AsiaPacificEd Travel Seminar Exploring Southeast Asia: Vietnam and ThailandITINERARY (June 20 – July 17,
2004)
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| Honolulu, HI Sunday, June 20 (6:00 P.M.) |
Arrive in Honolulu. Welcome reception at the East-West Center |
| Monday, June 21 8:00 - 8:30 a.m. |
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| 8:30 to 2:30 p.m. |
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| Tuesday, June 22: |
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8:30-10:30 a.m.
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| 10:30-11:00 | Break |
| 11:00-1:00 p.m. | “Useful information for your
travels in Thailand” Chintana Takahashi, University of Hawai`i-Manoa |
| 1:00-2:00 p.m. | Lunch and final checklist Cheryl Hidano, East-West Center |
| 2:00-2:45 p.m. | Browse AsiaPacificEd Resource
Library Collection Cheryl Hidano |
| Wednesday, June 23 7:00-7:30 a.m. |
Breakfast at the East-West Center
(Burns Hall). |
| 7:30 a.m. | Depart for the airport. |
| 10:00 a.m. | Depart for Hanoi |
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Hanoi (Vietnam) |
Arrival in Hanoi. Transfer to the Hilton Opera Hotel. Hilton Opera Hotel (June 24-27) |
| Friday, June 25 | Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and the starting point of our seminar programming in Southeast Asia. Literally “city inside a river,” Hanoi spreads along the banks of the Red River and is dotted with lakes. The city is characterized by wide boulevards and villas built by the French during its occupation of Vietnam. |
| 7:30-8:30 a.m. | Breakfast at the hotel. Informal meeting with members of the host organization, Vietnam-U.S.A. Society. |
| 8:30-11:30 a.m. | Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his house and museum. |
| 11:30-1:00 p.m. | Group lunch at a nearby restaurant. |
| 1:00-2:30 p.m. | Presentation and discussion on the history of Vietnam and the Vietnamese perspective on the U.S.-Vietnam relations. |
| 3:00-5:00 p.m. | U.S. embassy briefing on the U.S.-Vietnam relations. Evening free. Dinner on one’s own. |
| Saturday, June 26 8:00-9:00 a.m. |
Breakfast at the hotel |
| 9:00-11:00 a.m. | Meet with Chuck Searcy, the country representative for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. |
| 11:00-7:30 p.m. | Free time to explore Hanoi. Lunch and dinner on one’s own. |
| 7:30 p.m. | Meet in the hotel lobby for bus transfer to
the “Vietnamese water puppet” show |
| 9:30 p.m. |
Return to the hotel. |
| Danang (Vietnam) Sunday, June 27 |
As a coastal city nestled in a
bay on the South China Sea, Danang is Vietnam’s fourth largest city
and is considered its most important port. During the Vietnam War, Danang
was a major U.S. military outpost. On the outskirts of Danang are the famed
Ngu Hanh Son, also known as the Marble Mountains, which are riddled with
caves that house Buddhist temples and shrines.
Breakfast on one’s own en route or upon arrival in
Danang. Huong Giang Hotel (June 27-29) |
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Hue (Vietnam) |
Once the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1954), Hue is now a major center of trade. As a result of its past Hue boasts a host of historical royal and religious buildings, including the Ancient Citadel (constructed from 1805-1832) and its inner Imperial City. |
| 7:00-8:00 a.m. | Breakfast at the hotel |
| 8:00 a.m. | Meet in the hotel lobby for a trip to visit a local middle school. |
| 10:00-11:30 a.m. | Visit the Tu Duc tomb .Lunch on one’s own. |
| 2:00 p.m. | Meet in the hotel lobby for visit
to the Imperial Citadel and the Thien Mu Pagoda. Hue city debriefing/teaching
discussion will follow. Dinner on one’s own Prepare luggage for next day’s morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. |
| Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) Tuesday, June 29 |
Also known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City has grown from its modest beginnings as a small fishing village to become Vietnam’s largest city and the country’s cultural, social, and economic hub. |
| 6:30-7:00 a.m. | Early morning breakfast and hotel check-out. |
| 7:00 a.m. | Depart for Phu Hai Airport.
