Big Indochina Adventure

Day 1 Bangkok            
Welcome to Bangkok fellow globe roamers, where a glorious adventure lies ahead of you. After checking into your swanky hotel you may wish to do some DIY exploring, grab a massage or just lie by the pool soaking up those sweet Thai rays. Later the group will join forces to hear what's in store for the trip, then the night is yours.            

Day 2 Bangkok to Kanchanaburi            
The Royal Palace and its 61 acres of incredible buildings will be number one on today's to do list. Start with a tour of the klongs (canals) and some fish feeding, as well as watching locals go about their day and living life along the river. This afternoon, make tracks to your next destination, the sleepy town of Kanchanaburi. Hop into a boat along the River Kwai where you'll reach your home for the night, The Jungle Raft Hotel. Rooms lit by candle light are what you'll be greeted with, followed by a delicious included dinner at dusk. You can even jump in the river directly from your room. Amazing!            

Day 3 Kanchanaburi          
Wake up in jungle paradise. First up on today's activities is Elephant Haven, where you'll spend half a day learning about how the sanctuary rescue and care for these beautiful creatures. Have a go at bathing the elephants, they love a bit of mud - so hope you're ready to get a little messy. Finish up with some lunch and a shower before visiting the famed Bridge on the River Kwai, without our guide giving us all the info we need on this riverside spot steeped in history. Afterwards, you've got some free time to explore Kanchanaburi town.

Day 4 Kanchanaburi to Chiang Mai
Make a stop in the UNESCO listed city of Ayutthaya, once the capital of Kingdom of Siam before being destroyed by the Burmese in the 18th Century. Grab bikes and ride past ornate temples, towering spires and beautiful palaces. Later, we board our overnight train to Chiang Mai.

Day 5 Chiang Mai          
The laidback city of Chiang Mai is yours as you wake this morning. Buddhist rituals, traditional architecture and surrounding countryside will see you smitten. The day is free for you to roam the old quarter - the city's heart - on foot.  

Day 6 Chiang Mai  
Another free day in this amazing city is a great opportunity to explore. Maybe hit the street food scene or treat yourself to a traditional Thai massage. Tonight you'll be dabbling in the art of Thai cooking - this is one class that's deliciously irresistible.

Day 7 Chiang Mai to Pakbeng    
Taking a border hop, cross out of Thailand and into Laos. After collecting your passport stamps you’ll journey to Pakbeng, taking part of the trip by river cruise on a local boat. Remote, traditional, and endlessly charming, Pakbeng is a true traveller’s dream.          

Day 8 Pakbeng to Luang Prabang      
Ending your Mekong magic, arrive in the much loved city of Luang Prabang. Temples dusted in gold, historic French mansions, and locals wrapped in saffron robes make this one of the prettiest places in Asia. Your explorations will involve a sunset from a hill top stupa and a bout of shopping at the local night markets.            

Day 9 Luang Prabang          
A city cycle and a swim under the 60 metre cascades of Kuang Si Falls will provide your daily nature fix, but most of the day is free to visit palaces, temples and to watch local life by the river - or choose to explore any way that suits. Tonight, watch the sunset at a riverside bar.  

Day 10 Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng        
This morning early risers can take part in a sacred Laotian ritual offering alms (food) to Buddhist monks. This morning we take an overland journey to a lively tourist hub filled with opportunities for adventure. Known for its dramatic limestone karsts and world food flair, Vang Vieng will keep you busy. Explore the local rivers and caves or chill out surrounded by like-minded travellers, watching the sun set over the mountains.  

Day 11 Vang Vieng  
Today is yours to conquer Vang Vieng. Stuck for ideas? Grab a pushbike and allow yourself to get a little lost, stopping at swimming holes and weaving through limestone caves, watching life unfold in the pretty countryside of Laos.            

Day 12 Vang Vieng to Vientiane            
Welcome to the capital of Vientiane. If you’re expecting a bustling Asian capital, prepare to be surprised; the vibe in this quaint Mekong town is strictly chilled. Apart from seeing the beauty of Pha That Luang stupa and the artistic talent of Patuxai, you’ll also visit the COPE centre, a local charity that provide prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation services to those who have lost their limbs as a result of unexploded bombs. Your visit here will also provide an insight into Laos’ troubled history, and is a great chance to lend a helping hand to the Laotian community.            

Day 13 Vientiane to Phnom Penh          
This morning cross the border sky high, flying out of Laos as you make for the capital of Cambodia. Although it's easy to find reminders of Cambodia's dark past in the city of Phnom Penh, it is also a place brightened by shy smiles and pretty tree-lined streets. Learn about the horrific Khmer Rouge rule by visiting the mass graves of the ‘Killing Fields’ and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum with your Local Guide. Lighten the mood by paying a visit to the Tree Alliance Restaurant, where disadvantaged and former street children are trained up in hospitality skills.            

