Honeymoon Adventure

Travel Note

Thailand

We will be traveling to 3 cities in Thailand--Bangkok, Chang Mai, and Phuket! We will be spending a day with the elephants in Chang Mai, visiting the beach in Phuket, and exploring Bangkok. We will also explore the city of Ayutthaya, see the Temple of the Dawn and the Grand Palace, travel via tuk-tuks, boat down the iconic Chaophraya River and the Bangkok Noi Canal. We get to learn about Muay Thai, a full-contact sparring sport with roots in the 16th century and is a popular pastime in Thailand. Called “the art of eight limbs,” fighters use almost everything at their disposal— fists, elbows, knees, and shins—to level their opponent. Later, we’ll ferry across the river to Bang Krajao, a scenic, lush bike route often called Bangkok’s “green lung.” We’ll visit with local residents, then take a motorbike taxi to the community center for a discussion about how residents are trying to save the reserve from development.

Travel Note

Laos

In Laos, we will visit Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital of Laos. We’ll visit the royal temple Wat Xieng Thong, the city’s oldest, before heading to a night market. We will cruise the "mother of all rivers," the Mekong River. The cruise will end at the Pak Ou Cave, filled with thousands of Buddha icons. The next day, we will rise early to partake in the ancient tradition of Alms-giving to local monks, visit a local market and eat a traditional Laotian breakfast, and experience the day of a local village. Next we visit the city of Vientiane where we will have a home-hosted dinner. We also visit Wat Sisaket the oldest Buddhist monastery in Laos. Then, we depart for the golden-domed Phra That Luang (Great Sacred Stupa), a national symbol of Laos built in the 16th century, and the imposing Patuxay Victory Gate Monument.

Travel Note

Cambodia

Phnom Penh is the first city we visit in Cambodia. We get to visit the Champey Academy of Arts and watch a dance performance. We also visit Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek—both grim reminders of Cambodia’s bloody past under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Next, we’ll visit the Royal Palace, home of the present King Norodom Sihamoni. The next morning, we depart to Siem Reap, stopping along the way for lunch and for a visit to the Kompong Kdei bridge. We will also visit Tonle Sap Lake, where we’ll take a buffalo-drawn cart and then get into a boat to visit the nearby boating villages. We visit Banteay Srei, one of the oldest and most beautifully preserved temple sites in Cambodia, and we’ll venture into the heart of ancient Angkor, a holy city that took centuries to build and whose scale is still breathtaking today.

Travel Note

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh is the next city on our adventure. We will explore the Presidential Palace. After, we’ll take a short walk through Hao Sy Phuong Alley where we’ll admire the French style of the buildings. We’ll meet the locals and even join a family inside their home to see what the traditional lifestyle is like here. Then, we’ll take a bus to Ong Bon Pagoda, a temple that is dedicated to the god of happiness and wealth. Later, we will watch a traditional puppet show followed by a cyclo-rickshaw ride through the city, drinks at a beer garden, and dinner at a local street kitchen. The next day, we venture outside of Ho Chi Minh to discover the Mekong Delta. We will explore Ben Tre Village and learn to make keo dua, at a coconut candy factory. Afterwards, we visit Cu Chi Tunnels where thousands of people hid during the Vietnam War.