asia 2009-2010 - contiki holidays - gbp

Asia 2009-10Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia & Thailand

So much includedon every tour

HanoiHalong Bay

Sapa

Vientiane

Bangkok

Ho ChiMinh City

Nha Trang

Chiang Mai

Hue

Da Nang

Hoi An

PhnomPenh

Mekong Delta

Siem Reap

South China Sea

BURMALAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

Chiang Rai

Luang Prabang

Vang Vieng

Pakbeng

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THE HOLIDAYS WE OFFER Pg.Vietnam Explorer 15 Days 8-9

Vietnam Discovery 13 Days 10-11

Vietnam Experience 12 Days 12-13

Vietnam Highlights 10 Days 14-15

Cambodia Extension 5 Days 15

Asian Adventure 14 Days 16-17

The Big Indochina

Adventure 28 Days 18

HOW TO BOOK Pg.Juicy deals 19

Responsible travel 20

contiki.com 21

Q&A’s 22

Booking conditions 23

How to book 24

ABOUT CONTIKI Pg.Why go Contiki? 3

Sightseeing &

Free time activities 4-5

How you travel around 6

Where you stay 7

A Tingling Taste of THAILANDThe Thai ‘sànùk’, or ‘sense of fun’, is part of what makes Thailand atraveller’s favourite. Get ready to have your senses engaged in Bangkok, abustling city where Mercedes compete with tuk-tuks, skyscrapers pressagainst ramshackle shop houses and you can choose between high classcuisine and road side noodles.

In the North is a mix of mountains and jungle. Chiang Mai is the perfectplace to take a cooking class or visit hill tribes, with a fantastic night timebazaar. Get even further off the beaten track when you head to Chiang Rai,nestled next to the northern ‘Golden Triangle’.

Laid Back LAOSLaos is relatively unexplored but offers preserved culture, open people,archaeological treasures and a history of Communism that make it a uniqueand intriguing place to visit.

The Laos scenery is, in short, spectacular. 70% of the country is ruggedterrain with soaring mountains, hosting peaceful and spiritual tribes whocontinue a traditional way of life. Cruise down the Mekong River visitingisolated villages, stay at an authentic guesthouse, learn about the IndochinaWar, and experience the charm of some of the former French colonial cities.

Captivating CAMBODIAFrom the French colonial boulevards of the capital Phnom Penh to thedeepest jungles that claimed Angkor Wat for over 600 years, Cambodia’s a country that spell binds the unsuspecting traveller. The country’s tortuouspast can be seen at the Killing Field sites, but this is a country on the rise.

Good Morning VIETNAMVietnam is a country of colours. The gold of the temples, jade green ofHalong Bay, yellow green of rice paddy fields and the multi coloured silksof the traditional ‘Ao Dai’ women’s dress.

The Mekong Delta is all rice paddy fields, coconut palms and sugarplantations being tended by farmers in concial shaped hats. Cruise theriver delta, visit floating markets and stay overnight with a host family tosee Vietnamese life up close. Cycle around the UNESCO listed Hoi An,soak up some rays on the beach in Nha Trang and cruise through amazinglimestone mountains of Halong Bay on a traditional junk boat. This is truly acountry where East meets West.

The world’s a big place, but for those in the know, South East Asia is on the radar as the continent that hasit all with a thousand ways to thrill and chill. And now Contiki can take you there!

Laos

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FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...FIND YOURWAY...

✓ Everyone’s 18-35Contiki’s group size in Asia averages around 25, so you’ll have just the rightamount of new friends to share your experience with - on a long trip, that’s abig time bonus! And don’t worry, the group size is small enough to have anintimate Asian experience, but big enough to make the dynamic rock! With abunch of other like-minded 18–35 year olds, your travel posse will make itgreat, no matter where you are.

✓ Great reputation Global. Experienced. On the pulse. That’s Contiki. We’ve proven we can takethe Contiki magic anywhere. We have over 46 years of experience and provenwe know how to take your trip from standard to the unforgettable time andtime again.

✓ No stressThought Asia was only for daring travellers? Think again. We take the hassle out soyou don’t have to think about where to find a bed or knowing where the bestbackstreet restaurant is. Tap into the knowledge of your Contiki crew and localguides, so you can concentrate on the experience and we’ll look after the rest!

✓ Lots of free time We know you don’t want every minute of your trip jam packed with activitiesand structure. Part of getting to know a country is being able to cruise aroundon your own. Every Contiki Asia trip day has some flexible free time factoredin where you can do your own thing, go explore, or chill out. We’ve got heapsof Optional Activities on offer that you can mix and match to create your ownkind of holiday just the way you want (more on pages 4 & 5).

✓ Contiki crew Our Tour Managers know Contiki and they know Asia. They’re there so youdon’t have to spend your time reading timetables or having your head in a map.

Most often, our Tour Managers are expats who now call Asia ’home’, and theybuddy up with local English speaking guides from our ‘on-the-ground’ partner,award-winning Trails of Indochina. These professional, local guides, help usdig even further into the lie of the land, and they can’t wait to show you whatmakes their part of Asia hum. Backing these guys up are expert bus, boat andtuk tuk drivers. What looks like jungle and confusing roads to you, look justlike their local suburb to them, because it is!

✓ Planes, trains, boats and automobiles... In Asia, half the fun is not where you go, but how you get there. So we havemixed up the planes, overnight trains, boats and our air conditioned coachesand mini vans with some funky and fun ways to get from Point A to Point B (more on page 6).

✓ Itineraries with a twistSo apart from the included sightseeing, we’ve incorporated Optional Activities,each a highlight to make your trip unique, authentic and interesting. Fromhome stays with local families, river tubing on the Mekong River, cookingclasses in historic palaces and working with local farmers, if you’re intoshopping, history, culture or plain adventure, from every angle, a Contiki Asiaitinerary has it covered.

✓ Making a difference There is a saying ‘Take only photos and leave only footprints’, but sometimesit is worth leaving something more behind. If you want to give back to thecountries you have visited, we work with some sustainable community supportprograms who would love your help (more on page 20).

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3✓ No breaking the bank The itineraries are stuffed full of value and what some companies might call’extras’, to us, they’re all part of the package. The biggies, such as flights andsightseeing are included, as are breakfasts and some lunches and dinners,giving you flexibility to follow your nose to some of the locals’ haunts.

With Contiki you know exactly what you are getting, so you can budget yourway down to the last dollar. Try doing the same trip on your own, and you’llfind out how much more bang for your buck you get with us.

✓ 3 stars all the way3 stars goes a long way in Asia and that’s what we’ll give you. Great qualityplaces to stay, combined with a few authentic ‘suprises’ to mix itup so you get a taste of the real Asia (more onpage 7). And while all breakfasts are included,with some lunches and dinners too, we’ve leftthe rest free because we know that you’ll wantthe flexibility to go exploring and track downyour own favourite flavours.

Why go Contiki?Contiki Asia is a winner - flexible touring with a bunch of like minded 18-35s, exploring the deep mystique, the magic,the addictive madness that is Asia!

Check our message board to see

what others think of Contiki at

Don’t take our word for it

contiki.com.au/forums

Get the most fromyour holiday!Every one of our trips offers the perfect mix of includedsightseeing and flexible free time.We include loads of sightseeing so you can score extra bang for your buck and be sure you will see the things that arekey to a destination. But then you also have plenty of free time to go for it and explore, creating your own adventure ‘offthe itinerary’! Every tour page clearly lists the ‘Included Highlights’ and the ‘Free Time’ activities that you’ll experience aspart of your trip.

Optional activitiesDifferent people want different things. Some want to learn to cook Thai like a local; some are after bargaining for textiles from the hill tribes, while others justwant to soak up the green of the jungle while floating on a rubber tube along the Mekong River. In your free time, you’ll have the chance to enhance youritinerary either on your own, or with our ’Optional Activities’.

Why stick to the storyline when you can choose your own adventure?You’ll be amazed how much free-time you have on a Contiki holiday. We’ve scoured our Asian destinations to find the most authentic and uniqueexperiences that blend in culture, adventure and fun. The aim is to take you off the beaten track, to enable you to get in there and mix with the locals, to helpyou make the most of your free time and generally make your holiday extra-fantastic!

Add in the fact we’ve negotiated great rates for all these activities and that we organize them for you (meaning there’s less wasted time trying to do it whenyou get there) – you can’t beat it! It’s your choice, you can o pt in, or you can opt out and simply do your own thing.

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Experience thelocal markets

Enjoy a mud bath!Photo courtesy of ElephantPark Project

Kayaking - Halong BayBiking - Vang Vieng

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5

What are my choices & how muchdo they cost?On each itinerary page, check out the 'FREE TIME' box where there’s the fullline-up of Optional Activities available. To help plan your trip and work outyour budget, a complete list of all our Optionals is online at contiki.com/asiaunder the ’Optional Activities’ section.

A complete Optional list with pricing will also come with your final documentsafter booking.

When do I choose and how do I pay?You never know what you may want to do from day to day, so we let youdecide when you’re there. Arranging and paying for your Optionals while ontour means:

• You’ll be able to choose what interests you at the same time as your new mates.

• An experienced Tour Manager can offer personal advice as well as takingcare of the details.

• Some activities are seasonal while others are weather dependent.

Payment will be made on tour and can be made by cash or travellers cheques (in $US).

River boatingPhoto courtesy of Elephant Park Project

River Tubing - Vang Vieng

Here’s a taste of what’s on offer:Thailand

• Learn to cook like a Thai local in Chang Mai

• Head to the Golden Triangle and visit the hill tribes

Laos

• Go with the flow on a river kayak adventure

• Float down the Mekong River on a rubber tube

• Get on your bike and out into the countryside in Vang Vieng.

• Eat at Makphet restaurant, which is run by an international charity.

Cambodia

• Eat a traditional Khmer dinner in a 120 year old French colonial building.

• Receive a good luck blessing ritual by Buddhist monks

Vietnam

• Enjoy a meal at a floating restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

• Go offshore snorkeling or take a mineral mud bath in Nha Trang

• Work with local farmers in Tra Que vegetable village

• Bike the Forbidden City in Hue

IMPORTANT NOTE - please readThese options are authentically local, so we don't own or operate them. Some of these activities involve outdoor adventure and can be physically demanding, so there’s always an element of risk. You should make your own decisions about these activities and only participate in activities that you feel comfortable you can handle. It’s also a good idea to check that your insurance includes your participation in adventure activities.

Travelling on all our many different types oftransport will definitely be some of your mostfun trip highlights! See the countries fromdifferent angles like a local.From 4-wheels to 2-wheels to 0-wheels (with paddles and outboard motors instead),there are up to 10 different types of transport involved in a Contiki Asia trip!

Planes are often the best way of covering long distances and in Asia, reliable airlines are everywhere. In Thailand,Cambodia and Vietnam air-conditioned 45 seat coaches are your transport with a mini 22 seater coach in Laos.

Then the fun really begins! In Thailand go to sleep to the clickety clack of a comfortable overnight train. In Laos you’llbe whisked around by brightly coloured tuk-tuks, and on the Mekong a long, low, wooden boat becomes your‘chariot’. In Cambodia, there’s more tuk-tuks, plus bicycles - the pedal powered form of transport favoured by thelocals, while a powered boat gets you into the floating markets.

