SOUTHEAST ASIAN JOURNEY Blue-Roads | Asia
Leave the well-trodden path behind and immerse yourself in the diverse treasures of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia on this tour of verdant rainforests, historic temple ruins and soul-stirring history. From Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, you'll gain a fascinating insight into the ancient heritage of these captivating countries.
TOUR CODE:
BAHSJBO-0 Thank You for Choosing Blue-Roads
Thank you for choosing to travel with Back-Roads Touring. We can’t wait for you to join us on the mini-coach!
About Your Tour Notes THE BLUE-ROADS DIFFERENCE Uncover Bangkok's hidden gems on a long-tailed boat trip through the city's These tour notes contain everything you need to know khlongs before your tour departs – including where to meet, Tour the mesmerising Angkor Wat: what to bring with you and what you can expect to do the world's largest religious on each day of your itinerary. You can also print this monument document out, use it as a checklist and bring it with you Cruise through mangrove forests to on tour. the floating Khmer village of Kampong Phluk
Please Note: We recommend that you refresh this document one week before your tour TOUR CURRENCIES departs to ensure you have the most up-to-date accommodation list and itinerary information + Thailand - THB available. + Cambodia - KHR + Vietnam - Your Itinerary
DAY 1 | BANGKOK, THAILAND
Our adventure will begin in Thailand’s bustling capital: Bangkok. Amid the city’s multitude of markets, tuk-tuks and street food vendors, our tranquil hotel will make for an excellent meeting point following our included airport transfer. Tonight, we’ll get to know each other over a feast of traditional Thai cuisine at our welcome dinner.
MEALS: Dinner
DAY 2 | BANGKOK
In true Back-Roads style, today we’ll venture out to explore some of Bangkok’s lesser-known gems - and what better way to see another side to the Thai capital than aboard a long-tailed boat on the khlongs (canals)? As we float through the city’s maze of waterways, we’ll stop off at the Artist Village of Bang Luang, where we’ll have the opportunity to peruse the array of locally-made goods. Later, we’ll trade the khlongs in for a cruise along the Chao Phraya River - with an awe- inspiring final stop at the magnificent temple of Wat Arun. This evening, there’s a gourmet experience in store: a whistle-stop street food tour by tuk-tuk.
MEALS: Breakfast Dinner
DAY 3 | BANGKOK - CHANTHABURI
Next stop, Chanthaburi - with a stop at a traditional Thai chilli plantation along the way. After learning how the spicy peppers are grown, we’ll trade the countryside for the town, where a walking tour awaits. Interestingly, Chanthaburi is home to one of the largest Catholic churches in Thailand - the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception - and today we’ll have the opportunity to see its colourful stained glass windows and 20 metre-high towers for ourselves.
MEALS: Breakfast Dinner DAY 4 | CHANTHABURI- BATTAMBANG
This morning, we’ll take some time to wander a local market in Chanthaburi before making tracks to Battambang - our first Cambodian stop. With charming French colonial architecture, laid-back riverside cafés and lots of nearby temples and shrines, it’s easy to see why travellers fall in love with this city. On the agenda for this afternoon? A walking tour, complete with an included visit to the Governor’s Residence - a colonial building filled with original items of furniture dating back to the early 1900s. Later on today, we’ll explore the village of Wat Kor, where we’ll visit a traditional wooden house and learn more about Khmer history from the knowledgeable locals. After a scenic boat trip along the Stung Sangke river, we’ll move on to Phnom Sampeau - a series of caves that were once a stronghold of the Khmer Rouge.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 5 | BATTAMBANG - SIEM REAP
First today: a visit to Wat Phnom Banan, an imposing 11th-century temple perched high at the top of a hill. After taking in the incredible views of the surrounding area, we’ll move on to a local vineyard, where you may wish to sample a glass of the region’s finest. Then: it’s onwards to Siem Reap. When we get there, you’ll be free to spend the evening relaxing, discovering the local area or hunting down some authentic Khmer cuisine.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 6 | SIEM REAP - ANGKOR WAT - SIEM REAP
