We do Asian adventures, epic Eurotrips, Big Game safaris, American road trips, sailing trips, pyramid expeditions, and other awesomeness around the world for travellers between 18-39.
We realise that everyone’s different, which is why all our trips include heaps of free time to play and explore. It’s your trip, your way.
Your trip includes all the must-see, must-do activities and top-notch local fare to recharge those batteries between stops, which means you can spend your money where it matters and we’ll take care of the rest.
You will hit the road on modern, WiFiequipped coaches, stay where the action is and hang out with other young explorers bent on seeing the world.
And that’s just how we got started. We had a group of mates, some wheels and enough wanderlust to make most mothers worried. Forty years into it, we’re still discovering new places to see and unforgettable travel experiences to make our passengers’ trips just that little bit more awesome.
Ready to pack your bags? Let’s talk.
OUR ASIA TRIPS
Together with our local partner, we have created a range of epic adventures across the Asian continent just for you. Topdeck delivers an all access pass including stylish accommodation close to the action, mouthwatering local food and premium, fit for purpose transport that will allow you to go where others can’t. Our local team has more than 20 years experience helping make travel dreams come true, so pick your favourite trip and let’s go exploring.
ASIA BUCKET LIST
01
BANGKOK. I BKK. Said just about everyone ever. Just like its cuisine, Bangkok is a welcome assault on the senses, where tuk tuks fight for inches with black Lexuses and street noodle stalls rub shoulders with luxury department stores. Embrace the fun-loving chaos making this city Asia’s answer to NYC then retreat for a dose of temple serenity or climb a skyscraper for a sunset drink at a swanky rooftop bar.
PAGE .16, 18, 20, 38 .
03
GILI ISLANDS. They look like three inconsequential dots off the coast of Lombok. But these three islands have been drawing a castaway crowd for years. While turtles pop up for air on the fringing reefs nearby, Gili Trawangan keeps the backpacker crowd partying, Air (ah-ee-rr) flaunts its assets to the boutique crowd and Meno remains an untouched slice of paradise almost void of development. Expect white beaches, turtles and swaying coconut palms.
PAGE. 30.
05
HANOI. Thinking of food? You won’t be disappointed. From the pho stalls and bahn mi trucks of the Old Quarter to the OMG-Iwant-to-eat-everything feasts of Quan an Ngon, this is the best place in the world to eat, sleep, and dodge motorbikes. Get some refuge from the frantic traffic at the Temple of Literature, pick up some propaganda posters and explore the Parisian tree-lined boulevards and alleyways of one of Asia’s most delectable cities.
PAGE. 16, 24, 26.
07
KYOTO. Not far from the hustle and bustle of Japan’s second biggest metropolis Osaka, you’ll find yourself surrounded by immaculate gardens, temples and a city that turns her nose up at the glittery selfie machines and frenetic pace of Tokyo. Embrace serenity at Kinkakuji temple, watch apprentice geishas recreate ancient folklore through song and dance in Gion then get your samurai fix at Nijo Castle. PAGE. 42.
02
SAMUI ARCHIPELAGO. Life’s a beach. And good things come in three. Start your island hopping life on Koh Samui with snorkelling, shopping and poolside comforts, then ferry across to its sister Pha Ngan for a juxtaposition of beaches, swaying coconut palms and full-moon parties. Wrap up with a couple of nights on Koh Tao for more island vibes and eat, sleep, dive repeat. Beached out? You bet.
P AGE . 36.
04
ANGKOR WAT. Angkor Wat was originally built as a tribute to the Hindu god Vishnu and then gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th Century. You’ve probably seen the sunset a thousand times, but watching a thousand year old handcrafted piece of human ingenuity in person serves as a stark reminder of what our species were capable of before Facebook. We understand if you still want a selfie though. #nojudgment PAGE. 16,18.
06
TOKYO. Home to Hello Kitty, more Michelin stars than any other city in the world and a public transport that has never been late ever. This sprawling metropolis offers a curious mix between feudal heritage, street fashion and the most hi-tech toilets you’ll ever see. Don’t miss: World-class ramen in Nakano, Elvis impersonators in Yoyogi Park and next-gen fashion in Harajuku.
PAGE. 42, 44.
08
KUALA LUMPUR. Malaysians take their food seriously. Below the seen-the-postcard Petronas Towers with its retail wonderland you’ll find an urban sprawl of Indian, Chinese, Malay and colonial influences. Never thought a food court plate of duck and rice could change your life? Think again. Eat up then escape the city smoke for a while, check out the most popular hindu shrine outside India, then steam around Malacca for a more colonial take on life. PAGE. 20.
WAYS TO CHILL
CHAWENG BEACH FRONTED ROOMS, FRESH LOCAL FOOD AND THAT POOL. Why would you want to go anywhere when you’ve got this view and that coconut to finish? Watch the action unfold beneath you on the beach as you put your sunbed to perfect use.
OZO CHAWENG. SEE PAGE 36
TAKAYAMA: JAPAN
SAMUI: THAILAND THIS IS HOW SAMURAIS DO BED AND BREAKFAST. Like everything else in Nippon, Ryokans go back about a zillion years (to the Edo period). Get around on tatami floors, wear a yukata, bow a lot, eat Hida beef in your room and don’t dare to ask for vegetarian. LOCAL RYOKAN. SEE PAGE 42
LANTA: THAILAND
HOVERING ABOVE THE ANDAMAN SEA, WATER ACTIVITIES IS CROWN LANTA’S MIDDLE NAME. Lap up the free flowing swimming pool that winds its way through the resort like a lazy river and wonder how you hit the hotel jackpot. #winning. CROWN LANTA. SEE PAGE 34
TRAWANGAN: INDONESIA
SEE PAGE
Eat, Sleep, Repeat
FOOD COMA
noun/fúd kómə/
The feeling of utter, smug satisfaction and sleepiness, that one feels after eating their way through South East Asia for a few weeks. Common causes include banh mi, pho, coconuts, and stacks of satay.
ANTONYMS: GYM, DIET, PACKED LUNCH
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
VIETNAMESE MOTHERS JUDGE THEIR SON’S SIGNIFICANT OTHER on their broth making skills. It’s serious business. Mix French broth making skills with star anise, cinnamon and local herbs, let it simmer for a day, then load up your bowl with your favourite toppings. Go for beef, chicken, mint leaves, chillies and lime if you’re in the south or opt for the puritan Hanoi approach of letting the broth do the talking. Either way, you’ll never look at soup the same way again.
WHERE: JUST ABOUT ANY STREET CORNER IN VIETNAM.
EXPECT: ORDERING MORE THAN ONE IS FINE. GO FOR IT.
KNOW ONE, TEACH ONE
FROM A SIMPLE SANDWICH SHOP IN HANOI to a breeding ground for up-and-coming fine dining chefs, KOTO is not your average restaurant. Behind the scenes you’ll find a fully fledged NGO working to bring street kids out of poverty and help them build the skills needed to launch a career in a 5-star hotel. You’ll be served a mix of courses blending traditional Vietnamese cuisine with South East Asian and Western influences served with lashings of promises of a better future.
WHERE: HANOI.
EXPECT: TOP-NOTCH VIETNAMESE FOOD AND THE CHANCE TO SUPPORT A SOCIAL
ENTERPRISE MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES.
SUKHUMVIT SIZZLE
THE THAI KITCHEN, LIKE MANY OTHER ASIAN CUISINES, shows its full potential at a street side stall without a printed menu. Point, smile, indulge and then spend the rest of your life lecturing your friends about what a real pad thai is. The street menu spans old favourites like papaya salad and grilled pork with sticky rice to straight up food dares like crispy chilli scorpion and crickets. Don’t worry, no pressure. Ehum.
WHERE: SUKHUMVIT SOI 38 OR BANGKOK STREET FOOD TOUR
EXPECT: HOT, SWEET, SPICY, SOUR, SALTY EPICNESS.
REAL RAMEN
FORGET INSTANT STUDENT FOOD, RAMEN BURGERS, RAMEN PIZZA and all the other hipster variations you’ve seen on the theme. Real ramen is a 36-hour love affair with pork and chicken bones simmered according to a thousand- year-old recipe you’ll never be able to recreate at home. It’s also a perfect alternative to the 3am pizza slice, the 11 am brunch or just about any soul food indulgence you can think of.
WHERE: ANY HOLE IN THE WALL IN NAKANO-KU, TOKYO
EXPECT: TO NEVER SAY ‘IT’S JUST SOUP’ AGAIN
FREEDOM TO EXPLORE
ALL OUR TRIPS ARE DESIGNED TO LET YOU ROAM FREE while keeping things hassle-free. We’ve got the bucket list sorted, the accommodation booked and enough time built in to let you do your own thing. It’s your trip, your way.
+ Lots of free time in each city
+ A good mix of included and optional activities
TLC + BUCKET LIST SORTED
WE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE’RE PASSIONATE about showing young people the world. This means all TLC is included in the trip price and not charged on your last day. Go ziplining through the jungle in Thailand, dodge motorbikes and eat streetfood in Vietnam or watch life rush by from a Shinkansen train in Japan. This is your world, your dream, and your adventure.
+ The perfect mix between must-see and off the beaten track destinations
+ Heaps of meals included
NO MORE FOMO
WE KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE BEST BEACHES, temples, street food and cultural experiences in Asia and have trained our crew to give you the best experience every time. Add handpicked accommodation ranging from Ko Samui's most awesome island resort to a ryokan in the Japanese countryside and you’ll see why we say we run trips, not tours.
+ Unique accommodation in three and four-star hotels
+ Small and medium groups. Medium on Island hoppers (Samui/ Ko-Conut and Bali) with 35 pax. all other trips small at 20 pax.
