Arawjo Tours - Global Nomads

Vietnam - Photo Courtesy of Bigfoto.com

It is with great pleasure that we have at long last completed our preparations for our November tour to Vietnam and Cambodia. This is absolutely one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that is guaranteed to produce incredible memories.  Below are some important details concerning this spectacular Asian journey.

In addition to a fantastic sightseeing agenda, the tour includes round trip air to Vietnam with a return from Cambodia on Korean Air, all internal flights within Vietnam and between Vietnam and Cambodia, the services of full-time English-speaking tour escorts in both countries and a total of 13 nights in mainly four star hotels with full American breakfasts.  For pricing information, scroll to the bottom of the tour description.

Sunday, 13 November:
Departure from USA for Hanoi, Vietnam.

Monday, 14 November:
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport, and transfer to your accommodation in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam.Overnight at hotel.

Tuesday, 15 November:
Hanoi is over 1000 years old.   Way back at its foundation on a bend in the Red River it was known as Thang Long, or ‘Soaring Dragon’. There are but a few reminders left of its earliest days, but there is a well-preserved Old Quarter where the ancient guilds once congregated, and the handsome boulevards and colonial architectural legacy of the French occupation from the late nineteenth to mid twentieth centuries. Overnight at Hanoi Hotel or similar First class hotel. 

Wednesday, 16 November:
Breakfast at hotel. This morning’s city tour includes a visit to the Temple of Literature, an ancient seat of learning founded in 1070. Exacting examinations to discern who could rise to the level of a Mandarin were carried out from 1484 through to 1878. The Tran Quoc Pagoda, formerly standing on the banks of the Cai River was later reassembled at its current location on an islet on the West Lake. Legend has it that it predates Hanoi itself, thought to have been constructed in the mid 6th century. See the Opera House, a fine example of French architecture in Indochina, and also the rather grimmer edifice of the Soviet-style Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square, where the man himself read out the Declaration of Independence in September 1945. The afternoon is yours to explore this thriving and fascinating city – perhaps take a Cyclo ride through the narrow lanes of the Old Quarter, enjoy a strong coffee at a café overlooking tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake, or something a little stronger – bia hoi – Hanoi’s rough and ready draught beer taken with the locals at a kerbside stall. Overnight at Hanoi Hotel or similar First class hotel.


Thursday, 17 November:
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport for a flight to the imperial city of Hue. The last emperors of Vietnam, the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945) ruled the roost from their palace – all six square kilometers of it – in the centre of the country. These elegant lodgings on the north bank of the Perfume River suffered some damage during the course of the Tet Offensive in 1968 but restoration is now overseen by UNESCO. Overnight at Century Riverside Hotel or similar First class hotel.


Friday, 18 November:
Breakfast at hotel. Visit the Imperial Citadel, sited in accordance with the rules of Feng Shui and modeled with one eye firmly fixed on the Forbidden City of Beijing, reflecting the glory that its occupant would want visited upon him. Such a grand-scale project called for grand-scale labour, 20,000 men to throw up the walls alone. Follow the Perfume River to the Thien Mu monastery, its iconic octagonal pagoda is the symbol of Hue. Visit the Mausoleum of Tu Duc which though designed for an Emperors afterlife was much frequented by him whilst living and breathing, as a serene retreat from the stifling intrigues of the palace. The afternoon is free to explore – maybe take a boat trip or eye up the produce at Dong Ba Market. Overnight at Century Riverside Hotel or similar First class hotel.


Saturday, 19 November:
Breakfast at hotel.  Drive today over the Hai Van Pass marking the divide between Northern and Southern Vietnam, to the quaint town of Hoi An. Once it was a vigorous entre-pot where merchant ships of various nations would put up and await the trade winds to carry them onwards to China in one direction, or India in another. But come the end of the 19th century its river silted up and the town froze into a snapshot of that time and place. There are fine assembly houses for various Chinese dialect groups and eclectic architecture mirrors the provenance of the various merchants that temporarily called it home. Overnight at Palm Garden Resort or similar First class hotel.


