Premium Thailand and Vietnam - 19 Days

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand. Your journey begins in Bangkok, where you’ll be met at the airport by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. Tonight, you’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, maybe explore Thailand’s capital at your own pace. By day, you can experience a city filled with history and tradition, but by night Bangkok is taken over by a flood of music and neon lights. Maybe visit one of the many temples or explore Chinatown. Watch tuk tuks zip by while traditional khlong boats slowly wind down the Chao Phraya River. After your meeting, join your small group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant where your leader will introduce you to the local flavours.

Rise early for an optional Exclusive Experience away from Bangkok’s tourist track. Join the locals and visit a temple along the Chao Phraya River, where you’ll ‘make merit’ by bringing an offering to the temple’s monks. Later, your leader will take you for a day of sightseeing and activities around the city. Tour Wat Po – a larger-than-life temple complex in the city and home of the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Visit the Grand Palace and learn about the site which has been the official residence of the kings since the 1700s, then head out on a boat tour of the city's canals as your leader shows you how Bangkok’s locals live today. The afternoon is free to do as you wish – maybe check out the art collection at the Jim Thompson house or relax with a Thai massage.

Unleash your creativity and learn about the history of Benjarong – a traditional style of painted Thai porcelain – during today’s visit to a ceramics community. The name literally means ‘five colours’ (although it’s not unusual to see up to eight) and artists use enamel to create intricate floral and geometric designs. This morning, you’ll get to paint your own mug or teacup which will be fired and sent to you to take home as a unique souvenir. After, maybe grab some lunch before you continue to Kanchanaburi to visit the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. This prisoner of war cemetery was one of the first museumsto educate the public and keep the memory of the Asian and POW workers who died constructing the infamous Death Railway alive.

Visit Erawan National Park to explore famous seven-level waterfall or simply swim and relax. The falls are said to be some of the most beautiful in the country, with glacial blue waters perfect for a dip. Many Allied prisoners of war and conscripted Asian labourers were engaged here to help build a rail route to Myanmar (Burma), including the passage infamously known as Hellfire Pass. Visit the memorial museum of the pass where your leader will provide more information about this chapter in history. Take a historical train journey across a portion of this 'Death Railway' along the Kwai Noi River and travel over the original wooden viaduct, known as the Krasae Bridge, constructed by the allied POWs. The evening is yours to explore the town.

This morning, head to Ayutthaya – one of the ancient capitals of Siam and a UNESCO World Heritage site. On the way, visit Baan Nong Khao CBT Village – an agricultural village famous for its Pha Khao Mah hand-weaving. Visit the community’s museum, a palm sugar field and a local house to see how desserts featuring this famous Thai ingredient are made. Of course, you’ll get to sample these sweet treats. Then watch the weavers at work as they use more than 100 colours of yarn to create traditional Thai clothing. When you get to Ayutthaya, explore the photogenic 13th-century ruins of Wat Phra Mahathat and discover rows of Buddhas beheaded by the Burmese. Look out for the displaced Buddha head suspended in the roots of a Banyan tree (one of the country’s most photographed images). Tonight, you’ll board a traditional rice barge and tuck into a delicious Thai dinner.

Leave Ayutthaya and travel to the town of Phitsanulok by train. Sit back, relax and watch the scenery roll by. When you arrive, change to a private vehicle and continue this comfortable journey until you arrive in Sukhothai. The rest of the day is free for your own discoveries. You may like to relax by the pool or unwind with a Thai massage. For dinner tonight, maybe ask your leader where you can get a bowl of Sukhothai’s famously tasty noodles.

Sukhothai, established in the 13th century, was one of the first ancient capitals of Siam. Start your day with an optional alms offering before visiting its famed World Heritage-listed historical park, which captures the Golden Age of Thai civilisation. You’ll rent a bicycle for a cycling tour through the park and as you ride, your leader will teach you more about the history of this former metropolis and its fascinating structures. Have a picnic lunch then the rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore the town at your own pace, or relax by the pool back at your accommodation. This evening, regroup and head to the home of one of our local friends where you’ll sit down for a homecooked dinner and a unique insight into life in this part of the country.

Travel from Sukhothai to the Mae Taeng region. Draped between rice fields and fruit orchards, you’ll find the Lisu Lodge – your Feature Stay for the night. The lodge is a community-based project that trains and employs Lisu villagers from the nearby hill tribe and aims to preserve their cultural heritage. The Lisu people are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group and one of the six main hill tribes of Northern Thailand. Meet the colourfully dressed villagers and learn more about the Lisu way of life – this is a truly special experience that’s sure to be one of your enduring memories of Thailand. The lodge offers guestrooms decorated in the traditional Lisu style with modern comforts. Savour unforgettable views of the surrounding hillside and valley and enjoy tonight’s dinner of fresh, local Thai food.

After breakfast at Lisu Lodge, it’s a quick trip to Muang Kued Village where you’ll meet with a local villager and enjoy a private guided tour. Learn about village life, the reforestation of the surrounding area and how produce is grown in the village orchards. Explore the organic farm and choose the ingredients for a cooking class where you’ll learn how to cook traditional Thai food. After lunch, join the villagers and learn how to weave palm leaves to create ornaments and accessories. You’ll also join them for a tasty barbeque dinner at the nearby Mae Tamaan Base Camp.

