FREE TIME - Contiki

Itinerary
Day 1: Bangkok. It’s big, booming and
bustling and the gateway to Asia, it’s
Bangkok! Meet your crew before
sampling the varied nightlife. Patpong
neon lights, Lumpini markets or classy
cocktails? Dancing, dining and
discovering, this city never sleeps. Hotel
Day 2: Bangkok to Chiang Mai. It’s a
culture vulture morning visiting temples.
Take a long-tail boat through the
waterways of Bangkok where the daily
rhythm of traditional Thai life continues
on criss-crossing canals. In the
afternoon dive into the bottomless
ocean of shopping in Silom, MBK
Centre, Siam Square and Sukhumvit
before jumping aboard the overnight
train to Chang Mai. Overnight Train (B)
Day 3: Chiang Mai. Enjoy mountain air
with the local guide, visit the Wat Phra
Thad and the colourful Hmong hilltribe at
their village, You could take an Optional
cooking class, chill by the pool or kick
around town. Hotel (B)
Day 4: Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.
Head deeper towards the picturesque
Golden Triangle, where the Laos,
Myanmar and Thailand borders meet.
After a short group city orientation, your
options include visiting the unique villages
of the Akha and Yao hilltribes. Hotel (B)
Day 5: Chiang Rai to Pakbeng. Crossing
the Thai/Laos border, we board a private
traditional boat. Cruise the jungle on the
mighty Mekong River, taking sneak peeks
of local life in remote waterside villages.
Stay at a local Guesthouse in Pakbeng for
an authentic overnight Laos experience.
Guesthouse (B,L,D)
Day 6: Pakbeng to Luang Prabang.
Explore the local, vibrant morning
markets in Pakbeng. Continue cruising
the Mekong, stopping at the Tam Ting
cave featuring thousands of Buddha
statues. In Luang Prabang take a bike
tour of the UNESCO World Heritagelisted
town and peruse the night markets
featuring hill tribe textiles. Hotel (B,L)
Day 7: Luang Prabang. Try one of the
optional activities including a half day
kayak adventure or visit the Elephant
Park Project and learn about their
conservation efforts. Maybe take a break
from the hustle and bustle, enjoy a cold
Beer Lao – the national drink, and soak
up the chilled ambience of this charming
Laotian town. Hotel (B)
Day 8: Luang Prabang to Vang
Vieng. Join in the early morning ritual of
offering alms to local monks before
travelling by coach to Vang Vieng,
keeping an eye on the limestone
studded scenery. Get active by either
jumping in a rubber tube down the river
or taking a cycling tour. Hotel (B)
Day 9: Vang Vieng to Vientiane. After a
free morning, depart for Vientiane, the
French influenced capital of Laos. Learn
about the effects on Laos of The
Indochina or “Forgotten” War at the COPE
Exhibition Centre and other sites. You’ll
have an option to enjoy an authentic
Laotian meal at Makphet. Here they train
former street children, and return the
restaurant’s profits to the Peuan Mit street
children project to keep training the next
generations of chefs. Hotel (B)
BURMA
Chiang Rai
Chiang Mai
Places visited
Pakbeng
1 or more nightstops
Bangkok
Luang Prabang
LAOS
Vang Vieng
THAILAND
Vientiane
Siem Reap
Day 10: Vientiane to Phnom Penh.
Goodbye Laos and hello Cambodia as
you travel by plane to the capital. Enjoy
free time to explore the city once known
as the “Pearl of Asia”. Boasting broad,
French styled boulevards, walk the
streets and absorb the local colour or
visit one of the many museums about the
regime of the Khmer Rouge. Hotel (B)
Day 11: Phnom Penh. Today tour the
Royal Palace and view first-hand, the
legacy of the violent Khmer Rouge at the
“Killing Fields” genocide sites. Spend a
free afternoon visiting boutique shops,
and as a highlight, pick an option to
travel by tuk-tuk to a 120 year old
French colonial building for a traditional
Khmer meal before ending the night at a
roof top bar. Hotel (B)
Day 12: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.
Today we fly to Siem Reap to see an
archaeological wonder of the world.
Travel by tuk-tuk to 13th century Angkor
Wat one of the biggest religious
monuments ever built. Chillout at sun set
over the ruins and return for a free night
in Siem Reap. Hotel (B)
Day 13: Siem Reap. Explore the floating
villages on Tonle Sap Lake by wooden
boat before an atmospheric visit to other
temples close to Angkor that have been
reclaimed from the jungle. You’ll
recognise scenes from the movie Tomb
Raider with the exotic Ta Prohm. Hotel (B)
Day 14: Siem Reap. You might receive
an early-morning good luck blessing by
Buddhist monks before your tour
concludes around midday. (B)
Refer to contiki.co.nz/
asianadventure
Phnom
Penh
VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
Traditional Pho
Soup
2009
2010
EARLY
PAYMENT
DISCOUNT
SEE PAGE 19
South China Sea
CODE: ASAD 2009/10
Start End NZ$ Per
Bangkok Siem Reap Person
MAR 3 MAR 16 2455
APR 1 APR 14 2455
MAY 5 MAY 18 2455
JUN 3 JUN 16 2455
JUL 7 JUL 20 2455
AUG 5 AUG 18 2455
NOV 10 NOV 23 2575
DEC 8 DEC 21 2575
JAN 5 JAN 18 2699
FEB 3 FEB 16 2699
MAR 9 MAR 22 2699
APR 7 APR 20 2699
MAY 11 MAY 24 2699
† On Day 1, your Tour Manager will
collect a mandatory local payment
of US$185 cash.
Single room supplement:
NZ$539.
Start 6:00pm & end approx.
12:00 noon.
For Travel Insurance see p.22.
6 MONTH DISCOUNT
SAVE UP TO NZ$125
4 MONTH DISCOUNT
SAVE UP TO NZ$59
14 Days
17