MyanmarThailand BaliVietnam LaosCambodia

Signature Collection 2012 - 2013

Operations offices: Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Luang Prabang, Bangkok, Yangon.

Follow our trail. Create your journey.

Introduction 3

Dear Travel Partners,

After twenty years in the travel industry and more than ten years developing Trails of Indochina into one of the leading specialty tour operators in the region, I would like to share with you my personal travel philosophy.

I believe travelers are curious individuals, open to new experiences and to connect with people from other cultures. I know, because travel is my life. When our team designs your travel itinerary, we do so with excitement in our hearts, confident that we can deliver an innovative program which offers a highly personalized experience.

One of my personal passions is to search for new opportunities to better present my country and its heritage. Most recently, I was involved in the rescue and renovation of five eighteenth-century garden houses in my hometown of Hue. In developing the Ancient Hue Cultural Complex, I am able to share with visitors the original architecture of the traditional wooden-house and a taste of fine Royal cuisine.

As you read these travel narratives, I’d like you to remember we share this journey together. Some time back, fate took my sight but through knowing in my heart what your eyes will see and what your soul will experience, I see again.

John Tue Nguyen, Founder & CEO, Trails of Indochina

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Balinese Mask. Topeng or Mask dance is performed during ritual processions, drawing upon episodes of Balinese history as the theme. The dancer changes the mask according to the character in the story.

Signature Collection, Bali

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Signature Collection, Bali

“The luxury of seclusion… I was completely lost for days after staying at your recommendations.”

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Bali’s highest mountain

Mount Agung, known as the

“mother mountain,” which is

actually an active volcano.

The island is surrounded by

coral reefs. Beaches in the south

tend to have white sand,

while those in the north and

west have black sand.

“The Island of the Gods” is home to a devout and friendly people, a deep traditional legacy, intricate sandstone carvings, world-class dining and, of course, the most beautiful beaches. The jewel of the Indonesian archipelago, Bali is more than a pretty face. Chinese, Hindu and Indian influences over the past two millennia have created a rich local culture that thrives today as much in performing arts and special celebrations as in daily life.

A dazzling selection of beaches awaits: reef-rimmed, cliff-lined, some of black sand, others snow-white. Witness perfect sunsets over Kuta. Gorge on Jimbaran Bay’s famous fresh seafood. Ascend to Uluwatu Temple, perilously located on the tip of a steep cliff. Dive to the legendary shipwreck off the coast of Amed. Admire frolicking dolphins from the glistening black-sand beach of Lovina.

Then take a topographical detour to serene Ubud, whose lime-green foothills and cascading ravines hold rich history and inspire artistry. Said to have been founded by a Javanese priest who meditated at its two rivers, Ubud is a mecca for spiritual and artistic pilgrims. Home to white-water rafting, beautiful music and painting, and fantastical stone carvings, not to mention those surreally verdant rice paddies, it’s Bali at its most breathtaking.

For a different kind of awe, head to neighboring Lombok. It lies just across the Wallace Line from Bali, meaning crossing a mere 35 km-wide strait lands you in an entirely different ecosystem, more Australian than Asian. Look out for Lombok marsupials and cockatoos. One thing that doesn’t change is the beauty of the beachfront.

Bali

Candi Dasa

Java SeaSingaraJa

Lovina Beach

Nusasari

Nusa DuaUluwatu

Jimbaran Bay

Kuta BeachLegian

SeminyakSanur

Gilimanuk

Denpasar

Ubud

BALI

MYANMAR

CAMBODIA

MALAYSIA

VIETNAM

BALI

THAILAND

SINGAPORE

INDONESIA

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Bali– A Bespoke Journey

For an island known as the “Garden of Eden” what better introduction to Bali than lush, charming Ubud, the island’s cultural heart? To toast your arrival, you’ll be greeted with champagne, chocolates, fresh fruit and flowers. The first of many thoughtful, aphrodisiac accoutrements, from private breakfasts to candlelit dinners. Ubud is synonymous with the unbelievable Tegallalang rice paddies, fields so magnificently terraced you might think you walked into a fantasy world, if you didn’t know they were also functioning farmlands. A local artist will welcome you to his home and regale you

with stories of Bali’s artistic evolution. A nearby village will delight you with a traditional dance performance.

Spend a day road-tripping in style, in an open-top VW 181. It’ll give you panoramic views of the island’s verdant interior and ferry you the 1,700-meters-above-sea-level Kintamani the crater-lake Batur, which fuels an underground network of streamsand hot springs.

What could be a more ideal destination for your honeymoon?

Emerge onto Bali’s legendary coastline at Amed, a remote fishing village with fabulous diving, a submerged shipwreck waiting to be discovered, and stretches of empty beaches fit for frolicking. Nearby Candidasa is a haven of tranquility and not far from the island’s finest white-sand beach, Amlapura. Bali’s newest luxury destination, Uluwatu is marked by cliffs that tower over the sea, a divine spot for a temple and a sunset. In Jimbaran, your private butler waits to serve up an indulgent seafood dinner on the beach.

Between beach towns, you’ll visit the maze of pools, fountains, gardens and carvings comprising the Water Palace; the nine-directional temple Pura Lempuyang Luhur; and the “Mother Temple,” at the foot of Bali’s highest volcano, Mount Agung. Here, a Hindu priest will offer you a blessing as protection against illnesses and other bad spirits and an inducement of prosperity, longevity and happiness.