Day 14 Phnom Penh to Siem Reap            
Another included flight takes you to Siem Reap: the heartland of an ancient masterpiece and what is still the largest religious monument in the world.        

Day 15 Siem Reap      
Journey to Angkor Wat through dawn's hours in preparation for sunrise. Nothing can quite describe the feeling of watching the day's first rays touch this ancient spiritual site, it's pretty much magic. After a siesta, head back to the temples to explore Angkor Thom and the Tomb Raider temple of Ta Prohm, which is slowly being swallowed by the jungle. With no early rise on tomorrow's agenda, you can let loose on the city's famous Pub Street and the buzzing local night markets.            

Day 16 Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City
Say farewell to some of your crew at breakfast, and set off to country number four: Vietnam.   With a Banh Mi baguette in one hand and a Vietnamese coffee in the other, hit the road and get ready to explore the busy streets of Ho Chi Minh. Tonight, take on the Ben Thanh markets where you can eat and shop to your heart’s content.    

Day 17 Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta            
It's goodbye busy city and hello river life today as we make for the Mekong Delta for an extra special overnight experience you won't be forgetting fast. Travelling down the river on local sampans, peace and tranquillity will be at an all-time high. This afternoon you’ll visit a local tea garden and see the floating markets, learning about local industries along the river and meeting some of the friendliest people on earth. Definitely one to give you all the local feels, topped off with a night at a Mekong Guesthouse.    

Day 18 Mekong Delta to Ho Chi Minh City      
After an early breakfast you'll make your way back to Ho Chi Minh, detouring past the staggering 250 kilometres of tunnels that make up the Viet Cong’s Cu Chi. See traps, hidden doors and tunnels that Vietnamese resistance fighters dug by hand to look into Vietnam's staggering past. Back in the addictive mayhem of Vietnam's biggest city you will have free time to carry on your explorations. Continuing to eat your way through Vietnam's culinary highlights would be one wise way to use your time.

Day 19 Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang
This morning, dabble in history and religion with some city sightseeing, before taking flight to a coastal town overlooking the South China Sea. Golden sand beaches, turquoise oceans, water sports galore - this is Nha Trang. This afternoon why not book in for a mineral mud bath and hot thermal spring experience before heading out to dinner with your crew.

Day 20 Nha Trang      
Good news – you’re in Nha Trang for another night. Have a massage, sign up for the optional cruise, or just hang on the beach saving your energy for seaside bar fun as the sun sets.            

Day 21 Nha Trang to Hoi An    
Hello Hoi An! Get your bearings with a guided tour through the Old Quarter, and fall deeply in love with this perfect spot. The Japanese Bridge, French Colonial vibes and brightly coloured buildings are all endlessly charming. You'll be feeling hungry no doubt, so tonight you could join an optional Vietnamese cooking class. With our expert chef leading the charge, you'll soon be feeling like a pho pro.    

Day 22 Hoi An          
Visit the ruined Hindu temples of the Champa Empire on Marble Mountain, poke around in galleries and antique shops, and marvel at traditional methods of pottery, silk weaving and wood-carving on display at the local markets. Or do anything else you fancy with this free day in Hoi An!    

Day 23 Hoi An to Hue    
Intricately decorated pavilions, lotus flower ponds, and colourful artworks mark your first sightseeing venture in Hue. Totally in awe of Tu Duc Mausoleum, move on to the 7 story Thien Mu Pagoda and learn the horrific history of the Hue Buddhist massacre, as well as taking in a cyclo ride to see the city from a whole new angle.  

Day 24 Hue to Hanoi            
Today you will fly out of Hue in the direction of Vietnam's time capsule capital. With an epic fusion of French, Chinese and Vietnamese influences, check into your Hanoi hotel, right in the middle of the bustling Old Quarter. Your time will be spent weaving through a maze of 36 trading streets filled with colourful goods for sale, and unwinding in the walled gardens of the Temple of Literature. Later, roam French style boulevards and maybe dine on a nom ngo sen lotus-stem salad, dau chien ron fried tofu and a few bia hoi beers.        

Day 25 Hanoi to Halong Bay      
A drive through stunning scenery will evoke plenty of 'oh wow's, but it only gets better as you board your home for the night, a Chinese-style junk boat in Halong Bay. Feel the serenity kicking in immediately as you drift through the limestone island seas of the Gulf of Tonkin. Pass hidden lagoons, thick forests and dreamy grottos, and stop to explore the Sung Sot Caves. A fresh seafood dinner and sunset at our docking spot will polish off a wonderful day.  

Day 26 Halong Bay to Hanoi          
Today will be all about leisurely vibes as you wake up to breakfast and a grotto swim. Make the most of your time on the junk boat and kayak your way around Halong Bay - the views don't get much better than this. After heading back to Hanoi, enjoy your final night on tour.  The quirky world famous water puppet performance in Red River Delta makes for the perfect send off, should you fancy opting for something a bit different.  

Day 27 Hanoi  
Enjoy one final breakfast with the squad this morning before the trip wraps up.