· Return airfares from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane into Bangkok with Thai International, and from Bangkok to Siem Reap return with Bangkok Airways.

· A 3-day tour of awe-inspiring Angkor Wat, with all admission fees.

· Three nights accommodation at the Manhattan Hotel, Bangkok.

· Eight nights accommodation at the Methavali Hotel in Cha’Am, the loveliest resort town on the Gulf of Siam. The hotel is a lovely three-and-a-half star beachfront resort hotel.

· Full breakfast daily, plus all meals in Cambodia.

· All transport and transfers.

· Services of an Australian tour leader as well as Thai and Cambodian tour guides.

We will make every effort to match up single travellers who wish to travel at twin share rates. For anyone requiring a single room, there will be an extra charge of $390.

THAILAND AND ANGKOR WAT – MAY 2005
NOTE: Breakfast is included daily plus all other meals listed in the itinerary.


11.05.05
Depart Melbourne at 4.20pm on TG 982, arriving in Bangkok at 10.40pm.
Depart Sydney at 4.30pm on TG 992, arriving in Bangkok at 10.55pm.
Depart Brisbane at 10.40pm on TG984, arriving in Bangkok at 5.00am the next morning (12.5.05).

All flights will be met at Bangkok Airport and transferred to the Manhattan Hotel, centrally situated in the Sukhumvit shopping and entertainment area and close to Bangkok’s monorail.


12.05.05
A morning optional tour to one of the seven wonders of the world, Bangkok’s magnificent Grand Palace, Coronation Hall, Emerald Buddha and replica of Angkor Watt. This is followed by a visit to the temple of the huge Reclining Buddha, with its massive mother-of pearl feet. Price $33.00.


13.05.05
Early morning transfer to Bangkok Airport. Depart for Siem Reap at 8.00am on PG 930, arriving at 9.00am where you will be met for transfer to your hotel.

Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the: South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk); Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara); the Royal Enclosure; Phimeanakas; the Elephant Terrace; and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond.

Sunset at Angkor Wat or from Phnom Bakheng, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat. Dinner at a local restaurant near hotel.


14.05.05
In the morning, continue your temple tour. Visit the unique brick sculptures of Prasat Kravah, the mountain-top temple of Pre Rup, Mehon Oriental Tai Som, Neak Pean fountain (built in the middle of a reflection pool and representing a paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake). Then visit Preah Khan temple. Built by King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.

Lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit Srah Srang, “The Royal Baths”, which was once used for ritual bathing. Continue your temple tour with stops at Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda and Ta Prohm. One of the area’s most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm, has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was swallowed by the jungle and looks very much the same way most of the monuments of Angkor must have appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them.

Dinner at local restaurant.


15.05.05
Visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometres south of Siem Reap. Take a traditional wooden boat for a ride on the Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia and the largest in Asia.

Please note: During the dry seasons (April-July), the low level of the Tonle Sap River does not always permit visits to the floating village on the Tonle Sap River. This will be replaced with a visit to the Silk Farm of Puok.

Transfer to Siem Reap airport.

Depart Siem Reap for Bangkok on PG 935 at 11.30pm arriving in Bangkok at 12.30pm. Transferred to your hotel. Afternoon free.


16.05.05
Morning free. Early in the afternoon we depart our hotel for the three hour trip to Cha'am on the Gulf of Siam, staying in the beachfront Methavali Hotel Cha'am.


17.05.05
Optional evening tour of Hua Hin by night. We leave the hotel at 3.30pm and travel to inspect the interesting teakwood palace of King Rama Vl. We then travel to Hua Hin for a short stop at their central shopping area. Then we travel by foot-pedalled trishaws to Hua Hin’s historical railway station with its interesting Royal Box. Then the trishaws take us to the night market where we spend some time before going on to a harbour-side restaurant for a lovely seafood and chicken dinner.

Price: $37.00


18.05.05
Optional tour to Petch Dam and Lake. Morning scenic drive to Petch Dam. First stop is at a Chinese temple with a huge lady Buddha statue. Then we board a long-tail boat for a two hour boat tour on the lake created by the dam, viewing beautiful national park country with small scattered Karen hill-tribe settlements. We stop on a small island and inspect its interesting temple. We then do a short walking circumvention of the island to see its interesting statues. We next have lunch (included) at a lovely restaurant overlooking the lake, before returning to Cha’am. Price: $38.00


19.05.05
Optional full day tour to Samroi Yod National Park. First stop at a coconut plantation to see a demonstration of monkeys harvesting coconuts. Then on to a fishing village where we have a boat trip to a secluded beach. Here we have lunch (included) at a rustic beachfront restaurant, and the more energetic can climb a large hill to view the beautiful Phrayanakorn Cave. On the way back to our hotel we go to Monkey Mountain to see and feed some of the hundreds of monkeys running wild.

