(GBP) Topdeck | ASIA 2016-17

04 BUCKET LIST All good things start with a list.06 4 WAYS TO CHILL IN STYLE Recline with tropical fish, coconuts and sunshine.08 EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT And then eat some more.

46 SOCIAL

48 TERMS & CONDITIONS49 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

51 HOW TO READ OUR ITINERARIES50 MAPS, TRIP CODES & PAGE NUMBERS

12 TRAVEL HACKS & TRAVEL BUDGET Because you want to save money.

14 ASIA Big trips. Big Buddhas.22 VIETNAM Pho. Pho. Pho. Pho.28 INDONESIA Swaying palms and island hopping. Yass.32 THAILAND Land of smiles and spicy salads.40 JAPAN Robot geishas and powder snow.

Stories

Reference

Trips

10 THIS IS YOUR WORLDTLC + freedom = trip of a lifetime.

#DREAMBIG

Together with our local partner, we have created a range of epic adventures across the Asian continent just for you. Topdeck delivers an all access pass including stylish accommodation close to the action, mouth-watering local food and premium, fit for purpose transport that will allow you to go where others cant. Our local team has more than 20 years experience helping make travel dreams come true, so pick your favourite trip and lets go exploring.

WE ARE TOPDECK

OUR ASIA TRIPS

We do Asian adventures, epic Eurotrips, Big Game safaris, American road trips, sailing trips, pyramid expeditions, and other awesomeness around the world for travellers between 18-39.

We realise that everyones different, which is why all our trips include heaps of free time to play and explore. Its your trip, your way.

Your trip includes all the must-see, must-do activities and top-notch local fare to recharge those batteries between stops, which means you can spend your money where it matters and well take care of the rest.

You will hit the road on modern, WiFi-equipped coaches, stay where the action is and hang out with other young explorers bent on seeing the world.

And thats just how we got started. We had a group of mates, some wheels and enough wanderlust to make most mothers worried.Forty years into it, were still discovering new places to see and unforgettable travel experiences to make our passengers trips just that little bit more awesome.

Ready to pack your bags? Lets talk.

THE GREAT ASIAN BUCKET LIST | 05

0 3 GILI ISLANDS. They look like three inconsequential dots off the coast of Lombok. But these three islands have been

drawing a castaway crowd for years. While turtles

pop up for air on the fringing reefs nearby, Gili

Trawangan keeps the backpacker crowd partying,

Air (ah-ee-rr) flaunts its assets to the boutique

crowd and Meno remains an untouched slice of

paradise almost void of development. Expect white

beaches, turtles and swaying coconut palms.

PAGE. 30.

0 4 ANGKOR WAT. Angkor Wat was originally built as a tribute to the Hindu god Vishnu and then gradually transformed

into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the

12th Century. Youve probably seen the sunset a

thousand times, but watching a thousand year old

handcrafted piece of human ingenuity in person

serves as a stark reminder of what our species were

capable of before Facebook. We understand if you

still want a selfie though. #nojudgment

PAGE. 16,18.

0 5 HANOI. Thinking of food? You wont be disappointed. From the pho stalls and bahn mi trucks of the Old Quarter to the OMG-I-

want-to-eat-everything feasts of Quan an Ngon,

this is the best place in the world to eat, sleep,

and dodge motorbikes. Get some refuge from the

frantic traffic at the Temple of Literature, pick up

some propaganda posters and explore the Parisian

tree-lined boulevards and alleyways of one of Asias

most delectable cities.

PAGE. 16, 24, 26.

0 6 TOKYO. Home to Hello Kitty, more Michelin stars than any other city in the world and a public transport that has never

been late ever. This sprawling metropolis offers

a curious mix between feudal heritage, street

fashion and the most hi-tech toilets youll ever see.

Dont miss: World-class ramen in Nakano, Elvis

impersonators in Yoyogi Park and next-gen fashion

in Harajuku. PAGE. 42, 44.

0 1 BANGKOK. I BKK. Said just about everyone ever. Just like its cuisine, Bangkok is a welcome assault on the senses, where

tuk tuks fight for inches with black Lexuses and

street noodle stalls rub shoulders with luxury

department stores. Embrace the fun-loving chaos

making this city Asias answer to NYC then retreat

for a dose of temple serenity or climb a skyscraper

for a sunset drink at a swanky rooftop bar. PAGE.16, 18, 20, 38.

0 2 SAMUI ARCHIPELAGO. Lifes a beach. And good things come in three. Start your island hopping life on Koh Samui with snorkelling,

shopping and poolside comforts, then ferry across

to its sister Pha Ngan for a juxtaposition of beaches,

swaying coconut palms and full-moon parties.

Wrap up with a couple of nights on Koh Tao for

more island vibes and eat, sleep, dive repeat.

Beached out? You bet. PAGE. 36.

ASIA B U C K E T L I S T

0 7 KYOTO. Not far from the hustle and bustle of Japans second biggest metropolis Osaka, youll find yourself surrounded

by immaculate gardens, temples and a city that

turns her nose up at the glittery selfie machines

and frenetic pace of Tokyo. Embrace serenity

at Kinkakuji temple, watch apprentice geishas

recreate ancient folklore through song and dance in

Gion then get your samurai fix at Nijo Castle.

PAGE. 42.

0 8 KUALA LUMPUR. Malaysians take their food seriously. Below the seen-the-postcard Petronas Towers with its retail wonderland youll find an urban sprawl of Indian,

Chinese, Malay and colonial influences. Never

thought a food court plate of duck and rice could

change your life? Think again. Eat up then escape

the city smoke for a while, check out the most

popular hindu shrine outside India, then steam

around Malacca for a more colonial take on life.

PAGE. 20.

Kick back in pools so zen the water basically scoops you up in a lazy, warm, comfy hug. Weve got a range of sweet digs awaiting

your arrival leaving you to pull up a chair while one hand props up a book and the other holds your drink.

RELAX & RECHARGEgo

Best 4W A Y S T O C H I L L

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4 WAYS TO CHILL IN STYLE | 07

CHAWENG BEACH FRONTED ROOMS, FRESH LOCAL FOOD AND THAT POOL. Why would you want to go anywhere when youve got this view and that coconut to finish? Watch the action unfold beneath you on the beach as you put your sunbed to perfect use.

OZO CHAWENG. SEE PAGE 36

HOVERING ABOVE THE ANDAMAN SEA, WATER ACTIVITIES IS CROWN LANTAS MIDDLE NAME. Lap up the free flowing swimming pool that winds its way through the resort like a lazy river and wonder how you hit the hotel jackpot. #winning.

CROWN LANTA. SEE PAGE 34

DOES THE NEWEST AND BIGGEST RESORT AND SPA IN THE GILIS SOUND LIKE YOUR THING? Secluded enough to not do your head in but close enough to the doof doof to put your hands up for Detroit and watch the sun set over Bali from your sunbed.

ASTON SUNSET. SEE PAGE 30

KOH LANTA: THAILAND GILI TRAWANGAN: INDONESIA

KOH SAMUI: THAILAND

THIS IS HOW SAMURAIS DO BED AND BREAKFAST. Like everything else in Nippon, Ryokans go back about a zillion years (to the Edo period). Get around on tatami floors, wear a yukata, bow a lot, eat Hida beef in your room and dont dare to ask for vegetarian.

LOCAL RYOKAN. SEE PAGE 42

TAKAYAMA: JAPAN

go

Best 4W A Y S T O C H I L L

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DHOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

VIETNAMESE MOTHERS JUDGE THEIR SONS SIGNIFICANT OTHER on their broth making skills. Its serious business. Mix French

broth making skills with star anise, cinnamon and local herbs,

let it simmer for a day, then load up your bowl with your

favourite toppings. Go for beef, chicken, mint leaves, chillies

and lime if youre in the south or opt for the puritan Hanoi

approach of letting the broth do the talking. Either way, youll

never look at soup the same way again. WHERE: JUST ABOUT ANY STREET CORNER IN VIETNAM.

EXPECT: ORDERING MORE THAN ONE IS FINE. GO FOR IT.

KNOW ONE, TEACH ONE FROM A SIMPLE SANDWICH SHOP IN HANOI to a breeding ground for up-and-coming fine dining chefs, KOTO is not your average

restaurant. Behind the scenes youll find a fully fledged NGO

working to bring street kids out of poverty and help them build

the skills needed to launch a career in a 5-star hotel. Youll be

served a mix of courses blending traditional Vietnamese cuisine

with South East Asian and Western influences served with

lashings of promises of a better future.

WHERE: HANOI.

EXPECT: TOP-NOTCH VIETNAMESE FOOD AND THE CHANCE TO SUPPORT A SOCIAL

ENTERPRISE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO YOUNG PEOPLES LIVES.

SUKHUMVIT SIZZLE

THE THAI KITCHEN, LIKE MANY OTHER ASIAN CUISINES, shows its full potential at a street side stall without a printed menu. Point,

smile, indulge and then spend the rest of your life lecturing your

friends about what a real pad thai is. The street menu spans old

favourites like papaya salad and grilled pork with sticky rice to

straight up food dares like crispy chilli scorpion and crickets.

Dont worry, no pressure. Ehum.

WHERE: SUKHUMVIT SOI 38 OR BANGKOK STREET FOOD TOUR

EXPECT: HOT, SWEET, SPICY, SOUR, SALTY EPICNESS.

REAL RAMENFORGET INSTANT STUDENT FOOD, RAMEN BURGERS, RAMEN PIZZA and all the other hipster variations youve seen on the theme.

Real ramen is a 36-hour love affair with pork and chicken bones

simmered according to a thousand- year-old recipe youll never

be able to recreate at home. Its also a perfect alternative to the

3am pizza slice, the 11 am brunch or just about any soul food

indulgence you can think of.

WHERE: ANY HOLE IN THE WALL IN NAKANO-KU, TOKYO

EXPECT: TO NEVER SAY ITS JUST SOUP AGAIN

Eat, Sleep, RepeatFOOD COMAnoun/fd km/The feeling of utter, smug satisfaction and sleepiness, that one feels after eating their way through South East Asia for a few weeks. Common causes include banh mi, pho, coconuts, and stacks of satay.