We’ll start the day by taking a closer look at the South Gate of Angkor Thom and the richly decorated Bayon, known for the hundreds of smiling faces that grace its towers. We’ll then take in some impressive views from Phimenakas and explore the Terraces of the Elephants and Leper Kings before moving on to one of the most iconic temples of all: Ta Prohm, an enchanting ruin engulfed by the roots of silk-cotton trees and strangler figs. After lunch in Siem Reap, it’s time for the main event: a tour of the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. We’ll round off our day by watching a memorable sunset from the top of the mountain temple of Pre Rup before returning to the hotel for the night.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch DAY 7 | SIEM REAP - KOMPONG PHLUK (TONLE SAP) - CHANSAR - SIEM REAP
After a short drive to the edge of Tonlé Sap Lake, we’ll embark on a scenic boat ride through the area’s thick mangrove forest. Our destination? Kampong Phluk, a floating village built on wooden stilts, where we’ll gain a unique insight into life on the water. After our boat trip, we’ll continue to the small village of Chansar, where we’ll enjoy a traditional lunch courtesy of a Khmer broom- making family. Back in Siem Reap this evening, you’ll have plenty of time to relax and unwind.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 8 | SIEM REAP - SKUN - PHNOM PENH
Today we’ll leave Siem Reap behind us begin our journey to Phnom Penh - with a pit stop in Skuon along the way. Thanks to its famous fried tarantula delicacies, this otherwise unassuming town is known as ‘Spiderville’. Not to worry, though - a delicious spider-free lunch awaits us in the Cambodian capital later on this afternoon. After some free time at the hotel, we’ll come back together for this evening’s entertainment: a cyclo tour of the city’s most fascinating sights.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 9 | PHNOM PENH
This morning, we’ll return to the city centre for a walking tour - beginning at the impressive Royal Palace, the home of reigning monarch King Norodom Sihamoni. We’ll have time to explore the coronation hall, the open air theatre and the Silver Pagoda within the palace grounds before paying a sobering visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum: a former prison of the Khmer Rouge that now documents the atrocities commited against thousands of Cambodians during the late 1970s. Our afternoon will continue with a moving visit to the Killing Fields, where the brutal executions of more than 17,000 men, women and children took place. After taking some time to reflect, we’ll return to the hotel for the afternoon.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch DAY 10 | PHNOM PENH - MEKONG RIVER - CHAU DOC
After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll depart the hotel and head to the dock - where we’ll embark on a scenic speedboat ride through the lush green paddy fields of the Mekong Delta. Our destination? Chau Doc, a colourful Vietnamese town that’s famous for its floating markets. Here, the evening will be yours to spend exploring the streets, indulging in a treatment at the hotel spa or enjoying the magnificent views over the river.
MEALS: Breakfast
DAY 11 | CHAU DOC - CAN THO
An important trading hub for the surrounding countryside, Chau Doc’s narrow streets are filled with all manner of shops, stalls and sellers - from bicycle repair men to palm nut merchants. This morning we’ll learn more about the region’s agricultural practices on a walking tour of the covered market - with the opportunity to taste some local specialties along the way. Later this morning, we’ll take to the water once more for a boat trip of the area’s floating farms and a traditional Cham village. We’ll stop off for an included lunch at an authentic Vietnamese restaurant before getting back on the road this afternoon. The vibrant city of Can Tho awaits!
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch
DAY 12 | CAN THO - HO CHI MINH CITY
First today: a visit to Cai Rang, the largest floating market in the Mekong Delta, followed by a tour of an idyllic fruit garden. After coming together for an included lunch, we’ll climb aboard the mini- coach and set a course for the incomparable Ho Chi Minh City. Dynamic, exhilarating and full of energy, this is a one-of-a-kind metropolis that must be experienced to be believed.
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch DAY 13 | HO CHI MINH CITY
Today we’ll delve into the lives of the soldiers who fought during the Vietnam War on an included visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This cramped network of underground passageways was central to the war’s strategic operations - including the famous Tet Offensive of 1968 - and stands as testament to the resilience of the Vietnamese people. After emerging back into the daylight, we’ll return to Ho Chi Minh City - where we’ll gather together for one last Vietnamese dinner at a local restaurant. What better way to round off the trip?
