Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand

•   A forest trek atop an elephant in Chiang Mai – and a chance to watch elephants demonstrate their skills at an elephant camp

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi, Vietnam
A transfer is included from Noi Bai International Airport to Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. A celebrated Hanoi landmark since the turn of the last century, this elegant hotel is set in the heart of the city. Join us tonight for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner at Le Beaulieu.
Overnight: Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Cyclo Ride and Water Puppets in Hanoi
Welcome to Hanoi, capital of modern Vietnam and the political center of Vietnamese kingdoms from the 11th to the 18th centuries. A cyclo ride through Old Hanoi includes a stop at the infamous Hoa Lo (“Hanoi Hilton”) prison. View Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the French colonial palace Ho refused to live in, the “house on stilts” he chose instead, and the One-Pillar Pagoda. After a lunch of Vietnamese specialties, enjoy a free afternoon. Tonight, attend an enchanting water puppet performance, an art form dating back thousands of years, prior to dinner at the Press Club.
Overnight: Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Hué, World Heritage Site
Fly this morning to one of Vietnam’s most beautiful cities, Hué, designated a World Heritage Site for its 19th-century imperial complexes. Set out by cyclo for city sightseeing including Thien Mu Pagoda. Later, take a boat cruise along the Perfume River, the picture-perfect setting for your riverfront hotel.
Overnight: La Residence Hotel & Spa, Hué, Vietnam
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Da Nang and “China Beach”
Visit the Citadel – the great enclosure that housed the Capital City, Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City – and the tomb of 19th-century Vietnamese emperor Tu Duc in Hué before heading out along the South China Sea coast. Stop for a Vietnamese lunch in the seaside village of Lang Co, and continue through the mountains to your beachfront resort in Da Nang; your room overlooks the stretch of shore known as “China Beach.”
Overnight: Furama Resort Da Nang, Vietnam
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Kindergarten Visit a Cyclo ride in Hoi An
Meet the children of a local kindergarten in Da Nang before traveling to Hoi An, a well-preserved example of a 15th – 19th century South China Sea trading port. Negotiate its picturesque, shop-lined streets by cyclo; see the unique Japanese Covered Bridge, and visit the 200-year-old “Phung Hung” house. Spend the afternoon as you please in Hoi An or back at the Furama Resort Da Nang; have dinner at your leisure.
Overnight: Furama Resort Da Nang, Vietnam
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 6: Ho Chi Minh City and the Cu Chi Tunnels
A morning flight brings you to Ho Chi Minh City; formerly Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city was once the capital of colonial French Indochina and later of South Vietnam. At the battlefield memorial site of Ben Duoc northwest of the city, visit and learn about the three-story-deep, 120-mile network of underground passageways and rooms of the Cu Chi Tunnels – used as communication and supply routes, food and weapons caches, and living quarters during combat – with local guides. You’ll get a real taste of Vietnamese cuisine as well as continental fare this evening when you dine à la carte at La Camargue, serving French, Vietnamese and international specialties in an intimate, elegant villa setting accented with exposed rafters, roof tiles and potted plants.
Overnight: Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 7: A Day in Ho Chi Minh City
On a day spent exploring Ho Chi Minh City, Tauck’s local expert takes you inside the former Presidential Palace, now called Reunification Hall. Sightseeing also includes the Saigon River, the gracious Post Office and the 19th-century Saigon Notre Dame Basilica. The remainder of the afternoon and evening are free to explore as you please.
Overnight: Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Fly to Siem Reap / Angkor Wat
A morning flight takes you to Siem Reap, Cambodia, for a two-night stay amidst the colonial ambiance of the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, close to the archaeological site of Angkor. After lunch, you’ll visit the towering 12th-century Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat. Undergoing continuous restoration, the Temples of Angkor occupy an area twice the size of Manhattan Island! Enjoy dinner à la carte at your choice of restaurants at your hotel, restored to its early 20th-century grandeur. 
