MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Asia/Pacific, Asia/Pacific travel

Pauline Frommer to Host World Spree’s Feb. 17 Vietnam Tour

December 13, 2018 MoralCompass

Pauline Frommer, with her father, the legendary travel writer Arthur Frommer, speaking at the New York Times Travel Show. Pauline will host World Spree’s Feb. 17 “Amazing Vietnam” tour. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Bellevue, WA —The February 17 departure of World Spree’s Amazing Vietnam tour has an extra added attraction: it will be hosted by travel expert Pauline Frommer, a familiar face from her many television appearances.

An experienced traveler and engaging personality, Pauline is co-president of Frommer Media with her father, the legendary Arthur Frommer. Together they publish the Frommer guidebooks and Frommers.com. She is also host of two radio shows on travel and is the author of seven books, countless articles and a weekly King Features syndicated column.

The tour takes in the highlights of Vietnam, an exotic country lapped by the warm waters of the South China Sea, with the world’s friendliest people, a beautiful landscape and a rich history dating back 5,000 years. It starts in the charming capital, Hanoi, with its French-colonial mansions and mementos of Ho Chi Minh, and continues with an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, famous for its spectacular seascape of limestone peaks and islands.

There’s a glimpse of Danang and China Beach on the way to Hoi An, an old port town that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then to Hue, the former imperial capital with its impressive Citadel and, finally, a flight to the bustling city of Saigon, officially known as Ho Chi Minh City. There are also several optional excursions, including one to the fascinating Cu Chi Tunnels and a cruise/land tour to the scenic Mekong Delta.

The 13-day tour costs $1,899 from Los Angeles and San Francisco, $1,999 from New York, and that price includes round-trip international airfare, conveniently-located deluxe hotel accommodations, 13 bountiful meals, an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, sightseeing tours with entrance fees, professional English-speaking guides, baggage handling and audio earphones.

All prices are per person, double occupancy, and are subject to availability. For additional information, visit www.worldspree.com and click Vietnam, or call toll-free 1-866-652-5656.

Based in Bellevue, Washington, and known for value-packed trips, World Spree Travel began 14 years ago as China Spree, now operates tours to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bali and, yes, Peru and Ecuador.

For more travel features, visit:

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

instagram.com/krubin0830/

instagram.com/famtravltr/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Cultural Travel, international travel

World Spree Offers Early-Bird Special to Book 2019 Air-Inclusive Exotic India & Nepal Trip

June 3, 2018 MoralCompass

*World Spree’s Exotic India and Nepal trip includes a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Bellevue, WA —Chances are you’re never going to climb Mount Everest, so the next best way to see the world’s highest mountain (along with the most fascinating cities of India and Nepal) is on World Spree’s Exotic India and Nepal trip. If you can plan ahead for an Early-Bird Special, the 14-day air-inclusive tour costs $1,799 in May of 2019. In the meantime, the price is higher, but still a good deal.

The tour includes round-trip international air fare from Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York to Delhi, flights to and from Kathmandu, accommodation in deluxe hotels (familiar names like Hilton and Marriott), 11 buffet breakfasts, three lunches and four dinners, all ground transportation, baggage handling, sightseeing and entrance fees, and professional English-speaking guides.

The tour starts with sightseeing in Old Delhi, a chaotic but spellbinding scene of markets, mosques and Mughal Empire remains. A sharp contrast is the colonial architecture of New Delhi, built by the British in the early 20^th century. The tour continues with two days in the enchanting city of Agra, home to that legendary symbol of love, the beautiful white marble Taj Mahal. Then it’s on to the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur, known as the “pink city” for its rose-hued buildings, and a jeep trip to the hilltop Amber Fort.

A short flight takes the tour to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal that’s surrounded by Himalayan peaks and known for its Durbar Square, graceful temples, elegant palaces, and picturesque streets. Several UNESCO World Heritage Sites grace the Kathmandu Valley, including Bhaktapur, the nation’s cultural gem with its appealing crafts, ornate palaces, temples galore and 19 Buddhist monasteries. Then there’s Patan, full of old charm, traditional brick houses, temples, monasteries and monuments. And super-photogenic Boudha, with Asia’s largest stupa, where Tibetan monks wander the prayer-flag-bedecked streets and pilgrims spin prayer wheels.

On the last day in Nepal, it’s possible to take an early-morning flight (Optional Tour: $220 per person, to be paid directly in Nepal) above the mighty Himalayas for a close-up view of Mount Everest and the surrounding mountains, an easy way to see the world’s tallest peak. Then it’s back to Delhi for a celebratory farewell dinner and transfer to the airport for the flight home.

All prices are per person, double occupancy and are subject to availability. For more information, visit www.worldspree.com, click Destinations and then Nepal, or call toll-free 1-866-652-5656.