In Vietnam, the transport goes gangbusters! In the Mekong Delta there is an outboard powered boat and woodencanoes with paddles to wind your way through the smaller tributaries. Stay overnight on a beautiful, traditional Junkboat in Halong Bay and row about the waters in a bamboo raft. And last but not least, paddle in a dragon boat inthe royal city of Hue.

Whoever said transport wasn’t fun obviously hasn’t been to Asia!

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How you travel around

Long BoatPhoto courtesy

of Elephant Park Project

Cyclos Tuk-Tuk

River Boat

Junk Boat Cruise

Overnight Train Cycling

With Contiki in Asia, there are greatquality places to stay, but to mix it up,we’ve thrown in some cool surprises! For the majority of the time, you’ll stay in centrally located 3 star hotels andresorts on a twin share basis (3 stars goes a long way in Asia), but we haveincluded some real Asian experiences too. Like a Home Stay in the Mekong,local stilt houses on an overnight Vietnamese trek, a traditional junk boat inHalong Bay and an authentic local guesthouse in Laos. Here’s a few of thegreat properties you’ll stay in!

Asia has some of the best food in the world and we promise youwon’t go hungry! We include some meals (all breakfasts and somelunches and dinners) in the tour price and leave others open for youto choose, so you can follow your nose and explore on your own.

There will be some tried and tested favourites such as pad thai noodles, and satay sticks. And for ‘food adventurers’, there’s the opportunity to getcreative (especially in the local markets) - Tarantula, anyone?!

Thai cuisine is famous for its spices and fresh flavours. Similar foodcan be found in Laos with hints of ginger and lemon grass. Try ricewine and sticky rice in Cambodia and sit back in Vietnam with acold glass of “bia hoi” (the locally brewed beer) and when theFrench left, they handed over their recipes if the croissants areanything to go by.

Try a local speciality, something more familiar or choose a restaurant that supports underprivileged children. Our local guides are fantastic at helping you uncover the most popular and authentic restaurants in the region or city you arevisiting at bargain prices.

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Where you stay

Hoi An Hotel - Hoi AnThe 4 star Hoi An Hotel is a lot like the town it’s named after – serene, tranquil and relaxing.Occupying lush and spacious grounds in the heart of the old town this modern, Asian styled hotel is the perfect place to hit the centre of town. Or make the most of the facilities in this oasis with a swim-up pool bar, tennis courts and the beautiful Zen Spa.

Elephant Crossing Hotel - Vang ViengNestled on the banks of the Nam Song Riveramongst verdant jungle, this new boutique hotel is a world away in laid-back Laos. The ambience istypically Laotian, relaxed, friendly and the river viewand majestic limestone mountains are stunning. Enjoythe view from the riverside restaurant and bar or fromyour private balcony. The hotel is only a short strollfrom local restaurants, temples and a market.

Vien Dong Hotel - Ho Chi Minh CityYou can’t beat the location of the Vien Dong Hotel, located in the commercial district just a 5 minute stroll from the Ben Thanh markets and great nightlife. Modern and spacious, it’s the ideal base for your Ho Chi Minh City adventures.

Bai Tho junk boat cruise – Halong BayAll aboard for one of the most authentic Vietnameseexperiences, an overnight stay on a slow-cruising,traditional Chinese Junk boat. Made of wood, thetwin share cabins feature windows and ensuites, aswell as an onboard restaurant with plump cushions,perfect to relax on after a delicious Vietnamese meal.But we’ve saved the best for last – the large rooftopoutdoor deck. Watch the UNESCO listed Halong Baydrift by and swim in the jade green waters.

Home Stay – Mekong DeltaThis is an experience you will never forget. Stayingwith your entire group, overnight with locals andseeing up front and first hand the Vietnamese lifestylewill add a unique point to your journey.

A typical room - Vien Dong Hotel

Hoi An Hotel

Homestay

Bai Tho junk cabin

What’s on the menu?Share Type basis: Hotels and cruise are twin-share.Guesthouses, homestay and trains are multi-share (except in Thailand where trains are quad-share).

...to explore and do your own thing ortalk to your Tour Manager for detailsabout the ‘Optional Extras’ on offer (at an extra cost). See pages 4 and 5for more details of ways to dig deeperinto the places you’ll visit.

Ho Chi Minh City:• Enjoy a meal at a floating restaurant.

Nha Trang:• Cruise to offshore islands to swim andsnorkel. • Experience a mineral mud bathwarmed by hot springs.

Hoi An: • Visit Tra Que and spend a day workingwith the local village farmers.

Hue:• Bike to the Forbidden City. • Cooking class

and dinner in a renovated Royal house.

VIETNAM EXPLORER

8 15 D

ays

15 Days from £875Plus local payment of US$200†

All this included• 9 nights in 3 star hotels*• 2 night homestay/guesthouse*• 2 overnight trains* & 1 overnight cruise*• 3 domestic flights• 13 breakfasts (B), 5 lunches (L),

4 dinners (D)• Experienced Contiki Tour Manager, local English-speaking

guides & driver• Local taxes and Service charges • Transport and included sightseeing

*See page 7 for share type details

FREE TIME

Mekong Delta Homestay:• Cruise the Mekong Delta• Bike ride the countryside• Live with a local family on an

overnight stay Ho Chi Minh City:• City tour including entry to the War

Remnants Museum Nha Trang:• Enjoy this seaside resort town known

for its pristine beaches and turquoisewaters

Hoi An:• A walking tour through the UNESCO

listed Old Quarter • Countryside bike ride

Hue:• See stunning scenery en-route

to Hue• Take a dragon boat to visit pagodas • Visit the Imperial Citadel

Halong Bay:• Overnight cruise in a traditional

Junk boat• Swim, snorkel and explore the lagoon

and coral

Sapa:• Trek through 6 villages meeting 3

different hill tribes• Stay overnight in a local stilt house

Included HighlightsAll these highlights along with city sightseeing are included in yourtour price, so there’s plenty of ‘bang for your buck’

28 DAY COMBOSEE PAGE 18

THE BIGINDOCHINAADVENTURE

Chilling out on Halong Bay

Hoi An town waterfront

Beach near Hoi An

Hanoi

Halong Bay

Sapa

Ho ChiMinh City

Nha Trang

Hue

Da Nang

Hoi An

South China Sea

BURMA

LAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

Mekong Delta

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City. Start yourVietnam Explorer in Ho Chi Minh City,still sometimes called Saigon, acosmopolitan city combiningVietnamese flair with US influencespost Vietnam War, with great places toeat and drink. Hotel

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City toMekong Delta. It’s a 2 day journeyinto the Mekong Delta. Afterexperiencing the Cai Be floatingmarkets, lunch at a local home then bikeride the rural area looking at localindustries. Meet your home stay family,and get to experience Vietnamese lifefirst-hand, enjoying a meal with them thisevening. Homestay (B,L,D)

Day 3: Mekong Delta to Ho ChiMinh City. Rise early, as the villageawakes and see the morning life ofrural Vietnam. Returning to the hostfamily for breakfast we bid farewell andcontinue our cruise of the Mekong withsome local stops before returning toHo Chi Minh City. Hotel (B,D)

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City to NhaTrang. Spend the first half of your dayseeing the landmarks of this bustlingcity with museums on the history ofThe Vietnam War. Enjoy some free timethis afternoon before your flight to NhaTrang. Hotel (B)

Day 5: Nha Trang. Take the pace ofyour trip down a notch and enjoy thiswaterside resort town while soaking upthe rays and swimming in the warmwaters. Do your own thing, or youcould bliss out with a mineral hotspring mud bath or a full daysnorkelling cruise to offshore islands.Hotel (B)

Day 6: Nha Trang to Hoi An. Fly toDanang and travel down to the UNESCOWorld Heritage listed Hoi An. Join awalking tour through the Old Quarter,pagodas and markets before biking thesurrounding countryside. Free time thisafternoon to explore the town’s galleriesand boutiques, perfect for gifts! Hotel (B)

Day 7: Hoi An. Enjoy another day inthis little historic gem. A former tradingport famous for wooden houses and silkshops; it is the perfect place to haveclothes tailor-made at tiny prices. Meetthe locals by taking an option to spend aday working with village farmers. Hotel (B)

Day 8: Hoi An to Hue. There’sstunning coastal views while driving

over the “Pass of the Ocean Clouds”to the former Royal City of Hue. Adragon boat is your ride to pagodaswith a visit to the Royal Tombs and thefortified Citadel. This evening why notjoin an optional cooking class in HueRoyal cuisine. Hotel (B)

Day 9: Hue to Hanoi. Swap the coastfor the city and fly to Hanoi, the capitalwhere you’ll find a unique mix ofVietnamese, Chinese and Frenchinfluences and where history andmodernity live side by side. Wind yourway through the narrow streets of theOld Quarter, try the renownedVietnamese coffee at one of theroadside cafes, or relax in one of themany parks or lakes. Hotel (B)

Day 10: Hanoi to Halong Bay. Driveout from Hanoi to the spectacular HalongBay where over 3,000 limestone islandsrise right out from the water. Board atraditional Junk boat for an overnightcruise on these World Heritage listedwaters. Take a bamboo row boat toexplore the lagoon, coral and watertunnels or watch the sunset on the top ofTitov Mountain. Overnight Junk (B,L,D)

Day 11: Halong Bay to Hanoi. Waketo a view of sunrise over jade greenwaters. View the simple fishing villagesperched on the tiny islands, swim andrelax on the large deck before enjoyinglunch and heading back to Hanoi.Hotel (B,L)

Day 12: Hanoi to Sapa. Spend themorning exploring Hanoi before a latecheck out. Pack your trekking shoes -you’re off to the far north near theChinese/Vietnamese border via anovernight train to Lao Cai. Continue onto Sapa. Overnight Train (B)

Day 13: Sapa Hilltribe Trek. Hikingfrom Sapa to the village of the BlackHmong tribe, local paths provide vistasof terraced paddy fields, green valleysand opportunities to meet the locals.Spend the night in the village’s stilthouses. Guesthouse (B,L,D)

Day 14: Sapa to Hanoi. The trekcontinues towards Red Dao village andGiang Ta Chai passing stone carvings atprehistoric sites. Take lunch by a waterfalland trek back to Sapa town. Freshen upat a guesthouse and take an optionaldinner before jumping aboard the nighttrain to Hanoi. Overnight Train (B,L)

Day 15: Hanoi. There’s an earlymorning arrival into Hanoi where thetour ends and it’s time to say farewellto your Contiki crew.