Sunday, 20 November:
Breakfast at hotel. A walking tour of downtown Hoi An includes a visit to one of the Assembly halls for use by a specific Chinese dialect group, from which they also could administer their own temples, schools and burial grounds. Also visit one of the well-preserved houses of the illustrious merchants, featuring period furnishings. The afternoon is at leisure – maybe spend it shopping for local arts and crafts such as traditional lanterns or embroidered table cloths. Overnight at Palm Garden Resort or similar First class hotel.


Monday, 21 November:
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Da Nang airport for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City. To many natives it is still referred to by the former name Saigon. Hanoi may be the actual capital with the long history, but younger and larger Saigon is the de facto commercial capital, its teeming streets oozing business savvy and wheeler dealing. Most of the actual wheels are still ‘two’ – increasingly the motorized version over the pedal power version. Overnight at Parkroyal Saigon Hotel or similar First Class hotel.


Tuesday, 22 November:
Breakfast at hotel. This morning’s tour of vibrant Saigon includes visits of Notre Dame Cathedral and the nearby General Post Office, both products of the French colonial period. The Virgin Mary holds court before the twin spires of the austere cathedral. The cool and elegant interior of the post office comes courtesy of Gustav Eiffel, more famous for his symbolic tower in Paris. Take a walk through Vietnam’s past eras at the Historical Museum by the Botanical Gardens. Finally visit the Chinatown district aptly called Cho Lon, meaning ‘big market’, the pulsating heart of commerce in the city. In the afternoon you are free to look round the several markets – lacquerware is a craft with a particular reputation, and mother-of-pearl inlays are also popular buys. Overnight at Parkroyal Saigon Hotel or similar First Class hotel. 

Wednesday, 23 November:
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Tan Son Nhat airport for a flight to Phnom Penh. This former ‘Pearl of the Orient’ turned into a ghost town overnight in 1975 when its residents were ejected into the countryside by the victorious Khmer Rouge. A very dark period of modern history followed, leaving Cambodia synonymous with Killing Fields. However there has been relative peace over the past 20 years and the city is gradually regaining its composure and some of it charms. Overnight at Phnom Penh Hotel or similar First class hotel.


Thursday, 24 November:
Breakfast at hotel. This morning visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. The palace was constructed in 1866 under the French Protectorate, to a Khmer architectural design. One particular building in the complex however does seem out of keeping with the general tone. The pavilion housing royal emorabilia was originally used by the Empress Eugenie for the opening of the Suez Canal. It was gifted to the Cambodian royal family by Napoleon III. The silver content of the Silver Pagoda are the 5329 tiles that cover the floor of the temple of the Emerald Buddha. Napoleon III also has a connection with the pagoda – the equestrian statue of King Norodom which was originally a statue of Napoleon III. The resourceful Cambodians merely switched the heads. Browse the stalls at the pale-yellow hued Central Market, a wonderful example of Art Deco. At leisure in the afternoon, you may take an optional excursion to the Killing Field memorial or visit the disturbing Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide. Or stroll along Sisowath Quay at the confluence of the Mekong and Sap Rivers. Overnight at Phnom Penh Hotel or similar First Class hotel.


Friday, 25 November:
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer by coach to Siem Reap, passing by the Tonle Sap Lake en route. This modern town is the centre for visits to an ancient city – that of Angkor. What remains are mainly the temple buildings that were constructed in stone, leaving no trace of the domestic and royal residences of less durable materials, that would have filled the spaces between – for indeed to construct something as mammoth as the Angkor Wat and the barays (reservoirs) and canals that used to feed the city also required a mammoth labour force. Angkor was a work in progress from the 9th – 15th centuries, though most of the great works were completed between 9th – 12th centuries. Overnight at Angkor Century Hotel or similar First Class hotel.


Saturday, 26 November:
Breakfast at hotel. A full day visit is the minimum requirement for Angkor. The three salient temples of the central area are included in this tour. Just inside the city walls of Angkor Thom stands the temple-mountain of the Bayon. This unique temple was constructed during the rule of Jayavarman VII (late 12th century), the most prolific builder of all Khmer kings and unlike most of his predecessors a Buddhist rather than a Hindu. The most outstanding features are the face towers, each featuring an image, perhaps of the king himself, facing in the four cardinal directions, and the wonderfully vivid bas-reliefs depicting scenes of contemporary life. Ta Prohm Temple has been partially neglected to show what the temple overtaken by the jungle looked like, great fig and silk-cotton trees wrapping their roots like talons around the masonry. And of course incomparable Angkor Wat, the funerary temple of Suryavarman II, coming on for 900 years old and still the largest edifice for a religious purpose on the planet. A sunset view can be taken from the Phnom Bakheng hill. Overnight at Angkor Century Hotel or similar First Class hotel.


