Vietnam & Cambodia 15 Days

Transcription

1 Vietnam & Cambodia 15 Days The unspoiled countries On this fifteen-day trip, we will discover the wonders of Ha Long Bay and the picturesque port town of Hoi An, a favorite with many travelers. Also on the tour is the lush Mekong Delta, the amazing Cu Chi tunnels and vibrant Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon). After leaving HCMC, we will fly to Siem Reap in Cambodia to discover the marvel of the Angkor Complex, including Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Bayon, Banteray Srei and other masterpieces of ancient Khmer architecture. ITINERARY DAY 1 TUESDAY: ARRIVAL (Passengers departing from Israel: Depart Tel Aviv on Monday and arrive Noi Bai on Tuesday). Arrival Noi Bai airport. Pick up and transfer to hotel. Hotel: Lacasa Hotel or similar. DAY 2 WEDNESDAY: HANOI - HALONG After breakfast we will visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument where the preserved body of Uncle Ho resides. We will also visit the home where he lived. We'll continue to the Temple of Literature, the first university for the sons of mandarins, for an overview of Hanoian culture as well as the Maison Centrale also known as Hoa Lo Prison or the Hanoi Hilton which originally housed Vietnamese revolutionaries and afterwards also American POWs during the Vietnam War. The fortress was once a vast colonial-style prison, most of which was torn down in the 1990s. We will drive to beautiful Halong Bay, a World Heritage site. Here we'll be welcomed aboard ship and we'll set sail through the enchanting bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the sea like dragons teeth. After lunch, we will take a short trek to a nearby summit for a panoramic view of the bay dotted with golden sails. Hotel: Royal Lotus Hotel or similar.

2 DAY 3 THURSDAY: HA LONG HA NOI - NIGHT TRAIN TO LAO CAI After breakfast at the hotel we'll board our boat once again for 4 hours on the bay to visit famous caves and lagoon. We'll transfer back to Ha Noi, and take a cyclo tour of Ha Noi's old quarter after which we'll go for dinner.we'll then transfer to the railway station where we'll board the TSC Express Night Train to Lao Cai in northern Vietnam (Air-conditioned cabin: 2 persons/cabin). DAY 4 FRIDAY: LAO CAI SAPA We'll arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning (scheduled at a.m.) where we'll be picked up and transferred for breakfast at our hotel in Sapa. In the terraced hills and mountains of Sapa, the monotony of the expansive green landscape is enlivened by the colors of its hill tribe population: the rainbow colors of the Flower H mong, flashes of shining silver jewelry from the necks and wrists of indigo-clad H mong women, and the scarlet hues of the turbans worn by the Red Dao. It is where we will find hands stained with color from fabric dyes and shades of blue, red and green intricately embroidered and stitched into jackets, waistcoats, pants, skirts, caps purses and leggings. We'll enjoy a trek to through the green Sa Pa Valley to visit the Black H mong minority of Lao Chai Village and Giay minority of Ta Van. Then it's back to Sapa and to prepare for Shabbat. Hotel: Chau Long Hotel or similar. DAY 5 SATURDAY: SAPA After prayers and breakfast our guide will takes us on a walking tour to visit Ham Rong Mountain with its orchid garden where we'll enjoy a folklore show followed by a walking visit to Sapa Town. Accommodation at hotel in Sapa. DAY 6 SUNDAY: SAPA - BAC HA - HA NOI After breakfast at the hotel, we'll transfer to Bac Ha Sunday to see the colorful Sunday market. We'll visit some minority villages then after an early dinner, we'll return to Ha Noi. DAY 7 MONDAY: HA NOI - DA NANG HOI AN After breakfast we will visit Ethnology museum which tells the story of Vietnam's multiple ethnicities, and then we'll then transfer to Noi Bai airport for our flight to Da Nang. Upon arrival to Da Nang, we'll transfer to Hoi An. Hotel: Green Heaven or similar. DAY 8 TUESDAY: HOI AN Breakfast at hotel. AM: Transfer to visit My Son Sanctuary. PM: Visit Hoi An ancient town, Phuc Kien pagoda, Japanese Bridge and the AO DAI shop. We'll take a boat trip to visit Thanh Ha village. In the evening, we'll participate in a local tradition as we float little paper boats

3 with candles from one of the bridges in town. Accommodation at hotel in Hoi An. DAY 9 WEDNESDAY: HOI AN DA NANG HO CHI MINH Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Da Nang to visit Cham Museum and Marble Mountain then proceed to airport in Da Nang for flight to Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a Saigon). Arrival Ho Chi Minh City, pick up and transfer to visit Vinh Nghiem pagoda. Enjoy Water puppet show. Hotel: Novotel Saigon Centre Hotel or similar. DAY 10 THURSDAY: HO CHI MINH CITY- VINH LONG HO CHI MINH CITY Breakfast at hotel. Transfer for tour to Mekong delta with visit to Vinh Long. Boat trip to visit Cai Be floating market. Transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City. Accommodation at hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. DAY 11 FRIDAY: HO CHI MINH CITY - CU CHI, TAY NINH - HO CHI MINH CITY Starting early morning we will visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. At its height, the tunnel system stretched over 250 kilometers, from Saigon to the Cambodian border, and was three levels deep. The network included innumerable trap doors, specially constructed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving visitors a unique experience and a feel of what underground life during the Vietnam War must have been like. Continue to Tay Ninh, near the Cambodian border, home to the unique Cao Dai sect, whose patron saints include Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo and Winston Churchill to name a few. The religion is a hybrid of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Christianity. The Cao Dai Temple at Tay Ninh has been described as a Walt Disney World of the East. The temple s exterior is decorated with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes competing for space with a number of religious symbols. Above the main entrance is the all-seeing holy eye, the symbol of the Cao Dai sect. Return to the hotel and prepare for Shabbat. DAY Saturday: Ho Chi Minh After Shabbat services, Kiddush and lunch, we'll go for a walking tour including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Post Office. DAY 13 SUNDAY: HO CHI MINH SIEM REAP Transfer to airport for departure flight to Siem Riep. Pick up at airport in Siem Riep, transfer to hotel (early check in is subject to availability). Visit to Gate of the Death, Spean Thma, T Keo, Terrance of Srang, and Prasat Kravan. PM: Visit the famous temple: Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a World Heritage Site since 1992, famous for its beauty and splendor. Angkor Wat features the longest continuous bas-relief in

