Media Contacts:
Josh Kahn/Kelly Graham, KTCpr
Tel: (516) 594-4100
J.Kahn@KTCpr.com or K.Graham@KTCpr.com
Press Release # 210

PACIFIC DELIGHT UNVEILS ‘VIETNAM & CAMBODIA EXPERIENCE’
FEATURING INTRIGUING HISTORY, FASCINATING TEMPLES

NEW YORK, NY (April 14, 2009) – As far as new and exotic experiences go, Pacific Delight Tours’ (http://www.pacificdelighttours.com/) newly developed Vietnam & Cambodia luxury program brings travelers to Southeast Asia’s hidden treasures from the meticulously carved temple walls of Angkor Wat (pictured right) to a network of underground Vietcong tunnels never discovered by American forces.

“The history surrounding Vietnam and Cambodia is among the richest and most commonly misunderstood of the Eastern Hemisphere,” said Pacific Delight Tours president Jerry Pi, promising “one of the most culturally enlightening and visually stimulating experiences available to travelers.”

Developed as part of a special series of five new value-added luxury Southeast Asia programs for the 2009-2010 travel season, this tour combines the intrigue and mystique of  the region’s  temples and cultural elements with the style and elegance of its tradition of hospitality.

The program includes most meals and all international and intra-Asia air/land transportation, as well as the following comprehensive guided exploration and sightseeing:

PHNOM PENH: two nights at the Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh, a boutique hotel located in the heart of the city’s “green belt” – sightseeing experiences include:

• Begin your Phnom Penh experience at Wat Phnom, the birthplace of the Cambodian capital, observing graceful tree-lined boulevards and riverfront promenades.
• See the splendor of Cambodia’s royal heritage at the Royal Palace, still the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni.
• Experience the Silver Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Preah Keo Morokat, where the King often meets with local monks and attends royal ceremonies.
• Learn about a tragic chapter from Cambodia’s past at the Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide), the former interrogation and torture facility for the Khmer Rouge regime.  Known during that time as Security Prison 21, or simply S–21, the museum has been kept largely unchanged, and now showcases photographs and exhibits on the thousands of victims that passed through these doors – only seven of whom came out alive.
• Peruse the elegant National Museum, which contains a comprehensive collection of Khmer art.
• Visit one of Phnom Penh’s two great markets: the distinctive Art Deco-domed Central Market or the sprawling labyrinth-style Russian Market.

SIEM REAP: two nights at the five-star Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa, enjoying the elegance and superb refinement of the French Art de Vivre, as well as guided tours and activities including:

• Explore Angkor Wat, the crowning jewel of Khmer architecture, and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved, and most religiously significant of the ancient Angkor temples, Angkor impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout, as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings (pictured right).
• Discover inner peace in the pink sandstone sanctuary of Banteay Srei where the walls are covered in exquisitely preserved carvings of unusual detail.
• Visit Preah Khan, a temple built by King Jayavarman VII in a jungle setting with towered enclosures and shoulder-hugging corridors.
• Experience the fortified city of Angkor Thom with its monumental statues of demons and gods.
• Enjoy the views at the Terrace Of The Elephants and the Terrace Of The Leper Kings, former spaces for public ceremonies adorned with dramatic stone carvings.
• Visit the ruined Baphuon, Royal Enclosure and Phimeanakas before continuing to the mysterious Bayon Temple with its giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down at you from every angle.
• See the five brick towers of Prasat Kravan, built for Hindu worship in 921 and notable for the bas-reliefs cut into the bricks on the interior walls.
• Observe Banteay Kdei, a massive Buddhist temple surrounded by four concentric walls dating from the second half of the 12th century.
• Venture to Sras Srang, a basin opposite Banteay Kdei with a tiny island in its center where only the stone base remains of what was once a majestic wooden temple.
• Explore the Ta Prohm section of Angkor where monuments appear as they did when the European explorers first stumbled across them due to jungle outgrowth.
• Marvel at the impressive Ta Keo, built by King Jayavarman V and dedicated to Shiva.  With a central tower well over 150 feet tall, Ta Keo was the first Angkorian monument built entirely of sandstone.
• Dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, the Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda temples are also sure to impress travelers with their remarkable Hindu-inspired statues.