Sunday, 27 November:
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer out to the airport for your homeward flight. Arrival in USA the morning of the 28th.

TOUR PRICE:  ONLY $3099.00 per person based on double occupancy and excluding any applicable air taxes and surcharges.  The single supplement is $699.00 for the fifteen days.

AVAILABILITY:  SOLD OUT 

The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin. Photo courtesy of www.bigfoto.com

2. New Year's Eve in Berlin 2011 (Dec. 28, 2011 - Jan. 4, 2012):

It is not hyperbole to say that Berlin is simply one of the most exciting and energetic cities in the world, and that New Year's Eve at the Brandenburg Gate is one of the greatest parties imaginable. Over twenty years ago, the Cold War ended with the emotional tearing down of the Berlin Wall, a barrier that had artificially separated East and West Berliners since 1961.  Within a year of the wall's collapse, Germany itself was reunified and Berlin restored as the capital of the Federal Republic of Deutschland, the most populous nation-state in Europe and a key member of the European Union.  During the Cold War, the Brandenburg Gate was integrated into the wall and stood as a sad reminder of the tragedy that had befallen the city since its post-war division.  But during the Revolution of 1989, the Brandenburg Gate became the focal point of the ecstatic celebration of tens of thousands of people who were now filled with hope for a brighter future for themselves and their fellow countrymen.  What is remarkable today, is that it is still possible, over two decades after the event, to get a sense of the joy that marked that period by spending New Year's Eve in Berlin and by enjoying the fireworks and heartfelt exchanges of friendship and camaraderie among Germans who have returned the Brandenburg Gate to a place of honor in Berlin's history.  In short, New Year's Eve in Berlin and at or near the Brandenburg Gate is an experience of a lifetime, certainly one that should be on everyone's short list of travel experiences.

There are so many things to do in Berlin that it would require me to produce an entire guidebook to list them all.  But some of the best of the varied attractions include: hanging out at a cozy local kneipe (the equivalent of a London pub), where Berliners like to relax with friends and share a drink; shopping along the fashionable Ku'damm, a famous 2 1/2 mile boulevard that is loaded with stores, restaurants, galleries and the like;  visiting one of the great museums, such as the Pergamon Museum to see the famous Pergamon Altar or the Agytisches Museum to marvel at the beautiful bust of Queen Nefertiti;  attending a performance of the second-to-none Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; dancing yourself silly in the Big Eden nightclub, where Paul McCartney and Sylvestor Stallone once swayed to the beat of popular international music; smile at a Panda in the beautiful Berlin Zoo, one of the few zoos in the world to have pandas; explore one of the many special districts of Berlin, such as the historic Nikolai Quarter, where Berlin was born over 770 years ago; enjoy some time in one of Berlin's most popular and largest parks, the Tiergarten (amazingly, one-third of Berlin consists of gardens, lakes woodlands and parks--it is quite a green city); drink some great beer--liquid bread to the Germans!-- or wine in one of the many beer gardens and wine cellars that dot the city; dine in one of the countless restaurants specializing in traditional or ethnic cuisine--how about some hearty Eisbein (pickled knuckle of pork with sauerkraut);  or take a day trip outside of Berlin to beautiful Potsdam or to the moving Sachsenhausen Memorial;  and the list goes on, and on, and on.  Whether you're young, middle-aged or retired, Berlin has something for you.  To be bored in Berlin is never an option--it is a place reborn from the rubble and ashes of World War II and now aspires to become the capital of Europe. 

Why wait?  Sign up early for what promises to be a blow out New Year's Eve 2011-2012 in Berlin!  Continue reading below for specific tour features.

TOUR PRICE:  Only $799.00 per person based on double occupancy and excluding applicable fuel surcharges and air taxes of $395.00.  The fuel surcharge and tax rate is LOCKED AND GUARANTEED by Air Berlin, so it cannot go up. Total tour price for a full week in Berlin is only $1194.00 per person.

AVAILABILITY:  SOLD OUT.