Asean Travel And Tours

Take a gastronomic tour of Vietnam, but be warned – do not read this article if you are even slightly hungry. 1. Pho They call it beef noodle soup, and such it is, but so much more. It is Vietnam in a bowl. Pronounced like ‘fur’ (but drop the ‘r’), it is beef noodle soup raised to the nth degree. You can have pho everywhere in Vietnam, but it is almost a cult in Hanoi. From the garnish tray, add a squeeze of lime juice. Add beansprouts to the soup, and a dash of chilli sauce and fish sauce. Lastly, sprinkle it with coriander leaves, or mint leaves, or basil. Or all of them. With your chopsticks, thrust deeply to the bottom of the bowl. Lift the noodles above the surface and let the dressings you’ve added subsume into the body of the work. Lay the noodles back to rest. In the next minute the flavours will marry. The more traditional beef variety of pho is called pho bo , while the chicken is  pho ga .  2. Mon cuon (Rice rolls) Rice rolls are produced everywhe

Myanmar (Burma) is becoming the new hotspot destination of Southeast Asia. Now that the US has re-established diplomatic relations with the newly civilian government and the National League for Democracy has dropped its long-standing travel boycott, tourism has tripled, with visitors zeroing in on attractions like Yangon’s 2000-year-old gold-covered Shwedagon Paya, the floating markets of Inle Lake, and Bagan’s 4000 ancient temples. Some visitors dub Bagan as the ‘next Angkor Wat‘ and it is a wonderful site, particularly when you explore outer temples with a flashlight and a sense of imagination. But after updating Lonely Planet’s guidebook to Myanmar twice, I’d have to admit it’s not even my favorite ruin in the country. I prefer Mrauk U, an elusive kingdom-turned-village in the hills of Rakhaing State near the Bangladesh border. Practically severed from road access with the country, Mrauk U is the timeless home to 700 ancient temples that serve as a backdrop to

Location: throughout Vietnam Dates: Lunar New Year (between 19 January and 20 February) Level of participation: 3 – a New Year’s Eve as raucous as any In Vietnam, Tet ushers in the New Year and is by far the biggest day on the national calendar. Tet rites begin a week before New Year’s Day, and the first three days of the New Year are official holidays, but the event visitors will really want to experience is New Year’s Eve. This is the one night that Tet becomes a boisterous celebration; the rest of the time it’s a fairly quiet family affair. One week before the New Year, Tao Quan – the three Spirits of the Hearth, found in the kitchen of every home – are said to ascend to the heavens to report on the past year’s events to the Jade Emperor. Altars, laden with offerings, are assembled in preparation for the gods’ departure, in the hope of receiving a favourable report and ensuring good luck for the family in the coming year. People visit cemeteries and

Stroll past Yangon’s Bogyoke market and it’s impossible not to detect the fast-paced change that is sweeping through Myanmar (Burma). Government-backed banks on the market’s fringes are finally selling Kyat at a market rate, while hawkers openly tout Aung San Suu Kyi T-shirts and National League for Democracy (NLD) mugs. Yet for all this, and the cautiously welcomed decision by the government to allow wider press freedom, Myanmar is still a very different place to travel than its Southeast Asian neighbours, lacking the widespread infrastructure and western comforts found over the border in Thailand. However, follow these tips and you’ll be certain to get the very best out of this stunning destination. 1. Pack noise-cancelling headphones Before you leave for Myanmar, be sure to spend any extra cash on a decent pair of noise-cancelling headphones, essential for cutting out the booming, distorted sound of the TV on long-distance bus rides. Buses are by far the

Day 1: ARRIVAL - HANOI (-/-/-) On arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you are met and transferred to hotel for a check-in. The rest of time, you will be free on your own to refresh after a long flight. O/N in Ha Noi. Day 2: HANOI – FULL DAY OF CITY TOUR (B/-/-)  Today we commence our sightseeing of Hanoi with the Ho Chi Minh Complex, containing the mausoleum of the nation's founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts. Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi. We follow this with a visit to the Temple of Literature, well known as Vietnam's first university, and the Ethnology Museum which displays an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the Vietnam’s ethnic minorities with their own traditions, cultures & life-styles. The peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem with its sacred temple and the bustling Dong Xuan Market are also visited before taking 1-hour cyclo around the old quarte

