Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia: A Cultural Journey - 18 Days

Your journey through Thailand begins in Bangkok. Your private driver will meet you at the airport with a name sign and take you to your accommodation in the heart of the city. Explore at your own pace or relax after your flight.

Overnight in Bangkok.

After breakfast, travel from your hotel to Samut Songkhram province. Visit Maeklong Railway Market, also known as Talad Rom Hoop, where vendors move their stalls back as a train passes through the market.

Continue to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in Ratchaburi province. Take a long-tail boat for around 30 minutes through winding canals, passing plantations and riverside villages. At the market, vendors sell local food, tropical fruit and handicrafts from their boats. An optional rowing-boat ride offers another way to experience the market.

Overnight in Bangkok.

Enjoy your remaining time in Bangkok before your private driver takes you to the airport for your flight to Chiang Mai. Your driver will meet you on arrival and take you to your accommodation. The rest of the day is free.

Overnight in Chiang Mai.

Explore the landscapes of Doi Inthanon National Park and Thailand's highest summit. Conditions near the top can be surprisingly cold, especially during the cool, dry season, with overnight frost possible. Bring a warm, long-sleeved layer for the visit.

On the way up, visit Wachirathan Waterfall and the King and Queen pagodas, which offer beautiful views across the park. Continue to Doi Inthanon's summit and take the nearby Ang Ka nature walk through its distinctive high-altitude forest. Karen and Hmong communities live in the park, and the return journey includes local village and market visits before you head back to Chiang Mai.

Planned schedule: hotel pick-up around 08:00–08:30; Wachirathan Waterfall; the King and Queen pagodas; a mild Thai lunch; the summit; a nature trail of around 15–20 minutes; Karen and Hmong village visits and a local market; return to your hotel around 17:00.

Overnight in Chiang Mai.

Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple near Chiang Rai, is the striking contemporary temple created by Thai National Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, drawing on Buddhist and Hindu imagery.

The Blue Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten, is known for its richly coloured blue interior and large white Buddha statue.

Baan Dam, often called the Black House, is the museum and former home of Thai National Artist Thawan Duchanee. Its grounds contain a collection of unusual buildings and artworks, with a distinctive main hall near the entrance.

Planned schedule: meet your guide in the hotel or guesthouse lobby around 07:00; visit Mae Kachan Hot Springs, the White Temple and the Blue Temple; have lunch; explore the Black House; return to your accommodation around 17:00. Final timings depend on travel conditions.

Overnight in Chiang Mai.

Explore Chiang Mai at your own pace today.

Optional half-day group visit to an elephant sanctuary, with lunch. The itinerary lists this activity at USD 85 per person, in addition to the tour price; the price will be confirmed when booking.

Morning visit, with an early start around 06:30. Return timing will be confirmed, as the detailed programme includes a 12:00 departure from the sanctuary followed by a drive of around 1.5 hours.

07:00: Drive around 1.5 hours south of Chiang Mai through hills, forests and farmland.

08:30: Arrive at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. During an introduction to the elephants, change into traditional Karen clothing and prepare medicine for the animals.

09:00: Meet the elephants. The programme includes feeding them, giving them medicine and interacting with them while learning about their histories and behaviour. There will be opportunities for photographs.

09:45: Mud bath with the elephants.

10:30: Accompany the elephants to the river for the bathing activity included in the programme.

11:30: Enjoy a traditional meal and say goodbye to the elephants.

12:00: Leave Elephant Jungle Sanctuary for the drive of around 1.5 hours back to Chiang Mai. The optional programme's final timings will be confirmed before booking.

Overnight in Chiang Mai.

After breakfast, enjoy free time until your transfer to Chiang Mai International Airport for your flight to Hanoi. Your driver will meet you at Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours.

Overnight in Hanoi.

07:25–08:00: Meet your guide and depart for Ninh Binh province. Your exact pick-up time depends on your location in Hanoi's Old Quarter or at the Opera House.

09:15: Take a short break of around 15–20 minutes.

10:15: Visit Hoa Lu, Vietnam's capital from 968 to 1010, and learn about the Dinh, Le and Ly dynasties. Afterwards, cycle through a village to discover the surrounding scenery and everyday local life.

12:00: Enjoy a buffet lunch at Ninh Binh Excursion Restaurant. Regional dishes may include goat, spring rolls, fish, chicken, fried rice and vegetable salad. Vegetarian options are also available.

13:30: Take a bamboo-boat trip of around 1.5 hours through Tam Coc. Rice fields, rivers, limestone caves and open skies create the scenery often called 'Halong Bay on land'.

15:00: Board the bus for the return journey to Hanoi.

17:30–18:00: Arrive back at your hotel in Hanoi, where the excursion ends.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Check out in the morning and meet the cruise team for your transfer to Halong Bay. The scenic drive passes the rice fields of the Red River Delta. Board your boat and begin exploring the bay’s limestone formations and caves from the water.

After your first views of the bay, enjoy a seafood lunch. Visit a limestone cave, then take the opportunity to kayak or swim for a closer look at the scenery, floating villages and shops.

Return to the boat for an early dinner. Spend the evening relaxing or joining the activities offered on board.

Overnight on your cruise.