ANTONYMS: GYM, DIET, PACKED LUNCH

DEAT, SLEEP, REPEAT | 09

TLC + BUCKET LIST SORTEDWE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WERE PASSIONATE about showing young people the world. This means all TLC is included in the trip price

and not charged on your last day. Go ziplining through the jungle

in Thailand, dodge motorbikes and eat streetfood in Vietnam or

watch life rush by from a Shinkansen train in Japan. This is your

world, your dream, and your adventure.

+ The perfect mix between must-see and off the beaten track destinations

+ Heaps of meals included

HASSLE-FREE TRAVELOUR RECIPE IS SIMPLE: A group of young explorers, transport sorted and custom-built itineraries designed to mix freedom with life-

changing experiences. Its more than getting from A to Bits all

about the epic friends, memories and experiences you have along

the way.

+ Local Trip Leaders with extensive insider knowledge + No tipping or extra charges

FREEDOM TO EXPLOREALL OUR TRIPS ARE DESIGNED TO LET YOU ROAM FREE while keeping things hassle-free. Weve got the bucket list sorted, the

accommodation booked and enough time built in to let you do

your own thing. Its your trip, your way.

+ Lots of free time in each city + A good mix of included and optional activities

NO MORE FOMOWE KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE BEST BEACHES, temples, street food and cultural experiences in Asia and have trained our crew

to give you the best experience every time. Add handpicked

accommodation ranging from Ko Samui's most awesome island

resort to a ryokan in the Japanese countryside and youll see why we say we run trips, not tours.

+ Unique accommodation in three and four-star hotels + Small and medium groups. Medium on Island hoppers

(Samui/ Ko-Conut and Bali) with 35 pax. all other trips

small at 20 pax.

THIS IS YOUR WORLD | 11

12 | TRAVEL HACKS

Travel HacksY O U N E E D T O U S E R I G H T N O W

Fill your shoes with socks and smaller items and keep all your cables in a sunglass case.

Buy a portable phone charger and get free juice on the go. If you dont have one, look for USB

ports behind TVs and airplane seats.

Dehydration, unlike unicorns, is a real thing. Drink more water than you think youll need.

Forgot where you live? Youre not alone. Take a selfie in front of the hotel when you

arrive for an instant reminder.

Scan or take photos of your passport, credit cards and insurance documents and email

them to yourself or save in Evernote.

Type or speak ok maps into the Google Maps app to store any location to your phone

for offline browsing.

Always take metered taxis. Haggling might be fun, but the reality is youll pay twice as much as

normal. But YOLO.

Going anywhere near a boat? The water might seem deceptively warm, azure blue and inviting,

but your electronics will disagree. Put anything you dont want to get rid of in a sealable plastic bag.

You will thank us for this one. The less stuff you bring, the easier it will be to move around

at your destination.

D R I N K W A T E R

T U R N O N T H E M E T E R

U S E S P A C E W I S E LYB A T T E R Y L I F E I S C R I T I C A L

B A C K U P E V E R Y T H I N G S A V E M A P S O F F L I N E

B R I N G L E S S S T U F FW A T E R I S N O T Y O U R F R I E N D

T A K E A H O T E L S E L F I E

Travel Budget

INCLUDED WITH TOPD

ECK

GETTI

NG ARO

UND, EAT, STAY, SEE, DOSTA

Y - ON

YOUR O

WNGETTING AROUNDEAT

DOSEE

WITH US

14 DAY | ROAD TO PHNOM PENH

MULTI-TRIP DISCOUNTS*BOOK 2 TRIPS and Save 5% on the cheapest trip.BOOK 3 TRIPS and Save 7.5% on the cheapest trip and 5% on the 2nd cheapest.BOOK 4 TRIPS And Save 10% on the cheapest trip, 7.5% ON THE 2ND CHEAPEST AND 5% ON THE 3RD.

EARLY PAYMENT*SAVE 5% when you book and pay in full 6 months in advance of your trip departure date.

FRIENDS & DISCOUNTS*SAVE 5% for 4 friends who book and travel together. SAVE 7.5% for 7 friends and 10% for 10 friends! #Winning.

PAST PASSENGER*SAVE 5% if youve travelled with us before.

GETTING AROUNDAIR CONDITIONED COACH, TRAIN & FLIGHTS

SEETOUR GUIDE AND ENTRY FEES

TO MAJOR SIGHTS

DOTUK TUK STREET FOOD TOUR, MEKONG

RIVER BOAT CRUISE, PAK OU CAVES VISIT, ALMS CEREMONY WITH MONKS IN LUANG

PRABANG, GUIDED ANGKOR TEMPLES TOUR

STAY12 NIGHTS 3 STAR HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

EAT13 BREAKFASTS, 5 LUNCHES, 2 DINNERS

TRAVEL

LING ON

YOUR OWN VS TRAVELLING WITH US

TRAVELLING WITH USON YOUR OWN VS

TRAVEL BUDGET | 13

Travel HacksY O U N E E D T O U S E R I G H T N O W

Fill your shoes with socks and smaller items and keep all your cables in a sunglass case.

Buy a portable phone charger and get free juice on the go. If you dont have one, look for USB

ports behind TVs and airplane seats.

Dehydration, unlike unicorns, is a real thing. Drink more water than you think youll need.

Forgot where you live? Youre not alone. Take a selfie in front of the hotel when you

arrive for an instant reminder.

Scan or take photos of your passport, credit cards and insurance documents and email

them to yourself or save in Evernote.

Type or speak ok maps into the Google Maps app to store any location to your phone

for offline browsing.

Always take metered taxis. Haggling might be fun, but the reality is youll pay twice as much as

normal. But YOLO.

Going anywhere near a boat? The water might seem deceptively warm, azure blue and inviting,

but your electronics will disagree. Put anything you dont want to get rid of in a sealable plastic bag.

You will thank us for this one. The less stuff you bring, the easier it will be to move around

at your destination.

D R I N K W A T E R

T U R N O N T H E M E T E R

U S E S P A C E W I S E LYB A T T E R Y L I F E I S C R I T I C A L

B A C K U P E V E R Y T H I N G S A V E M A P S O F F L I N E

B R I N G L E S S S T U F FW A T E R I S N O T Y O U R F R I E N D

T A K E A H O T E L S E L F I E

Travel Budget

*All above discounts apply to the trip price only, and do not apply to any included flight costs, any pre & post accommodation or transfers. Only 2 discounts can be combined to a maximum value of 15%. Early Payment Option; only one advanced purchase promotion can be used per booking. For Friends & Discounts all passengers must be booked on the same trip at the same time. Only one Friends & Discounts can be used. For Multi Trip Discount all trips must be booked at the same time. All discounts are subject to availability.

MONEY CANT BUYCommunity visit in Siem Reap - an exclusive project set up by our local experts which allows you to visit the headquarters of a local nonprofit organisation that employs village women who specialise in the traditional craft of mat weaving. The mats are then sold later in the markets to provide an income for the families of those involved.

611

114

1812 1395

626

187

274SAVE UP TO

$417

AsiaBUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:

+ Tour of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, Cambodia + Hiroshima Peace Museum, Japan + Black Hmong homestay, Vietnam + Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour, Thailand

UNIQUE DESTINATIONS: + Takayama, Japan + Koh Tao, Thailand + Gili Trawangan, Indonesia + Lao Cai, Vietnam + Phnom Penh, Cambodia

DAYS | TRIP NAME START PAGE27 DAY | Asian Fusion Bangkok 1614 DAY | Road to Phnom Penh Bangkok 1814 DAY | Malacca Trail Bangkok 2013 DAY | Vietnam Uncovered Ho Chi Minh 244 DAY | Sapa Encounter Hanoi 267 DAY | Bali Island Hopper Seminyak 309 DAY | Ko-Conut Hopper Phuket 349 DAY | Samui Sunsets Koh Samui 364 DAY | Bangkok Stopover Bangkok 3812 DAY | Japan Highlights Tokyo 427 DAY | Japan Ski Tokyo 44

ACCOMMODATION3/4 STAR HOTELS

TRIP LENGTH4-27 DAYS

ROOM TYPESTWIN/DOUBLE/TRIPLE SHARE

27 DAY | A S I A N F U S I O NCOUNTRIES VISITED MEALS434BANGKOK HANOI

DAY 4 CHIANG MAI TO CHIANG RAI. Visit the Wat Rong Khun temple, view the Golden Triangle from above, then on to Mae Sai the northernmost trading border. (B,L)

DAY 5 CHIANG RAI TO PAK BENG, LAOS. Cross the Friendship Bridge, board a Mekong river cruise and stop to chat to locals at a small village. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 PAK BENG TO LUANG PRABANG. This morning stop for a tipple at the whiskey village, pass the Pak Ou Caves and arrive in Luang Prabang. (B,L)

DAY 7 LUANG PRABANG. Mount Phousi for sunrise. Dinner for $2, cakes to stuff your boots with (thanks French influence!) and shopping for a worthy cause all in the same market. (B)

DAY 8 LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG. Rise to the sound of the temple gong, partake in the daily almsgiving of the monks without cramping their style, and descend southwards to Vang Vieng. (B)

DAY 9 VANG VIENG. A free day for kayaking on the Nam Song River. If youre here in wet season: rapids. Any other time: rock climbing mountains & cave exploring. (B)

DAY 10 VANG VIENG TO VIENTIANE. First up: the historical site Wat Sisaket and former temple Wat Ho Phra Keo housing Laotian art. Then Patuxay, the Victory Monument. (B)

DAY 11 VIENTIANE TO SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA. Fly to Siem Reap and explore Angkor: meet the stoney faces of Bayon, the Ta Prohm temple held up by tree roots, and Angkor Wat with its moat. (B)

DAY 12 SIEM REAP. Kick start with a visit to the headquarters of a local non-profit, hop aboard an ox cart and stop at a Buddhist temple to get blessed by monks. (B,L)

DAY 13 SIEM REAP TO PHNOM PENH. Get cracking with a visit to the Royal Palace. Pay a sobering visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum for a bit of insight into the darker side of Cambodia's history. (B,L)

DAY 14 PHNOM PENH. Spend the day exploring the French-built capital, or visit Silk Island village or the killing fields of Choeung Ek. (B)

