Impressive Indochina

Route: Bangkok - Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Trekking - Mahout elephant camp - Boloven Plateau - Dolphin river - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Angkor Wat - Bangkok

See the highlights of Asia in 3 weeks with this Indochina tour through buddhist Thailand, the pristine countryside of Laos and the historic sites of Cambodia. After a short stop in Bangkok you’ll begin your adventure trip through Laos. Beginning in Vientiane, where you can taste the French influences, you’ll head to Luang Prabang, voted by many travellers as ‘most’ fun destination in South East Asia. Experience life among the elephants as a mahout and enjoy a trek through the rice paddies with spectacular views across the mountain valleys. Then, spend a couple of days relaxing in the fresh green jungle with waterfalls in the background. Across the border in Cambodia, you'll travel down the mighty Mekong River to the historic capital Phnom Penh. Here, you'll be able to learn more about the harrowing history of this country before continuing on by boat to Siem Reap, where you can lose yourself among the mighty ruins of Angkor Wat. The trip ends back in Bangkok, but if you fancy spoiling yourself with a couple of days on the white tropical beaches at the end of your Indochina tour, you can extend the trip with a short stay on the island of Ko Chang.

Duration	21 days / 20 nights departs Mondays from Bangkok	Accommodation	20 nights in traditional hotels 1 night in basic hut, 1 night sleeper train (see accommodation)
Price	$2189 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Included	Transport, accommodation with breakfast, excursions, guide and meals as described
Transport	2 domestic flights, overland transfers by minibus or local bus, transfers by boat and 1x sleeper train	Excluded	International flights, other meals, excursions and entrance fees

Day 1: Arrival in Bangkok

When you arrive in Bangkok, you’ll be greeted in the airport arrivals hall by our local agent, who will be holding up a name sign. Soak up the typically Asian atmosphere as you make your way to your hotel; friendly faces, all the road-side food stalls and the occasional palm tree. Even though you’ve just had a very long flight you’ll probably want to set off and explore the city straight away. You’ll be staying in a friendly hotel with pool on Khao San Road. Rooms are spacious and have air-conditioning.

Day 2: Bangkok

Today you will be able to explore the ‘City of Angels’. The most important sights of the city are easy to get to by taxi or the express boat on the Chao Praya river. The temples, shops, pagodas and street life, there’s so much to see in Bangkok so here’s a suggestion of how to plan your day: start at the Grand Palace, a large temple/palace complex and royal residence of the revered king of Thailand Bhumipol. Make sure you also pay a visit to the Buddhist temple Wat Arun on the Chao Praya river as well as the narrow streets of the somewhat frenzied Chinatown. Tuk into a bowl of Chinese noodles and watch the organised chaos on the streets, leaving your (western) worries in a distant past. Bangkok is a great place for shopping (silk, jewellery, clothes) but you can also wait until you get to Chiang Mai where the night bazaar offers an amazing collection (and it means less weight to carry around on your trip). If you want to try a Thai massage, we can recommend the massage school at Wat Po (the reclining Buddha). We had a herbal massage, after having your muscles kneaded to a pulp you are softly pummeled with little herbal balls.

Day 3: Bangkok - Vientiane - Sleeper train

You’ll be able to spend the day in Bangkok before boarding the sleeper train in the evening. Take the boat to Tha Ratchawong and head into the heart of Chinatown. Wander through the temples, food stalls and the hidden alleyways lined with houses with their typical curled roofs. From fish stall to department stores, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to shopping and you always eventually end up somewhere you can find the map again. If shopping’s not your thing, then go people watching in Lumpini Park or just hang out by the hotel pool with a good book. In the early evening you will take a taxi (on your own, but with directions by our agent) to Hualamphong train station to catch the sleeper train to Nong Khai. We’ve booked a 2nd class train for you. Before you board the train you can have a bit to eat at the station.

Day 4: Vientiane, Laos

Early in the morning you’ll arrive in Nong Khai in the north-eastern tip of Thailand. Take a tuk-tuk from the train station to the Friendship Bridge where you will cross the border to Laos. You can get a visa for Laos at the border; just make sure you bring two passport photos. From here take a taxi to the centre of Vientiane, where you will be staying in a cosy guesthouse close to the Mekong river, the morning market and plenty of restaurants. The inner garden is a wonderful place to relax. Breakfast is included.

