Welcome to the Rotarians for Mine Action

HUMANITARIAN TRIP TO VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA FOR ROTARIANS AND FRIENDS

OCTOBER 18 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2ND, 2008

Note: as at September 6, 2008 there is still space for one male.

Join a small, select group of 15 people for a two week trip to SE Asia. The trip will include cultural sightseeing, visiting non-profit organizations doing a variety of humanitarian work in the region, sampling the delicious cuisine, and enjoying the interesting shopping and handcrafts of the region. An added bonus of the trip is our two days in western Cambodia, visiting rural villages where no tourists go while we learn about the problem landmines are causing in that area. Rotarians will end the trip will ideas for many new humanitarian projects their clubs can sponsor. For those clubs that have funded mine action, you will have the rare chance of actually seeing the result of you funding.

Our first day finds us in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, capital of the country and a dynamic, bustling city with wide boulevards, a picturesque riverfront with interesting shops and an array of wonderful restaurants. In the city we will visit a school for poor girls from the countryside, spend a sobering hour or two at the infamous S-21 prison from the Khmer Rouge days, visit an orphanage with children rescued from the dump, and, if time, tour a free clinic for the poor. Cultural activities include the Royal Palace, the National Museum, and a traditional dancing and shadow puppet show. Time permitting, we will meet with the US Ambassador for a briefing about the country's history and its current economic and political situation. One doesn't leave Phnom Penh without taking in the unique Russian and Central Markets, home to everything you can image and great fun for wandering, looking, or buying. Our hotel is the 4- star Cambodiana along the River.

Next we fly to Siem Reap, a must see cultural city, home to the World Heritage Site of the Temples at Angkor Wat. Before spending a day at the temples, however, we will be escorted by HALO Trust to the border with Thailand where approximately 2 million landmines still lay buried. HALO is one of several organizations invited by the government to remove these deadly weapons of war. Since some of the Rotary Clubs will have provided funding for removal of these mines, we have the rare opportunity of actually traveling to the villages we have demined, meeting the villagers, leaving toys, books, and school supplies for the children. We also will have a briefing from HALO about the mine situation before donning safety gear and watching deminers at work.

On our return from the minefields, we will spend a day at the temples at Angkor Wat, taking in this wonder of the world and definitely a sight you will always remember. Our hotel in Siem Reap is the Somadevi, a new 4 star hotel with a wonderful pool in a private courtyard. It is also near the market in town. There are two new Rotary Clubs in Siem Reap and we will meet some of the Rotarians and visit an orphanage run by one of them.

Next we fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for two days, the business center for all of Vietnam. A frenetic city of several million, Saigon has really come of age in the past several years, making it a sophisticated stop-over for us. For Americans, the Reunification Palace is a must-see, as is the War Remnants Museum, both carryovers from our time here in the 60s and 70s. The Cu Chi Tunnels outside the city are also a must-see, and we will take them in the same day we see the Cao Dai Temple complex just outside the city.

Next we fly to Da Nang, the second largest city in Vietnam. Its location on the South China Sea gives us the opportunity to enjoy two days of R & R at the beautiful Furama Resort. Your choices include swimming in the sea or the huge infinity pool, working out, getting a massage, or just sitting in the sun. Nearby are Hoi An, another World Heritage Site and Marble Mountain with its huge Buddha and Temple and the opportunity to see stone craving artisans at work.

After leaving Da Nang, we will travel about 1.5 hours by bus north to Hue, the old Imperial Capital. Along the way we have a chance to see the beautiful countryside and also some of the war cemeteries from years ago. Our hotel in Hue is the Riverside, with views out to the Perfume River. There will be time for a trip up the river, as well as a cyclo tour of the Citadel, home to the Emperors.

The next day we will take a small minibus north to Dong Ha, near the former DMZ and the site of PeaceTrees Vietnam, a 12-year old NGO founder by two Americans. PeaceTrees has demined hundreds of acres while also building a village for poor families in the area. It also has a Landmine Education Center that brings in children from throughout the province to learn about the dangers of cluster bombs, landmines and other unexplored ordnance.

After a second night in Hue, we fly to Hanoi, capital of Vietnam and its government center. Hanoi is a beautiful city with many French colonial building still intact. We will be staying at the Sheraton at West Lake, the lake John McCain parachuted into after being shot down. We will have two cultural sightseeing days that include the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Complex (his home and mausoleum) and the Ethnology Museum. Another stop is the main shopping street, a last chance to find some treasures before the trip home. We will also visit a shop where we can watch street children and orphans make the beautiful silk pictures found here. Depending on our time, we may also see a prosthetics factory and a facility for Agent Orange children.

On Sunday, November 2, those returning home leave, and because of the international dateline, we arrive home that same day about 5 in the afternoon.

There is a possibility for those who would like to extend the trip to either arrive four days early and spend two days at the Sokha Resort in Sihanoukville in Cambodia, or to stay later and spend two days at Ha Long Bay (a World Heritage site), about 3 hours outside of Hanoi. Because these extra tours will fill up early, they must be requested early to ensure space. Cost for either trip will be about $150 per day, which includes hotel and breakfast (Ha Long Bay includes all meals) and transportation to and from the resorts.

Except for the night in western Cambodia, we will be staying a 4 and 5 star hotels, most with swimming pools and fitness centers. The trip price include hotels with a full breakfast buffet, all airfares within Asia, all hotel transfers, entrance fees, minibuses to and from the cultural sites, two group dinners, and a traditional dancing show in Phnom Penh. Tuk Tuk transportation in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, taxis, and the Temples at Angkor Wat are not included. Also not included are your incidentals.

Trip cost, excluding the two add-ons, is $2,250 per person, double occupancy, add $500 for single occupancy. As hotel prices in Vietnam are expected to have a large increase, the exact cost will be announced in June. Airfares to and from Asia vary by airline, but expect to pay between $1,000 for economy and $1,400 for economy deluxe, round trip.

Your tour leader and sometimes guide is Sally Mackle, Rotarian in the Seattle 4 Club. This will be the third tour Sally has led, and it will be her sixth visit to Vietnam and Cambodia. In 2007, she spent two months volunteering in Phnom Penh and another month there this year. Her extensive knowledge of the area will be a plus for you. Expect a few geography and history lessons from Sally along the way.

In addition to Sally, we will have professional tour guides in Hanoi, DaNang and Ho Chi Minh Cities. Their excellent English and in-depth knowledge will allow you to get every question you have answered in detail!

As we will be traveling at the peak season in SE Asia (and also the coolest part of the year, an important reason to travel then) you are encouraged to register for the trip as early as possible. Flights cannot be booked without a name and once a flight is sold out, those registering late will be delayed in a city while the rest of the group goes ahead.

Deadline for registration is June 15. A $500 refundable deposit is required to hold hotel and airline space. After September 1, the deposit is only partially refundable.

You are encouraged to contact Sally Mackle with questions. She can also give you names of Rotarians on the 2007 tour if you would like to talk with them.

Sally's email is sjmackle@msn.com. Phone is 206-465-0029.