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Signature Days– Bali

Underwater World Experience. No scuba experience required for this day of full submersion. Frolic among fish and coral while sporting a special sea helmet, and snorkel Bali’s most kaleidoscopic underwater spots.

Birds and Beasts. One look at the magnificent formations of Kokokan birds, and you’ll understand why the Petulu villagers call them sacred. One meeting with the painting elephants of Taro Park, and you’ll wonder if their skill is divine.

Balinese Daily Life. Immerse yourself in the village of Tunjung, where you’ll visit a school, work with a farmer, witness coconut-tree climbers and learn about the Balinese kitchen that prepares you a home-cooked meal.

Bayad Eco-Trekking. A 6-km walk through Bayad yields an overindulgence of caves, waterfalls, flora and fauna, plus the Hindu statues of the Goya Maya. You may choose to plant your own tree, nurturing this most-spectacular scenery and leave your legacy to nature.

Mt Batur Sunrise Trek. Start hiking pre-dawn to make the striking sunrise from atop 1,717-meter Gunung Batur. The surrounding volcanoes, Lake Batur in the distance and the mystical hot springs make this an experience not to be forgotten.

Bali’s Craft, Cuisine and Culture. The artisans of Singapadu village create marvelous wooden, gold and silver handicrafts. In Mas you’ll visit a local woodcarver’s workshop, and partake in a hands-on cooking class to make your own delectable Balinese lunch.

Rice and Coffee. The Balinese have traded rice and coffee for centuries and today export both the world over. Visit a farmer in his landscaped paddy and a coffee plantation, learning the history and process behind Arabica and Robusta.

White-Water Rafting. With abundant beautiful gorges, valleys and untamed rivers, rafting is one of Bali’s most popular adventure activities. Enjoy the scenery on the quiet stretches and the thrill of exhilarating white-water rapids.

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Jimbaran Puri Bali, Jimbaran Bay Ubud Hanging Gardens, Ubud

For a breathtaking Balinese beach experience, search no further than Jimbaran Puri Bali by Orient-Express, set along a crescent of sparkling azure waters. A little village full of warmth, with 42 cottages and 22 lavish private-pool villas, it features a horizon-edged pool with cascading water fountains and sublime spa bookings available waterside or in your room. Simple

yet supremely romantic, Jimbaran Puri Bali’s talcum-soft sands have everything that travelers dream of in an exotic escape: a vista of the evening sun slipping beneath the horizon, fishermen out at sea, and two restaurants beside the water where the scent of grilling fish entices you to your table. Kick back and let the spirit of the island come to you.

Terraced into a high hillside, Ubud Hanging Gardens

is a haven of peace and tranquility among the smoky volcanoes and emerald rice fields in the heart of Bali. This Orient-Express hotel perches on a plunging gorge with an exquisite temple on the opposite cliff and the lush rainforest all around. The spa draws on the vitality of the Ayung River and the fertility of the tropical

jungle, using local ingredients and ancient techniques in its holistic approach to well-being. Stay in one of its 38 luxury pool villas, built in traditional style as if in a Balinese village, each with a heated, private infinity pool, and truly feel a part of this gorgeous destination.

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Choosing Trails of Indochina

Trails of Indochina was established in 1999, the realized vision of Mr. John Tue Nguyen, current CEO, Founder and sole owner. Without a specialty operator based in Vietnam focused on bringing to life the standards expected of our global audience–particularly in the area of luxury travel that was not being catered to at the time, John sensed a unique opportunity for his native country.

We have grown considerably since our inception, stretching our legs outside of Vietnam and currently employ more than 160 staff across six destinations in South East Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Bali. Our positive growth has come through increased demand from a list of loyal industry partners and their clientele to further explore this still somewhat undiscovered region.

Our range of Signature Experiences, something that differentiates us from our competitors, keeps us absolutely at the forefront of the industry. This, coupled with our unrelenting focus on consistency and reliability in delivery, is a potent combination.

Our determined voyage has seen Trails of Indochina develop into a globally competitive, multi-award winning organization that has never shifted from its vision: to deliver absolutely unique and completely tailored signature experiences in Southeast Asia to the highest possible global service standards.

Follow our trail. Create your journey.

Headquarters

10/8 Phan Dinh Giot StreetTan Binh DistrictHo Chi Minh City, VietnamTel (84 8) 3844 1005 Fax (84 8) 3844 3350info@trailsofindochina.com North America Sales Office 4100 Birch StreetNewport Beach,CA 92660, USATel (1) 888 444 0212Fax (1) 949 486 5913 us@trailsofindochina.com Australia Sales Office

PO Box 4045 Maroubra South NSW 2035, AustraliaTel (61 2) 8003 4595Fax (61 2) 8347 0024oz@trailsofindochina.com

United Kingdom Sales Office

67 Old High StreetOxfordOX3 9HT, UKTel: (44) 7882 090311uk@trailsofindochina.com Mexico Sales Office

Av. Tintoreto 119-2Col. Ciudad de los DeportesMéxico DF 03710, MéxicoTel (52) 5598 7623mexico@trailsofindochina.com

www.trailsofindochina.com