The Wonders & Riches of South East Asia

Itinerary

2012 Itinerary – Wonders and Riches of Southeast Asia

Day 1 (Tuesday):
Relax and prepare for a world-class trip on Singapore Airlines. Prior to your departure, you will have received your pre-departure packet, which will include your Rustic T-shirts, airline tickets, and important contact information.

Once you arrive at your international departure city, our Flight Liaison will help you get checked in to your international flight. Working with our Flight Liaison will be your Flight Leader, who will escort you all the way to Thailand! Our Flight Leaders are most often school teachers or good friends of our organization who happily fill this role for us each year. Once you’re checked in, feel free to relax and get acquainted with your new friends before boarding your flight to Thailand!

Day 2 (Wednesday):
Today is lost as you cross the international dateline. Fear not – you will get this time back on your way home.

Day 3 (Thursday):
Sawat dee, and welcome to Thailand! Upon your arrival into one of the world’s most modern airports, you will immediately get the feeling that you have arrived in a place that is far different from the United States. Thailand is known as one of the most welcoming countries in the world and is affectionately nicknamed the ‘Land of Smiles.’

Rustic Pathways’ Chairman and your trip leader, David Venning, will be waiting for you at the airport. Once the entire group has arrived, you will transfer to the beautiful Millennium Hilton Hotel, in the heart of Bangkok’s swankiest district.

Day 4 (Friday):
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you will take a trip to David Venning’s personal tailor. Here you can custom order any piece of clothing imaginable, including wool suits and traditional Thai dresses made of raw silk. When your measurements have been taken and your orders placed, you will head out to tour the sights of Bangkok, including the King’s Palace, on a traditional Thai long-tail boat. 

Day 5 (Saturday):
Wake up hungry because the weekend buffet at the hotel is huge and delicious. Whether you like sweet or savory, there will be something for every taste! After breakfast you will head to Bangkok’s national Muay Thai stadium to catch the best match of the week from our VIP seats.  You can even head back to the locker room and meet the day’s champion, if you like!

Days 6 - 7  (Sunday - Monday)
A one-hour flight from Bangkok will bring you to the gem of Northern Thailand. Chiang Mai is considered one of the most livable cities in Southeast Asia and will offer a breath of fresh mountain air that will be a welcome break after the heat of Bangkok. Here you will feast on traditional Northern Thai specialties at the region’s best restaurants, take in a performance of traditional Thai dancing and music at a Canto dinner, and hunt for treasures at the city’s famous Night Bazaar.    

Day 8 (Tuesday):
A 30-minute flight will bring you deep into the mountains and near one of Thailand’s unique treasures, the Paguang people. Also known as Karen long-neck people, the Paguang are famous for the brass rings the women wear around their necks.

Days 9 - 10 (Wednesday - Thursday):
Today you will leave the mountains of Thailand behind for Laos – listed as one of The New York Times’ number-one travel destinations in 2008!  Luang Prabang is a charming city where French colonial buildings line the streets and bakeries give off the inviting scents of fresh bread and coffee. It is also home to great shopping, restaurants featuring the best of the local cuisine, and plenty of Lao-style hospitality.

After taking in the sights of the city, you will take a trip up the Mekong River to visit the isolated home village of one of Rustic Pathways’ local guides, Su.  This journey will bring you deep into the jungle, and once you get a taste of this entirely different way of life, you may never want to leave!

Days 11 - 13 (Friday ­- Sunday):
From the charming streets of Luang Prabang, you will travel to one of the most iconic sites in Southeast Asia, Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Get ready for the experience of a lifetime as you wander the ancient ruins of this UNESCO World Heritage Site and enjoy the luxury of the Sofitel in Siem Reap. Every Buddhist hopes to visit Angkor at least once in their lifetime, and you will see it thoroughly with a private Rustic guide. Remember to charge those camera batteries!

Day 14 - 16 (Monday - Wednesday):
This last stop on this multi-country adventure will be Vietnam, where you will visit bustling Hanoi to check out the national noodle dish of Vietnam, pho. Hanoi also has great shopping (jewelry! silk!), but that’s not all! You will cap off this incredible adventure with a highlight you won’t soon forget – a private charter on Ha Long Bay. The five-star boat has four decks, beautiful sleeping cabins with private bathrooms, more food and snacks than you can imagine, and vistas unmatched anywhere else in Southeast Asia! There is no other way to take in the incredible sights of Ha Long Bay!

Day 17 (Thursday):
Time to head home! You will fly back to Bangkok today to either transfer to another Rustic Pathways trip or meet your flight leader and return to the United States.

An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.

The normal packing list will provide you with the basics of what you need for this program. However, due to the nature of some of the places we visit and stay, you will require some more "dressy" clothing than what is required for other Rustic Pathways programs. While you are not in formal dress for the majority of the trip, you will certainly need more formal clothing to feel comfortable in some of the places we go. Every Wonders & Riches student will have the opportunity to visit one of Bangkok's finest tailors. If you'd like to get some custom threads made while overseas, plan accordingly with allowance money or credit card.

