AMAN Japan & Southeast Asia Private Tour
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Why You Should Go
A Lynch family favorite and well-known by many of our clients and friends, the Singapore-based Aman brand represents the pinnacle of world-class luxury hotel/resort hospitality. Initially based in the Southeast Asia region, each resort is characterized by a small number of rooms (typically less than 50) and minimalist architecture, designed to complement the location’s natural setting and local culture. This itinerary combines Japan, Randy’s favorite and singular among Asian cultures in its amazing ability to assimilate and then synthesize foreign cultures and influences, and a comprehensive Southeast Asia private tour. Each destination is matched with its local Aman property, each doing incredible justice to the location it inhabits in order to provide guests with a completely immersive experience.
Other China & Southeast Asia Aman Options:
- Aman Summer Palace, Beijing
- Amanfayun, Hangzhou
- Amanyangyun, Shanghai
- Amanoi, Vietnam
- Amandari-Amankila, Bali
- Aman-I-Khas, India
- Amanwella, Sri Lanka
- Amankora Circuit, Bhutan
Best Travel Time: Spring Summer Fall
*The average cost of our fully comprehensive itineraries ranges from USD $4,000 – $6,000 per COUPLE per DAY. All of our private tour itineraries are inclusive of all luxury accommodations, private guide/driver throughout, meals as specified, INTERNAL air flights/rail /private transfers, & all taxes/service fees.
Sample Itinerary
17 Days
Each private luxury tour is custom to the wishes of each client. This itinerary is a sample. Partnering with our long-established relationship with United Airlines, our sister company, TRAVNET, may provide competitive Polaris/Business Class international airfare, along with mileage points conversion.
Day 1
Fly to Tokyo
Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.
Day 2
Arrive Tokyo
Upon arrival in Tokyo, you will be privately transferred to the Aman Tokyo or the Peninsula Tokyo. While in Tokyo, you may be able to catch a sumo wrestling match or a baseball game! Click on the link to read our blog posts on Sumo: Japan’s National Sport and Japan’s Unique Baseball Culture.
Accommodations: Aman Tokyo
Day 3
Tokyo Private Touring
Your touring today will begin with a visit to the Meiji Shrine, where, based on Shinto tradition, you can write your prayer on a wooden block just outside of the shrine. You will continue on to Higashi Gyoen, the east garden at the Imperial Palace, considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Tokyo. You will also visit the Akihabara and Harajuku shopping district and the Yasukuni Shrine, controversial due to its enshrinement of Japan’s wartime leader General Hideki Tojo and 13 other Class-A war criminals (found guilty of war crimes by the allied forces after World War II).
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Aman Tokyo
Day 4
Tokyo Private Touring
A 35-minute drive from the city center, you will visit the Ghibli Museum in Mikata, a suburban part of Tokyo. Being big fans of Hayao Miyazaki’s award-winning animated films (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo – among others), we feel this is a must-see when visiting Tokyo. Welcomed by a large Totoro at the entrance, you will see a colorful array of handcrafted stain windows and lamps, using Ghibli’s characters, beautiful plants, flowers, and forest animals. The 80-seat Saturn Theater is a fun treat to watch a short Miyazaki animated feature. Click here to read more about anime, Japan’s unique animation art form.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Aman Tokyo
Day 5
Shinkansen (Bullet Train) Tokyo/Kyoto
Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to the Tokyo train station for your Shinkansen ride to Kyoto. Upon arrival in Kyoto, you will be privately transferred to the Aman Kyoto. With 26 shrines and temples listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the most in the world!), Kyoto is truly one of the most culturally alluring cities on the globe.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Aman Kyoto
Day 6
Kyoto Private Touring
You will begin your day in with the Philosopher’s Walk, a two-kilometer-long path that covers five temples and two shrines, paralleling a beautiful canal/stream. After the walk, you will continue to the Shirakawa Minami-Dori Street in Gion, which has wonderfully preserved wooden structures, with various restaurants and ryokans. In the afternoon, you will visit the Fushimi Shrine, perhaps our favorite shrine in all of Japan. Dating back to the eighth century, the shrine includes a wandering pathway around three miles up the mountain lined with hundreds of beautiful red torii, now faded to look orange.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Aman Kyoto
Day 7
Saihoji Gardens Private Touring + Tea Ceremony
There is nothing casual or fortuitous about a visit to Saihoji Temple and its garden. You may visit by prior appointment only via a written request to the administering monks. Unlike the mass tourism that envelops much of Kyoto, the Saihoji priests hope to retain a solemn, meditative atmosphere in the temple and garden. You will also participate in a traditional tea ceremony with over a dozen steps including the respectful exchange of greetings, eating the tea sweets, and mixing the green powder tea and water with the bamboo whisk.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Aman Kyoto
Day 8
Fly Osaka/Siem Reap
Upon arrival in Siem Reap, you will be privately transferred to the Amansara, where the remainder of your day will be free to spend at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amansara
Day 9
Angkor Wat Private Tour
Today, you may consider an early wakeup (4 – 4:30 a.m.!) to meet your private guide at for the sunrise over Angkor Wat, a truly magical experience.