HASSLE-FREE TRAVEL
OUR RECIPE IS SIMPLE: A group of young explorers, transport sorted and custom-built itineraries designed to mix freedom with lifechanging experiences. It’s more than getting from A to B—it’s all about the epic friends, memories and experiences you have along the way.
+ Local Trip Leaders with extensive insider knowledge
+ No tipping or extra charges
Travel Hacks
YOU NEED TO USE RIGHT NOW
Forgot where you live? You’re not alone. Take a selfie in front of the hotel when you arrive for an instant reminder.
Scan or take photos of your passport, credit cards and insurance documents and email them to yourself or save in Evernote.
Type or speak “ok maps” into the Google Maps app to store any location to your phone for offline browsing.
Buy a portable phone charger and get free juice on the go. If you don’t have one, look for USB ports behind TVs and airplane seats.
Going anywhere near a boat? The water might seem deceptively
azure
and inviting, but your electronics will disagree. Put anything you don’t want to get rid of in a
Fill your shoes with socks and smaller items and keep all your cables in a sunglass case.
Dehydration, unlike unicorns, is a real thing. Drink more water than you think you’ll need.
Always take metered taxis. Haggling might be fun, but the
You will thank us for this one. The less stuff you bring, the easier it will be to move around at your destination.
Travel Budget
14 DAY | ROAD TO PHNOM PENH
MONEY CAN’T BUY
EARLY PAYMENT*
SAVE 5% when you book and pay in full 6 months in advance of your trip departure date.
MULTI-TRIP DISCOUNTS*
BOOK 2 TRIPS and Save 5% on the cheapest trip. BOOK 3 TRIPS and Save 7.5% on the cheapest trip and 5% on the 2nd cheapest.
BOOK 4 TRIPS And Save 10% on the cheapest trip, 7.5% ON THE 2ND CHEAPEST AND 5% ON THE 3RD.
FRIENDS & DISCOUNTS*
SAVE 5% for 4 friends who book and travel together. SAVE 7.5% for 7 friends and 10% for 10 friends! #Winning.
SAVE 5% if you’ve travelled with us before.
Asia
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Tour of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, Cambodia
+ Hiroshima Peace Museum, Japan
+ Black H’mong homestay, Vietnam
+ Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour, Thailand
UNIQUE DESTINATIONS:
+ Takayama, Japan
+ Koh Tao, Thailand
+ Gili Trawangan, Indonesia
+ Lao Cai, Vietnam
+ Phnom Penh, Cambodia
27 DAY | ASIAN FUSION
DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. First off the bat: free time to explore before you start ticking off your bucket list with a night time street food tour. (D)
DAY 2 BANGKOK TO CHIANG MAI. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with the iconic Jim Thompson’s house, cruise the Chao Phraya River and check out the Buddhist temple Wat Pho. (B)
DAY 3 CHIANG MAI. This morning explore Chiang Mai’s old city. It’s a temple-monument salad as you stop at Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Puak Tam and the Three Kings Monument. (B)
DAY 4 CHIANG MAI TO CHIANG RAI. Visit the Wat Rong Khun temple, view the Golden Triangle from above, then on to Mae Sai — the northernmost trading border. (B,L)
DAY 5 CHIANG RAI TO PAK BENG, LAOS. Cross the Friendship Bridge, board a Mekong river cruise and stop to chat to locals at a small village. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 PAK BENG TO LUANG PRABANG. This morning stop for a tipple at the whiskey village, pass the Pak Ou Caves and arrive in Luang Prabang. (B,L)
DAY 7 LUANG PRABANG. Mount Phousi for sunrise. Dinner for $2, cakes to stuff your boots with (thanks French influence!) and shopping for a worthy cause all in the same market. (B)
DAY 8 LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG. Rise to the sound of the temple gong, partake in the daily almsgiving of the monks without cramping their style, and descend southwards to Vang Vieng. (B)
DAY 9 VANG VIENG. A free day for kayaking on the Nam Song River. If you’re here in wet season: rapids. Any other time: rock climbing mountains & cave exploring. (B)
DAY 10 VANG VIENG TO VIENTIANE. First up: the historical site Wat Sisaket and former temple Wat Ho Phra Keo housing Laotian art. Then Patuxay, the Victory Monument. (B)
DAY 11 VIENTIANE TO SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA. Fly to Siem Reap and explore Angkor: meet the stoney faces of Bayon, the Ta Prohm temple held up by tree roots, and Angkor Wat with its moat. (B)
DAY 12 SIEM REAP. Kick start with a visit to the headquarters of a local non-profit, hop aboard an ox cart and stop at a Buddhist temple to get blessed by monks. (B,L)
DAY 13 SIEM REAP TO PHNOM PENH. Get cracking with a visit to the Royal Palace. Pay a sobering visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum for a bit of insight into the darker side of Cambodia's history. (B,L)
DAY 14 PHNOM PENH. Spend the day exploring the French-built capital, or visit Silk Island village or the killing fields of Choeung Ek. (B)
DAY 15-16 PHNOM PENH TO HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM. Arrive in HCMC, home to 10 million people
TRIP CODE: AHAFBH
and 4 million motorbikes. Kick off the night with banh mi baguettes and rice paper pizza, then have a free day to explore the Cu Chi tunnels, and the optional Saigon Opera House and War Remnants Museum. (B,D) (B,L)
DAY 17 HO CHI MINH CITY TO VINH LONG. Hop on a boat to peruse Cai Be's floating markets. Stop for lunch at a bonsai gardener's home, then an overnight homestay. (B,L,D)
DAY 18 VINH LONG TO HO CHI MINH CITY. Wake up to another morning in the land of pho and snake wine, cruise to Vinh Long, then the Vinh Trang Pagoda. (B,L)
DAY 19 HO CHI MINH CITY TO NHA TRANG. Touch down and rest up at the white powdery beaches or search for fruit markets. Either way you’re winning. (B)
DAY 20 NHA TRANG. Do the optional 3 island boat tour or spend your free day lazing on Nha Trang, a kite-running, windsurfing and scuba diving mecca. (B)
DAY 21 NHA TRANG TO HOI AN. Fly to Hoi An’s well-preserved ancient town and make friends with her asap. (B)
DAY 22 HOI AN. Explore the countryside by bicycle, check out the 2 century-old Tan Ky House or enrol in a cooking masterclass. (B)
DAY 23 HOI AN TO HUE. Drive along Hai Van Pass to Hue. A half day tour to the ancient citadel, then visit smooth operator (and husband to 104 wives) Tu Duc’s Royal Tomb. (B)
DAY 24 HUE TO HANOI. Take on the chaotic Old Quarter and horse-honouring temples. Dinner is at Koto, a restaurant providing training to impoverished children. (B,D)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour
+ Bangkok + Chao Phraya River tour
+ White temple of Wat Rong Khun
+ Mekong river boat cruise
+ Toul Sleng Genocide Museum
+ Visit Pak Ou Caves
+ City tours in Vientiane + Phnom Penh
+ Cu Chi tunnels tour in Vietnam
+ Hai Van mountain pass
+ Dinner at social enterprise restaurant Koto, Hanoi
+ Siem Reap community village tour
+ Tour of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 26 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 7 dinners
+ 23 nights in hotels, 1 night aboard an overnight train, 1 night in a homestay, 1 night on a junk boat
+ Internal flights
+ Awesome driver/local guide
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned coach/mini-coach
DAY 25 HANOI TO HALONG BAY. Cruise time. A day of paddling, swimming, lazing on the sundeck and the bay’s seafood for dinner? Yes please. (B,L,D)
DAY 26 HALONG BAY TO HANOI. Board a tender for deceptively small entrance/massive chamber within Surprise Cave, then back to Hanoi for one last street food encounter. (B,L,D)
DAY 27 HANOI. One last bowl of pho then it's all over red rover. (B)
14 DAY | ROAD TO PHNOM PENH
DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. First off the bat: free time to explore like a Bangkokian. Get a culture fix at one of the 100+ museums, immerse yourself in a new religion at a royal temple, and eat a light lunch to last until tonight, where you eat for 4 hours at the street eats by tuk-tuk experience. All. the. food. (D)
DAY 2 BANGKOK TO CHIANG MAI. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with a full day visiting some of it’s most iconic sights. Tick off ALL the transport as you visit Jim Thompson’s house, boat along the Chao Phraya River and tuk-tuk it to Wat Pho. Lunch at a local restaurant. Overnight train it to Chiang Mai. (B)
DAY 3 CHIANG MAI. This morning start by picking apart Chiang Mai’s old city by trishaw (humanpowered tricycle). It’s a temple-monument salad as you stop at Wat Chedi Luang - a 14th century Buddhist temple, then the murals and lacquer work of Wat Puak Tam temple and its artisan brass making village, followed by the Three Kings Monument of the men who planned the city’s layout. (B)
DAY 4 CHIANG MAI TO CHIANG RAI. On your way out of Chiang Mai stop at Wat Rong Khun, aka the White Temple. This afternoon you’re off to the Golden Triangle (the border where Laos, Burma and Thailand
meet), former hub of the opium trade. Then it’s on to Mae Sai, the northernmost trading border. Pick up exotic curios and jewellery at the markets, watch merchants sell their goods or go hang with the giant scorpion. (B,L)
DAY 5 CHIANG RAI TO PAK BENG, LAOS. Today it’s all about friendship. Cross the Chiang Khong border at the Friendship Bridge and the Huay Xai Border into Laos. Then it’s straight into the Mekong river cruise to use all your camera’s SD cards on the scenery before stopping to make friends with locals at a village on your way to Pak Beng. (B,L,D)
DAY 6 PAK BENG TO LUANG PRABANG. This morning explore the markets where locals from surrounding villages trade their goods. Stop for a tipple at the whiskey village, where locals have craftily transformed sticky rice into Lao Lao whiskey. Next stop is the Pak Ou Caves—filled to the brim with buddhist statues—at the mouth of the Nam Ou River. This afternoon arrive in Luang Prabang. Get in early and check out the (literal) hundreds of monuments and temples and feel at peace. (B,L)
