Cambodia Tours

Culinary Vietnam

Every traveler knows the best way to get into the heart of a place is to experience the food (and is also what can make or break a travel experience). And as as you may have already heard, anyone who has traveled to Vietnam will mention three things that stood out most: the people, the scenery... and especially Vietnam's delightful food culture. This trip emphasizes all of these with sightseeing from the vantage point of an insider.

On this ultimate culinary adventure trip, enjoy the cultural and natural highlights of Vietnam, with a focus on cuisine for — as many of our past traveler's have said — the experience of a lifetime.

Vietnam features some of the most delicious and innovative cuisine in the world, and our local culinary guides and guest chefs will reveal the hidden delights of Vietnamese food. There are few culinary adventures on par with Vietnam, and this trip will highlight the distinctive cuisines of each region with a mix of activities, including hands-on cooking, kitchen and market visits while canvasing the best of Vietnam from Hanoi to Saigon, including thousand year-old Old Quarter in Hanoi, the sublime Imperial Capital, Hue, ancient port town, Hoi An, and south along Vietnam's scenic coastline to the country's premier beach town, Nha Trang before climbing into the Central Highlands to enjoy the high-mountain views of Dalat, a former French-colonial hillstation. At trip's end, marveling at big-city Saigon, discovering some fo Vietnam's finest cuisine. Note: this trip may combine bicycling [Cycling Culinary Tour]

Vietnam Photography

One of the most visually dynamic destinations in the world, from aged French colonial architecture, surreal karst landscapes of Halong Bay, sublime terraced rice fields, to bucolic desolate beaches coves. Even more impressive are the Vietnamese, engaging, fascinating, and always on the move, in busy markets, pedal-powered schools of traffic, and streets filled with all manner of vendors. Enjoy access to the most intriguing sites at optimal shooting times, and important person portraits facilitated by your specialist guide. We've twenty years of hosting professional and amateur photographers, and can address your specific interests as well. At trip's end, spend one to two full days photographing the magnificent ruins in neighboring Cambodia. [Read More]

Art Encounter Vietnam

Artists are the ideal cultural ambassadors, a bridge to traditions, and this is especially true in Vietnam where many prominent artists have exhibited abroad, are fluent in English, and are astute observers of their own culture. We're always happy to make introductions with artists in Hanoi, where many of the country's leading artists are based and most we know personally from our long experience, organizing the very first arts tour of Vietnam in 1994, when artists were only beginning to emerge from a long post-war slumber and stagnant economy.

What a difference a couple of decades makes. Vietnam's artists have since claimed the world-stage and the arts scene is Hanoi is one of the most vigorous in Asia. Meet privately with the country's most renowned artists and learn of new mediums, including lacquer and thread art.[Read More About our Vietnam Arts Trips]

Vietnam World Heritage

Vietnam's renowned UNESCO World Heritage sites are each unique and and worth basing any trip to the country around. From stoic Hanoi, sublime cruising on Halong Bay, Hue's ancient tombs, and Hoi An, a small, old port town that is typically everyone's favorite stop in the country, these four comprise the very best of Vietnam. Enjoy these destinations to the fullest with our special activities, encounters and sights within each place.

Vietnam with Kids

Vietnam is no longer a challenging place to travel with kids, and our Vietnam family tours that were pioneered in the early 90's mean with our long experience, local knowledge, meticulous planning, and in-country offices, your trip will not only be a smooth one, but educational, thrilling, and delightful one.

We've escorted kids of all ages on our Vietnam family tours, organizing biking, kayaking, light trekking, camping out in hilltribe villages, with unique activities such as performing with the Hanoi traiditional opera troupe, learning traditional water puppets theater from a master, and private artist encounters where your children will learn hands-on how to produce lacquer paintings in the ancient style. Our staff, and in fact you'll discover almost all Vietnamese are, "kid crazy" and your children will enjoy one of the most remarkable family trips they've ever had.

