Day 1
Bangkok, Thailand
Arrive in Bangkok and find your airport transfer to your hotel. There are no planned activities until the evening welcome meeting, so you have the freedom to relax, explore the city at your own pace, and adjust to the vibrant energy of Bangkok before meeting your fellow travellers.
Overnight: Shanghai Mansion Bangkok or similar
Day 2
Bangkok – Chang Mai, Thailand via internal flight
Explore the vibrant city of Bangkok with a traditional boat ride along its canals, passing temples and modern skyscrapers. Visit the stunning Grand Palace and the sacred Wat Phra Kaew to admire the Emerald Buddha. Afterward, catch a flight to Chiang Mai where you will stay for the next three nights.
Overnight: Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3
Chang Mai, Thailand
Start your day by immersing yourself in the vibrant morning markets of Chiang Mai with a local chef. Explore the array of colourful fruits, fragrant herbs, and spices as you select ingredients for your Thai cooking class. After enjoying your culinary creation for lunch, visit a historic temple and engage in a thoughtful conversation with a resident monk about daily life and the teachings of Buddhism. Later, visit the breathtaking Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, where you can meditate and listen to the chanting of monks at this gilded, spiritual landmark.
Overnight: Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa or similar
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 4
Chang Mai, Thailand
Spend a full day exploring Chiang Mai’s temples and hills or choose from optional activities like a cycling tour through rice paddies and the historic district. In the evening, enjoy a traditional khantok-style dinner in a village, learning about rural Thai life. Afterward, explore Chiang Mai’s lively night market.
Overnight: Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa or similar
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 5
Chiang Mai, Thailand – Luang Prabang, Laos via internal flight
Fly to Luang Prabang, a charming Laotian city at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers. Enjoy an orientation walk through this UNESCO World Heritage site, admiring its mix of traditional Buddhist temples and graceful French colonial architecture. Overnight in Laos for three nights.
Overnight: Luang Prabang View Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6
Luang Prabang, Laos
Rise early to witness the almsgiving ritual, where Buddhist monks collect food offerings from locals. Visit the National Museum, home to the golden Phra Bang Buddha, and explore Wat Xieng Thong. Then, take a boat trip down the Mekong to the Pak Ou caves, filled with thousands of Buddha statues.
Overnight: Luang Prabang View Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 7
Luang Prabang, Laos
Spend the morning at leisure in Luang Prabang, exploring the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre or relaxing at a café. In the afternoon, visit the stunning Kuang Si Waterfall, where you can swim in the turquoise pools. In the evening, opt to visit the vibrant night market of Luang Prabang.
Overnight: Luang Prabang View Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8
Luang Prabang, Laos – Hanoi, Vietnam via internal flight
Enjoy some free time in Luang Prabang to explore at your own pace before catching a late afternoon flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.
Overnight: Golden Silk Boutique Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 9
Hanoi – Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Begin the day with a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, then transfer to Ha Long Bay. Settle into your cabin on a traditional wooden boat and embark on a cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay, exploring the stunning karst formations and Me Cung cave. Enjoy delicious seafood meals onboard. The boat features twin-share cabins with en-suite bathrooms, a dining area, and plenty of deck space to relax and take in the scenery.
Overnight: Halong - Bai Tu Long Overnight Cruise (junk boat) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 10
Ha Long Bay – Hanoi, Vietnam
Return to Hanoi and enjoy lunch at Hoa Sua, a nonprofit restaurant training underprivileged youth. Learn about the project’s impact before exploring Hanoi’s vibrant Old Quarter on a cyclo (a three-wheel bicycle taxi), passing bustling markets and street food vendors. Optionally, pre-book the "Hanoi Foodie Culture Tour" to delve deeper into the city's culinary scene.
Overnight: Golden Silk Boutique Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 11
Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam via internal flight
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and explore the vibrant metropolis on a cyclo tour, immersing yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city. Later, visit the bustling Ben Thanh Market, famous for its food stalls, handicrafts, textiles, jewellery, and electronics. Try your hand at bargaining for local goods. Stay in Ho Chi Minh City for the next two nights.
Overnight: Hotel Continental Saigon or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 12
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Venture to the historic Cu Chi tunnels, an underground network used by Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War. Explore hidden hospitals and ammunition stores while learning about the tunnels' strategic role in the North's victory. Later, visit the War Remnants Museum to reflect on the war's atrocities, and opt for a tour of the Reunification Palace, where the war officially ended.
Overnight: Hotel Continental Saigon or similar
Day 13
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – Phnom Penh, Cambodia via internal flight
Fly to Phnom Penh and explore the vibrant Cambodian capital on a cyclo tour. Ride along the scenic riverfront, passing key landmarks like the French colonial post office and the Royal Palace, home to Cambodia’s king. In the evening, opt for sunset drinks at the iconic Foreign Correspondents' Club. Overnight in Phnom Penh for two nights.
Overnight: G Mekong Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 14
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Today, we explore Cambodia’s tragic past, visiting the “killing fields” of the Khmer Rouge regime. Pay respects at the Choeung Ek Memorial, where victims’ skulls rest, and tour the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), a former prison that tells the haunting stories of nearly 17,000 victims.
Overnight: G Mekong Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 15
Phnom Penh – Siem Reap, Cambodia
Drive to Siem Reap, the gateway to the ancient Angkor temples. Explore the vibrant entertainment district and immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere of a local night market, where neon-lit stalls offer a wide variety of goods, from souvenirs to local crafts. Overnight in Siem Reap for three nights.
Please be advised to prepare for a long drive on uneven roads with heavy traffic. Wear comfortable clothing, bring motion sickness medication if needed, and bring a tablet or book to pass the time. Rest stops will be made along the way.
Overnight: Royal Angkor Resort or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 16
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Spend the day exploring the ancient ruins of Angkor, including a sunrise at Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. With a local guide, visit the city’s jungle-covered temples and courtyards. Enjoy a Khmer lunch at a vocational training restaurant supporting youth employment. Next, enjoy a performance by Phare Circus, the Cambodian troupe that combines theatre, music, dance, and contemporary circus arts to tell uniquely Cambodian stories, from traditional folk tales to modern-day narratives.
Overnight: Royal Angkor Resort or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 17
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Continue exploring the archaeological marvels of UNESCO-listed Angkor with our expert guide. You can opt to visit the Angkor National Museum, where interactive exhibits showcase remarkable relics, or take a tour of the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake, where you'll see bustling communities with markets, schools, and clinics.
Overnight: Royal Angkor Resort or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 18
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Your tour concludes today as you head to the airport independently for your flight home.
Meals included: Breakfast
