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Exploring Indochina
4 -21 March 2013
A brief introduction - full details will be available shortly...
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INTRODUCTION
This fascinating journey takes us from Halong Bay to the colourful villages of the Northern Vietnamese mountains, and on to Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh and Luang Prabang. Travelling via Hanoi, our first couple of days are spent cruising on a luxury junk in the magnificent Ha Long Bay. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a "must see" for anyone keen to explore the natural world. From here we travel north through verdant mountains to the remote, but culturally fascinating region of Sapa, where national dress is daily attire and every village has its own, distinctive head dress. We continue South to the ancient town of Hoi An, where we can explore the Mekong Delta before departing Vietnam for Siem Reap in Cambodia, and the remarkable complex of Angkor Wat. From Cambodia we travel on to Laos to explore Luang Prabang and Phnom Penh.
Vietnam
Vietnam has been going through a period of change and is a fascinating destination to visit. We can look forward to the hospitality of friendly people, exquisite cuisine and a countryside that is diverse in its natural beauty, with great contrasts between city and countryside culture. Each region has its traditions and variations in lifestyle, with rural village life continuing as it has for centuries while the urban centres move into the 21st century. Hanoi is rich in history and has retained its own culture, with French-style buildings along boulevards mingled with a distinctive Chinese influence.
Cambodia
Over a period of more than five hundred years, Angkor was the centre of one of the world's great civilizations. God-kings ruled a vast area of South East Asia from their seat of power on the northern plains of Cambodia. They built fantastic cities and temples to honour their gods, which they decorated with intricate stone carvings. When the civilization was at its height, thousands of people lived in and around the temples. After the fall of the empire the jungle reclaimed the temples until they were rediscovered in 1860 by the French explorer Henri Mahout.
It has been said that the temples of Angkor represent the finest artistic achievement in human history. To get an idea of the grandeur and magnificence of the art there, imagine the Great Pyramids in Egypt and then imagine that every stone is carved with fantastic stories of myth and legend. Cambodia remained hidden from the outside world for much of the last century. Now emerging from its years of isolation, the country offers a true taste of South East Asia before the arrival of mass tourism and rampant modernisation. Cambodia has suffered beyond imagination in the last 50 years. War and genocide have left deep scars on the country and its people, but visitors are surprised and charmed by the optimism and warmth of Cambodian people.
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Laos
The official name of Laos is the Lao People's Democratic Republic, or Lao PDR - but it has been said that the acronym could equally stand for 'Lao People Don't Rush'! The country moves at a pace as languid as the Mekong River that flows through it. Towns are less hectic than elsewhere in Asia and the countryside is a combination of beauty and tranquillity. Like its neighbours in Indochina, Laos spent much of the last half of the 20th Century hidden from the gaze of the outside world. Visitors today encounter a simple society with a strong spiritual tradition where the stresses and strains of the modern world seem irrelevant. Many travellers bemoan the loss of 'Asia in the old-days', but it is still abundant in Laos. The many temples combined with traditional lifestyles have a unique charm and exudes serenity and character.
Luang Prabang
Despite its important past as the ancient royal capital, it is still a charming small town in a pleasant site on the Mekong River, nestled amongst high mountains. There is little modern development and only a few cars, making the town one of the most preserved of South East Asia. All the sights are well within strolling distance, as the historical heart of the town is on a kilometer long peninsula. Its importance as a religious and cultural centre comes from more than thirty active temples. All this has begun to attract tourists, but just by crossing the river and hiking a bit, you'll find yourself in totally unspoiled villages. The town of Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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E&OE
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