15 D

ays

9

Itinerary

Refer to contiki.com.au/vietnamexplorer

1 or more nightstops

Places visited

CODE: VIEX 2009/10

MAR 2 MAR 16 875MAR 16 MAR 30 875MAR 31 APR 14 875APR 14 APR 28 875MAY 4 MAY 18 875MAY 18 JUN 1 875MAY 31 JUN 14 875JUN 16 JUN 30 875JUN 22 JUL 6 875JUL 6 JUL 20 875JUL 13 JUL 27 875JUL 20 AUG 3 875JUL 27 AUG 10 875AUG 3 AUG 17 875AUG 10 AUG 24 875AUG 18 SEP 1 875AUG 21 SEP 4 875AUG 31 SEP 14 875SEP 7 SEP 21 875SEP 11 SEP 25 875NOV 13 NOV 27 915NOV 16 NOV 30 915NOV 23 DEC 7 915DEC 4 DEC 18 915DEC 14 DEC 28 915

DEC 21 JAN 4 915DEC 28 JAN 11 915JAN 4 JAN 18 959JAN 11 JAN 25 959JAN 15 JAN 29 959JAN 18 FEB 1 959JAN 25 FEB 8 959FEB 1 FEB 15 959FEB 5 FEB 19 959FEB 8 FEB 22 959FEB 16 FEB 2 959FEB 22 MAR 8 959FEB 26 MAR 12 959MAR 1 MAR 15 959MAR 8 MAR 22 959MAR 15 MAR 29 959MAR 19 APR 2 959MAR 22 APR 5 959MAR 29 APR 12 959APR 5 APR 19 959APR 9 APR 23 959APR 12 APR 26 959APR 20 MAY 4 959APR 26 MAY 10 959APR 30 MAY 14 959

MAY 3 MAY 17 959MAY 10 MAY 24 959MAY 17 MAY 31 959MAY 21 JUN 4 959MAY 24 JUN 7 959MAY 31 JUN 14 959

Start End £ PerHo Chi Hanoi PersonMinh



† On Day 1, your Tour Managerwill collect a mandatory localpayment of US$200 cash.

Single room supplement:£339.

Start 6:00pm & endapprox. 8:00am.

For Travel Insurance see p.22

•

•

6 MONTH DISCOUNT SAVE UP TO £454 MONTH DISCOUNTSAVE UP TO £25

EARLYPAYMENTDISCOUNT

SEE PAGE 19

Traditional stilt houses

Hmong Tribeswomen

2009

2009

2010

2010

...to explore and do your own thing ortalk to your Tour Manager for detailsabout the ‘Optional Extras’ on offer (atan extra cost). See pages 4 and 5 formore details of ways to dig deeper intothe places you’ll visit.Nha Trang: • Cruise to offshore islands to swim andsnorkel. • Experience a mineral mud bathwarmed by hot springs.

Hoi An: • Visit Tra Que and spend a day workingwith the local village farmers.

Hue: • Bike to the Forbidden City. • Cooking classand dinner in a renovated Royal house.

VIETNAM DISCOVERY

10 13 D

ays


All this included• 8 nights in 3 star hotels*• 1 night in a guesthouse*• 2 overnight trains and 1 overnight cruise*• 3 domestic flights• 11 breakfasts (B), 4 lunches (L), 3 dinners (D)• Experienced Contiki Tour Manager,

local English-speaking guides & driver• Local taxes and Service charges • Transport and included sightseeing

*see page 7 for share type details

FREE TIME

Ho Chi Minh City:• City tour including entry to the

War Remnants Museum

Nha Trang:• Enjoy this seaside resort town

known for its pristine beaches andturquoise waters

Hoi An:• A walking tour through the

UNESCO listed Old Quarter• Countryside bike ride

Hue:• See stunning scenery en-route to Hue• Take a dragon boat to visit pagodas • Visit the Imperial Citadel Halong Bay:• Overnight cruise in a traditional Junk boat• Swim, snorkel and explore the lagoon

and coral Sapa:• Trek through 6 villages meeting 3



Floating Markets

Sunset on the Mekong

Hanoi

Halong Bay

Sapa

Ho ChiMinh City

Nha Trang

Hue

Da Nang

Hoi An

South China Sea

BURMA

LAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City. Start yourVietnam Discovery in Ho Chi Minh City,still sometimes called Saigon, acosmopolitan city combiningVietnamese flair with US influencespost Vietnam War, with great places toeat and drink. Hotel (D)

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City to NhaTrang. Spend the first half of your dayseeing the landmarks of this bustlingcity with museums on the history ofThe Vietnam War. Pick up produce,fabrics and handicrafts in the famousBen Thanh markets. Enjoy some freetime this afternoon before your flight toNha Trang. Hotel (B)

Day 3: Nha Trang. Take the pace ofyour trip down a notch and enjoy thiswaterside resort town while soaking upthe rays and swimming in the warmwaters. Do your own thing or you couldbliss out with a mineral hot spring mudbath or a full day snorkelling cruise tooffshore islands. Hotel (B)

Day 4: Nha Trang to Hoi An. Fly toDanang and travel down to the UNESCOWorld Heritage listed Hoi An. Join awalking tour through the Old Quarter,pagodas and markets before biking thesurrounding countryside. Free time thisafternoon to explore the town’s galleriesand boutiques; perfect for gifts! Hotel (B)

Day 5: Hoi An. Enjoy another day in thislittle historic gem. A former trading portfamous for wooden houses and silkshops; it is the perfect place to haveclothes tailor-made at tiny prices. Meetthe locals by taking an option to spend aday working with village farmers. Hotel (B)

Day 6: Hoi An to Hue. There’sstunning coastal views while drivingover the “Pass of the Ocean Clouds”to the former Royal City of Hue. Adragon boat is your ride to pagodaswith a visit to the Royal Tombs and thefortified Citadel. This evening perhapsjoin an optional cooking class in HueRoyal cuisine. Hotel (B)

Day 7: Hue to Hanoi. Swap the coastfor the city and fly to Hanoi, the capitalwhere you’ll find a unique mix of

Vietnamese, Chinese and Frenchinfluences and where history andmodernity live side by side. Wind yourway through the narrow streets of theOld Quarter, sip cappuccinos, therenowned Vietnamese coffee, in roadside cafes or relax in one of the manyparks or lakes. Hotel (B)

Day 8: Hanoi to Halong Bay. Driveout from Hanoi to the spectacularHalong Bay where over 3,000 limestoneislands rise right out from the water.Board a traditional Junk boat for anovernight cruise on these WorldHeritage listed waters. Take a bamboorow boat to explore the lagoon, coraland water tunnels or watch the sunseton the top of Titov Mountain. OvernightJunk (B,L,D)

Day 9: Halong Bay to Hanoi. Waketo a view of sunrise over jade greenwaters. View the simple fishingvillages perched on the tiny islands,swim and relax on the large deckbefore enjoying lunch and headingback to Hanoi. Hotel (B,L)

Day 10: Hanoi to Sapa. Spend themorning exploring Hanoi before a latecheck out. Pack your trekking shoes -you’re off to the far north near theChinese/Vietnamese border via anovernight train to Lao Cai. Continue onto Sapa. Overnight Train (B)

Day 11: Sapa Hilltribe Trek. Hikingfrom Sapa to the village of the BlackHmong tribe, local paths provide vistasof terraced paddy fields, green valleysand opportunities to meet the locals.Spend the night in the villages’ stilthouses. Guesthouse (B,L,D)

Day 12: Sapa to Hanoi. The trekcontinues towards Red Dao village andGiang Ta Chai passing stone carvings atprehistoric sites. Take lunch by a waterfalland trek back to Sapa town. Freshen upat a guesthouse and take an optionaldinner before jumping aboard the nighttrain to Hanoi. Overnight Train (B,L)

Day 13: Hanoi. There’s an earlymorning arrival into Hanoi where thetour ends and it’s time to say farewellto your Contiki crew.

13 D

ays

11

Itinerary

Refer to contiki.com.au/vietnamdiscovery


Places visited

Offering alms to the monks

CODE: VIDI 2009/10

MAR 4 MAR 16 799MAR 18 MAR 30 799APR 2 APR 14 799APR 16 APR 28 799MAY 6 MAY 18 799MAY 20 JUN 1 799JUN 2 JUN 14 799JUN 18 JUN 30 799JUN 24 JUL 6 799JUL 8 JUL 20 799JUL 15 JUL 27 799JUL 22 AUG 3 799JUL 29 AUG 10 799AUG 5 AUG 17 799AUG 12 AUG 24 799AUG 20 SEP 1 799AUG 23 SEP 4 799SEP 2 SEP 14 799SEP 9 SEP 21 799SEP 13 SEP 25 799NOV 15 NOV 27 839NOV 18 NOV 30 839NOV 25 DEC 7 839DEC 6 DEC 18 839DEC 16 DEC 28 839

DEC 23 JAN 4 839DEC 30 JAN 11 839JAN 6 JAN 18 879JAN 13 JAN 25 879JAN 17 JAN 29 879JAN 20 FEB 1 879JAN 27 FEB 8 879FEB 3 FEB 15 879FEB 7 FEB 19 879FEB 10 FEB 22 879FEB 18 MAR 2 879FEB 24 MAR 8 879FEB 28 MAR 12 879MAR 3 MAR 15 879MAR 10 MAR 22 879MAR 17 MAR 29 879MAR 21 APR 2 879MAR 24 APR 5 879MAR 31 APR 12 879APR 7 APR 19 879APR 11 APR 23 879APR 14 APR 26 879APR 22 MAY 4 879APR 28 MAY 10 879MAY 2 MAY 14 879

MAY 5 MAY 17 879MAY 12 MAY 24 879MAY 19 MAY 31 879MAY 23 JUN 4 879MAY 26 JUN 7 879






Start 6:00pm & endapprox. 8:00am.


•

•

6 MONTH DISCOUNTSAVE UP TO £394 MONTH DISCOUNTSAVE UP TO £19


SEE PAGE 19

2009

2009

2010

2010

Halong Bay

...to explore and do your own thing or talkto your Tour Manager for details aboutthe ‘Optional Extras’ on offer (at an extracost). See pages 4 and 5 for more detailsof ways to dig deeper into the placesyou’ll visit.

Ho Chi Minh City:• Enjoy a meal at a floating restaurant. Nha Trang: • Cruise to offshore islands toswim and snorkel. • Experience a mineralmud bath warmed by hot springs.Hoi An: • Visit Tra Que and spend a dayworking with the local village farmers.Hue: • Bike to the Forbidden City. • Cookingclass and dinner in a renovated Royal house.

