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Pemyangtse Monastery, West Sikkim

Sikkim’s original inhabitants, the Lepchas, call their land Nyemael , “Paradise.” Though one of the legendary “bayul” or Shangri-la valleys that refer to a handful of remote valleys of the Himalayas was said to be only behind the mighty Kanchenjunga, rather than implying the entire former Kingdom, Sikkim, now the 22nd state of India, has very much the same characteristics as the other fairy tale kingdoms of the Himalayas.

Lepcha girl

The Buddhist patron-saint of Sikkim is Guru Rinpoche who is said to have passed through the land in the 9th century and introduced Buddhism to Sikkim. As a result landscape is studded with many picturesque monasteries, much like Bhutan further to the east. Though most monasteries extol Padma Sambhawa and follow the Nyingmapa order, or Red Hat school of Buddhism, since 1959 when the 16th Karmapa arrived in Sikkim after Tibet was overrun by the Chinese, Rumtek, a large monastery near Gangtok, has become the seat of the Tibetan Karma Kagyu lineage.

Gompa near Yuksom

Same as its neighbors, Sikkim too was a monarchy, presumably since the 13th century though the first king, or Chogyal, of Sikkim was not consecrated until 1642 in Yuksom, in West Sikkim. The end of Sikkim’s monarchy came on April 6, 1975 when the Indian army subdued the palace guards, placed the king under house arrest and Sikkim ceased to exist as an independent kingdom, its sovereignty lost. It is said that Sikkim’s merger with India was necessary for India’s national security since India’s first cross border skirmishes with the Chinese in the 1960s. China claimed Sikkim to be part of Tibet, hence part of China and India feared vulnerable to an attack should Sikkim succumb to China. Though the eventual annexation of Sikkim to India was years in the making, perhaps as far as back as 1947 when India gained independence from the British, fact is also that India played dirty in the process, staging referendum vote whether the people wanted to become part of the union, all to pave the road to justification of the eventual annexation. Hailed as expression of democracy, those that remember the voting and events of those days well recall India hauling in masses of poor folks from the plains, some said to have been brought from as far south as Bihar to vote, all to show the wish of the majority was to join the Indian Union. No foreign press was allowed into Sikkim for a long time and even as late as 1980s number of those that used to be close the former Chogyal and agitated against India’s rule lingered off and on in Indinan prisons.

Preparing for a ceremony, Pemyangtse

Today, most Sikkimese know they lost their independence in 1975, and the plains-bound passengers from the hills still say they are “going to India” despite that indeed they are in India. The pride of the Lepchas and being Sikkimese carries on and it is good to see that the young generation has not lost their identity, quite the contrary. Although India has always been hailed as the largest democracy and praised for its practices, it seems the spirit of democracy it sowed in Sikkim is a far cry from its otherwise fine track record.

To learn more about the events of 1970s when India annexed Sikkim, read Smash and Grab: Annexation of Sikkim, by Sunanda K Datta-Ray.

Lamanai ruins, Belize

Orange Walk District and its principal town of the same name, are situated north of Belize City. Orange Walk Town is about 55 miles from Belize City. The main tourist attractions are the New River and the famous Mayan ruins of Lamanai. Mexican influence is evident and there are some Mennonite communities in the area.

Located in the Cayo District, San Ignacio features cathedral-like forests, shimmering emerald rivers, caves, mountains, cascading falls, and mighty ruins. It is here where the Mountain Pine Ridge and the Mopan and Macal rivers are located. The various lodges in the area offer diverse activities including hiking, trekking, kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, and bird watching. It is also in this area where the Mayan ruins of Caracol and Xunantunich are located.

Ambergris Caye is the largest of Belize’s nearly 200 offshore cayes . Commuter planes (15- minute ride) and water taxis (1-hour ride) link it to Belize City. The airstrip is in the heart of town, so most resorts are just a jump away. This is the capital of carefree and casual: there are no paved roads, traffic lights, and no high-rise buildings. Although most resorts are beach-front, Ambergris is not a beach destination in the traditional sense.

