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Vietnam: From Hanoi to the Temples of AngkorDownload the brochure for this year's tour.
Check out the itinerary for this tour.
Tell a friend about this tour.
Join the University of Wisconsin-Madison on an unforgettable educational journey to the lands of Vietnam and Cambodia! Experience the beauty of Hanoi and Halong Bay, the heritage of Hue and Hoi An, the vibrant energy of Ho Chi Minh City, the floating cultures of the Mekong River delta, reborn Phnom Penh, and the incomparable Temples of Angkor!
An expertly guided tour of Hanoi and the Temple of Literature, the Old Quarter, Thay Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh complex precedes your trip to the coast and an overnight on board a deluxe junk in the stunningly beautiful Halong Bay.
In central Vietnam you’ll learn about her imperial past by visiting the ancient capital city of Hue and its Citadel, Thai Hoa Palace, and the Tomb of Tu Doc; a visit to the unparalleled Cham Museum in Danang, and a guided walking tour of the exquisitely preserved merchant town of Hoi An, where we will also take a day of rest and relaxation.
Next you’ll travel to the southern end of this lush country and the former capital of Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City, where you will study the use and strategies employed by the Viet Cong in the Chu Chi Tunnels and return to the tragedy of the Vietnam War at the War Remnants Museum. You will also explore Chinatown, visit The Reunification Palace, and more, before moving on to the Mekong River Delta where you will learn about the people and culture of the wonderful floating markets and river towns. 
After three nights in the delta you’ll take a speedboat up the Tonlé Bassac River to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. This fascinating city has witnessed both the highs and the lows of humanity through the ages and we’ll gain insights into each of those realities through our guided visits to Wat Phnom, the National Museum, the Royal Palace, and the heart-wrenching museum of the Killing Fields at Tuol Sleng.
Your educational adventure in Indochina culminates in extraordinary fashion with three full days at the crown jewel of Khmer architecture: The Temples of Angkor! Our expert guides will unlock the mysteries of this stunning temple complex for you and provide the background necessary for you to appreciate this awe-inspiring example of human achievement.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about one of the most beautiful and fascinating regions on earth firsthand. At a sensible and comfortable pace your journey will encompass a thousand years of history, sublime architecture, military tragedy, cultural wonders, extraordinary cuisine and great new friends. With expert local guides at every location you will gain an understanding of this region’s proud and tumultuous past, an appreciation of their present, and insights into their goals for the future.
A trip like this stays with you forever. Join us.
February 5
February 6
February 7-8
Hanoi
Your time in this graceful city includes a city tour, a visit to the Temple of Literature and the Ho Chi Minh Complex, excursions to the Old Quarter, the Thay Pagoda, and a performance of the fantastic water puppet art form at Hoan Kiem Lake.
February 9
Halong Bay
Board a deluxe junk and catch up on your rest with a relaxing cruise through this extraordinary marine environment. We’ll overnight on board.
February 10-14
Hue, Danang, Hoi An
In Hue you’ll study Vietnam’s royal past at the Imperial Citadel, Thai Hoa Palace, and the Halls of The Mandarins; and journey into the countryside to visit the Imperial Tomb of Tu Doc. You will take a boat trip on the Huong Giang River to the Thien Mu Pagoda, and travel overland to Hoi An through the scenic Hai Van Pass. En route we’ll visit the remarkable Cham Museum in Danang before arriving in Hoi An; a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A walking tour will lead you on cobbled streets through the central market and other sites in this beautifully preserved ancient city and an afternoon cruise on the Thu Bon River takes us to local pottery and woodworking villages.
Your visit to this enchanting town concludes with a completely unscheduled day to yourself at our beach resort.
February 15-16
Ho Chi Minh City
You’ll explore the incredible Chu Chi Tunnels complex and the emotional War Remnants Museum from the war with America, tour the historic city center and Reunification Palace, and meander in the Ben Than Market.
