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NEW YEAR’S HOLIDAY TRIP Join us for an unforgettable New Year’s holiday trip. We will be visiting 3 amazing countries with plenty of beautiful sunshine plus lots of history and fun to experience. We will enjoy 4 nights in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia with highlights including a forest canopy walk, a boat ride to see a stunning lights display inside a natural cave with dinner provided, a visit to the 17th century colonial village of Malaka, which is now a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE site, a visit to an elephant sanctuary where you can see how elephants are rescued and cared for, as well as have the chance to feed and even bathe the elephants yourself and a chance to learn about tribal life from actual aboriginal tribesmen, a visit to the observation deck on the 81st floor of the famed Petronas Towers, as seen in the movie Entrapment with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones and a chance to witness one of the world’s greatest New Year’s fireworks displays, shot over the famed Petronas Towers. In Thailand, we will enjoy the thrill of the world’s largest zipline tour, featuring 24 zipline platforms to soar across the forest in a zipline cable and harness, plus a visit to an open wildlife park. We will also have ample free time for optional visits to the famed Floating Market, the incredible Grand Palace or the historical ruins of Ayutthaya. An optional dinner show with a chance to ride the elephants before the show is also a fun optional evening activity. We will also enjoy the lively nightlife and markets of Bangkok. In Vietnam, we will be mesmerized with a 2 day/1 night cruise of Halong Bay to see its stunning natural rock formations, grottos and islets, plus we will enjoy a tour of Hanoi by cyclo, a chauffeur-pedaled tricycle, through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, a visit to the site of the “Hanoi Hilton” from the Vietnam War and a charming Vietnamese traditional water puppet show.
DAILY ITINERARY: (B,L,D = meals included on that day) Day 1 (December 28): Depart USA. Check in for our overnight flight from Los Angeles to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia departing LAX at 11:25pm. Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur is a 5 star resort hotel, located just an 8 minute walk away from Kuala Lumpur City Centre shops and restaurants and the famed Petronas Towers (where the New Year’s Eve celebrations and fireworks also take place). The hotel has 206 well-appointed rooms - 100 studios and 106 suites. Highlights of the hotel include the Sky Lounge which offers a stunning view of the city skyline, and our hydrotherapy pool at Anggun Spa. The hotel also features free wifi and free local calls.
This evening, we will enjoy am escorted visit to Petronas Twin Towers (Sky Bridge Level 41 & Observation Deck Level 86). The visit includes the entrance fee to Petronas Twin Towers.
The view of Kuala Lumpur as seen from the Petronas Towers at night.
Day 4 (December 31) B, L, D: Breakfast served at hotel’s coffee house. This morning, at approx. 11am we will meet with our English speaking guide and proceed on our full day FRIM & Kuala Selangor Fireflies Tour (Duration: 08 hours). A short drive from the bustling capital city of KL is the Forest Research Institution of Malaysia (FRIM), a well-managed forest science park. After Lunch continue with Kuala Selangor and Fireflies Tour On arrival at Kuala Selangor, visit Kota Melawati formerly known as Fort Altingsburg, the execution block, royal mausoleum and colonial buildings. Also found are silvered-leaf monkeys, butterflies etc. Next, proceed to Kampung Kuantan / Belimbing – the highlight of the tour. Upstream in a small motorized boat in the quiet darkness to witness the blinking trees. This scintillating display of fireflies portrays an image of a flashing Christmas tree. The synchronized, rhythmic flashing is produced by the thousands of fireflies found in the mangrove swamp of Kampung Kuantan /Belimbing. The skilled local oarsmen make this experience a memorable and unforgettable one. The evening is free at your leisure to enjoy the New Years’ celebrations including the huge fireworks display over the Petronas Towers, which are walking distance from our hotel. The fireworks are one of the largest in the world. (You may remember seeing the scene of the Petronas Towers fireworks toward the end of the movie Entrapment with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Day 5 (January 1st): B Breakfast served at hotel’s coffee house Today is a free day to relax and enjoy the holiday, exploring Kuala Lumpur at your own leisure. If you wish, join us for an optional tour to Melaka.