DAY 7 LUANG PRABANG. Get up early to head up the 328 steps of Mount Phousi for sunrise, it’s well worth the burning calves. Dinner for $2 a plate, cakes to stuff your boots with (thanks French people) and shopping for a worthy cause all in the same market. (B)
DAY 8 LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG. Rise to the sound of the temple gong, partake in the daily almsgiving of the monks by offering sticky rice, bananas and other foods without cramping their style, and descend southwards to Vang Vieng, the riverside town that is a backpacker beacon. (B)
TRIP CODE: AHAFBP
DAY 9 VANG VIENG. A free day for kayaking on the Nam Song River. If you’re here in wet season: rapids. If you’re here any other time: rock climbing the limestone mountains or cave exploring. (B)
DAY 10 VANG VIENG TO VIENTIANE. First up: the historical site Wat Sisaket and former temple Wat Ho Phra Keo housing Laotian art will give you your first culture fix. Then Patuxay, aka the Victory Monument. (B)
DAY 11 VIENTIANE TO SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA. Fly to Siem Reap, let your nose pick the perfect lunch spot before an afternoon tour of Angkor: meet the stoney faces of Bayon, the Ta Prohm temple held up by tree roots, and Angkor Wat with its moat. Stand on top of Pre Rup for sunset. (B)
DAY 12 SIEM REAP. Kick start the day with a visit to the HQ of a local non-profit organisation employing village women who specialise in the traditional craft of mat weaving. Then hop aboard an ox cart to visit a Khmer family who makes brooms and stop at a Buddhist temple to get blessed by monks. (B,L)
DAY 13 SIEM REAP TO PHNOM PENH. Phnom Penh awaits this morning. Get cracking with a visit to the Royal Palace overlooking the Tonle Sap river. This afternoon, take part in a sobering visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum to learn about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime. Join the locals at sunset in one of the riverside bars. Dinner is whatever takes your fancy. (B,L)
DAY 14 PHNOM PENH. Spend the day exploring the French-built capital — venture back to the riverfront for the Silver Pagoda and National Museum, or go straight for the heart to find the art deco Central Market. Done and done? Go for an optional activity: learn about Cambodia’s darkest hour at the killing
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour
+ Bangkok city tour
+ Chiang Mai city tour by trishaw
+ White temple of Wat Rong Khun
+ Mekong river boat cruise
+ Pak Ou Caves
+ Toul Sleng Genocide Museum
+ Giving of alms to monks
+ Vientiane city tour
+ Siem Reap community village tour
+ Phnom Penh city tour
+ Tour of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
+ 12 nights in hotels, 1 night aboard an overnight train
+ Internal flights
+ Awesome driver/local guide
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned coach/mini-coach
fields of Choeung Ek, or go for a hands on experience at Silk Island village and learn about the traditions of hand looming silk. Watch the experts do their thing then give it a whirl. The trip ends in the afternoon, but stay and hang out in a hammock, it's how the locals do it. (B)
TRIP PRICE OF €1995
G = Guaranteed departure
K = Songkran (Thai new Year)
W = Cambodia waTer FeSTival
L = vieTnameSe lunar new Year
14 DAYS FROM
EUR PER PERSON
PHOTO: ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA
14 DAY | MALACCA TRAIL
DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. First off the bat: free time to explore like a Bangkokian (it's a word). Fill up on culture at one of the 100+ museums, immerse yourself in a new religion at a royal temple and get your food fix from one of the 100,000 street vendors to last you until tonight, where you get to eat for 4 hours. All. The. Food. (D)
DAY 2 BANGKOK. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with a full day visiting its iconic sights. Tick off all the transport as you visit Jim Thompson’s house, boat along the Chao Phraya River and tuk-tuk it to the grand buddhist temple Wat Pho. Lunch like kings at a local restaurant. Check out Khao San Road for handicrafts, paintings and fruit during the day, and bars, music and barbequed insects at night. (B,L)
DAY 3 BANGKOK TO SURAT THANI. Your last free day in Bangkok — use it well. Get a massage or hit up one of the city's mega malls. Tick the Muay Thai boxing match off your Thailand bucket list or join locals playing Sepak takraw (‘kick volleyball’). Tonight all aboard the overnight train to Surat Thani. (B)
DAY 4 SURAT THANI TO KRABI. Take Surat Thani through its paces by taste-testing its finest produce: oysters, Rambutans, and salted duck eggs. Want something else to feast your eyes on? Visit the impressive Rock Fish Museum and cool off in the Namtok Vibhavadi waterfall before you roll into Krabi, one of the oldest continued settlements in southern Thailand. Check out its amazing beaches, hike to the Tiger cave temple or enrol in a Thai cooking class. (B)
DAY 5 KRABI. Do the optional and pinball your way around the Phi Phi Islands—Thailand’s island superstar, former coconut plantation and film location for The Beach. Split your time between Phi Phi Lay,
Loh Sama, Tonsai Bay for lunch, Phi Phi Don and Bamboo Island. On the way back stop at Chicken Island, which literally looks like a giant moss-covered bush turkey casually nestled in the water. (B)
DAY 6 KRABI. Another free day to explore at your will. Wander further to Railay Beach’s caves and lagoons, and watch a nail-biter as rock climbers take on the cliffs. For the adventurous there’s always kayaking at Ao Thalane, a small fishing village teeming with mangrove ecosystems and limestone karst formations. Take your pick. (B)
DAY 7 KRABI TO PENANG, MALAYSIA. Fly to Penang, the food capital of Malaysia (what we like to hear). Known for its hawker food: a mix of noodles, spices and fresh seafood dishes served al fresco, tonight is your chance to meander through the Batu Ferringhi night markets and grab a bite and a bargain. (B)
DAY 8 PENANG. Navigate Georgetown by trishaw (human-powered tricycle) through narrow lanes, offering a closer view of historical sites such as the Kapitan Keling Mosque, St George’s Church and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. In 2012 Georgetown began a street murals project which has since taken off with multiple artist contributions. Admire and snap the amazing artwork (there are cats involved) then a food tasting in Kapitan is on the cards for lunch. (B,L)
DAY 9 PENANG TO CAMERON HIGHLANDS. Make a mad dash down the coast to the Cameron Highlands through Perak State and Simpang Pulai. Today is all about nature. Soak up the scent at a tea plantation and veggie farm tour. Then tonight: listen out for the insect orchestra on a jungle trek and try to spot Giant Stick Insects, Great Green Nymphs (the largest beetle in Malaysia), and scorpions. (B,L)
DAY 10 CAMERON HIGHLANDS TO KUALA LUMPUR. Wind your way down through Kampung Raja to Kuala Lumpur. Stop at Malaysia’s biggest cave temple Sam Poh Tong to snap the giant reclining Buddha and stare in awe at the various Buddhas interspersed among the stalactites and stalagmites. Balance your karma by releasing a turtle into the resident pond. Lunch is in Ipoh before kicking on to Perak’s Ubudiah Mosque and the Perak Royal Museum. (B,L)
DAY 11 KUALA LUMPUR. Today you get to experience village life in Kampung Sungai Sireh, a local producer of fruit, flowers and natural products. Start your village education with a paddy field tour and see the way locals process their rice during harvest season. Peek inside a typical village house, tuck into lunch with local dishes such as “ulams”, then get your artist on with coconut leaf ornament making and batik painting. This afternoon it's back to Kuala Lumpur. (B,L)
DAY 12 KUALA LUMPUR TO MALACCA. This morning you’re off to the Batu Caves in all their 400 million year old limestone goodness. The most popular Hindu shrine outside of India, this one’s worth a look-see. Then on to Malacca, home of Portuguese influence and descendants of Chinese settlers known as Nyonya. Lunch is in a Peranakan restaurant, with flavour explosions in the form of laksas and curries thanks to Chinese, Malay and Thai influences. Work off lunch with a tour of Cheng Hoon Teng temple, then boat around Malacca for the afternoon. (B,L)
DAY 13 MALACCA TO SINGAPORE. Get a taste for Singapore’s best with a jaunt in Chinatown. Wander down lantern-lined streets where medical herbs and souvenirs line the stalls. Stuff yourself with famous dishes like Or Luak, Char Kway Teow and Satay at the
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Bangkok tuk-tuk street food tour
+ Bangkok city tour
+ Bangkok + Chao Phraya River tour
+ Batu Caves
+ Georgetown Murals Trail by Beca
+ Night trekking in the Cameron Highlands
+ Kampong Sungai Sireh village experience
+ Boat tour around Malacca
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 13 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 2 dinners
+ 12 nights in hotels, 1 night aboard an overnight train
+ Internal flights
+ Awesome driver/local guide
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned coach/mini-coach
Chinatown Food Street then hit up the street side bars in Club St or Duxton Hill for a farewell drink. (B,D)
DAY 14 SINGAPORE. Take one last longing look at the futuristic city before it’s Zàijiàn to Singapore. (B)
TRIP PRICE OF € 1850
TRIP PRICE OF €1950
G = Guaranteed departure
14 DAYS FROM
1850
EUR PER PERSON
Vietnam
VIETNAM IS SOUTH EAST ASIA’S PERFECT ISLAND-CITY COMBINATION. Soak up Ho Chi Minh’s rumble of 4 million motorbikes, wander through Lao Cai's quiet rice terraces, and cruise the jade waters of Halong Bay. With horse-honouring temples, chaotic old quarters and a booming social enterprise scene, this country is not afraid to make noise (literally).
