28/12/2011

Traveler in Asia: from Vietnam to Cambodia

Now boarding for Asia, a new destination for the agency “Traveler in the World” which is launching “Traveler in Asia” at the end of the year for escapades to the orient. We selected the combined Vietnam/Cambodia voyage for 17 days and 15 nights of total immersion.

At 6:00 am, the plane lands in Hanoi. Asia is here, right here. An Asia which quickly unveils itself. Through the city streets, ambiance, and architecture. That same afternoon, you will find yourself in the heart of Hanoi: Ba Dinh square and its mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda founded in 1050, the French Quarter and its colonial buildings, the opera house inspired by the Opera Garnier in Paris. The visit, on foot or in a rickshaw, is delightful. You lose yourself in astonishing areas. Such as the Old Quarter known as the 36 Streets district, where craftsmen still work in the shadow of their stalls. After a refreshing night’s sleep in the legendary Sofitel Métropole, the first luxury hotel in Indochina which opened in 1901, you head for the Ninh Binh province and Hoa Lu, an ancient imperial citadel. On either side of the road, a constant stream of villages and stretches of water. One of your lovely excursions takes you in a small rowboat for a ride on the Ngo Dong River. The landscape then really becomes unusual. Surrounded by hills and rocky outcroppings, you can admire all along the course of the river the strange beauty which will certainly remind you of Ha Long. Ha Long… where you board a privatised “junk” for a cruise in the bay. With 3,000 limestone islands, this one-of-a-kind place looks like a watercolour work of art. You spend the night on board the Annam with its ochre sails…

Then you head to Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Founded in the 15th century, this was one of the main maritime trading posts in Southeast Asia. Within its narrow streets, the atmosphere wins you over. An atmosphere that you will revel in at the Nam Hai, a superb hotel with dark wood décor and pools lined with palm trees, as well as in Hué, the former capital.

With its imperial stronghold and market, Hué is a destination unto itself. Here you have a leisurely lunch in a lordly manor that is exquisitely refined. On the eighth day of your voyage, Ho Chi Minh City appears on the horizon. A former colonial city which many still call Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is full of surprises, such as the Notre Dame cathedral built in stone from Marseille.
Then the focus becomes nature and the Mekong Delta. Here, in a traditional boat called a bassac, you will glide between rice-filled barges, fruit drying in the sun, and ship building sites. While the boat slips through the midst of a floating market, the next day’s breakfast becomes delicious. As is the visit of Chau Doc, on the border to Cambodia. Then, on the other side of the delta, Phnom Penh welcomes you to Cambodia.

Here you will stay at the elegantly classic Raffles Le Royal, the city’s finest. From there, you will discover the city, its Khmer architecture, its pagodas, etc. A city which has managed to stay entirely authentic. Just like the surrounding villages where rice paddies alternate with towering palms. A must-see: Angkor and its mountain temples, silk-cotton trees and amazing sculptures. You will be overwhelmed by a flood of emotion, before continuing on to other marvellous adventures, such as the floating village Chong Kneas, Tonle Sap Lake and Siem Reap where you will be welcomed at The Samar Villas or at the Heritage Suites, the country’s first Relais & Châteaux, with its refreshing sophistication and modernity…

Combined Vietnam/Cambodia
17 day/15 night Vietnam/Cambodia, from 5,500 euros/person. Price includes international travel in economy class on regularly scheduled flights, domestic flights, taxes, French or English-speaking guides, transfers, visits, excursions and cruises in Ha Long and Mekong Bays, lodging, 7 lunches and 5 dinners
Information and reservations: Traveler in Asia on +33 1 42 36 19 10 or www.travelerinasia.fr