VIETNAM EXPERIENCE

12 12 D

ays


All this included• 9 nights in 3 star hotels and 1 night homestay*• 1 overnight cruise*• 3 domestic flights• 11 breakfasts (B), 3 lunches (L), 3 dinners (D)• Experienced Contiki Tour Manager,



FREE TIME

Mekong Delta Homestay:• Cruise the Mekong Delta• Bike ride the countryside• Live with a local family on an

overnight stay

Ho Chi Minh City:• City tour including entry to the War

Remnants Museum

Nah Trang:• Enjoy this seaside resort town known



listed Old Quarter• Countryside bike rideHue:• See stunning scenery en-route to Hue• Take a dragon boat to visit pagodas • Visit the Imperial CitadelHalong Bay:• Overnight cruise in a traditional Junk

boat• Swim, snorkel and explore the lagoon

and coral


Caption

Nha Trang

View over Halong Bay

Hanoi

Halong Bay

Ho ChiMinh City

Nha Trang

Hue

Da Nang

Hoi An

South China Sea

BURMA

LAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

Mekong DeltaDay 1: Ho Chi Minh City. Start your

Vietnam Experience in Ho Chi Minh City,still sometimes called Saigon, a cosmo-politan city combining Vietnamese flairwith US influences post Vietnam War,with great places to eat and drink. Hotel

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City toMekong Delta. It’s a 2 day journeyinto the Mekong Delta. Afterexperiencing the Cai Be floatingmarkets, lunch at a local home thenbike ride the rural area looking at localindustries. Meet your home stay family,and get to experience Vietnamese lifefirst-hand, enjoying a meal with themthis evening. Homestay (B,L,D)

Day 3: Mekong Delta to Ho ChiMinh City. Rise early, as the villageawakes see the morning life of ruralVietnam. Returning to the host familyfor breakfast we bid farewell andcontinue our cruise of the Mekong withsoe local stops before returning to HoChi Minh City. Hotel (B,D)

Day 4: Ho Chi Minh City to NhaTrang. Spend the first half of your dayseeing the landmarks of this bustlingcity with museums on the history ofThe Vietnam War. Enjoy some free timethis afternoon before your flight to NhaTrang. Hotel (B)


Day 6: Nha Trang to Hoi An. Fly toDanang and travel down to theUNESCO World Heritage listed Hoi An.Join a walking tour through the OldQuarter, pagodas and markets beforebiking the surrounding countryside.Free time this afternoon to explore thetown’s galleries and boutiques; perfectfor gifts! Hotel (B)

Day 7: Hoi An. Enjoy another day in thislittle historic gem. A former trading portfamous for wooden houses and silkshops; it is the perfect place to haveclothes tailor-made at tiny prices. Meetthe locals by taking an option to spend aday working with village farmers. Hotel (B)

Day 8: Hoi An to Hue. There’sstunning coastal views while drivingover the “Pass of the Ocean Clouds”to the former Royal City of Hue. Adragon boat is your ride to pagodaswith a visit to the Royal Tombs and thefortified Citadel. This evening perhapsjoin an optional cooking class in HueRoyal cuisine. Hotel (B)

Day 9: Hue to Hanoi. Swap the coastfor the city and fly to Hanoi, the capitalwhere you’ll find a unique mix ofVietnamese, Chinese and Frenchinfluences and where history andmodernity live side by side. Wind yourway through the narrow streets of theOld Quarter, sip cappuccinos, therenowned Vietnamese coffee, in roadside cafes or relax in one of the manyparks or lakes. Hotel (B)

Day 10: Hanoi to Halong Bay. Driveout from Hanoi to the spectacularHalong Bay where over 3,000limestone islands rise right out fromthe water. Board a traditional Junkboat for an overnight cruise on theseWorld Heritage listed waters. Take abamboo row boat to explore thelagoon, coral and water tunnels orwatch the sunset on the top of TitovMountain. Overnight Junk (B,L,D)

Day 11: Halong Bay to Hanoi.Wake to a view of sunrise over jadegreen waters. View the simple fishingvillages perched on the tiny islands,swim and relax on the large deckbefore enjoying lunch and headingback to Hanoi. Hotel (B,L)

Day 12: Hanoi. Spend the morning exploring Hanoi before a late check out.

12 D

ays

13

Itinerary

Refer to contiki.com.au/vietnamexperience


Places visited

Floating Markets

CODE: VIEP 2009/10

MAR 2 MAR 13 695MAR 16 MAR 27 695MAR 31 APR 11 695 APR 14 APR 25 695MAY 4 MAY 15 695MAY 18 MAY 29 695MAY 31 JUN 11 695JUN 16 JUN 27 695JUN 22 JUL 3 695JUL 6 JUL 17 695JUL 13 JUL 24 695JUL 20 JUL 31 695JUL 27 AUG 7 695AUG 3 AUG 14 695AUG 10 AUG 21 695AUG 18 AUG 29 695AUG 21 SEP 1 695AUG 31 SEP 11 695SEP 7 SEP 18 695SEP 11 SEP 22 695NOV 13 NOV 24 729NOV 16 NOV 27 729NOV 23 DEC 4 729DEC 4 DEC 15 729DEC 14 DEC 25 729

DEC 21 JAN 1 729DEC 28 JAN 8 729JAN 4 JAN 15 765JAN 11 JAN 22 765JAN 15 JAN 26 765JAN 18 JAN 29 765JAN 25 FEB 5 765FEB 1 FEB 12 765FEB 5 FEB 16 765FEB 8 FEB 19 765FEB 16 FEB 27 765FEB 22 MAR 5 765FEB 26 MAR 9 765MAR 1 MAR 12 765MAR 8 MAR 19 765MAR 15 MAR 26 765MAR 19 MAR 30 765MAR 22 APR 2 765MAR 29 APR 9 765APR 5 APR 16 765APR 9 APR 20 765APR 12 APR 23 765APR 20 MAY 1 765APR 26 MAY 7 765APR 30 MAY 11 765

MAY 3 MAY 14 765MAY 10 MAY 21 765MAY 17 MAY 28 765MAY 21 JUN 1 765MAY 24 JUN 4 765MAY 31 JUN 11 765





Single room supplement:£289.Start 6:00pm & endapprox. 12:00 noon.


•

•

6 MONTH DISCOUNTSAVE UP TO £354 MONTH DISCOUNT SAVE UP TO £19


SEE PAGE 19

2009

2010

2010

2009

14 10 D

ays

Mekong “Highway”


Places visited

Snorkelling in Halong Bay

...to explore and do your own thing ortalk to your Tour Manager for detailsabout the ‘Optional Extras’ on offer (atan extra cost). See pages 4 and 5 formore details of ways to dig deeper intothe places you’ll visit.

Nha Trang: • Cruise to offshore islandsto swim and snorkel. • Experience amineral mud bath warmed by hot springs. Hoi An: • Visit Tra Que and spend a day working with the local villagefarmers.Hue: • Bike to the Forbidden City. • Cooking class and dinner in arenovated Royal house.

FREE TIME


Remnants Museum

Nha Trang:• Enjoy this seaside resort town known


Hoi An:• A walking tour through the

UNESCO listed Old Quarter• Countryside bike ride

Hue:• See stunning scenery en-route to

Hue

• Take a dragon boat to visit pagodas

• Visit the Imperial Citadel

Halong Bay:• Overnight cruise in a traditional Junk

boat

• Swim, snorkel and explore the lagoonand coral



All this included• 8 nights in 3 star hotels*• 1 overnight cruise*• 3 domestic flights• 9 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 2 dinners (D)• Experienced Contiki Tour Manager,



Hanoi

Halong Bay

Ho ChiMinh City

Nha Trang

Hue

Da Nang

Hoi An

South China Sea

LAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

VIETNAM HIGHLIGHTS


Places visited

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City. Start yourVietnam Highlights in Ho Chi Minh City,still sometimes called Saigon, acosmopolitan city combiningVietnamese flair with US influences postVietnam War, with great places to eatand drink. Hotel (D)

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.Spend the first half of your day seeing thelandmarks of this bustling city withmuseums on the history of The VietnamWar. Pick up produce, fabrics and handi-crafts in the famous Ben Thanh markets.Enjoy some free time this afternoon beforeyour flight to Nha Trang. Hotel (B)


Day 4: Nha Trang to Hoi An. Fly toDanang and travel down to the UNESCOWorld Heritage listed Hoi An. Join awalking tour through the Old Quarter,pagodas and markets before biking thesurrounding countryside. Free time thisafternoon to explore the town’s galleriesand boutiques; perfect for gifts! Hotel (B)

Day 5: Hoi An. Enjoy another day in thislittle historic gem. A former trading portfamous for wooden houses and silkshops; it is the perfect place to haveclothes tailor-made at tiny prices. Meet

the locals by taking an option to spend aday working with village farmers. Hotel (B)Day 6: Hoi An to Hue. There’s stunningcoastal views while driving over the “Passof the Ocean Clouds” to the former RoyalCity of Hue. A dragon boat is your ride topagodas with a visit to the Royal Tombsand the fortified Citadel. This eveningperhaps join an optional cooking class inHue Royal cuisine. Hotel (B)Day 7: Hue to Hanoi. Swap the coastfor the city and fly to Hanoi, the capitalwhere you’ll find a unique mix ofVietnamese, Chinese and Frenchinfluences and where history andmodernity live side by side. Wind yourway through the narrow streets of theOld Quarter, sip cappuccinos, therenowned Vietnamese coffee, in roadside cafes or relax in one of the manyparks or lakes. Hotel (B) Day 8: Hanoi to Halong Bay. Drive outfrom Hanoi to the spectacular HalongBay where over 3,000 limestone islandsrise right out from the water. Board atraditional Junk boat for an overnightcruise on these World Heritage listedwaters. Take a bamboo row boat toexplore the lagoon, coral and watertunnels or watch the sunset on the top ofTitov Mountain. Overnight Junk (B,L,D)Day 9: Halong Bay to Hanoi. Wake toa view of sunrise over jade green waters.View the simple fishing villages perchedon the tiny islands, swim and relax onthe large deck before enjoying lunch andheading back to Hanoi. Hotel (B,L)Day 10: Hanoi. Spend the morningexploring Hanoi before a late check out.

10 D

ays

15

Itinerary

Refer to contiki.com.au/vietnamhighlights

Day 1: Phnom Penh. YourCambodia experience commencestoday at the Castle Hotel. Tonightyou are free to explore the city. Hotel

Day 2: Phnom Penh. In PhnomPenh, view first-hand the sombrelegacy of the violent Khmer Rouge atthe “Killing Fields” genocide sites. Orexplore the city once known as the“Pearl of Asia”. With broad, Frenchstyled boulevards, you’ll walk thestreets stopping in boutique stores,absorbing the local flavour or visitone of the many museums about theregime of the Khmer Rouge. Take anoption to travel by tuk-tuk to a 120year old French colonial building for atraditional Khmer meal before endingthe night at a rooftop bar. Hotel (B)

Day 3: Phnom Penh to SiemReap. Fly to Siem Reap and travel bytuk-tuk to watch the sun set over oneof the jewel cities in the crown of Asia.

There’s nothing quite like Angkor Wat.It’s one of the biggest religiousmonuments ever built and was lost tothe jungle for almost 600 years beforebeing rediscovered. Hotel (B)

Day 4: Siem Reap. Explore thefloating villages on Tonle Sap Lake bywooden boat before an atmosphericvisit to other Angkor temples set intropical jungle surrounds. You’llrecognise scenes from the movieTomb Raider with the exotic TaProhm (temple). Hotel (B)

Day 5: Siem Reap to Ho Chi MinhCity. Today fly at your leisure to HoChi Minh City to start your Vietnamadventure. Meet you Tour Managerand fellow travellers tonight. Hotel (B)

Note: On day 5 you will need tomake your own transfer and flightarrangements from Siem Reap to HoChi Minh City. Please check withContiki or your travel agent for themost current flight schedules.

ItineraryHaven’t had enough? Want more? Then top off your trip byvisiting one of the most sparkling, unforgettable jewels in thecrown of Asia and add a side trip to Cambodia!You’re already in the zone, so just hop across the border and make your Contikiitinerary 5 days and an entire country longer by adding a Cambodia Extensionbefore your tour.

