Discovering Indochina with Aman

A journey through Indochina with Aman reveals all the depth and contrasts of Asia. The cultural heritage of the Khmer and the ancient temples of Cambodia, authentic, timeless Luang Prabang in Laos, communion with nature and complete relaxation on the idyllic beaches of Vietnam – by combining three Aman resorts in one trip, you can unhurriedly immerse yourself in modern and ancient Indochina, gather unforgettable impressions and restore harmony to body and soul.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

A one-hour flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap transports us to a place that changes the way you see the world. Siem Reap, Cambodia’s cultural capital, and the temples of Angkor (the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park, legacy of the Khmer Empire) are a portal to another dimension, full of extraordinary energy and mystique. The walls of many temples are carved with celestial nymphs, the apsaras – thousands of them, each one different. According to legend, their purpose was to dance and delight gods and priests. No wonder the word apsara gave its name to Amansara. A stay here will be remembered for the chanting of monks, the grace of dancers, the bustle of the local market and the power of past and present meeting in the moment.

Amansara lies close to Angkor Wat, the jewel in Angkor’s crown and the largest religious monument on Earth. Hundreds of temples from the Khmer Empire, dating from the early 9th to the mid-15th century, survive in the forest of Angkor. Angkor Wat was built in the 12th century, when the empire was at its zenith, stretching from today’s Myanmar to Vietnam.

We will visit the temples of Angkor Wat at sunrise and explore them on foot, by bicycle and by tuk-tuk, and enjoy private visits to other Angkor temples, including Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire, with the mysterious Bayon temple and its more than 200 stone faces, and Ta Prohm, entwined in the roots of giant silk-cotton and fig trees. We will climb to the hilltop temple of Phnom Bakheng, built at the dawn of the empire, and take a cruise on the Amanbala boat to the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake. At the Angkor National Museum, a curator will guide us through the history of Khmer civilisation from its origins to its golden age and introduce Cambodian art, culture and architecture. We will take a meditative forest walk with a monk, discover Khmer culinary traditions and dine by the light of a thousand candles at Prasat Kravan temple. We will hear a talk by the archaeologist who accompanied Michelle Obama and Nancy Pelosi on their visit to Angkor in March 2015, watch apsara dancers and see the new Cambodian circus, Phare.

With Aman’s Indochina Past & Present offer, you can make the most of your stay in Laos and Cambodia.

Luang Prabang, Laos

Just an hour and a half by air from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang – and the concierges of Amantaka will meet you right at the aircraft steps.

The name Amantaka combines Aman (“peace”) and tipitaka (“the teachings of the Buddha”). The hotel immerses guests in the cultural and spiritual life of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city: from the morning alms-giving to monks walking past the hotel and strolls through the colourful local market to a cooking class among idyllic rice fields and a sunset cruise on the Mekong aboard Amantaka’s own boat. The hotel has a Buddhist learning centre where a senior monk gives guests private lessons on Buddhist traditions and principles.

On a walking or cycling tour of the town we will see 32 temples, led by Wat Xieng Thong, the “Temple of the Golden City”, and 111 houses from the French colonial period of the late 19th to mid-20th century. We will visit the Royal Palace, home to the National Museum and the golden Phra Bang Buddha statue after which the city is named. By boat we will visit the Pak Ou caves with their 10,000 small Buddha statues brought here by pilgrims over the centuries. We will see the cascading Kuang Si waterfalls, which fill natural pools from a height of 100 metres, and enjoy breakfast there with fresh pastries, fruit and yoghurt.

We will visit the Asiatic black bear rescue centre, home to both adults and cubs, and an elephant sanctuary. We will ride horses through the forests and along the rivers around Luang Prabang, with riding lessons at the hotel. We will discover local crafts: weaving, including silk weaving, batik painting, making and decorating paper from mulberry bark, and lantern-making. We will visit a village and, if you wish, join the farmers in the rice fields.

Nui Chua National Park, Vietnam

We end our journey at Amanoi, surrounded by the untouched nature of Nui Chua National Park in Ninh Thuan on the South China Sea, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. An hour’s drive along the coast from Nha Trang airport, and a path from the main pavilion leads down to a picturesque bay of golden sand. It is the perfect place for a large family or group of friends to embrace the unhurried way of life Aman guests cherish.

The scale of the resort means there is never a dull moment. Guests stay in freestanding pavilions with spacious terraces and private pools, and large families or groups can choose four- or five-bedroom residences. Everywhere there are mesmerising views of the coast, framed by the national park’s nature.

At the heart of the resort is a yoga pavilion on Lotus Lake, blending naturally into the landscape and surrounded by spaces for wellbeing and relaxation: the Spa Pavilion with its own banya and hammam, a Pilates studio with reformers and spacious wellness treatment rooms. We will explore the national park, where forest, granite cliffs, a sea with more than 350 species of coral, cactus-dotted semi-desert and other ecosystems meet. It is home to Asiatic black bears and sun bears, pygmy slow lorises, giant muntjacs and green sea turtles. We will visit monuments of the Champa Kingdom, which existed in what is now Vietnam for a thousand years, the village of Bau Truc, the oldest pottery village in Southeast Asia, and learn about the region’s salt-making traditions.

To make the journey even more comfortable, Aman offers the Extend Your Stay programme. When you book more than four nights, you receive:

• the fourth night free;
• return transfers from Cam Ranh airport (Vietnam);
• daily breakfast, afternoon tea and soft drinks in your room;
• daily group sessions at the wellness centre;
• use of the fitness centre, Pilates studio, tennis courts and water sports;
• daily activities for children and cooking classes.

Would you like to follow this itinerary? Our travel consultants will book all three Aman resorts, flights and excursions and confirm the current terms of special offers.