Luxury Travel Blog

First Cabin welcomes our clients to make an apple to apple comparison of our private luxury tours with any reputable tour operator in the marketplace, which will show in clear detail why travelers are finding the benefits of private touring so beneficial and so...

Travelers may recall the early years when napkins first appeared at the dinner hour and plumbing actually disposed of waste efficiently or perhaps when the majority of the populace wore Mao-styled jackets and in-country flights were often delayed or cancelled. All has...

Since 1989, First Cabin Travel has created luxury custom tours to destinations worldwide utilizing the very same ground operators as the upscale luxury tour operators while offering equal to and better services for less. A clear comparison can be made when pricing a...

Although there are areas that remain off limits, it certainly is safe for travel and remains one of the few global venues where innocence among the populace maintains a foothold. Large hoteliers have invested heavily and there are some grand choices for those seeking...

The year 1981 was my first entry into China with a group of 18 travelers anxious to experience what unequivocally would be deemed a new-world adventure. Relatively few were allowed access to this cloistered society and it was any wonder what to expect upon arrival....

Not only is it possible to acquire a travel visa upon arrival at certain destinations, it comes with great savings. When considering doing so, the first question to ask is whether the country even requires a visa for travelers holding a valid U.S. passport. Many...

While on safari, awaken to the brilliance of an African sunrise. The richness of color sets the forest afire with the glowing reds and shimmering yellows of the newborn day. It is this experience of sight, sound, and emotion that causes so many to return and some...

Jan 11 / Arrival Bangkok ~ VIP treatment from the start ~ Early am arrival ~ whisked away to our accommodation, a former 1920’s residence converted to a beautiful hotel in 2009. David, the owner, joined us for breakfast and provided a wealth of local knowledge. On...

EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE The year 1963 was a tumultuous year. It was the year that we lost our beloved President Kennedy. With vivid memory I recall landing that year with ten other Marines into Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon. We would be soon heading north, just south...

Vast and beautiful, Inle Lake stretches some 9 miles in length and 4 miles in breadth. It is here that you will find the unique "leg rowers" who, while standing atop their longboat, wrap the lower leg around the oar and paddle both passenger and product to the...

First Cabin's expertise began in 1963 when its owner Robert Kenyon began his tour of duty with the United States Marine Corps in Southeast Asia, His resulting passion for exploration and travel led him eventually to open First Cabin Travel intent on offering the...

The wonder that is Angkor is exemplified by the magnificence of the setting at Ta Prohm temple, where the jungle growth has been sculpted to allow for easy access while maintaining a scenic wonderland of forest and temple grounds. Angkor, the former capital city of...

Join your private boatman and guide as you embark on a daylong excursion up river on the Mekong to Ben Tre province, Vietnam, famous for its coconut plantations and peaceful waterways. Upon arrival, enjoy a "Xe Loi" (cyclo) ride through the local village of Huu Dinh,...

Location of the Safari Camp: Camps can be found on private concessions, which to many are considered the finest because the number of travelers is so few. Some camps are located outside of park areas and require passage to the entry gate and check-in prior to Safari....

Bhutan may be as close as it gets on this planet to the fictional Shangri-La. Ruled by a benevolent monarchy since 1907, goverance since 2006 is shared with an elected parliament. Fortuitously located on the southern (monsoon) side of the Himalayn Range,...

First Cabin Travel, since 1989 has offered the finest in customized luxury travel to destinations worldwide, with the majority of bookings derived from repeat clientele and their ever-so-enthusiastic referrals. Robert Kenyon, owner of the corporation first traveled to...

"Our tour to Southeast Asia with First Cabin was the finest luxury tour that my wife and I have ever taken." - Marty Colby, La Jolla CA Some of the highlights on this extraordinary journey include arrival into Hanoi where a cyclo ride whisks you across the...

In recent years, with the loosening of economic regulations within the formerly restrictive countries in Southeast Asia, local entrepreneurs have invested their monies into local, family run hotels and inns, providing travelers with an excellent choice when seeking a...

If done in earnest, searching for a tour operator or an agency to handle the all-important services required upon arrival in country can be an arduous task. Given the wealth of opportunities on-line from the very large, well-established firms to the cyclo driver...

Present day travel to these newly opened destinations, where the infrastructure will take months if not years to improve, will certainly offer a real challenge to those who choose to avail themselves of the opportunity. But with that challenge comes the grand reward....

