Presents
Vietnam &
Cambodia
Photo Tour
Vietnam & Cambodia
A Voyage of Cultural Discovery
April 16th to 30th, 2015
Vietnam & Cambodia
Photo Tour
April 16th -30th, 2015
“Vietnam & Cambodia - A Voyage of Culture & Discovery”
Vietnam the beautiful wonder of Asia ... The busy street markets of Hanoi, miles of rice patties, the mystical landscapes
of Halong Bay await the creative photographer. This is going to be an exciting voyage of Culture and Discovery. As you
travel to the different districts of this country you will experience a diverse culture of people who are friendly and anxious
to show you the hidden beauty of their land.
We will begin our tour in Hanoi, a city steeped with history and colour, where we will be entertained by a water puppet
show set to live music. You will experience the mysteries of Halong Bay, which translates to Descending Dragon Bay. A
UNESCO world heritage site set on 600 square miles of water. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles
which make up an unbelievable landscape. Rounding out our tour we will visit many other historical and landmark regions
of the country, including Hoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and the famous Chinese Market, one of my favourite locations. Then to
top off our experience a short flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia and the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple and National Park.
The market square in Siem Reap is a hive of activity and will be just one of the many destinations we visit.
I look forward to you joining me on our Photo Trek to experience the wonders of Vietnam and Cambodia.
James Cowie
Vietnam & Cambodia Photo Tour - April 16th to 30th, 2015
Day One: Thursday April 16th, traveling via Cherrey Motor Coach to Pearson Int
Airport. Our American Airlines flight departs at 10:21 a.m. connecting in Chicago to our
Korean Air flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.
Day Two: Friday April 17th, After clearing customs we will board our motor coach and travel to our
hotel in Hanoi. Check in, light supper, time to relax. Overnight at the Movenpick Hotel, Hanoi.
Day Three: Saturday April 18th, Breakfast at our hotel, then a day of
photographing and experiencing the culture of Hanoi. Although Hanoi is the modern
day capital of Vietnam, it still retains the mystery and charm of past centuries. Narrow
lanes and traditional shop houses invite us in on our photo walk portion of the tour.
Today we will be having lunch at Koto Restaurant, then in the afternoon we will visit
Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature, Ngoc Son Temple and the Rising Sun
Bridge. Dinner tonight at Pots and Pans Restaurant and this evening, a water puppet
show to live music. Overnight at the Moevenpick Hotel. B, L, D.
Day Four: Sunday April 19th, Breakfast, check-out and depart for Halong Bay to
embark on our 2 day Indochina Sails Cruise. The group will be treated to a welcome
cocktail reception and lunch while sailing out through Bai Tu Long Bay. In the afternoon
we take a shore excursion to Luon Caves, en route passing Head Island, Turtle Island
and Heaven Gate Island. We will transfer to the floating village on small
bamboo boats which are rowed by Halong Bay locals. Today we will also
be sailing to Titop Island where you can enjoy the beach or hike the
mountain pass for fantastic photos of the surrounding islands and
landscape. This evening we will anchor in Luon Bo for the night. Dinner
and evening activities onboard our ship. B,L,D,
Hoi Harbour
Photo Shoot with the locals
Day Five: Monday April 20th, We will begin our day with tea, coffee and pastries on deck will passing more
beautiful scenery of Halong Bay. Later this morning a visit tp Surprise Cave, transferring by tender from our ship to
the island. Time will be spent exploring the vast caves carved out by centuries of ocean erosion. Returning to the
ship you’ll have time to freshen up, leave your luggage outside the cabin and sit down to a full breakfast as we sail
back to the harbour. Mid morning transfer to Hanoi Noi Bai Airport for our flight to Hue. Upon arrival we will travel
to our hotel for some time to relax before dinner. This evening we will be staying at the Pilgrimage Village, a
beautiful resort just outside of Hue. B,D,
Day Six: Tuesday April 21st, Breakfast then depart for a boat ride
down the Perfume River from the Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang to the
Thien Mu Pagoda. An elegant seven tiered octagonal tower which has
become Hue’s most respected monument. Traveling by coach to the
Old Imperial City for many photo opportunities Located in the heart of
Hue is the Imperial Citadel, a vast complex built in the early 19th
century and modeled after the Forbidden City of Peking. The original
walls stretched for 10km and were surrounded by a wide moat. Today
most of the buildings have been destroyed due to bombing during the
Vietnam War, but the monuments that remain provide a fascinating
glimpse into the court life of the Nguyen Dynasty. After photographing in
the old city we will dine at Boi Tran Garden House then begin our drive
from Hue to Hoi An. Then travel from Hue over the scenic mountain
roads with beautiful views over the coastline. Halfway between Da
Nang and Hue lies the dramatic Hai Van Pass, the high dividing line
between the climate zones of north and south Vietnam. Continuing
southward passing Lang Co, a beautiful stretch of beach curving
outwards between a clear blue lagoon and the East Vietnam Sea.