Consider us for our geographic focus and location in Vietnam along with our unmatched experience in the country. Contact us for detailed information about a private Vietnam family adventure in Vietnam. We are honored to be an in-country partners for premier family travel companies and agents including My Little Swans and Ciao Bambino.

Highlights of Vietnam

Oh how Japan loves to inspire, the exoticism of its culture exciting those of every age. This two-week Japan family trip provides something for everyone, along with shared adventures into the idiosyncrasy of Japan. Visit Manga cartoon stores and meet those who paint the comics. A master artisan shows you how to make a Japanese sword while a Samurai and Geisha reveal all about their culture. Spend a day at signature theme parks and relaxed evenings in traditional ryokans, sleeping on tatami mats and resting in onsen spas. Including cycling tours, bullet trains, meetings with monks and Japan's anime mecca, this private tour creates lasting memories from the most unique of countries.

Of all our Japan tours, it's trips with families that offer the greatest room for customization. There's so much that can be individualized; just let us know what you and the rest of your family are interested in. Contact us to receive a full and personalized itinerary.

Romantic Vietnam

Japan is defined by an unshakable self-possession and obsession with quality. It's pursuit for perfection is found in presentation, nature, aesthetics and the subtleties of all things. This unique tour explores one of the most vigorous traditional and contemporary arts culture in the world, highest forms of traditional and contemporary crafts, along with the architecture that has defined a nation over the centuries. Explore the hallowed I.M Pei Miho museum, Mori museum, and Naoshima "Art Island" while meeting with artists and craftsman working in a variety of mediums, gain an insider's perspective on Japanese culture, and be immersed in the immense varieties and rituals of cuisine, from the serenity of a tea ceremony to famous sushi bars.

Customize this tour takes you far off the beaten track, to incorporate a pottery festival, ceramic and porcelain towns, and more. It's completely customizable and can explore any of your niche interests. Contact us to receive a full and personalized itinerary that responds to your preferences.

Insider's Vietnam

The giant Torii Gate seems to float on the sea, standing majestic besides Itsukushima Shrine on World Heritage Miyajima Island. It's a remarkable insight into tradition, complemented by a tea ceremony and an elaborate cha-kaiseki dinner at your ryokan. This unusual island is the starting point for this tour through Japanese highlights that cover al corners of the spectrum: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Heian Jingu Shinto Shrine, Tentyuji Temple, Nishiki Market, Asakusa and Akihabara. Spread over nine days, this luxury Japan tour goes in search of the different icons that define Japan.

It's not quite a best of tour, more a celebration of the country's most unique treasures, connecting everything from cuisine to culture to colorful neighborhoods. All our Japan tours are fully tailored to your interests and specifications, so the highlights on this tour are just a suggestion. Contact us to receive a full and personalized itinerary.

Indochina with Thailand

Japan doesn't have a single defining image. The icons come from across the centuries and this exclusive tour go in search of them. Sleeping on tatami mats in charming ryokans, deep in the mountains. Meeting Buddhist monks and finding temples hidden amongst bamboo forest. Getting lost in the flashing lights of the futuristic cities and the wooden lanes of heritage towns. During 12 days of luxury Japan travel you're yxploring the legacy of the Edo Period, speeding around on the Shinkansen, and uncovering regional gastronomy.

All the experiences on this tour feel completely different from the last. But they are not completely distinct. Over these 12 days you explore how the Japan of today is intrinsically energized by historical traditions and customs. And like all our Japan tours, the itinerary can be fully tailored to your interests, incorporating all the icons you want to explore.