Best Priced Luxury Tour by First Cabin is a sampling of our finest destinations proven over the last 27 years to be the most popular. These exciting itineraries, offered at our lowest price point ever, could best be described as an incredibly fine, unexpected bargain....

One simple way to lower the cost of a tour, yet enjoy the exact same First Cabin excellence of service in transport, reliability, comfort and expertise in choice of itinerary and guiding services is to choose a lesser Star hotel. Choose either a 3 - 4 Star hotel and...

An incredible journey set to unfold this coming fall highlights the major battlefield sites of Vietnam, known historically for their notoriety, with equal interest allotted to the many cultural sites found north and south across the country. Hanoi will be the gateway...

For more than thirty years, travelers to Myanmar were few in number and hoteliers found themselves well pleased to have rooms three-quarters filled during the busiest of times. Not only was it easy to find an accommodation; it could be found well below the standard...

How many times does one visit Africa, if at all? That visit is a once in a lifetime experience for the majority of travelers and twice perhaps, for the very lucky few. Should that trip not be planned then in a manner that makes your dream safari a masterpiece, each...

It is now some twenty years passed that I first met Rohan Vos.  The occasion was his inaugural promotional tour in California. I was one of many in the travel business who were invited to dinner for a first hand presentation of the newly christened “Pride of Africa,”...

Most imagine that Kathmandu, gateway city to Mount Everest to be mountains high, yet in reality, stands at 4,500 feet. Find me a traveler who cannot handle that altitude. Kathmandu (you recall Cat Stevens), Patan, its sister city, and perhaps the true wonder, the city...

Hoi An, located some 10 kilometers from the city of Da Nang, centuries ago gained notoriety as a trading post along the Silk Road. It took on importance as a seaport during the golden age of the Cham Kingdom between the 9th and 12th centuries and increasingly so...

Little doubt may there be that one of the finest accommodations in the world of luxury travel is the Mandarin-Oriental in Bangkok, Thailand. Those who have enjoyed the pleasure of a stay at the Oriental might point to the unparalleled excellence of cuisine at their...

However enjoyable and exciting a holiday tour may be, particularly when traveling through Third World countries, come the end of the journey, one can feel a bit worn, however grand the experience. On most occasions, should ones schedule allow, it is wise to extend the...

If one were to Google Custom Luxury Tour, there are about 340,000,000 reviews to consider, First Cabin being somewhere near the top selection. Can it be that all these millions of reviews truly offer a "Luxury" tour as the word would best be described. Why, there...

A single supplement added to the tour cost is certainly not well-received nor generally considered fair in the mind of a single traveler, however, hoteliers decided that the cleaning of a room used by a single occupant is nearly as time consuming as doing it for a...

Lucky to be in Kowloon and convenient if in Central. Lucky in Kowloon because one has the opportunity to enjoy passage by Star Ferry to Central, proceed up the ramp, turn right and walk a mere three blocks to the main bus terminal. Should one already be in Central,...

For most if not all, there comes a modicum of anxiety while preparing for a holiday tour to the Third World about the possibility of contracting a case of "Delhi-Belly." No doubt, one should avoid certain foods such as dairy products and uncooked vegetables, however,...

Upon arrival into the wonder that is India, one begins to sense a pulsating rhythm that seemingly orchestrates this multi-tiered democracy of over one billion inhabitants. Clearly, it is impossible to look in a single direction and capture all of the colors, sights or...

One of the more difficult preparatory decisions to be made prior to departure on holiday is whether or not to purchase travel insurance and if so, for what amount. Few would argue that once the floodwaters rise, only the insured would have a peaceful feeling. With the...

Today one can walk the marble tiles surrounding the magnificence of the Shwedagon Pagoda, finding a mere handful of visiting tourists, traverse the plains at Bagan amidst the hundreds of chortans, pagodas and temples, remnants from the time when this site was the...

1. King _________ continues his rule over __________, the land of the Thunder Dragon. 2. The __________ Delta located in Botswana comprises ____________square miles of waterborne wilderness. 3. Mount Fuji, located in __________, stands at ____________feet and is...

Most foreigners look upon travelers not just as individuals, but also as the representatives of the country they call home. Excuse the pun, but it comes with the territory. The good news is that of all western travelers, Americans are likely to be most welcome. While...