DAY 15-16 PHNOM PENH TO HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM. Arrive in HCMC, home to 10 million people

DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. First off the bat: free time to explore before you start ticking off your bucket list with a night time street food tour. (D)

DAY 2 BANGKOK TO CHIANG MAI. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with the iconic Jim Thompsons house, cruise the Chao Phraya River and check out the Buddhist temple Wat Pho. (B)

DAY 3 CHIANG MAI. This morning explore Chiang Mais old city. Its a temple-monument salad as you stop at Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Puak Tam and the Three Kings Monument. (B)

TRIP CODE: AHAFBH

STOP & STAY

DAY STOP

11

17ASIA

and 4 million motorbikes. Kick off the night with banh mi baguettes and rice paper pizza, then have a free day to explore the Cu Chi tunnels, and the optional Saigon Opera House and War Remnants Museum. (B,D) (B,L)

DAY 17 HO CHI MINH CITY TO VINH LONG. Hop on a boat to peruse Cai Be's floating markets. Stop for lunch at a bonsai gardener's home, then an overnight homestay. (B,L,D)

DAY 18 VINH LONG TO HO CHI MINH CITY. Wake up to another morning in the land of pho and snake wine, cruise to Vinh Long, then the Vinh Trang Pagoda. (B,L)

DAY 19 HO CHI MINH CITY TO NHA TRANG. Touch down and rest up at the white powdery beaches or search for fruit markets. Either way youre winning. (B)

DAY 20 NHA TRANG. Do the optional 3 island boat tour or spend your free day lazing on Nha Trang, a kite-running, windsurfing and scuba diving mecca. (B)

DAY 21 NHA TRANG TO HOI AN. Fly to Hoi Ans well-preserved ancient town and make friends with her asap. (B)

DAY 22 HOI AN. Explore the countryside by bicycle, check out the 2 century-old Tan Ky House or enrol in a cooking masterclass. (B)

DAY 23 HOI AN TO HUE. Drive along Hai Van Pass to Hue. A half day tour to the ancient citadel, then visit smooth operator (and husband to 104 wives) Tu Ducs Royal Tomb. (B)

DAY 24 HUE TO HANOI. Take on the chaotic Old Quarter and horse-honouring temples. Dinner is at Koto, a restaurant providing training to impoverished children. (B,D)

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour + Bangkok + Chao Phraya River tour + White temple of Wat Rong Khun + Mekong river boat cruise + Toul Sleng Genocide Museum + Visit Pak Ou Caves + City tours in Vientiane + Phnom Penh + Cu Chi tunnels tour in Vietnam + Hai Van mountain pass + Dinner at social enterprise restaurant Koto, Hanoi + Siem Reap community village tour + Tour of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm

MORE INCLUSIONS + 26 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 7 dinners + 23 nights in hotels, 1 night aboard an overnight

train, 1 night in a homestay, 1 night on a junk boat + Internal flights + Awesome driver/local guide + Smaller group size + Modern air-conditioned coach/mini-coach

DAY 25 HANOI TO HALONG BAY. Cruise time. A day of paddling, swimming, lazing on the sundeck and the bays seafood for dinner? Yes please. (B,L,D)

DAY 26 HALONG BAY TO HANOI. Board a tender for deceptively small entrance/massive chamber within Surprise Cave, then back to Hanoi for one last street food encounter. (B,L,D)

DAY 27 HANOI. One last bowl of pho then it's all over red rover. (B)

3 APR 29 APR K10 APR 6 MAY K24 APR 20 MAY8 MAY 3 JUN

22 MAY 17 JUN G5 JUN 1 JUL19 JUN 15 JUL3 JUL 29 JUL17 JUL 12 AUG G31 JUL 26 AUG14 AUG 9 SEP28 AUG 23 SEP11 SEP 7 OCT G18 SEP 14 OCT25 SEP 21 OCT2 OCT 28 OCT9 OCT 4 NOV

16 OCT 11 NOV G23 OCT 18 NOV30 OCT 25 NOV6 NOV 2 DEC G

13 NOV 9 DEC W20 NOV 16 DEC G, W27 NOV 23 DEC4 DEC 30 DEC11 DEC 6 JAN G18 DEC 13 JAN25 DEC 20 JAN1 JAN 27 JAN G8 JAN 3 FEB L15 JAN 10 FEB L22 JAN 17 FEB G29 JAN 24 FEB5 FEB 3 MAR12 FEB 10 MAR G19 FEB 17 MAR26 FEB 24 MAR5 MAR 31 MAR12 MAR 7 APR19 MAR 14 APR26 MAR 21 APR

START FINISH START FINISH

TRIP PRICE OF 2595

G = Guaranteed departure K = Songkran (Thai new Year)W = Cambodia waTer FeSTivalL = vieTnameSe lunar new Year

27 DAYS FROM

2595GBP PER PERSON

All items listed within the Bucket list and More inclusions are included within the price of your trip. Other activities mentioned are optional (and so may cost extra) but too awesome to miss out.

STAR

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$XXX

/DAY

STAR

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DAY

14 DAY | R O A D T O P H N O M P E N HCOUNTRIES VISITED MEALS203BANGKOK PHNOM PHEN

DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. First off the bat: free time to explore like a Bangkokian. Get a culture fix at one of the 100+ museums, immerse yourself in a new religion at a royal temple, and eat a light lunch to last until tonight, where you eat for 4 hours at the street eats by tuk-tuk experience. All. the. food. (D)

DAY 2 BANGKOK TO CHIANG MAI. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with a full day visiting some of its most iconic sights. Tick off ALL the transport as you visit Jim Thompsons house, boat along the Chao Phraya River and tuk-tuk it to Wat Pho. Lunch at a local restaurant. Overnight train it to Chiang Mai. (B)

meet), former hub of the opium trade. Then its on to Mae Sai, the northernmost trading border. Pick up exotic curios and jewellery at the markets, watch merchants sell their goods or go hang with the giant scorpion. (B,L)

DAY 5 CHIANG RAI TO PAK BENG, LAOS. Today its all about friendship. Cross the Chiang Khong border at the Friendship Bridge and the Huay Xai Border into Laos. Then its straight into the Mekong river cruise to use all your cameras SD cards on the scenery before stopping to make friends with locals at a village on your way to Pak Beng. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 PAK BENG TO LUANG PRABANG. This morning explore the markets where locals from surrounding villages trade their goods. Stop for a tipple at the whiskey village, where locals have craftily transformed sticky rice into Lao Lao whiskey. Next stop is the Pak Ou Cavesfilled to the brim with buddhist statuesat the mouth of the Nam Ou River. This afternoon arrive in Luang Prabang. Get in early and check out the (literal) hundreds of monuments and temples and feel at peace. (B,L)

DAY 7 LUANG PRABANG. Get up early to head up the 328 steps of Mount Phousi for sunrise, its well worth the burning calves. Dinner for $2 a plate, cakes to stuff your boots with (thanks French people) and shopping for a worthy cause all in the same market. (B)

DAY 8 LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG. Rise to the sound of the temple gong, partake in the daily almsgiving of the monks by offering sticky rice, bananas and other foods without cramping their style, and descend southwards to Vang Vieng, the riverside town that is a backpacker beacon. (B)

TRIP CODE: AHAFBP

DAY 3 CHIANG MAI. This morning start by picking apart Chiang Mais old city by trishaw (human-powered tricycle). Its a temple-monument salad as you stop at Wat Chedi Luang - a 14th century Buddhist temple, then the murals and lacquer work of Wat Puak Tam temple and its artisan brass making village, followed by the Three Kings Monument of the men who planned the citys layout. (B)

DAY 4 CHIANG MAI TO CHIANG RAI. On your way out of Chiang Mai stop at Wat Rong Khun, aka the White Temple. This afternoon youre off to the Golden Triangle (the border where Laos, Burma and Thailand

STOP & STAY

DAY STOP

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19ASIA

DAY 9 VANG VIENG. A free day for kayaking on the Nam Song River. If youre here in wet season: rapids. If youre here any other time: rock climbing the limestone mountains or cave exploring. (B)

DAY 10 VANG VIENG TO VIENTIANE. First up: the historical site Wat Sisaket and former temple Wat Ho Phra Keo housing Laotian art will give you your first culture fix. Then Patuxay, aka the Victory Monument. (B)

DAY 11 VIENTIANE TO SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA. Fly to Siem Reap, let your nose pick the perfect lunch spot before an afternoon tour of Angkor: meet the stoney faces of Bayon, the Ta Prohm temple held up by tree roots, and Angkor Wat with its moat. Stand on top of Pre Rup for sunset. (B)

DAY 12 SIEM REAP. Kick start the day with a visit to the HQ of a local non-profit organisation employing village women who specialise in the traditional craft of mat weaving. Then hop aboard an ox cart to visit a Khmer family who makes brooms and stop at a Buddhist temple to get blessed by monks. (B,L)

DAY 13 SIEM REAP TO PHNOM PENH. Phnom Penh awaits this morning. Get cracking with a visit to the Royal Palace overlooking the Tonle Sap river. This afternoon, take part in a sobering visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum to learn about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime. Join the locals at sunset in one of the riverside bars. Dinner is whatever takes your fancy. (B,L)

DAY 14 PHNOM PENH. Spend the day exploring the French-built capital venture back to the riverfront for the Silver Pagoda and National Museum, or go straight for the heart to find the art deco Central Market. Done and done? Go for an optional activity: learn about Cambodias darkest hour at the killing

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour + Bangkok city tour + Chiang Mai city tour by trishaw + White temple of Wat Rong Khun + Mekong river boat cruise + Pak Ou Caves + Toul Sleng Genocide Museum + Giving of alms to monks + Vientiane city tour + Siem Reap community village tour + Phnom Penh city tour + Tour of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm

MORE INCLUSIONS + 13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners + 12 nights in hotels, 1 night aboard an overnight

train + Internal flights + Awesome driver/local guide + Smaller group size + Modern air-conditioned coach/mini-coach

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fields of Choeung Ek, or go for a hands on experience at Silk Island village and learn about the traditions of hand looming silk. Watch the experts do their thing then give it a whirl. The trip ends in the afternoon, but stay and hang out in a hammock, it's how the locals do it. (B)