World Spree Travel, which started 12 years ago as China Spree, with tours of China, is a tour operator renowned for its 5-star trips at 3-star prices. Based in Bellevue, Washington, World Spree has expanded all over Asia and now operators tours to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bali and, yes, Peru. Japan and Ecuador are coming soon. It is telling that 70% of World Spree’s tour participants are repeat clients who value well-planned trips at a reasonable price.

For more travel features, visit:

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

instagram.com/krubin0830/

instagram.com/famtravltr/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Cultural Travel, Historic Places, international travel

Early Bird Special: Air-Inclusive India and its Famed Golden Triangle for $999

May 1, 2018 MoralCompass

*The Taj Mahal, Agra, part of India’s Golden Triangle © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Bellevue, WA—World Spree Travel has pulled off a bargain to the one of the world’s most colorful and fascinating destinations. If you can plan ahead—to May, 2019, the tour operator’s new Exotic India tour starts at $999 including round-trip air fare, all ground transportation and transfers, baggage handling, sightseeing and entrance fees, professional English-speaking tour managers/guides, daily American breakfasts, five other meals and deluxe hotels like Marriott and Hilton that have swimming pools, fitness centers and restaurants. (If you can’t plan that far ahead, the air-inclusive tour costs $1,349 to $1,549 from September, 2018 to April, 2019, which is still a good deal.)

The tour covers the cultural and architectural riches of northern India: the famed Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The capital, Delhi, offers a view of Indian history from ancient settlement through the Mughal Empire and the British Raj to the present. Sightseeing here includes a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi’s narrow alleyways and Chandni Chowk market, the Red Fort, India’s largest mosque, and Humayun’s 16^th-century garden-surrounded tomb. There’s also a visit to a Sikh temple whose kitchen feeds 20,000 people each day. A mind-boggling contrast is provided by the tree-lined boulevards of Edwin Lutyens’ 20^th-century imperial city, New Delhi, and Mahatma Gandhi’s former home.

On to Agra for a tour of the Taj Mahal, one of the world’s most famous and beautiful buildings, a white marble jewel of Mughal architecture built by the Emperor Shah Jahan (and 20,000 workers) in loving memory of his wife. There’s also a visit to the marble market and free time for sightseeing and shopping.

On the way to the land of the Rajput kings, the tour stops to see an amazing 10^th-century “stepwell” that’s 99 feet deep, has 13 floors and 3,500 steps—an ancient solution to an arid climate. Then comes the capital of Rajasthan, the “pink city” of Jaipur, a city of palaces, temples, forts and lush gardens, founded in the 18^th century and painted pink in the 19th for a British Royal visit. Here tour participants enjoy a jeep ride to the hilltop 16^th-century Amber Fort, a fusion of Mughal and Hindu architecture, and time to explore the markets full of Rajasthani textiles: rugs, silk scarves and embroidered shawls. There’s also a visit to Ladli, a non-profit initiative that supports homeless children. Then it’s back to Delhi for a celebratory farewell dinner and airport transfer.

All prices are per person, double occupancy, and are subject to availability. For more information about the Exotic India tour, visit www.worldspree.com, click Destinations, then India, then 2019, or call toll-free 1-866-652-5656.

World Spree Travel, which started 12 years ago as China Spree, with tours of China, is a tour operator renowned for its 5-star trips at 3-star prices. Based in Bellevue, Washington, World Spree has expanded all over Asia and now operates tours to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bali and yes, Peru. Japan and Ecuador are coming soon. Note that 70% of World Spree’s tour participants are repeat clients who value well-planned trips at a reasonable price.

For more travel features, visit:

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

instagram.com/krubin0830/

instagram.com/famtravltr/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Cultural Travel, festivals & events, international travel

World Spree’s October India Tours Showcases Photogenic Pushkar Camel Fair

September 10, 2017 MoralCompass

Getting close-up view of camels at the Pushkar Camel Fair © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Bellevue, WA — One of the most photogenic events in a fabulously photogenic country is the annual October Pushkar Camel Fair, which draws 11,000 camels, horses and cattle, and is part tribal gathering, part livestock market and part colorful carnival. World Spree Travel has put together a 14-day tour that showcases the highlights of northern India—Delhi, Agra and Jaipur—plus a safari in search of the royal Bengal tiger, but two departures, October 22 and 27, also include the amazing Pushkar Camel Fair, for $1,999 or $2,049 per person, double occupancy from San Francisco (New York and Los Angeles are $50 more).

The October 22 and October 27 trips cover round-trip flights on Air China, 5-star hotels in the cities and deluxe accommodations in the tiger sanctuary and Pushkar, daily buffet breakfasts, 12 other meals, all transportation in India, comprehensive sightseeing with entrance fees, two game drives in Ranthambhore National Park, professional English-speaking tour manager/guides, and baggage handling.

