Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos

Depart on an overnight flight to Hanoi and arrive the following evening. Transfer to your hotel near Hanoi’s Old Quarter.  

Delve into Vietnam’s intriguing capital city, discovering historic monuments and French colonial architecture amid the lively bustle of modern life. Learn the legends of Hoan Kiem Lake and admire the traditional Vietnamese architecture of the Temple of Literature, founded in 1070 and still an active place of worship for students and scholars today. Step into Hoa Lo Prison, known as “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War, then take a walk in the Old Quarter, where merchants sell goods of all sorts amid historic houses and temples. Enjoy a festive welcome dinner in one of the excellent restaurants of the Old Quarter. (B,D)

Depart early on a full-day excursion to mystical Ha Long Bay, a waterway set in a dramatic karst landscape of towering limestone formations, expansive grottos, and some 2,000 islands. Explore this World Heritage site by boat, learning about the ancient cultures that existed here as you discover hidden islands and caves. Enjoy a lunch of local seafood specialties on board. Return to Hanoi for an evening at leisure. (B,L)

On a morning tour, stroll through Ba Dinh Square, where Communist Party leader Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence on September 2, 1945. Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and see the French colonial Presidential Palace and the 1,000-year-old One Pillar Pagoda—built on a single stone pillar to resemble a lotus blossom. This afternoon, travel by coach to Ninh Binh, capital of Vietnam’s Red River Delta. After settling in at your resort, take a sunset walking tour through the peaceful countryside. (B,D)

In this breathtaking, World Heritage-listed landscape, sinuous rivers wind through green paddies flanked by vertical karst peaks. Board traditional sampans for a float through Tam Coc, passing between stunning limestone formations, vivid rice fields, and hidden grottoes. Journey by coach to the citadel of Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s capital in the 10th and 11th centuries, and pay a visit to and pay a visit to Dinh Tien Hoang Temple and Le Dai Hanh Temple. Return to your retreat in the afternoon. (B,L,D)

Travel back to Hanoi in time for an afternoon flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia's second-largest city and the gateway to legendary Angkor Wat. Tonight, gather for dinner at your hotel. (B,D)

Experience the extraordinary Khmer city of Angkor during a full-day excursion to this World Heritage site. First, encounter the world’s largest religious monument: the temple complex of Angkor Wat. On a guided tour, explore its magnificent carved temples and statuary, crafted by more than 500,000 artisans, workers, and slaves over a period of 37 years. Examine the intricate detail of the bas reliefs and artwork depicting mythological battles and scenes of everyday life during the Khmer era. After lunch, discover Preah Khan, a complex of halls and pavilions, causeways and moats built by King Jayavarman VII in memory of his father. Continue to Angkor Thom, the walled capital of the Khmer Empire, and visit the stunning Bayon Temple, an imposing stone edifice of 54 towers, each carved with four enigmatic faces. (B,L)

Begin the day with a tour of 10th-century Banteay Srei, the "citadel of women" dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and known for its delicately carved pink sandstone. Then travel by tuk-tuk to the Buddhist shrine of Ta Prohm, where the stone ruins of some 100 temples are evocatively tangled in the thick roots and limbs of banyan trees. After lunch, take advantage of a free afternoon to explore Siem Reap on your own. Gather for dinner at your hotel tonight. (B,L,D)

Enjoy a leisurely morning before meeting for lunch and a visit to Satcha Handicrafts, where young adults are trained in traditional Cambodian crafts. Later, fly to the royal city of Luang Prabang, situated at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers. Check in to your hotel and enjoy dinner together. (B,L,D)

Set out on a walking tour of Luang Prabang’s World Heritage-listed Old City, including the 16th-century Wat Xieng Thong temple and the National Museum, which showcases the personal collection of the last Laotian royal family and is housed in their former palace. Then embark on a half-day cruise along the Mekong River, the lifeblood of Southeast Asia. Visit the Pak Ou Buddha Caves, which house hundreds of Buddhist icons, then enjoy lunch on board before stopping at a village that makes saa paper from the bark of the mulberry tree. Dine at a local restaurant tonight. (B,L,D)

Head into the countryside to visit a rice farm for an inside look at everyday life in rural Laos. Learn about traditional trades such as bamboo weaving, blacksmithing, sugarcane processing, and growing rice; and try your hand at rice farming techniques. Sit down to a lunch of Laotian specialties at the farm before returning to Luang Prabang, where you’ll have the remainder of the day free. (B,L)

Awaken early to witness the tak-bat, a time-honored tradition where hundreds of saffron-robed monks collect alms from their fellow Buddhists. After time for lunch on your own, transfer to the airport for an afternoon flight to Chiang Mai, set in the hills of northern Thailand. Settle into your hotel and meet for dinner together tonight. (B,D)

Start that day at a cooking class at an organic farm located just outside the city. Pick fresh vegetables and herbs in the gardens, and use them to create traditional Thai dishes. Savor the fruits of your labor, then head to Doi Suthep temple, which offers stunning views over the city and is said to contain relics of the Lord Buddha. You’ll have time on your own this afternoon before venturing into the vibrant Chiang Mai night market, brimming with food, flowers, crafts, and everything in between. Enjoy dinner at the market, where opportunities to try Thailand's renowned street food abound. (B,L)

Spend a memorable morning at an elephant sanctuary, observing these peaceful giants in their natural habitat. You’ll have the opportunity to don the traditional garb of a mahout (elephant keeper), prepare food for the animals, and accompany the elephants to a pond where they bathe. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Chiang Mai for a free afternoon. Dinner is at a local restaurant tonight. (B,L,D)

Late in the morning, depart for the airport to catch a flight to Bangkok. Begin your explorations at the Jim Thompson House, an excellent example of traditional Thai residential architecture hidden away on a quiet street in the city center. Learn the intriguing story and legacy of Jim Thompson, the American intelligence agent who revived the faltering Thai silk industry after World War II, and view his prized collection of Asian art.  Check in to your hotel before dinner together this evening. (B,D)

Delve into the colorful, tumultuous splendor of Bangkok on a city tour. Visit Wat Pho Temple, home of the legendary Reclining Buddha. Covered in gold leaf, this icon measures some 49 feet tall by 151 feet long. Wat Pho is also the home to Thailand’s largest collection of Buddha images, and the complex is known for being the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. Next, visit the Bangkok Flower Market, a riot of multicolored blooms located in Bangkok’s Old City. The evening is yours to relax at the hotel or discover more of the city. (B,L)

Set out for the Grand Palace, an immense complex of ornate buildings, halls, and gardens that spreads along the bank of Thailand’s main river, the Chao Phraya. The original palace was built in 1782 by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, after he moved the nation’s capital to Bangkok from Thonburi. Here, see the elaborate Temple of the Emerald Buddha, home to a venerated 31-inch-high statue carved from a single piece of jade. Cap off the day with a walking tour of the Talat Noi district, one of Bangkok's oldest neighborhoods and now an emerging cultural hub. Tonight celebrate your Southeast Asia odyssey at a farewell dinner. (B,D)

Transfer to the airport in time for your flight home. Those with evening flights will have hotel rooms reserved for late check-out and will arrive home the following day. (B)