A Journey Through Southeast Asia

This 21-night escorted tour with Travelsphere threads through some of Southeast Asia’s most familiar yet varied landscapes and cities. It begins in Hanoi with time to wander the Old Quarter by bicycle rickshaw and a welcome dinner at KOTO, a social enterprise training disadvantaged Vietnamese youth. From here it’s a night on the water in Halong Bay, skimming between limestone karsts, before flights south to the imperial calm of Hue and the riverside streets of Hoi An.

Crossing into Cambodia, three days in Siem Reap centre on the still-impressive ruins of Angkor Wat and nearby temples coated with moss and jungle roots. Laos brings a more tranquil pace with visits to Luang Prabang’s gilded temples and Kuang Si Waterfalls. Then the Mekong River carries the group through local riverside villages on route to northern Thailand, where the hills around Chiang Rai reveal the White Temple with its glass mosaics and hill tribe villages with distinct costumes and customs.

The trip rounds off in Bangkok with a farewell dinner after the chance to browse markets or take in the city’s frenetic energy. It is a varied walk through history, culture and modest city modernity rather than a fast survey, with enough time in each place to gain a real sense of daily life alongside the sights.