Prepare for an epic adventure loaded with ancient sights and natural beauty as you travel from the hustle of Bangkok to the bustle of Hanoi. In Cambodia, call into the ancient temples at Angkor, take on beguiling Phnom Penh and get a taste of Khmer hospitality with a village homestay in Chambok. Then veer into Vietnam to trace its coastline from south to north, visiting the chaotic Ho Chi Minh City all the way up to old-world Hanoi, with historic Hoi An and Hue at its centre. Along the way, revel in the sheer beauty of the landscape, the friendliness of the locals and the social organisations that are providing brighter futures for this region. Oh, and did we mention the food? To die for.
- Enjoy the guidance of a local expert as you temple-hop around the dazzling Angkor complex – one of South East Asia's premier sites.
- Confront the sobering but important Khmer history in Phnom Penh, with included visits to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21) and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek.
- Experience local life during homestays in the Mekong Delta and Da Bac. Get to know local families, participate in their activities and enjoy a homestyle meal.
- Hoi An is another idyllic pocket of Vietnam that's best experienced from the seat of a bike. Take a guided bicycle tour through the rolling countryside and see local life pass you by.
- Kayak around the limestone karsts and shimmering waters of Lan Ha Bay and help out the locals’ environmental efforts along the way.
- Experience local life during homestays in Chambok in Cambodia and the Mekong Delta and Da Bac in Vietnam. Get to know local families, participate in their activities and enjoy a homestyle meal.
- HOTELS:
- Most of the accommodation on this trip is in hotels (mostly 2 to 3-star). Facilities are often basic, with some properties not having a continuous supply of hot water on occasion. All rooms are either fan cooled or with air conditioning and twin share with private facilities unless stated otherwise in the daily itinerary. Double beds are not widely available in South East Asia.
- WINDOWLESS ROOMS:
- Some hotels in South East Asia have windowless rooms, or windows that don't necessarily have a view. This is often due to high population density in large cities, however local building standards also do not require rooms to have windows. We do request rooms with windows, however they aren't always available.
- DAY ROOMS & EARLY CHECK IN:
- Please note in some destinations we will provide use of day rooms. These rooms are provided for shared group use before or after overnight train journeys. We have some days where we arrive at our destination before check in time and a day room is not included. If you have booked a Single Supplement for your trip, it will not apply to these day rooms. Your leader may be able to assist you in booking a room for your sole use (depending on availability) until our regular trip rooms become available for an additional charge. Please talk to your leader at the Welcome Meeting if this is a service you would like to request.
