Follow the Mekong - Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam with Ho Tram Beach Extension

Fly overnight on via Singapore to Bangkok. 

Upon arrival, meet your tour manager and transfer to your hotel. Relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities or explore under your own steam. 

Immerse yourself in Thai culture, on a full-day sightseeing tour. Your first stop will be the colourful floating markets at Damnoen Saduak. Watch as the locals buy fresh produce from the traders on the boats, then head back into Bangkok for a guided tour. See the Royal Island, where the Grand Palace adjoins the Wat Phra Kaew temple with its Emerald Buddha, as well as the less formal Wat Pho temple, home to the gigantic Reclining Buddha. 

Enjoy the city or join the optional excursion through a fascinating countryside of rice fields and sugar-cane plantations, and on into the jungle to explore the part of the world forever associated with WWII – the construction of the infamous ‘Death Railway’ and the ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’. 

An early start sees you journey through a stunning rural landscape barely changed in centuries, crossing into Cambodia to begin the second part of your adventure with a short onward journey to Battambang, an elegant, friendly French colonial city. 

Please note: While the Thailand-Cambodia border remains closed, you'll be taking an internal flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap today and the order of the hotels may change. A confirmation of the final itinerary will be advised closer to departure whilst we closely monitor the situation.

Today you'll travel to Wat Ek Phnom, a pre-Angkor Period temple situated on the banks of the Sandker River. Later, you'll visit the Cambodia Peace Gallery where you'll learn about Cambodia’s journey from war towards peace and reconciliation. Continue to the colourful market town of Siem Reap, home to the archaeological Angkor National Museum and your gateway to the incredible temple complex of Angkor Thom. 

Today, you’ll be driven to the Kok Sangke community to visit the home of a local family who’ll make you several traditional Khmer desserts. You’ll then learn about the village’s sustainable farming techniques, visit a community centre, which teaches local farmers about eco-friendly farming methods, see some nearby farms, and have lunch before travelling to Wat Luang Proleung and the village of Kampong Khleang. 

Discover the four vast stone heads and countless carved faces of the Bayon, which stands in the heart of the 'lost city' of Angkor Thom, today. 

Angkor Thom was the greatest citadel of the Khmer Empire that ruled half of Southeast Asia for nearly 600 years, and its ruined boulevards and gateways cover a vast area to the north of Siem Reap. And yet it is not the highlight of this landscape littered with great ruins. That title goes to Angkor Wat. The world's largest religious building, with its five great towers and 1000-metre-long carved bas-relief, is dazzling and unforgettable. Expect to return to your hotel awed and amazed by everything you've seen. 

Travel to the Cambodian capital. Phnom Penh, a French colonial treasure chest on the banks of the Mekong River. It's a city of dusty, faded glory, except in its stupendous Royal Palace and its Silver Pagoda of priceless Buddhist artefacts. 

Spend a thought-provoking morning at the Tuol Sleng Museum, which chronicles the Pol Pot years and the reign of the Khmer Rouge. 

Afterwards, you'll have the opportunity to visit the Wat Phnom Temple before you board the fast boat along the Mekong River to feel the wind on your face on a thrilling boat ride into Vietnam. 

Your day begins with a visit to the holy mountain of Nui Sam. Studded with pagodas and temples, the mountain offers visitors stunning views over the Mekong Delta, which awaits you today. You'll stay overnight in the university town of Can Tho, with its colourful floating markets, busy working harbour and sacred Khmer pagoda, Muniwangsyaram. 

Enjoy another journey through the Mekong landscape of rice paddies, flat-bottomed boats, fruit trees and bougainvillaea, peopled by farmers in conical hats and dotted with floating markets. Take a fascinating boat ride to the floating markets of Cai Rang and Cai Be, before arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, this evening, for a two-night stay. 

This morning, take breakfast at the hotel before board the coach for a scenic drive north past rice past traditional rice paddies to the rural outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. 

Here, you'll find the remarkable Cu Chi tunnel complex, which provides a poignant reminder of the country's recent history. Enjoy an introductory talk, outlining the wartime experience of the Vietnamese people, and settle in for up-close demonstrations of the cunning traps created by the Viet Cong.

