Kingdoms of Southeast Asia

Set out on a journey that reveals the best of Southeast Asia. From the villages of Vietnam and the temples of Cambodia to the friendly locals of Laos and the lively energy of Thailand, embark on an unforgettable cultural adventure. Start your journey in Vietnam, where lush valleys and verdant fields create a beautiful country with a long and rich history.

Arrive today in Hanoi. Layers of the city’s complex past can be found interwoven into its modern culture. Known for its French colonial architecture, tree-lined streets, and vibrant street food scene, Hanoi is Vietnam’s dynamic capital and second most populous city. As arrival times will vary, there is no scheduled sightseeing today. Spend the day as you wish, exploring the city independently.

Start your morning with a city tour of Hanoi and the Old Quarter. Visit Ba Dinh Square and the Temple of Literature. Follow the meandering streets, decorated with temples and pagodas, and feast on the history before you. After working up an appetite, enjoy a walking food tour featuring some of Vietnam’s most famous dishes such as banh mi and pho. Enjoy coffee and views of Hoan Kiem Lake – the “Lake of the Restored Sword” – at a rooftop café. Later this evening, join your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Today, you may choose to start your day early by joining your Tour Manager and locals as they practice <i>tai chi</i> at a local park. After, visit the infamous Hoa Lo Prison. This historic site, dubbed the “Hanoi Hilton” by American POWs, is now a museum that tells the story of colonial history from the Vietnamese perspective. Following your visit, sit down with a local veteran from the Vietnam War to chat and connect with him as he recounts his history. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you see fit. You may choose to join an optional tour to see the famous water puppets of Hanoi followed by dinner.

Journey to Ha Long Bay and board a charming junk boat for an overnight cruise, the perfect vantage point for soaking up the landscape. Once on board, enjoy fresh seafood as you sail past vistas of low green mountains, small villages, hundreds of islands, and limestone peaks jutting out from the sea. Disembark to discover the wonders of nature, history, and archaeology. Back on board, sit back and relax as the sounds and peaceful sway of the boat lull you to sleep.

Your day begins with a <i>tai chi</i> lesson on the sundeck at sunrise. After a light breakfast, we head off to visit Sung Sot cave, one of the many limestone grottos accessible by boat in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site that is Halong Bay. It is time to say farewell to this stunning natural wonder and cruise back to the mainland. Fly to Da Nang and travel to Hoi An (UNESCO), an ancient trading port.

Start your day with a walking tour of Old Town. Stroll by the ornate Chinese-style temple Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, the famous 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge, and the vibrant market on the banks of the Thu Bon. Finish with an introduction to the local tailoring culture in Hoi An, a tradition dating back to the days of the silk route. See the process of making cotton and silk cloth, and you may even choose to have some tailor-made clothes made. Enjoy a free afternoon to walk along the canals that cut through Ancient Town on your own, uncovering a preserved history interwoven in the modern way of life. Perhaps you’ll visit an art gallery, wander through a cultural museum, or go shopping for the perfect souvenir, before joining the group for a local dinner.

Explore the flavours of Hoi An. Board a basket boat and journey along the Co Co River for an immersive cooking class. Learn how to catch seafood in the river and grind rice into flour. Use your ingredients to cook four classic local dishes which you’ll enjoy for lunch. Try your hand at crafting a traditional Vietnamese lantern at a local workshop, a beautiful symbol of Hoi An’s heritage. Soak up the local atmosphere with a free afternoon and evening.

Leave Hoi An and fly to Ho Chi Minh City, the energetic urban capital formerly known as Saigon. On an eye-opening city tour, you’ll see the Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral,* and the Reunification Palace. Head over to explore treasures from local vendors on display at the Old Market in District 1.

Take to the waters of the famous Mekong Delta. As you sail along, your guide will delve into the history and culture of the region. Discover the region’s cottage industry with a visit to a coconut candy factory and learn how this confection is made. Enjoy lunch featuring southern Vietnamese cuisine before travelling back to Ho Chi Minh City. This evening, you might choose to go on an optional Saigon after-dark tour by Vespa, where you’ll experience the city’s vibrant nightlife, street food, and hidden gems from the back of a vintage scooter.

Spend your morning at the Cu Chi Tunnels, a maze of underground passageways used as hideouts by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in metropolitan Ho Chi Minh City before your dinner at a local restaurant.

This afternoon, board your flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia’s gateway to the wonders of Angkor. In this ancient city, you’ll discover a world where colonial and Chinese architecture melds into a sophisticated urban and culinary scene. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant accompanied by a traditional Khmer dance performance.

Depart for a sunrise at Angkor Wat, a perfect example of classic Khmer architecture. Enter its eastern gate and exit to the west, watching the sunlight dance along stones. Later, visit Ta Prohm, a sprawling monastic complex that is overgrown with jungle. At Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmers, visit the Terrace of the Leper King and the temples of Baphuon and Bayon, 11th- and 12th-century masterpieces at the centre of the city.

Start your day with an <b>Impact Moment</b> at the Visitor Centre of APOPO, where “hero rats” are trained to navigate minefields and save lives. Learn about the country’s history with war and meet the professional rats at a demonstration. Then, travel to the village of Preah Dak to learn about daily life and see how <i>Nom Banh Jok</i> (rice noodles) are created. Get a peek into the local culture at the palm sugar market, where tree sap is gathered and cooked for sugar. Make your way to Les Chantiers Ecoles, where local apprentices are trained in fine arts, and peruse the different workshops of sculpture, carving, and more. You may choose to end your day with a visit to Phare, the Cambodian Circus.

This morning, visit the Kompong Khleang floating village and see the stilt houses and floating homes. Board a flight to Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. Get acquainted with the city with your guide. Then, venture into a lively outdoor market at night and see a bustling cluster of vendors selling local street foods, baked goods, paper lamps, and textiles.

Hop into a tuk tuk with a guide and make your way to the city centre, including a visit to the National Museum – the former Royal Palace. Continue to Wat Xieng Thong monastery, decorated in eye-catching gold. Meander along the Nam Khan River to Wat Khili, highlighting the local culture and history. After lunch, cruise to the Pak Ou Caves, shrouded in mystery and home to thousands of Buddha statues. End your day with a home-hosted dinner and traditional <i>Baci</i> ceremony, celebrating a significant event in someone’s life.

Journey to a traditional Hmong hill tribe village in Ban Long Lao and learn about this ethnic group and their way of life. Set out on a hike** through lush jungle and panoramic mountain scenery to the incredible Kuang Si Waterfall. Return to Luang Prabang for lunch in a local restaurant.

You may choose to rise early and begin your day with a traditional alms offering to local monks. After breakfast back at the hotel, continue to the airport. Board your flight to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. A feast for the senses, this bustling city on the banks of the Chao Phraya River blends cosmopolitan sophistication with a strong sense of history and tradition. Tonight, join your fellow travellers on a private river cruise before a toast to the end of your adventure at dinner.

Return home with memories of your travels through the kingdoms of Southeast Asia.