Following breakfast, you will be met by your private guide and driver for a full-day tour of the Angkor Wat temples, built during the height of the Khmer civilization from the 8th and 13th-centuries. You will explore the ancient and lasting remains of this sacred site spanning 400 sq. km with your private guide. Our Kipling & Clark overview of the fascinating Angkor Wat Temples can be found here.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amansara
Day 10
Siem Reap & Tonle Sap Lake Private Tour
Following breakfast, you will take a drive with your private guide to the Cambodian countryside and the sprawling jungle of Beng Mealea. You will also have the opportunity for a touristy, but fun boat ride on Tonle Sap Lake, a floating village of Kampong Khleang.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amansara
Day 11
Fly Siem Reap/Luang Prabang
Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to the Siem Reap airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival in Laos, you will be privately transferred to the Amantaka, where the remainder of your evening will be free to spend at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amantaka
Day 12
Luang Prabang Private Tour
The ancient royal city of Luang Prabang is a place where time seems to stand still. It was mentioned by the New York Times as being one of the 43 most interesting places to visit! The Lynch family has always felt that Luang Prabang is one of the best-hidden treasures in Southeast Asia. Your private tour today will include participation in Buddhist monk offerings, the National Museum, and a Buddhist Baci ceremony.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amantaka
Day 13
Discretionary Free-Day at Amantaka
Today you are free to enjoy the amenities and activities of Amantaka. Enjoy holistic spa treatments, the open-air pool and terrace, and the Laos-style barbecue.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodations: Amantaka
Day 14
Fly Luang Prabang/Phuket
Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to the Luang Prabang airport for your flight to Phuket. Upon arrival in Phuket, you will be privately transferred to the Amanpuri, where the remainder of your evening will be free to spend at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Amanpuri
Day 15 – 16
Discretionary Free-Days at Amanpuri
Today you will be free to enjoy the amenities and activities of Amanpuri. The turquoise waters surrounding Phuket allows for plenty of opportunities to explore its coasts via paddleboard or scuba diving. We recommend visiting the Amanpuri Holistic Wellness Center to learn about ancient healing techniques. Visit Nama or Arva for delicious menus curated by expert chefs.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodations: Amanpuri
Day 17
Fly Phuket/Home
Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to the Phuket Airport for your onward flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotels
Though we are big fans of Aman in China and Southeast Asia, we initially felt a bit ambivalent about the 84-room Aman in a noisy, urban environment like Tokyo. Located in the 40-story Otemachi Tower, within walking distance of Ginza shopping and dining and the Otemachi Forest (Marunouchi’s Naki-Dori tree-lined avenue), perhaps the most impressive sight of the Aman Tokyo is its magnificent 33rd-floor lobby entrance featuring huge floor to ceiling windows with a view of the Imperial Palace grounds and even Mt. Fuji on clear days! The Shoji-lanterned area is centered on a large garden and a washi-like ceiling that gives the area a Zen-like Japanese feel. Unlike Aman’s in most parts of the world that ban TV’s in the rooms, the Aman Tokyo includes a flat-screen TV for those of us that need a daily BBC fix!
Aman Tokyo
Though we are big fans of Aman in China and Southeast Asia, we initially felt a bit ambivalent about the 84-room Aman in a noisy, urban environment like Tokyo. Located in the 40-story Otemachi Tower, within walking distance of Ginza shopping and dining and the Otemachi Forest (Marunouchi’s Naki-Dori tree-lined avenue), perhaps the most impressive sight of the Aman Tokyo is its magnificent 33rd-floor lobby entrance featuring huge floor to ceiling windows with a view of the Imperial Palace grounds and even Mt. Fuji on clear days! The Shoji-lanterned area is centered on a large garden and a washi-like ceiling that gives the area a Zen-like Japanese feel. Unlike Aman’s in most parts of the world that ban TV’s in the rooms, the Aman Tokyo includes a flat-screen TV for those of us that need a daily BBC fix!
With Kyoto being our favorite city in Asia, we are most excited about the new 24-room Aman Kyoto, just opened in November 2019. The 80-acre site includes 72 acres of native forest and eight acres of traditional Japanese gardens. We are particularly impressed with the property’s location in the Takagamine district, walking distance to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple)! The property features spacious and light-filled interiors, similar to traditional ryokans; natural hot springs; and spectacular dining celebrating the unique culinary traditions of Japan using the finest local produce. With large floor-to-ceiling windows, the outside is brought in, allowing for a complete escape in total luxury.
Aman Kyoto: Opened November 2019
With Kyoto being our favorite city in Asia, we are most excited about the new 24-room Aman Kyoto, just opened in November 2019. The 80-acre site includes 72 acres of native forest and eight acres of traditional Japanese gardens. We are particularly impressed with the property’s location in the Takagamine district, walking distance to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple)! The property features spacious and light-filled interiors, similar to traditional ryokans; natural hot springs; and spectacular dining celebrating the unique culinary traditions of Japan using the finest local produce. With large floor-to-ceiling windows, the outside is brought in, allowing for a complete escape in total luxury.