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Black H’mong homestay
+ Batik painting in Lao Chai
+ Cruise in Halong Bay
ACCOMMODATION +3 STAR HOTELS
TRIP LENGTH 4-13 DAYS
ROOM TYPES TWIN/DOUBLE/TRIPLE SHARE
13 DAY | VIETNAM UNCOVERED
DAY 1 HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM. Arrive in HCMC, home to 10 million people and 4 million motorbikes. Tonight, prepare for a food explosion downtown. Pop up restaurants are prominent here and all disappear at sunrise. Now’s the time to bust out the (perhaps too courageous) tick list for weird foods that you don’t recognise, e.g. anything fried that looks delicious. Vietnamese favourites like banh mi baguettes and new triumphs like rice paper pizza will have you licking your chops. (D)
DAY 2 HO CHI MINH CITY. Early to rise for your Cu Chi tunnels tour. Hear stories of what life was like for the soldiers who endured war in the tunnels. Today they are seen as a testimony of Vietnamese resiliency. Back in HCMC, stroll towards the Saigon River to check out the Municiple Theatre, once used to shelter French citizens, then stop at the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum. (B,L)
DAY 3 HO CHI MINH CITY TO VINH LONG. Arriving in Cai Be—known for its iconic floating markets—and hop on your own boat to explore a floating buffet teeming with fruit, vegetables and goods. Continue along the maze of canals to Vinh Long, stopping for lunch at a bonsai gardener’s home. Jump back on the boat and stop at a local family’s home for the night. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 VINH LONG TO HO CHI MINH CITY. Wake up to another morning in the land of pho and snake wine, cruise to Vinh Long and then transfer to the main town My Tho and and visit the Indian Palaceresembling Vinh Trang pagoda. (B,L)
DAY 5 HO CHI MINH CITY TO NHA TRANG. Today you’re heading horizontally to Nha Trang, Vietnam’s most popular seaside resort town. Rest up at the
white powdery beaches or go searching for some fruit markets. Either way you’re winning. (B)
DAY 6 NHA TRANG. Spend your free day lazing in Nha Trang, a kite-running, windsurfing and scuba diving mecca. Dinner options sorted: find plenty of fresh seafood caught in the morning for dinner. A king crab costs about $8 and can be shared between 2 (although don’t). (B)
DAY 7 NHA TRANG TO HOI AN. Fly upwards to Hoi An. Known for its well-preserved ancient town, the architecture is a reflection of the city’s multicultural history — a mix of styles and eras from French colonial buildings and Chinese shophouses to Vietnamese tube houses and the Japanese Covered Bridge (complete with Buddha). This is by far the most vibrant city in Vietnam. (B)
DAY 8 HOI AN. Day two in this cultural melting pot. Hire a bike in the countryside and get to know the outskirts, enrol in a cooking masterclass conducted by a local chef or stare in awe at the 2 century-old Tan Ky House — a vision in Japanese influence and Chinese poems. Food-wise, between fried green sentinel crab cakes, crispy savoury crepes, shrimp spring rolls and fried pork bread, you’ll be rolling out like Violet Beauregard. (B)
DAY 9 HOI AN TO HUE. Drive along the Hai Van Pass, one of Vietnam’s most beautiful stretches and into former imperial capital Hue. Straight into a half day tour with a trip to the ancient walled citadel housing the former Imperial Palace. Afterwards visit the former Nguyen Dynasty emperor Tu Duc — a smooth operator, with a total of 104 wives and countless concubines — at his Royal Tomb. (B)
DAY 10 HUE TO HANOI. Fly up the east coast and take on the big city capital Hanoi. What’s not to love: the chaotic Old Quarter’s where it’s at for markets, small temples are scattered throughout the city honouring a legendary horse (because horses are cool), and the indestructible Dong Xuan market for street food. Dinner is at Koto, a restaurant providing training and life skills to street children. By eating here, you’re sponsoring a trainee’s uniform or replacing equipment and wherever the money gets spent, know you’re doing a good thing. Fist bump. (B,D)
DAY 11 HANOI TO HALONG BAY. Leave the bustle of the city in your dust as you make for Halong Bay. A day of paddling around on boats is what the doctor ordered. Stop: lunch time. Board a small tender boat for L’Azalee (all big boats should have names), a restored junk, and explore the jade waterways. Swim and kayak around the limestone karsts this afternoon then return to L’Azalee for the sunset from the top deck before tucking in to the bay’s freshest seafood for dinner. (B,L,D)
DAY 12 HALONG BAY TO HANOI. Board a tender for Surprise Cave and its deceptively small entrance/ massive cave within. Back to Hanoi for one last street food encounter. (B,L,D)
DAY 13 HANOI. One last bowl of pho then it's all over red rover. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Ho Chi Minh City street eats tour
+ Cu Chi tunnels tour
+ Cai Be floating markets
+ Hanoi street eats tour
+ Hai Van Pass
+ Cruise in Halong Bay
+ Dinner at social enterprise restaurant Koto, Hanoi
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 12 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
+ 10 nights in hotels, 1 night in a homestay, 1 night on a junk boat
+ Internal flights
+ Awesome driver/local guide
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
13 DAYS FROM
4 DAY | SAPA ENCOUNTER
DAY 1 HANOI TO SAPA, VIETNAM. Ease into your Sapa round trip with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi. Boasting a dedicated display to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minorities and rumoured to be the best museum in the country, you’ve got a lot to learn in one afternoon.
Grab an early dinner before we high-tail it by train to Lao Cai, an unassuming town on the Vietnam-China border. We’ll overnight in comfortable sleeper berths en route. (D)
DAY 2 SAPA. Wake up in a different city before we make our way to the small Giay village of Ta Van in the Muong Hoa Valley. Today we traverse the gaping mouth-worthy rice paddies on towards the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai (not related to Chai, btw). With rice terraces blanketing the mountain like coiffed faux grass, now’s your chance to snap every angle and get your Insta fix before we arrive at the home of a local Black H’mong lady by the name of Ms Moo.
Soak in the views while hearing stories about the life and culture of the Black H’mong people, then work out those foot kinks with a traditional H’mong herbal foot bath. Next up, join a master class led by a local expert to learn the dying art of Batik painting. The best part: you get to bring your creation home whilst taking part in a sustainable tourism project supporting local women and ensuring the art form is passed on to the next generation. Tonight we get to stay at Ms Moo’s as homestay guests. (B,L,D)
DAY 3 SAPA. This morning you're onwards and upwards to the peaceful valleys and gorges surrounding the village of O Quy Ho, north of Sapa. Indochina’s highest peak, Fangxipan Mountain towers over the valleys as a welcome reprieve from the blistering sun, providing pano-worthy shots on clear days. Breathe in the oolong tea scent as you trek past tea farms.
Look down (and snap away) as you walk along the
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Museum of Ethnology
+ Muong Hoa valley and ethnic villages
+ Batik painting master class
+ O Quy Ho village
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
+ 2 night aboard overnight train, 1 night local homestay
+ Awesome driver/local guide
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
footpaths that contour around the rice terraces, passing grazing buffaloes, and hear the century-old migration stories of the Black H’mong (could this be any more magical?).
This afternoon visit a local family’s Black H’mong house (mind your manners), then it's back to Sapa to board an overnight train. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 SAPA TO HANOI. Arrive back in Hanoi for one last pho and rice paper roll.
TRIP PRICE OF € 375 L = vieTnameSe lunar new Year 4 DAYS FROM
EUR PER PERSON
Indonesia
DOES CORAL REEFS, SWAYING PALM TREES AND SEAFOOD ON THE BEACH SOUND LIKE YOUR THING? Or yoga in Ubud, white water rafting in Seminyak and the Ibiza of South East Asia in Gili Trawangan — with less DJs and more turtles. Top it off with an Indonesian sunset and a Bintang and you’re laughing.
Indonesia
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Gili Trawangan Cidomo ride
+ Padangbai by speedboat
+ Ubud cultural dance show
ACCOMMODATION +3 STAR HOTELS
TRIP LENGTH 7 DAYS
ROOM TYPES TWIN/DOUBLE/TRIPLE SHARE
7 DAY | BALI ISLAND HOPPER
DAY 1 SEMINYAK TO LEMBONGAN ISLAND, INDONESIA. Island hopping from the get-go — meet the crew in Seminyak and then set sail for Nusa Lembongan Island with all the coral reefs, low limestone cliffs, and white sand beaches you can imagine. The afternoon is yours for the taking: lunch at the beach club, water activities, beach volleyball. It’s like you were meant to be ladies (and gentlemen) of leisure. (L)
DAY 2 LEMBONGAN ISLAND TO GILI TRAWANGAN. This morning we’re heading northwards to the biggest of the Gili archipelago trio: Gili Trawangan. Two days in the snorkelling, diving and cultural mecca of the Gilis. Let loose and make sure you roam every inch of
it. Go old school and get a “Cidomo” (horse carriage) to the hotel. (B)
DAY 3 GILI TRAWANGAN. Free day: take one. You might want to take this one easy and languidly laze on Goodheart beach. With bicycles and horses as the main mode of transport (there are no motorised vehicles on the Gilis) this is as remote as a remote island experience can get. Want to meet the locals? Do the optional diving and snorkelling tour to casually bump into turtles, rays and reef sharks. Tonight meander through the night markets snacking your way through satays and fresh seafood for prices cheap as chips. (B)
DAY 4 GILI TRAWANGAN. Start your day in the Ibiza of Southeast Asia and watch the sunrise over Lombok’s Mt. Rinjani (stick with us and you’ll round out the day with the best sunrises and sunsets in Indonesia). Then join a beach volleyball game, explore the island’s diameter on horseback or book yourself a yoga retreat. This afternoon, set up the camera at the south eastern point of Gili T to watch the sun disappear behind Bali’s Mount Agung. Not paradise, just another day in Gili T. (B)
DAY 5 GILI TRAWANGAN TO UBUD. Diving certification clutched tight to your chest (depending on whether you made the most of Gili T), today we press onto Ubud after speedboating it to Padangbai port. Culture/yoga/nature buffs, you’ve come to the right place. The rest of the day is at your disposal, so get an early start and tick off culturally rich sites like Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), Seniwati Gallery — the only art precinct with works solely by women — or chill out with a monkey and 14th century temples at the Ubud Monkey Forest. Munch on some gado-gado as you plan tomorrow’s adventures. (B)
DAY 6 UBUD. Today, go all out on a Kintamani full day tour. Start with a traditional dance show depicting good and evil, before taking on the Tirta Empul hot springs in a bid to have your ailments restored. Next up is Kintamani where you’ll lunch with views over Bali’s largest lake (with its own dedicated temple revering its grandness). Downwards to the Kopi Luwak plantation, and on past Tegalalang’s rice fields and coconut trees (make a mental note to come back to all of this for more exploring). The afternoon will be filled with meandering through the Ubud market and dinner in a local restaurant. Night sorted. (B,L,D)
TRIP CODE: AHIBSS
DAY 7 UBUD TO SEMINYAK. We are off again this afternoon, so make the most of your last day with an optional downhill mountain biking tour or 33-rapid whitewater rafting. You know, standard last day type stuff. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Water sports on Lembongan Island
+ Island stays on Bali, Lembongan and Pulau Lombok
+ Cidomo ride
+ Kintamani tour
+ Lake Batur
+ Ubud cultural dance show
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinners
+ 6 nights in hotels
+ Awesome local guide
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
Thailand
FROM FULL (AND BLACK) MOON CELEBRATIONS TO FRIED INSECTS, MUAY THAI AND COCONUTS FOR DAYS, THAILAND IS WHERE IT’S AT. The bustle of Bangkok contrasts with the peaceful and secluded south with its beaches, rivers, and countless snorkelling and swimming havens. Plus: epic Pad Thai, James Bond Island and 1,000 chances to work on that tan.