Men should add to the packing list two pairs of dress slacks - neat khaki or light gray in color may be best. You will need two dress shirts (one white, one colored) that you can wear with a Thai if where necessary. You will also need a pair of dress shoes, a pair of comfortable dress sandals or loafers, and a sports jacket. The weather is warm, so keep things light in weight. You probably want to bring a garment bag in addition to your suitcase to take care of your extra clothing. You can bring a tie with you, or buy some new ties here in Thailand - the home of beautiful handmade silk ties!

Ladies should add to the packing list two pairs of dress slacks or dressy pants that can be worn with both casual and dressy blouses. You may like to bring one summer-weight dress for special dinners out, along with comfortable, somewhat dressy shoes to match. You should also bring a pair of neat, dress sandals which are suitable for wearing with pants and a collared shirt or blouse on a tropical evening. On the islands, dress is casual resort wear style. You'll want a bathing suit for the pool and the ocean.

If you don't have membership in one of the Star Alliance Airline's frequent flyer programs already, I suggest you get a United Airlines Frequent Flyer Membership. It's free and allows you to get credit for all of your internal Thai Airlines flights. We will be flying quite a lot on this trip and you would be silly to throw out the miles!

1 - How long is the flight to this country?
Flights to Thailand generally depart from Los Angeles International Airport via Singapore. The total flight time LAX-Singapore-Bangkok is about 21 hours.

2 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
Yes. All flights between the USA and Bangkok, and the return, will have a flight leader.

3 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
Students from the United States will be issued tourist visas upon arrival to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Students from other countries should check with their consulate. PLEASE BRING EXTRA PASSPORT PHOTOS, AT LEAST TWO, FOR YOUR CAMBODIA VISA APPLICATION. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

***Students are responsible for their own visas to Vietnam.
- Please use the program dates as your arrival and departure dates.
- Apply for a single entry visa.
- Please use this address for question #10

Melia Hanoi Hotel
44B - Ly Thuong Kiet Street
Hanoi - Vietnam
- http://www.vietnamembassy.us/consular_services/visa_info/
- Students from other countries should check with their consulate.

4 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
Please contact your family physician or see the CDC or WHO websites. (www.cdc.g0v)

5 – What countries will we be visiting on this program?
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
Students will begin and end this program at Bangkok International Airport. Staff members from their next trip will meet any student transferring to another program in Thailand, Vietnam, or Cambodia, at the Bangkok international Airport. Students transferring to China, Australia, Fiji, or New Zealand will fly out from BIA. Flight leaders for the trip home will meet students returning to the United States.

9 - What costs are not included on this trip?
Extra costs on this trip are anytype of extra shopping, souvenirs, large amounts of snacks (i.e. if you cannot live without Red Bull and you drink six a day, that will be on you.) Extra activities that may occasionally arise, like deluxe movies tickets and long karoke sessions. Spa treatments, room service, and the like. Anything you charge in your room is your responsibility to pay for.

10 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
You will eat at a variety of establishments, including some of the nicest restaurants in each region. Please bring at least one outfit that is sutiable for nice dinner wear. We will also sample some local delicacies, and eat at a variety of levels of restaurants. You will be fed well. In big cities, we do try stop in and have some more Western food for a taste of home. If you are a vegetarian, prepare for a lot of rice, vegetables and fruit. If you have any nut allegies, please tell us so we can make sure that the food is prepared in a certain way for you.

11 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
Yes.

12 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
You will be staying at the best accommodations available in each of the regions of these countries. Keep in mind that you are traveling to some rural and underdeveloped regions and that accommodations may be a little different than the W Hotel in New York. However, you will always be comfortable and staying in the best place the region has to offer. Students love where we stay—in Bangkok, we stay at some of the top hotels in the world.

13 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
There will be a maximum number of 15 students on this program. Demographics tend to vary.

14 - How often (if at all) will students be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
Students will have the chance to do laundry about every three days or so. Prepare to go five days if necessary without laundry. We use local laundry services and rarely use the hotel service. Usually it takes about 24 hours. Costs vary in each country and region. But if you have a regular washer load full, your cost should be around 3-5 dollars to wash, dry, fold and iron.

15 - What do I need to do for a visa to Vietnam?
Students traveling to Vietnam must apply for a visa prior to their arrival. Here is some info you may need when applying for the visa:

Dates: The Vietnam visa asks for specific dates of entry / exit. Always use the entire program dates for the dates, just to be safe.

Multiple Entry: If a student is doing 1 program that will enter Vietnam, they only need a single entry visa. If they are doing 2 different trips to Vietnam (Faces and Places, Wonders and Riches, The Overland Trip, Conical Hats and Safron Robes), please apply for a multiple entry visa.

Price: The price of the visa is the more expensive of the 2 options. For Vietnam, its the $65 option.

Contacts: You can put this hotel down for your place of stay or contact:

Melia Hanoi Hotel
44B - Ly Thuong Kiet Street
Hanoi - Vietnam
Tel.: (84-4) 9343343