Discover Southeast Asia
18 days
From $ 4299
Duration18 days
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  • Etepia
  • Discover Southeast Asia

Encounter the colorful cultures of Indochina on an 18-day journey to Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Cruise Halong Bay, explore incredible Angkor Wat, interact with local families, and taste some of the world’s best street food at the night markets of Chiang Mai. Soak up the richness of this corner of the globe so steeped in tradition.

This tour is operated by

  • Duration: 18 days
    Service level: Upgraded
  • Physical Grading: Light
  • Ages: 12+
Discover Southeast Asia - Tour Map

Itinerary

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Day 1: Bangkok
Upon arrival you will be transferred to the hotel. There are no activities planned. You are free to relax, explore the city and adjust to the frantic pace and humid heat of Bangkok.
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer included. At this meeting your CEO will ask to see your travel insurance, check that you have a visa for Vietnam and complete some other paper work. Please note that you MUST arrive on tour with your Vietnam visa. Please refer to the visa information section of these trip notes for more information on obtaining your Vietnamese visa.
Day 2: Bangkok/Chiang Mai
Later today, settle into exquisite surroundings in Chiang Mai and take a relaxing break from the fast pace of Bangkok.
Explore Bangkok and take a boat along the klong canals. Visit the Grand Palace and sacred Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaew temple. Later, catch a flight to Chiang Mai.
Meals: B
Day 3: Chiang Mai
Monk Chats are a great cultural exchange, but is also important in helping the young Monks improve their English.
Visit the market with a local chef to learn about traditional ingredients. Participate in a Thai cooking class and enjoy your creations for lunch. Later, we'll visit an historic temple and sit down with one of the young monks to discuss daily life and Buddhism. Visit the Doi Suthep Buddhist Temple and listen to monks chanting at sunset. Opt to visit the bustling Chiang Mai night market. Our hotel is located in the heart of Chiang Mai city, a five-minute walk from the famous night bazaar. Savour the results of your Thai cooking class!
Meals: B, L
Day 4: Chiang Mai
Travel to the countryside near Chiang Mai. Tonight, enjoy chant dinner, a must-do when you reach northern Thailand. Khantok in the Northern dialect means a wooden tray used for carrying dishes, round in shape, made of teak wood. The host will invite guests to sit on the floor around the khantok. The main dishes on the khantok usually include sticky rice, hang-le curry (Burmese-styled curry), and some chili-pasted crispy pork. After, enjoy tea time with the opportunity to talk with local people to learn their way of living.
Today, explore Chiang Mai with some free time. This evening, visit a village outside Chiang Mai and sit down around an authentic khantoke for dinner in a local family's guesthouse. Enjoy a traditional northern Thai meal.
Meals: B, D
Day 5: Chiang Mai/Luang Prabang
Fly to Luang Prabang, Laos, and take an orientation walk around this town, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Meals: B
Day 6: Luang Prabang
Rise at dawn to watch the monks collecting offerings of food from the locals in exchange for blessings, then visit the Royal Palace Museum and Wat Xiengthong. Later, catch a boat to Pak Ou Temple caves and stop in local villages.
Meals: B
Day 7: Luang Prabang
The morning is free for optional activities such as visiting textile galleries, relaxing in one of the town's cafes, or visiting the Ethnology Museum. In the afternoon, we take an excursion to Kuang Si waterfall.
Meals: B
Day 8: Luang Prabang/Hanoi
Enjoy some free time in Luang Prabang before catching a late afternoon flight to Hanoi.
Meals: B
Day 9: Hanoi/Ha Long
Board a junk boat, our home for the evening. This traditional wooden sailing boat offers a unique way of navigating the lime karsts of Halong Bay with all the comforts of a motorized, floating hotel. The boat crew will prepare an included seafood lunch and dinner to feast on.

All cabins are twin share and have an en-suite bathroom. The boat features an enclosed dining and sitting area and of course plenty of outside deck space to enjoy your beautiful surroundings.
Visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, then continue to Halong Bay and spend the night on a traditional junk boat surrounded by turquoise waters, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the calm waters. Cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay, a more secluded section of this stunning World Heritage site. Continue to cruise around the bay and explore the Me Cung cave with our local guide. On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided. Enjoy a delicious seafood lunch.  Savour a sumptuous meal prepared by the chef.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 10: Ha Long/Hanoi
Classic French colonial architecture, beautiful decor and a scenic location makes Hanoi a fantastic place to visit.