Vientiane has several interesting sights, definitely worth visiting. Climb the Patuxai (a kind of Arc de Triomphe) for a magnificent view across the city and the Mekong river or head a little further outside the city to see the very impressive Wat Phra Keo and Wat Sisaket temples. The most significant temple complex is Pha That Luang which, with its gold-covered stupa is considered the national symbol of Buddhist Laos. The market is great for woven fabrics and clothes and the antique shops in the city centre sell reasonably prices opium pipes and Laotian silver.

Day 5: Vientiane

Today you will have plenty of time to see the sights of Vientiane. We rented a bike, a fun and easy way to explore the city. Cycle along the tree-lined streets and the banks of the Mekong river where lots of fruit is grown. Don’t worry about finding a good place for lunch, on just about every street corner you’ll find a small bakery selling fresh French loaves. Before you know it you’ll surrender to that unique Laotian atmosphere. If you’re interested in Buddhism then visit one of the many temples where you can find out more about how Buddhism plays a role in the daily lives of the Laotians. Chat to one of the monks, they’re usually very friendly and open.

25 km outside the city you’ll find the Buddha park Wat Xieng Khuan with its colossal Hindu and Buddhist stone statues. The park is well worth a visit. In the afternoon relax at one of the outdoor cafes along the Mekong and enjoy a beautiful sunset.

Days 6 and 7: Luang Prabang

After breakfast, call a taxi (ask at reception) to take you to the airport. We’ve arranged your flight to Luang Prabang for you. On arrival in Luang Prabang you can take a tuk-tuk to your hotel, it’s easy to find one at the airport. Your guesthouse (within walking distance of the town centre), is built in traditional French style and is run by a friendly Laotian ‘Vieng’. You’ll feel right at home here with the friendly relaxed atmosphere that so characterises the city. Head out on foot to explore the area, or rent a bike to pedal your way around.
Many travellers consider Luang Prabang to be one of the nicest places in Laos, thanks to its location on the legendary Mekong river, the Laotian hospitality and the friendly atmosphere in the little streets of the city. Luang Prabang has been declared a World Heritage Site, which won’t come as a surprise when you see all the spectacular temples and museums.

The next day after breakfast you could spend some more time exploring the city, or perhaps pay a visit to the Kuang Si waterfalls for a refreshing dip. The waterfalls are approx. 1½hours drive from Luang Prabang. If you have the time, visit the Pak Ou caves (excursions can easily be arranged locally). The caves are filled with thousands of Buddha statues, big, small and in different styles. We didn’t think the caves themselves were very exciting but the trip along the Mekong river was spectacular. If you’re an early bird and don’t mind getting up at the crack of dawn you’ll be able to observe one of Laos’ beautiful daily rituals; the procession of the monks at dawn. Devout Laotians kneel with their heads bowed to offer rice and fruit to the passing monks. As the morning mist slowly rises, the trail of monks in their orange robes quietly passes by to collect their alms.

Day 8: Hiking through the rice paddies

In the morning you will picked up at your hotel in Luang Prabang by pick-up truck for today’s six-seven hour trekking through lush green rice paddies with views across the impressive limestone hills. On the way you’ll visit several mountain villages, home to local tribes like the Khmu and Hmong. The guide will tell you all about the plants and animals you see along the way. You’ll be spending the night in a traditional hut in a Khmu village where you will be able to join the locals for a delicious home-made dinner. After a long day of hiking you’ll probably want to hit the sack quite early, well-rested for another active day tomorrow.

Day 9: Adventure and elephants

You’ll be woken at dawn by the crowing cockerel and after breakfast you will continue the track along the river to another Khmu settlement. You can have a rest here and take a stroll through the village, passing a little school for the local children. The trek continues for another 4 hours through rice paddies and tropical vegetation to the Nam Khan river, where you will board a small boat to the Elephant Lodge. This sanctuary for logging elephants is set on the banks of the river surrounded by wild jungle and mountains. The sanctuary provides a home for elephants that have endured a hard life working in the logging industry and allows them to enjoy a well-earned retirement.

After you’ve dropped your bags in your bungalow you’ll meet the ‘mahout’ (elephant carer) who will be accompanying you with looking after the elephants today. Climbing onto these huge animals takes a bit of practice, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. You’ll also learn some useful mahout lingo such as ‘hau’ (stop), ‘sai’ (left) and ‘kwa’ (right). Armed with buckets and huge brushes you’ll wade into the river to scrub the thick skins clean. Bath time is always a highly amusing spectacle so be prepared to get wet. On the way back to camp your new friend, feeling a little peckish after his bath will break off a few twigs or even make room for a big bunch of bananas. You’ll probably have built up an appetite too, so at the lodge you’ll find a wonderful Laotian dinner waiting for you.