Check-in at the Rex Hotel
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| 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Informal luncheon meeting/discussion with Sesto Vecchi, an American expat lawyer/businessman who has lived in Vietnam for the past 20 + years. |
| 1:30-5:00 p.m. | HCMC exploration by bus. Will include visits to the Reunification Hall, the War Museum, and the Thien Hau Pagoda. City tour debriefing and teaching discussion will follow. |
| Wednesday, June 30
7:00-8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast at the hotel |
| 8:00 a.m. | Leave for the Dai Temple to observe the Cao Dai ceremony. The temple serves as the center of Cao Daism, a syncretic religion founded in Vietnam in the late 1920’s and which combines elements of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Hinduism, Geniism, and Taoism. Cao Daism is the third largest religion in Vietnam, after Buddhism and Catholicism. |
| 12:00 noon | Cao Dai Temple visit; box lunch en route. |
| 2:00-5 p.m. | Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. This labyrinth of tunnels, approximately 75 miles long if placed end to end, was a refuge for the Viet Cong and their sympathizers during the Vietnam War. En route discussions on issues/legacies of the U.S. War in Vietnam. |
| 5:00 p.m. | Return trip to HCMC. Dinner on one’s own. |
| Thursday, July 1
6:30-7:30 a.m. |
Early breakfast and hotel check-out. |
| 7:30 a.m. | Travel to the Mekong River Delta region, which is a vital source of rice and other cash crops. The area is considered one of the two “rice baskets” of Vietnam, the other being the Red River region in the north. |
| 9:30 a.m. | Visit a high school in My Tho village. |
| 11:00 a.m. | Boat and canoe ride along the Mekong. |
| 1:00 p.m. | Group lunch at Trung Luong Restaurant. |
| 2:00 p.m. | Return trip to HCMC. |
| 5:30 p.m. | Farewell Dinner. |
| 6.30 p.m. | Leave for Tan Son Nhat International
Airport.
Check-in at the Pathumwan Princess Hotel Pathumwan Princess Hotel (July 1-6) |
| Bangkok (Thailand) Friday, July 2 |
Called Krung Thep in Thai, Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and the nation’s commercial, political, social, and cultural center. |
| 7:00-8:15 a.m. | Breakfast at the hotel |
| 8:15-12:30 p.m. | Visit the Klong Toey School (also known as the “slum angel” school). Lunch on one’s own at a nearby restaurant. |
| 12:30 p.m. | Leave for the U.S. Embassy visit |
| 2:30-4:30 p.m. | Special briefing on the U.S.-Thai relations by a public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy. Dinner on one’s own |
| Saturday, July 3 6:30-7:45 a.m. |
Breakfast at the hotel and meet graduate students from Thammasat University who will serve as our “cultural consultants” for our trip to Ayutthaya. Thammasat is the second oldest university in Bangkok (est.1933) and one of the top universities in Thailand. |
| 7:45 a.m. | Depart for Ayuthaya. The Ayuthaya period (1350-1767)
was early Thai history’s great era of international trade and Ayuthaya’s
role as an entrepot, a thriving international marketplace, brought traders
not only from China, India, and neighboring countries, but also attracted
traders as well as missionaries from Europe. While in Ayutthaya, we’ll
visit various foreigners’ areas as well as forts and several key ruins.
Lunch and dinner on one’s own.
Return to Bangkok by around 7 p.m. |
| Sunday, July 4
7:00-8:00 a.m. |
Happy Fourth of July!
Breakfast at the hotel. |
| 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. | With renowned historian Dr. Charnvit Kasetsiri of the Southeast Asian Studies Program at Thammasat University as scholar-guide, Kanchanaburi Province to visit the “Bridge on the River Kwai” and other WWII/Pacific War landmarks. En route, a brief stop to see the “Biggest Pagoda in the World” (according to the Guiness Book of World Records) in Nakhon Panom. View and discuss en route the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai and other topics concerning the Pacific War. Stop for lunch on a raft by the River Kwai and dinner on our return trip to Bangkok. Lunch and dinner per diem provided by the East-West Center. |
| Monday, July 5
7:00-8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast at the hotel. |
| 8:00 a.m. | Depart for Thammasat University. |
| 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Presentations on Thailand’s political history and economy by Dr. Charnvit Kasetsiri and Dr. Sirilaksana Khoman, one of Thailand’s foremost economists. While at Thammasat, we’ll also visit the memorial dedicated to Pridi Banomyong, who masterminded the 1932 transformation of the Thai political system to constitutional monarchy, and learn about his significance. Group lunch at the university. |
| 12:30-4:30 p.m. | Guided tour of Wat Phrae Kaew and Wat Po. |
| 4:30-6:30 p.m. | Together with Dr. Kwandee Attavavuthichai of Thammasat University, examine impacts of global tourism on Thailand and Thai society with visits to Khaosan Road (Banglampoo). Dinner on one’s own. Prepare luggage for tomorrow’s flight to Chiang Rai. |
| Chiang Rai (Thailand)
Tuesday, July 6 |
Founded as the center of the mighty Lanna Kingdom in 1262, the city of Chiang Rai is situated in the lush and mountainous province of Chiang Rai. The city is south of the “Golden Triangle” where Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar) meet along the Mekong River. The areas surrounding the city of Chiang Rai are home to many of the “hilltribe” villagers of Thailand. |
| 6:00 a.m. |
Early morning hotel check-out. Check into Wiang Inn Hotel.
