Following The Mekong

Upon arrival at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will be met by a Wayfairer representative and transferred to your chosen accommodation. Your Wayfairer guide will meet you at your hotel in the evening to brief you about your itinerary and recommend some great places to eat in this exciting city.

You’ll have an early start today as it is a busy day! This morning your local guide will take you to Bangkok’s magnificent temples and palaces, including Thailand’s most sacred sites — the glittering Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Wat Pho with its spectacular 46-metre long Reclining Buddha.

After lunch, you’ll transfer back to the airport for a flight to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, near the Golden Triangle, bordering Myanmar and Laos. This evening you can browse through the bustling Chiang Rai Night Bazaar, where hill tribe people and lowlanders gather to sell their handicrafts.

It is another early start today. This morning you’ll take a two-hour trip to the Thai border town of Chiang Khong and then you’ll cross the border by boat to Huay Xai in Laos where your guide will help you get your Laos entry visas on arrival.

You’ll board a private boat for a two-day personalised cruise down the Mekong River, passing beautiful jungle scenery and traditional villages. This evening you’ll spend the night in Pakbeng, a small village in Laos located on the Mekong River halfway between the Thai border at Huay Xai and Luang Prabang in Laos.

Today you’ll continue your cruise south along the Mekong River towards Luang Prabang. You’ll stop to explore the fascinating Pak Ou Caves which contain hundreds of Buddha statues, before arriving in Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.

Luang Prabang has been claimed by UNESCO to be the best-preserved city in Southeast Asia. Here you can wander the streets and back alleys and you’ll soon discover why so many people fall in love with this beautiful town with its gleaming temple roofs, fading French architecture and stunning mountain backdrop.

Today you’ll enjoy a half-day guided walking tour of Luang Prabang. You’ll visit Wat Xieng Thong with its sweeping roof and rare reclining Buddha, and Wat Wisunalat which represents the earliest style of Laotian architecture and Luang Prubang’s oldest operating temple. You’ll then climb 300 steps to the top of Phu Si Hill to take in panoramic views of the city and the Mekong River.

In the evening your Wayfairer guide will give you recommendations for Luang Prabang’s best restaurants.

Today you’ll have an early start as you’ll join the residents of Luang Prabang as they offer alms to the hundreds of saffron-robed Buddhist Monks who line the streets of the city every morning. This sacred ceremony is quite spectacular and in our opinion certainly worth getting up early to witness it.

This morning you’ll travel 29km outside of Luang Prabang to Kuang Si Falls, a beautiful cascading waterfall surrounded by lush jungle. The best way to see the falls is to trek along a forest trail that winds through local villages and offers views of the mountain landscapes. This 3-4 hour trek brings you to the beautiful emerald pools where you can take a refreshing dip.

This evening you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a traditional Baci ceremony in Luang Prabang. The Baci ceremony is a combination of Animism and Buddhism and these ceremonies are common to Laos. The ceremonies celebrate events and occasions such as weddings, births, the beginning of a new year, welcoming something or someone important, or the return of someone to the family. The ceremony is followed by a traditional dance and then dinner at a local restaurant.

Today you’ll fly south from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Siem Reap is the gateway to the Angkor Wat temple complex, however there is much more to this historical city than the Angkor temples.

Your Wayfairer guide will meet you at your hotel and they will take you on a tour of this fascinating city.

You’ll start early this morning to explore the famous jungle clad temples of Ta Prohm at dawn. Ta Prohm, which featured in the film Tomb Raider, is the most atmospheric temple of the Angkor temple complex. Then you’ll discover Banteay Srei, a temple famed for its intricate carvings depicting battles, scenes of conquest and Khmer daily life. Built in the 10th century and dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva, this remote temple is one of Angkor’s highlights.

Next you’ll visit the Cambodia Land Mine Museum, located approximately 25km north of Siem Reap. This museum was founded by a former child soldier whose parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge and it is staffed by victims and orphans of mines. The aim is to educate people about the dangers of landmines, where they came from, who laid them, how they work, and their presence in Cambodia.

This afternoon you’ll take a boat ride on Tonle Sap Lake where you’ll see floating villages and get an understanding about the local life here which is ruled by the monsoonal rains.

It is another early start this morning as you’ll visit the temple of Angkor Wat at sunrise. Angkor Wat is the centrepiece of the Angkor temple complex and it is particularly spectacular at sunrise. The sun rises behind the temple creating a stunning reflection in the pool in front of Angkor Wat, offering an iconic photo opportunity. You’ll take a packed breakfast with you so that you can stay at the temple complex after most of the large tour groups return to their hotels for breakfast.

In the afternoon you’ll visit some of the lesser-visited temples including the majestic Preah Khan, the healing temple of Neak Pean, and then you’ll watch sunset from the upper platform of the crematorium temple of Pre Rup.

This morning we will transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Phnom Penh.

Today you take a tour of the capital, beginning at the Royal Palace, which is the home of the current Cambodian Monarch, King Sihamoni. Then you’ll visit the National Museum of Cambodia where you can marvel at its collection of classic Khmer craftsmanship. Then you’ll enjoy a cyclo tour of the city – your cyclo driver will show you famous landmarks including the Buddhist temple of Wat Phnom, the National Library and Raffles Hotel Le Royal, and then you’ll head to Psar Thmei (Central Market) before winding through the small back streets, such as Street 178 which is lined with art shops and boutiques, and then you’ll pass the Independence Monument, the glittering Royal Palace and the stunning National Museum.

Today you’ll learn more about the Khmer Rouge regime and its impact on Cambodia. Although the Khmer Rouge ruled the country for less than four years, this chapter of history devastated the county, its heritage and its people. On your guided tour you’ll visit Tuol Sleng Prison Museum (S-21) – this former high school was used by the Khmer Rouge as a centre for torture and interrogation, and now serves as a museum and a memorial.

You’ll also visit another important landmark of Cambodia’s tragic past, the infamous Killing Fields of Choeung Ek which are located just outside the city. Tuol Sleng Prison Museum (S-21) and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek are very emotional places to visit, however, they offer an opportunity to learn about Cambodian history during the time of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Later this afternoon you’ll leave Phnom Penh and head towards the quiet coastal town of Kep.

The relaxed fishing town of Kep is famous for its fantastic swimming beach, friendly locals, spectacular sunsets and superb fresh seafood, especially the local fresh crab.

Today you’ll have time to explore Kep and you’ll also enjoy a guided tour of nearby Kampot, a lovely riverside town with some of Cambodia’s best-preserved colonial architecture. During your tour of Kampot you’ll visit a spectacular Hindu cave temple called Phnom Chhnork.

Later this afternoon you’ll enjoy a sunset cruise on the Kampot River before transferring back to your hotel.

Today you’ll take a short boat ride to a small simple island called Koh Thonsay—also known as Rabbit Island—where you can spend a relaxing afternoon on the palm-fringed sandy beaches and swimming in the crystal clear waters.

This morning you’ll have some free time to enjoy Kep before your transfer back to Phonm Penh.
This evening you’ll enjoy a sunset cruise on the Tonlé Sap River suring which you’ll pass Cham houseboats and floating villages and you’ll see the sun set behind the majestic Royal Palace.

Sadly your Southeast Asia adventure is almost over. After breakfast this morning you’ll check-out of your accommodation and you’ll be driven to the airport for your flight home.