Day 10: Trekking - Luang Prabang

Breakfast is served out on the terrace with views across the river with the mist slowly rising to reveal the lush green countryside. There’s a short trek planned for today so together with your guide you’ll head off into the jungle, passing locals on the way carrying rice or fresh vegetables from the local market. As you enter the Khmu village the local children run out to meet you. They don’t see many tourists in this area so the people may be a bit shy when you greet them. Luckily the guide can help out with the translations as very few people here speak English. If you want to bring something to hand out, notebooks, pens and colouring books always go down well with the children.

The trek continues on to a small Hmong village. This tribe is known for its brightly coloured clothes and unusual head dress and jewellery. The women of the village proudly show you their crafts, which you can buy for a small price. Meanwhile lunch is prepared for you, a traditional Laotian meal of rice or noodles with vegetables and fresh fruit for dessert. After lunch you will head on through the hilly countryside, the truck is waiting for you at the end and after saying goodbye to your guide the driver will take you back to your hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 11: Luang Prabang - Boloven Plateau

After breakfast you will make your own way by taxi to the airport for the start of your southern Laos adventure. We’ve arranged your flight to Pakse, from where you will be transferred to Tad Fane. Travelling across the Laotian countryside you will pass villages, temples and farmland. At the end the (excellent) road makes way for a sandy track leading to the Boloven Plateau. The resort where you’ll be staying is tucked away in the dense rainforest opposite two waterfalls where the water crashes down into a 200m deep canyon. You can enjoy the wonderful green surroundings from the comfort of your bungalow veranda, or if you're feeling adventurous head into the jungle to explore the wildlife.

Day 12: Tad Fane, free time

The Boloven Plateau in southern Laos is located at approx 1200m altitude which means the climate is pleasantly cool, even in summer. In our summer months you can expect the occasional shower but it does mean the countryside is wonderfully green at this time of year. The villages on the plateau can only be reached by dirt track, which makes the area largely untouched. The plateau is home to several minority tribes such as the Laven, Katu and the Alak. The local population is known for its Khmer-influenced hand-woven fabrics and facial tattoos. The eco-lodge is set in the heart of the Dong Hua Sao Nature Reserve. The resort organises trekkings through the area which is littered with waterfalls and dense vegetation.

Day 13: Boloven Plateau - Cambodia

You’ll travel from Laos to Cambodia today. After breakfast make your own way by bus back to Pakse, from where we’ve reserved the bus to the border at Veunkham. You will be picked up at the bus station later that morning and driven to the border. You’ll need to have a visa for Cambodia already, as you can’t get one at the border. After having your passport stamped you can cross the border into Cambodia.

Here you will board the boat for a trip along one of the most isolated stretches of the Mekong. Local fishermen pull in their nets and small children try to catch a glimpse of you as you pass by. After roughly 1½hours you will arrive in the sleepy town of Stung Treng. You’ll be staying in a relatively new hotel with tv, bath and private toilet, but no hot water. There’s a great view across the market and the Mekong from the hotel.

Days 14 and 15: Kratie and surrounding area

After breakfast you will be transferred to the bus station where you will board the bus to Kratie. When you get to Kratie, it’s easy to arrange your own transfer to your hotel. You’ll be staying directly on the boulevard along the Mekong, where you can watch the little boats sailing up and down the river.

Kratie is known for its rare Irrawaddy sweet water dolphins. Your best chances of spotting them are early in the morning or late afternoon. Find a local scooter rider to take you to the best places to spot them around the small islands in the Mekong or hire a boat to see the dolphins up close. There’s nothing scheduled for today so you can spend the day as you wish. Kratie survived the war unscathed so you can still see the historic Khmer houses along the banks of the Mekong. You can also get more information here about guided tours in Kratie. You'll be staying another night in your hotel by the Mekong.

Day 16: Kratie - Phnom Penh

In the morning you will be picked up at your hotel in Kratie and transferred to the bus station. We’ve arranged your bus ticket for the 6-8 hour bus ride to the capital Phnom Penh. On arrival you can easily arrange your transfer from the bus station to the hotel. The rest of the day is for you to spend at leisure, we’ve saved the city tour for tomorrow.
Phnom Penh is a charming city with plenty of old colonial buildings. By Cambodian standards it’s a fairly modern city with asphalted roads, contemporary shops, a beautiful boulevard and plenty of cash machines. Visit the National Museum of Cambodia, which was built in 1917 and has an impressive collection of Khmer artefacts. After that you can pay a visit to the Silver Pagoda, also known as the temple of the emerald Buddha and the Royal Palace. The Silver Pagoda is famous for its silver floor. In the afternoon climb the hill to the Wat Phnom, which is where the city got its name from.

