October 29, 2004 -- This fall and winter, deals to global locales abound. Lengthy package deals to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia are popping up as prices decrease.
Djoser (tel. 877/356-7376; www.djoserusa.com), a top-notch Dutch tour operator with an office in Pennsylvania, tops the list of travel companies with great deals to the nexus of Southeast Asia that is Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. If websites are any indication of how finely tuned a tour provider operates, you can rest easy with Djoser. Its website is beautiful, functions perfectly, and provides detailed information on lengthy trips. It even has what looks like
An 18-day Vietnam-Cambodia tour with airfare included from New York costs $1,895. (From Los Angeles, the same trip costs $1,845.) According to Djoser United States representative Luke Neal, a Djoser tour is unique because of the size of its tours, which usually range from 6 to 12 people; the cultural feel of the tour that carefully selects charming, small inns and hotels; and the amount of free time a Djoser tour gives the traveler. "We don't necessarily hold the traveler's hand like other United States tour operators do," says Neal. "We let them experience the country through us or through our recommendations or by themselves." Basically, Djoser provides all factors necessary for travel including guided tours, offers them to the traveler but ultimately allows the traveler to decide whether they want to join the tour for the day or do their own thing. Don't expect lavish buffets. Expect local fare at offbeat but popular places.
There are still spots available on the Djoser Vietnam-Cambodia tour departing December 16, 2004. Included in the tour price are roundtrip airfare, all domestic flights, ground transportation, hotels, a locally based tour leader, a local guide in Cambodia and excursions according to the program. Not included are travel insurance, visa, admission fees, meals, personal expenses, tips, and airport taxes. See the website for a detailed itinerary. A similar trip to Cambodia and Thailand that takes you through the mountainous north of Thailand and the coastal south lasts 17-days and costs $1,495 with a New York departure.
Overseas Adventure Travel (tel. 800/493-6824; www.oattravel.com) offers a similar trip but expect more structured, obligatory participation in daily sightseeing excursions. Their sixteen-day Thailand trip starts at $1,695 from the West coast and goes to around $2,000 from New York City. Included in the price is roundtrip airfare from 3 U.S. cities; accommodations for 13 nights in "comfortable," small hotels or resorts; 33 meals (14 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 11 dinners, including a home-hosted dinner); 17 small group exploration and unique cultural activities; an OAT guide; all land transport; and a bonus of 5% credit toward another OAT adventure. Trip extensions to Cambodia or Laos are available. Departure dates for this trip are several times a month all year long with the exception of the summer months from May to August. A similar 17-day Vietnam package has several departure dates to choose from and starts at $1,995 from West coast locales.
If you want to do the trip alone, airfare on selected airlines cost around $1,200. Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), through its TravelFar program, is offering reduced fairs to Asia. New York-Hanoi costs $1,006. Fares must be booked in advance by November 30 with travel good through that date as well. Los Angeles to Hong Kong is only $602 roundtrip. The above fares do not include any departure or security taxes. A six-day minimum stay is required.
Once in Asia, tour operators like Gecko Adventures (tel. 800/227-8747; www.geckosadventures.com) offer excursion packages complete with accommodations and guide. A tour titled "Vietnam at a Glance" lasts 14 days includes a guided look at the beautiful country. Costs without international airfare costs $795 with tours leaving several times a month through March. Shorter excursions into Thailand are also available. Gecko is part of the popular tour operator Peregrine's travel empire.