Detail Itinerary Day1: Hanoi Arrival we are met and transferred to hotel. Ha Noi , Vietnam's capital, is a stylish and gracious city that retains an unique old world charm and some Asia ?s most striking colonial architecture. The many lakes and parks make for relaxing atmosphere. If time permits we embark on a cyclo for a short excursion through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. O/N in Ha Noi Day 2: Hanoi - Thai Nguyen - Bac Can. (B, L, D, ~80km)  We take bus transfer to Thai Nguyen. Bike ride to Bac Can. First day easy ride up and down hill, scenery of palm trees with village of Tay and Nung a long the way. O/N Bac Can. Day 3: Bac Can - Ba Be National Park. (B, L, D, ~78km) Morning ride 20 km outside Bac Can and up hill, turn off highway 3 to a quiet road, great view small village of Tay and Thai on the opposite of the river. Later afternoon we take our boat cruise on Ba Be lakes and walk around Pac N

   Day 1: YANGON - NGWE SAUNG   This morning you will be picked up from your hotel for the drive through the Irrawaddy Delta to Ngwe Saung. Ngwe Saung, which means Silver Beach, is located about 5-6 hours drive from Yangon on the beautiful Bay of Bengal and features 14 kilometers of sandy beaches.  Arrive this afternoon in Ngwe Saung. Overnight in Ngwe Saung. Day 2: NGWE SAUNG (B/-/-) Breakfast at the hotel and day at leisure in Ngwe Saung. Overnight in Ngwe Saung. Day 3: NGWE SAUNG (B/-/-) Breakfast at the hotel and day at leisure in Ngwe Saung. Overnight in Ngwe Saung. Day 4: NGWE SAUNG – PATHEIN – YANGON (B/-/-) After breakfast, enjoy a few more hours of relaxation before departing for Yangon late this morning. On arrival Yangon, transfer to either your hotel or to the airport for your onward flight. RATES AND CONDITIONS ACCOMMODATION   DELUXE OPTION City Hotel Room Category Ngwe Saung Bay Of Bengal Bengal Suite SUPERIOR O

Highlights: The trip offers you an opportunity to explore one of the most beautiful parts in Sapa area, which is under protection of Hoang Lien National Park. The night you spend in campsite nearby a river will be memorial moments along the trek. Itinerary: Day 1: Sapa - Su Pan - Giang Ta Chai - Den Thang (-, L, D) Met up at your hotel in Sapa by  local guide and driver then transferred by car toward Muong Hoa valley. Your trek will start from a point near Su Pan School along a narrow dirt trail downhill to the bottom of Muong Hoa Valley, then uphill all the way for nearly 6 hours through Giang Ta Chai Village of the Red Zao, through bamboo and rain forest to Den Thang Village of the H?mong. Lunch break for an hour at a nice spot amongst wild nature. The trek will be softer in the afternoon and you will arrive to Den Thang Village of the Black H?mong at about 4.00pm.  The  rest  hour  is  for  walking  to  explore  this  remotest  village  of  Sapa  which su

ITINERARY  Day 1: MANDALAY – PYIN OO LWIN This morning, leave Mandalay for a scenic two-hour drive to the former British hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin (also known as Maymyo) located on a plateau 1,000m above sea level. Many reminders of the colonial era are still present in Pyin Oo Lwin, including brick and timber houses. Pyin Oo Lwin is home for many ethnic tribes as well as a considerable numbers of Nepalese and Hindu who migrated during the British occupation, famous for its climate weather. Enjoy a traditional horse cart and carriage ride through town. Stop at the Botanical Gardens, 432 acres of leafy gardens home to a diverse mix of botanical species from around the world. The Gardens were established by Sir Harcourt Butler, former Governor of Burma. Continue to the local market to see the multicolor flowers and vegetables on sale. Overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin. Day 2: PYIN OO LWIN – HSIPAW (B, L) After breakfast at hotel, transfer to the railway station for