Overnight: Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Angkor Thom, a Lake Cruise and More
Vestiges of Cambodia’s ancient Khmer civilization are present at sites you’ll visit today, including the root-covered Temple of Ta Prohm; the walled imperial capital city of Angkor Thom, established in the 12th century; elaborate Elephant Terrace and Bayon Temple. A photographer accompanies you on your visits to offer tips on lighting and angles for great pictures of these treasures! If you wish, join us on a boat cruise to see the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight: Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Fly to Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep
Fly to Bangkok this morning and then on to Chiang Mai, known as Thailand’s “Rose of the North,” where you’ll spend three nights at the five-star Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. A scenic drive into Doi Suthep National Park visits Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, overlooking all of scenic Chiang Mai. Enjoy dinner at your choice of restaurants at your hotel this evening.
Overnight: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 11: Elephants of the North
Thailand’s national animal, the elephant has always been an integral part of Chiang Mai culture. On today’s memorable excursion to the Chiang Dao Elephant Training Center, you’ll get to feed these gentle giants (bananas and sugar cane) and watch them demonstrate some "skills" in a teak forest. Climb aboard an elephant for a remarkable trek* that's followed by a picnic lunch. The afternoon is free to relax back in your resort’s tranquil Mae Rim Valley setting. 
Overnight: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 12: Visiting the Hill Tribe Villages
An unforgettable experience awaits you among the hill tribe villages of Chiang Mai, where you’ll meet people of the Padong, Palong and Karen tribes; observe their unique folkways firsthand, visit local village children while they’re in school, and try on the traditional neck rings worn by members of the Karen tribe. Return to the resort, where the remainder of the day is free to spend as you please.
Overnight: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 13: Fly to Bangkok, Thailand's Capital
Take a morning flight to Thailand’s legendary capital, Bangkok, arriving in time for lunch at the city’s Seafood Market. Begin your three-night stay in deluxe Krungthep Wing rooms at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok. Tonight, a Chao Phraya River dinner cruise welcomes you to this intriguing city, a remarkable blend of ancient and modern Thai architecture and culture.
Overnight: Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 14: Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha
Depart the hotel via express boat for a morning of Bangkok sightseeing. Walk to Bangkok’s dazzling 18th-century Grand Palace, where Thai kings and their courts resided until the turn of the 20th century; while there, view the opulent Emerald Buddha, one of Thailand’s most sacred sites. Visit Wat Pho, Bangkok’s largest and oldest temple, home to the Reclining Buddha. After crossing the river to a local restaurant for a traditional Thai lunch, return by motorboat to the hotel for an evening spent as you please; dinner is on your own tonight. 
Overnight: Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 15: Bangkok Klongs / Jim Thompson House
Board a boat for a cruise up the Chao Phraya River and through a network of canals called klongs for a close-up look at local life along the river, stopping for a visit to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). Take a ride via tuk-tuk (auto rickshaw) from the riverside to the Jim Thompson House Museum for a guided tour of the art-filled home of the American architect, intelligence officer and entrepreneur who revitalized the postwar Thai silk industry before his mysterious disappearance in the 1960s. Tonight, mark the end of your incredible journey with our farewell dinner.
Overnight: Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 16: Journey Home
Tour ends: Bangkok. A transfer is included from Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok to Bangkok International Airport; please allow 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport. 
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/14/2012 - 9/30/2012	$6,390
9/21/2012 - 10/7/2012	$6,390
10/1/2012 - 10/17/2012	$7,990
10/8/2012 - 10/24/2012	$7,990
10/12/2012 - 10/28/2012	$7,990
10/19/2012 - 11/4/2012	$7,990
10/26/2012 - 11/11/2012	$7,990
11/5/2012 - 11/21/2012	$6,990
11/12/2012 - 11/28/2012	$6,990
11/30/2012 - 12/16/2012	$6,990
12/14/2012 - 12/30/2012	$6,990
12/17/2012 - 1/2/2013	$7,990
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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