10 Nights from $1625* $1699 w/tax
Departure from Houston All Airports, TX
Itinerary Includes:

* International round-trip airfare
* All transfers between cities
* 3 nights in Orange Walk
* 3 nights in San Ignacio
* 4 nights in Ambergris Caye
* Daily breakfast (most hotels)
* Hotel Taxes

Price history for this itinerary (past 14 days):
From Chicago Ohare Intl, IL for 10 nights $1,816 $1,935 w/tax
From Dallas Ft Worth, TX for 10 nights $1,699 $1,767 w/tax
From Hartford, CT for 10 nights $1,736 $1,811 w/tax
From Houston G.Bush Intercont, TX for 10 nights $1,624 $1,697 w/tax
From Los Angeles Intl, CA for 10 nights $1,662 $1,737 w/tax
From Miami, FL for 10 nights $1,804 $1,865 w/tax

The itinerary can be customized per your preferences — Book / Inquire / Contact Us

40% Off Luxury 7 Day Itinerary - $969 Net Per Person!
- June to November 2009

In collabration with our Guatemala partners and the luxury boutique hotels of Palacio Dona Leonor (Antigua) and Laguna Lodge (Lake Atitlan) we are proud to offer a 7 Day Luxury Tour of the Guatemalan Highlands for just $969 per person - thats 40% off the normal net rate of $1615 per person
• Availble for tours June to November 2009
• Only for the itinerary listed below
• Start day has to be Sunday
• Price based on double occupancy - please enquire for single or small group travelers
• Book / Inquire

ITINERARY OUTLINE

SUN - ARRIVAL & PRIVATE TRANSFER TO ANTIGUA
• Guests will be met at Guatemala City Airport by their bi-lingual Drive
• Private transfer to Antigua (1hr)
• Overnight Palacio Dona Leonor

MON - ANTIGUA WALKING TOUR & FREE FTERNOON (B)
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Your private guide will meet you at your hotel for a half day walking tour of Antigua
• Free afternoon
• Overnight Palacio Dona Leonor

TUE - FREE DAY IN ANTIGUA (B)
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Free Day in Antigua - book tours locally to visit Coffee Farms, Maya museums, textile tours, climb the active volcano of Pacaya or any number of interesting activities.
• Overnight Palacio Dona Leonor

WED - TRANSFER TO LAKE ATITLAN (B)
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Private Transfer to Lake Atitlan (Approx 2hr 30 trf)
• Private Boat transfer from Panajachel to the Lodge (15min)
• Overnight Laguna Lodge - Eco Boutique Lodge
• (N.B Gourmet Vegetarian Food Only in this Hotel)

THU - CHICHICASTENANGO MARKET (B)
• Breakfast at the Hotel
• Private Transfer to Chichi by boat & vehicle (Approx 1.5hr)
• Time to explore Chichi Market (Unguided)
• Private Transfer back to your hotel by boat & vehicle (Approx 1.5hr)
• Overnight Laguna Lodge - Eco Boutique Lodge

Maya worship the wooden statue of Maximón, shown with a cigar in his mouth

FRI - LAKE TOUR (B,L)
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Private Full Day, Private Lake & Village Tour by boat to San Juan La Laguna and Santiago -Includes Lunch
• Overnight Laguna Lodge - Eco Boutique Lodge
• (N.B Gourmet Vegetarian Food Only in this Hote l)

Maya textiles

SAT - TRANSFER OUT (B)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Transfers to Airport in time for international flight departure. (3hr)

Book / ASK US ABOUT EXTENSIONS TO INCLUDE THE JUNGLE & MAYA SITE AT TIKAL

HOTEL & DESTINATION INFORMATION

ANTIGUA
Antigua Guatemala. La Antigua (the old one), former colonial capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala, combines 17th and 18th century buildings and ruins with all the modern conveniences discerning travelers desire. The city was established as Santiago (St James) in 1543 after a mudslide destroyed the former capital. Santiago’s history was punctuated by massive earthquakes, followed by rebuilding and reparation, until the earthquake of Santa Marta in 1773 prompted a move to the present capital in Guatemala City. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, Antigua exudes a unique atmosphere of history, intrigue and surprise. Resting in a fertile valley at 1530 m and surrounded by hills and volcanoes, Antigua’s climate is likened to ‘eternal spring’.