3 APR 16 APR K10 APR 23 APR K24 APR 7 MAY8 MAY 21 MAY

22 MAY 4 JUN G5 JUN 18 JUN19 JUN 2 JUL3 JUL 16 JUL17 JUL 30 JUL G31 JUL 13 AUG14 AUG 27 AUG28 AUG 10 SEP11 SEP 24 SEP G18 SEP 1 OCT25 SEP 8 OCT2 OCT 15 OCT9 OCT 22 OCT

16 OCT 29 OCT G23 OCT 5 NOV30 OCT 12 NOV6 NOV 19 NOV G

13 NOV 26 NOV W20 NOV 3 DEC G, W27 NOV 10 DEC4 DEC 17 DEC11 DEC 24 DEC G18 DEC 31 DEC25 DEC 7 JAN1 JAN 14 JAN G8 JAN 21 JAN L15 JAN 28 JAN L22 JAN 4 FEB G29 JAN 11 FEB5 FEB 18 FEB12 FEB 25 FEB G19 FEB 4 MAR26 FEB 11 MAR5 MAR 18 MAR12 MAR 25 MAR19 MAR 1 APR26 MAR 8 APR


TRIP PRICE OF 1395


14 DAYS FROM

1395GBP PER PERSON


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14 DAY | M A L A C C A T R A I LCOUNTRIES VISITED MEALS213BANGKOK SINGAPORE

DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. First off the bat: free time to explore like a Bangkokian (it's a word). Fill up on culture at one of the 100+ museums, immerse yourself in a new religion at a royal temple and get your food fix from one of the 100,000 street vendors to last you until tonight, where you get to eat for 4 hours. All. The. Food. (D)

DAY 2 BANGKOK. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with a full day visiting its iconic sights. Tick off all the transport as you visit Jim Thompsons house, boat along the Chao Phraya River and tuk-tuk it to the grand buddhist temple Wat Pho. Lunch like kings at a local restaurant. Check out Khao San Road for handicrafts, paintings and fruit during the day, and bars, music and barbequed insects at night. (B,L)

DAY 3 BANGKOK TO SURAT THANI. Your last free day in Bangkok use it well. Get a massage or hit up one of the city's mega malls. Tick the Muay Thai boxing match off your Thailand bucket list or join locals playing Sepak takraw (kick volleyball). Tonight all aboard the overnight train to Surat Thani. (B)

DAY 4 SURAT THANI TO KRABI. Take Surat Thani through its paces by taste-testing its finest produce: oysters, Rambutans, and salted duck eggs. Want something else to feast your eyes on? Visit the impressive Rock Fish Museum and cool off in the Namtok Vibhavadi waterfall before you roll into Krabi, one of the oldest continued settlements in southern Thailand. Check out its amazing beaches, hike to the Tiger cave temple or enrol in a Thai cooking class. (B)

DAY 5 KRABI. Do the optional and pinball your way around the Phi Phi IslandsThailands island superstar, former coconut plantation and film location for The Beach. Split your time between Phi Phi Lay,

Loh Sama, Tonsai Bay for lunch, Phi Phi Don and Bamboo Island. On the way back stop at Chicken Island, which literally looks like a giant moss-covered bush turkey casually nestled in the water. (B)

DAY 6 KRABI. Another free day to explore at your will. Wander further to Railay Beachs caves and lagoons, and watch a nail-biter as rock climbers take on the cliffs. For the adventurous theres always kayaking at Ao Thalane, a small fishing village teeming with mangrove ecosystems and limestone karst formations. Take your pick. (B)

DAY 7 KRABI TO PENANG, MALAYSIA. Fly to Penang, the food capital of Malaysia (what we like to hear). Known for its hawker food: a mix of noodles, spices and fresh seafood dishes served al fresco, tonight is your chance to meander through the Batu Ferringhi night markets and grab a bite and a bargain. (B)

DAY 8 PENANG. Navigate Georgetown by trishaw (human-powered tricycle) through narrow lanes, offering a closer view of historical sites such as the Kapitan Keling Mosque, St Georges Church and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. In 2012 Georgetown began a street murals project which has since taken off with multiple artist contributions. Admire and snap the amazing artwork (there are cats involved) then a food tasting in Kapitan is on the cards for lunch. (B,L)

DAY 9 PENANG TO CAMERON HIGHLANDS. Make a mad dash down the coast to the Cameron Highlands through Perak State and Simpang Pulai. Today is all about nature. Soak up the scent at a tea plantation and veggie farm tour. Then tonight: listen out for the insect orchestra on a jungle trek and try to spot Giant Stick Insects, Great Green Nymphs (the largest beetle in Malaysia), and scorpions. (B,L)TRIP CODE: AHMTBM

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DAY 10 CAMERON HIGHLANDS TO KUALA LUMPUR. Wind your way down through Kampung Raja to Kuala Lumpur. Stop at Malaysias biggest cave temple Sam Poh Tong to snap the giant reclining Buddha and stare in awe at the various Buddhas interspersed among the stalactites and stalagmites. Balance your karma by releasing a turtle into the resident pond. Lunch is in Ipoh before kicking on to Peraks Ubudiah Mosque and the Perak Royal Museum. (B,L)

DAY 11 KUALA LUMPUR. Today you get to experience village life in Kampung Sungai Sireh, a local producer of fruit, flowers and natural products. Start your village education with a paddy field tour and see the way locals process their rice during harvest season. Peek inside a typical village house, tuck into lunch with local dishes such as ulams, then get your artist on with coconut leaf ornament making and batik painting. This afternoon it's back to Kuala Lumpur. (B,L)

DAY 12 KUALA LUMPUR TO MALACCA. This morning youre off to the Batu Caves in all their 400 million year old limestone goodness. The most popular Hindu shrine outside of India, this ones worth a look-see. Then on to Malacca, home of Portuguese influence and descendants of Chinese settlers known as Nyonya. Lunch is in a Peranakan restaurant, with flavour explosions in the form of laksas and curries thanks to Chinese, Malay and Thai influences. Work off lunch with a tour of Cheng Hoon Teng temple, then boat around Malacca for the afternoon. (B,L)

DAY 13 MALACCA TO SINGAPORE. Get a taste for Singapores best with a jaunt in Chinatown. Wander down lantern-lined streets where medical herbs and souvenirs line the stalls. Stuff yourself with famous dishes like Or Luak, Char Kway Teow and Satay at the

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour + Bangkok city tour + Bangkok + Chao Phraya River tour + Batu Caves + Georgetown Murals Trail by Beca + Night trekking in the Cameron Highlands + Kampong Sungai Sireh village experience + Boat tour around Malacca

MORE INCLUSIONS + 13 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 2 dinners + 12 nights in hotels, 1 night aboard an overnight train + Internal flights + Awesome driver/local guide + Smaller group size + Modern air-conditioned coach/mini-coach

17 APR 30 APR15 MAY 28 MAY12 JUN 25 JUN10 JUL 23 JUL G7 AUG 20 AUG4 SEP 17 SEP2 OCT 15 OCT

30 OCT 12 NOV27 NOV 10 DEC G25 DEC 7 JAN22 JAN 4 FEB G19 FEB 4 MAR19 MAR 1 APR


Chinatown Food Street then hit up the street side bars in Club St or Duxton Hill for a farewell drink. (B,D)

DAY 14 SINGAPORE. Take one last longing look at the futuristic city before its Zijin to Singapore. (B)

TRIP PRICE OF 1295

TRIP PRICE OF 1375

G = Guaranteed departure

14 DAYS FROM

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VIETNAM IS SOUTH EAST ASIAS PERFECT ISLAND-CITY COMBINATION. Soak up Ho Chi Minhs rumble of 4 million motorbikes, wander through Lao Cai's quiet rice terraces, and cruise the jade waters of Halong Bay. With horse-honouring temples, chaotic old quarters and a booming social enterprise scene, this country is not afraid to make noise (literally).

Vietnam

ACCOMMODATION+3 STAR HOTELS



Vietnam

BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS: + Black Hmong homestay + Batik painting in Lao Chai + Cruise in Halong Bay

13 DAY | V I E T N A M U N C O V E R E DMEALS22COUNTRY VISITED1HO CHI MIHN CITY HANOI

DAY 1 HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM. Arrive in HCMC, home to 10 million people and 4 million motorbikes. Tonight, prepare for a food explosion downtown. Pop up restaurants are prominent here and all disappear at sunrise. Nows the time to bust out the (perhaps too courageous) tick list for weird foods that you dont recognise, e.g. anything fried that looks delicious. Vietnamese favourites like banh mi baguettes and new triumphs like rice paper pizza will have you licking your chops. (D)

DAY 2 HO CHI MINH CITY. Early to rise for your Cu Chi tunnels tour. Hear stories of what life was like for the soldiers who endured war in the tunnels. Today they are seen as a testimony of Vietnamese resiliency. Back in HCMC, stroll towards the Saigon River to check out the Municiple Theatre, once used to shelter French citizens, then stop at the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum. (B,L)

DAY 3 HO CHI MINH CITY TO VINH LONG. Arriving in Cai Beknown for its iconic floating marketsand hop on your own boat to explore a floating buffet teeming with fruit, vegetables and goods. Continue along the maze of canals to Vinh Long, stopping for lunch at a bonsai gardeners home. Jump back on the boat and stop at a local familys home for the night. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 VINH LONG TO HO CHI MINH CITY. Wake up to another morning in the land of pho and snake wine, cruise to Vinh Long and then transfer to the main town My Tho and and visit the Indian Palace-resembling Vinh Trang pagoda. (B,L)

DAY 5 HO CHI MINH CITY TO NHA TRANG. Today youre heading horizontally to Nha Trang, Vietnams most popular seaside resort town. Rest up at the

white powdery beaches or go searching for some fruit markets. Either way youre winning. (B)

DAY 6 NHA TRANG. Spend your free day lazing in Nha Trang, a kite-running, windsurfing and scuba diving mecca. Dinner options sorted: find plenty of fresh seafood caught in the morning for dinner. A king crab costs about $8 and can be shared between 2 (although dont). (B)