Built around the former guesthouse of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, each of the villa’s 24 rooms come with a private driver, floor to ceiling windows, and furnished patios. The aesthetic is minimalist and classic with open floor plan rooms and secluded gardens for the courtyard suites. A short remork (Cambodian tuk tuk) ride away from the ruins of Angkor Wat, the Amansara has an indoor/outdoor dining pavilion serving both Khmer and Western dishes, a rooftop bar and lounge, spa, lap pool, yoga studio, and steam baths. In terms of luxury and location, the Amansara is simply unmatched in Cambodia and has been host to Jackie Kennedy and Angelina Jolie during their respective visits to Cambodia.
Amansara
Built around the former guesthouse of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, each of the villa’s 24 rooms come with a private driver, floor to ceiling windows, and furnished patios. The aesthetic is minimalist and classic with open floor plan rooms and secluded gardens for the courtyard suites. A short remork (Cambodian tuk tuk) ride away from the ruins of Angkor Wat, the Amansara has an indoor/outdoor dining pavilion serving both Khmer and Western dishes, a rooftop bar and lounge, spa, lap pool, yoga studio, and steam baths. In terms of luxury and location, the Amansara is simply unmatched in Cambodia and has been host to Jackie Kennedy and Angelina Jolie during their respective visits to Cambodia.
Located in the Mekong Valley on the grounds of a former French hospital in Luang Prabang, the 24-suite Amantaka is the perfect place from which to experience Lao’s spiritual capital. Simultaneously embracing the past through architecture and experiences alongside modern amenities such as private pools and state of the art spas is what Aman does best, perfectly embodied at the Amantaka. Amenities include three dining venues, swimming pool, Aman spa, and cultural activities such as walking tours of Luang Prabang and the Mekong River cruises.
Amantaka
Located in the Mekong Valley on the grounds of a former French hospital in Luang Prabang, the 24-suite Amantaka is the perfect place from which to experience Lao’s spiritual capital. Simultaneously embracing the past through architecture and experiences alongside modern amenities such as private pools and state of the art spas is what Aman does best, perfectly embodied at the Amantaka. Amenities include three dining venues, swimming pool, Aman spa, and cultural activities such as walking tours of Luang Prabang and the Mekong River cruises.
Set in a lush hillside above a beautiful white sand beach, Amanpuri has been a Lynch family favorite for several years now. With such a contemporary, striking design, it is difficult to imagine that the Amanpuri was actually opened in 1988 as the first Aman! Somewhat similar to the Four Seasons Golden Triangle, the Amanpuri’s 40 luxury suites are accessed via some steep stairs and a maze of walkways (be careful at night!). In addition to an understated 90+ foot freshwater pool, other amenities include a very nice indoor/outdoor spa, tennis courts, a glass-walled gym, a fun beach club, and a seasonal Japanese restaurant. Please note that the property can arrange chartered yachts/speedboats to the Phi Phi Islands.
Amanpuri
Set in a lush hillside above a beautiful white sand beach, Amanpuri has been a Lynch family favorite for several years now. With such a contemporary, striking design, it is difficult to imagine that the Amanpuri was actually opened in 1988 as the first Aman! Somewhat similar to the Four Seasons Golden Triangle, the Amanpuri’s 40 luxury suites are accessed via some steep stairs and a maze of walkways (be careful at night!). In addition to an understated 90+ foot freshwater pool, other amenities include a very nice indoor/outdoor spa, tennis courts, a glass-walled gym, a fun beach club, and a seasonal Japanese restaurant. Please note that the property can arrange chartered yachts/speedboats to the Phi Phi Islands.
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Location
Overview
| Temperature |
|---|
| Highs: High 70’s |
| Lows: Mid 60’s |
| Area |
|---|
| 377,864 SQ KM |
| 145,894 SQ MILES |
| Capital |
|---|
| Tokyo |
| Population |
|---|
| 126.4 Million |
| Language |
|---|
| Japanese |
| Currency |
|---|
| Japanese Yen |
| Temperature |
|---|
| Highs: Mid 90’s |
| Lows: Low 80’s |
| Area |
|---|
| 181,035 SQ KM |
| 69,898 SQ MILES |
| Capital |
|---|
| Phnom Penh |
| Population |
|---|
| 16 Million |
| Language |
|---|
| Khmer |
| Currency |
|---|
| Riel |
| Temperature |
|---|
| Highs: Mid 90’s |
| Lows: Low 70’s |
| Area |
|---|
| 236,800 SQ KM |
| 91,400 SQ MILES |
| Capital |
|---|
| Vientiane |
| Population |
|---|
| 6.7 Million |
| Language |
|---|
| Lao & French |
| Currency |
|---|
| Lao Kip |
| Temperature |
|---|
| Highs: High 80’s |
| Lows: High 70’s |
| Area |
|---|
| 513,115 SQ KM |
| 198,115 SQ MILES |
| Capital |
|---|
| Bangkok |
| Population |
|---|
| 69 Million |
| Language |
|---|
| Thai |
| Currency |
|---|
| Bhat |
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