12 Days Essence of Indochina Tour – Discover the best of Thailand, Laos & Cambodia

On arrival at Bangkok Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our local guide who will transfer you to the hotel. Feel free to relax or wander locally in preparation for the next day’s tour activities.

Meals included: None

Today’s tour begins at 8:00am, when you will be collected from the hotel to take a closer look at Thai Buddhist culture. First stop is Wat Pho, arguably Bangkok’s most enchanting temple, arriving as the resident monks gather for their morning chants. Witness this deeply spiritual ritual and gain a better sense of Thailand’s Buddhist heritage. On a walk around Wat Pho there is a vast collection of religious treasures to see. Admire the famed reclining Buddha image, which stretches 45-metres in length. Learn about the symbolism of the Buddha’s intricate footprint and witness devotees making offerings to this revered image. The tour continues to the nearby Grand Palace, which has served as the seat of Thailand’s revered royal family for more than two centuries. You are free to choose lunch at a local restaurant before travelling by long-tail boat through Bangkok’s canals to discover the true heart of the city. The journey begins with a ride along the Chao Phraya River, also known as the ‘River of Kings’. Admire the passing skyline where glittering pagodas stand in the shadows of towering skyscrapers. Make a stop at the Royal Barges National Museum. See the eight spectacular boats used by Thailand’s Royal Family to mark special occasions. Carved from teak and intricately decorated with gold leaf and mosaics, the barges are a truly impressive. Go ashore at Wat Arun, a 79-metre-high pagoda built in a style similar to Angkor Wat. Meaning ‘Temple of Dawn’, Wat Arun is one of Thailand’s most beautiful temples and the perfect last stop on the day’s tour.    

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

This full day tour begins at 8:00am, travelling by van and boat to explore Thailand’s ancient capital and cultural heartlands. A 90 minute drive will bring you to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Ayutthaya. The city was established as the royal capital in the 14^th century and rapidly became the largest city in all of Asia, with grandiose temples and an impressive network of canals. Although much of the city was destroyed in 1767 when the Burmese army invaded, there is still plenty of evidence of its former grandeur. Visit the main sites, admiring their unique architectural styles and learn about the history of the former city.Tour Wat Phra Si Sanphet, a classic example of Ayutthaya architecture and former home to a 16-metre high, gold-covered Buddha which was melted down by the Burmese.

Continue to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, with an impressive collection of seated Buddha Images, and Wat Mahathat where a tree has, over the course of several decades, grown around a stone carving of the Buddha’s face. Stroll through Ayutthaya’s local market and take a walk through the town’s Muslim Quarter which offers the opportunity to sample an unusual local delicacy, candy floss roti.

At midday begin the return boat trip from Ayutthaya to Bangkok with a one-hour drive to the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Board an air-conditioned riverboat and cruise down the river, commonly referred to as ‘The River of Kings’. The journey takes three hours, allowing for plenty of time to observe the passing scenery of riverside life. Arrive in Bangkok in the late afternoon and transfer back to the hotel to stay overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

This morning, after checking out of the hotel you will be transferred to Bangkok Airport for your flight to Chiang Mai. Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, you will be transferred to the hotel. In the afternoon, take a journey of spiritual discovery in Chiang Mai. Visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, admiring the intricate naga carvings along the way. Upon reaching the top, explore the 14th-century pagoda and hear about its origins. Wander around the towering gilded stupa and take a moment to enjoy the views of Chiang Mai in the distance. Return down the mountain to continue along the trail to Wat Suan Dok, a 48-metre golden chedi built in Sri Lankan style, holding a unique Buddha relic. Ashes of Chiang Mai’s royal family are interred in the mausoleum.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

After an early morning pick up from the hotel, you will be driven approximately 50 minutes north through rolling hills, forest, and local farming areas to arrive at the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary. Ethical sustainable eco-tourism is promoted at this retirement home for elephants that have previously worked hard for tourism, entertainment or in the logging industry. Throughout the day you will gain an insight into elephants’ life and their story while spending time with them in a safe area.

