Set amidst 12 beautifully groomed acres of the former Nadesar Palace, this modern first class hotel has beautifully decorated deluxe guest rooms and restaurants with superb Indian and International cuisine.

This hotel has the most distinguished address in the Lutyens district of New Delhi. Centrally located, a few minutes from the Janpath shopping area and city center, your spacious guest room has panoramic views.

The Jumeirah Beach Hotel is
a landmark_of luxury in the city
of Dubai - the leisure, shopping, and  sporting capital of the Gulf. It was recently named #1 on the Condé Nast Traveller’s (British edition) listing of the World’s Top 100 Hotels. Your deluxe room overlooks the sea; leisure amenities include swimming pools, tennis, golf, sailing, water skiing, parasailing, snorkeling, windsurfing, and scuba diving.

Created from a century-old, neo-classic Turkish building, in the core of this fabled city, this hotel is only steps from the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, and the Grand and Spice Bazaars. Luxurious guest rooms overlook the open courtyard.

Legends are not easy to create. And serving as the inspiration for a word meaning "luxurious, fashionable, elegant," isn’t any easier. Yet the Hotel Ritz in Paris continues to set uncommon standards in the world of hospitality.

Day 5 Hong Kong – Macau – Hong Kong – Bangkok

Today you travel by high-speed hydrofoil to the beautiful Portuguese island colony of Macau, just 40 miles to the west of Hong Kong. It will revert to Chinese control at the end of 1999. The population here is 95% Chinese, but the 3-hour lunch, followed by a siesta, is purely Portuguese.

Often called the Las Vegas or Monaco of the East, Macau was founded as a trading center in 1557 for illicit dealings between Japan and China. The "business" transactions were handled by Portuguese middlemen. Actually, Macau’s position at the mouth of one of China’s ten great rivers has made it an international trading city since at least the 2nd century AD. Your lunch will be served on the terrace of Macau’s 400-year-old fortress, which is now a small elegant hotel called the Pousada de Dao Tiago. There is an extraordinary view of the South China Sea from your table.

Upon your return to Hong Kong this afternoon, you go directly to the airport for your evening flight to Bangkok, Thailand. You arrive in Bangkok around midnight and go directly to The Oriental, on the banks of the Chao Phya River. The marble-clad lobby, lush with wood and leather appointments, provides access to the gardens, pools, river view terrace, and shopping arcade. Teak chandeliers reminiscent of Thai bells hang overhead. The high standard of facilities, cuisine, and comfort here is clearly evident. The private accommodations are plush with silks and polished teak accents; service here is peerless and can even astonish. (B,L,D)

Day 6 Bangkok

After breakfast this morning, you board a motor launch to cruise on the Chao Phya River – one of the focal points of Bangkok. You pass a succession of major landmarks, such as, Buddhist temples, foreign embassies, churches, residential palaces, and floating markets. You visit the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), one of the river’s major landmarks; and see the Royal Barges (51 in all), splendidly carved boats used during the rare Royal Barge Procession when the king takes gifts to the monks of Wat Arun.

On your tour of the Jim Thompson Thai House Museum, you hear about the American architect who came to Thailand after World War II. Highly gifted as a designer and textile colorist, he contributed substantially to the growth and worldwide recognition of the Thai silk industry. His canal–side house represents the best of traditional Thai architecture; it is actually a combination of six teak structures (some are at least two centuries old) which were dismantled at other sites. In his quest for authenticity, Thompson adhered to the customs of early builders and employed carpenters skilled in traditional methods to rebuild at the present location. Thompson filled the home with his impressive collection of paintings, porcelain, statuary, and antique furniture.

This evening, you sip cocktails aboard a luxuriously renovated river barge; and later, your Thai dinner is served at the beautiful temple-styled Sala Rim Naam Restaurant overlooking the river. Your superb meal is accompanied by classical Thai dancing. (B, D)

Day 7 Bangkok

You visit the Grand Palace and see the Emerald Buddha – only 26 inches, but the most venerated of all the thousands in the country. And you go to Wat Traimitr, site of the renowned Golden Buddha; this huge figure was originally thought to be made of stucco, and it was only by accident that it was discovered to be solid gold weighing 5½ tons.

This afternoon is yours to shop for souvenirs to bring home. Thai silk is perhaps Thailand’s best known craft, but jade green celadon ceramics, wood furniture, lacquerware, gems and metal art objects are all favorite purchases. Alternately, try out the large, elegant lap pool in the landscaped courtyard at the hotel. You dine this evening at one of the gourmet restaurants at the Sukhothai. (B,D)

Day 8 Bangkok – Kathmandu

Today, you fly to Nepal; closed to the outside world between the mid-19th century and the early 1950s, this country has always been considered a mysterious land. The Himalayas form the country’s northern border with the Tibetan autonomous Region of China. Wedged between China and India, it has become a popular destination for mountain climbers who head for Mt. Everest and Anapurna. The country has an incredible range of altitude – from 29,028 feet, at the summit of Everest, to a low of 220 feet, in the southern part of the country. Early history of Nepal is interwoven with Hindu and Buddhist mythology; and it is often difficult to determine what is historical fact and what is myth.

Checking into the Hotel Yak & Yeti, (unquestionably the best hotel in Kathmandu), you are treated to a warm welcome in the 18th century palace. The sound of trickling water wafts through the lovely gardens; the ornate grand lobby combines brick, pink marble flooring, and stucco and wooden pillars. (B,L,D)