Cambodia is unique, mysterious and compelling. From the ruins of Angkor Wat,one of the world’s greatest archaeological treasures to the laid back capital ofPhnom Penh and the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge there is nowhere like thissmall country that packs a punch.

Take a stroll off the beaten track - Cambodia is sure to be one of your trips’ highlights.

Please Note: On our Cambodia Extension you won’t be with a Contiki Tour Manager but instead will get alocals’ view on the country as we lace you with a Contiki appointed experienced, English speaking guide.This add-on package must be taken prior to your Contiki Vietnam tour. No local payment applies to this tour

Unforgettable Angkar Wat

Traditional etching art

CODE: VIHI 2009/10






Start 6:00pm & endapprox. 12:00 noon.


•

•

6 MONTH DISCOUNT SAVE UP TO £354 MONTH DISCOUNTSAVE UP TO £15


SEE PAGE 19

5 DAYS IN CAMBODIA

2009

2009

2010

2010

•

•

MAR 4 MAR 13 639MAR 18 MAR 27 639APR 2 APR 11 639APR 16 APR 25 639MAY 6 MAY 15 639MAY 20 MAY 29 639JUN 2 JUN 11 639JUN 18 JUN 27 639JUN 24 JUL 3 639JUL 8 JUL 17 639JUL 15 JUL 24 639JUL 22 JUL 31 639JUL 29 AUG 7 639AUG 5 AUG 14 639AUG 12 AUG 21 639AUG 20 AUG 29 639AUG 23 SEP 1 639SEP 2 SEP 11 639SEP 9 SEP 18 639SEP 13 SEP 22 639NOV 15 NOV 24 669NOV 18 NOV 27 669NOV 25 DEC 4 669DEC 6 DEC 15 669DEC 16 DEC 25 669

DEC 23 JAN 1 669DEC 30 JAN 8 669JAN 6 JAN 15 705JAN 13 JAN 22 705JAN 17 JAN 26 705JAN 20 JAN 29 705JAN 27 FEB 5 705FEB 3 FEB 12 705FEB 7 FEB 16 705FEB 10 FEB 19 705FEB 18 FEB 27 705FEB 24 MAR 5 705FEB 28 MAR 9 705MAR 3 MAR 12 705MAR 10 MAR 19 705MAR 17 MAR 26 705MAR 21 MAR 30 705MAR 24 APR 2 705MAR 31 APR 9 705APR 7 APR 16 705APR 11 APR 20 705APR 14 APR 23 705APR 22 MAY 1 705APR 28 MAY 7 705MAY 2 MAY 11 705

MAY 5 MAY 14 705MAY 12 MAY 21 705MAY 19 MAY 28 705MAY 23 JUN 1 705MAY 26 JUN 4 705

Extend your trip with a 5 day add-on package from £299

For dates and more details referto contiki.com.au/cambodia

...to explore and do your own thing or talk toyour Tour Manager for details about the‘Optional Extras’ on offer (at an extra cost).See pages 4 and 5 for more details of waysto dig deeper into the places you’ll visit.

Chiang Mai: • Learn to cook Thai-style at acooking Class at Chiang Mai Cookery School.Chiang Rai: • Visit Akha & Yao hill tribes. • Visit the ‘Golden Triangle’ where 3 borders meet.Luang Prabang: • Half-day river kayakingadventure.Vang Vieng: • Zoom down the Mekong on ariver tube. • Cycle the countryside on a halfday bike tour.Vientiane: • Dine at Makphet Restaurant, atraining centre for former street children whichserves authentic Laos cuisine.Phnom Penh: • Visit the ancient capital of Udong. • Take a tuk-tuk to a Khmerdinner in a 120 year old French colonial building.Siem Reap: • Receive a good luck blessing ritual by Buddhist monks .

16 14 D

ays


All this included• 11 nights in 3 star hotels*• 1 night in a guesthouse*• 1 overnight train & 2 domestic flights*• 13 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L),

1 dinner (D)• Experienced Contiki Tour Manager,



FREE TIME

Bangkok:• Long-tail boat tour of the waterways

and canals• Unlimited Sky Rail pass to explore

the shopping districts • Overnight train to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai:• A visit to the Hmong Hilltribe village

and city orientation tour

Mekong Cruise – Chiang Rai/Pakbeng/Luang Prabang:• Travel in a traditional private boat

with onboard meals • Stay overnight in a local guesthouse

visiting remote villages’ markets

Luang Prabang: • A Bike tour of the UNESCO listed town

• Take part in the ritual of offering alms to the monks

Vientiane:• A city tour including entry to the

COPE Exhibition Centre, to learn about the Indochinese War

Phnom Penh:• City tour and visit to the Khmer

Rouge “Killing Fields” genocide sites

Siem Reap:• Travel by tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat, the

largest religious monument in the world and watch sunset over the ruins

• Visit floating communities on Tonle Sap Lake

• Visit the vine-covered Ta Prohm temple, seen in Tomb Raider


Chiang Mai

Traditional Laotian textiles for sale


THE BIGINDOCHINAADVENTURE

ASIAN ADVENTURE


Vientiane

Bangkok

Chiang Mai

PhnomPenh

Siem Reap

South China Sea

BURMA

LAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

Chiang Rai

Luang Prabang

Vang Vieng

Pakbeng

Day 1: Bangkok. It’s big, booming andbustling and the gateway to Asia, it’sBangkok! Meet your crew beforesampling the varied nightlife. Patpongneon lights, Lumpini markets or classycocktails? Dancing, dining anddiscovering, this city never sleeps. Hotel

Day 2: Bangkok to Chiang Mai. It’s aculture vulture morning visiting temples.Take a long-tail boat through thewaterways of Bangkok where the dailyrhythm of traditional Thai life continueson criss-crossing canals. In theafternoon dive into the bottomlessocean of shopping in Silom, MBKCentre, Siam Square and Sukhumvitbefore jumping aboard the overnighttrain to Chang Mai. Overnight Train (B)

Day 3: Chiang Mai. Enjoy mountain airwith the local guide, visit the Wat PhraThad and the colourful Hmong hilltribe attheir village, You could take an Optionalcooking class, chill by the pool or kickaround town. Hotel (B)

Day 4: Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.Head deeper towards the picturesqueGolden Triangle, where the Laos,Myanmar and Thailand borders meet.After a short group city orientation, youroptions include visiting the unique villagesof the Akha and Yao hilltribes. Hotel (B)

Day 5: Chiang Rai to Pakbeng. Crossingthe Thai/Laos border, we board a privatetraditional boat. Cruise the jungle on themighty Mekong River, taking sneak peeksof local life in remote waterside villages.Stay at a local Guesthouse in Pakbeng for

an authentic overnight Laos experience.Guesthouse (B,L,D)

Day 6: Pakbeng to Luang Prabang.Explore the local, vibrant morningmarkets in Pakbeng. Continue cruisingthe Mekong, stopping at the Tam Tingcave featuring thousands of Buddhastatues. In Luang Prabang take a biketour of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town and peruse the night marketsfeaturing hill tribe textiles. Hotel (B,L)

Day 7: Luang Prabang. Try one of theoptional activities including a half daykayak adventure or visit the ElephantPark Project and learn about theirconservation efforts. Maybe take a breakfrom the hustle and bustle, enjoy a coldBeer Lao – the national drink, and soakup the chilled ambience of this charmingLaotian town. Hotel (B)

Day 8: Luang Prabang to VangVieng. Join in the early morning ritual ofoffering alms to local monks beforetravelling by coach to Vang Vieng,keeping an eye on the limestonestudded scenery. Get active by eitherjumping in a rubber tube down the riveror taking a cycling tour. Hotel (B)

Day 9: Vang Vieng to Vientiane. After afree morning, depart for Vientiane, theFrench influenced capital of Laos. Learnabout the effects on Laos of TheIndochina or “Forgotten” War at the COPEExhibition Centre and other sites. You’llhave an option to enjoy an authenticLaotian meal at Makphet. Here they trainformer street children, and return therestaurant’s profits to the Peuan Mit streetchildren project to keep training the nextgenerations of chefs. Hotel (B)

Day 10: Vientiane to Phnom Penh.Goodbye Laos and hello Cambodia asyou travel by plane to the capital. Enjoyfree time to explore the city once knownas the “Pearl of Asia”. Boasting broad,French styled boulevards, walk thestreets and absorb the local colour orvisit one of the many museums about theregime of the Khmer Rouge. Hotel (B)

Day 11: Phnom Penh. Today tour theRoyal Palace and view first-hand, thelegacy of the violent Khmer Rouge at the“Killing Fields” genocide sites. Spend afree afternoon visiting boutique shops,and as a highlight, pick an option totravel by tuk-tuk to a 120 year oldFrench colonial building for a traditionalKhmer meal before ending the night at aroof top bar. Hotel (B)

Day 12: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.Today we fly to Siem Reap to see anarchaeological wonder of the world.Travel by tuk-tuk to 13th century AngkorWat one of the biggest religiousmonuments ever built. Chillout at sun setover the ruins and return for a free nightin Siem Reap. Hotel (B)

Day 13: Siem Reap. Explore the floatingvillages on Tonle Sap Lake by woodenboat before an atmospheric visit to othertemples close to Angkor that have beenreclaimed from the jungle. You’llrecognise scenes from the movie TombRaider with the exotic Ta Prohm. Hotel (B)

Day 14: Siem Reap. You might receivean early-morning good luck blessing byBuddhist monks before your tourconcludes around midday.

14 D

ays

17

Itinerary

Refer to contiki.com.au/asianadventure


Places visited

Traditional PhoSoup

MAR 3 MAR 16 909APR 1 APR 14 909MAY 5 MAY 18 909JUN 3 JUN 16 909JUL 7 JUL 20 909AUG 5 AUG 18 909NOV 10 NOV 23 955DEC 8 DEC 21 955JAN 5 JAN 18 999FEB 3 FEB 16 999MAR 9 MAR 22 999APR 7 APR 20 999MAY 11 MAY 24 999

CODE: ASAD 2009/10

Start End £ PerBangkok Siem Reap Person

† On Day 1, your Tour Manager willcollect a mandatory local paymentof US$185 cash.

Single room supplement: £199.

Start 6:00pm & end approx.12:00 noon.

For Travel Insurance see p.22.