Day 17: Phnom Penh, excursion to Tuol Sleng museum and Killing Fields

Today you will be able to visit the more remote sites of Phnom Penh with your guide, such as the Tuol Sleng museum and the Killing Fields. In 1975 the Rode Khmer marched into the capital city Phnom Penh, Pol Pot became prime minister of Cambodia and made a very bloody attempt to turn Cambodia into a communist agricultural state. Cities were destroyed and everyone was forced to become a farmer. Money, education, religion and private ownership were abolished. Marriages were pre-arranged and children were separated from their parents. People who refused to cooperate were killed. Intellectuals and scholars were considered a danger and were murdered and even wearing glasses or speaking a second language were enough to make you a suspect. Pol Pot didn’t believe in their ideals and regarded them as a nuisance.

The Tuol Sleng is an exceptionally moving museum where you are confronted with the harrowing events through a series of photographs. The museum is located in a former primary school which was used as a torture prison for political enemies by the Red Khmer. For many it was their last stop before ending up in the mass graves of the Killing Fields, in an orchard just outside Phnom Penh. As many as 17.000 people were killed here. At the end of the afternoon you will visit the Apsara Foundation where poor Cambodian children can learn to dance.

Day 18: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

This morning you will cross Tonle Sap lake and river by catamaran boat to Siem Reap. You will be taken by car to the jetty. The trip takes about 5 hours and on the way you can enjoy watching the daily life of the locals on the river banks. In some places the river is a mile wide, in others as narrow as 50m, which makes the boat trip a wonderful spectacle of wide open views and up close observings of people living along the river. Sailing along you will pass stilted villages, floating islands, boats, rafts, water birds, children playing on the river banks and pigs in floating cages. On arrival in Siem Reap you can walk straight past the pushy crowd of hotel hawkers to the local agent holding your name sign, who will bring you to your hotel. The hotel is located in the city centre, with spacious air-conditioned rooms and friendly staff.

Days 19 and 20: Angkor

Today you will visit Angkor with our guide. You could wander through the temples, statues and ruins forever but make sure to stay on the paths, as there are lots of mines in this area. The temples date from different periods as each ruler built his own temple, which gives each temple a unique character. The most famous temple Angkor Wat is strongly Hindu influenced, whereas Angkor Thom is more Buddhist. After a day of temples and culture you’ll be spending another night at your hotel in Siem Reap.
The next day you can explore Angkor at your own pace. Angkor is the name of the ancient capital of the Khmer empire which was founded in the 8th century AD. The empire stretched all the way to southern Vietnam and China. Later it was the Siamese empire of the Thai that ruled the area and brought many Buddhist influences to the region. Siem Reap literally means ‘conquest by Siam’ so it’s rather noble of the Khmer to have kept the name to this day. For centuries the city was overgrown by jungle until the ruins were discovered by French explorers in 1900. Several temples have been restored but others are still overgrown. The Ta Prohm temple for example shows you how the jungle still has a hold on the buildings. Giant trees tower over them and the roots have wrapped themselves around the temple walls. It’s a strange but impressive sight. Tonight you’ll be spending another night in Siem Reap.

Day 21: Siem Reap - Bangkok

In the morning you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the border with Thailand. The part of the trip takes about 4½ hours. The roads in Cambodia aren’t as good as in Thailand so it’s a pretty bumpy ride. A last glance at Cambodia before you cross the border into Thailand, rather unceremoniously no more than a barrier and two booths on either side. On the Thai side you will find another driver waiting to take you to Bangkok where you will arrive at the end of the afternoon.

Of course, if you want to make life a little easier, you can opt to fly back to Bangkok from Siem Reap at an additional cost. Simply ask our travel specialist for more details.

You can extend your trip with another night in Bangkok or fly back home today. If you like the idea of ending your trip on a paradise island then check our module Ko Chang Waterfall Island.

Best time to travel:
The best time of year to do this trip is October- March, the drier season. Temperatures average 25°C and there is little to no rain.

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Impressive Indochina Route: Bangkok - Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Trekking - Mahout elephant camp - Boloven Plateau - Dolphin river - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Angkor Wat - Bangkok