The German's Asian Adventure 2017
During October and November
2017 I will be embarking on an Asian Adventure, Flying to Bangkok in the first
instance and then travelling through Thailand, into Cambodia and on to Vietnam.
I will be travelling alone but hope to meet some Lovely people along the way.
Saturday 28th October - Wednesday 8th November 2017
Planned Route
Day 1. Bangkok.
Sunday 29th
Arrive Bangkok and check-in at the hotel. If
your flight time allows you may choose to take an optional cruise along the
city's Klongs (canals) in a traditional longtail boat. This is the ideal way to
explore Bangkok's network of meandering waterways that branch off from the main
channel of the Chao Phraya River. The excursion will also include visits to the
Royal Barge Museum and the iconic Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, which was
built to represent the towering slopes of Mount Meru, the home to the gods of
Khmer mythology.
Day 2. Journey Overland to Siem
Reap. Monday 30th
This morning we make an early start with a train ride before boarding a
scheduled bus service to the Cambodian City of Siem Reap. Operated as a through
service, travellers will nevertheless change vehicles once in Cambodia. Your
Thai leader will accoumpany you to the border and you will them meet your
Cambodian tour leader to continue your journey by local bus service to Siem
Reap.
Day 3. In Siem Reap; Free time
to discover the Temples of Angkor. Tuesday 31st
Today is left free to explore the incredible jungle temple complex of the Angkor
period, whose history covers some 600 years, from the 9th through to the 15th
centuries. No activities or excursions have been included in Siem Reap and your
time here is very much your own, although your tour leader will be more than
happy to help organise any visits that you wish. Two of the best ways to explore
are by bicycle or striking a deal with one of the many tuk tuks that ply their
trade here. Obvious choices are the magnificent complex of Angkor Wat, without
doubt one of the most incredible of the jungle sites, the fortified city of
Angkor Thom (home to the Bayon, with its mysterious giant faces) and the
wonderfully overgrown and atmospheric Ta Prohm, set amidst tangled tree roots
and lush jungle and famous as the setting for some of the Lara Croft film Tomb
Raider. Other possibilities include taking to the waters of the Roluos River, to
visit the floating villages and local wat at Kompong Phluk and explore the
flooded forest and great lake of Tonle Sap (the largest freshwater lake in SE
Asia, covering nearly a seventh of Cambodia's entire landmass). Those wishing to
gain a little understanding of Cambodia's more recent past might like to seek
out the fascinating Landmine Museum just to the south of Banteay Srei Temple.
Set up in 1997 by a former Khmer Rouge soldier, the museum offers support for
countless victims of landmines, as well as providing visitors with a poignant
reminder of one of the country's most violent and tragic periods.
Day 4. In Siem Reap: Free time
to explore Angkor further. Wednesday 1st
Today is left free to explore the incredible jungle temple complex of Angkor.
Day 5. Public Bus past rural
villages to Battambang. Thursday 2nd
Today we travel by public bus from Siem Reap onto Battambong, a journey
of approximately 3 hours. Battambong lies along a route that has seen countless
Thai and the Khmer Rouge soldiers wind their way north and south, either in the
pursuit of conquest, or in the case of the Khmer Rouge to escape the invading
Vietnamese in 1979. The town is, surprisingly, Cambodia's second largest, a
factor that has done little to detract from its laid-back feel, enhanced by a
wealth of colonial villas and leafy streets. Depending upon our arrival time
there may be an opportunity to explore this afternoon, taking in its traditional
temples and French-colonial architecture.
Day 6. Drive to Phnom Penh; Orientation walk in The
City.
Friday 3rd
A public bus takes us on to the Cambodian capital this morning, the 6-hour journey getting us to the city in time for an afternoon's orientation tour. Phnom Penh sits at the confluence of the Sap, Mekong and Bassac Rivers, a charming testament to the country's ancient and colonial past, with tree lined boulevards and colonial villas dotted amongst the reminders of its turbulent history. The Cambodian capital since the mid 15th century, Phnom Penh's origins lie in the legend of 4 statues of Buddha, washed on the shores of the Mekong and discovered by a woman named Penh, which were later housed in the 14th century Wat Phnom, located on a small hill at the northern end of the city. On arrival there should be time to freshen up, after which you may join your tour leader on a short walking tour of the city.
Day 7. In Phnom Penh;
Free time to visit The Killing Fields. Saturday 4th
Today has been left free for you to continue exploring
this fascinating city at your own pace. Options include the National Museum,
with its impressive collection of Angkor statues and the impressive French built
Royal Palace, whose spectacular pagoda style structure is without doubt one of
Phnom Penh's most impressive sights. A replica of King Norodom's old wooden
palace, the building presents an ostentatious display of elaborate Khmer
architecture, with golden nagas, orange, sapphire and green tiles and scenes
from the Ramayana painted on the ceiling. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the
'Killing Fields' of Choeung Ek provide gruesome testaments to life under the
Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot, the skull filled glass tower a vivid memorial to the
17,000 men, women and children who were murdered there between 1975-1978. You
should be aware that by their very nature Tuol Sleng and the 'Killing Fields'
can be a distressing experience for some people. You might like to take a trip
along the Mekong, or perhaps visit some of the capital's numerous markets, such
as the old Russian Market of Psar Toul Tom Poung, renowned for its textiles,
jewellery and antiques. Of course you may just prefer to wander Phnom Penh's
vibrant streets, soaking up the atmosphere and perhaps enjoying a drink in one
of the city's old colonial riverfront bars.
Day 8. Drive to Ho Chi
Minh City; Orientation walk of Old Saigon. Sunday 5th
Transferring to the bus station this morning, we catch
the non-stop public bus to Ho Chi Minh City, an unescorted journey of some 6.5
hours that gets into the city in time to meet up with our Vietnamese tour
leader. We cross the border at Bouret (Cambodia) and Moc Bai (Vietnam). Lying to
the north of the Mekong Delta, on the banks of the Saigon River and still
unofficially referred to as 'Saigon', the city today is the largest in Vietnam,
an eclectic mix of the traditional and the new, where pagodas and markets
compete alongside the trappings of Vietnam's newly discovered entrepreneurial
spirit. Depending upon our arrival time we plan to make a short orientation tour
on foot around the city, taking in some of its more obvious highlights,
including the prominent Hotel de Ville, whose ornate grandeur is today the home
of the city's People's Committee, as well as the Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral
and the impressive French style edifice that is the GPO building (should our
arrival time render this option impossible, then we will do the tour tomorrow
morning instead).
Day 9. In Ho Chi Minh
City; Free time to visit Cu Chi Tunnels or Mekong Delta. Monday 6th
Today is free for you to choose from a number of
options. You may wish to visit the remarkable Reunification Palace and the
emotive War Remnants Museum, which contains a fascinating, and at times chilling
reminder of the cost of what the Vietnamese refer to as the American War. Or
perhaps browse the bustling stalls of the Binh Tay Market, the largest wholesale
market in southern Vietnam and a fabulous place to stroll and meet the locals.
Day 10. Tour ends in
Ho Chi Minh City. Tuesday 7th
Tour ends after breakfast. If you have time you may
wish to take an excursion further afield to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels.
Originally started during the French occupation of the country, the tunnels went
on to achieve notoriety during the Vietnam War, when they formed an incredible
underground command base for 10,000 Viet Cong troops and were a major part of
the Tet Offensive
Take Memories Home...