OPTIONAL MALEKA TOUR The Malay sultanate started here only to be interrupted by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British rule for over a period of 400 years. In this historic town, you will see the cultural remains in the form of both cuisine and old buildings. Included is a visit to St Peter’s Church (1710), the oldest Christian church still in use in Malaysia. Drive past the largest 17th century Chinese cemetery outside of China which is located at Bukit China or Chinese Hill. We will stop at the foothill to view the Sultan’s Well before driving through the Portuguese Settlement. Next, we will proceed to view the famous gateway, Porta De Santiago and the ruins of St Paul’s Church lined by 17th century Dutch tombstones. Next on the list is the Stadhuys or Red Square. This salmon-pink Dutch administrative building today houses the Melaka Museum and some other government offices. We will continue with a visit to Christchurch before proceeding for an included lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, visit the Abode of the Green Merciful Clouds or the Cheng Hoon Teng temple, the only temple where you can find three major doctrines of local Chinese belief under the same roof: Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Take a stroll along Malacca’s antique street which ends by the banks of the Malacca River. We will be returned to our hotel after the tour.
Day 6 (January 2nd) B,L: Breakfast served at hotel’s coffee house. This morning we will meet with our English speaking guide at 9am and proceed on our tour to the Batu Caves and Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. This morning we will visit the Batu Caves, the famous site of the annual Thaipusam festival in January and February, where almost a million devotees congregate. You'll pass a 140ft statue of the Hindu god Lord Murugan, the worlds’ largest, as you walk up the 272-steps to the top of a natural limestone cavern which houses a beautiful and historic Hindu shrine at which you will have free time to explore the shrine at your leisure, before returning back to the base. The limestone forming Batu Caves is said to be around 400 million years old. You will also see monkeys playing at the entrance to the Caves and the steps. Anyone not wishing to take the walk up the steps can explore the attractions at the base of the steps and re-join the group upon its returning back down the steps after its visit inside the caves.
After returning from the caves back to the base of the steps we will be driven as a group to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, which is located in a beautiful tropical forest. This elephant conservation center is managed by the Malaysian Wildlife Society.
At 1pm today we will attend a briefing & a 30-minute video documentary about Elephant at the Visitors Information Centre. Learn about the ambitious rehabilitation efforts for the rescued Asian elephants. The center creates a natural environment for the elephants and nurtures them back to health before releasing them back into the wild. This afternoon with our guide, witness the daily activities of these beautiful animals, including watching the specially trained and committed team of wildlife experts feed them and if you wish, feed them yourself too! Our final activity with the elephants is the exciting opportunity to watch the bathing of the elephants in the river (provided the river level is at a sufficient point to allow for this) You'll surely enjoy this amazing and insightful wildlife experience.
Elephants at Kuala Lumpur.
At 4pm after our tour, you will have the option to visit with a local tribesman from an aboriginal tribe of the region who will talk with you about the life of the tribes. We will be returned to our hotel with many memories and photos to share.
Day 7 (January 3) B : Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok http://www.dusit.com/dusit-thani/dusit-thani-bangkok.html?gclid=CJS5y5nCprgCFSVk7AodQjQAiw Ideally located a short walk from Bangkok’s lively night markets, where you will find fabulous shopping, dining and nightlife, our hotel is a perfect base for our Thailand visit. Our 5 star hotel has 517 rooms, 11 restaurants, bars and lounges. This evening if you wish, enjoy an optional dinner cruise or an optional dinner and traditional show with an opportunity to ride an elephant before the show.
Day 8 (January 4) B: Bangkok – FREE DAY for Optional Tour Activities
Optional tour:
Optional tour #4 Sampran Elephant Ground and Zoo Tour from Bangkok
__________________________________________________________________________ All passengers will also have the opportunity to enjoy an optional dinner cruise or dinner show tonight.