Tonight we will be staying at the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort. B, L, D,
Day Seven: Wednesday April 22nd, After breakfast at the resort, we
will enjoy a cyclo ride through Hoi An’s cobbled streets leading into our first
photo shoot of the day in the bustling central market and small harbour.
Photographing many colourfully painted boats. Today we will visit a
Private House, an Assembly Hall and a temple, which will offer up many
photo opportunities.
The colours of Hoi Market Place
In the evening we will do a sunset photo tour, meeting in the old town
around 3 in the afternoon, then board boats that will give us opportunity to
meet many people fishing in the river. We will arrive in a remote village
surrounded by rice fields, meet a local family and have time to take
portraits of elderly towns people and children playing around the village.
Photograph local farmers
Also we’ll have time to walk around the village (40 homes) for photos, then
go through the rice fields just outside the village as the evening sky turns orange. Photograph farmers planting or
harvesting rice and taking care of buffaloes. We’ll then board our boats for and sail back to the old town of Hoi An.
Enjoy dinner at Fusion Lounge Restaurant and overnight at Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort. B, D,
Day Eight: Thursday April 23rd, Breakfast at Victoria Hoi An
Beach Resort then transfer to Da Nang airport for our flight to Ho Chi
Minh City (Saigon). Upon our arrival we will drive to Can Tho with a
stop in My Tho and a boat ride to Mekong River Islands, lunch at
Mekong Rest Stop Restaurant.
My Tho is a bustling town situated in the rich agricultural region of the
Mekong Delta with a photo shoot at the Vinh Trang Pagoda. Our group
will then continue to Can Tho by coach. Tonight our dinner will be
served at our hotel, the Victoria Can Tho Resort B, L, D,
Day Nine: Friday April 24th, Breakfast at the resort then we set out
by boat to explore Cai Rang Floating Market; the biggest and most
bustling of the Mekong Delta markets. Fruit and vegetable venders
from all over the region sell to buyers on smaller boats as they weave
between the large boats on the Delta. Venders advertise their wares
on large poles that tower above their colourful boats. We will sail
through the market photographing the people as they haggle and
trade, and possibly sample some of the fruit.
After exploring some of the backwater canals, it is time to return to
the pier and travel to Ho Chi Minh City. Lunch at a local restaurant,
then some free time to relax this d evening. Our accommodations will
be the Moevenpick Hotel Ho Chi Minh City. (B,L)
Day Ten: Saturday April 25th, Today will be spent our visiting and
exploring Ho Chi Minh City. Experiencing an insight into everyday life
and a chance to interact with local people. Try your hand at
photographing the different districts and sensations Ho Chi
Minh City has to offer. We will have opportunity to visit the
Chinese Market. This evening will be a special treat as we
tour Ho Chi Minh City a Vespa by night tour. We will be
picked up at our hotel by a fleet of Vespa motor bikes and
beginning with the Zoom Cafe experience various districts
and local food establishments including an after hours jazz
club. Overnight Movenpick. B,D,
Sampan on the tiny waterways Mekong Delta
Cai Rang Floating Market
Day Eleven: Sunday April 26th, Breakfast, check-out and
transfer to Saigon airport for our flight to Siem Reap,
Cambodia. Arriving in Siem Reap we will clear customs and
visa procedures and then transfer to our hotel the Tara
Angkor Hotel, we will have some time to settle in and relax in
this beautiful resort. Later in the day we will dinner Raffles
Gran Hotel. B, D,
Angkor Thom, Cambodia
Monk at Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia
Day Twelve: Monday April 27th, This morning we will begin our day with a sunrise photo shoot at Angkor
Wat Temple. Returning to the hotel for breakfast, then
continuing our exploration of Angkor National Park. In 1992 the
park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Angkor
Wat Temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishru by King
Suryavarman II, who reigned between 1131 and 1150. It was
constructed over a period of 30 years. Over the course of our
tour we will be experiencing, and photographing, Preah Khan
Temple and Banteay Srie Temple. This evening we will be
attending a Circus Performance by the Western Cambodia of
the Phare Ponleu Selpak group. After a successful around the
world tour this famous young and talented group preform in the
very heart of the cradle of civilization in Cambodia. Dinner at
Crystal Angkor. Overnight Tara Angkor Hotel B, D,
Day Thirteen: Tuesday April 28th, Breakfast then continue
our photo shoots in Angkor. We will visit the fortified city of
Angkor Thom, which covers an area of 10 square km. Enclosed
by walls and wide moats, the city includes many of Angkor’s
most popular sites. Portions of Laura Croft Tomb Raider staring
Angelina Jolie were filmed here. You will feel the awesome
presence of heritage and history as you enter through the south
gate over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons
and gods, each carrying a giant nauga. We will explore the
Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper Kings,
former spaces for public ceremonies, adorned with dramatic bas
reliefs. We will finish our experience by spending time in the
Siem Reap market place. Kind of a New Orleans feel to the
quarter. Overnight Tara Angkor Hotel. B, D,
Day Fourteen: Wednesday April 29th, Breakfast, check-out
enjoy our morning visiting Angkor Wat, then into the village for
lunch and some free time. This evening we fly overnight from
Siem Reap to Chicago via Seoul then on to Toronto. Arriving into
Pearson International Airport at 3:30 p.m. Once clearing
customs our motor coach will be waiting for our return drive to
London. We should reach home by approximately 6:00 p.m.