Wake as the sun rises over Halong Bay. Breakfast is served while the boat makes its way towards the harbour. Enjoy an early lunch before arriving at the pier and disembarking.

Transfer to Hanoi Airport for your flight to Da Nang. Your driver will meet you on arrival and take you to your hotel in Hoi An. The rest of the day is free.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Meet your guide at your hotel in central Hoi An at around 2:30 pm to begin a walking tour.

Start at lively Hoi An Market, full of colour, sound and aromas. Continue to Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, with its bright gateways, dragon statues and ornate roofs. At the family altar, learn about ancestor worship and observe local people making offerings.

Visit one of the well-preserved merchant houses, Phung Hung or Tan Ky, and hear about the traders who lived here and did business with visitors from around the world. Continue to the Museum of Folk Culture in a historic Chinese merchant house for a look at local life in earlier times. Enjoy a performance at the traditional performing arts house.

Pause at the Japanese Covered Bridge, built more than 400 years ago across a small waterway to connect the Japanese and Chinese communities. Admire its carvings and paintings and hear about their symbolism.

Explore handicraft shops, galleries, small lanes and residential streets. Sample Hoi An specialities over dinner, then take a boat ride and release a floating flower lantern with good wishes for you and your family.

The city tour finishes at around 6:30 pm, and your guide accompanies you back to the hotel at around 7 pm.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Explore Hoi An at your own pace today. Former Japanese merchants' houses, pagodas, temples and old warehouses give the historic town its character. Alternatively, unwind in a quiet café beside the Thu Bon River.

Optional full-day group excursion to Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge. The itinerary lists an additional charge of USD 75 per person, to be confirmed when booking:

07:30–08:00: Your guide and minivan collect you from your hotel for the journey to the Ba Na Hills cable car.

Ride the cable car via Dream Stream Station, enjoying views towards coastal Da Nang. After the first ride, visit the striking Golden Bridge, the nine gardens of Le Jardin d'Amour and Linh Ung Pagoda.

A second cable-car ride takes you to the French Village. Explore its street music, sculptures, Campanile, nine-storey Goddess Shrine, Tombstone Temple, carnival performances and Square du Dôme.

Enjoy a buffet lunch at a restaurant. Take the Lava Train from the Sun Kingdom to photo stops including Helios Waterfall, Time Gate and the Moon Kingdom. At Fantasy Park, the programme includes attractions such as Fairy Forest, Dinosaur Park, 5D Wild West, 4D Death Race, 3D Mega 360, the journey to the underworld, Jurassic Park, Freefall Tower and Horror House, alongside more than 90 games described in the programme as free. Available attractions may vary.

15:00: Return to the cable car for the descent from Ba Na Hills.

16:45–17:45: Return to your hotel by minivan.

Overnight in Hoi An.

Enjoy your remaining time in Hoi An before your private transfer to Da Nang Airport and flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Meet your driver on arrival and transfer to your accommodation. The rest of the day is free.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Starts at 08:00 and finishes at approximately 14:30.

The Cu Chi Tunnels form an extensive underground network stretching over 220 km. This historical site offers an insight into the Vietnam War and the resistance to US forces.

The tunnels are around 60 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Along the way, pass green rice fields, ducks and water buffalo. Today's peaceful landscape gives little hint of the bombing and mines that devastated this wartime free-fire zone.

At the site, explore some of the tunnel sections and concealed spaces to understand everyday life underground. See the low-smoke cooking systems used during the war and try some of the food eaten by the soldiers. An optional AK-47 shooting activity is available under the conditions and charges set by the on-site operator.

Return to the city in the afternoon, with the excursion ending at around 14:30.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Leave busy Ho Chi Minh City behind and travel to My Tho on the Mekong. Visit the 19th-century Vinh Trang Pagoda, then board a sampan and cruise past Dragon, Unicorn, Phoenix and Tortoise islands.

On Unicorn Island, walk along village paths and through orchards, sample tropical fruit and listen to traditional music performed by local residents. Visit a fruit plantation.

Travel by hand-rowed sampan through Thoi Son Canal and enjoy the scenery. Visit a family-run business and a beekeeping farm, taste honey tea and see a coconut-sweet workshop.

After lunch at a local restaurant and a short break, cycle through Tan Thach village to meet residents and learn about daily life in the Mekong Delta. If you prefer not to cycle, relax in a hammock and enjoy the breeze. Return to Ho Chi Minh City afterwards.

Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

Enjoy your remaining time in Ho Chi Minh City before your private airport transfer and flight to Siem Reap. Your private driver meets you at Siem Reap International Airport and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, explore Angkor Wat, the great 12th-century temple complex. Discover its galleries, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and pools, with intricate bas-reliefs depicting epic stories and scenes of life during the Khmer Empire.

Continue to Ta Prohm, known from Tomb Raider and often called the 'temple of the trees'. The roots entwined with its stonework create a remarkable meeting of nature and architecture.

This afternoon, explore Angkor Thom, the 'Great City'. Visit Bayon, Jayavarman VII's state temple, then see Phimeanakas and its nearby pool, Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Enjoy dinner with an Apsara dance performance at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Enjoy breakfast on the final day of your journey through Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. After checking out, there may be time to visit local markets for souvenirs before your private driver takes you to the airport for your flight home.

Your journey ends here.