The social butterflies of the Chinese Zodiac take center stage as we celebrate the Year of the Pig this Chinese New Year.

 Energetic, fun-loving and sociable – will 2019 be the year the generous spirit of the Pig guides your choice of travel experiences?

 The Pig is renowned for valuing family and friendships, which makes them prime candidates for guided travel experiences where they can make connections with like-minded individuals and spend time with their family forging memories in a relaxed environment.

In Chinese culture, the number eight is particularly auspicious. For the Pig, it is one of their luckiest numbers. So, we have a lucky eight experiences by Trafalgar – the world leaders in guided travel, to inspire your travels across Asia. Let’s get started.

Enjoying life in Vietnam
Take a dragon boat trip along Hue’s Perfume River. The former imperial capital of Vietnam is home to the Tombs of the Emperors and is dotted with historic garden houses. Guests travelling on Trafalgar’s Highlights of Vietnam itinerary will join a local family for an exclusive By My Guest lunch in one of these, formerly the home of Princess Ngoc Son, the daughter of Emperor Dong Khanh. As luck would have it, you’ll get to live the highlife on a traditional-style Vietnamese Junk boat for an overnight cruise in exquisite Halong Bay on this journey.

Shopping in Shanghai
In Chinese culture, the Pig is a symbol of wealth. This sign is known for working hard and being slightly materialistic, so what better way to observe this than visiting Shanghai’s famous Nanjing Road? Strike gold with Costsaver’s Wonders of China trip, where guests have plenty of free time to shop on the city’s earliest shopping street which houses over 600 businesses. The retail therapy doesn’t end there. Guests also visit Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter, featuring mouth-watering street food and local products from across the Shaanxi Province.

Generosity in Delhi
Arguably the most compassionate of the Chinese Zodiac Signs, the Pig actively seeks out ways to help others. With 100% of Trafalgar’s Asia itineraries including at least one Join Trafalgar experience, the opportunities to make a difference are plentiful. Guests visiting Delhi on a Trafalgar Treasures of India tour will visit the Salam Baalak trust where they will learn about the daily lives of the city’s street children and support the organisation’s efforts to rehabilitate them. Joining one of the children, who is training to be a guide, guests embark on a walk of the railway platform and shelter and hear the difficult life story of these children.

Getting social in Japan
Time your visit to Japan right and celebrate the changing seasons in Takayama with its parades of puppeteers and intricately carved festival floats or yatai that date back to the 17th century and feature karakuri ningyo (marionettes), that dance as their strings are delicately pulled by the talented tsunakata (puppeteers). Trafalgar offers a special departure on its itinerary to coincide with the festival, held every April and October.

Family fun in a Beijing Hutong
Quality time with loved ones is important to the Pig, who delights in breaking bread with local families in their homes. Beijing’s famous Hutongs provide travelers with an opportunity to do just that. Hutongs are ancient city alleys lined with traditional courtyard residences. These sprawling neighborhoods are the backdrop for Trafalgar’s Be My Guest lunch with a Beijing family.
Guests joining the Classic China trip will also indulge in a foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Centre and discover the traditions of dumpling making – after which they’ll get to savor the fruits of their work. Yum!

 Have fun in Hong Kong
There’s no such thing as a free ride for the hardworking Pig. They may be a lucky lot, but this sign’s will-power and patience lie at the heart of their admiration for hard work. Where better to celebrate this than the thriving business capital of Hong Kong? Blending traditional with trendy, Hong Kong is a paradise for shopaholics and culture buffs.

Toasting health in Thailand
Join the Thai locals for an impromptu morning T’ai Chi practice in Lumpini Park, Bangkok when you kickstart your Trafalgar Treasures of Thailand trip with Vacation Rewards®. Named after the birthplace of Buddha, this welcome oasis in the middle of this bustling city’s skyscrapers is a popular hangout for Bangkok’s fitness fanatics who also run on its paths and get their daily yoga and aerobics fixes. Your reward for the morning’s activities is a relaxing Thai massage at Wat Pho, Bangkok’s oldest temple.

Let us entertain you in Cambodia
Nothing makes a Pig happier than good entertainment. Combining that with their giving nature, a visit to Siem Reap’s talented Phare Circus is an absolute must in 2019. Vacation Rewards® members joining Trafalgar’s Secrets of Cambodia’s Angkor and Phnom Penh trip will strike it lucky with an opportunity to attend the performance which uses theatre, music and visual arts to tell uniquely Cambodian stories while uplifting disenfranchised youths.

 “With 72 years of delivering service excellence and a 97% independently reviewed satisfaction rating, Trafalgar guarantees a secure guided holiday with every detail taken care of, freeing families up to join the five million other happy guests who’ve made the Trafalgar choice for their memorable holiday,” says Gavin Tollman, CEO of Trafalgar. 

*Details from Trafalgar Press Release, 5 February 2019.