Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, with hotel rooms ready for mid-afternoon check-in. Take some time to settle in and get your bearings as you start your Southeast Asia journey.
- Day 2
Hanoi
Today you'll see several of Hanoi's key sites with a guided tour. The morning takes you to the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda, and Ho Chi Minh's stilt house. After that, you'll walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and wander through the Old Quarter's narrow alleyways lined with traditional shop houses. Lunch happens at Koto, a nonprofit restaurant that trains local youth in hospitality.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at Koto, a non-profit restaurant and hospitality program created to teach local children restaurant skills for stable employment opportunities)
Included Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Hanoi highlights
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Ho Chi Minh's stilt house
- Visit Hoan Kiem Lake
- Explore Old Quarter alleyways and shop houses
- Lunch at Koto restaurant
Optional Activities
- Hanoi water puppet performance
Landmarks Temple of Literature One Pillar Pagoda Ho Chi Minh's stilt house Hoan Kiem Lake Old Quarter - Day 3
Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
You'll drive from Hanoi toward Ha Long Bay, one of Vietnam's most scenic destinations. By afternoon, you board a cruise through the bay and check out Sung Sot Cave. Later that day, there's time to visit Titov Island before settling in for the night on the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch on board as you sail through the dramatic limestone islands)
Included Activities
- Drive to Ha Long Bay
- Afternoon cruise through Ha Long Bay
- Explore Sung Sot (Surprising Cave)
- Visit Titov Island
- Lunch on board cruise
Landmarks Ha Long Bay Sung Sot (Surprising Cave) Titov Island - Day 4
Ha Long Bay to Hoi An
After the cruise, you'll drive back to Hanoi and head to the airport for your flight to Danang on Vietnam's central coast. Once you land, a transfer takes you to Hoi An, a well-preserved trading center about 30 minutes away. You'll notice influences from Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French, and British cultures throughout the old town.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer to Hoi An from Danang
Landmarks Hoi An Ancient Town - Day 5
Hoi An
You'll start with a walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town, visiting an old merchant house, the local museum, and a Chinese assembly hall. The Japanese Covered Bridge is also on the route. For lunch, try Cao Lao noodles, a local specialty. Later, you'll cruise the Thu Bon River through countryside and stop at a local farm to learn about river life from the residents.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Cao Lao noodles, Hoi An's most famous dish with smoked, chewy noodles with distinctive taste unique to Hoi An)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town
- Visit old merchant house
- Visit Hoi An Museum
- Visit Chinese assembly hall
- Visit Japanese Covered Bridge
- Lunch featuring Cao Lao noodles
- Cruise on Thu Bon River
- Visit local farmer
Landmarks Hoi An Ancient Town Japanese Covered Bridge Hoi An Museum Thu Bon River - Day 6
Hoi An to Siem Reap
You'll fly to Siem Reap in Cambodia, which serves as your base for visiting Angkor. The ruins there are considered some of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. Get settled at your hotel and prepare for the next few days of exploration.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Angkor - Day 7
Siem Reap
Today you'll explore the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor. Start at Angkor Wat, the best-preserved and most famous temple dedicated to Vishnu, with its signature five towers and intricate carvings. Then head to Angkor Thom to see Bayon Temple, where over 200 faces are carved into 54 towers. The scale and detail take most visitors several hours to fully take in.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Angkor Wat
- Visit Angkor Thom
- Visit Bayon Temple
- Lunch
Landmarks Angkor Wat Angkor Thom Bayon Temple - Day 8
Siem Reap
You'll visit Banteay Srei, a smaller temple built from red sandstone dedicated to Shiva. After that, you'll see Ta Prohm, where massive tree roots grow over and through the ruins, creating an otherworldly scene. Later in the day, you'll stop at a local school to spend time with children and help them practice English.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Banteay Srei
- Visit Ta Prohm
- Visit local school and interact with children
Optional Activities
- Phare Cambodian circus performance
Landmarks Banteay Srei Ta Prohm - Day 9
Siem Reap to Luang Prabang
You'll fly to Luang Prabang in Laos, a UNESCO World Heritage city known for its French colonial architecture and spiritual significance. Check in and start getting familiar with the slower pace of this riverside town.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Luang Prabang - Day 10