Hotels during our tour ... We are excited to share the hotels and resorts that will be our accommodations.
Movenpick Hotel, Hanoi
Pilgrimage Hotel, Hue
Hoi An Beach Resort
Victoria Can Tho Resort
Movenpick, Ho Chi Minh City
Tara Angkor Wat Hotel
Photo Tours / Information / Booking
Vietnam and Cambodia are countries steeped with history and culture. The average temperature in Vietnam
during the month of April is 23 to 27 C with overnight lows of 14 to 17C. This time of year an average of
35% chance of precipitation and a humidity of 45-55%.
Workshop Opportunities: During the tour we will be
offering up many different opportunities to explore different
ideas with your photography. We will have daily challenges,
which will be suited to the shooting environment. There will
also be time as we travel to look at digital workflow and post
processing ideas with your images. Each day one on one
time is available with James for photography conversation
and / or for help or review of your images on the computer.
The tour is designed to learn as you go, and there is no
better place to improve your photography than out working
with your camera equipment.
Pre-tour Information Night: As with all our photo
tours, we will hold a photo information night
approximately two weeks prior to departure. For
this tour it will be Wednesday April 1st, 2015. We
will present the final itinerary, travel suggestions,
what gear to pack, and hand out all related travel
documents. The pre-tour presentation is designed
to give our photographers all the information
needed for our trek. This also allows a chance for
you to meet your fellow travelers, and host.
On-line Booking: We are pleased to offer online booking for all our photo adventures. This is a
quick and easy way to book your tour and provide
all the travel information we need to make your
trip worry free. If you would like to use our on-line booking system please visit www.PhotoTourTrekkers.com
select the tour you wish to join from the main page, this will take you to the tour page and there you will find
the link to the on-line booking form, unique to that adventure.
Vietnam & Cambodia
Photo Tour Details
April 16th to 30th, 2015
Mekong Delta
Ho Chi Minh City
The cost of our Vietnam & Cambodia Photo Tour is $5990.00 per person Canadian plus air taxes of $532.88,
(based on double occupancy) single supplement is $1100.00 Canadian. This tour is based out of a Toronto
gateway, but can be adjusted for other departures. This tour is limited to 15 guests.
Includes:
- Round trip motor coach via Cherrey Coach Lines to Pearson International Airport, Toronto,
- Departures from London, and Woodstock,
- Round Trip Airfare via America Airlines, Toronto to Chicago,Korean Airlines Chicago to Hanoi Return
- Internal Airfare Vietnam Airlines and Cambodia Airlines,
- Hotels and Halong Bay Cruise Line as laid out in itinerary,
- Portage for one piece of luggage per person in/out of hotels, where applicable,
- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner each day, as laid out in the itinerary,
- Welcome and Farewell Dinners,
- All airport and hotel transfers,
- Luxury air conditioned motor coach and all vehicle costs while on tour,
- Any local admissions, Boat ticket(s) according to itinerary,
- 1 Bottle water and cold towel per person per half day, 2 water and 2 cold towels per full day tours,
- Fuel Surcharge, Park Fees and taxes included,
- Photo Workshops,
- Tour hosted and escorted by photographer James Cowie
** Schedule may vary according to weather and travel conditions.
** Guests must have a valid passport, your passport must be valid for a min of 6 months return travel date
a..and must have two blank pages side by side Vietnam & Cambodia visas (visa fees extra)
Tour Exclusions: Any item not listed on the itinerary, gratuities to guides, and drivers, personal insurance
coverage, alcoholic beverages, laundry, visa and visa entries fees, for Vietnam and Cambodia.
Booking space for this tour may be done online or by contacting James Cowie at 519-679-8520 ext. 2223 or by email
[email protected] or Katherine Hirtzel at 519-679-8520 ext 2222 or by email [email protected]
Province of Quebec guest inquiries please ask for Shari Parker when contacting our office. Online booking is available by
visiting www.PhotoTourTrekkers.com then select Vietnam & Cambodia Photo Tour.
A non refundable deposit of $1500.00 CAD is required at time of booking, balance due March 15th, 2015. Carlson Wagonlit
Travel recommends the purchase of travel and health insurance at time of booking.
TICO Registration #50017274
Carlson Wagonlit Travel - 224 Central Ave. London, Ont. N6A 1M8
www.PhotoTourTrekkers.com