Simply Bangkok to Hanoi

This 16-night tour by Explore Worldwide starts in Bangkok, where long-tail boats thread through the city’s canals and temples rise beside skyscrapers. After a short flight takes you to Siem Reap, there’s plenty of time to visit Angkor Wat at dawn, wander stone-faced temples in Angkor Thom and catch the bat flight near Battambang.

The journey continues through Phnom Penh’s markets and history, before crossing into Vietnam for a short flight to colourful Hoi An. You have a quiet morning cycling past river markets before travelling to Hue’s citadel, then catching an overnight train north to Hanoi. Here, a boat trip among the limestone islands of Lan Ha Bay offers a less crowded alternative to Halong Bay.

Along the way, a local blessing in Phnom Penh, a theatre-circus performance, and plenty of street food keep things lively without rushing. The train and boats feel practical rather than glamorous, and the pace allows for wandering through old streets or taking in war memorials. The tour ends with a free day in Hanoi, where city landmarks sit close to leafy colonial boulevards.