Price $46.00


20.05.05
This morning we have a traditional Thai massage in Hua Hin, lasting approximately two hours at a reputable establishment in Hua Hin. This is followed by an hour's shopping in the city. Price: $29.00 including tip.


21.05.05
Optional full day tour to Petchaburi, to see the mountain-top palace of King Rama IV (of “The King and I” fame). This is a fascinating place set in a garden of frangipanis. We then visit a large temple set in a natural cave. We then proceed to the beautiful European-style palace of King Rama V, Thailand’s greatest king. We have a nice lunch (included) at a beachfront restaurant. Price $48.00.


22.05.05
Tonight we have our included farewell dinner at our hotel.


23.05.05
Optional full day tour to the River Kwai. First we visit the beautifully-kept War Memorial cemetery where many of the Australian prisoners of war are buried. Then onto the infamous bridge itself. Next we have a train trip across the bridge and out nearly to the Burmese border. We then have lunch (included) at a good restaurant. This is followed by a long-tail boat ride to the Jeath War Museum, which we inspect before returning to Cha’am. Price $56.00.


24.05.05
Sydney passengers check out of hotel at approximately 11.00am and will be transferred to Bangkok Airport.

Sydney passengers depart Bangkok on TG 991 at 6.15pm, arriving into Sydney at 6.15am the next day (25.5.05).

Melbourne and Brisbane passengers have 3.00pm check-out from hotel and will have a separate transfer to Bangkok airport.

Brisbane passengers depart Bangkok at 11.35pm and arrive into Brisbane at 11.55am the next morning (25.5.05).

25.05.05
Melbourne passengers depart Bangkok on TG981 at 12.15am, arriving in Melbourne at 12.05pm.

All flights will be met at Bangkok Airport and transferred to the Manhattan Hotel, centrally situated in the Sukhumvit shopping and entertainment area and close to Bangkok’s monorail.

21.7.05
A morning optional tour to one of the seven wonders of the world, Bangkok’s magnificent Grand Palace, Coronation Hall, Emerald Buddha and replica of Angkor Watt. This is followed by a visit to the temple of the huge Reclining Buddha, with its massive mother-of pearl feet. Price $33.00.


22.7.05
Early morning transfer to Bangkok Airport. Depart for Siem Reap at 8.00am on PG 930, arriving at 9.00am where you will be met for transfer to your hotel.

Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the: South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk); Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara); the Royal Enclosure; Phimeanakas; the Elephant Terrace; and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond.

Sunset at Angkor Wat or from Phnom Bakheng, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat. Dinner at a local restaurant near hotel.


23.7.05
In the morning, continue your temple tour. Visit the unique brick sculptures of Prasat Kravah, the mountain-top temple of Pre Rup, Mehon Oriental Tai Som, Neak Pean fountain (built in the middle of a reflection pool and representing a paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake). Then visit Preah Khan temple. Built by King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.

Lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit Srah Srang, “The Royal Baths”, which was once used for ritual bathing. Continue your temple tour with stops at Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda and Ta Prohm. One of the area’s most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm, has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was swallowed by the jungle and looks very much the same way most of the monuments of Angkor must have appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them.

Dinner at local restaurant.


24.7.05
Visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometres south of Siem Reap. Take a traditional wooden boat for a ride on the Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia and the largest in Asia.

Please note: During the dry seasons (April-July), the low level of the Tonle Sap River does not always permit visits to the floating village on the Tonle Sap River. This will be replaced with a visit to the Silk Farm of Puok.

Transfer to Siem Reap airport.

Depart Siem Reap for Bangkok on PG 935 at 11.30pm arriving in Bangkok at 12.30pm. Transferred to your hotel. Afternoon free.


25.7.05
Morning free. Early in the afternoon we depart our hotel for the three hour trip to Cha'am on the Gulf of Siam, staying in the beachfront Methavali Hotel Cha'am.


26.7.05
Optional evening tour of Hua Hin by night. We leave the hotel at 3.30pm and travel to inspect the interesting teakwood palace of King Rama Vl. We then travel to Hua Hin for a short stop at their central shopping area. Then we travel by foot-pedalled trishaws to Hua Hin’s historical railway station with its interesting Royal Box. Then the trishaws take us to the night market where we spend some time before going on to a harbour-side restaurant for a lovely seafood and chicken dinner.

