Burma (now called Myanmar) and Laos are two of the most exotic and least explored countries of Buddhist Indochina. Here we have a rare opportunity to step back in time and experience the Asia of old. From the magic of Rangoon and Mandalay in Myanmar; the ancient ruins of Bagan, one of the world's most remarkable archaeological sites; Inle Lake, home to Ngae Ni's Intha tribe, famed for their unique one-leg rowing technique and floating vegetable gardens; to shimmering golden-spired temples and the fascinating tribal peoples of Burma, our adventure vacation in Burma incorporates classic wonders and incomparable natural phenomena.

Small, landlocked Laos has always been a place apart, and our adventure continues in this enchanting, little-visited country in Southeast Asia. Covered with steep mountains and thick jungle, Laos feels like a setting from a fairy tale. Young Laotian monks in saffron robes chant in unison in dusky pagodas; women place vases of fresh flowers in the spirit shrines that guard their homes in Luang Prabang; children splash and shriek in the shallows of the Mekong River. Laos may be one of the last truly calm places on earth —no bright lights, no shopping malls, no amusement parks —just people going about their lives as their forefathers did, growing rice and weaving traditional cloth, moving through life as slowly as the water buffalo that plod back and forth in their rice paddies.

Once you've experienced the serene and tranquil beauty of Burma and Laos in this less-well traveled part of Southeast Asia, you just might not want to leave. With the recent release from house arrest of political activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in November 2010, tourism in Burma (Myanmar) has begun to increase with Burma now being touted as Asia's next "tourism hotspot."

Join AdventureWomen NOW, during our 30th anniversary year, and beat the crowds on this unique journey to Burma and Laos. Experience the magic of Southeast Asia, a Land of Golden Pagodas, for yourself.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

• Enjoy the hospitality of the friendliest people in Indochina, Southeast Asia; where Buddhism permeates all strands of cultural, ethical, and secular life.
• Explore the fabled cities of Mandalay and Yangon in Burma, and Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos, plus the ancient ruins of Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Discover the charms of Inle Lake and its "leg rowers" in a magical world of floating villages and gardens, little-touched by the modern world.
• Walk to ethnic and tribal villages to meet and learn about the indigenous hill tribe peoples who live in remote villages of Burma and Laos.
• Combine the bygone era of two of the most exotic and least-explored countries in Southeast Asia, with luxury hotel accommodations and some of the region's best restaurants.