- Date: October 28 - November 11, 2012
- Trip duration: 15 days
- SPECIAL PRICE: 3195 USD plus 685 USD tax
- Seats:
The mysteries of ruins of Angkor and magical Indochina!!
I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you And I think to myself, what a wonderful world...
Thailand - at first glance everybody is surprised by the colours. Green, yellow and red roofs of houses interlaced with gliding of temple towers, green water with spindly boats filled with exotic fruit, aromatic spices and playful looks of black-eyed Tai women. The blue sky contrasts with crimson and pink kites, the street markets have the party-like atmosphere, at every step you find the statues of smiling Buddha and the friendly citizens smile at you – Thailand is a country of temples, colourful chaos, excellent food, nightlife and unusual culture which is a mixture of Chinese, Ceylon, Khmer and Hindu traditions. Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is the city where people used to lead their lives on water. When travelling on navigable canals (khlongs), you can still feel the traditional Thai climate and see the tradeswomen selling fresh homemade food and fishermen casting nets; you will see the old capital of Siam – Ayutthaya, the summer palace in Bang Pa-in and the world’s oldest snake farm. The most important and characteristic element of Bangkok architecture are of course numerous temples; Wat Phra Kaeo with the most famous Thai statue of Buddha – the Emerald Buddha; Wat Rajnadda with the biggest amulet market in Bangkok; and Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn. The second magnet which attracts crowds of tourists is entertainment – very colourful celebrations, festivals, sports events, cultural events, such as classic Thai dance performances and martial arts performances – and, above all, the nightlife in numerous discos and go-go bars, concentrated in three regions - Soi Cowboy, Nana Plaza and the most famous one - Patpong.
Cambodia the next country on the map of Asia which charms its visitors with the kindness of citizens and amazing ruins of temples. The society of Cambodia is exceptionally young because of the painful history, years of wars and fights within the country. The descendants of warlike Khmers, who 1,200 years ago created a wonderful and powerful empire, are open- hearted, smiling, authentically kind and usually speak English fluently. Every visitor is treated as a guest here, and not as the owner of gold Visa card. Despite the poverty, you will not see any pushy beggars in the street; instead, there are cheerful smeary children selling different souvenirs. Neither globalization nor mass tourism have settled here – vast rice fields, small villages and mountains reaching the horizon are still ruled by Nature. Its power and determination can be seen in the Angkor Wat, the largest complex of temples in Asia, ancient capital of the Khmer Empire, where in the Buddhist Phrom temple (famous from the movie “Tomb Raider”) there are enormous roots of trees twisting like tentacles of an octopus around bright stones covered by moss. The roots can be three times thicker than the man. In the temples of Angkor everybody feels like the explorer of the treasures of lost civilization in the ruins discovered in the heart of the jungle.
Vietnam the country became known to the world mostly because of the war with the United States; and the word “Saigon” has entered the colloquial language as a description of an extremely difficult situation. It is nowadays a tourism-friendly picturesque country woven from hundreds of rice fields and tea plantations. The Vietnamese begin each day with the exercises – even 90-year-olds exercise with their swords according to the ancient art of fencing, or with cat-like agility turn round in the dance with fans – keeping fit seems a real national obsession. The capital of the country, Hanoi, situated on the Red River, attracts the tourists with the Old Town monuments which have been preserved despite wars and can be best admired when riding a rickshaw; as well as traditional handcraft based on products made of bronze and lacquer, pottery and embroidery. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh residence, One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature are the most frequently visited places. The abovementioned Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh, the largest city of Vietnam, called the Pearl of Far East is the next Asian city which is full of life, where the chaos of everyday life coexists with the impressive skyscrapers made from glass and steel. When visiting Saigon one should see the Notre Dame Cathedral, historic Central Post Office, Thien Hau Pagoda and Jade Emperor Pagoda, the Chinese district and Binh Tay Market. Rich cultural offer is also a big attraction – with Mua Roi Nuoc, the puppets dancing on water, characteristic for Vietnam, deeply rooted in the old traditions. The amateurs of new tastes will be delighted by the Vietnamese food – the most popular dish is Pho soup, Nem (Saigon rolls) and Banh bao (dumplings stuffed with mushrooms, onion and vegetables); fish and seafood are also popular. You should also try Bia hoi, freshly brewed rice beer which excellently quenches thirst in stuffy and hot atmosphere. The brave ones can try such ‘inventions’ as Vietnamese bottles with a snake, scorpion, gecko or seahorses inside, which are produced by pouring rice alcohol onto cleaned dead animals. The most picturesque place in Vietnam is Ha Long Bay – emerald bay with almost vertical limestone islands full of mysterious caves carved by nature with creativity of art directors of fantasy movies. The temples hidden in the jungle, tiny villages lost among rice fields, the famous partisan tunnels Cu Chi which are the symbol of fights of Viet Cong with enemy armies – the modern Vietnam does not have much in common with scenes known from the movie “Good morning Vietnam”, although this is how one should shout “Goooooooooooood morning Vietnam!”
Laos - during our journey to the Indochinese Peninsula we will visit it from the most authentic, unspoilt by civilization, the least commercialized side. Two-day boat trip up the Mekong River will enable us to enjoy the peace and simplicity of life of the coastal villages, shine of the gold statues of Buddha hidden in Pak Ou Caves and local Laotian wine made of rice. We will learn the native culture visiting the mountain tribe Hmong in Ban Houeilampen village; we will also admire the architecture and art in Luang Prabang village, while walking in the local complex of temples.
One of the most magical and exotic expeditions in 2012. Four countries, 15 days and uncountable memories and impressions.