•

•



SEE PAGE 19

2009

2010

Hanoi

Halong Bay

Sapa

Ho Chi Minh City

Nha Trang

Hue

Da Nang

Hoi An

South China Sea

BURMA

LAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

Mekong Delta

Vientiane

Bangkok

Chiang Mai

PhnomPenh

Siem Reap

Chiang Rai

Luang Prabang

Vang Vieng

Pakbeng

VISIT 4 COUNTRIES Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam

Bangkok:• Long-tail boat tour of the waterways

and canals• Unlimited Sky Rail pass to explore

the shopping districts • Overnight train to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai:• A visit to the Hmong Hilltribe village

and city orientation tour

Mekong Cruise – Chiang Rai/Pakbeng/Luang Prabang:• Travel in a traditional private boat

with onboard meals • Stay overnight in a local guesthouse

visiting remote villages’ markets

Luang Prabang: • A Bike tour of the UNESCO listed

town • Take part in the ritual of offering

alms to the monks

Vientiane:• A city tour including entry to the

COPE Exhibition Centre, to learn about the Indochinese War

Phnom Penh:• City tour and visit to the Khmer

Rouge “Killing Fields” genocidesites

Siem Reap:• Travel by tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat, the

largest religious monument in the world and watch sunset over theruins

• Visit floating communities on Tonle

Sap Lake• Visit the vine-covered Ta Prohm

temple, seen in Tomb Raider Mekong Delta Homestay:• Cruise the Mekong Delta• Bike ride the countryside• Live with a local family on an

overnight stay • Bike ride the countryside


Remnants Museum

Nha Trang:• Enjoy this seaside resort town

known for its pristine beaches andturquoise waters


listed Old Quarter • Countryside bike ride

Hue:• See stunning scenery en-route to

Hue• Take a dragon boat to visit pagodas • Visit the Imperial Citadel

Halong Bay:• Overnight cruise in a traditional

Junk boat• Swim, snorkel and explore the

lagoon and coral

Sapa:• Trek through 6 villages meeting 3




Places visited

...to explore and do your own thing or talk to your Tour Manager for detailsabout the ‘Optional Extras’ on offer (at an extra cost). See pages 4 and 5 formore details of ways to dig deeper into the places you’ll visit.

Chiang Mai: • Learn to cook Thai-style at a cooking Class at Chiang Mai CookerySchool. • Chiang Rai: • Visit Akha & Yao hill tribes. • Visit the ‘Golden Triangle’where 3 borders meet. • Luang Prabang:• Half-day river kayaking adventure. • VangVieng: • Zoom down the Mekong on a rivertube. • Cycle the countryside on a half day biketour .• Vientiane: • Dine at MakphetRestaurant, a training centre for former streetchildren which serves authentic Laos cuisine. • Phnom Penh: • Visit the ancient capital ofUdong. • Take a tuk-tuk to a Khmer dinner ina 120 year old French colonial building. • Siem Reap: • Receive a good luckblessing ritual by Buddhist monks. • Ho Chi Minh City: • Enjoy a meal at afloating restaurant. • Nha Trang: • Cruise tooffshore islands to swim and snorkel. • Experience a mineral mud bath warmed byhot springs. • Hoi An: • Take a trip to the MySon Temples. • Visit Tra Que and spend aday working with the local village farmers. • Hue: • Bike to the Forbidden City. • Cookingclass and dinner in a renovated Royal house.

FREE TIME

All this included• 20 nights in 3 star hotels* • 3 nights in homestay/guesthouse*• 3 overnight trains* • 1 overnight cruise*• 6 domestic flights• 26 breakfasts (B), 7 lunches (L), 5 dinners (D)• Experienced Contiki Tour Manager, local English-speaking

guides & driver• Local taxes and Service charges • Transport and included sightseeing


Days 1-15 see Asia Adventureon page 16-17Days 16-27 see VietnamExplorer on page 8-9

Itinerary


18 28 D

AYS THE BIG

INDOCHINA ADVENTURE

MAR 3 MAR 30 1915APR 1 APR 28 1915MAY 5 JUN 1 1915JUN 3 JUN 30 1915JUL 7 AUG 3 1915AUG 5 SEP 1 1915NOV 10 DEC 7 2015DEC 8 JAN 4 2015JAN 5 FEB 1 2109FEB 3 MAR 2 2109MAR 9 APR 5 2109APR 7 MAY 4 2109MAY 11 JUN 7 2109

CODE: BICA 2009/10

Start End £ PerBangkok Hanoi Person

† On Day 1, your Tour Manager willcollect a mandatory local paymentof US$375 cash.

Single room supplement: £539.Start 6:00pm & end approx.8:00am.

For Travel Insurance see p.22.

•

•



SEE PAGE 19

2009

2010

Refer to contiki.com.au/indochinaadventure

How to cut the cost of your holiday even more...Juicy Deals! £££’sSave

Price Guarantee

Group Discounts

Multiple Tour Discount

Funky 4 - Save 5%Our ‘Funky 4’ discount means a 5% saving per person when 4 or morepeople book at the same time on the same trip.

Super 7 - Discount Save 7.5%Book a group of 7 people travelling on the same holiday at the sametime and get a 7.5% discount per person.

Travel Free - Save £££’sExperience Contiki’s Europe with a group of 10 friends booked on thesame trip at the same time and the 11th person travels free.Alternatively, everyone in your group gets 10% off.

NB. All discounts apply to land tour price only. Funky 4, Super 7, Travel Free andMix and Match multiple tour offers cannot be combined.

6 Month Discount

4 Month Discount

Early Payment Discounts

As soon as Contiki has received your deposit, the land tour price confirmedto you by Contiki reservations is guaranteed so book and pay your depositas early as possible! It gives you the best choice and could save youmoney. Only Government action can change the price you pay. See page23 for full details.

Save £35. Book two Contiki holidays, at least seven days long at thesame time from this, or any other Contiki brochure and get £35 off thecost of the second holiday.

Save up to £95 off the cost of your tourwhen you book and pay in full at least 6months prior to departure.

Save up to £49 off the cost of your tourwhen you book and pay in full at least 4 months prior to departure.

Look out for the early payment discount symbol on each tour page

6 MONTH DISCOUNT SAVE UP TO £954 MONTH DISCOUNT SAVE UP TO £49


SEE PAGE 19

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Our Conservation FoundationIt’s not easy being green….but we feel it’s important. We want to helpyou see the world but also protect our planet for the future. So at Contikiwe have put our money where our mouth is and are a part of the LeadingTravel Companies Conservation Foundation, contributing $1 million tocommunity projects all over the world. In the field our staff volunteerlocally and at the office we operate as sustainably as possible.

Be involved! Contiki have partners worldwide who can help you offset your carbon emissions throughContiki – check out contiki.com.au/responsible-travel-asia to find out how. We also encourage you totravel responsibly: recycle, reuse and respect the culture and environment of the places you visit.

Supporting Community ProjectsWe like to give back by supporting community projects in the areas we visit. Wherever possible we areinvolved with NGO’s and organisations that support the community. So when you travel Contiki, you alsobegin helping some of the less fortunate in the countries we visit.

In Laos we eat at The Makphet Restaurant run by Peuan Mit in Vientiane. The restaurant gets youth offthe streets and into a job, training them not only in hospitality but equipping them with life skills. You caneat their cuisine, made using only local ingredients and not only do you support these trainee chefs, youget a fine Laotian meal into the bargain.

In Cambodia, we offer the option to eat at the Lotus Blanc run by Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (Smile for aChild). It rescues children who are forced to scavenge through the Stung Mean Chey garbage dump inPhnom Penh to survive. The restaurant offers students on-the-job training and the profits support around4,000 school children, with meals also being provided for children. If you are not in the mood for a bite,support the handicraft store next door – a great place for souvenirs.

In Hoi An, Vietnam you can visit the Hai Café, which organises clean-up programs and aims to helppreserve the local wildlife, culture and community. Chat to one of their staff, all voluntary educators, and learn about the unique biodiversity from a local. Or take a look at the Reaching Out store, also in HoiAn, with craft constructed by disabled artisans. The store aims to develop the skills of handicappedpeople, helping them break the cycle of poverty.

So become a part of leaving the countries we visit a better place. For more information head to:contiki.com.au/responsible-travel-asia

With all these projects Contiki works closely with Stay Another Day, a sustainable tourism organizationrun by the International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group). See more at stay-another-day.org.

Making a Difference

Please either pass this brochure on tosomeone else when finished, or recycle it.

What can you do?

▲ Photos courtesy of Stay Another Day▲

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Contiki Forums

There are 3 things you can’t leave home without – your passport, your spending money and a visit toContiki’s website. Wired with loads of cutting edge features, it’s a fun and interactive travel planning sitethat will help you save heaps of time and money organising your overseas adventure.

What’s on contiki.com?

Need a hand hunting downthe perfect holiday?

Our Trip Finder will point you in the right direction – it sorts by lots ofdifferent categories like departure date, price range and destination to makeyour choice super easy.

contiki.com.au/tripfinder

Trip Finder

If you still can’t decide where to go and what to do, the My Trips tool letsyou save all the best bits about each destination like itineraries and articles– so you can think about it, take your time to make a decision and lookover your plans later.

contiki.com.au/mytrips

My Trips

The Contiki Experience

Live the Contiki experience online through the eyes of two Contiki travellersat contiki.com.au/video. Our awesome mini-movie follows their adventuresacross Europe and the USA.

Minimovie

Connect now

Don’t wait until you leave for your trip to meet other Contiki travellers, get inearly and chat online before you head off on Contiki’s message boards.

It’s also a great place to ask questions to Contiki passengers or ourexperienced tour managers. Plus it’s excellent for staying in touch once youget home.

contiki.com.au/forums

Forget hard to read travel diaries – share your up-to-the-minute travel yarnswith friends and family back home as they happen on the road with theMy Trip Journal tool.

contiki.com.au/mytripjournal

My Trip Journal

Contikipedia

Other cool stuff

If you want to cash in on the latest deals and exclusive offers, contiki.comis the place to search for an unbelievable bargain.

Deals & Offers

Keep your finger on the pulse and join Contiki eNews - our email newsletterthat's full of interesting and exciting features like travel tips, competitions,giveaways, trip reviews, polls, plus more.

And if that isn't enough, from time to time we'll send you excellent dealsand member-only offers to save you loads of money.

contiki.com.au/enews

Join Contiki eNews

Want to know more and be kept up to date?

You’ve heard of Wikipedia, right? Well, this is our very own wiki stuffed fullof everything you ever wanted to know about the Contiki experience.

Written by our Tour Managers, it is a must-check travel ‘bible’ on all thingsContiki and gives you loads of important, insider-only travel tips aboutContiki trips and ‘life on the road’.

contiki.com.au/contikipedia

For information on how to extend your stay pre or post your trip, ordetails of where your Contiki tour departs in each city, please refer tocontiki.com.au/asia or your Contiki Travellers Guide that is providedwith your final documentation after booking.

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What’s included?• Coach, train, internal flights, air

transfers and ferry transport as detailed in the ‘All this Included’ section on each tour page.

• Accommodation, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as detailed in the ‘All this Included’ section on each tour page.

• Sightseeing as detailed in the ‘Included Highlights’ section on each tour page. Unless specified, entrance fees are not included.

• Experienced Tour Manager, Driver and locally based guides.

What’s not included?• Personal spending money.

• Visas, personal insurance, medical fees.

• Sightseeing, visits and entrance feesother than those specified on the tour pages.

• Optional activities such as whitewatertubing, cooking classes, etc.

• Lunches, some dinners (unless they have been specified in the ‘All this Included’ section on each tour page)

• Local payment.

Local paymentsAs is standard for touring in Asia, Contikihave local payments on each of theirtours. Local payments are made on Day1 of the tour, directly to the TourManager in $USD. They cover localguides, tipping, attractions and transport.