If you're feeling adventurous, you'll have the opportunity to delve beneath the surface for a crawl through a section of this 200 km tunnel network. Formerly used as a base of operations for the Viet Cong's guerilla campaign, this underground complex now serves as a national memorial for those who lost their lives in the conflict.

This afternoon, return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. 

After breakfast at the hotel, mark your final morning in Ho Chi Minh City with a fascinating guided tour. This excursion will reveal the city's fascinating blend of French-colonial history and modern Vietnamese life. Highlights include the grand General Post Office, the Reunification Hall on the site of the former President's Palace, the Xa Loi Pagoda with its bronze Buddha, and (time permitting) the War Remnants Museum.

Later this afternoon, board a coach for the drive out of the Vietnamese capital to the coastal haven, Hồ Tràm. Sandwiched between lush rainforest reserves and pristine white-sand beaches, the local area promises the perfect setting for a rejuvenating seaside escape. Upon arrival this afternoon, settle into your new resort and spend the rest of the day at your own pace.  

You’ll have the choice to do as much or as little as you like on Vietnam’s east coast with a day entirely at leisure.  

Those favouring relaxation will find plenty of ways to unwind, both at the hotel and in Hồ Tràm’s natural stretches. With easy access to unspoilt stretches of the region’s white-sand beaches, manicured gardens and two outdoor swimming pools, this boutique resort makes lazy days on the coast even easier. If you’d like, you can also take a treatment or two at the spa or ride the property’s complimentary shuttle bus service to the nearby Binh Chau Hot Springs.  

For a more active time in Hồ Tràm, you can also partake in optional activities at the resort, ranging from kayaking and beach volleyball to archery and tennis, to keep you entertained throughout your stay. Other available activities include authentic Vietnamese cooking classes, yoga sessions and cycling tours. Several breath-taking trails can also be explored under guidance, offering sights of local spice plantations and the dense tropical woodland of the neighbouring rainforest reserve. 

You’ll have the choice to do as much or as little as you like on Vietnam’s east coast with a day entirely at leisure.  

Those favouring relaxation will find plenty of ways to unwind, both at the hotel and in Hồ Tràm’s natural stretches. With easy access to unspoilt stretches of the region’s white-sand beaches, manicured gardens and two outdoor swimming pools, this boutique resort makes lazy days on the coast even easier. If you’d like, you can also take a treatment or two at the spa or ride the property’s complimentary shuttle bus service to the nearby Binh Chau Hot Springs.  

For a more active time in Hồ Tràm, you can also partake in optional activities at the resort, ranging from kayaking and beach volleyball to archery and tennis, to keep you entertained throughout your stay. Other available activities include authentic Vietnamese cooking classes, yoga sessions and cycling tours. Several breath-taking trails can also be explored under guidance, offering sights of local spice plantations and the dense tropical woodland of the neighbouring rainforest reserve. 

You’ll have the choice to do as much or as little as you like on Vietnam’s east coast with a day entirely at leisure.  

Those favouring relaxation will find plenty of ways to unwind, both at the hotel and in Hồ Tràm’s natural stretches. With easy access to unspoilt stretches of the region’s white-sand beaches, manicured gardens and two outdoor swimming pools, this boutique resort makes lazy days on the coast even easier. If you’d like, you can also take a treatment or two at the spa or ride the property’s complimentary shuttle bus service to the nearby Binh Chau Hot Springs.  

For a more active time in Hồ Tràm, you can also partake in optional activities at the resort, ranging from kayaking and beach volleyball to archery and tennis, to keep you entertained throughout your stay. Other available activities include authentic Vietnamese cooking classes, yoga sessions and cycling tours. Several breath-taking trails can also be explored under guidance, offering sights of local spice plantations and the dense tropical woodland of the neighbouring rainforest reserve. 

Enjoy a last breakfast on Vietnam’s east coast this morning and set off for your journey back home. Afterwards, drive to the airport for your overnight return flight to the UK.  

Touch down in the UK this morning at the end of an extraordinary Southeast Asian adventure.