On arrival, change into traditional clothing before preparing fruit to feed the elephants. You have a chance to feed, interact and play with the elephants in a natural environment. Photo opportunities abound. Enjoy refreshments or a Pad Thai lunch yourself before preparing sticky rice mixed with herbs for the elephants. Learn more about their background, health care, and common behaviors and have fun with them in the pool bathing, mud scrubbing and taking photos. Refreshments will be served before departing the sanctuary for your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Today’s trip begins with a short tour to Sankampeang handicraft villages, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh, before being transferred to the airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Our guide will meet you on arrival and take you to check in at the hotel. Take advantage of a special chance to get acquainted with the local culture by attending the Baci Ceremony at a local house in the evening. A visit to the night market is a perfect way to explore the authentic local life and to find excellent travel mementos.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Notes: The Baci Ceremony is approximately 90 minutes in length and attendance is optional.

An optional early start offers a special opportunity to participate in the daily Morning Alms Giving Ceremony of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. From there you’ll visit the morning Phosi Market, where diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings can be seen.

A tour of the Old Town takes in the city’s oldest temples of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground in classical Laotian architectural style. Learn more about the ethnic culture from the perspective of an American by taking a private tour at the TAEC center.

After lunch, on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, enjoy breathtaking views through the tranquil countryside, before exploring the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. Here two linked caves are crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. You will be returned to your hotel and free to enjoy your evening.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

You will be picked up by your guide and then begin a short trip, travelling through the valley and passing local villages along the way. After reaching the Hmong ethnic community of Ban Long Lao Kao, you will have the opportunity to visit and take in the sights of the village. Then, start your hike to the famous Khuang Si waterfalls, walking through vegetable gardens, rice fields and forests under the shade of hardwood trees, such as rosewood and ebony. After arriving at the Khuang Si waterfalls, enjoy a delicious picnic in the natural surroundings of the area. Enjoy a rest, or the chance to go swimming, before heading back to Luang Prabang. Take advantage of the optional visit to Ock Opo Tok, a sustainably operated Living Crafts Center established to provide opportunities for local women through the preservation of traditional weaving and handcrafts. Purchase unique Laos textiles here and take home a beautiful travel memento.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

First tour stop after breakfast is the National Museum (closed Tuesdays) at the former Royal Palace. On display is a wonderful collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings, right through to the last sovereign. Mix with locals at the Central Market experiencing the bustling atmosphere and explore a range of food and products for what might take your fancy. You are free to enjoy leisure time until transfer to the airport for the flight to Siem Reap.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Today you will be driven to the south gate of Angkor Thom, the entrance to the once-glorious capital of the Khmer Empire. This massive historical site encompasses a series of eminent structures, such as the Bayon Temple, famed for the multitude of serene and vivid carvings, Elephant Terrace, a giant reviewing stand for Angkor’s King to greet his victorious army, Preah Khan and Ta Prohm Temple, a famous location in the film Tomb Raider. After the lunch break, the trip continues to the world-renowned Angkor Wat Temple, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. While here you will be transferred to the Pre Rup Temple, acknowledged as one of the best spots in Angkor to catch an impressive sunset, weather permitting.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Notes:

Lunch: Arrangements for today include a special picnic lunch hosted within the jungle at a one of the temples.

Dress Code: Revealing clothes, such as shorts and skirts above the knees and showing bare shoulders are prohibited in sacred places. Respectful dress is strongly recommended in Angkor.

Smoking: Smoking inside the temple is prohibited at all times.

Public holiday closures: The Bakan Tower (Central Tower) of Angkor Wat Temple is closed on Buddhist Sabbath Days (Buddhist religious days which occur four days each month. On these days, the tower cannot be climbed.

Commence the day with exploration of Kompong Khleang Floating Village, perhaps the most authentic of Cambodia’s floating villages of stilt houses built within the floodplain of the Tonle Sap Lake. During the dry season when the lake is low, the buildings in the villages seem to soar atop their 6 meter stilts exposed by the lack of water. Villagers then move out onto the lake and build temporary stilted houses, returning in the wet season when water level rises again. Traveling on, arrive at the Wat Thmei, Killing Field, featuring a unique glass-walled stupa containing the bones of victims of the Khmer Rouge. Some of the bones were recovered from a nearby well while others are the remains of soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield. Proceeding to Les Chantiers Ecoles Artisans D’ Angkor, you will be able to observe a workshop that teaches the unique craft of wood and stone carving in the tradition and style of classic Cambodian artistry, before stopping at Wat Preah Prum Rath, the second oldest pagoda in Siem Reap.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

You will be at leisure till our guide and driver escort you to airport for your return flight. Tours conclude today.

Meals included: Breakfast