Will I get moreinformation?Upon receipt of final payment, you’llreceive a copy of your Contiki Asia‘Travellers Guide’. This is aninformation book with all the nitty grittydetails about your holiday. You’ll also

receive a comprehensive day-by-dayitinerary including full details and costsof all Optional activities available onyour tour, as well as information aboutdeparture points and how to get there.

Your complimentary Contiki DocumentWallet* will be sent to you along withyour travel documents. It’s aconvenient place for your tickets,paperwork and passport and quiteuseful to use when travelling again inthe future!

*Contiki reserves the right to substitutean alternative travel accessory for theContiki Document Wallet.

How much money do Ineed?We recommend you carry cash as wellas Travellers Cheques in smalldenominations in United States Dollars(USD), plus a local currency such asRiel (Cambodia), Kip (Laos), Baht(Thailand) or Vietnam Dong (Vietnam).Please note, Travellers Cheques arewidely accepted in big cities but therewill be times where it would be wise tobring adequate funds in cash iftravelling in remote areas.

You will need to allow enough moneyto cover optional lunches and dinners,souvenirs and shopping, drinks,optional activities, entrance fees tosome attractions and eveningentertainment.

Please do not depend solely on acredit/debit card for cash as they arenot accepted in all areas.

Brochure authenticityWe have put a great deal of effort intoproducing this brochure. Theinformation given and literatureproduced by Contiki has beencompiled with care and is published ingood faith. Sometimes, because ofcircumstances outside our control, wehave to alter some excursions due toseasonal closing or repairs tobuildings, etc, especially early or latein the season. If this happens,alternative excursions will be arranged.

Security

How much luggage canI bring?On all tours, luggage is restricted to amaximum suitcase size of 73cm x50cm x 25cm (29" x 20" x 10") andmaximum weight of 20 kg (44lbs) plusone small hand/day bag that can goon the coach with you. NO EXTERNALMETAL FRAME BACKPACKS PLEASE,their bulky shape makes coachpacking difficult.

Contiki reserves the right to refuse toaccept larger suitcases on tour.Baggage is carried at the owner’s riskand baggage insurance is stronglyrecommended.

Do I needvaccinations?At the time this brochure went to press(August 2008), the followingimmunizations are recommended fortravellers in Southeast Asia.• Diphtheria and tetanus• Hepatitis A• Typhoid• Meningococcal Meningitis• Rabies• Japanese B Encephalitis

Consult your doctor or local healthdepartment to discuss which ones youneed. Don’t forget to bring with youany medication that you may requireen route such as antihistamines,antibiotics, etc.

Do I need visas?Depending on your nationality, you mayrequire visas to enter certain countriesincluded in your tour. You are fullyresponsible for obtaining all necessary visas prior to the departureof your tour. Contiki is not legallypermitted to knowingly allow anybodywho does not have a valid visa to joina tour.

Visa and other entry and exitconditions (such as currency,arrival/departure taxes, customs andquarantine regulations) changeregularly. Consult your travel agent orContiki to determine which visas yourequire and how to obtain them.

Your passport must have at least sixmonths’ validity remaining when youarrive in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnamand Laos. Local immigrationauthorities may deny entry and deportpeople who do not meet thisrequirement, even if they intendstaying only for a short period.

Important:1. Visas can take up to six weeks and

a fee is normally charged.2. Failure to obtain all necessary visas

could cause you to miss part ofyour tour and will result in youincurring considerable expense andinconvenience.

3. It is better to apply for all visasthrough your travel agent before youleave home. It is very important thatthe entry and exit dates are correcton the visa. Your travel agent willcontact Contiki for full details.

Travel insuranceYou must take out comprehensiveinsurance cover for cancellation,medical expenses, personal accident,personal baggage, money and publicliability before you travel. You may notbe accepted on a Contiki holidayunless you have arranged satisfactoryinsurance. You also agree to indemnifyus against all third-party claims,actions, damages and remedies againstus arising from your participation in theholiday.

For insurance details, please speak toyour Travel Agent or Contikireservations agent at the time ofmaking your booking.

Contiki has been running tours foryoung people since 1962 and is amember of the Australian Federation ofTravel Agents (AFTA). The membersinclude all the major tour operators whoare financially bonded for your securityand who maintain the higheststandards. With the guarantees of theseorganisations, you know your holidayand money are secure with Contiki.

In the meantime, contiki.com.au/contikipedia is also a great sourceof information on tour departurepoints, destinations visited on ourtours and general travellers’ tips.

Booking ConditionsOnce Contiki accepts your booking by confirmation thereof a contract is made between Contiki andyou upon the terms and conditions set out below.OUR RESPONSIBILITIES1. YOUR HOLIDAY RESERVATIONOn receipt of your deposit, subject to availability and atour discretion, Contiki will reserve your place on yourselected holiday. A contract is made between you andContiki Travel (UK) Limited (Registered in England No.1336852 (Contiki)) only upon your booking being confirmedand accepted by us and our communication thereof to you oryour travel agent. 2. PRICE GUARANTEEPrices in this brochure are based on costs and exchangerates as at 11th August, 2008. Should these costschange, it may be necessary to make a surcharge on theprice of your holiday. Should the total tour price increaseby more than 10% you will have the right to cancel within7 days of notification without penalty. No surcharge inrespect of cost or currency fluctuations will be made oncepayment of the deposit for your land tour has beenreceived. This guarantee excludes fuel surcharges anddoes not apply to any taxes, charges or levies imposed byany government or their agencies. In exchange for theseguarantees, no refund will be made if costs are reduced.3. IF WE CANCEL OR CHANGE YOUR HOLIDAY3.1 Contiki reserves the right to change or cancel yourbooking in accordance with operating requirements orcircumstances beyond its control.3.2 Should change or cancellation prove necessary wewill give you reasonable notice thereof, in thecircumstances, and where available, offer you acomparable alternative.3.3 If an alternative is not available or acceptable you willbe entitled to either a full refund of monies paid by you tous or transfer to another Contiki holiday without paymentof any transfer fee.3.4 If the change or cancellation is due to force majeure(i.e. circumstances like political unrest, war or threat ofwar, riots, civil strife, closure of airports or ports,industrial disputes, terrorist activity, natural and nucleardisasters, fire, epidemic or health risk, Acts of God,adverse weather conditions or other similar eventsbeyond Contiki’s control) we will give a full refund of anymonies paid to us less reasonable expenses incurred byus in respect of your booking.3.5 Contiki is not responsible for the costs of any othertravel arrangements affected due to our cancellations orrescheduling of any tour departure.4. HOLIDAY DETAILS & CONDITIONS4.1 The information in our brochure is correct to the bestof our knowledge at the time of going to print (August 2008) but we cannot guarantee that any item oramenity mentioned will be available especially where wehave no direct control over it.4.2 Contiki will do its best, at its discretion, to selectaccommodation, sightseeing tours and transportation togive you good value for money.4.3 Contiki constantly strives to improve tour itinerariesand features. If such improvements can be made, orunforeseen circumstances beyond our control makechanges necessary, we reserve the right to varyitineraries and to substitute hotels. Contiki is notresponsible for any other travel arrangements affecteddue to our cancellations.5. LIABILITY5.1 Your travel agent shall, on the receipt of any monies,hold such monies for you until the booking is confirmedat which time those monies shall be remitted promptly byyour travel agent to us. All such monies received by uswill be deposited as required by law. 5.2 We will be entitled to keep for our account anyinterest earned on such monies.5.3 All monies paid by you to us through your travelagent or otherwise, whether in respect of the deposit orfull payment, may be disbursed by us as and when wesee fit, in respect of the services to be provided and/orfees payable under the tour program. The payment of a deposit or any other monies in respect of your tour shallbe deemed to be an authorisation for disbursementthereof as aforesaid.YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES1. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY1.1 In order to reserve your holiday, a deposit of £60, perperson per tour or resort stay, or the full amount payableif booking is made within 45 days of departure, must besubmitted to Contiki by you in respect of that holiday.This payment is in addition to any deposit required byyour travel agent. The deposit is accepted as a firstinstallment of the holiday price by Contiki only once thebooking has been confirmed in writing by Contiki or yourtravel agent.1.2 Your land reservation will be confirmed on receipt ofa non refundable deposit of £60 per person per tour orresort stay which must be within 7 days of booking or thereservation will automatically be cancelled.1.3 Any special meal requirements will be made on arequest basis only. Contiki cannot guarantee special mealrequests nor will it assume any responsibility or liability ifclients’ special meal requirements are not fulfilled.

2. PAYING THE BALANCE2.1 The balance of the holiday must be paid no later than45 days before the scheduled departure date which shallbe by the due date stated on the confirmation issued toyou by Contiki.2.2 If payment isn’t made by the due date, Contiki mayassume that you have cancelled and cancellation chargesin accordance with clause 3 below will be levied byContiki.2.3 Tickets and other documents won't be forwardeduntil full payment has been received by us. Thedocumentation will be sent approximately 21 days priorto your departure from Australia.2.4 In the case of Late Bookings made within 45 days ofyour tour departure, the full cost of the holiday will bepayable immediately on booking and we reserve the rightto provide all travel documents at the holiday departurepoint. 2.5 Contiki reserves the right to cancel the booking andapply cancellation charges should payments not bereceived within the above specified periods.3. IF YOU CANCEL3.1 Notice of cancellation must be made in writing to Contiki.3.2 If you cancel more than 45 days before departure,your £60 deposit will not be refunded, nor can it becredited to any other booking.3.3 Upon cancellation you will be liable to pay a fee tocover the estimate of cost and expenses incurred by us inthe terms of the schedule set out hereunder. This isexpressed as a percentage of the holiday price and iscalculated as follows:PERIOD OF NOTICE CANCELLATION FEEOver 45 days notice: Deposit is forfeited45-22 days: 27.5% of tour fare21-8 days: 33% of tour fare7-1 days: 55% of tour fareDay of departure: 100% of tour fareWhere the percentage cancellation fee is less than thetour deposit, the cancellation fee will equal loss ofdeposit. If the reason for cancellation falls within theterms of any holiday insurance policy which you hold,then any such charges may, subject to the terms of yourinsurance policy, be refunded to you by the insurancecompany.3.4 Any cancellation of additional services booked priorto and after your tour or resort booking, such as pre andpost accommodation and transfers, that are cancelledwithin 14 days of the tour departure incur a 100%cancellation fee.3.5 These cancellation fees are in addition to anycancellation fees that may be levied by your Travel Agent.4. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING4.1 If after your booking has been confirmed and morethan 45 days prior to departure, you wish to change to analternate departure date or you wish to change to adifferent Contiki holiday, you may do so subject toavailability and provided the new holiday date is also inthis brochure.4.2 A fee of £15 per person will be charged for anyrevision or alteration made to a reservation after thebooking is confirmed unless the change increases thevalue of the booking. A change of tour date, tour itineraryor resort booking within 45 days of departure will betreated as a cancellation, and normal cancellation fees willapply except when the change is to an earlier departuredate of equivalent or greater value in which case a £15per person amendment fee will be charged.5. HOLIDAY DETAILS AND CONDITIONS5.1 Please read the brochure carefully for those itemsincluded in the price. No allowance or refund can bemade for meals, accommodation, excursions, etc. thatyou elect not to take, or when museums, shops, etc. areclosed. Hotel facilities may vary from place to place.Meals may vary in style.5.2 Contiki must be advised of any medical conditions orphysical disability requiring special attention before youbook your holiday. If you do not advise us at this stage,we may refuse to accept your booking. We may alsorefuse you if we feel that the holiday chosen is notsuitable without a suitably qualified companion. Contikiwill try to help you with your requirements but cannotguarantee to do so, either on our own or our suppliers’(such as hotels, restaurants and excursions) behalf. Manyof our holidays involve getting on and off coaches,walking tours and other physical activities. Some holidaysmay not be suitable for you if you rely on a wheelchair orhave certain other disabilities. Should your disabilityrequire you to have special assistance, it is a condition ofContiki accepting your booking that you provide evidencesatisfactory to us that an able-bodied person willaccompany you and is able to provide any special needsor services that you may require. Contiki will not beresponsible for the failure of this person to provide theseservices.5.3 You are responsible for all travel arrangements andcosts to/from the point of commencement/conclusion of