February 17-19
Mekong River Delta
Including the towns of Cai Be, Vinh Long, Can Tho and Chau Doc, we embark on a boat and vehicle tour of the extraordinary culture along the Mekong Delta, visiting the floating markets of Cai Rang and Phong Dien, and the temples and pagodas on the pilgrimage destination of Sam Mountain. From Chau Doc we’ll take a speedboat up the Tonlé Bassac river to Phnom Penh.
February 20-21
Phnom Penh
Few cities on earth have witnessed greater historical extremes than this one. You’ll learn about the ancient glories of Cambodia at the Royal Palace, the National Museum and the Silver Pagoda; the bustling contemporary life in Phnom Penh at the Central and Russian Markets; and the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge Regime at the sobering Tuol Sleng Museum.
February 22-25
Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor
The heart and soul of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the temples of Angkor were built between the 9th and 14th centuries and remain to this day one of the crowning achievements of human history. Expertly guided tours of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei and the Rolous Group are all on our itinerary, as is a boat trip out to one of the floating villages in the Great Lake of Tonlé Sap. Unforgettable.
February 26
Depart for overnight flight to US.
We’ll depart Cambodia for our flight home.
February 27
PLEASE NOTE ~ Everyone is welcome to join us, and we hope that you do. All we ask is that you honestly evaluate your ability to deal with the realities of travel in the developing world. Comfortable and reliable transportation will be provided between all sites and destinations but, in order to appreciate those destinations once we arrive, there will also be a good deal of walking, too. The weather will be tropical, so be prepared for heat and humidity. Many western meals will be included, but we will also dine on the local cuisine which is widely considered to be amongst the finest on earth. We will have long travel days getting over there and coming home, but we’ll maintain a reasonable pace at the outset as we adjust to the time difference. All of our accommodations will be comfortable and clean 4-5 star hotels, but we will also spend time in the markets, on several boats, and in some rural villages. As much as is practical we intend to interact with, not isolate ourselves from, the people of these countries. Please join us for this extraordinary opportunity.
Costs: The price of this trip is $5,199 based upon double occupancy. This includes your roundtrip airfare between SE Asia and Chicago, all lodging, entry fees, coach services, boat tickets, local guides and all domestic flights. Also included in this price are all of your breakfasts and many of your lunches and dinners. Single supplement is $1,229.
Airport departure taxes in Vietnam and Cambodia (~$20) are extra and must be paid on site.
Lodging: Listed below, in order of our visit, are the names and websites of all lodging.
For more information contact: Doug Whittle, (608) 263-7787 or Kim Seymour, (608) 262-3731.
Details: $5,199 per person based on double occupancy, plus air. This price includes international round-trip and in-country flights, all coach, train and boat transportation, all lodging, all entry fees, all guides, all breakfasts, many lunches and dinners, pre-trip educational materials and UW-Madison staff services.
Airfare is included in this package price. The international group flight originates in Chicago. Upon receipt of your deposit our travel agent will contact you to assist with your flight arrangements.
Travel Insurance is required for all travelers on this journey.
Registration: There is a registration form in the program brochure. Please contact kim Seymour at (608) 262-3731 or kseymour@dcs.wisc.edu to request to receive the print brochure, or you may also download a copy of the brochure. To then sign up, just complete and return the registration panel along with the required deposit as directed.
Doug Whittle is entering his fifth year as UW-Madison's Director of Educational Travel after a decade as a fine arts professor in South Carolina. He served in the Peace Corps in Zaire and has traveled independently in Asia, Europe, Central and North America.
For information contact Doug Whittle, 608-263-7787, dwhittle@dcs.wisc.edu, or Kim Seymour, 608-262-3731, kseymour@dcs.wisc.edu.
The Department of Liberal Studies & the Arts is a part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Continuing Studies. The units within Continuing Studies provide continuing education programs for lifelong learners, from precollege to seniors, as well as counseling services for adult learners. You will find the UW-Madison Continuing Studies home page at http://www.dcs.wisc.edu, or browse the Web site using the navigational links below.
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File last updated: October 6, 2008
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