Everyone will marvel at the sights of the Golden Triangle: the monuments and markets of Old and New Delhi, Agra’s breathtakingly-beautiful Taj Mahal, and the pink city of Jaipur with its palaces and bazaars, as well as the elusive royal Bengal tiger. But photographers will be especially thrilled by the Pushkar Camel Fair, where herders, traders, entertainers and thousands of camels stream out of the desert to set up camp near the town of Pushkar. Camel races, livestock exhibitions, street vendors, tented bazaars and contests add to the spectacle. And since Pushkar is a holy city, there are also pilgrims bathing in the sacred lake.

While travelers will enjoy all this exoticism during the day, at night they can relax in luxurious-but-familiar hotels like the Vivanta by Taj in New Delhi, the Hilton in Jaipur and the Courtyard Marriott in Agra. The charming, bungalow-style Ranthambhore Kothi offers beautiful gardens, a swimming pool and spa adjacent to the tiger sanctuary. And just outside Pushkar, accommodations are in a deluxe tented village that boasts private bathrooms and standard hotel amenities.

Those travelers who wish to see even more of northern India can take advantage of the 17-day Epic Journey to India with Pushkar Camel Fair, which also departs on October 22 and 27 ($2,799 or $2,849 (per person, double occupancy).

There are post-trip extensions to Nepal and Amritsar and, to take advantage of China’s 72-hour visa-free stopover program, World Spree offers a 3-day/2-night Beijing package that includes hotel, breakfasts and airport transfers.

For more information, visit www.worldspree.com or call 866-652-5656.

World Spree Travel, which started 10 years ago as China Spree with tours of China, is a tour operator renowned for its 5-star trips at 3-star prices. Based in Bellevue, Washington, World Spree has expanded all over Asia and now operates tours to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bali and, yes, Peru. Japan and Sri Lanka are coming soon. Notably, 70% of World Spree’s tour participants are repeat clients who value well-planned trips at a reasonable price.

For more travel features, visit:

www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

instagram.com/krubin0830/

instagram.com/famtravltr/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Cultural Travel, heritage travel, international travel

World Spree Offers Fall Vietnam 10-night Air-Inclusive Tours Starting at $1799

January 31, 2017 MoralCompass

Bellevue, WA—World Spree Travel’s 10-night Amazing Vietnam trip is a good deal anytime, but early birds who plan ahead will find that September/October prices are a real steal, ranging from $1,799 to $1,899. This covers round-trip international air, including taxes ad fuel surcharges; all transportation and transfers in Vietnam; luxurious hotel accommodations; an overnight cruise on gorgeous Halong Bay; daily American buffet breakfasts; four other delicious meals; private sightseeing tours and entrance fees; professional, English-speaking tour guides; baggage handling; (and no scheduled shopping traps, the company insists).

But price and value are not the only attractions. This exotic country, lapped by the warm waters of the South China Sea, has some of the friendliest people on the planet , a beautiful landscape and a rich history dating back 5,000 years. Over the centuries it was occupied by China and France, both of which left influences in its culture, architecture and cuisine.

The tour takes in the charming capital, Hanoi, with its parks, tree-lined avenues, French-colonial buildings and mementos of Ho Chi Minh. It includes an overnight cruise on a deluxe little cruise ship on Halong Bay, famous for its spectacular seascape of limestone peaks and islands. There’s a glimpse of Danang and China Beach on the way to Hoi An, an old port town with photogenic architecture and atmospheric riverside restaurants that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then to Hue, the former imperial capital on the Perfume River, known for the impressive Citadel with it pavilions and palaces. And, finally, a flight to the bustling city of Saigon, officially known as Ho Chi Minh City, with its French-colonial landmarks and wartime headquarters of the South Vietnam government.

Optional excursions include a tour of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison; a cyclo tour of Hue, with dinner at the Imperial Citadel; a dragon-boat cruise on the Perfume River; a cruise to the scenic Mekong Delta; a trip to the fascinating underground Cu Chi Tunnels; and, to take advantage of China Airlines’ stopover in Taipei, a 3-day/2-night package—4-star hotel, breakfasts, transfers—that allows time to see Taipei’s world-class museum and enjoy some fabulous Chinese cuisine.

All prices are per person, double occupancy, and are subject to availability. There is no extra charge for credit cards. For more information about the Amazing Vietnam tour, visit www.worldspree.com, click “Destinations,” then “Vietnam,” or call toll-free 1-866-652-5656.

World Spree Travel, which started ten years ago as China Spree with tours of China, is a tour operator which boasts “5-star trips at 3-star prices.” Based in Bellevue, Washington, World Spree has expanded throughout Asia and now operates tours to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bali and, yes, Peru. Japan and Sri Lanka are coming soon. Note that 70% of World Spree’s tour participants are repeat clients who value well-planned trips at a reasonable price.

For more travel features, visit:

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/