110.Lukla (VNLK)

This flight could get tricky. The entire flight is in extreme mountainous areas. Fatigue is a real factor. Be sure to plan your entry and exit from each airport on the route. The last 3 airports are arguably some of the most difficult in the world. We will end the day in Lukla, Nepal. Lukla is a small town located in the northeast of the country. Lukla contains a small airport servicing the region, and a variety of shops and lodges catering to tourists and trekkers, providing western-style meals and trail supplies. From Lukla, travelers will take two days to reach the village Namche Bazaar, an altitude acclimatization stop for those continuing on to Mount Everest.

111.Yongphula (YQTY)

Today we finish at Trahigang (Yongphula) in Bhutan. Trashigang Dzong was built in 1659 and served for centuries as an administrative headquarters and monastery. Bhutan’s largest river, Dangme Chhu, flows through this district. Trashigang town is set on a scenic hillside and was once a bustling trade centre for merchants looking to barter their goods in Tibet. Today, it is the junction of the East-West highway with road connections to Samdrup Jongkhar and the Indian state of Assam.

112.Imphal (VEIM)

Depending on how forecasts work out we may be stuck in cloud for the first leg of our flight. Then it could be lower level clouds and rain to our destination of Imphal, India. Imphal is capital of Manipur and is one of the most ancient cities in India. Imphal is known for its scenic landscapes and greenery. It derives its name from ‘Yumphal’, which means ‘land of many villages’ and its landscape is a mix of hills, valleys, forests and several rivers like Iril, Sekmai, Thoubal and Khuga.

113.BAGAN (VYBG)

A UNESCO world heritage site. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Bagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute Myanmar. Between the 11th and 13th centuries, more than 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plains alone, of which the remains of over 2200 temples and pagodas survive. 

114.Chiang Mai (VTCC)

Lets start some exploring. We're headed to Chiang Mai in Thailand for our next stop. It should give us a good staging for a flight into Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Chiang Mai is the largest city in Northern Thailand and second largest city in all of Thailand. It was founded in approximately 1294 AD. The city is filled with various festivals, museums and dining which make it a major tourist destination.

115.Long Tieng (LS20A)

Long Tieng is a Laotian military base in Xaisomboun Province. During the Laotian Civil War, it served as a town and airbase operated by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. During this time, it was also referred to as Lima Site 20A (LS20A). At the height of its significance in the late 1960s, the "secret city" of Long Tieng maintained a population of 40,000 inhabitants, making it the second largest city in Laos at the time, although it never appeared on maps throughout this period. 

116.Haiphong (VVCI)

Our stay with the locals in Long Tieng was fun. Of course after we got done with the interrogation by local police. We're headed a little further out to the Northwest for the city of Haiphong, Vietnam. Haiphong is a major industrial city and the third-largest in Vietnam. Haiphong is a coastal city located at the mouth of the Cấm River, in Vietnam's north-eastern coastal area, 120 kilometres or 75 miles east of Hanoi. Industry is a key sector in Haiphong including food processing, light industries and heavy industries.

117.Dong Hoi (VVDH)

We'll finish up in Dong Hoi, Vietnam. Dong Hoi is the capital city of Quảng Bình Province in the north central coast of Vietnam. Archaeological excavation in this area proved that humans lived in what is now Quảng Bình province in the Stone Age. Many artifacts, such as ceramic vases, stone tools, and china, have been unearthed in Quảng Bình. 

118.Pleiku (VVPK)

Pleiku is a city in central Vietnam, located in the Central Highlands region. Pleiku was strategically important during the Vietnam War because it was the primary terminus of the military supply logistics corridor extending westward. Its central location on the plateau made Pleiku the main centre of defense of the entire highland region of the Republic of Vietnam. This was obvious to both sides; the United States established an armed presence very early in the conflict at Camp Holloway, and the Việt Cộng attack on this base in early 1965 was one of the key escalating events that brought U.S. troops into the conflict.

119.Lien Khoung (VVDL)

We are making our way further south in Vietnam today. First heading to the coast of the South China Sea. Our final stop will be Lien Nghia. Lien Nghia is the capital of Duc Trong district in Vietnam. The core of this community is made up a local market that serves people from neighboring communities.