HO CHI MINH CITY (formerly Saigon): two nights at the contemporary, five–star Equatorial Hotel Saigon, featuring guided tours and activities such as:

• Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, over 125 miles of underground tunnels dug by hand out of hard laterite to connect Vietcong command posts, hospitals, shelters and weapon factories. Never discovered by American forces, visitors can now walk through cleverly disguised entrances and elaborate booby-traps, and even venture inside the tunnels, some of which have been modified to accommodate tourists.
• Dive into modern history with a tour of the Reunification Palace. Formerly the Independence Palace of the South Vietnamese president until official handover of power in 1975, the palace has been preserved in its original state – tanks and all.
• Experience the harrowing War Remnants Museum, which comprehensively documents the travails of the long Vietnam-American War with detailed photographic exhibitions and a collection of tanks, planes and weapons guaranteed to provoke strong emotions.
• Stroll along Dong Khoi Street, formerly known as the Rue Catinat, the main shopping thoroughfare and heart of old colonial Saigon. Pass by classic European-style landmarks such as the ornate Hotel De Ville (City Hall) and the old Opera House (both may only be viewed from the outside).
• Visit Emperor Of Jade Pagoda and marvel at the impressive statues and figurines.
• Explore the highlights of Cholon (Chinatown), beginning with a brief visit to Binh Tay Market, the vast wholesale market selling every kind of good from dried foods to T-shirts and electronics and ending at the central Ben Thanh Market, where vendors display a vast array of goods and handicrafts, appealing to every taste.
• Observe Thien Hau Pagoda, build by the Cantonese congregation and dedicated to the heavenly goddess.
• Pay a quick visit to the neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral as well as the Central Post Office.

HALONG BAY: two nights at the distinguished Halong Plaza Hotel, featuring state-of-the-art accommodation and entertainment facilities and guided sightseeing such as:

• A scenic eight-hour cruise on a traditional wooden boat among the emerald waters and craggy limestone cliffs of Halong Bay (pictured right).
• Stop at different islands to explore some of the many caves surrounding Halong Bay.
• Sail past floating villages, fishermen casting their nets and pearl fisheries, observing the rhythms of daily life on the bay.

HANOI: two nights at the stylish and elegant five-star Nikko Hotel Hanoi, ideally located for the exploration of Hanoi, including activities such as:

• Explore the mystery and charm of past centuries by discovering Hanoi’s Old Quarter by cyclo, a traditional Vietnamese mode of transport perfectly designed for the narrow alleyways of this shopper’s paradise.  Each street in the fascinating network of alleys and shop houses is named after the merchandise traditionally sold there, ranging from fabrics and crafts to medicines and tombstones. It is also an endlessly interesting place to explore local life.
• Pay respects to the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which is modeled after Lenin’s tomb.
• Peer through the windows of the Ho Chi Minh Stilt House, the simple two-room dwelling where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1948 until his final days, preserved in the same condition as during his life.
• Visit the Temple Of Literature, a peaceful series of walled courtyards and graceful gateways dedicated to Confucius. It is also one of the best surviving examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture.
• Observe the One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th century monument rebuilt after being destroyed by the French in 1954.

Pricing for 2009 departures of Pacific Delight Tours’ 12-day Vietnam & Cambodia Experience begins at $3,099 per person, double occupancy, including international air from Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York (other gateways available at an additional cost).  The single supplement for this program is $859.

Passports, visas, gratuities for guides/crew, optional travel protection premium or any items of a personal nature are additional. Additional baggage charges may apply.  Pricing is subject to change at any time.

Pacific Delight’s newest collection of luxury Southeast Asia specials also includes the nine-day Taiwan Experience, 10-day India Experience, 12-day Capitals Of Asia and 14-day Thailand Experience, priced between $2,399 and $2,859 per person (varies based on itinerary and departure date) – inclusive of air from Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York (other gateways available at an additional cost).

For more information or to book, consult your local travel agent, contact Pacific Delight Tours at 800-221-7179 or visit www.PacificDelightTours.com.

Pacific Delight Tours

For over 38 years, Pacific Delight Tours has been America’s leading tour operator to China and Asia.  The company has three main program offerings: its award-winning Gold Experience Program caters to the ultra-luxury, exclusive clientele; the Escapade Adventures provide an off-the-beaten path program for the more active traveler, and the popular SuperValue Programs provide the best value in escorted tours in Asia.

Pacific Delight Tours is the winner of the 2008 Travel Age West WAVE Award, 2008 Agent@Home Reader’s Choice Award and 2008 Travel Weekly Finalist for Best Tour Operator in Asia. The company is also a long-standing proud member of the United States Tour Operator Association.

Reservations, brochures and information can be obtained from travel agents and Pacific Delight Tours, telephone: (800) 221-7179 or (212) 818-1781; website: www.PacificDelightTours.com.

###