Signature Collection 2012 - 2013 Operations offices: Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Luang Prabang, Bangkok, Yangon. Thailand Myanmar Vietnam Cambodia Laos Bali Follow our trail. Create your journey. Dear Travel Partners, After twenty years in the travel industry and more than ten years developing Trails of Indochina into one of the leading specialty tour operators in the region, I would like to share with you my personal travel philosophy. I believe travelers are curious individuals, open to new experiences and to connect with people from other cultures. I know, because travel is my life. When our team designs your travel itinerary, we do so with excitement in our hearts, confident that we can deliver an innovative program which offers a highly personalized experience. One of my personal passions is to search for new opportunities to better present my country and its heritage. Most recently, I was involved in the rescue and renovation of five eighteenth-century garden houses in my hometown of Hue. In developing the Ancient Hue Cultural Complex, I am able to share with visitors the original architecture of the traditional wooden-house and a taste of fine Royal cuisine. As you read these travel narratives, I’d like you to remember we share this journey together. Some time back, fate took my sight but through knowing in my heart what your eyes will see and what your soul will experience, I see again. John Tue Nguyen, Founder & CEO, Trails of Indochina Introduction 3 Signature Collection, Cambodia Apsara Dancer. Robam Tep Apsara (Dance of the Apsara Divinities) is the title of a Khmer classical dance created by the Royal Ballet of Cambodia in the mid-20th century under the patronage of Queen Sisowath Kossomak. The apsara is played by a woman, sewn into tight-fitting traditional dress,whose graceful, sinuous gestures are codified to narrate classical myths or religious stories. 69 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection Cambodia 70 “Our journey will stay in our family’s hearts forever.” Signature Collection, Cambodia 71 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection 72 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection Cambodia 73 Cambodia The capital, Phnom Penh, is a mélange of Cambodian and French colonial influences oriented on the Mekong, and you’ll be able to take in all the bustle of daily life from a rooftop restaurant or sidewalk café, or the seat of an open-air tuk- tuk. You can also bear witness to history, learning about the black days of the Khmer THAILAND Rouge and the country’s resilience in their wake. Theravada Buddhism is the With lovely beaches less touristed than its neighbors’, Cambodia has five-star resorts official religion of Cambodia in low-key seaside village retreats and newly developed stunning offshore isles. The and is practiced by more than areas around Kep and Sihanoukville will welcome you with clear waters, tropical fish Bangkok 95 percent of the population. and fascinating remnants. Angkor Wat With an estimated 4,392 Battambang Siem Reap temples throughout the country, The delightful Siem Reap boasts proximity to the majestic Tonle Sap lake, a colorful there is a close association night market, full nightlife and pampering hotels, some of which date back to the CAMBODIA between Buddhism, cultural golden age of luxury adventurers who made pilgrimages to the re-discovered temples traditions and daily life. of Angkor a century ago. Gulf Phnom Penh It’s here where you’ll feel like a kid again, clambering around the awe-inspiring, of intricately carved capital of the Khmer empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Sihanoukville Song Saa Ascend to temples in the clouds via the wee, steep stairwells in the heart of Angkor Wat, Thailand Ho Chi Minh City or the back of a friendly elephant on his way up Phnom Bakheng. Not much in these 1,000 Buddhist and Hindu tributes is out of bounds, so explore away. It may feel like an ancient religious playground, but one of the wonders of Angkor is the reverence of the saffron-robed monks who still worship here as they have for a millennium. 58 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection Cambodia 59 Cambodia– A Bespoke Journey Many foreigners fall in love with free-spirited Cambodia. In Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, ochre buildings, As we drive through the countryside, take in a 12th Our destination is the beach: first, the white-sand The capstone to any Cambodian adventure is Siem trendy cafés and frangipani-lined boulevards create an century temple, the Damrei Mountains, the occasional islands offshore from Kep, and then the lovely, Reap, gateway to the mystical temples of Angkor. atmosphere unlike anywhere in Southeast Asia. cow wandering onto the road—and the smell and taste relaxed resort town of Sihanoukville, which boasts The elaborate complex of Angkor Wat, the jade-hued Join a French anthropologist long-based here on a of Kampot pepper, among the world’s