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(24 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Saigon, Hoi An, Hanoi, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Yangon, Bagan, Luang Prabang, Chiang Mai
This is the ultimate private tour of Southeast Asia. It features private touring of spectacular cultural sites and accommodation at the top luxury resorts in the most interesting and evocative destinations in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and Laos.
Begin in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam's most dynamic city. With an expert private guide and driver, learn about the city's history while touring French colonial-era landmarks, as well as the mid-century Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum. Visit interesting neighborhoods like Cholon (Saigon's Chinatown) and explore busy markets and temples. Perhaps stop for a refreshing Vietnamese iced coffee, or snack on a typical Vietnamese banh mi (baguette sandwich). If desired, browse the boutiques of Vietnamese designers and renowned art galleries and museums. One day, take an excursion into the countryside to tour the Cu Chi Tunnels and observe a colorful religious ceremony at the Cao Dai Temple. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange additional activities such as river boat rides, meeting with historians, visits to private homes, private musical performances, philanthropic activities, art and design touring, an excursion to the Mekong Delta, private cooking classes and tasting tours, and more.
Continue to Hoi An, an atmospheric port town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stay at a luxury beachfront resort, and experience the best of this centuries-old town during private touring. Visit the vibrant morning market, where stalls are piled high with fresh fish and produce. Explore the colorful backstreets, and tour well-preserved historic homes, temples, the Japanese Covered Bridge and other interesting attractions. Perhaps visit a local tailor for custom-made silk clothing, a Hoi An specialty, and enjoy a boat ride on the river. Also visit the nearby Museum of Cham Sculpture, as well as the Marble Mountains, which contain Buddhist cave temples. Upon request, we can arrange additional activities in and near Hoi An, such as visits to local villages, cooking lessons and farm visits, an excursion to the Cham ruins in My Son, biking through the countryside, or a silk lantern-making lesson at a Confucian temple. There will also be time to relax and enjoy your resort's beautiful architecture, spa and beach.
Next, visit Hanoi, Vietnam's fascinating capital and intellectual center. During private touring, visit the city's most important historical attractions, such as the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda, the House on Stilts and Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Take an in-depth tour of Hanoi's incredible Old Quarter, where each street was historically dedicated to a specific trade or material, such as bamboo, silk and lacquer. While touring the narrow streets, learn about the history of the Old Quarter and its traditional architecture, and see how it has transformed into a fashionable district with cafes, art galleries and boutiques featuring the finest Vietnamese design and style. Explore Hoan Kiem Lake and leafy backstreets lined with beautiful French colonial-era buildings, many of which are now upscale restaurants. If desired, also visit Hanoi's top museums, such as the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. One day, meet a culinary expert to tour one of Hanoi's excellent markets and sample local street food specialties like bun cha (barbecued pork with noodles) and pho cuon (fresh herb and beef rolls). Also attend a performance of Hanoi's renowned water puppet show, or attend a performance at the landmark Hanoi Opera House.
Fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to explore incredible Angkor, the wondrous ruins of the ancient Khmer empire. With your private guide, tour the most interesting parts of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, including Angkor Wat, an enormous temple city built as a model of the Hindu universe in stone; Angkor Thom, an ancient capital filled with iconic sites such as the Bayon, Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King; Ta Prohm, a temple being devoured by the jungle; and serene Preah Khan, a former monastery and school. Also visit Banteay Srei, a petite temple with elaborate carvings in pink sandstone, and other lesser-known temples. Additional special-interest activities can also be arranged, such as a cruise on Lake Tonle Sap, bike riding, Khmer cooking lessons, private yoga sessions, visits to orphanages and children's centers, Khmer dance performances, photography excursions, shopping, village tours or chartering a helicopter to remote jungle temples.
Spend the next two nights in Bangkok, the colorful capital of Thailand. With your own private guide, experience the most interesting parts of this fascinating city. Enjoy a private long-tail boat tour through the residential canals. Visit Bangkok's most important temples, and learn about Buddhist practices and influences on daily life. Explore markets overflowing with textiles, flowers, food and crafts. Tour small museums and interesting local neighborhoods. During leisure time, enjoy one of the world's leading spas, shop for exquisite Thai silk, and dine on some of Southeast Asia's best cuisine.
Next, fly to Yangon (Rangoon) in Burma. With your private guide, tour the city's highlights: the Shwedagon Pagoda, the reclining Buddha, the sprawling Bogyoke (Scott) Market, the National Museum, and neighborhoods that reflect Yangon's Burmese, British, Indian, Bangladeshi and indigenous influences.
Continue to unforgettable, awe-inspiring Bagan, where thousands of pagodas and temples stretch from the Ayeyarwady River out across miles of arid plains. Tour the structures, built between the 11th and 13th centuries when Bagan was a major Buddhist center of Southeast Asia, and learn about the history carved in their layered facades, painted in their interior frescoes and sculpted in their Buddhist statues. Also visit the town's best lacquerware workshops and explore local markets and villages. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can book a memorable hot air balloon ride over the temples as the sun rises.
Next, fly to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed town along the Mekong River in northern Laos. With your own expert guide and driver, experience the best of the town and surrounding region. Explore streets lined with a unique blend of traditional Lao and French-colonial architecture. Visit cultural attractions, including museums and important temples. Learn about Buddhism and its central role in Lao culture and society. Explore markets, visit hill tribe villages, meet silk weavers and contemporary textile designers, and take a memorable cruise on the Mekong, visiting craft villages and a cave filled with Buddhist statues.
Conclude your tour in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Stay at one of Asia's most luxurious and atmospheric resorts, surrounded by mountains and lush fields of terraced rice paddies. During private touring, visit a revered mountaintop temple and see monks collecting their morning alms. One day, take an excursion to an elephant sanctuary and learn about these fascinating animals. Also explore Chiang Mai's historic temples and wonderful markets. Other optional activities can be arranged, upon request, such as golfing, hiking, biking, shopping excursions, family activities, in-depth Buddhist experiences, cooking classes, rice planting and more.
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