Laos and Vietnam

Food, Fabric and Community;  Laos and/or Vietnam with possible extensions to Kampuchea and Northern Thailand.

Laos.  Jan. 4-Jan. 14, 2012 

Laos is very special, a country to which I have returned again and again since directing a small English as a Second Language program there in 1967.   We will visit some of my favorite places and meet friends made in Laos over many years.  We will explore:

• Laos' unique history and society, including both lowland Buddhist culture(s) and the mountain-dwelling tribal groups (Hmong, Mien, Lao Theung);
• the impact of the colonial past, the U.S. Secret War of the 1960s and 70s and current development efforts;
• several special cultural aspects, including Lao-French cuisine and Laos‘ world-class weaving; and,
• two special projects in Lao education and community-building  http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/ and http://www.thelanguageproject.org/

Our trip begins with an overnight in Bangkok, after which we fly to Udornthani, Northeastern Thailand, and cross the Mekong River to Vientiane, Laos (Days 2-3).  Our journey includes both of Laos‘ two main cities, namely the capital, Vientiane, and the graceful World Heritage site of Luang Prabang which is the old Royal Capital (Days 8-11).  Unlike most travel groups, we will visit the beautiful northeastern rural provinces of Hua Phan and Xieng Khouang (Days 4-7), where we stay in the small provincial centers and take day trips to local weaving villages, schools, and natural and cultural sites.  These sites include the Plain of Jars and the caves from which the Lao insurgency led its successful revolution in the 1960s and 1970s.   

For those seeking a new destination--or those who wished they had seen the Thailand of old--Laos today is an excellent option. 

Base Cost:  $2690 per person, double occupancy, for minimum 8, maximum 11 participants plus Roger.  New Mexico residents add 7% gross receipts tax =$189.   Single Supplement $295., plus tax if New Mexico resident.)

See Cost Link for cost summary and contact us for full details and itinerary and to let us know your interests.

Vietnam Portion.  Jan. 14-23, 2012

Travelers to Vietnam are impressed by the beauty of the country and the energy and determination of the Vietnamese.  I believe you will feel very welcome in Vietnam as we have in numerous trips in recent years.  Our trip includes:

• Northern Vietnam.  Three nights and two days in Hanoi (Days 1-3) in the vibrant old French Quarter, full of walks and  visits to major historical and contemporary museums and monuments.  We will enjoy traditional and contemporary weaving, painting, photography and the delightful Water Puppet Theater.  And then there is the food, which will include a range of traditional and new Vietnamese cuisine, some of which we will learn to prepare.   On Day 4, we travel to the World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay to enjoy the seascapes and limestone cliffs, the great food, and a night in on our cabins on board our updated, modern junk.

• Central Vietnam.  In Hue (Days 5-6) we visit the Imperial Palace and tombs of emperors from the gilded past and alos experience the friendliness in local neighborhoods and markets.  In Danang we see the Cham Museum’s marvelous Hindu and Buddhist-inspired sculptures from the First Millennium A.D.   Hoi An (Day 7-8), the famous World Heritage port city on the Vietnamese coast,  offers our best look at traditional architecture, a Vietnamese cooking class and related market visit,  and cottage industries making embroidery, lanterns and umbrellas and paintings. 

• South Vietnam.  We end the trip (Day 9) with a day tour of the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). 
After this tour, some will continue to Seam Reap, Kampuchea for the extension to Angkor or to Bangkok for the Northern Thailand extension (see separate link, Kampuchea and Thailand).  Others will depart for the U.S. or for Bangkok for the return home.    

 Base Cost: $2300 per person, double occupancy, for minimum 8, maximum 11 participants plus Roger.  New Mexico residents, add 7% gross receipts tax =$161. Single Supplement $319., plus tax if New Mexico resident.