At 01:20am tomorrow morning our guide training trip to Vietnam and Laos begins! Andrea and myself will be taking this trip together, focusing this year’s guide training on family travel. Ironically, this will be a trip with out husbands or kids – we’ll be far too busy!! I’ve outlined our itinerary below, because there is just no way you will believe how busy we will be until you see the itinerary.
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10 Jul 09 Saigon – Arrival and City Tour
April arrives at 1005am
Andrea arrives at 10pm
Arrive in Saigon where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon enjoy a City Tour.
11 Jul 09 Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnels / Meet with Vets
Breakfast meeting with the guides for guide training.
Take a full day excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels. On the way to the tunnels, visit Tay Ninh Cao Dai Great Temple, a unique religion worshiping Jesus, Confucius and Buddha! Enjoy lunch at Ngoc Tuyet restaurant in Tay Ninh. Arrive and descend into the Cu Chi tunnels where the guerilla fighters constructed an amazing underground base and meet a veteran of the Vietnamese/American war who will give you a private tour of the tunnels and recount his experiences as a tunnel rat. Finally, to end our trip, we will be taken to the private home of Mr. Nam where we will have dinner with him and his family.
12 Jul 09 HoiAn – Arrival
You will be picked up and taken to the airport for your flight to HoiAn.
You will be met at Danang airport and driven to HoiAn
Dinner meeting with the guides for guide training.
13 Jul 09 HoiAn – City Tour Half-day
After breakfast your guide will meet you and take you on a walking tour of HoiAn. Visit the Ancient Town including the beautiful Chua Cau, or roofed bridge, Hoi Quan, the ancient meeting places, some ancestral family homes and some of the lovely and hidden pagodas. Have lunch at a local restaurant.
Drive to Danang where you will transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Hanoi.
Arrive at Noibai airport Hanoi, where you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
14 Jul 09 Hanoi – City Tour
Your guide will meet you and will discuss with you what you would like to see. There are so many options that we like to leave it up to you and your guide to decide what suits you best. Some interesting highlights are the Hanoi Hilton, where John McCain and other prisoners were held during the war, it now houses a museum. Or head to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where you can see Uncle Ho laid out to rest. If you like art you can visit the Fine Art Museum or see which local galleries are offering shows. The Temple of Literature is always a nice place to stroll through and is a great stop before or after lunch as you will be having lunch at KOTO, a restaurant benefiting at risk youths. Your guide will be with you all day so discuss what suits you and then have fun. Dinner meeting with the guides for Guide Training.
15 Jul 09 Luang Prabang – Arrival
Transfer to Noibai airport for your onward flight – Vietnam AirlinesVN869 departing at 09:00 & arriving at 09:55
Upon arrival in Luang Prabang you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon meet with JWOC Scholarship students. In the evening, visit the night market. April to go out to dinner with friend honeymooning in Luang Prabang!
16 Jul 09 Luang Prabang – Day in the Life
Today you’ll escape the tourist hubs in town and see Luang Prabang through the eyes of a local. First, you will drive up the Mekong to visit the small village of Ban Mueng Keo, known for its production of Lao whiskey. Here you will receive a demonstration of the whiskey-making process by a local Lao Lao producer. And if you’re up for it, sample the finished product for an early morning punch! From here board a small boat and take a tour of the local fishing area, checking traps with the fisherman along the way and collecting any fish you might find. Return to Ban Pak Ou, where the former village chief and his family will cook you a Lao-style lunch and you’ll learn about dining customs and etiquette. After lunch, drive to the small weaving village of Ban Phone Xay, where you’ll receive a weaving demonstration and have a chance to purchase handmade items directly from the source. Learn the story behind who really makes the beautiful textiles sold at the night market! You’ll be the only tourist in town who knows the real story behind the boffles of Lao Lao, the grilled Mekong fish and the night market stalls. Dinner with guides for guide training.
17 Jul 09 Luang Prabang – Sunrise to Sunset
Wake up at sunrise to give monks morning alms. You’ll be accompanied by your guide who can demonstrate the proper method of alms giving and explain this daily Buddhist ceremony. Return to your hotel for breakfast, after which your guide will take you on a tour of the city, including visits to The National Museum, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Visun and Wat Sen. Enjoy lunch in town at a restaurant of choice. After lunch your guide will meet you and you’ll continue your tour, finishing with a hike up Mt. Phou Si in the late afternoon to see a sweeping view of Luang Prabang and watch the sunset.
Transfer to Luang Prabang airport from your hotel in time for your flight to Vientiane. Arrive Vientiane where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
18 Jul 09 Vientiane – World Ecotourism Conference
Attend the World Ecotourism Conference.
19 Jul 09 Vientiane – Departure
You will be transferred to Vientiane Airport in time for your onward
flight to Cambodia. You will be met by a Journeys Within representative and taken to Journeys Within Bed & Breakfast. (Andrea)
You will be transferred to Vientiane Airport in time for your onward flight to Bangkok (April). You will go on to Bangkok to visit Jeab and have dinner with the guides.
20 Jul 09 Bangkok – Departure (April)
21 Jul 09 Saigon to Phu Quoc (Andrea)
Arrive in Phu Quoc where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
22 Jul 09 Phu Quoc – Day at Leisure
Have a free day to explore on your own.
23 Jul 09 Phu Quoc to Saigon and departure
While we will be very busy touring, training, inspecting, checking emails and working – this trip will still be a lot of fun too. Andrea and I will be sure to make time to buy trinkets for our families, enjoy the fantastic food and maybe even fit in time for a massage. What can I say, my job is tough ; )
You must to be very tired but I am sure there is a big fun waiting for you! I would like to visit Vietnam and Laos some days…Have a safe travelling and see you soon!