Thailand, Malaysia & Singapur II

[die Tourbeschreibung ist momentan nur auf Englisch verfügbar]

Day 1:
Singapore. Our first day is a get together day, designed for you to meet all the other tour guests who will have come from different destinations around the world. Your Tour Leader will be available at 17.00pm for a Pre Departure briefing in the hotel lobby area giving us a chance to meet and get to know the rest of the group.

You will probably already have realised during your drive into the city that Singapore has lots of shopping opportunities, electronics and crafts being some of them. There are lots of street food stalls adding to the multi-cultural atmosphere and making it a delightful way to start your holiday. Our first dinner together will be on Boat Quay, where the soaring skyscrapers that mark Singapore’s thriving economy dip their toes in the Singapore River and the country’s historical past.

Day 2:
Singapore - Overnight Train to Kuala Lumpur. This former British colony is yet another jewel in South East Asia’s historic crown. Its people and architecture reflect the marked cultural mix of influences that you will continue to see throughout your trip.

This morning we check out of our rooms, and meet for our City tour. Our tour takes in the diversity of the Singapore streets starting along Arab Street, the Muslim centre. Look out for the Sultan Mosque and note all the Arab ware on sale - hookah pipes, exotic perfumes, basketware and rattan items. We continue on into Little India. This area has a large produce market and you can also buy Indian brassware and textiles. Shops to look out for in the streets sell jewellery, saris, Indian music and lots of traditional items. Notice that the streets are named for the greats of India’s colonial past and look out for the Hindu shrines, Buddhist and Jain temples.

After the city tour, the afternoon is free until we transfer to the station for the overnight train to Kuala Lumpur. The city offers lots of shopping opportunities for gifts – crafts and batik being some of them – in addition to the variety of street food stalls. A visit isn’t complete without a walk through Chinatown or afternoon tea at the colonial Raffles Hotel.

Tonight we will board the night train to Kuala Lumpur. The train is second-class with air conditioned carriages with sleeping berths, so you should arrive refreshed!

Breakfast.

Day 3:
Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, has a lot to offer with a fascinating mix of the old and new. During the short-lived Malaysian economic boom of the 1990s, modern skyscrapers sprang up to change KL’s skyline – it boasts the tallest buildings in the world, the Petronas Twin Towers at 451m, and the Menara Tower, the world’s 4th tallest telecommunications tower. But KL has also kept its historic past and lots of character. There are old colonial buildings, mosques and temples, Chinese, Indian and Malay quarters.

On arrival, there is time to freshen up and for breakfast, before our orientation tour. During our city walking tour, we visit the Central Market, Jamek Mosque, and Independence Square. The rest of the day is free giving you time to shop in Chinatown for CDs, DVDs, or stock up on your fake watches and handbags or try making your own batik.

Day 4:
Kuala Lumpur. This morning we take the monorail to KL Tower for great views of the city. Then the day is free for you to do your own thing. Shop in markets, visit the sights, visit the bird, snake and orchid parks or go to the Sunway Water Park. Freshen up before heading out into the tropical evening and its dazzling array of nightlife.

Breakfast

Day 5:
Cameron Highlands. We have an early start today and drive towards the Cameron Highlands - the breeze will brush away the remains of the previous evenings adventures. We will stop at the Batu caves, with photo stops at waterfalls and Aboriginal Villages, before arriving at the hotel. In the afternoon you can chill out at the hotel and surrounding area or take a trek in the forest to Parit Falls

Breakfast.

Days 6-7:
Georgetown, Pulau Penang. Today our destination is Georgetown on Pulau Penang. On the way there is the option to visit a tea estate.

Penang, as with most of Malaysia, is one of those areas, which over history has become a unique multi-cultural region with Indian, Chinese, Malay, Baba and Nyonya, Armenian, Arab, and European peoples converging. The local cuisine alone is testament to the wide variety of influences! The state consists of the island Pulau Penang and a strip of the Malaysian mainland. It was the first state of Malaysia to come under British rule, when Sir Francis Light arrived to set up a duty-free port to compete with the Dutch trade in 1786.

The next day we set off in search of Penang’s colourful past. We take a funicular ride to the top of Penang Hill. At 830m high Penang Hill is cooler than the humid streets below and offers panoramic views across Georgetown. Swiss engineers built the funicular railway in 1928, and during the 30-minute journey to the top of the hill you will see the bungalow homes built for British officials. We get an up-close-and-personal feel for the place by taking a trishaw ride through the streets. We visit Fort Cornwallis, Victoria Tower, a Chinese Fishing Village, Khoo Kongsi Clan House, and Sri Mariamman – exemplifying the various cultures still thriving in the city. There will be plenty of photo opportunities en route so have your camera ready.

After dinner you can spend the evening wandering around the busy night bazaars and do a bit of bargaining for those all-important souvenirs or have a drink on the waterfront as in colonial days at the famous Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

2 breakfasts.

Days 8-10:
Drive to Krabi – Rai Leh Beach Escape. On Day 8, we set off early to cross the border into Thailand, travelling by minibus to our destination of Rai Leh in the Krabi Province on the wonderful west coast of Thailand. It is a fairly long drive but with fascinating scenery to while away the travelling time.

