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• A forest trek atop an elephant in Chiang Mai – and a chance to watch elephants paint pictures at an elephant camp

• �Cyclo rides through Old Hanoi, Hué and Hoi An

• Boat cruises on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake, through Bangkok’s klongs, and along Hué’s Perfume River

• Visit to a local kindergarten in Da Nang

• A digital photography lesson at Cambodia’s Khmer antiquities

• Hill tribe village visits to meet people of the Padong, Palong and Karen tribes of Chiang Mai

• Guided tour of the Jim Thompson House, the art-filled Bangkok home of the American-born Thai silk entrepreneur

• Visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Angkor, Hué and Hoi An with local guides; see the Reclining Buddha, Hué Citadel, and Cu Chi Tunnels

• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted

• 38 meals (15 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 13 dinners); service charges, taxes, gratuities to local guides and porterage

Tauck Value Includes:

Touring via cyclo in historic Hué in Vietnam, or visiting awe-inspiring Khmer temples in Cambodia... it’s something extraordinary, every day with Tauck in Southeast Asia

1. Arrive HAnoi, vietnAmTour begins: Sofitel Metropole Hanoi at 6:00 PM. A transfer is included from Noi Bai Int’l Airport to Sofitel 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. Meals D

2. CyClo ride And WAter PuPPetsWelcome 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 à la carte in a wonderful restored French Colonial building. Meals BLD

3. Hué, World HeritAge siteFly 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 the Citadel – the great enclosure that housed the Capital City,

vietnAm, CAmbodiA & tHAilAnd

Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825 www.tauck.com 17

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

Bangkok

Hanoi

Hué Da Nang

Ho Chi Minh City

LAOS

GULF OFTHAILAND

VIETNAM

ChiangMai

Angkor Wat

CHINA

Siem Reap

Maximum Elevation: 1,030 ft.Imperial City and the Forbidden Purple City – and Thien Mu Pagoda. Later, take a boat cruise along the Perfume River, the picture-perfect setting for your riverfront hotel. Meals BLD

4. dA nAng / “CHinA beACH”Visit 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 to American GIs as “China Beach.” Meals BLD

5. KindergArten visit / CyClo 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. Meals BD

6. Ho CHi minH City / Cu CHi tunnelsA 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, discover the fascinating three-story-deep, 120-mile network of underground passageways

The region’s cultural life is a colorful blend of old and new... from Angkor Thom’s temples to local village children to an elephant training center in Chiang Mai

“We recently returned from Bangkok after a glorious Tauck trip led by our extremely efficient and ‘user-friendly’ Tauck Director.

The hotels exceeded our expectations... the use of ‘cyclos’ was wonderful, as was the elephant trek. Needless to say, the

itinerary was great! Congratulations for providing such a wonderful experience.” – Ed Gray, CT

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. After lunch, spend the afternoon exploring Ho Chi Minh City at leisure. Meals BL

7. disCovering 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

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Dame Basilica. 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. Meals BLD

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. Meals BLD

COMPLEX OF HUÉ MONUMENTSNamed a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique feudal buildings, the imperial city of Hué was Vietnam’s political, cultural and religious capital under the Nguyen dynasty until 1945. Renowned ancient sites include the Forbidden Purple City, the Citadel and the Imperial City.

ANGKOROne of Southeast Asia’s most important UNESCO World Heritage sites, Angkor Archaeological Park entices with magnificent remains of different capitals of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Astounding sculpted monuments include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and the incomparable Bayon Temple.

HOI AN ANCIENT TOWNThis exceptionally well-preserved town showcases life in a Southeast Asian trading port between the 15th to 19th centuries. Its buildings and street plan reflect the myriad influences that produced this UNESCO World Heritage site.

EXPLORE MUST-SEE SITES 9. AngKor tHom / lAKe CruiseVestiges of Cambodia’s ancient Khmer civilization abound 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. Meals BLD

10. Fly to CHiAng mAi viA bAngKoKFly 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. Arrive in the afternoon for some time to relax. This evening, enjoy dinner at your choice of restaurants at your luxurious hotel. Meals BD

11. elePHAnts oF tHe nortHThailand’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, watch them demonstrate skills – including painting a picture! – in a teak forest, and climb aboard one for a remarkable elephant trek* followed by a picnic lunch. The afternoon is free to relax back at your resort’s tranquil Mae Rim Valley setting. Meals BLD

12. Hill tribe villAges / doi sutHeP 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,

In Chiang Mai, Thailand, meet the people of the Karen hill tribe – and even try on their traditional neck rings – during three idyllic nights at the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825 www.tauck.com 19

16 dAys From $5,190* Plus AirFAre(15 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches & 13 Dinners)

begins HAnoiJan 7, 17, 24 Feb 11, 21, 28 Mar 11, 18

Sep 16, 23 Oct 3, 10, 21, 28 Nov 7, 14 Dec 2, 16, 19

Dates in blue indicate a Small Group Departure with no more than 24 Tauck guests, specially priced from $6690 per person double plus on-tour air; inquire at time of booking. Specific dates apply.

Dates in red indicate special departures where the single price is $6790 (plus on-tour air) Jan 7, Nov 7; $6290 (plus on-tour air) Mar 11, Sep 16; see General Information for details.

Go to www.tauck.com for up-to-the-minute space availability; additional departures may become available as these sell out.

International Airfare is additional. Call Tauck for special rates on international air, in coach or business, for travel originating in the U.S. (subject to availability).

Please ask about additional hotel nights before or after your tour and about our comprehensive Guest Protection Product.

*For activities marked with an asterisk (*), participation is at your own risk and a signed liability waiver will be required.

Fine Hotels / greAt loCAtionsNight 1,2 Sofitel Metropole Hanoi Hanoi, VietnamNight 3 La Residence Hotel & Spa Hué, VietnamNight 4,5 Furama Resort Da Nang Da Nang, VietnamNight 6,7 Sheraton Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Hotel & TowersNight 8,9** Raffles Grand Hotel Siem Reap, Cambodia

d’AngkorNight 10-12 Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang MaiNight 13-15 Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok Bangkok,Thailand

**Note: Nights 8 and 9 may stay at an alternate hotel.

January – February; October – December*LAND PRICE R ON-TOUR AIR (5 flights) U TOTAL PER PERSON

Double $5690 R $1100 U $6790 Single $7190 R $1100 U $8290 Triple $5450 R $1100 U $6550

March – September*LAND PRICE R ON-TOUR AIR (5 flights) U TOTAL PER PERSON

Double $5190 R $1000 U $6190 Single $6690 R $1000 U $7690 Triple $4950 R $1000 U $5950

visit local village children while they’re in school, and try on the traditional neck rings worn by members of the Karen tribe. A scenic drive into Doi Suthep National Park includes a visit to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, perched atop a 3,542-foot peak that overlooks all of scenic Chiang Mai. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure and dinner à la carte at your resort tonight. Meals BD

13. Fly to bAngKoK, tHAilAnd’s CAPitAlTake 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. Meals BLD

14. grAnd PAlACe / reClining buddHADepart 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. Meals BL

15. bAngKoK Klongs / Jim tHomPson HouseBoard 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. Meals BD

16. Journey HomeTour ends: Bangkok. A transfer is included from Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok to Bangkok International Airport; allow 3½ hours for flight check-in at the airport. Meals B