Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Luang Prabang – Vientiane – Bangkok
Explore the essence of Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Marvel at Indochina’s ancient glories and intriguing customs. From the grand Angkor Wat to quaint Buddhist temples in Luang Prabang, the sensory overload is simply overwhelming. Packed with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this grand Indochina tour represents truly the best of Cambodia and Laos.
Our trips emphasize history, culture and interactions with locals. Highlights of this particular trip include visits to rural villages and tasting authentic local cuisines, and chatting with school children in their classroom.
Important Features
- Small group size (average 15, maximum 20)
- Experienced local guides
- No forced shopping stops
- Authentic local cuisine
- Unlimited supply of bottled water
- Free Wi-Fi in all hotels
- Village and school visits in Siem Reap
- Rice farm visit in Luang Prabang
Meal Code: B = breakfast / L = lunch / D = dinner
Day 1/Fri: Depart Home City
The journey begins with your transpacific flight departing from a city of your choice. You’ll lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line.
Day 2/Sat: Arrival in Phnom Penh
Welcome to Phnom Penh! Meet your guide on arrival and transfer to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day3/Sun: Phnom Penh (B/L/D)
Located at the confluence of three rivers (Tonlé Sap, Mekong and Bassac), Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia and also the wealthiest and most populous city in the country. Out of a total population of 17 million, 2.2 million of them live in Phnom Penh.
Phnom Penh first became the capital of Cambodia after Ponhea Yat, king of the Khmer Empire, moved the capital from Angkor Thom after it was captured and destroyed by Siam (Thailand). Phnom Penh remained the royal capital for 73 years—from 1432 to 1505 before it was abandoned for 360 years (1505 – 1865) by subsequent kings due to internal fighting between the royal pretenders. Later kings moved the capital several times and established their royal capitals at various locations in Tuol Basan (Srey Santhor), Pursat, Longvek, Lavear Em and Udong. It was not until 1866, under the reign of King Norodom I (1860–1904), the eldest son of King Ang Duong, who ruled on behalf of Siam, that Phnom Penh became the permanent seat of government and capital of Cambodia again.
Beginning in 1870, the French colonialists built this riverside village into a city with hotels, hospitals, schools, prisons, barracks, banks, public works offices, telegraph offices, law courts and so on. In 1872, the first glimpse of a modern city took shape when the colonial administration employed the services of French contractor Le Faucheur to construct the first 300 concrete houses for sale and rental to the Chinese traders. By the 1920s, Phnom Penh was known as the Pearl of Asia, and over the next four decades the city continued to experience rapid growth with the building of railways to Sihanoukville and Pochentong International Airport (now Phnom Penh International Airport).
During the Vietnam War, Cambodia was used as a base by the Viet Cong’s North Vietnamese Army. Thousands of refugees from across the country flooded the capital to escape the fighting between the various factions, thus increasing the population of Phnom Penh to reportedly 3 million. The Khmer Rouge captured the city on April 17, 1975 and started to forcibly evacuate the entire city soon after. All of its residents, including the wealthy and educated, were forced into the countryside to do manual labour so that they could become “new people” according to the Khmer Rouge. Tuol Sleng High School was turned into a prison camp known as S-21, where people were detained and tortured. Pol Pot sought a return to an agrarian economy and therefore killed many people perceived as lazy or political enemies. The Khmer Rouge was driven out of Phnom Penh by the Vietnamese in 1979, and people began to return to the city. Vietnam is historically a state with which Cambodia has had many conflicts; therefore, this liberation was and is viewed with mixed feelings by the Cambodians. A period of reconstruction began, spurred by the continuing stability of government, new foreign investment and international aid.
Our sightseeing today includes the Royal Palace Complex and the National Museum.
Day 4/Mon: Phnom Penh (B/L)
Today we visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields. These sites may be too much for the visitor to stomach, but they embody an important period in the country’s history no matter how repugnant that period is in our common memory.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is on the same site of the high school turned prison known as S-21. Inside, Khmer Rouge’s torture devices and photos of their victims are on display. If you have read about Tuol Sleng and feel the gruesome scenes may be too disturbing, you may instead opt for a walk through the neighbourhood outside the former high school.
Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields) is 15 kilometers from the city centre. It was one of the mass grave sites of the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime.
Day 5/Tue: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap (B/L/D)
The morning flight to Siem Reap takes 40 minutes. After a light lunch, we visit the Angkor National Museum and Angkor Wat.
The archaeological museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation and presentation of Angkorian artifacts, also to provide information and education about art and culture of Khmer civilization, with collections mainly dated from Khmer Empire’s Angkor period circa 9th to 14th-century. Most of the artifacts are discovered in and around the Angkor archaeological sites nearby. Opened on November 12, 2007, the Angkor National Museum covers the golden era of the Khmer Empire in eight galleries. The museum visit at the beginning of the stay in Siem Reap is designed to better prepare tour participants for what to see next.
Angkor Wat, the modern name for the temple complex, means “Temple City” or “City of Temples” in Khmer. Angkor, meaning “city” or “capital city”, is a vernacular form of the word nokor, which comes from the Sanskrit word nagara. Wat is the Khmer word for “temple grounds”. Angkor Wat was a Hindu temple complex that was later used for Buddhism. It is the largest religious monument in the world. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura (present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Breaking from the Shaiva tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture and has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag and the back of the 20,000-riel banknote.
Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early Dravidian architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall of 3.6 kilometres long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.
Day 6/Wed: Siem Reap (B/L)
Visit Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm in the morning and have the afternoon at leisure after lunch.
Angkor Thom (literally: great city) was established in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII as the capital of the Khmer Empire. It covers an area of 9 km² and includes several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by Jayavarman and his successors. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride. Angkor Thom was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman’s state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.
Ta Prohm, originally called Rajavihara, is the modern name of the temple built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found. The photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings has made it one of Angkor’s most popular temples with visitors.
Day 7/Thu: Siem Reap (B/L)
After breakfast, we drive 25 km to Banteay Srei (Citadel of Women), a 10th-century temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale but the stone carvings are magnificent. On the way back to the hotel, we stop by a village for a better look at the local rural life.
Day 8/Fri: Siem Reap – Luang Prabang (B/D)
We plan to fly to Luang Prabang in the morning but due to limited flight availability we may have to wait till afternoon. It is also possible that our flight includes a brief layover in Pakse, which would stretch our travel time to 3 hours and 20 minutes. Additional activities may be arranged in Siem Reap or Luang Prabang depending on flight schedule.
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King Fa Ngum. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013. The population of the country is estimated to be around 7.5 million as of 2022.
Day 9/Sat: Luang Prabang (B/L)
Strategically located at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers, Luang Prabang is the capital of Luang Prabang Province and the fourth largest city in Laos with a population of 50,000. Laos became a French protectorate in 1893. Following a period of turmoil during which the country was divided into three independent kingdoms, Luang Prabang once again became the royal and religious capital during the reign of King Sisavang Vong (r. 1904- 1945). The city played this role until Vientiane became the administrative capital in 1946. In 1995, the old town of Luang Prabang was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as “an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries”. The unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions. Luang Prabang is known for both its historical sites and natural beauty.
We rise at dawn to go out and witness an extraordinary ritual – the procession of monks emerging from temples to seek alms from local residents. This traditional food collection ceremony by monks early in the morning, known as tak bat among locals, has become a major attraction to tourists.
After breakfast, we set out for the National Museum, former royal residence built at the turn of the 20th century. We then visit the Wat Mai, the largest and most decorated Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang. A drive through the scenic countryside leads us to the Tad Kouang Si waterfalls, tumbling over limestone formations to create turquoise-colored pools; the natural footpaths here are perfect for hiking.