Set on the Andaman Coast, the Rai Leh area offers the beaches you have always dreamt of - white sand as far as the eye can see, beautiful blue iridescent water against a backdrop of stunning limestone cliffs and our hotel is a mere 400 metres walk from the beach.

On the first afternoon you are free to do what you like – rest and relax on the beach in the sun or, if you feel a bit more active, do some snorkelling, diving, sea kayaking, or island tours. For the more adventurous, there is the option of experiencing some world-class rock climbing along the coast. The limestone cliffs are a treat – there are lots of pockets for grip and some interesting overhangs. Rai Leh has an excellent choice of restaurants and bars to spend the evenings.

On the second day we day we offer an optional* trip in a traditional long tailed boat for a trip out to four pretty islands that are dotted off the coast. If you fancy some snorkelling, this is the time to do it - the sea is home to some beautiful fish and there are some fascinating coral reefs here too.

On the last day in Rai Leh, you are free again to explore more of the islands off the coast such as James Bond Island, relax on the beach, get a Thai massage, or maybe take a Thai cooking course.

3 breakfasts.
Note: Tours operating between May and October will stay in Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand on days 8-10 due to climatic conditions. The Optional Longtail boat trip will go out to Coral Island for snorkelling and swimming. On the free day you can take various excursions such as visits to coconut plantations, boat trip to Marine National Park, hiring mopeds to explore inland rainforest and waterfalls or visit Chawery beach

Days 11-12:
Khao Sok National Park. Khao Sok National Park is our jungle destination where we shall stay for the next two nights located by a lovely stream in this rich rainforest environment and away from the hustle and bustle. Khao Sok was established in 1980 and is believed to be older rainforest than that found in the Amazon or Africa. It is a terrain thick with trees and features many clear waterfalls, lots of streams, limestone cliffs and a lake studded with little islands. This afternoon we travel like the locals, on elephants, to see still more of the rainforest. Our first dinner is with an orchestra of jungle life.

When you wake up you will probably need to pinch yourself for you are likely to hear the screech of baboons in the rainforest outside - a morning moment to remember. After breakfast, we set off on a trek through the rainforest to take a look at the abundant wildlife and plant life. There are more than 180 species of bird, as well as the occasional long-tailed macaque, that we can be on the look out for. Our trek finishes at one of the spectacular waterfalls in the park complete with a relaxing swimming hole. Because of the geography of this area, it is a watershed and the vegetation is lush. You will see flora such as lianas, bamboo, ferns and rattan. After refreshing and relaxing at the lodge for lunch, we set out in either canoes or inner tubes for the next adventure, a guided trip down the river. This is a unique way of seeing and experiencing this centuries old landscape and unique karst topography. Watch out for some colourful water birds, such as the kingfisher along the way!

2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners.

Day 13:
Drive Surat Thani / Overnight Train to Bangkok. After breakfast and a relaxing morning in the park, we are transported to the Surat Thani station in time to catch the night train to Bangkok. This is a second-class fan cooled train with sleeping berths. Bangkok is like no other city you may have visited with its throbbing and seemingly chaotic life. Nine million people live here & the streets are always buzzing. Once you are through the initial culture shock you will discover amidst the activity, Bangkok’s many and varied charms – the exciting markets, the peaceful temples, the noisy nightclubs and the grand historic buildings.

Breakfast.

Day 14:
Bangkok. Today, after arriving into Bangkok on the overnight train, we start our City Tour with a long-tail boat ride on the Chao Phraya river, which has been the lifeline of Thailand’s ancient kingdoms and agricultural sustainability. We see traditional houses still perched at the edge of the river and its’ canals and pass the Royal Barge Museum. We then visit one of Thailand’s greatest visual wonders, the Wat Phra Kaeo, the Grand Palace. This is Thailand’s holiest Buddhist Temple and because of that you must make sure you wear ankle length trousers or a long skirt, a top fully covering the shoulders and proper sandals or shoes (no flip-flops/thongs). The Wat Phra Kaeo Royal Chapel houses the Emerald Buddha, actually made of jade. The Thais believe that as long as they remain keepers of the Emerald Buddha, their country will be safe. A local guide will be with us to show us this and many other stunning buildings in the 61-acre site. Afterwards we visit Wat Pho - the oldest temple in Bangkok, older than the city itself where Buddhist monks live. Wat Pho houses the incredible reclining gilt Buddha, which is nearly 50 feet high and 151 feet long with ornately inlayed mother-of-pearl feet. And here’s a bonus: the compound houses the Traditional Massage School offering Thai Massage and Foot Reflexology –a good way to end the day. For lunch we head to the Khao San Road, also known as backpacker central in Bangkok and afterwards you are free to shop and explore the area. Amongst all the chaos you have the chance to discover markets, like Chatuchak Weekend Market or Pratunam Market, or the 40 plus Wats hiding throughout the city.

Please note that the tour ends after the City Tour. Accommodation is not included in Bangkok.