Day 9 (January 5): B, L Bangkok - Khao Keow – Bangkok. Today we will all enjoy an included tour for some fun and excitement. Depart from our hotel at 10am for the 90 minute drive to the “Flight of the Gibbon" Headquarters. Located southwest of the capital, the center is on the edge of Chompoo Wildlife Sanctuary. Free time will be provided before our zipline experience for passengers to purchase lunch if they wish. After lunch you have an hour of free time to enjoy an open air safari park, with many types of wildlife roaming freely for you to witness. After an introduction and safety briefing; you will start the zipline adventure! Fly from tree to tree across a network of 24 platforms, from the safety of a harness that whisks you across cables connecting each tree top platform. The journey takes around 3 hours with safety guides at each stop to help you and ensure an exciting, safe flight. You will return to the ground for an included early dinner at Flight of the Gibbon’s lakeside restaurant. Then a short 45 minute trek takes you through the jungle to a scenic spot surrounded by leafy trees and pristine nature. We will then return to the center and be transported back to our hotel in Bangkok arriving in the evening around 8pm.
Day 10 (January 6): B Bangkok – Hanoi.
Day 11 (January 7) B,L,D: Hanoi/Halong Bay. After breakfast included at our hotel, we will depart Hanoi for Halong by road. The 3 and half hour journey takes you through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life. Arrive in Halong and check in to our ship The Emeraude. Feel as if you are stepping back in to French Indochina as you board this wonderful replica of one of the classic steamships of the era. A welcome drink will be served as the boat leaves the harbour. We will enjoy an included lunch as you cruise among hundreds of islets to discover unspoiled pockets of Halong Bay and visit ‘Sung Sot’, one of the most imposing and stunning grottos of the Bay. With luxurious air-conditioned cabins (our group is confirmed in the Deluxe cabin category), a divine restaurant, two bars and a sundeck this is the ultimate Halong Bay experience.
Halong Bay
As the boat cruises through the limestone karsts and clear waters in the afternoon, several options are available. On-board kayaks are available for those wishing to go out for a paddle (a fee will be collected at that time for anyone wishing to go kayaking) or if you wish to just relax, have a swim off the boat’s platform. For those seeking more culinary experience, take part in a Vietnamese spring roll cooking demonstration on the sundeck. Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. There are two kinds of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the southeast (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay), and the southwest (belonging to Halong Bay). This densely concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the sun sets, enjoy a scrumptious included international / Vietnamese buffet dinner. Starting at 8:30pm, the Award Winning film Indochine will be screened on the sundeck should you desire to watch a movie before retiring to your cabin for a good nights’ sleep. Day 12 (January 8) B: Halong / Hanoi. For early risers complimentary tea and coffee are served on the sundeck followed by a Tai Chi class. As you return to Halong City, enjoy a wholesome breakfast as our boat weaves through strange-shaped limestone rock formations. Arrive back at Emeraude’s exclusive private pier this morning for disembarkation where our driver waits to take you back to your Hanoi. Then, attend a traditional water puppet show, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form especially designed for depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history
Day 13 (January 9) B, L : Depart Vietnam/Arrive USA. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at our hotel and then we will be transferred to the airport to check in for our 11:35am return flight to Los Angeles with 2 meals served on board and arriving at 2:10pm this afternoon. (we arrive the same day we depart because we cross the international date line and thus gain the day we lost on the outbound flight) . TRIP COST $3688 + $412 taxes (the taxes subject to change)
Optional single room supplement for anyone wishing his or her own room for the trip: $849 Optional package without the transpacific flights from LA (for anyone desiring to do their own air from into Kuala Lumpur arriving Dec. 30th and home from Vietnam Jan 8th, but taking our land package and our group flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok Jan 3rd and our group air from Bangkok to Vietnam Jan 6th: $2995 including tax. Taxes are subject to change by the airline. A deposit of $400 is due within 7 days of your reservation and is fully refundable if cancelled by August 20th and non refundable thereafter, Balance payments are due Oct. 1st and are non refundable. Not Included
How United States citizens apply for a Vietnam visa? Embassy of Vietnam in Washington DC., USA
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The Summer Palace