MEALS: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 14 | HO CHI MINH CITY
Our final day together will begin with a visit to the Independence Palace - the very spot where a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates and ended the war in 1975. The historical theme will continue as we tour the sobering exhibits of the War Remnants Museum, which include American military equipment, haunting photographic displays and the so-called ‘tiger cages’ that were once used to imprison political prisoners. After a walking tour of the Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and City Hall, we’ll have plenty of time to pick up some final souvenirs at Ben Thanh market before we go our separate ways.
MEALS: Breakfast Tour Information
Meals Blue-Roads Travel App INCLUDED MEALS
Breakfast (B) is included daily. Why not check in for your tour using the Back- Some of your lunches and dinners are also Roads app? included, either in hotels or local restaurants. This handy tool allows you to view your These are indicated by (L) and (D) in the bookings, check your itinerary, see tour maps itinerary. and more – making it the perfect travel Please note that drinks will not always be companion for your Back-Roads trip. included. How to Download the Back-Roads app We will do our best to accommodate any specific dietary requirements you may have. 1. Launch the App Store or Google Play on Please ensure to make these clear to us your device before your tour begins so we can 2. Search ‘Back-Roads’ and click ‘OK’ communicate them to our hotels, restaurants 3. Select the Back-Roads app in the search and suppliers. results 4. Click the download/install button 5. The app should be installed in your device’s applications page
Other Information
Finances
CHANGING MONEY SPENDING MONEY CASH: Foreign money can be changed at Naturally, everyone’s spending varies. Many of banks, airports, railway and tube stations, and your meals are included in the price of your at major hotels (though at a less favourable tour, so this just leaves a few meals and your rate) personal spending to budget for. CREDIT CARDS: Visa and MasterCard are widely Tips for the Tour Leader and Driver are not accepted. American Express is only accepted in included. Tipping is entirely at your some larger establishments discretion; however, if you feel you have CASH MACHINES: ATMS are widely available received exceptional service, it is recommended that you tip £1-2/€ per day for Drivers and £4-5/€ per day for Tour Leaders.
Insurance Passports and Visas
You will need to take out full travel insurance We advise you either to carry a photocopy of before travelling with Back-Roads Touring. your passport (and visa, if applicable) with you Please ensure that you have adequate medical, while abroad, or to ensure that you leave a personal effects and cancellation cover. copy with relatives back at home. We recommend that you carry your insurance This will enable the local embassy or high details with you at all times. You may be asked commission to arrange a replacement if the to provide details of your medical insurance or original should be lost or stolen. a payment guarantee in some countries before If you do take copies with you on your trip, medical assistance can be provided. please ensure that you keep these separate Your insurance company may not assist you from your original documents. with your claim if the instructions given in the It is your responsibility to obtain any visas policy have not been followed. necessary to enable you to travel in Europe or Asia. Contact your local consular office for more information. Transport
We travel in premium mini-coaches equipped with comfortable seats, air conditioning and large windows for enjoying the view. With far more flexibility than a standard-size coach, we’re able to take the scenic route – winding through beautiful countryside to the heart of tiny villages and coastal towns. What to Bring
Suggested Packing List Wondering what to take with you on tour? Our packing list can be used as a guide. Please Note: What you pack will depend on the countries you’re visiting and the time of year you plan to travel. The following is a suggested clothing list only, based on our experience:
Sun hat Sunglasses Shorts/skirts Long-sleeved tops Short-sleeved tops Trousers Light jacket Waterproof jacket and Warm jacket umbrella Walking shoes/comfortable shoes Smart casual evening Sleepwear Swimwear and towel wear
Other things to pack:
Multi-use travel adapter Camera Batteries Phone Personal medication Sunscreen Paracetamol or aspirin
OPTIONALS TO CONSIDER:
Motion sickness tablets Anti-diarrhoea tablets Sewing kit Lip balm
That's it!
We look forward to seeing you on tour.