From George Butterfield, chairman and co-founder of Butterfield & Robinson
Where I went: Biking in Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia
Why I went: Myanmar and Cambodia were first time visits for me. Our travelers have raved about our bike trips there for many years, and it was time for me to see those destinations myself. As for Vietnam: My wife, Martha, and I did the initial research for the Butterfield & Robinson [B&R] trip at least seven years ago and so much has changed in that country. We wanted to see it for ourselves, and to connect with our wonderful expert guide, Anh Hoang, and the B&R team he’s trained and created for us there.
Who was on the trip: Martha, myself and three other close friends. It was a B&R bespoke/ custom-made experience.
When: January 2007
Who organized it: The Bespoke team at B&R, and more specifically, star planner Michele Harvey.
Where we stayed: Highlights included the Governor’s Residence in Yangon (800-237-1236, +95-1-229 860; www.governorsresidence.com) in Myanmar; the Inle Princess Resort (+95 81 29055; www.inleprincessresort.com) at Inle Lake in Myanmar; the RV Pandaw II, a one-day boat cruise from Mandalay to Bagan (+95-1-380877; www.pandaw1947.com) the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor (_800-768-9009; +855 63 963 888; www.siemreap.raffles.com) in Siem Reap; and in Vietnam the Sofitel Metropole Hanoi (800-763-4835, +84-4-8266919; www.sofitel.com), Pilgrimage Village, in Hue (+84-54-885-461; www.pilgrimagevillage.com), Life Heritage Resort Hoi An (+84-510-914-555; www.life-resorts.com), and Evason Hideaway & Six Senses Spa at Ana Mandara in Nha Trang (+84-58-524-268; www.sixsenses.com/hideaway-anamandara).
What I’d go back for: The biking, the hotels, the people, the culture…everything.
What I wish I knew in advance: I was well-prepared for the trip thanks to the B&R Bespoke team. But nothing can really prepare you for the wonders of the golden Shwedagon Pagoda (www.shwedagon.org) in Yangon, the temples of Bagan, in Myanmar, or of Angkor Wat and so many of the incredible sights we saw.
What to skip: Extra time in Saigon, dragon fruit.
What not to miss: Pho – the noodle soup in Vietnam is delicious everywhere. Or the unique Shan temple at the top of the village of In Dein in Inle Lake (you have to hike to it through a bamboo forest).
What we loved: Sunrise at Angkor Wat, purchasing a well to support a Cambodian village, the Irrawaddy River, biking among the temples of Bagan, the beach and biking among the rice paddies of Nha Trang, the early markets of Hoi An, the Imperial Tombs in Hue, walking up Marble Mountain in Vietnam, the early morning streets of the old quarter of Hanoi, buying a cow for a Vietnamese family .
EDITOR’S NOTE: George Butterfield traveled on a bespoke journey. Butterfield & Robinson also offers group trips to Myanmar and Vietnam. The next departures for a biking tour through Myanmar are December 22, January 19 and February 9. In Vietnam, the company offers frequent biking trips (next departure: November 17) and walking tours (next departure: November 2), as well as a special biking tour with kids (twelve and up), which departs on December 21. To book: 800-678-1147; www.butterfield.com.
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