If local cuisine piques your interest, opt to pre-book the "Hanoi Street Food Walking Tour" on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Return to land and head back to Hanoi. Enjoy lunch at Hoa Sua, an NGO and training school for disadvantaged youth. After lunch, set out on a guided cyclo ride and orientation tour of the Old Quarter.
Meals: B, L
Day 11: Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City
Catch our flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam and take a thrilling cyclo tour of this bustling city.
Meals: B
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City
Take a half day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels with a local guide. Allow some free time in the afternoon to sightsee or shop. Try your hand bargaining at the Ben Thanh Market, hire a cyclo (cycle rickshaw) for sightseeing or take a boat ride on the Saigon river.
Take a guided tour of the infamous Cu Chi tunnels, legendary for the vital part they played during the Vietnam War.
Meals: B
Day 13: Ho Chi Minh City/Phnom Penh
Flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Take an NGO-supported cyclo city tour along the waterfront and key city sights, then opt to visit the famous Foreign Correspondents' Club for sunset drinks.
Meals: B
Day 14: Phnom Penh
Explore the dark side of Cambodian history at Choeng Ek Memorial, the site of the infamous killing fields that were the execution grounds for Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge during their reign from 1975-1979. We also visit Tuol Sleng prison, the notorious Khmer Rouge prison where thousands of Cambodians perished. This is a haunting look into history which serves to remind everyone that genocide must not be ignored, or those lost, forgotten.
Explore the dark side of Cambodian history at Choeung Ek Memorial, the site of the infamous killing fields. We also visit Tuol Sleng prison, the notorious Khmer Rouge prison where thousands of Cambodians perished.
Meals: B
Day 15: Phnom Penh/Siem Reap
Drive to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Take an orientation walk through the entertainment district and visit the exciting night market. Please prepare yourself for a long drive day over roads that are not well maintained and often have heavy traffic. Please wear comfortable clothes, bring medication if you suffer from motion sickness and bring your tablet or book to pass the time. We will make rest stops along the way.
Meals: B
Day 16: Siem Reap
Spend two days exploring the ruins of the Angkor Wat temple complex with a local expert guide. Also experience a Khmer lunch at New Hope, a local training restaurant and G Adventures-supported project. This evening, enjoy a performance at Phare, the Cambodian circus and social enterprise that provides training and gainful employment to Cambodian youth from difficult social and economic backgrounds. We also meet with one of the organizers who gives us an overview of this incredible enterprise. It can get very hot and humid walking around Angkor. Please wear lightweight clothes and good walking shoes, and be sure to drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
Meals: B, L
Day 17: Siem Reap
Opt to pre-book the "Siem Reap Quad Biking" activity on the checkout page ahead of time to include this optional on your tour.
We continue to explore the ancient capital and temple complex of Angkor with options this afternoon to visit Angkor National Museum and Tonle Sap floating village.
Meals: B
Day 18: Siem Reap
Depart at any time.
Meals: B
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Inclusions

Included

  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Meet with Monks, Chiang Mai Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Traditional Thai Home Dinner, Chiang Mai Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Lunch at Hoa Sua, Hanoi Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cambodian Circus Performance and Talk, Siem Reap Your G for Good Moment: New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant, Siem Reap Your Foodie Moment: Cooking Class, Chiang Mai Your Discover Moment: Luang Prabang
  • Arrival transfer
  • Tour of Bangkok including boat ride on the klong (canals)
  • Visit the temple at Doi Suthep
  • Orientation walk of Chiang Mai night market
  • Tour of Luang Prabang
  • Boat tour to Pak Ou cave temples
  • Kuang Sii waterfall excursion
  • Hanoi old town cyclo tour
  • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum visit
  • Halong Bay overnight cruise
  • Ho Chi Minh City cyclo tour
  • Cu Chi tunnels tour
  • Phnom Penh cyclo tour
  • Tuol Sleng Prison Museum tour and Choeung Ek memorial (the "killing fields") tour
  • Siem Reap orientation walk and night market
  • Two-day guided tour of Angkor Wat
  • Internal flights
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

  • Transport

    Private vehicle, First-class public bus, Boat, Tuk tuk, Plane, Cyclo, Traditional junk boat, Walking

  • Accommodation

    Hotels (16 nts), Junk boat (1 nt)

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