• Japan's immense capital Tokyo creates an incredible feast of contrasting experiences. Distinctive neighborhoods can be explored each day, from the flashing lights of Akihabara to the painted faces in Harajuku and the skyscrapers of Shinjuku. You're never just sightseeing here; you're jumping into one of the world's most original cities.
• No visit to Japan is complete without immersion into the immense variations and rituals of Japanese cuisine, from a serene tea ceremony to famous sushi bars, 12-course kaiseki cuisine to Kobe beef. We've been pioneering Japan Iron Chef tours for many years now.
• Perfectly preserved and wonderfully serene, Kyoto is the cultural heartbeat of Japan. There are 17 World Heritage Sites and over 2000 temples and shrines. But more than that, there's a spellbinding Buddhist undercurrent that makes the city a place to not only find architecture, but to get lost in the prevailing atmosphere.
• Ancient treasures fill the massive Kyushu National Museum, just one of the attractions in the city of Fukuoka, a place that has always provided an immersion into local culture.
• The Japanese tea ceremony is a tradition steeped in Zen Buddhism, reflected in slow and graceful movements. It's not just about taste; the study of tea ceremonies can last a whole lifetime and there's so much for all the senses to admire.
• Seasonal changes turn Japan into nature's canvas. Cherry blossoms are the highlight of spring, a captivating bloom blanketing whole cities in two weeks of surreal color. But don't discount the palate of color produced in fall, when profound reds and oranges briefly fill the trees before the leaves cover the pathways.
• In Mount Koya you can delve into Japan's deep Buddhist spirituality, the most formative influence on Japanese history and culture. Included in the potential experiences are tranquil cemetery walks with local nuns and sleeping in a temple.
• Kanazawa combines so many of Japan's famous names and is a great place to go behind the scenes of folk art. Among the attractions are well-preserved samurai and geisha districts.
• Hiroshima is warm and welcoming, a city that's forever etched in world history yet completely different to what you would expect.

Contact us to receive a full and personalized itinerary.

Vietnam Family Adventure

• In rural Japan, taking a bath isn't simply about getting clean. The traditional onsen experience is a complete ceremony, with naturally heated water filling outdoor pools as jagged peaks and pine forests provide the backdrop.
• Explore the highest forms of traditional arts and architecture, meeting with artists and craftsmen who have helped to define Japanese style.
• Onta pottery is one of the Living Treasures of Japan and is celebrated throughout a series of festivals in mountain villages around Hita. Compare it with Karatsu pottery, a great souvenir for continuing the tea ceremonies at home.
• Find a different side to Tokyo by spending a morning in the exquisite Miejo Shrine, with its beautiful Japanese iris garden enveloping you in tranquility.
• Nestled onto forested mountain slopes, the World Heritage villages of Shirawaka-go and Gokayama are two of Japan's best examples of old-world village life. Inaccessible for many centuries and naturally preserved, they're an idyllic getaway from the country's modern rhythm.
• In the far north of the country, the island of Hokkaido transforms into a white wonderful during winter. This island of national parks is home to both exhilarating ski slopes and languid cross-country trails, while the capital city Sapporo hosts an annual ice sculpture festival early in February.
• In the far southwest of the country, the subtropical island of Okinawa provides white sand escapism, with swaying palms and jungle-clad retreats found behind the postcard-perfect beaches. It feels as much like Hawaii as it does Japan.
• It's hard to imagine luxury Japan travel without a stop in Kyoto. Not far away, the 8^th-century city of Nara isn't as well known on the worldwide stage. But it's home Japan's largest collection of national treasures, including the largest wooden building on the planet.

Service and Volunteering in Vietnam

Make your trip one with purpose and one that will have an impact on others in a positive way. For conscientious travelers we can organize a variety of ways to enjoy spending time with and helping Vietnamese and ethnic hill tribe peoples. Blend in a few activities, such as donating books and other supplies to schools and villages, or spend longer periods teaching, working with NGOs, or on projects. If you are a nurse, consider volunteering with the University of San Francisco's Vietnam Nurse Project, whom we have partnered with since 2007. [Read More About USF's Nursing Project]

For teens and young adults, we can arrange for impromtu school visits and teaching during your family trip, or longer perdiods of volunteeering at local schools.