Price: $37.00


27.7.05
Optional tour to Petch Dam and Lake. Morning scenic drive to Petch Dam. First stop is at a Chinese temple with a huge lady Buddha statue. Then we board a long-tail boat for a two hour boat tour on the lake created by the dam, viewing beautiful national park country with small scattered Karen hill-tribe settlements. We stop on a small island and inspect its interesting temple. We then do a short walking circumvention of the island to see its interesting statues. We next have lunch (included) at a lovely restaurant overlooking the lake, before returning to Cha’am. Price: $38.00


28.7.05
Optional full day tour to Samroi Yod National Park. First stop at a coconut plantation to see a demonstration of monkeys harvesting coconuts. Then on to a fishing village where we have a boat trip to a secluded beach. Here we have lunch (included) at a rustic beachfront restaurant, and the more energetic can climb a large hill to view the beautiful Phrayanakorn Cave. On the way back to our hotel we go to Monkey Mountain to see and feed some of the hundreds of monkeys running wild.

Price $46.00


29.7.05
This morning we have a traditional Thai massage in Hua Hin, lasting approximately two hours at a reputable establishment in Hua Hin. This is followed by an hour's shopping in the city. Price: $29.00 including tip.


30.7.05
Optional full day tour to Petchaburi, to see the mountain-top palace of King Rama IV (of “The King and I” fame). This is a fascinating place set in a garden of frangipanis. We then visit a large temple set in a natural cave. We then proceed to the beautiful European-style palace of King Rama V, Thailand’s greatest king. We have a nice lunch (included) at a beachfront restaurant. Price $48.00.


31.7.05
Tonight we have our included farewell dinner at our hotel.


1.8.05
Optional full day tour to the River Kwai. First we visit the beautifully-kept War Memorial cemetery where many of the Australian prisoners of war are buried. Then onto the infamous bridge itself. Next we have a train trip across the bridge and out nearly to the Burmese border. We then have lunch (included) at a good restaurant. This is followed by a long-tail boat ride to the Jeath War Museum, which we inspect before returning to Cha’am. Price $56.00.


2.8.05
Sydney passengers check out of hotel at approximately 11.00am and will be transferred to Bangkok Airport.

Sydney passengers depart Bangkok on TG 991 at 6.15pm, arriving into Sydney at 6.15am the next day (3.8.05).

Melbourne and Brisbane passengers have 3.00pm check-out from hotel and will have a separate transfer to Bangkok airport.

Brisbane passengers depart Bangkok at 11.35pm and arrive into Brisbane at 11.55am the next morning (3.8.05).

3.8.05
Melbourne passengers depart Bangkok on TG981 at 12.15am, arriving in Melbourne at 12.05pm.

THAILAND AND ANGKOR WAT – SEPTEMBER 2005
NOTE: Breakfast is included daily plus all other meals listed in the itinerary.

31.8.05
Depart Melbourne at 4.20pm on TG 982, arriving in Bangkok at 10.40pm.
Depart Sydney at 4.30pm on TG 992, arriving in Bangkok at 10.55pm.
Depart Brisbane at 10.40pm on TG984, arriving in Bangkok at 5.00am the next morning (1.9.05).

All flights will be met at Bangkok Airport and transferred to the Manhattan Hotel, centrally situated in the Sukhumvit shopping and entertainment area and close to Bangkok’s monorail.


1.9.05
A morning optional tour to one of the seven wonders of the world, Bangkok’s magnificent Grand Palace, Coronation Hall, Emerald Buddha and replica of Angkor Watt. This is followed by a visit to the temple of the huge Reclining Buddha, with its massive mother-of pearl feet. Price $33.00.


2.9.05
Early morning transfer to Bangkok Airport. Depart for Siem Reap at 8.00am on PG 930, arriving at 9.00am where you will be met for transfer to your hotel.

Visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). See the: South Gate (with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk); Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara); the Royal Enclosure; Phimeanakas; the Elephant Terrace; and the Terrace of the Leper King. Lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit the most famous of all the temples on the Angkor plain: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat’s five towers symbolize Meru’s five peaks, the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat symbolizes the ocean beyond.

Sunset at Angkor Wat or from Phnom Bakheng, one of two hills dominating the plain of Angkor, from where you will have a spectacular view of the Western Baray and Angkor Wat. Dinner at a local restaurant near hotel.


3.9.05
In the morning, continue your temple tour. Visit the unique brick sculptures of Prasat Kravah, the mountain-top temple of Pre Rup, Mehon Oriental Tai Som, Neak Pean fountain (built in the middle of a reflection pool and representing a paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake). Then visit Preah Khan temple. Built by King Jayavarman VII, Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.

Lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit Srah Srang, “The Royal Baths”, which was once used for ritual bathing. Continue your temple tour with stops at Takeo, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda and Ta Prohm. One of the area’s most beautiful temples, Ta Prohm, has been left relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Its appeal lies in the fact that, unlike the other monuments of Angkor, it was swallowed by the jungle and looks very much the same way most of the monuments of Angkor must have appeared when European explorers first stumbled upon them.

Dinner at local restaurant.


4.9.05
Visit the floating village of Chong Khneas, located 10 kilometres south of Siem Reap. Take a traditional wooden boat for a ride on the Tonle Sap Lake, the “Great Lake” of Cambodia and the largest in Asia.

Please note: During the dry seasons (April-July), the low level of the Tonle Sap River does not always permit visits to the floating village on the Tonle Sap River. This will be replaced with a visit to the Silk Farm of Puok.

Transfer to Siem Reap airport.

Depart Siem Reap for Bangkok on PG 935 at 11.30pm arriving in Bangkok at 12.30pm. Transferred to your hotel. Afternoon free.


5.9.05
Morning free. Early in the afternoon we depart our hotel for the three hour trip to Cha'am on the Gulf of Siam, staying in the beachfront Methavali Hotel Cha'am.


6.9.05
Optional evening tour of Hua Hin by night. We leave the hotel at 3.30pm and travel to inspect the interesting teakwood palace of King Rama Vl. We then travel to Hua Hin for a short stop at their central shopping area. Then we travel by foot-pedalled trishaws to Hua Hin’s historical railway station with its interesting Royal Box. Then the trishaws take us to the night market where we spend some time before going on to a harbour-side restaurant for a lovely seafood and chicken dinner.

Price: $37.00


7.9.05
Optional tour to Petch Dam and Lake. Morning scenic drive to Petch Dam. First stop is at a Chinese temple with a huge lady Buddha statue. Then we board a long-tail boat for a two hour boat tour on the lake created by the dam, viewing beautiful national park country with small scattered Karen hill-tribe settlements. We stop on a small island and inspect its interesting temple. We then do a short walking circumvention of the island to see its interesting statues. We next have lunch (included) at a lovely restaurant overlooking the lake, before returning to Cha’am. Price: $38.00


8.9.05
Optional full day tour to Samroi Yod National Park. First stop at a coconut plantation to see a demonstration of monkeys harvesting coconuts. Then on to a fishing village where we have a boat trip to a secluded beach. Here we have lunch (included) at a rustic beachfront restaurant, and the more energetic can climb a large hill to view the beautiful Phrayanakorn Cave. On the way back to our hotel we go to Monkey Mountain to see and feed some of the hundreds of monkeys running wild.

Price $46.00


9.9.05
This morning we have a traditional Thai massage in Hua Hin, lasting approximately two hours at a reputable establishment in Hua Hin. This is followed by an hour's shopping in the city. Price: $29.00 including tip.


10.9.05
Optional full day tour to Petchaburi, to see the mountain-top palace of King Rama IV (of “The King and I” fame). This is a fascinating place set in a garden of frangipanis. We then visit a large temple set in a natural cave. We then proceed to the beautiful European-style palace of King Rama V, Thailand’s greatest king. We have a nice lunch (included) at a beachfront restaurant. Price $48.00.


11.9.05
Tonight we have our included farewell dinner at our hotel.


12.9.05
Optional full day tour to the River Kwai. First we visit the beautifully-kept War Memorial cemetery where many of the Australian prisoners of war are buried. Then onto the infamous bridge itself. Next we have a train trip across the bridge and out nearly to the Burmese border. We then have lunch (included) at a good restaurant. This is followed by a long-tail boat ride to the Jeath War Museum, which we inspect before returning to Cha’am. Price $56.00.


13.9.05
Sydney passengers check out of hotel at approximately 11.00am and will be transferred to Bangkok Airport.

Sydney passengers depart Bangkok on TG 991 at 6.15pm, arriving into Sydney at 6.15am the next day (14.9.05).

Melbourne and Brisbane passengers have 3.00pm check-out from hotel and will have a separate transfer to Bangkok airport.

Brisbane passengers depart Bangkok at 11.35pm and arrive into Brisbane at 11.55am the next morning (14.9.05).


14.9.05
Melbourne passengers depart Bangkok on TG981 at 12.15am, arriving in Melbourne at 12.05pm.