DAY 7 NHA TRANG TO HOI AN. Fly upwards to Hoi An. Known for its well-preserved ancient town, the architecture is a reflection of the citys multicultural history a mix of styles and eras from French colonial buildings and Chinese shophouses to Vietnamese tube houses and the Japanese Covered Bridge (complete with Buddha). This is by far the most vibrant city in Vietnam. (B)

DAY 8 HOI AN. Day two in this cultural melting pot. Hire a bike in the countryside and get to know the outskirts, enrol in a cooking masterclass conducted by a local chef or stare in awe at the 2 century-old Tan Ky House a vision in Japanese influence and Chinese poems. Food-wise, between fried green sentinel crab cakes, crispy savoury crepes, shrimp spring rolls and fried pork bread, youll be rolling out like Violet Beauregard. (B)

DAY 9 HOI AN TO HUE. Drive along the Hai Van Pass, one of Vietnams most beautiful stretches and into former imperial capital Hue. Straight into a half day tour with a trip to the ancient walled citadel housing the former Imperial Palace. Afterwards visit the former Nguyen Dynasty emperor Tu Duc a smooth operator, with a total of 104 wives and countless concubines at his Royal Tomb. (B)

TRIP CODE: AHAFOH

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DAY 10 HUE TO HANOI. Fly up the east coast and take on the big city capital Hanoi. Whats not to love: the chaotic Old Quarters where its at for markets, small temples are scattered throughout the city honouring a legendary horse (because horses are cool), and the indestructible Dong Xuan market for street food. Dinner is at Koto, a restaurant providing training and life skills to street children. By eating here, youre sponsoring a trainees uniform or replacing equipment and wherever the money gets spent, know youre doing a good thing. Fist bump. (B,D)

DAY 11 HANOI TO HALONG BAY. Leave the bustle of the city in your dust as you make for Halong Bay. A day of paddling around on boats is what the doctor ordered. Stop: lunch time. Board a small tender boat for LAzalee (all big boats should have names), a restored junk, and explore the jade waterways. Swim and kayak around the limestone karsts this afternoon then return to LAzalee for the sunset from the top deck before tucking in to the bays freshest seafood for dinner. (B,L,D)

DAY 12 HALONG BAY TO HANOI. Board a tender for Surprise Cave and its deceptively small entrance/massive cave within. Back to Hanoi for one last street food encounter. (B,L,D)

DAY 13 HANOI. One last bowl of pho then it's all over red rover. (B)

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Ho Chi Minh City street eats tour + Cu Chi tunnels tour + Cai Be floating markets + Hanoi street eats tour + Hai Van Pass + Cruise in Halong Bay + Dinner at social enterprise restaurant Koto, Hanoi

MORE INCLUSIONS + 12 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners + 10 nights in hotels, 1 night in a homestay, 1 night

on a junk boat + Internal flights + Awesome driver/local guide + Smaller group size + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

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16 OCT 28 OCT23 OCT 4 NOV30 OCT 11 NOV G6 NOV 18 NOV13 NOV 25 NOV20 NOV 2 DEC G

27 NOV 9 DEC W4 DEC 16 DEC G, W11 DEC 23 DEC18 DEC 30 DEC25 DEC 6 JAN G1 JAN 13 JAN8 JAN 20 JAN15 JAN 27 JAN G22 JAN 3 FEB L29 JAN 10 FEB L5 FEB 17 FEB G12 FEB 24 FEB19 FEB 3 MAR26 FEB 10 MAR G5 MAR 17 MAR12 MAR 24 MAR19 MAR 31 MAR26 MAR 7 APR2 APR 14 APR9 APR 21 APR


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footpaths that contour around the rice terraces, passing grazing buffaloes, and hear the century-old migration stories of the Black Hmong (could this be any more magical?). This afternoon visit a local familys Black Hmong house (mind your manners), then it's back to Sapa to board an overnight train. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 SAPA TO HANOI. Arrive back in Hanoi for one last pho and rice paper roll.

DAY 1 HANOI TO SAPA, VIETNAM. Ease into your Sapa round trip with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi. Boasting a dedicated display to Vietnams 54 ethnic minorities and rumoured to be the best museum in the country, youve got a lot to learn in one afternoon. Grab an early dinner before we high-tail it by train to Lao Cai, an unassuming town on the Vietnam-China border. Well overnight in comfortable sleeper berths en route. (D)

DAY 2 SAPA. Wake up in a different city before we make our way to the small Giay village of Ta Van in the Muong Hoa Valley. Today we traverse the gaping mouth-worthy rice paddies on towards the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai (not related to Chai, btw). With rice terraces blanketing the mountain like coiffed faux grass, nows your chance to snap every angle and get your Insta fix before we arrive at the home of a local Black Hmong lady by the name of Ms Moo. Soak in the views while hearing stories about the life and culture of the Black Hmong people, then work out those foot kinks with a traditional Hmong herbal foot bath. Next up, join a master class led by a local expert to learn the dying art of Batik painting. The best part: you get to bring your creation home whilst taking part in a sustainable tourism project supporting local women and ensuring the art form is passed on to the next generation. Tonight we get to stay at Ms Moos as homestay guests. (B,L,D)

DAY 3 SAPA. This morning you're onwards and upwards to the peaceful valleys and gorges surrounding the village of O Quy Ho, north of Sapa. Indochinas highest peak, Fangxipan Mountain towers over the valleys as a welcome reprieve from the blistering sun, providing pano-worthy shots on clear days. Breathe in the oolong tea scent as you trek past tea farms. Look down (and snap away) as you walk along the

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Museum of Ethnology + Muong Hoa valley and ethnic villages + Batik painting master class + O Quy Ho village

MORE INCLUSIONS + 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners + 2 night aboard overnight train, 1 night local

homestay + Awesome driver/local guide + Smaller group size + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

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TRIP CODE: AHVSHH

COUNTRY VISITED MEALS71HANOI HANOI

29 APR 2 MAY6 MAY 9 MAY

20 MAY 23 MAY3 JUN 6 JUN17 JUN 20 JUN1 JUL 4 JUL15 JUL 18 JUL29 JUL 1 AUG12 AUG 15 AUG26 AUG 29 AUG9 SEP 12 SEP

23 SEP 26 SEP30 SEP 3 OCT7 OCT 10 OCT

14 OCT 17 OCT21 OCT 24 OCT28 OCT 31 OCT4 NOV 7 NOV11 NOV 14 NOV18 NOV 21 NOV

25 NOV 28 NOV2 DEC 5 DEC9 DEC 12 DEC

16 DEC 19 DEC23 DEC 26 DEC30 DEC 2 JAN6 JAN 9 JAN13 JAN 16 JAN20 JAN 23 JAN L27 JAN 30 JAN L3 FEB 6 FEB

10 FEB 13 FEB17 FEB 20 FEB24 FEB 27 FEB3 MAR 6 MAR

10 MAR 13 MAR17 MAR 20 MAR24 MAR 27 MAR31 MAR 3 APR


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L = vieTnameSe lunar new Year

4 DAYS FROM

265GBP PER PERSON


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DOES CORAL REEFS, SWAYING PALM TREES AND SEAFOOD ON THE BEACH SOUND LIKE YOUR THING? Or yoga in Ubud, white water rafting in Seminyak and the Ibiza of South East Asia in Gili Trawangan with less DJs and more turtles. Top it off with an Indonesian sunset and a Bintang and youre laughing.

Indonesia


TRIP LENGTH7 DAYS


Indonesia

BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS: + Gili Trawangan Cidomo ride + Padangbai by speedboat + Ubud cultural dance show

it. Go old school and get a Cidomo (horse carriage) to the hotel. (B)

DAY 3 GILI TRAWANGAN. Free day: take one. You might want to take this one easy and languidly laze on Goodheart beach. With bicycles and horses as the main mode of transport (there are no motorised vehicles on the Gilis) this is as remote as a remote island experience can get. Want to meet the locals? Do the optional diving and snorkelling tour to casually bump into turtles, rays and reef sharks. Tonight meander through the night markets snacking your way through satays and fresh seafood for prices cheap as chips. (B)

DAY 4 GILI TRAWANGAN. Start your day in the Ibiza of Southeast Asia and watch the sunrise over Lomboks Mt. Rinjani (stick with us and youll round out the day with the best sunrises and sunsets in Indonesia). Then join a beach volleyball game, explore the islands diameter on horseback or book yourself a yoga retreat. This afternoon, set up the camera at the south eastern point of Gili T to watch the sun disappear behind Balis Mount Agung. Not paradise, just another day in Gili T. (B)

DAY 5 GILI TRAWANGAN TO UBUD. Diving certification clutched tight to your chest (depending on whether you made the most of Gili T), today we press onto Ubud after speedboating it to Padangbai port. Culture/yoga/nature buffs, youve come to the right place. The rest of the day is at your disposal, so get an early start and tick off culturally rich sites like Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), Seniwati Gallery the only art precinct with works solely by women or chill out with a monkey and 14th century temples at the Ubud Monkey Forest. Munch on some gado-gado as you plan tomorrows adventures. (B)

DAY 6 UBUD. Today, go all out on a Kintamani full day tour. Start with a traditional dance show depicting good and evil, before taking on the Tirta Empul hot springs in a bid to have your ailments restored. Next up is Kintamani where youll lunch with views over Balis largest lake (with its own dedicated temple revering its grandness). Downwards to the Kopi Luwak plantation, and on past Tegalalangs rice fields and coconut trees (make a mental note to come back to all of this for more exploring). The afternoon will be filled with meandering through the Ubud market and dinner in a local restaurant. Night sorted. (B,L,D)

7 DAY | B A L I I S L A N D H O P P E R

DAY 1 SEMINYAK TO LEMBONGAN ISLAND, INDONESIA. Island hopping from the get-go meet the crew in Seminyak and then set sail for Nusa Lembongan Island with all the coral reefs, low limestone cliffs, and white sand beaches you can imagine. The afternoon is yours for the taking: lunch at the beach club, water activities, beach volleyball. Its like you were meant to be ladies (and gentlemen) of leisure. (L)