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Cruise the Mekong
+ 4-island trip by speedboat
+ Phang Nga Bay - James Bond Island
ACCOMMODATION +3 STAR HOTELS
TRIP LENGTH 4-9 DAYS
ROOM TYPES TWIN/DOUBLE/TRIPLE SHARE
9 DAY | KO-CONUT HOPPER
DAY 1 PHUKET, THAILAND. Make your way to the hotel to meet and greet the crew and start planning tomorrow’s adventures.
DAY 2 PHUKET. Kick off your morning with a trip to none other than Koh Tapu, aka James Bond Island. Stemming from 1974 film “The Man with the Golden Gun” fame, this limestone rock is not photo shy. Paddle in its calm waters, grab some elephant earring souvenirs and then join the sea cave canoe group for lunch on the boat. Then cruise away to Lawa Island for more paddling and sunbathing. This is where stress comes to fizzle away. (B,L)
DAY 3 PHUKET. A free day all to you. Go all out and spoil yourself with an optional full day trip to Coral and Racha Islands, or Rok and Haa Islands. If you need to catch up on your shopping check out the street markets dotted along the beach for fried critters, Jungceylon shopping mall for basically everything, or Banzaan Market for all the colourful fruit and Thai sweets. Or just hang at the beach, work on your tan and chill with a coconut. (B)
DAY 4 PHUKET TO KRABI. Today we roll into Krabi, one of the oldest continued settlements in southern Thailand. Check out even more amazing beaches, hike to the Tiger cave temple or enrol yourself in a Thai cooking class and apply for the next Masterchef. (B)
DAY 5 KRABI. Pinball your way around 4 of Thailand’s most insanely beautiful islands for the day. Split your time between Koh Tub - a sandbar that you can cross at low tide, descending straight into the Andaman Sea, Chicken Island - which literally looks like a giant moss-covered bush turkey casually nestled in the water, Pranang Bay’s secluded peninsula and Railay Beach’s caves, lagoons and nail-biting international rock climbing culture. (B,L)
DAY 6 KRABI. Another free day to explore at your will. For the adventurous, there’s always a full day Phi Phi Island tour of Thailand’s island superstar, former coconut plantation and film location for The Beach. Or go kayaking at Ao Thalane, a small fishing village teeming with mangrove ecosystems and limestone karst formations. Take your pick. (B)
DAY 7 KRABI TO KOH LANTA. This morning’s schedule is clear for you to check out one more swimming spot before we kick on to Koh Lanta, one of the southernmost districts of Krabi and stunner with its own marine park protecting 15 of the surrounding islands. (B)
DAY 8 KOH LANTA. A free day for exploring Koh Lanta’s hidden curios. Check out the Old Town with Chinese merchants and Thai fishing families selling their wares, the impressive stalactites and stalagmites of the Khao Mai Kaew Caves, and the "chao-le" - Sea Gypsy Village with its own language and separate rituals. Tonight, get a taste for the nightlife with a Muay Thai boxing match or come out of your shell at a karaoke bar. (B)
DAY 9 KOH LANTA TO PHUKET. After breakfast we’re off home — you might want to stick around to work on that tan. And have one last coconut. (B)
TRIP CODE: AHIWUU
MEALS 10
PHUKET PHUKET COUNTRY VISITED 1
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Day visit to Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island)
+ Island stays on Phuket and Ko Lanta
+ Lawa Island day visit
+ Full day 4 Island trip by speedboat
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches
+ 8 nights in hotels
+ Ferry transfers to and from Koh Lanta
+ Awesome local guide
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
DAY 9 KOH TAO TO KOH SAMUI. The trip ends after we arrive back in Koh Samui, but stick around and test your courage with a salted egg. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Full day Angthong Island tour
+ Island stays on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch
+ 8 nights in hotels
+ Angthong Marine National Park entrance fee
+ All ferries to Koh Tao, Koh Phangan & Koh Samui
+ Awesome local guide
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
TRIP PRICE OF € 710
TRIP PRICE OF € 855
G = guaranTeed deparTure
K = Songkran (Thai new Year)
FM = Full moon
BM = Black Moon
9 DAYS FROM
710
EUR PER PERSON
4 DAY | BANGKOK STOPOVER
DAY 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND. A whole day to explore like a Bangkokian (it’s a word). Fill up on culture at one of the 100+ museums, immerse yourself in a new religion at one of the royal temples, and get your food and shopping fix from one of the 100,000 street vendors.
DAY 2 BANGKOK. Kick off your Bangkok rush hour with a full day tour visiting some of its most iconic sights. Tick off ALL the transport and make your way around via car, boat, skytrain and tuk-tuk. Visit Jim Thompson’s house - the Thai silk businessman and designer who helped revive Thailand’s silk industry from total extinction before he disappeared in the Malaysian jungle in 1974. Then boat along the Chao Phraya River and stop at the Grand Palace (once home to the Emerald Buddha), and tuk-tuk it to the grand buddhist temple Wat Pho and grab a foot massage. We lunch at a local restaurant. This is the life. Tonight treat yo’self to the optional 4 hour street eats by tuk-tuk. All. the. food. (B,L)
DAY 3 BANGKOK TO KANCHANABURI. This morning we make our way to Kanchanaburi, the city that has seen its fair share of sadness. In 1942 when the city was under Japanese control, forced labourers and allied POWs constructing the Burma Railway were also put to work on construction of the Bridge over the River Kwai, resulting in the deaths of over half of the prisoners. Visit the war museum for a deeper look into this marked time in history as well as the Kanchanaburi war cemetery. Lunch is at a local restaurant before we long tail boat it to our accommodation for the night. (B,L,D)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Bangkok city tour
+ Chao Phraya River cruise
+ Bridge over the River Kwai
+ War museum & War cemetery visit
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner
+ 2 nights hotel, 1 night jungle raft resort
+ Shuttle boat transfers
+ Awesome local guide
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
DAY 4 KANCHANABURI TO BANGKOK. After breakfast we’re off, but stay on in the big city for a few more days to relish in the culture, food and temples. And sun. (B)
DEPARTURES STARTING FROM 1 APRIL 2016.
TRIP CODE: AHBSBB
Japan
IT'S EQUAL PARTS BONSAI AND BANZAI. Talking about awesome trains, fast sushi, shrines, cat cafés, fat noodles, anime shops, beer and world-class snow would just be scratching the surface. Japan blends an eclectic mix of traditional and ultra modern in Tokyo, temples and geishas in Kyoto and loud old ladies and octopus balls in Osaka. Everything you’d expect from a culture known for its down-to-the-second precision is here along with a lot of things you wouldn't.
BUCKET LIST HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Hida No Sato folk village
+ Hiroshima Peace Museum
+ Buddhist prayer service
+ Bullet train
ACCOMMODATION +3 STAR HOTELS
TRIP LENGTH 7-12 DAYS
ROOM TYPES TWIN/DOUBLE/TRIPLE SHARE
12 DAY | JAPAN HIGHLIGHTS
DAY 1 TOKYO, JAPAN. Get an early start in this sprawling metropolis. Tokyo mixes traditional with ultra-modern — from neon skyscrapers and anime shops to temples blanketed in cherry blossoms. Everything is 10x more epic (and executed with painstaking precision) in Japan than its western counterparts. Need more proof: Tokyo is home to 39 cat cafes. We’ll just leave that there.