4 the world, which runs along the outer gallery walls and narrates stories from Hindu mythology, visit Bakheng Temple and enjoy a romantic sun set view form Bakheng Hills. Hotel: Apsara Angkor Hotel or similar DAY 14 MONDAY: SIEM REAP AM: Visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom (12 century): the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. PM: Visit the floating village of Chhong Khneas, located 10 kilometers south of Siem Reap. Visit the village and take an excursion in a traditional wooden boat on the Tonle Sap Lake, the Great Lake of Cambodia, one of the largest in Asia. Relaxation with traditional Khmer foot massage for 1 hour in the city. Accommodation at hotel in Siem Reap. DAY 15 TUESDAY: SIEM REAP Breakfast at hotel. This morning begins with a visit Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre temples. Transfer to Visit Les Artisans d Angkor Chantiers Ecoles of Siem Reap and spend time at leisure at a local market. After an early dinner, we'll transfer to the airport for our departure flight. (Passengers departing to Israel arrive in Tel Aviv on Wednesday). Departure Return Days Price* Single Room** Flights $4900 $765 Excluding $4900 $765 Excluding $4900 $765 Excluding $4900 $765 Excluding * Price per person in double/twin room ** Supplement for Single room Notes NEED TO KNOW Price Includes: Train tickets according to the tour plan Domestic flights as per itinerary 4* Hotels Entrance fees as per the itinerary Comfortable air conditioned touring coach Tips for local service providers Kosher half board & supplies for making sandwiches for lunch Professional experienced English-speaking guide Local English-speaking Guide as required

5 Price Excludes: International flights Personal expenses Shows and evening entertainment not included in the itinerary Tip for our Tour Guide (Recommended: $5 per person per day) Visa for Vietnam: $95 (will be add to your invoice) Visa for Cambodia: $30 (paid directly at Cambodia airport) Airport Departure Tax: $25 Important to Know: There may be changes to the order of places visited. We will make every effort to visit every place mentioned in the itinerary. The tour organizers have no control over airline services such as seating, special meal requests, changes in departure times or delays. These remain the sole responsibility of the airline company. Kashrut on Tours Only strictly kosher food is provided to our travelers on all our tours. On some of our tours we are able to provide glatt meals. Kashrut is of utmost importance to us and we take special measures to ensure that everything served is kosher. The meals: Breakfast is prepared using our utensils. We use local fresh fruits and vegetables, and we use milk products when they are permitted. We use kosher cereals, and bread. We usually serve hard boiled eggs and sometimes scrambled eggs or omelets. At breakfast, we prepare our lunches so that guests have their choice as to what they eat for lunch. We bring food from Israel to supplement what is served in the hotel such as cheeses, peanut butter, tuna, etc. For dinners, we serve either fish or meat (usually chicken) as our main course. In areas where meat is not available nor readily acquired, we will have fish. When possible, we acquire the meat locally from Chabad or other reliable kosher source, and in some cases we fly the meat in from Israel. We try to provide as many meat meals as possible. The main course at dinner is preceded by soup and salad and accompanied by freshly prepared vegetables. Dessert typically consists of fresh fruits. We do not guarantee Pat Israel and Chalav Israel for all destinations. In many destinations we have our own dishes and silverware. Where we don t, we provide disposable flatware. When we cook in hotel kitchens, we use our own knives, cutting boards, pots and pans, cooking implements and disposable metal trays. All food preparation is done on covered surfaces under the strict supervision of our trained staff/guides who also function as our mashgichim. We make great efforts to assure that our travelers will experience local foods first-hand, while maintaining stringent observance of Kashrut laws on all occasions. On most of our tours, you will be accompanied by two of our staff members- one a guide for the tour who is knowledgeable about the places you are visiting and will accompany you throughout the day and the second, a person who will deal with the logistics of the tour and provide kashrut supervision in the kitchen. Hotels: It is our aim to provide the finest hotels in each area we visit. We require our hotels to allow us to work in the kitchen and to supervise the cooking and there are many hotels that are not willing to cooperate. They simply have no desire for us to be meddling in their cooking process nor are they happy about our bringing our equipment into their kitchens. We work

6 very hard to find the best hotel in the area that will meet our requirements. Because we are not ready to compromise on kashrut, we may not always be able to use a five star hotel. Deposit, Cancellation Fees & Policy: Deposit, Cancellation Fees & Policy: A $500 USD Deposit per person must be received at the time of booking in order to confirm your reservation. Payment in full is due 60 days before departure. A minimum number of participants are required to operate tour dates. If a minimum number has not been reached prior to tour departure and the tour is cancelled you will receive a FULL refund. 60 days before departure bookings are refundable less a $100 administration fee working days prior to departure: 25% of total per passenger working days prior to departure5025% of total per passenger Less than 14 working days prior to departure: 100% of total no refund We strongly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance.