. Altitude

6 PAGE 6 This holiday does not involve any significant ascent to altitude and we would not expect any altitude issues with this trip. Guidance On Tipping We recommend tipping $5 - $10 per day for time spent on the boat for the staff onboard. For the group leader a guideline of $20-30 USD per person, per week can be used. This is only a suggestion as we understand that tipping is a personal choice. If you have a local guide or a driver on your tour, tipping $2-5 USD (in local currency) per person, per service is recommended. If someone helps you carry a bag, you can offer to tip a few USD (in local currency) if you feel it is deserved - or you can of course ask your group leader if you are unsure. Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. Group Members For this holiday the minimum age is 12 yrs. The holiday will be conducted in English. Generally on these trips there will be a mix of nationalities but it is not possible to guarantee this. General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Visa Cambodia UK and USA passport holders do require a visa. The visa fee is $30 and is obtainable on arrival. Payment must be made in cash. You can apply for an e-visa prior to departure online at The e-visa fee is $30 + $7 processing charge. This e-visa is not valid at certain land border crossings, please check.

7 PAGE 7 Visa Vietnam Until 30 June 2018 British Citizen passport holders do not need a visa for durations of stay up to and including 15 days. For stays of longer than 15 days and up to 30 days an e-visa is required. Use of the e-visa is limited to certain entry/exit points which you must select at the time of application. For information about multiple entry visas, longer stays or different nationalities please contact the relevant embassy. The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK is in London. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you specific require any vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumps-rubella), along with hepatitis A and typhoid. Malarial prophylaxis are required. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required if travelling from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited for more than 12 hrs through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. On holidays to more remote areas you should also have a dentist check up. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro. Currency The unit of currency in Cambodia is the Riel. The unit of currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

8 PAGE 8 Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Flight Inclusive Notes The FLIGHT INCLUSIVE dates and prices are based on UK flights from London to Ho Chi Minh City. Outbound flights will depart the UK usually in the evening, arriving into Ho Chi Minh City in the morning of Day 1. Return flights will usually depart Siem Reap in the evening of the last day of the itinerary, arriving in the UK in the morning of the following day. Regional departures are available on request. Please contact the KE Flights Department for a quotation Please be aware that there are often only a limited number of seats available at the advertised price. To avoid paying flight supplements, we recommend that you book as early as possible, especially during peak times. If we are unable to secure seats at the price shown, or you have requested regional departures, we will contact you with an alternative quote. Please note that you may be asked to pay for your flights in advance of your final holiday balance. Note that if you book a package including flights with KE you will benefit from full financial protection. Land Only Notes The dates shown are for the LAND ONLY itinerary, joining in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. For clients making their own flight arrangements, Ho Chi Minh City Airport is the most convenient for transfers to the group hotel. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements' section for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. Flight Options From The US For help and advice with booking your flights, we recommend you consult our friends at Exito Travel, airfare specialists since The air team at Exito are familiar with our destinations and know the airports, best airlines and potential pitfalls. If there is ever a flight change, cancellation or air-related issue before or during your travels, it's nice to know you have someone on the Exito air team looking after you. Visit their website at: or contact the team on: keadventure@exitotravel.com &/or via phone at: ext Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 31 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, mule-

9 PAGE 9 herders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or , or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly

10 PAGE 10 recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts. note: This document was downloaded on 20 Dec 2017, and the trip is subject to change. Please