Morning and afternoon free to explore Chiang Rai. Lunch on one’s own. |
| 3:30 p.m. | Meet in the hotel lobby for a
short excursion to the Mae Fah Luang Museum and our meeting with Mr. Nakorn
Pongnoi, Director of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation. The Foundation works
with hilltribe villagers in the Chiang Rai region to promote economic, education,
public health, and vocational training in crafts and agriculture as a means
of stemming such illegal activities as opium production and prostitution.
The Foundation is under the patronage of Her Royal Highness the Princess
Mother.
Dinner on one’s own at the “Golden Triangle” night market. |
| Wednesday, July 7
7:00-8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast at the hotel. |
| 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. | A visit to the border town, Mae Sai. If border-crossing is allowed, cross over the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge to Burma to experience the bustling activities of cross-border commerce. Lunch on one’s own en route. |
| Thursday, July 8
7:00-8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast at the hotel |
| 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. |
Leave for Chiang Khong to meet with members of the Chiang Khong Conservation Group and other community leaders to discuss local environmental and cultural/social issues. En route discussions will address impact of upstream dams in China on the Mekong region of Laos, Burma, and Thailand as well as unchecked border traffic-related concerns, including illegal logging and security threats. Group lunch. Boat ride along the Mekong River. In the afternoon, visit a hill tribe village and meet with the village leaders. Also visit the village school. Observe/teach classes and meet with teachers to discuss issues of diversity and related challenges for schools. Evening free in Chiang Rai. Dinner on one’s own. |
| Friday, July 9 | Breakfast at the hotel. Morning and early afternoon
free to explore Chiang Rai. Lunch on one’s own.
Check out of the hotel for flight to Bangkok. |
| Nakhon Si Thammarat (Thailand)
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Nakhon Si Thammarat is an intriguing
blend of various cultural influences, including Thai, Malay, and Indian.
From the 13th to the 18th century, Nakhon Si Thammarat thrived as a religious
and commercial center, attracting merchants and Buddhist devotees alike
from throughout the Asian region. Evidence of Nakhon Si Thammarat as a historic
gathering place can be seen throughout the city.
10:15 a.m. arrival in Nakhon Si Thammarat |
| Monday, July 12
8:00 a.m. |
Meet at the Khiriwong Village School to observe classes and to meet with teachers. |
| 11:00 a.m. | Depart for the Prateepsatsana School (a pondok or a Muslim religious school). Observe/Teach classes and meet with teachers there. Lunch at the school. |
| 3:00-6:00 p.m. | Meet with Muslim community leaders, including
H.E. Surin Pitsuwan, former foreign minister of Thailand.
Welcome dinner with Walailak University faculty. |
| Tuesday, July 13
7:00-8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast at the Hospitality Centre. |
| 8:30-12:00 noon | Presentations on Southern Thailand at Walailak University. |
| 12:00-1:00 p.m. | Lunch at the University. |
| 1:00-3:30 p.m. | Late afternoon free to explore Nakhon. Dinner on one’s own. |
| Bangkok (Thailand) Wednesday, July 14 |
The return to Bangkok is the last leg of our Southeast Asia travel seminar. You will once again get a chance to experience this bustling metropolis while preparing to return to Honolulu. |
| 6:00-6:45 a.m. | Early breakfast and check out. |
| 6:45 a.m. | Depart for the airport
Pathumwan Princess Hotel (July 14-17) Rest of the day free to explore Bangkok. Lunch and dinner on one’s own. |
| Thursday, July 15
7:00-8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast at the hotel |
| 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon |
Visit with the venerated Buddhist nun Maechee Sansanee Sthirasuta at her shelter for unwed mothers. Trip debriefing, review of follow-up project requirements, and departure announcements. Afternoon free to explore Bangkok. Lunch and dinner on one’s own. |
| Friday, July 16 | AN ENTIRE DAY FREE TO DO WHATEVER!!! |
| Saturday, July 17 5:45 a.m. |
Check out of the hotel and be ready to board the bus for our trip to the airport. |