CAMBODIA,VIETNAM& LAOS<strong>SOUTH</strong> <strong>EAST</strong> <strong>ASIA</strong>TOP5MUST-DO’s1. CATCH SUNRISE OVER ANGKOR WAT2. SEARCH FOR IRRAWADDY DOLPHIN3. GIVE ALMS TO A BUDDHIST MONK4. EXPLORE COLONIAL VIENTIANE5. SAIL ON UNIQUE HALONG BAYLAOSLUANGPRABNGSAPA HALONG BAYHANOIVANG VIENGVIENTIANEIndependent touringIf you would like to travel on your ownprivate tour, just for you and yourparty, please ask about our range oftours designed for the independenttraveller. It’s much less expensivethan you might think! Follow a similaritinerary to some of our most popularsmall group adventures, such as:• Cambodia On A Shoestring (page 102)Or ask us to customise a private tourdesigned to your exact requirements.SIEMREAPPHNOMPENHTHAKHEKPAKSEDONDETANGKOR WATSIHANOUKVILLECAMBODIAHUEDA NANGHOI ANVIETNAMHO CHIMINH CITYNHA TRANGDALAT
CAMBODIA ON A SHOESTRINGBangkok Ho Chi Minh CityFR$94910 DAYSHighlights• Catch the sunrise over Angkor Wat• Swim the clear waters of Sihanoukville• Make friends on a local homestay• Chill on Cambodia’s golden beaches• Journey along the Mekong Delta• Brave Ho Chi Minh’s busy streets• Explore Khmer temples and history• See glittering palaces in Bangkok<strong>SOUTH</strong> <strong>EAST</strong> <strong>ASIA</strong>Departures 2014Jan - Mar DailyAprDaily, except ThursdayMay - Jun Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday & SaturdayJul - Aug DailySep - Dec Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday & SaturdayInclusionsTrip Style: YOLO Service Level: Basic PhysicalGrading: 2 Age Group: Recommended for 18-39s Accommodation: Simple hotels (8 nts),homestay (1 nt) Transport: Local bus,air-conditioned bus Meals: 6 breakfasts,2 dinners Budget: Allow USD $200-250for meals not included Group Leader: ChiefExperience Officer (CEO), local guides GroupSize: Max 16, Avg 10 Tour Code: GAATRCMy Own Room Available: Fr $299THAILANDBangkokAngkor WatSiem ReapCAMBODIAPhnom PenhChauDocSihanoukvilleYou might likeVIETNAMHo ChiMinh CityExtend your tripCambodia & Vietnam on a Shoestring(20 days, Bangkok to Hanoi)(GAATCV) see page 28 Fr $1,679Cambodia’s troublesome past, jaw-dropping natural beauty, laid-back vibes and goodheartedpeople all blend together effortlessly, to ensure you’ll want to know and experienceabsolutely everything about this Asian treasure. This adventure kicks off in the bright lightsof Bangkok and will weave you through colourful Cambodia, witnessing the magnificentAngkor Wat temple complex, the historic yet sombre site of the Killing Fields, Sihanoukville’sglittering turquoise waters, the incredible Mekong Delta and rounds it all of with the charmand bustle of Ho Chi Minh City.DAY0102-0304-0506-070809-10ITINERARYBangkokArrive at any time and feel free to explore this energetic city. Take a tuk-tuk to the markets, a boatdown the river or explore the maze of streets on foot. Be captivated by this extraordinary city’ssights, colours and aromas, amongst streets brimming with people from all walks of life.Siem Reap / Angkor Wat / Siem ReapHead across the Cambodian border and onwards to Siem Reap, where you’ll explore the intricatetemples and palaces of the vast Angkor complex - the world’s largest religious building and oneof Asia’s most incredible and most-visited sights. There is also time to visit Tonle Sap Lake to seeone of its intriguing floating villages. Later, you can enjoy a delicious Khmer meal at a Planeterrasupportedproject in a village just outside of Siem Reap. This particular meal is kindly prepared andserved by local partners who have set up a school to teach English to Cambodian children, whilstat the same time providing comprehensive healthcare and education for vulnerable kids and theirfamilies. So rest assured you’ll be contributing to help out and support this local grass roots projectwhilst enjoying an incredible Cambodian meal. (2B, D)Phnom PenhAbsorb the spectacular scenery as you journey by local bus to the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.This pleasant riverside city oozes Cambodian charisma and is a hub of politics, history and culturalrenaissance. You’ll experience a walking tour and check out the colourful cafés, shady streets andthriving markets full of vibrant textiles or choose to learn about Cambodia’s sombre past and itsdescent into the horror of the Khmer Rouge regime at Tuol Sleng Prison and the Killing Fields.Cambodia really is an inspirational country, but sadly dashed with an heart-wrenching past. (2B)SihanoukvilleToday, travel by public bus to Cambodia’s southern coast and the sun-kissed beaches ofSihanoukville. Time to relax to the max on the white sand while perhaps enjoying a massage andeating fresh seafood, or why not join a boat trip for a day of snorkelling and lunch on an uninhabitedisland as the sun goes down? Sihanoukville’s breezy, laid-back attitude will ensure you unwind andrecharge your batteries. (B)Mekong Delta / Chau DocCross the Vietnamese border into the intriguing water world of the Mekong Delta. Absorb the greenriver world of orchards, rice fields, floating markets and cottage industries on an optional boat tripthrough its myriad waterways. Tonight’s stop is in Chau Doc where you can explore the town, marketor river front park by foot. (D)Ho Chi Minh CityAfter breakfast on Day 9, you’ll journey to Ho Chi Minh City, previously known as Saigon. This citywas once a sleepy Khmer trading and fishing port, but is now a hub of activity. As you arrive laterthat day explore Ho Chi Minh’s myriad of rooftop bars, quirky restaurants or shop ‘til you drop atBen Than Market. A fun way to spend your last evening in Ho Chi Minh City is to go on a street foodcrawl with your group, as your tour leader will know the best places to find the tastiest and mostauthentic snacks that represent the best of Vietnamese cooking. Those with an interest in Vietnam’srecent war history may like to visit the Reunification Palace, the residence of the presidents of SouthVietnam before 1974 and the fascinating nearby War Remnants Museum. Also very interesting isCholon, Saigon’s Chinese quarter. A cyclo can take you to any of these places for a very reasonableprice and is a fun way to travel around Ho Chi Minh City. Bid your farewells to your new-foundbuddies as your trip ends shortly after breakfast on Day 10. (B)102VISIT WWW.<strong>STA</strong>TRAVEL.COM.AU
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