DAY 2 TOKYO. Ninja roll out of bed and start with a visit to Tokyo's old girl, the Sensoji temple. Dance under its giant red lantern and wander along nearby 500 year old Nakamise street selling mochi (sticky rice cakes) and geta (wooden shoes). Slot yourself into the Shibuya scramble, where four hordes of
people cross the intersection in a miraculous feat of choreography and avoid running into each other. Tick off a sumo wrestling match at National Sumo Hall Ryogoku Kokugikan, try the high-speed sushi at Uobei in Shibuya or forget Paris and try a Japanese crepe. Selfie with a Harajuku girl (or boy) in the afternoon and find the knitted park benches for an extra layer of cute. (B)
DAY 3 TOKYO. Hit the ground running for your last day in Tokyo drift. Head over to Odaiba, the manmade island in Tokyo Bay or check out Akihabara, where stores scream for the attention of anime fans and gamers. Visit the Tsukiji fish market and discover the meaning of fresh sushi. For a history fix, visit the
Tokyo Edo Museum. Branch out for dinner and try sashimi or oko-nom-nom-nom-iyaki. As the Japanese say, dumplings rather than flowers, i.e. something useful rather than something pretty. (B)
DAY 4 TOKYO TO TAKAYAMA. This morning get a bullet train (they travel at 320km/h) to Nagoya and attempt to get an action shot of Mt Fuji-san out the window. Then, board a much slower train for the breathtaking Japanese Alps (it’s not only the European ones that exist). Tonight stay in a ryokan - a traditional Japanese inn. (B)
DAY 5 TAKAYAMA. Free day plan: start with the morning riverside markets before the Takayama Jinya, the last remaining government building from Samurai and Shogun times. Try a perfectly packaged bento box for lunch for maximum Instagrammable cuteness and wash it down with a sake brewery tour before an afternoon visit to the open air Hida No Sato folk village. (B)
DAY 6 TAKAYAMA TO KYOTO. Drop anchor in Kyoto for three days. First up, corridors of torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine. Japan’s proud nerd, Kyoto is the centre of IT and electronics (housing the Nintendo office), as well as the prime kimono manufacturing hub (a good place to pick up some new threads). After 5pm, the Gion district is where it’s for spotting and snapping photos of geishas scuttling in and out of the limelight on their way to work, then catch the optional show at Gion Corner. (B)
DAY 7 KYOTO. Find your zen place at the Kinkakuji and Ryoan-ji temples all before lunch. Get your udon fill at Tawaraya, where they make their noodles so thick only one fits in the bowl. This afternoon you’re off to Nijo Castle for your samurai fix and Heian
TRIP CODE: AHJJTO
Shrine, a scaled down reproduction of the Imperial Palace. Japanese quote of the day: Fall seven times and stand up eight. You’re welcome. (B)
DAY 8 KYOTO. A free day to frolic. Get out of town and visit the lush Arashiyama bamboo forest, or go on a day trip to Nara for invisible udon (crazier than the lone noodle saga of Kyoto). Do the optional and dress up like a Geisha, or catch up on your Japanese beer education in an izakaya. (B)
DAY 9 KYOTO TO HIROSHIMA. First up in Hiroshima: the Peace Museum to pay respects to the victims of WWII. Free time for lunch (i.e. you pick the place) before ferrying it to Miyajima, a unicorn of an island with wild deer and shrines galore. End your island jaunt watching the sunset behind the floating torii gate. (B)
DAY 10 HIROSHIMA TO KOYASAN. Make your way to Mount Koya, one of the world’s most sacred mountains (sporting 117 temples around the summit) and the headquarters of the Koyasan sect of Japanese Buddhism. Stay in a local guest house and participate in a traditional Buddhist meal. (B,D)
DAY 11 KOYASAN TO OSAKA. Start with a Buddhist prayer service, then wander down the cobblestone walkway lined with Shinto torii gates. Bet all your days don’t start like this. Head to the food capital Osaka in the afternoon. Think sleek and efficient skylines resembling video games, oshizushi (pressed sushi) and the finest sake. Dinner is in the vibrant Dotonbori district. If the word kuidaore — meaning “to ruin oneself by extravagance in food” (the Japanese version of "all the noms") — is associated with Dotonbori, you know you’re in for a good night. (B,D)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Hida No Sato folk village
+ Sake brewery tour
+ Hiroshima Peace Museum
+ Traditional Buddhist prayer service
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 11 breakfasts, 2 dinners
+ 8 nights in hotels, 2 nights in a ryokan, 1 night in a guest house
+ Awesome driver/local guide
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
DAY 12 OSAKA. After breakfast it’s sayonara Osaka and a last kampai to the Land of the Rising Sun. (B)
TRIP PRICE OF € 3080
EUR PER PERSON
7 DAY | JAPAN SKI
DAY 4 HAKUBA. Snow likes to be temperamental (the country that runs on to-the-second precision wouldn’t be happy with this below-par performance) so check with the hotel for reports on the slope conditions each morning and book day lift passes. Try out your new tricks or stay with the easy runs - if you look like a giant stick insect with oversized shoes on, never fear, you’ll get the hang of it soon. If you’re maxed out on moguls, put Hakuba 47 snow park through its paces, then soak your sore muscles in the Onsen pools back at the hotel. If you’re too relaxed to get yourself to the pub, there’s always the hotel bar. Too lazy to walk to the bar? The land of sumo wrestlers understands. Get your beers from the vending machine near the fireplace. That’s right. (B)
DAY 5 HAKUBA. Take a break from the powder and day trip it to see snow monkeys at Jigokudani, have a tipple at the Masuichi-Ichimura sake brewery or get your temple on at a Zenkoji Temple tour. Missed the pow? You can still ski in the dark. Go for a night ski in renowned Kashimayari at the southern end of Hakuba valley. (B)
DAY 1 TOKYO TO HAKUBA, JAPAN. Start in the organised chaos of Shinjuku before strolling to the busiest train station in the world to express it to ski town. Hurtle to Hakuba at breakneck speed on a bullet train and attempt to take photos of all the passing snowy forest awesomeness. Meet your local crew who’ll brief you on the best slopes and other fun stuff while you’re here. This is it. (D)
DAY 2 HAKUBA. Pick up your ski gear and any extras including a helmet — if not to protect your noggin, then to strap a GoPro to. Head for the slopes and find your feet with beginner green trails, or race through black runs if you’re already expert. Then head out for TRIP CODE: AHJSTT
some yakiniku (grilled meat) or a nearby izakaya, a short crunch through the snow from the hotel. Expert tip: rent snowshoes (not the tennis racket kind) and avoid an embarrassing ice dance on the way back. (B)
DAY 3 HAKUBA. Spread out and get the Kokusai lift to Happo-one (with some of the longest vertical pitches in Japan), or shuttle it to one of the other nearby resorts to compare runs. Stop for a hot katsu curry to recharge your batteries before hitting the trails again. Do the casual and very cool apres-ski culture and stop for a drink at an izakaya after your last run of the day. Dinner: give a nod to the land of pasta and choose Italian, or go local with Japanese. Or you could do Italo-Japanese and have two dinners. (B)
DAY 6 HAKUBA. If you’ve mastered expert-level skiing or snowboarding by today, congrats. Everything in Japan, including the skiing, is always next level awesome. Last recommendations for the skiers: Goryu and Iwatake for long cruising trails and uninterrupted skiing. For the snowboarders: tree skiing at Cortina’s ungroomed trails and terrain parks, half-pipes, gullies and powder bowls in Hakuba. (B)
DAY 7 HAKUBA TO TOKYO. One last chance to carve the morning powder, then bullet train it back to Tokyo in the afternoon. (B)
ON THE BUCKET LIST (INCLUDED)
+ Bullet train to and from Hakuba
+ 5 day Ski Pass
MORE INCLUSIONS
+ 6 breakfasts, 1 dinner
+ 6 nights in hotels
+ Awesome driver/local guide
+ Smaller group size
+ Modern air-conditioned vehicles
TRIP PRICE OF €1305
TRIP PRICE OF €1430
7 DAYS FROM
EUR PER PERSON
BOOKING CONDITIONS
It is our intention to set out clearly and simply the responsibilities which we at Top Deck Tours Ltd, level 1, 107 Power Road, London, W4 5PY England, a company registered in the UK, company number 04905253 (“Topdeck, us or we”) have to You and any member of your party (“You”) and which You, in turn, have to us when a contract is made between us. You should therefore read and understand the contents.
All trips in this brochure are operated by Buffalo Tours (Hong Kong) Limited (HK CR No 2108671) (“Buffalo Tours”). Buffalo Tours’ has its own terms and conditions which will apply to the provision of your trip and, accordingly, a reference to “these Conditions” shall mean the terms and conditions set out herein as well as Buffalo Tours’ terms and conditions. Buffalo Tours’ terms and conditions are available directly on their websites or by contacting them.
If we book a flight on your behalf it will be subject to the conditions of the respective airline, including but not limited to deposit/full payment and cancellation conditions.
1. (a) Please note that our trips are designed for young people between the ages of 18 to 39 years. We may in special circumstances approve persons outside this range. If You are 17 years of age and wish to book on one of our trips, please contact us before making a booking as we will require the written consent of your parent or guardian. We reserve the sole right to decline a booking request from You should we think our trips are not suited to You. (b) A contract between You and us will exist as soon as we issue an invoice in response to your request for a booking and the deposit has been paid to your travel agent or us.
BOOKING YOUR TRIP
2. Bookings can be made either through your local travel agent or with us direct and must be secured with a deposit of €75 per person paid at the time of booking. This deposit is non-refundable unless we cancel your trip. If You are making a booking within 42 days of departure, then full payment is required PROVIDED HOWEVER that if the trip comprises a special offer we may require full payment including any pre and post accommodation and sundry service charges to be paid at the time specified in the offer. Your booking is taken to be confirmed, and accepted when we issue an invoice. If your booking is made through a travel agent, we will address all correspondence to that travel agent. All monies paid by You to the travel agent will be held by them on behalf of Topdeck. If You arrange your trip direct with us, all correspondence and communications will be sent to your address in our booking file unless You specify otherwise. Balance of all payments is required at least 42 days prior to your trip departure date. If You do not pay within this period we may deem your booking cancelled and your deposit forfeited.
3. Alterations or cancellations by You after your booking has been accepted will be effected subject to the provisions of clauses 5, 6 and 7 of these Conditions.
