1:00 PM — Depart Elite Coach (Location: 1685 W. Main Street, Ephrata) for your private charter bus ride to Washington Dulles (IAD) Airport.

8:05 PM — Depart on Qatar Airways Flight #708. Enjoy 5-star service with multi-meals included during your flight.

4:45 PM — Arrive at Doha (DOH)

8:10 PM — Depart on Flight #974. Multi-meals is included as you continue your journey.

7:15 AM — Arrive in Saigon. Your charter bus and local guide will meet you right at the airport

The day's schedule includes visits to the War Remnants Museum, the Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace, and Notre Dame Cathedral, followed by a walk down Dong Khoi Street and Nguyen Hue Walking Street.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant, with subsequent free time allocated to explore the Ben Thanh Market.

Overnight accommodations are reserved for one night at the 4-star Silverland May Hotel (www.silverlandhotels.com).

We will follow our guide until 12 January.

We will drive to the Mekong Delta from Saigon, with 3 nights (7, 8,and 9 January) in a 4-star hotel in Can Tho (Charmont Suites – www.charmontsuites.com) and 2 nights (10 and 11 January) in a 5-star hotel in Ben Tre (Diamond Star Ben Tre – www.diamondstarbentre.com).

Tuesday, 12 January

Depart the Mekong Delta for the drive back to Saigon.
Board Vietnam Airlines Flight #140,departing SGN at 4:45 PM and arriving in Danang (DAD) at 5:45 PM.
Enjoy a 45-minute transfer to Hoi An, our home for a 3-night stay at the 4-star Little Hoi An Boutique and Spa Hotel (www.littlehoian.com). The hotel features an exceptional location near the Old Town, lovely grounds, a pool, a spa, excellent breakfasts, and a nice restaurant.

Wednesday, 13 January - Thursday, 14 January (2 Days in Hoi An)

We will have a guide for 2 full days. The first day will be a guided walking tour of Hoi An, led by 2 guides. Then, we will have some free time. The second day will offer a ¾ day in the villages near Hoi An. We will have electric bikes for those who want them and have 2 golf carts for those who prefer not to bike. We will have 2 guides on this second day.

Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage. Travel a few kilometers further – you’ll find some superb bicycle, motorbike, and boat trips – and some of central Vietnam’s most enticing, bucolic scenery and beaches are within easy reach. By UNESCO decree, more than 800 historical buildings in Hoi An have been preserved, so much of the Old Town looks as it did several centuries ago. Hoi An has become a mecca for Vietnamese cooking courses, with almost every restaurant offering classes. These range from a simple set-up in someone’s backyard to purpose-built schools. Courses often start with a visit to the market to learn about key Vietnamese ingredients.

You have two days to explore Hoi An and the surrounding area: bicycle tours to villages, historic walks, food tours,cooking classes, nearby beaches, and inexpensive massages in spas. I will provide funds for taxi rides. You will have choices that include:

• Cam Kim Island: The master woodcarvers, who in previous centuries produced the intricate detail that graced the homes of Hoi An’s merchants and the town’s public buildings, came from Kim Bong village on Cam Kim Island. Most of the woodcarvings on sale in Hoi An are produced here. The village and island, quite rural in character, are also fun to explore by bicycle.

• Cua Dai Beach: Heading east of Hoi An, you cruise through paddy fields and follow the meandering riverbank for 5 km or so before hitting glorious golden sandy beaches.

Bus to Danang airport. We will fly Air Asia: flight #637 departs DAD at 12:40 PM and arrives in Bangkok (BKK) at 2:20 PM. Then, we fly flight #3421, departing BKK at 4:00 PM and arriving in Chiang Mai (CNX) at 5:15 PM. We will have a charter bus and guide. We will stay in Chiang Mai for a 3-night stay at the 4-star Tamarind Village (www.tamarindvillage.com). Tamarind Village recreates the quiet spaces of a temple on the grounds of an old tamarind orchard. Its bamboo-shrouded walkway and garden courtyards create a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city—time to rest and recover.

On the 16th, we will visit a Thai Lue village where you can experience the unique way of life of the local community. The villagers will also prepare some lovely activities for the group. After lunch, we will visit a school close to the Thai Lue village. The school has 150 students who live and study there. We can prepare and serve lunch to them. We will visit a beautiful local temple in the village. This is optional; those who would prefer not to participate in this activity will have other options. We will return to the hotel and take a tuk-tuk to dinner at the Chiang Mai Cultural Center.

On the 17th, we will visit an elephant camp and hill tribe village. This half-day program will include lunch. We will return to our hotel for free time before we explore the Walking Street market in the evening.

Activities MAY include:

• Temple tours

• Cooking classes and Street Food Tours

• The human shopping parade at Saturday Walking Street and Sunday Walking Street

• Old City Walking Tour

• Elephant Nature Park

• Bike Tours (optional)

2.5-hour charter bus drive to Sukhothai, famous as the capital of Thailand during its golden age of the 13th and 14th centuries. Visit Lampang. Sukhothai features 45 sq km of partially rebuilt ruins, which are among the most visited sites in the country. There are magnificent temples and museums, and cycling around the area is fantastic. Stay 2 nights at the 3-star Ruean Thai Hotel (ruenanthaihotel.com), an eye-catching complex that looks like a Buddhist temple and has a resort-like feel.

Short morning flight from Sukhothai to Bangkok. We will fly Bangkok Airways flight #300, departing Sukhothai at 8:50 AM and arriving in BKK at 10:00 AM. We will have a charter bus and guide. Do a canal tour and visit the flower market.We will visit the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. We will walk from the hotel to the Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew) and the Grand Palace, walk to Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha Temple), and after Wat Pho, walk back to the hotel.Afternoon free at leisure. Stay 2 nights at the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel (www.shangri-la.com).

More time in Bangkok. Transfer to Bangkok Airport for Qatar Airways flight #827 departing at 3:00 AM and arriving at DOH at 6:25 AM. Flight #707 departs DOH at 8:45 AM and arrives at IAD at 3:55 PM. Return to Ephrata. Multi-meals.

Itinerary is subject to change.

Sources: Lonely Planet and Rough Guide