Travel to the Elephant Nature Park – a unique project that provides sanctuary for elephants and other animals. Be greeted by an expert local guide and learn the stories of the rescued elephants and the issues they face in South East Asia. Watch the elephants from a viewing platform with the expert staff as they bathe and play and tuck into a vegetarian buffet lunch. Back in Chiang Mai, visit the Yimsoo Café, which supports workers living with disabilities. Then, the evening is yours to enjoy your own way. Maybe visit the vibrant Night Bazaar or take a stroll around the Old Town, which is bounded by moats. Your leader can give you recommendations on where to go for dinner.

This morning, drive to the famous temple complex of Doi Suthep. Take in the views along the scenic and winding mountain road, which brings you to an impressive 300-step Naga-guarded stairway. The rewards justify the ascent to the top, with one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand, not to mention the fantastic panoramic views of the city. Return to Chiang Mai where you’ll have time to relax before your farewell dinner, cooked by a local chef! Dine on Thai fusion food made with local ingredients as you reminisce about the wonderful adventures you’ve had in Northern Thailand.

Say goodbye to Thailand today and catch an unescorted flight to Hanoi, Vietnam's vibrant capital city, where you'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. This evening, there will be a second group meeting to meet your new group and local leader after which you will head out for dinner at a beautifully decorated restaurant resembling an old-fashioned Vietnamese house. Dive into the world of Vietnamese cuisine as your leader introduces you to a range of classic dishes made with the freshest local ingredients.

Depart Hanoi and travel to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay. Board your Feature Stay accommodation for the evening – a beautiful and traditionally decorated junk-style boat featuring modern conveniences. Set sail in total comfort as views of scattered islands and towering limestone karsts slowly unfold in front of you. Explore the bay and sit down for a seafood lunch onboard. Learn about the geography of the region, visit a cave where your leader will point out interesting rock formations or a fishing village to learn about local life. In the afternoon you will have opportunities to swim, kayak, or simply relax on the beach. Soak in the stunning surroundings with a candlelit seafood dinner on deck before settling in for a night of stargazing and swapping stories.

Start your day with a peaceful breakfast and maybe take part in some Tai Chi on board the boat before returning to Hanoi. This afternoon, you’ll take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience and sit down to a soul-stirring traditional Hat Xam performance. Hat Xam is an art form of Northern Vietnam dating back to the Tran Dynasty. Originally, this was performed by blind performers and was enjoyed by local working-class audiences right up until the late 1950s, when a wave of communism deemed all art forms to be corrupting influences. Today, these performances are rare, but you and your group will be taken to a private club house and treated to an exclusive show in one of the few places where artists still sing acoustically. The performance takes around 60 minutes and includes possible interaction with guests, so be ready to get involved!

This morning, you’ll get to know Hanoi on a half-day tour with your leader. Discover a captivating city where traditional and modern sit side by side as your leader shares knowledge on the Temple of Literature – an oasis of calm in the heart of town. You'll also visit the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, known as the ‘Hanoi Hilton’, which held American POWs. Today’s lunch is extra special as you’ll visit the fantastic KOTO cafe – a social enterprise that provides hospitality training and experience to disadvantaged youth in Vietnam and offers a creative menu of Vietnamese dishes made with local ingredients. This afternoon you’ll say goodbye to Hanoi and fly south to Danang. Drive on to Hoi An and take in views of lush scenery along the way. The rest of the day is yours to explore or chill out in the hotel’s pool.

Set off on a walking tour of Hoi An’s Old Town and discover a blend of traditional treasures and cultural influences from historical traders. Your leader will discuss the city’s history as you walk the pagoda lined streets, visit a Chinese assembly hall, cross the Japanese Covered Bridge, enter the ornately decorated historic house of a former trader and check out a local museum. Hoi An was once a great trading port for pottery, and centuries-old pottery villages still exist to this day. No trip to Vietnam is complete without trying its famed coffee – your leader will take you to a local coffee shop, where you can savour a delicious brew as you watch the hustle and bustle of Hoi An. Maybe try a traditional egg coffee or a refreshing iced coconut coffee. Your afternoon is free for your own explorations.

The morning is free for you to enjoy more of Hoi An and the surrounding area. Maybe browse the market for silk and other materials or collect any garments that you might have had crafted by the efficient tailors or hire a bicycle and ride along the lanes and out to a nice nearby beach. Your leader will have great recommendations for places to eat and drink. In the afternoon, transfer back to Danang and fly to Ho Chi Minh City. Check into your hotel before heading out for a tour of the dynamic city, including a visit to the War Remnants Museum. In the evening – the food stalls at Cho Ben Thanh market might call you over with the sweet and savoury scents of pho and bun mam.

Head out of the city to the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels – an extensive underground network dug by the Viet Minh and later expanded by the Viet Cong. Enter a widened section of the tunnels with your leader who will help you imagine what life underground must have been like and explain how the tunnels contained hospitals, accommodation and schools, and were used for refuge, storage and as a military base for the Viet Cong. Return to Ho Chi Minh City and maybe spend some time with your fellow travellers and enjoy a final dinner at a local restaurant. Your leader will have some great options!

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you wish to spend some more time in Ho Chi Minh city, we would be happy to organise additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).