4. Prices quoted in our brochures are calculated on costs and exchange rates at 01 October 2015. These prices may increase or decrease and we reserve the sole right to alter prices and other particulars contained in our brochures and on our website. Price changes in trips featured in subsequent brochure versions will supersede the prices in this brochure. (The version date is indicated on the back cover of this brochure). Before You make a booking we will provide You with details of the current price of your chosen trip. This will also be displayed on the website. Once You have accepted this price and your booking has been confirmed in accordance with clause 2 that price will remain fixed and will not be subject to surcharges.
5. You must clearly state all your requirements at the time of booking. Please note that any dietary requirements will be a request only. We cannot guarantee special dietary requirements nor will we assume any responsibility or liability if your special requirements cannot be fulfilled. If You want to change any aspect of your booking including but not limited to a change to a trip of shorter duration or different departure date You must notify us as soon as possible in writing. We will do our best to accommodate your requested changes but You will be required to pay an amendment fee of €30 per person per change. If a request is made less than 42 days before departure, normal cancellation fees will apply in accordance with clause 7 unless the transfer or change is to an earlier departure of the same trip. In the event of a request for a change to be made a new invoice will be issued by Topdeck and cancellation charges/amendment fees will be shown. All amendment fees are payable within 7 days of the issue of a new invoice or on the date of departure, whichever is the sooner.
6. If You are prevented from traveling as a result of illness, the death of an immediate family member, jury service, or other reason beyond your control which we consider significant, we will agree to your booking being transferred to another person who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the trip, subject to You and the other person accepting liability for full payment of the trip cost and any additional costs arising from the transfer PROVIDED THAT we must be given at least 21 days written notice of the proposed change.
CANCELLATION BY YOU
7. Cancellation of a booking by You must be made in writing. We will not regard a booking as cancelled unless and until written notice is received by us. On cancellation the following charges will apply:
before Departure
of trip cost forfeited Pre/post accomm
9. A material modification is one which has a serious effect on your trip and includes a change of departure date, departure point or airport, or change of departure time of more than twelve hours, which would cause substantial inconvenience to You. We do not consider a change of accommodation, or transport style a material change.
10. We will endeavor not to materially modify or cancel the trip within 42 days of the date of the scheduled departure unless compelled to do so because of circumstances beyond our reasonable control. If a material modification or cancellation is made by us within six weeks of the scheduled departure date for reasons other than Force Majeure in accordance with clause 21 You will receive compensation as stated in the scale below. Period before scheduled departure date that we notify You or your travel agent together with the compensation offered:
Over 42 days nil
42-29 days €25
28-14 days €35
13-7 days €50
€100
If You cancel any flight-inclusive trip less than 42 days prior to Your departure date an additional cancellation charge of €30 will be applied, in addition to any airline charges (which could be up to the full value of the ticket).
ROLLING DEPOSIT VOUCHER
Any cancellation within 6 weeks which incurs more than deposit charge is not applicable to this offer. The Rolling Deposit Voucher (RDV) may only be used as a deposit on one future Topdeck trip 4 days of length or more. Only one Rolling Deposit may be applied per trip. The RDV has no expiry date, but the passenger must be aged between 18 to 39 years to travel as per the travel conditions of Topdeck Travel.
The RDV will equate to the initial deposit amount paid. If redeeming against a trip with a lower deposit amount, the remainder of the voucher will be forfeited. If redeeming against a trip with a higher deposit amount the balance will be payable at time of booking. The RDV has no cash value and cannot be transferred to another customer. The RDV can only be combined with 1 other discount, either a standard Early Bird deal or standard brochure discount as long as applicable at time of booking. Rolling deposit vouchers cannot be requested or redeemed against African Safari trips.
CANCELLATION OR MODIFICATION BY US
8. Every effort will be made to operate all trips as advertised but it must be remembered that our trips are planned up to eighteen months in advance. We therefore reserve the sole right, at our discretion, to modify or cancel any trip, accommodation or arrangement at any time. We will notify You as soon as possible of any changes and they will form part of our contract with You. In the case of any material modification or cancellation, we will, if possible, provide You with three alternatives:
(1) a trip of an equivalent or closely similar standard and price, if available;
(2) a trip of a lower standard together with a refund of the difference in price; or (3) cancellation with a full refund of all monies paid.
6-0 days
11. Buffalo Tours may require a minimum number of participants for certain trips and in the event that there are insufficient bookings recorded by not later than 42 days before the scheduled departure date we will be entitled to cancel the scheduled trip, whereupon all monies paid by You for your trip shall be refunded but no further compensation will be paid and You and Topdeck agree to mutually release each other from any further obligations which would have been enforceable had the trip not been cancelled.
12. Buffalo Tours may alter or substitute the type or size of vehicle, or style of transport mentioned in the brochure, depending on the number of passengers carried, which can vary from trip to trip. Normally the maximum group size is 35 passengers.
OUR LIABILITY TO YOU
13. Save where the provisions of Force Majeure apply, in the event that the trip does not reasonably comply with the description in the brochure, Topdeck may compensate You to a maximum value equal to twice the price of the trip but excluding insurance premiums and amendment fees AND Topdeck will only be liable to pay the maximum amount of compensation where there has been a total failure of consideration for your payment.
Topdeck will not be liable where any failure in the performance or provision of Your trip is due to: (a) Your acts or omissions or the acts or omissions of another member in Your group (b) any third party not connected with the provision of Your trip and where the failure is unforeseeable or unavoidable (c) unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised or (d) an event which we or a travel service provider, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall (including but not limited to Force Majeure and unavoidable technical problems with transport and similar events).
14. If You are killed, injured or become ill during or as a result of, carriage by ship, train or coach forming part of the trip in circumstances where such death, injury or illness is not caused by or contributed to by You our liability to pay damages and/or the amount of compensation we will be liable to pay is limited in accordance with the liability of a carrier under any international Convention applicable to such events, including, but not limited to:
• In respect of carriage by sea, the Athens Convention;
• In respect of the provision of accommodation, the Paris Convention;
• In respect of carriage by rail, the Berne Convention; and,
* In respect of carriage by road, the Geneva Convention.
15. The terms of these Conventions are incorporated into and form part of our contract with You. You should know that the carrier will rely upon its ‘conditions of carriage’ which may limit or remove the carrier’s liability to You and limit compensation under any international Conventions. Our liability will also, in all cases, be limited in accordance with relevant carrier conditions of carriage. Our obligation to You is to (and You expressly authorise us to) make trip bookings on Your behalf with reasonable skill and care and to arrange a contract between You and Buffalo Tours (and, where applicable, a relevant airline). We exercise care in the selection of reputable operators but we have no control over, or liability for, the services provided by third parties. All bookings are made on Your behalf subject to the terms and conditions, including conditions of carriage and limitations of liability, imposed by the relevant operator. Your legal rights in connection with such trips are against the specific operator and are not against us, except to the extent a problem is caused by fault on our part.
16. In the event that Topdeck (or its insurers) make any payment to You for death, personal injury or illness, You must give us or our insurers all and any rights You may have to take action against the party responsible for causing the death, personal injury or illness and You must co-operate fully with us in seeking recovery of any payment we may make from such party.
17. Your booking is accepted on the condition that You understand, and take responsibility for, the risks inherent in adventure travel. Every effort will be made to operate all trips featured in this brochure but because of the number of countries visited on trips there may be a necessity to vary the itinerary from that stated in the brochure, and delays may occur for a variety of reasons beyond our control. The need for a flexible attitude to this type of travel is stressed in our publication. The final decision on the itinerary and the content of the trip will be taken by the Trip Leader, as appointed by us in the interest of the group as a whole. Please note that due to Public holidays some sights or activities may not be available on a particular trip.
18. No refund will be made for services made available by Topdeck but which for whatever reason are not used by You once the trip has departed.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EXCURSIONS
19. Topdeck and/or its associated staff partners and suppliers makes no warranties or representations in relation to implied or explicit suggestion and/or recommendation for services, activities and events not highlighted as included in the related trip(s). Information not explicitly noted as included is provided 'as is' and intended to be general in nature so may not be suitable for your particular needs. It is essential that you ensure that any/all risk associated with getting to/from, the participation in or visitation of any area, activity, event or venue is in-line with your expectations and suitably covered under your travel insurance
20. During Your trip You will be offered the chance to purchase various optional excursions and activities. Topdeck does not own, operate or control any of the companies or individuals which provide the optional activities or excursions. Some of the optional activities and excursions, maybe inherently risky. If You want to take part in such optional activities or excursions You must be fit enough to do so and must follow all reasonable instructions. The standards of health and safety which will be adopted by the company or the individual providing the optional activity or excursion will be those of the country where the optional activity or excursion takes place. Please note that these standards may not be the same as You would find in Your home country. If You wish to book any optional excursion or activity, You may do so subject to the operator’s terms and conditions. Your contract will be with the operator of the activity or excursion and will be governed by local law. Topdeck’s Trip Leader will have further details and additional information can be found on our website. Topdeck accepts no liability for any act or omission of any operator or operator’s employees, agents or sub-contractors.
EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY – FORCE MAJEURE
21. We do not accept liability for any loss, damage or expense resulting from war or terrorist activities threatened or actual, civil unrest, industrial action threatened or actual, weather conditions, fire, flood, drought, closures, unforeseen alterations to public transport schedules, rescheduling of aircraft or boats, epidemic or outbreaks of illness or any other event outside our control which either delays or extends or reduces the trip, or compels a change in the trip arrangements after departure (“Force Majeure”).
CONTRAVENTION OF LAW
We will not be responsible for any loss or damage sustained by You as a result of a contravention of any law or regulation of any of the countries visited while on the trip.
HEALTH AND MEDICAL
CONDITIONS
22. If You have a medical condition or disability which may affect your trip, we ask that You inform us in writing at the time of booking the trip of any special arrangements required by You so that we are able to advise as to the suitability of those arrangements. If we reasonably feel we are unable to satisfactorily accommodate your particular needs, we reserve the right to decline the booking or ask for You to be accompanied by a person who is able to provide full assistance to You throughout your trip.