the holiday.5.4 There may be times when the Contiki Representativehas to make a decision in your best interests or the bestinterests of their group. You agree to comply with theauthority and decisions of the appointed ContikiRepresentative and the laws of the country in which youare travelling. If you do not so comply or if, in the ContikiRepresentative’s opinion, you are not compatible with thegeneral enjoyment and well being of other members onthe holiday or smooth operation of the holiday itself, wereserve the right to refuse to let you continue with theholiday. Furthermore, you agree that your fellow travellersand any Contiki Representative has the right totravel/work in a safe environment. Any threats to theirsafety, well being or inappropriate behaviour by you,whether verbal or physical, will be taken extremelyseriously and may result in the immediate termination ofyour holiday. In either event, you will be responsible foryour own repatriation and related costs and have noclaims against us.5.4.1 You are responsible for any costs incurred as aresult of damage or excess cleaning fees related to youraccommodation. You are advised to immediately reportany pre-existing damage in your room to hotel/ContikiVillage staff and/or a Contiki Tour Manager as soon as itis discovered.5.5 Where the passenger occupies a motorcoach seatfitted with a safety belt, neither the operator or serviceproviders, agents or co-operating organisations shall beliable for any illness, injury or death or any loss ordamages or claims whatsoever arising from any accidentor incident, if the safety belt is not being worn at the timeof the accident or incident.5.6 It is your responsibility to have a valid passport andall visas, permits and certificates required for yourselected holiday as well as any necessary vaccinationsand to comply with all applicable laws.5.7 You agree that our Contiki Tour Managers orRepresentatives may take photographs and films of youwhile you are on holiday and that these may be used inour Group brochures and/or advertising or publicitymaterial without obtaining any further consent orpayment in respect of such photographs and/or films.5.8 Should you have a complaint in respect of theholiday, you should inform the Contiki Tour Manager orRepresentative during the course of the holiday and if thematter cannot be resolved after the representative’s bestendeavours to do so during the holiday, your complaintshould be made in writing to Contiki as soon as isreasonably possible after the holiday but within 42 daysthereof so that your complaint can be investigated. Anyclaims made after the 42 day period will not beconsidered by Contiki. If you choose to write to Contikivia the Internet, please provide your home address sothat we are able to reply to you in writing.5.9.1 The contract and all matters arising in respecthereof shall be subject to Australian Law, unless we agreeotherwise in writing.5.9.2 If any provision of this contract is held invalid orunenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, thatprovision shall be deemed to be re-written to give effectto the same purpose within the permitted limits of thelaw. The validity and enforceability of the other provisionsshall not be affected.5.9.3 If you are unsuccessful in any legal action institutedagainst us, you agree to pay all our costs, including butnot limited to, attorney/client costs.6. INSURANCEContiki very strongly recommend that you take outcomprehensive insurance cover for cancellation, medicalexpenses, personal accident, personal baggage, moneyand public liability before embarking on a Contiki holiday.Please check that the insurance covers all of the activitiesthat you are going to be participating in. Some policiesexclude certain adventure activities. This should bearranged at the time of payment of the deposit and will, incertain circumstances, cover you against loss of depositor cancellation fees from the date of confirmation of yourbooking, as shown in the insurance policy. You also agreeto indemnify us against all third-party claims, actions,damages and remedies which may be brought against usin respect of your participation in the holiday.7. ILLNESS OR ABSENTEEISMIn the event of your withdrawal from a holiday after the commencement as a result of illness, you must obtain a medical certificate in support of any insurance claim. No refunds will be made for any absence from the tour.8. WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED IN THE HOLIDAY PRICEAirfares to and from your holiday destination, airporttaxes, passport and visa fees, insurance, laundry, phonecalls, beverages, meals not detailed in the itinerary, tips totour managers, representatives, drivers and local guides,items of a personal nature, excess baggage, optionalexcursions.9. WEATHER CONDITIONSUnder no circumstances can we be held responsible forsnow or weather conditions, nor can any holiday be

cancelled or amended by you at any time on the basis ofsnow or weather conditions.

GENERAL1. CONTRACTING PARTIES1.1 The Booking Conditions detailed herein contain theentire contract between you and Contiki. Norepresentation, term, warranty or condition can beexpressed or implied by reference to any other writing,advertisement or conversation. This contract may only bevaried in writing by a duly authorised officer or directorof Contiki. 1.2 Your contract is with us as the tour operatingcompany. At any time and at our complete discretion wemay nominate to you in writing any other company orperson to have the benefit of some or all of thoseprovisions of this contract, which we may then specify, asif you had agreed the provisions concerned directly withthat company or person in the first place as well asagreeing them with us. We may at our completediscretion assign all or any rights and liabilities arisingunder or by virtue of this or any other contract with you.1.3 Transportation companies, airlines etc. are not to beheld responsible for any act, omission or event during thetime passengers are not on board planes, transportationor conveyances. We rely on international conventionwhich may apply to the services provided by us, oursuppliers or agents with respect to any claim of anynature brought by you against us as a result of theprovision of those services. International conventionswhich apply may include: Warsaw Convention 1929, (asamended by Hague Protocol and Montreal Protocol) inrelation to air travel, or Montreal Convention; the BerneConvention for rail travel; Athens Convention 1974 forcarriage by sea; the Geneva Convention for carriage byroad and the Paris Convention 1962 for Hotels. We are tobe regarded as having all benefit of these conventions onlimiting our liability in relation to any claim for death,injury, loss, damage and delay to passengers andluggage. Enrolment in and payment for a tour shallconstitute agreement and acceptance by the passenger ofthe terms and conditions set forth in this brochure whichcannot be varied except in writing by an officer of theCompany.1.4 Contiki is not a carrier or hotelier nor does it ownaircraft, hotels or coaches. All bookings with carriers,hoteliers and other service providers are subject to theterms and conditions and limitations of liability imposedby those carriers, hoteliers, and other service providers.Please note that some of these limit or exclude liability inrespect of death, personal injury, delay and loss ordamage to baggage. Whilst we cannot accept anyresponsibility for any loss as a result of such actions oras a result of any act or omission of any such third-parties, we will give every reasonable assistance inhelping to resolve any reasonable dispute. Please alsonote that Contiki cannot be held responsible for the failureof any of these parties to provide facilities or services fordisabled clients (see also 5.3 under Holiday Details &Conditions).1.5 Please note that no airline or carrier depicted orrecommended in this brochure by virtue of theirendorsement of this brochure represent themselves eitheras contracting with any purchaser of a holiday fromContiki or as having any other legal relationship with anysuch purchaser.1.6 Every effort is made to ensure brochure accuracy atthe time of going to print, however Contiki cannot be heldresponsible for printing or typographical errors, or errorsarising from unforeseen circumstances.2. VALIDITYThe programmes advertised in this brochure are validfrom March 2009 to July 2010.3. OPERATING COMPANIESThe programmes advertised in this brochure are operatedby Contiki Holidays (Australia) Pty Ltd.4. IMPORTANT NOTICEWhen you buy an ATOL Protected Air Holiday Packagefrom Contiki, you will receive a Confirmation invoice fromus (or via our authorised agent through which youbooked) confirming your arrangements and yourprotection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licencenumber 2689. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, theCAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and willarrange to refund any money you have paid to us for anadvance booking. For further information visit the ATOLwebsite at www.atol.org.uk.

Contiki Travel (UK) Limited is a member of ABTA undermember-ship number V0438/20305. As such we are fullybonded according to ABTA's rules and abide by ABTA'sCode of Conduct.

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How to Book

Reservations & Sales

Group BookingsIf you're planning to organise a group to Europe, America, Australia, New Zealandor Asia, why not take a close look at the wide variety of tours detailed in any ofour Contiki brochures. It is more than likely that one (or more!) of the itinerarieswill fit in perfectly with your requirements. As long as everyone in your group is18-35, any date can be reserved exclusively for your group at special, reducedrates - perhaps even a free trip for yourself!

If you’re looking for something completely different, our Special Interest GroupsDepartment in Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have beenhelping those with specific group travel requirements for years! School and Universitytrips, choirs, wine tours, Grand Prix, ski tours, you name it we’ve done it.

From supplying competitive quotations to helping you plan the best itinerary - rightdown to the last detail, our worldwide team of experts is able to arrange a customdesigned holiday or incentive trip to suit your particular requirements. Call your travelagent or nearest Contiki Office - you’ll be surprised at how we can make it happen.

Please don’t throw this brochure away, weencourage you to either pass it on to a friend orplace it in a paper recycling bin.Contiki is represented in Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, China,Costa Rica, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea,Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, PuertoRico, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand,United Kingdom, USA.Contiki ® is a registered trademark of Contiki Tours International Ltd.,Bermuda. © Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. Printed in Australia.

A Proud Member of

PEFC/xx-xx-xx

Special Interest Groups

1. Your travel agent will confirm by phone with the local Contiki office that there's space on the tour you've chosen.

2. At the time of booking, you must pay to your travel agent a non-refundable deposit of £60 per person per tour which must be sent to Contiki within 7 days. This payment is in addition to any deposit required by yourtravel agent.

3. Once your deposit has been received, Contiki will send your travel agent confirmation of the details of thebooking.

4. You must pay the balance of your holiday fare to Contiki through your travel agent no less than 45 days beforethe departure date, or at the time of booking if less than 45 days before departure.

5. We will then send to your travel agent your travel vouchers and detailed information about your holiday. Thedocumentation will be sent approximately 21 days prior to your departure.

IMPORTANT:

By paying the £60 deposit per person per tour to your travel agent, you acknowledge that you have read and understoodthe Booking Conditions as set out on page 23, which make up the contract between you and Contiki.

A Proud Member of

Contiki Travel (UK) LimitedWells House

15 Elmfield Road

Bromley,

Kent, BR1 1LS

Email: [email protected]

Internet address: www.contiki.com

Sales / Administration:

TEL: (020) 8290 6777

FAX: (020) 8225 4246

Reservations:

TEL: (020) 8290 6422

FAX: (020) 8225 4222

Brochure Hotline:

0870 333 4884

asia 2009-2010 - contiki holidays - gbp

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