DAY 2 LEMBONGAN ISLAND TO GILI TRAWANGAN. This morning were heading northwards to the biggest of the Gili archipelago trio: Gili Trawangan. Two days in the snorkelling, diving and cultural mecca of the Gilis. Let loose and make sure you roam every inch of

TRIP CODE: AHIBSS

MEALS9SEMINYAK SEMINYAK COUNTRY VISITED1

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DAY 7 UBUD TO SEMINYAK. We are off again this afternoon, so make the most of your last day with an optional downhill mountain biking tour or 33-rapid whitewater rafting. You know, standard last day type stuff. (B)

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Water sports on Lembongan Island + Island stays on Bali, Lembongan and Pulau

Lombok + Cidomo ride + Kintamani tour + Lake Batur + Ubud cultural dance show

MORE INCLUSIONS + 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinners + 6 nights in hotels + Awesome local guide + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

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25 SEP 1 OCT G2 OCT 8 OCT

16 OCT 22 OCT30 OCT 5 NOV13 NOV 19 NOV27 NOV 3 DEC18 DEC 24 DEC25 DEC 31 DEC8 JAN 14 JAN15 JAN 21 JAN G5 FEB 11 FEB G12 FEB 18 FEB19 FEB 25 FEB G12 MAR 18 MAR


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TRIP PRICE OF 495


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FROM FULL (AND BLACK) MOON CELEBRATIONS TO FRIED INSECTS, MUAY THAI AND COCONUTS FOR DAYS, THAILAND IS WHERE ITS AT. The bustle of Bangkok contrasts with the peaceful and secluded south with its beaches, rivers, and countless snorkelling and swimming havens. Plus: epic Pad Thai, James Bond Island and 1,000 chances to work on that tan.

Thailand


TRIP LENGTH4-9 DAYS


Thailand

BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS: + Cruise the Mekong + 4-island trip by speedboat + Phang Nga Bay - James Bond Island

9 DAY | K O - C O N U T H O P P E R

DAY 3 PHUKET. A free day all to you. Go all out and spoil yourself with an optional full day trip to Coral and Racha Islands, or Rok and Haa Islands. If you need to catch up on your shopping check out the street markets dotted along the beach for fried critters, Jungceylon shopping mall for basically everything, or Banzaan Market for all the colourful fruit and Thai sweets. Or just hang at the beach, work on your tan and chill with a coconut. (B)

DAY 4 PHUKET TO KRABI. Today we roll into Krabi, one of the oldest continued settlements in southern Thailand. Check out even more amazing beaches, hike to the Tiger cave temple or enrol yourself in a Thai cooking class and apply for the next Masterchef. (B)

DAY 5 KRABI. Pinball your way around 4 of Thailands most insanely beautiful islands for the day. Split your time between Koh Tub - a sandbar that you can cross at low tide, descending straight into the Andaman Sea, Chicken Island - which literally looks like a giant moss-covered bush turkey casually nestled in the water, Pranang Bays secluded peninsula and Railay Beachs caves, lagoons and nail-biting international rock climbing culture. (B,L)

DAY 6 KRABI. Another free day to explore at your will. For the adventurous, theres always a full day Phi Phi Island tour of Thailands island superstar, former coconut plantation and film location for The Beach. Or go kayaking at Ao Thalane, a small fishing village teeming with mangrove ecosystems and limestone karst formations. Take your pick. (B)

DAY 7 KRABI TO KOH LANTA. This mornings schedule is clear for you to check out one more swimming spot before we kick on to Koh Lanta, one of the southernmost districts of Krabi and stunner with its own marine park protecting 15 of the surrounding islands. (B)

DAY 8 KOH LANTA. A free day for exploring Koh Lantas hidden curios. Check out the Old Town with Chinese merchants and Thai fishing families selling their wares, the impressive stalactites and stalagmites of the Khao Mai Kaew Caves, and the "chao-le" - Sea Gypsy Village with its own language and separate rituals. Tonight, get a taste for the nightlife with a Muay Thai boxing match or come out of your shell at a karaoke bar. (B)

DAY 9 KOH LANTA TO PHUKET. After breakfast were off home you might want to stick around to work on that tan. And have one last coconut. (B)

DAY 1 PHUKET, THAILAND. Make your way to the hotel to meet and greet the crew and start planning tomorrows adventures.

DAY 2 PHUKET. Kick off your morning with a trip to none other than Koh Tapu, aka James Bond Island. Stemming from 1974 film The Man with the Golden Gun fame, this limestone rock is not photo shy. Paddle in its calm waters, grab some elephant earring souvenirs and then join the sea cave canoe group for lunch on the boat. Then cruise away to Lawa Island for more paddling and sunbathing. This is where stress comes to fizzle away. (B,L)

TRIP CODE: AHIWUU

MEALS10PHUKET PHUKET COUNTRY VISITED1

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ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Day visit to Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island) + Island stays on Phuket and Ko Lanta + Lawa Island day visit + Full day 4 Island trip by speedboat

MORE INCLUSIONS + 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches + 8 nights in hotels + Ferry transfers to and from Koh Lanta + Awesome local guide + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

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5 FEB 13 FEB G12 FEB 20 FEB19 FEB 27 FEB G26 FEB 6 MAR5 MAR 13 MAR G12 MAR 20 MAR19 MAR 27 MAR G26 MAR 3 APR2 APR 10 APR

16 APR 24 APR G23 APR 1 MAY


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TRIP PRICE OF 615

TRIP PRICE OF 645

TRIP PRICE OF 875

G = Guaranteed departure C = ChriSTmaS SupplemenT 85, exTra dinner inCludedNY = new Year SupplemenT 35, exTra dinner inCluded

9 DAYS FROM

615GBP PER PERSON


9 DAY | S A M U I S U N S E T SMEALS9KOH SAMUI KOH SAMUI

DAY 1 KOH SAMUI, THAILAND. Make your way to your hotel for some serious free day planning and kick off your east coast journey in the city that brought us rambutan by doing absolutely nothing. By the pool. Youll get the hang of it soon.

DAY 2 KOH SAMUI. Hit the ground running (rather, the water speeding) with your full day Angthong Island tour. Zoom around marine park consisting of 40 islands, all rising majestically from the sea and take your time to do the Big 3: snorkelling, swimming and kayaking (with sunbaking and selfie-ing. Because #paradise). Lunch is at a local restaurant. (B,L)

DAY 3 KOH SAMUI. A free day to work on your tan, sip from a coconut and catch up on your winks. Get an early start and watch (and snap) the sunrise from the beach, or go looking for the Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha Temple) to get your temple fix. Treat yourself to a full day of island-ing and snorkelling at Koh Tan, or for the adventurous among you go for a full day of ziplining and 4x4s in a rainforest plus a dip in the local waterfall. Tough call. (B)

DAY 4 KOH SAMUI TO KOH PHANGAN. Two things: breakfast, then one last dip with the coral before we head north to the smaller (but no less epic) island Koh Phangan. Renowned for its bi-monthly Full and Half Moon parties (thats a party every 2 weeks kids), this island is no stranger to the music. Also, you know the beaches have got to be good when the island features prominently in Alex Garlands novel The Beach. Spend the rest of the afternoon getting acquainted, then find your own nook for dinner. (B)

DAY 5 KOH PHANGAN. Two days on the island that puts all others to shame. Free day 1 plan: breakfast, hammock, tanning. If you get (impossibly) bored, head north on a long tail boat or hire a bike to explore the quieter beaches Bottle Beach and the cove of Haad Salad (yes, salad) are a good start. Or go looking for the islands banana pancake trail. Dinner is wherever your nose leads you. (B)

DAY 6 KOH PHANGAN. Start with a roadside coconut and get a Thai massage for less than half the price back home. Then continue your tranquility jaunt and venture north east to Thaan Sadet waterfall to cool off in its pools, or go SUP in Ban Tai and pretend youre getting some fitness in. Find the Family Guy restaurant (complete with big screen and Family Guy on loop) and try the shaved coconut chicken schnitzel. Then hike to Ao Plaay Laem for the best sunset on the island. (B)

DAY 7 KOH PHANGAN TO KOH TAO. On to Koh Samui and Koh Phangans baby, Koh Tao. The island was named (Koh Tao = turtle island) after its turtle-like shape, and is an important breeding ground for the critically endangered hawksbill and green turtle species. Diving here is like ticking off Mount Everest for climbers, so be sure to don your snorkel and join a diving group - you can even get your diving certification here so pay attention! (B)

DAY 8 KOH TAO. Free day take one. If you didnt get your scuba diving fix yesterday, todays your last chance. For the non water babies amongst you there is always hiking, rock climbing and bouldering (climbing boulders, duh), still with a view over the best beaches in the Gulf of Thailand. Want to flop down for the entire day one last time? Go on. Chalok Baan Khao towards the south is perfect for lazing. (B)TRIP CODE: AHIEII

COUNTRY VISITED1

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AILAND

DAY 9 KOH TAO TO KOH SAMUI. The trip ends after we arrive back in Koh Samui, but stick around and test your courage with a salted egg. (B)

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Full day Angthong Island tour + Island stays on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao

MORE INCLUSIONS + 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch + 8 nights in hotels + Angthong Marine National Park entrance fee + All ferries to Koh Tao, Koh Phangan & Koh Samui + Awesome local guide + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

START FINISH START FINISH10 APR 18 APR K17 APR 25 APR G,FM24 APR 2 MAY1 MAY 9 MAY G,BM15 MAY 23 MAY29 MAY 6 JUN G5 JUN 13 JUN12 JUN 20 JUN G19 JUN 27 JUN26 JUN 4 JUL G3 JUL 11 JUL

10 JUL 18 JUL17 JUL 25 JUL G,FM24 JUL 1 AUG

31 JUL 8 AUG G,BM7 AUG 15 AUG

14 AUG 22 AUG G,FM21 AUG 29 AUG28 AUG 5 SEP G,BM4 SEP 12 SEP11 SEP 19 SEP G,FM25 SEP 3 OCT2 OCT 10 OCT9 OCT 17 OCT

23 OCT 31 OCT30 OCT 7 NOV6 NOV 14 NOV

20 NOV 28 NOVP

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KO

H S

AM

UI

TRIP PRICE OF 495

TRIP PRICE OF 595

G = guaranTeed deparTure K = Songkran (Thai new Year)FM = Full moonBM = Black Moon

9 DAYS FROM

495GBP PER PERSON


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DAY 4 KANCHANABURI TO BANGKOK. After breakfast were off, but stay on in the big city for a few more days to relish in the culture, food and temples. And sun. (B)

DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. A whole day to explore like a Bangkokian (its a word). Fill up on culture at one of the 100+ museums, immerse yourself in a new religion at one of the royal temples, and get your food and shopping fix from one of the 100,000 street vendors.