YOUR LIABILITY TO US
23. You will not be permitted to embark or continue on the trip if your mental or physical condition is, in the reasonable opinion of any representative of Topdeck, such as to render You incapable of caring for yourself, or whereby You become objectionable to other passengers, or You become a hazard to yourself or other passengers. We will not be responsible for expenses resulting in You being precluded from completing the trip for any reason, nor will we refund You any part of your trip cost. In all cases we will notify You of the reasons why we have taken this action. We will have no obligation to arrange for your return to the point of the trip departure where your condition manifests itself after the trip departure. Further, if the trip involves travel by air, the captain of your aircraft can refuse to allow You to fly on the aircraft if he believes that You could be dangerous or disruptive to other passengers on the flight.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
24. Please ensure You carefully read your invoice, tickets and all other documents we send to You as soon as You receive them, and contact your travel agent, or us immediately if any information appears to be incorrect. We will not accept any liability if You fail to notify us of any inaccuracy in any document within 14 days of us sending them to You or your agent. While we will do our best to rectify any changes made outside this time, it is your responsibility to meet any additional costs which may be involved, except in the case of an error made by Topdeck and where there is reasonable justification for You not contacting us within the specified time. You are responsible for ensuring that all necessary travel documents including, but not limited to, passports, visas and vaccination certificates are valid and subsisting. We strongly recommend that You verify current documentation requirements and all other relevant protocols and procedures associated with your trip with your travel agent or us. Please note requirements change and you must check with your Consulate for the most up to date information, including but not limited to Visa requirements for the countries visited on your Trip. Passports must have an expiry date of at least six months after completion of the trip.
INSURANCE
25. You should take out comprehensive travel insurance before You travel on your trip. Your insurance protection should include cover for cancellation, medical and repatriation expenses, personal injury and accident, death and loss of personal baggage and money and personal liability insurance. Evidence of such insurances should be produced to Topdeck on request and normally on day one of your trip. Insurance cover offered by credit card companies or reciprocal medical cover agreements are often not comprehensive.
26. You hereby indemnify us against all third-party actions taken against us for loss or damage caused by You or arising from your participation on the trip.
27. In the event of You making a claim against Topdeck arising out of the trip, You hereby assign to us, any rights to take action against any third party supplier or any other person or party that Topdeck reasonably considers to be a party to the action and to co-operate fully with Topdeck should Topdeck or its insurers wish to enforce those rights which have been assigned to Topdeck.
28. In the event that You make a claim against us which is covered by your insurance policy, You agree to pursue the claim through your insurer either in addition to, or in substitution for, your claim against us (if any). We agree to indemnify You in respect of reasonable expenses incurred in successfully pursuing such a claim and acknowledge that any settlement made by the insurer shall not prejudice your rights against us.
29. In the event of You not making a claim before 5 working days of the maximum length of time permitted by your policy, You must assign, by letter sent by courier delivery to Topdeck not less than 5 working days prior to the said specified time, the benefit of the policy and give immediate notice of such an assignment to your insurer.
COMPLAINTS
30. In the event of any dissatisfaction with the accommodation or any other service provided during your trip, You must report it immediately to the Trip Leader so that action can be taken to remedy the problem. Failure to notify the Trip Leader of any problem immediately may result in your ability to claim compensation from us being extinguished or reduced. Any complaint made to Topdeck following the conclusion of the trip should be made in writing within 28 days of completion of the trip. In the event that You do not notify us in writing within 28 days, Topdeck’s ability to investigate the complaint may be prejudiced and may extinguish your claim. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www. abta.com.
DATA PROTECTION
31. We are committed to protecting your personal information and agree to process your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Notice, which is available online at www.topdeck.travel/privacy. In order to make your booking and ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly, we need to use the information You provide and pass it on to other relevant suppliers who are responsible for parts of your travel arrangements. In many cases this will include transferring your data to overseas recipients (including to recipients outside your home country). In making this booking, your consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons is deemed to be given unless You object and advise Topdeck of your objection at the time of booking. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as Customs or Immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This consent applies to any sensitive information that You give to us such as details of any disabilities or dietary/religious requirements.
SMOKING
32. Topdeck operates a non-smoking policy on our coaches (although we make frequent stops for breaks), and in most of our accommodation.
LUGGAGE
33. There are strict weight limits for coaches when fully loaded. Therefore You are only entitled to have one piece of main luggage of standard size (see the pre-departure information or our website for size limits), and not weighing more than 20kg. In addition You may bring a sleeping bag, as required on specific trips, and a daypack.
FINANCIAL PROTECTION
34. The Company is a member of ABTA (L8291/Y2992) and is bonded to provide for your financial protection in the event of the Company’s insolvency.
GENERAL
35. You understand that future Topdeck advertising and publicity material may include statements made by passengers, or their photographs, and You consent to such use of your comments or photographic/video likeness.
36. No servant, agent, employee or representative of the Company has any right to alter, vary or waive any of these Conditions, nor undertake any activity likely to lead to increased liability whatsoever on behalf of Topdeck unless such be in writing and signed by a duly authorised person.
37. All contracts for bookings made with Topdeck, for trips in this brochure, are governed by English law and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts in the UK, should any dispute between us not be otherwise amicably agreed.
FAQ
1
HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I NEED? Naturally everybody's spending varies. There are many souvenirs to be bought and a great social scene should you wish to join in. Many of your meals are included, so this really just leaves a few meals and your personal spending to budget for. Throughout the trip, your Trip Leader will also inform you of optional activities which you can participate in, such as cooking classes in Thailand or Vietnam, white water rafting in Bali or visiting the snow monkeys in Japan. For a more detailed list and price guideline for these items please refer to the individual trip page online or in your in your personal itinerary. Most people budget approximately $60 USD per day including optional activities and some souvenirs.
2
HOW MUCH LUGGAGE AM I ALLOWED TO BRING? Each person is allowed 1 item of standard size luggage (backpacks or suitcases are ok) plus a day pack or handbag. The maximum weight of your main bag must not exceed 44lbs/20kgs. Size for all bags must not exceed 70cm (height) x 45cm (width) x 25cm (depth).
3
DO I NEED A VISA FOR ANY COUNTRIES IN ASIA?
There are different visa requirements for each country and it varies based on nationality, as does the cost of the visas for certain countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia. We recommend that you check the latest visa requirements. Here is a recommended site http://www.projectvisa.com/regions/Asia
4 IS IT A PROBLEM IF I TRAVEL ON MY OWN?
Not at all. Many of our passengers travel alone – often over 50% of our passengers start the trip solo and it's a great way to meet people. What's more, we don't charge compulsory single supplements – instead we'll match you up with a roommate or roommates of the same sex.
5
DO I NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE? Yes.
Comprehensive travel insurance is compulsory on all Topdeck trips. This should be taken out at the time of booking. You can purchase travel insurance with us via our website www.topdeck.travel. We recommend getting a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for all medical expenses (including repatriation) and any expensive items you bring away with you such as laptops, tablets, smart phones and cameras. Check the policy wording and excess limits before you purchase and make sure they are to your satisfaction. Travel insurance should be taken out at the time of booking in case of unforeseen events which may lead you to cancel your trip. For more information, please visit the Travel Insurance page of our website (www.topdeck.travel), where you can find more tips about what to look for in a policy and search for a suitable travel insurance policy.
6
DO I NEED TO CHANGE MONEY BEFORE I LEAVE? No. ATMs are extremely common throughout Asia. This is the most convenient way to access local currency, just make sure to notify your bank of your travel plans before you depart. There are also currency exchange desks located at most hotels and in tourist areas throughout Asia and they accept most international currencies.
7 IS THERE WIFI ON THE COACH? Yes, we have Wi-Fi on the vast majority of our coaches in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Most hotels also provide complimentary Wi-Fi although connection speeds are slower in countries such as Laos and Cambodia, or in remote parts of Indonesia.
8 WHEN WILL I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY TRIP? Topdeck issues e-docs approximately six weeks prior to departure and when you have paid in full. If you have booked via a travel agent this information will be sent to them, so please make sure you contact your travel agent for details. Your travel documents include your detailed day-to-day itinerary and also include any vouchers you need for pre and/ or post-trip accommodation. In addition to this, you MUST read the detailed pre-departure information relevant to your trip. This can be downloaded at any time from the trip page on our website. If you would like a copy posted to you, please contact your local Topdeck office. The pre-departure document contains a number of important points that you should be aware of.
How TO READ
ITINERARIES
WE’VE CREATED THIS HANDY REFERENCE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE INS AND OUTS OF OUR ITINERARIES AND MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ON THE BEST TRIP FOR YOU. GO FORTH AND EXPLORE, GRASSHOPPER!
01 THE BASICS.
Where you start, finish and top line inclusions.
BUCKET LIST (INCLUSIONS).
This is where the fun starts and it’s all included. Compare bucket list items, highlight inclusions for each trip.
ITINERARY.
A magical string of words that gives you the lowdown on where we go, what we do and the awesomeness you will encounter on the way. Things not mentioned on the bucket list may not be included, but are too awesome to leave out.
MAP.
Everyone’s favourite way to visually make sense of the world since 600 B.C. Also super useful to get the lay of the land and understand what regions you will cover on your trip.
TRIP CODE.
Use this to book a trip through our website or when you talk to your travel agent. Not useful for Scrabble so don’t even go there.
TRAVEL DATES.
Planned departure dates for the upcoming travel season. Trips marked with a ‘G’ are guaranteed, which means just that. Check our website regularly for updated departures.
PRICE.
The starting price of your adventure and goal amount for your piggy bank, excluding add-ons and optional activities.