Luxury Boutique Hotel - Palacio de Dona Leonor

Luxury Boutique Hotel - Palacio de Dona Leonor
An authentic colonial mansion is the location for this beautiful 12 room boutique hotel right in the heart of Antigua. Just half a block from the central park this is Antigua’s most central hotel. Each room is named after a historical figure from Antigua’s past and is decorated in a different way still in keeping with the colonial theme of the hotel. There is a restaurant, breakfast room, outdoor lounge and breakfast areas in the central courtyard. The hotel prides itself on offering the best service in Antigua and lots of personal touches to make the guest’s experience truly outstanding. This is a wonderful hotel for couples and small groups.
Facilities: 12 Rooms, Restaurant, Tea room, Outdoor lounges.
Location: Heart of Central Antigua, 1/2 block from the main square

LAKE ATITLAN
Lake Atitlanhas been called by many “the most beautiful lake in the world”. It is indeed an amazing setting with the crystal blue waters of the lake surrounded by the three lofty peaks of Toliman, San Pedro and Atitlan Volcanoes. You can take a private boat to villages surrounding the lake and experience the local indigenous customs, traditions, dress and crafts. In the village of Santiago guides can show you where the local Mayan community worships an image called Maximon feeding him alcohol and cigarettes in an attempt to make their wishes come true. This village is also f
famous for its primitive art and beautiful woven “huipiles” - women’s tunics.

Laguna Lodge - Luxury Eco-Boutique Hotel

Laguna Lodge - Luxury Eco-Boutique Hotel
* VEGETARIAN FOOD ONLY
Laguna Lodge is a luxury, boutique hotel on the shores of Lake Atitlan close to the village of St Cruz. The hotel is in fact located on a large private area of land called the Tzantizotz Nature Reserve and the hotel is operated with a strong focus on sustainable travel best practice. The rooms and bathrooms are spacious and with balconies that offer wonderful views across the lake to the San Pedro and Atitlan Volcanoes. Food is gourmet vegetarian. A great hotel for honeymooners, couples and small groups.
Facilities: 7 Rooms, Vegetarian Restaurant, Bar, Hiking on private nature reserve
Location: Accessible only by boat. 10mins from Panajachel.

CHICHICASTENANGO
Chichicastenango is famous for its large craft market on Sunday and Thursday. This is when craftsmen and villagers from all over the highlands converge on this small town to sell their wares. Sunday is an interesting day to visit because as well as the hugely colorful market, many village shamans will come from miles around to “Chichi”, as the locals call it, to perform Mayan rituals on behalf of people in their community. There are many hillside Mayan altar sites where the rituals are performed and, yet more strangely, many are performed on altar slabs inside the catholic church. Chichi is one of the easiest places for travelers to experience the strange way that Mayan & Catholic faiths have merged in Guatemala. During a trip to Chichi, you can also visit the small mask factory and see a traditional dance display performed by the local children.

LAKE TOUR DESCRIPTION
Guests are picked up from their hotel & transfer to San Juan La Laguna Village where they visit a local textile cooperative to see the back strap loom in use and to see how they still dye with natural dyes. Guests also visit the home and workshop of local naïf painters before boarding the boat onto Santiago Village for lunch. After lunch guests will walk with their guide to find the house where the Maya God Maximon is living. Each year a different “brotherhood” has the privilege of taking care of their God so his location changes. Once with Maximon you may see local shaman performing rituals for local people and if you wish you can ask your guide to help you hire the services of a shaman for you to have a personal ceremony performed. After visiting Maximon guests can visit the local church and learn about the history of this very traditional town and also see the market and learn about the distinctive textiles and primitive art that is famous from this area. When guests are ready they will be transferred back to their hotel.

