(19 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Cindy Sanborn

Maple Grove, MN
Uniquely Designed Travel in Europe, Africa & Asia

I am passionate about traveling to experience the world and spending time in unique places wherever I am.  I enjoy designing trips that will make your dream vacation a reality and become one of your most memorable moments. I specialize in Independ...
Learn more about me.

Adventures in Asia

I’ve had the good fortune to travel to Philippines, Taiwan, China, and Japan. I hope to continue to extend my travels through Asia and educate myself on the many beautiful countries Asia has to offer.

My tours in Taiwan were unforgettable. I had the opportunity to embrace the culture and experience the delicious cuisine they have to offer. The shaved ice was out of this world, the best I’ve ever had. The Chinese treasures at National Palace Museum were exquisite, my favorite being Jadeite Cabbage. Jadeite is considered a secondary material as it has impurities in it and the artist turned it into a beautiful Chinese Cabbage, the white part signifies purity and the insects symbolize fertility, which was to bring many children to the Imperial family. The sunrise on Sun Moon Lake was a breathtaking experience as the fog lifted off the water letting the sunlight in bit by bit. I highly recommend an early rising so you can experience it yourself. I never imagined that I would spend the night in Buddhist Monastery and attend morning prayer, this was a truly unique experience.

China was an amazing adventure as I got to see the Great Wall of China, one of the 7 Wonders of the world, as well as spending time with a local family in the Hutong area of Beijing. Visiting the Forbidden Palace made me want to learn more about the world that this fortress contained. I was also fortunate to be able to travel to Xian where I could see one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the century, the Terra Cotta army created to protect the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, after Beijing and Xian, Shanghai plunged me back into the modern world of Asia. As I journeyed home reflecting on all that I had seen and done, I was glad I would no longer have to hunt for toilet with a seat on it and remember to carry toilet paper everywhere I went!

My path through the Philippines remains one of my favorite journeys. I climbed the Banaue Rice Terraces from bottom to top. The Banaue Rice Terraces are commonly referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the views were spectacular and well-worth the hike. My visit to the Corregidor was an emotional one, as my father was in the Navy and fought in the Battle of Corregidor. When the Filipino man told me to “go home and thank your father for me”it brought tears to my eyes.

I was only able to experience an unexpected overnight in Japan, but even just the quick glimpse enticed me to return for an extended visit.

I would love to help you plan your own adventure through Asia. Contact me when you are ready to explore your options.

My Travel Albums

Taiwan
Fanciful Bottle stoppers!

My Reviews

96 of 148 people found this review helpful
Hawaii
Nice. Easy to work with. Very helpful. Very friendly. Great person.
By  sandy  from  st.paul, mn
Traveled to  Maui Island ~ Hawaii ~ USA
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Cindy Sanborn responded:
Thank you for your kind words. I truly enjoyed assisting you with your travel plans and look forward to the next time.

Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO
88 of 149 people found this review helpful
Perfect travel experience
Cindy has done a great job coordinating multiple European vacations for us over the years. These trips have involved booking as many as 10 hotels on one trip, securing airline and train reservations, arranging for rental cars, providing museum and transit passes, etc....Cindy handles it all accurately and with ease. She is pleasant, responsive, and makes a real effort to understand our wants and needs. I can't imagine planning a major vacation without her!
By  Laura  from  Chapel Hill, NC
Traveled to  France ~ Europe
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Cindy Sanborn responded:
Thank you both for taking the time to write such a nice review. I appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your travel plans and look for to helping you with your next one!

Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO
69 of 114 people found this review helpful
Once in a lifetime!
Cindy was wonderful.When I first talked to her, she was very patient and answered the many questions I had. The next time I asked how much more would it be for an ocean front room. Just a short time later she called back with the amount of $525.We did up grade to an ocean front room, which was totally worth it!
After a long trip, at check in, I was told our room was in a section behind the main building, it had an awkward view of the water. The clerk insisted it was an ocean front room! He asked for an additional $207.00 for a better room. I paid it, as this was a once in a lifetime trip for me. I would deal with this issue when I got home.
I contacted Cindy via email, and told her what happened. She assured me that the additional $525.00 I had paid extra was for the ocean front room,not the room I was offered and she would check into it. She contacted the hotel and indeed it was an overcharge. I just found out today that my refund will be in the bank in a few days! Thanks Cindy!
By  IMPDmom1987  from  Fishers, indiana
Traveled to  Mexico ~ Mexico
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Cindy Sanborn responded:
Thank you so much for your kind words, It was a pleasure to assist you with this trip and I look forward to helping you with your next adventure.

Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO
45 of 72 people found this review helpful
Amazing 40th Wedding Anniversary trip to Boston!
Cindy was very friendly and knowledgable about the area we wanted to visit. She was also very patient with me since I am an inexperienced traveler! She went the extra mile to give us so many recommendations of things we could see or do on our trip too! I also appreciated her contacting me after our trip to see how everything turned out!
By  Deb  from  Maple Grove
Traveled to  Boston ~ Massachusetts ~ USA
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Cindy Sanborn responded:
I am so happy to hear that you had a great time celebrating your 40th anniversary. I am looking forward to the next adventure that I can assist you with.

Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO
57 of 97 people found this review helpful
An amazing trip to a remote destination
Cindy went above and beyond what was expected to get me from Minnesota to a remote location in the Sinai Peninsula for a 14 day desert expedition.
By  Adriaan  from  Saint Paul, Minnesota
Traveled to  Dahab ~ Egypt ~ Africa
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO
Go to my main profile

Destination Expert:

  • East and Southeast Asia
  • Japan
  • Philippines
  • Taiwan

Travel Specialist:

  • Arts & Culture
  • Historical Sites
  • Luxury

Certifications/Awards:

  • Master Kats Certification (Kenya)
  • Certified Switzerland Specialist
  • Master Specialist for Portugal
  • Central Europe Specialist, Hungary, Czech, Croatia

Industry Affiliations:

©  Travel Leaders Group