DAY 2 BANGKOK. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with a full day tour visiting some of its most iconic sights. Tick off ALL the transport and make your way around via car, boat, skytrain and tuk-tuk. Visit Jim Thompsons house - the Thai silk businessman and designer who helped revive Thailands silk industry from total extinction before he disappeared in the Malaysian jungle in 1974. Then boat along the Chao Phraya River and stop at the Grand Palace (once home to the Emerald Buddha), and tuk-tuk it to the grand buddhist temple Wat Pho and grab a foot massage. We lunch at a local restaurant. This is the life. Tonight treat yoself to the optional 4 hour street eats by tuk-tuk. All. the. food. (B,L)

DAY 3 BANGKOK TO KANCHANABURI. This morning we make our way to Kanchanaburi, the city that has seen its fair share of sadness. In 1942 when the city was under Japanese control, forced labourers and allied POWs constructing the Burma Railway were also put to work on construction of the Bridge over the River Kwai, resulting in the deaths of over half of the prisoners. Visit the war museum for a deeper look into this marked time in history as well as the Kanchanaburi war cemetery. Lunch is at a local restaurant before we long tail boat it to our accommodation for the night. (B,L,D)

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Bangkok city tour + Chao Phraya River cruise + Bridge over the River Kwai + War museum & War cemetery visit

MORE INCLUSIONS + 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner + 2 nights hotel, 1 night jungle raft resort + Shuttle boat transfers + Awesome local guide + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

39TH

AILAND

4 DAY | B A N G K O K S T O P O V E R

TRIP CODE: AHBSBB

COUNTRY VISITED MEALS61BANGKOK BANGKOK

DEPARTURES STARTING FROM 1 APRIL 2016.

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4 DAYS

445GBP PER PERSON


IT'S EQUAL PARTS BONSAI AND BANZAI. Talking about awesome trains, fast sushi, shrines, cat cafs, fat noodles, anime shops, beer and world-class snow would just be scratching the surface. Japan blends an eclectic mix of traditional and ultra modern in Tokyo, temples and geishas in Kyoto and loud old ladies and octopus balls in Osaka. Everything youd expect from a culture known for its down-to-the-second precision is here along with a lot of things you wouldn't.

Japan




Japan

BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS: + Hida No Sato folk village + Hiroshima Peace Museum + Buddhist prayer service + Bullet train

12 DAY | J A P A N H I G H L I G H T SCOUNTRY VISITED MEALS131TOKYO OSAKA

people cross the intersection in a miraculous feat of choreography and avoid running into each other. Tick off a sumo wrestling match at National Sumo Hall Ryogoku Kokugikan, try the high-speed sushi at Uobei in Shibuya or forget Paris and try a Japanese crepe. Selfie with a Harajuku girl (or boy) in the afternoon and find the knitted park benches for an extra layer of cute. (B)

DAY 3 TOKYO. Hit the ground running for your last day in Tokyo drift. Head over to Odaiba, the man-made island in Tokyo Bay or check out Akihabara, where stores scream for the attention of anime fans and gamers. Visit the Tsukiji fish market and discover the meaning of fresh sushi. For a history fix, visit the

Tokyo Edo Museum. Branch out for dinner and try sashimi or oko-nom-nom-nom-iyaki. As the Japanese say, dumplings rather than flowers, i.e. something useful rather than something pretty. (B)

DAY 4 TOKYO TO TAKAYAMA. This morning get a bullet train (they travel at 320km/h) to Nagoya and attempt to get an action shot of Mt Fuji-san out the window. Then, board a much slower train for the breathtaking Japanese Alps (its not only the European ones that exist). Tonight stay in a ryokan - a traditional Japanese inn. (B)

DAY 5 TAKAYAMA. Free day plan: start with the morning riverside markets before the Takayama Jinya, the last remaining government building from Samurai and Shogun times. Try a perfectly packaged bento box for lunch for maximum Instagrammable cuteness and wash it down with a sake brewery tour before an afternoon visit to the open air Hida No Sato folk village. (B)

DAY 6 TAKAYAMA TO KYOTO. Drop anchor in Kyoto for three days. First up, corridors of torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine. Japans proud nerd, Kyoto is the centre of IT and electronics (housing the Nintendo office), as well as the prime kimono manufacturing hub (a good place to pick up some new threads). After 5pm, the Gion district is where its for spotting and snapping photos of geishas scuttling in and out of the limelight on their way to work, then catch the optional show at Gion Corner. (B)

DAY 7 KYOTO. Find your zen place at the Kinkakuji and Ryoan-ji temples all before lunch. Get your udon fill at Tawaraya, where they make their noodles so thick only one fits in the bowl. This afternoon youre off to Nijo Castle for your samurai fix and Heian

DAY 1 TOKYO, JAPAN. Get an early start in this sprawling metropolis. Tokyo mixes traditional with ultra-modern from neon skyscrapers and anime shops to temples blanketed in cherry blossoms. Everything is 10x more epic (and executed with painstaking precision) in Japan than its western counterparts. Need more proof: Tokyo is home to 39 cat cafes. Well just leave that there.

DAY 2 TOKYO. Ninja roll out of bed and start with a visit to Tokyo's old girl, the Sensoji temple. Dance under its giant red lantern and wander along nearby 500 year old Nakamise street selling mochi (sticky rice cakes) and geta (wooden shoes). Slot yourself into the Shibuya scramble, where four hordes of

TRIP CODE: AHJJTO

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Shrine, a scaled down reproduction of the Imperial Palace. Japanese quote of the day: Fall seven times and stand up eight. Youre welcome. (B)

DAY 8 KYOTO. A free day to frolic. Get out of town and visit the lush Arashiyama bamboo forest, or go on a day trip to Nara for invisible udon (crazier than the lone noodle saga of Kyoto). Do the optional and dress up like a Geisha, or catch up on your Japanese beer education in an izakaya. (B)

DAY 9 KYOTO TO HIROSHIMA. First up in Hiroshima: the Peace Museum to pay respects to the victims of WWII. Free time for lunch (i.e. you pick the place) before ferrying it to Miyajima, a unicorn of an island with wild deer and shrines galore. End your island jaunt watching the sunset behind the floating torii gate. (B)

DAY 10 HIROSHIMA TO KOYASAN. Make your way to Mount Koya, one of the worlds most sacred mountains (sporting 117 temples around the summit) and the headquarters of the Koyasan sect of Japanese Buddhism. Stay in a local guest house and participate in a traditional Buddhist meal. (B,D)

DAY 11 KOYASAN TO OSAKA. Start with a Buddhist prayer service, then wander down the cobblestone walkway lined with Shinto torii gates. Bet all your days dont start like this. Head to the food capital Osaka in the afternoon. Think sleek and efficient skylines resembling video games, oshizushi (pressed sushi) and the finest sake. Dinner is in the vibrant Dotonbori district. If the word kuidaore meaning to ruin oneself by extravagance in food (the Japanese version of "all the noms") is associated with Dotonbori, you know youre in for a good night. (B,D)

ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Hida No Sato folk village + Sake brewery tour + Hiroshima Peace Museum + Traditional Buddhist prayer service

MORE INCLUSIONS + 11 breakfasts, 2 dinners + 8 nights in hotels, 2 nights in a ryokan, 1 night in a

guest house + Awesome driver/local guide + Smaller group size + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

24 APR 5 MAY1 MAY 12 MAY8 MAY 19 MAY15 MAY 26 MAY G22 MAY 2 JUN29 MAY 9 JUN5 JUN 16 JUN12 JUN 23 JUN G19 JUN 30 JUN26 JUN 7 JUL3 JUL 14 JUL

10 JUL 21 JUL G17 JUL 28 JUL31 JUL 11 AUG7 AUG 18 AUG

14 AUG 25 AUG28 AUG 8 SEP G

4 SEP 15 SEP11 SEP 22 SEP18 SEP 29 SEP25 SEP 6 OCT G30 OCT 10 NOV6 NOV 17 NOV13 NOV 24 NOV20 NOV 1 DEC G27 NOV 8 DEC4 DEC 15 DEC G11 DEC 22 DEC18 DEC 29 DEC G25 DEC 5 JAN1 JAN 12 JAN8 JAN 19 JAN G15 JAN 26 JAN22 JAN 2 FEB


DAY 12 OSAKA. After breakfast its sayonara Osaka and a last kampai to the Land of the Rising Sun. (B)

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12 DAYS FROM

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7 DAY | J A P A N S K ICOUNTRY VISITED MEALS71TOKYO TOKYO

some yakiniku (grilled meat) or a nearby izakaya, a short crunch through the snow from the hotel. Expert tip: rent snowshoes (not the tennis racket kind) and avoid an embarrassing ice dance on the way back. (B)

DAY 3 HAKUBA. Spread out and get the Kokusai lift to Happo-one (with some of the longest vertical pitches in Japan), or shuttle it to one of the other nearby resorts to compare runs. Stop for a hot katsu curry to recharge your batteries before hitting the trails again. Do the casual and very cool apres-ski culture and stop for a drink at an izakaya after your last run of the day. Dinner: give a nod to the land of pasta and choose Italian, or go local with Japanese. Or you could do Italo-Japanese and have two dinners. (B)

DAY 4 HAKUBA. Snow likes to be temperamental (the country that runs on to-the-second precision wouldnt be happy with this below-par performance) so check with the hotel for reports on the slope conditions each morning and book day lift passes. Try out your new tricks or stay with the easy runs - if you look like a giant stick insect with oversized shoes on, never fear, youll get the hang of it soon. If youre maxed out on moguls, put Hakuba 47 snow park through its paces, then soak your sore muscles in the Onsen pools back at the hotel. If youre too relaxed to get yourself to the pub, theres always the hotel bar. Too lazy to walk to the bar? The land of sumo wrestlers understands. Get your beers from the vending machine near the fireplace. Thats right. (B)