Book / Inquire

Many first time vistors to India crave to visit the legedary Taj Mahal and do so often as only a daytrip from New Delhi, ariving there at midday when sun is high and the grandeur of this remarkable site is diminished. It’s a shame as Taj must been seen at least twice, once in the late afternoon when shadows are long and next at sunrise.

A world heritage site, UNESCO described Taj Mahal as “the jewel of Muslim art in India”. Often considered the pinnacle of Mughal art, the Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. There are few words that can describe the spleandor of this monument, hence viewing it at the ideal times of the day are an absolute must to soak in its full magnificance .

After early morning visit of Taj Mahal it’s best not to return to Delhi but continue to Fatehpur Sikri. Only one hour driving time away from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri was the 16th century capital of the Mughal rulers and the great Mughul Emperor Akbar had intended it to be the grandest capital city of the the world. Built entirely of red sandstone he came close to succeeding and Fatehpur Sikri served as his capital for 15 years until it was abandoned after his death in 1585 due to water scarcity in the area.

Undisputedly the magic of Rajasthan accounts for some of the most memorable impressions of India and Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri are but gateways to what lies ahead. From Fatehpur Sikri one can proceed to Bharatpur, only one hour further down the road, and beyond will lure such sites as Ramathra Fort, Ranthambore National Park, Bundi, Pushkar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhainsrorgarh, Udaipur and much more.

Rooftops of Zhaoxing village, Guizhou

Wooden Drum Tower, Zaoxing

Guizhou is one of lesser-visited provinces of China. This is largely due to its remote mountainous character and bad roads, especially in its southeastern corner, where a number of fascinating ethnic minorities such as Bouyei, Sui, Hui, Zhuang, Miao and Dong are found. Although much of these ethnic groups live in poverty, Dong relatively prosper and construct intriguing compact villages of truly remarkable architecture. Of all the Dong villages, Zhaoxing has been hailed as the most beautiful village and is certainly quite picturesque.

Resting under a drum tower, Zaoxing

Set in a basin when approached from either direction and viewed from the surrounding hillsides, Zhaoxing skyline strikes as coherent blend of rooftops above which protrude unique pagoda-style towers, five of them in all. Interspersed throughout the village the drum towers were built by each clan as if one per neighborhood. The pagoda tiers, intricately carved, mounted atop massive timber columns, are decorated with village life images and harbor a drum which is beaten to summon villagers to a meeting, warn of fire and in the old days sounded alarm when the village might had faced an approaching attack. Although the benches below the drum tower serve as a gathering area to hold village meetings, villagers use its soothing shade to rest, play cards, games and chat; the drum towers indeed thus constitute an urban design element that can be incorporated by any contemporary culture.

Drum tower and an ecological village pond, Zhaoxing

A small river passes through Zhaoxing and its banks span several covered bridges, called Wind and Rain Bridges. The name is eloquent as its purpose is not to channel pedestrian traffic on either side of the river alone but to protect the villagers from inclement weather while resting on its benches that line both sides of the structure. Similarly as the drum towers, the covered bridges are a gathering place to socialize as well as nap, and much of the time they are busy namely with the village elders.

The dominant architectural element of the village are the houses. As the drum towers and the covered bridges the Zhaxing house architecture uses no nails and the structures are built entirely of notched timber post and beam construction. The skeleton of the structure is completed first and the rest of the house follows. It’s astounding to see that a massive three-storey structure can sit on simple flat stone footings often as if haphazardly set inside a steep hillside. The Dong vernacular style of architecture undeniably belongs to one of most fascinating tribal architectural styles found anywhere. 

Skeleton structure of a Dong house architectural style

Dong notched post and beam timber construction

Construction detail, Dong architecture

Large house sited on a steep hilside, Zhaoxing village area

Footing of a Zhaoxing house, Guizhou Province, China