best. colorful coral, a cascading nearby waterfall and multi-faced Bayon, and the overgrown Ta Prohm will tour offering sharp insights into important sites. scrumptious fresh seafood. amaze—as will the fitting special meals we’ve arranged. Enjoy a private picnic on temple grounds, a Khmer BBQ featuring Apsara dance, and a home-cooked dinner at the residence of a brilliant local historian and archaeologist, also your guide to the temples. It’s Cambodian hospitality at its best. 60 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection Cambodia 61 Signature Stay–Phnom Penh In friendly and busy Phnom Penh, angular Khmer architecture blends seamlessly with Phnom Penh is the capital French-colonial. Your first stops are the still-inhabited opulent Royal Palace and its Silver and largest city of Cambodia. Pagoda, made of 5,329 silver tiles. There will be free time aplenty to shop for Cambodia’s Located on the banks of the famous hand-woven silks, explore the colorful markets and witness the talented local Mekong River, it has been artisans at work. In commune with the city’s soul, you might admire the sunset from a the national capital since the charming restaurant overlooking the romantic Mekong River, or choose to reflect on the French colonized Cambodia, capital’s infamous history with a visit to Tuol Sleng Museum. and has grown to become the heartbeat of economic, Walking you through the city and the country’s layered back-story will be a industrial, political, economic, French anthropologist and historian who has long called Phnom Penh home. Our and cultural activities. knowledgeable guide offers sharp insights into the most important sites as well as how the spirited Khmer people emerged from their relatively recent dark past. 62 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection Cambodia 63 Song Saa Private Island In the sapphire waters of the Gulf of Thailand, As a guest, you’ll be among the first to experience this Cambodia’s islands nestle like dazzling natural jewels, beautiful, natural world, where you’ll share the balcony as brilliant as their more famous Thai neighbors but as with only the rare hornbills that land there. The balcony, yet untouched. Song Saa Private Island lies secluded in that is, of your private overwater, beach or rainforest villa, this magnificent seascape, just 30 minutes by boat off with its own pool and magnificent sea views. Sihanoukville. With a simple ‘Always Included’ policy, everything you Most of the islands remain undeveloped: deserted consume, drink and do during your stay is already oases of virgin rainforests, tropical reefs and incorporated in the room rate–meaning all you have glistening white beaches. to worry about is losing yourself in this intimate, intrusion-free, unspoiled paradise. 64 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection Cambodia 65 Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh La Résidence D’Angkor, Siem Reap From 1929, visitors rested from their travels along the Mekong River at Raffles Hotel Le Royal—a custom revived in 1997 with the re-opening of the chic Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Restaurant Le Royal offers a tantalizing menu of Royal Khmer and fine French cuisine, while Café Monivong has succulent buffet and a la carte selections. For relaxation, the Raffles Spa is unmatched in the city. The only authentic luxury heritage hotel in Phnom Penh, Raffles captures the ambience of French Colonial Art Deco architecture, with stylish and comfortable accommodations overlooking two swimming pools and tropical gardens. You’ll find a haven in the bustling capital city, once known as the “Pearl of Asia,” now undergoing a renaissance in the new millennium. On the banks of Siem Reap’s tree-lined river, La Résidence d’Angkor is an enchantingly secluded resort in the heart of town. Built of natural woods in the traditional Khmer style, with a saltwater outdoor pool nestled in a tropical garden, this intimate hotel perfectly complements your surroundings: the bountiful Tonle Sap lake and the nearby temples of Angkor. The dining rooms serve up superb royal Khmer and international cuisine. With 54 light and airy rooms each reflecting a genuine sense of place, eight suites offer a more contemporary design. The award-winning Kong Kea spa on-site and splendid facilities including an indoor pool and fully equipped fitness center ensures La Résidence d’Angkor embodies everything you’ve come to expect from an Orient-Express Collection hotel. 66 Trails of Indochina Signature Collection Cambodia 67 Amansara, Siem Reap Follow in the footsteps of former French President – “aman” (peace) and “apsara” (the heavenly nymphs of Charles de Gaulle and American First Lady Jacqueline ancient Hindu mythology). Help yourself to home-baked Kennedy, and stay at this royal retreat. cakes in the lounge, or the range of alcoholic beverages, herbal drinks and snacks in your room’s complimentary Once known as Villa Princière, the Amansara was built mini-bar.