DAY 5 HAKUBA. Take a break from the powder and day trip it to see snow monkeys at Jigokudani, have a tipple at the Masuichi-Ichimura sake brewery or get your temple on at a Zenkoji Temple tour. Missed the pow? You can still ski in the dark. Go for a night ski in renowned Kashimayari at the southern end of Hakuba valley. (B)

DAY 6 HAKUBA. If youve mastered expert-level skiing or snowboarding by today, congrats. Everything in Japan, including the skiing, is always next level awesome. Last recommendations for the skiers: Goryu and Iwatake for long cruising trails and uninterrupted skiing. For the snowboarders: tree skiing at Cortinas ungroomed trails and terrain parks, half-pipes, gullies and powder bowls in Hakuba. (B)

DAY 7 HAKUBA TO TOKYO. One last chance to carve the morning powder, then bullet train it back to Tokyo in the afternoon. (B)

DAY 1 TOKYO TO HAKUBA, JAPAN. Start in the organised chaos of Shinjuku before strolling to the busiest train station in the world to express it to ski town. Hurtle to Hakuba at breakneck speed on a bullet train and attempt to take photos of all the passing snowy forest awesomeness. Meet your local crew wholl brief you on the best slopes and other fun stuff while youre here. This is it. (D)

DAY 2 HAKUBA. Pick up your ski gear and any extras including a helmet if not to protect your noggin, then to strap a GoPro to. Head for the slopes and find your feet with beginner green trails, or race through black runs if youre already expert. Then head out for

TRIP CODE: AHJSTT

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ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED) + Bullet train to and from Hakuba + 5 day Ski Pass

MORE INCLUSIONS + 6 breakfasts, 1 dinner + 6 nights in hotels + Awesome driver/local guide + Smaller group size + Modern air-conditioned vehicles

10 DEC 16 DEC17 DEC 23 DEC7 JAN 13 JAN

14 JAN 20 JAN21 JAN 27 JAN4 FEB 10 FEB11 FEB 17 FEB

18 FEB 24 FEB25 FEB 3 MAR4 MAR 10 MAR11 MAR 17 MAR18 MAR 24 MAR25 MAR 31 MAR


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TRIP PRICE OF 920

TRIP PRICE OF 995

7 DAYS FROM

920GBP PER PERSON


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# T O P D E C K E R F O R T H E C H A N C E T O W I N M O N T H L Y

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48 | TERMS & CONDITIONS

BOOKING CONDITIONSIt is our intention to set out clearly and simply the responsibilities which we at Top Deck Tours Ltd, level 1, 107 Power Road, London, W4 5PY England, a company registered in the UK, company number 04905253 (Topdeck, us or we) have to You and any member of your party (You) and which You, in turn, have to us when a contract is made between us. You should therefore read and understand the contents.

All trips in this brochure are operated by Buffalo Tours (Hong Kong) Limited (HK CR No 2108671) (Buffalo Tours). Buffalo Tours has its own terms and conditions which will apply to the provision of your trip and, accordingly, a reference to these Conditions shall mean the terms and conditions set out herein as well as Buffalo Tours terms and conditions. Buffalo Tours terms and conditions are available directly on their websites or by contacting them.

If we book a flight on your behalf it will be subject to the conditions of the respective airline, including but not limited to deposit/full payment and cancellation conditions.

1. (a) Please note that our trips are designed for young people between the ages of 18 to 39 years. We may in special circumstances approve persons outside this range. If You are 17 years of age and wish to book on one of our trips, please contact us before making a booking as we will require the written consent of your parent or guardian. We reserve the sole right to decline a booking request from You should we think our trips are not suited to You.

(b) A contract between You and us will exist as soon as we issue an invoice in response to your request for a booking and the deposit has been paid to your travel agent or us.

BOOKING YOUR TRIP2. Bookings can be made either through your local travel agent or with us direct and must be secured with a deposit of 60 per person paid at the time of booking. This deposit is non-refundable unless we cancel your trip. If You are making a booking within 42 days of departure, then full payment is required PROVIDED HOWEVER that if the trip comprises a special offer we may require full payment including any pre and post accommodation and sundry service charges to be paid at the time specified in the offer. Your booking is taken to be confirmed, and accepted when we issue an invoice. If your booking is made through a travel agent, we will address all correspondence to that travel agent. All monies paid by You to the travel agent will be held by them on behalf of Topdeck. If You arrange your trip direct with us, all correspondence and communications will be sent to your address in our booking file unless You specify otherwise. Balance of all payments is required at least 42 days prior to your trip departure date. If You do not pay within this period we may deem your booking cancelled and your deposit forfeited.

3. Alterations or cancellations by You after your booking has been accepted will be effected subject to the provisions of clauses 5, 6 and 7 of these Conditions.

4. Prices quoted in our brochures are calculated on costs and exchange rates at 01 October 2015. These prices may increase or decrease and we reserve the sole right to alter prices and other particulars contained in our brochures and on our website. Price changes in trips featured in subsequent brochure versions will supersede the prices in this brochure. (The version date is indicated on the back cover of this brochure). Before You make a booking we will provide You with details of the current price of your chosen trip. This will also be displayed on the website. Once You have accepted this price and your booking has been confirmed in accordance with clause 2 that price will remain fixed and will not be subject to surcharges.

5. You must clearly state all your requirements at the time of booking. Please note that any dietary requirements will be a request only. We cannot guarantee special dietary requirements nor will we assume any responsibility or liability if your special requirements cannot be fulfilled. If You want to change any aspect of your booking including but not limited to a change to a trip of shorter duration or different departure date You must notify us as soon as possible in writing. We will do our best to accommodate your requested changes but You will be required to pay an amendment fee of 25 per person per change. If a request is made less than 42 days before departure, normal cancellation fees will apply in accordance with clause 7 unless the transfer or change is to an earlier departure of the same trip. In the event of a request for a change to be made a new invoice will be issued by Topdeck and cancellation charges/amendment fees will be shown. All amendment fees are payable within 7 days of the issue of a new invoice or on the date of departure, whichever is the sooner.

6. If You are prevented from traveling as a result of illness, the death of an immediate family member, jury service, or other reason beyond your control which we consider significant, we will agree to your booking being transferred to another person who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the trip, subject to You and the other person accepting liability for full payment of the trip cost and any additional costs arising from the transfer PROVIDED THAT we must be given at least 21 days written notice of the proposed change.

CANCELLATION BY YOU7. Cancellation of a booking by You must be made in writing. We will not regard a booking as cancelled unless and until written notice is received by us. On cancellation the following charges will apply:

Days before Departure % of trip cost forfeited Pre/post accomm

Over 42 days Deposit Nil

42-29 days 40% 40%

28-14 days 60% 60%

13-7 days 80% 100%

6-3 days 90% 100%

2-0 days 100% 100%

If You cancel any flight-inclusive trip less than 42 days prior to Your departure date an additional cancellation charge of 25 will be applied, in addition to any airline charges (which could be up to the full value of the ticket).

ROLLING DEPOSIT VOUCHERAny cancellation within 6 weeks which incurs more than deposit charge is not applicable to this offer. The Rolling Deposit Voucher (RDV) may only be used as a deposit on one future Topdeck trip 4 days of length or more. Only one Rolling Deposit may be applied per trip. The RDV has no expiry date, but the passenger must be aged between 18 to 39 years to travel as per the travel conditions of Topdeck Travel.

The RDV will equate to the initial deposit amount paid. If redeeming against a trip with a lower deposit amount, the remainder of the voucher will be forfeited. If redeeming against a trip with a higher deposit amount the balance will be payable at time of booking. The RDV has no cash value and cannot be transferred to another customer.

The RDV can only be combined with 1 other discount, either a standard Early Bird deal or standard brochure discount as long as applicable at time of booking. Rolling deposit vouchers cannot be requested or redeemed against African Safari trips.

CANCELLATION OR MODIFICATION BY US8. Every effort will be made to operate all trips as advertised but it must be remembered that our trips are planned up to eighteen months in advance. We therefore reserve the sole right, at our discretion, to modify or cancel any trip, accommodation or arrangement at any time. We will notify You as soon as possible of any changes and they will form part of our contract with You. In the case of any material modification or cancellation, we will, if possible, provide You with three alternatives:

(1) a trip of an equivalent or closely similar standard and price, if available;

(2) a trip of a lower standard together with a refund of the difference in price; or

(3) cancellation with a full refund of all monies paid.

9. A material modification is one which has a serious effect on your trip and includes a change of departure date, departure point or airport, or change of departure time of more than twelve hours, which would cause substantial inconvenience to You. We do not consider a change of accommodation, or transport style a material change.

10. We will endeavor not to materially modify or cancel the trip within 42 days of the date of the scheduled departure unless compelled to do so because of circumstances beyond our reasonable control. If a material modification or cancellation is made by us within six weeks of the scheduled departure date for reasons other than Force Majeure in accordance with clause 21 You will receive compensation as stated in the scale below.

Period before scheduled departure date that we notify You or your travel agent together with the compensation offered:

Over 42 days nil

42-29 days 20

28-14 days 30

13-7 days 40

6-0 days 80

11. Buffalo Tours may require a minimum number of participants for certain trips and in the event that there are insufficient bookings recorded by not later than 42 days before the scheduled departure date we will be entitled to cancel the scheduled trip, whereupon all monies paid by You for your trip shall be refunded but no further compensation will be paid and You and Topdeck agree to mutually release each other from any further obligations which would have been enforceable had the trip not been cancelled.

12. Buffalo Tours may alter or substitute the type or size of vehicle, or style of transport mentioned in the brochure, depending on the number of passengers carried, which can vary from trip to trip. Normally the maximum group size is 35 passengers.

OUR LIABILITY TO YOU13. Save where the provisions of Force Majeure apply, in the event that the trip does not reasonably comply with the description in the brochure,

Documents

(GBP) Topdeck | ASIA 2016-17