16 hours on Cathay Pacific, then another three hours to Thailand from our stop in Hong Kong didn't deter me from my excitement to visit Southeast Asia. Business Class was out of sight expensive, so I tried Premium Economy on this excursion. For a little more cost, it was definitly worth the expense...only two seats together, larger and more comfortable seating, drinks and decent food helped pass the time! First stop was Bangkok, Thailand, the capital city.
From a quick but fascinating tour of Thailand, we were soon on our way to Siem Reap, Cambodia via Vietnam Air. Although only an hour flight, we were treated to lunch and drinks. Why can't our airlines do that?? Siem Reap, the second largest city in Cambodia as well as the capital, is probably best known for the Angkor Buddhist Temples, Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat.
From Seam Reap, the tour made it's way to Tonle Sap Lake in the heart of Cambodia. Belonging to the Mekong River system, Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and one of the most diverse and productive ecosystems in the world. A fascinating boat excursion allowed us to observe local life and the floating fishing villages that dot the shoreline.
From Siem Reap we flew to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) on yet another efficient and comfortable flight on Vietnam Air. The highlight of day 8 was a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels, a network of over 125 miles built by the Viet Cong to control a largely rural area near Saigon. With many branches connecting to underground hideouts, hospitals, shelters, and even more tunnels, it provided cover and traps of unsuspecting South Vietnamese soldiers as they maneuvered through the dense jungles.
The Mekong Delta was always something I heard about on the news during those turbulent years of the late 60's and early 70's as the Vietnam War continued to rage (the people of Vietnam refer to the war as the American War). Visitors are now allowed to float down the Mekong Delta River, bringing reminders of the intense fighting that occurred in the region. Narrow, winding streams with jungles on both sides set the stage for surprise attacks and catastrophic consequences. Today, the Mekong Delta River is beautiful and peaceful... truly one of the highlights of the entire 17 days in Southeast Asia.
Today, Day 9 of our amazing adventure, we traveled by plane to Da Nang, one of Vietnam's major ports situated on the coast of the South China Sea. We then traveled south to the picturesque ancient town of Hoi An. Hoi An, a town of 120,000 residents, has retained its original form and function as an outstanding example of a well-preserved traditional South East Asian trading port and commercial centre.