Luang Prabang
You'll spend the full day exploring Luang Prabang. Start by climbing Mount Phousi for views over the city and the Mekong River. Visit Wat Xieng Thong, widely considered the most beautiful monastery here. In the afternoon, you'll drive through scenic Laotian countryside to Kuang Si Waterfalls, where water drops into turquoise pools that you can swim in.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Ascend Mount Phousi for views over city and Mekong River
- Visit Wat Xieng Thong
- Journey through Laotian countryside
- Visit Kuang Si Waterfalls
- Lunch
Landmarks Mount Phousi Wat Xieng Thong Kuang Si Waterfalls Mekong River - Day 11
Luang Prabang
You'll take a boat to Pak Ou Cave, which holds thousands of Buddha statues left by residents over centuries. The Mekong cruise passes traditional villages and mountainous scenery. A small fishing village further downriver welcomes you with a Baci ceremony, a local blessing ritual meant to bring good fortune.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Pak Ou Cave
- Cruise the Mekong River
- Visit traditional villages
- Experience Baci ceremony at fishing village
- Lunch
Landmarks Pak Ou Cave Mekong River - Day 12
Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai
You'll fly to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, known as the 'Rose of the North.' This mountain town has a different character from Bangkok, with cooler temperatures and a more laid-back atmosphere. Temperatures here run around 75°F/24°C this time of year.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Chiang Mai - Day 13
Chiang Mai
You'll visit Wat Phra Singh to see an important Buddha statue, then head to Wat Doi Suthep, a temple situated in the mountains with views over the city. For the final climb to the temple, you can either take a tram car or walk up the dramatic Naga dragon staircase with over 300 steps.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Phra Singh
- Visit Wat Doi Suthep
- Tram car or walk up Naga staircase to temple
Optional Activities
- Kantoke dinner with northern Thailand dishes and performance by local hill tribe dancers
Landmarks Wat Phra Singh Wat Doi Suthep - Day 14
Chiang Mai
You'll travel outside the city to Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary established in the 1990s for rescued and orphaned elephants. You'll hear individual stories about each animal and see how they've recovered and formed a herd. Watching them move freely in natural surroundings, you'll get a sense of how different this is from their previous lives.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Elephant Nature Park
- Hear elephant stories
- Watch rescued elephants in rehabilitation center
- Lunch
Landmarks Elephant Nature Park - Day 15
Chiang Mai to Bangkok
You'll fly south to Bangkok, Thailand's bustling capital. After arriving, you'll transfer to your hotel and have time to rest after several days of intensive touring.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Bangkok - Day 16
Bangkok
This full day packs in several of Bangkok's most important temples. You'll see the Temple of the Golden Buddha, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in the city), the Grand Palace, and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll take a long tail boat down the Chao Phraya River and stop at the Temple of Dawn before heading back.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Temple of the Golden Buddha
- Visit Temple of the Reclining Buddha
- Visit Grand Palace
- Visit Temple of the Emerald Buddha
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Long tail boat cruise along Chao Phraya River
- Visit Temple of Dawn
Landmarks Temple of the Golden Buddha Temple of the Reclining Buddha Grand Palace Temple of the Emerald Buddha Temple of Dawn Chao Phraya River - Day 17
Bangkok to Phuket
You'll fly to Phuket, one of Thailand's most popular beach areas on the Andaman Sea. A local host meets you upon arrival and handles your transfer to the hotel. Note that from here forward, the tour director doesn't continue with you on this extension.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer to hotel from Phuket airport
Landmarks Phuket - Day 18
Phuket
The day is yours to structure however you'd like. You can head to the beach, walk around Phuket Town to shop and sample local food, book a Thai massage at one of the many spas, or just relax by the pool at your hotel.
Optional Activities
- Visit beaches
- Explore Phuket Town for shopping and local specialties
- Thai massage
- Pool relaxation
Landmarks Phuket Town - Day 19
Phuket
Another full day of leisure time in Phuket. Some guests use it to take a day trip to nearby islands, while others prefer sticking close to their hotel and enjoying the beach.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 20
Phuket
Your tour ends this morning after breakfast. You'll have time to pack and prepare for your onward travel or check out procedures with the hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