On the way back to Luang Prabang, we stop by a Hmong village. The Hmong are an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. During the first and second Indochina Wars, France and the United States governments recruited thousands of Hmong people in Laos to fight against invading military forces from North Vietnam and communist Pathet Lao insurgents.
Day 10/Sun: Luang Prabang – Vientiane (B/L)
We begin today with a visit to a morning market where locals go for their daily food supplies. The exotic spices and food will keep your eyes busy.
After breakfast we drive to a communal rice farm set in idyllic countryside for a better understanding of farming life in this landlocked country. You are invited to try your hand at various farm activities. There is also time to check out nearby workshops of bamboo weavers, blacksmiths and sugar cane processors.
Following lunch, we ride the new express train to Vientiane (2 hours).
Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos with a population estimated at around 900,000, roughly 12% of the country’s total of 7.43 million. Vientiane, literally meaning “walled city of sandalwood”, was likely first established as a settlement in the 4th century BCE, though this is still debated by scholars. Vientiane did not gain prominence until 1563 when King Setthathirath (1534-1571), one of the greatest rulers in Laos’ history, made it the capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom (1353-1707).
Day 11/Mon: Vientiane – Bangkok (B)
Our half-day tour in Vientiane includes Wat Sisaket (a Siamese style temple features a wall with thousands of miniature Buddha statues), Wat Phra Keo (used as a museum displaying Lao and Khmer works of art), COPE Visitor Centre (to learn the efforts on helping landmine victims), and Patuxai (a memorial monument inspired by Arc de Triomphe in Paris).
We board a late afternoon flight for Bangkok. The flight time can be anywhere between 1 hour and 1 hours 25 minutes depending on aircraft in use.
Located in Chao Phraya River delta, Bangkok is the capital and the most populous city of Thailand, with a population of 10 million within the city proper or just over 15% of the country’s total.
Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew in size and became the site of two capital cities: Thonburi in 1768 and Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of Siam’s (as Thailand used to be known) modernization during the later 19th century, as the country faced pressure from the West. The city was the centre stage of Thailand’s political struggles throughout the 20th century, as the country abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule and underwent numerous coups and uprisings. The city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s.
Day 12/Tue: Bangkok (B/D)
We begin our sightseeing today at the royal Grand Palace. Established in 1782, the palace was dramatically expanded throughout successive reigns. The king and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925.
We then proceed to the Wat Pho, which is one of the 6 highest grade royal temples in Thailand. The temple complex houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, including a 46-metre-long reclining Buddha.
Afternoon sightseeing takes in Wat Arun, a Buddhist temple on the Chao Phraya River. The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. Wat Arun is among the best-known of Thailand’s landmarks.
We conclude the day with a relaxing cruise aboard a long-tail boat that plies Chao Phraya River and the canals of Thonburi. This is a perfect way to watch the skyline of Bangkok and to observe the local life.
Day 13/Wed: Bangkok – Home City (B)
The tour ends today. Transfer to the airport for your return flight. If you choose to extend your stay, taxi fare to get to the airport should cost around $12 US. Transfer to the airport by Airport Rail Link is much cheaper – $2 per person. Arrive home the same day after crossing the International Date Line.
Hotel List
| City | Nights | Hotel | Category |
| Phnom Penh | 3 | La Rose Suites | 5-star/luxury |
| Siem Reap | 3 | Victoria Angkor Resort | 5-star/luxury |
| Luang Prabang | 2 | Victoria Xieng Thong or similar | 5-star/luxury |
| Vientiane | 1 | Lao Plaza Hotel | 5-star/luxury |
| Bangkok | 2 | Sofitel Sukhumvit | 5-star/luxury |
Dates & Prices
discount available
Prices are person based on double occupancy. See Terms & Conditions for cancellation penalty.
| Depart (Fri) |
Return (Wed) |
Land Only CA$/US$ |
Single Supplement CA$/US$ |
| 2024 | |||
| 01-Nov | 13-Nov | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
| 08-Nov | 20-Nov | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
| 15-Nov | 27-Nov | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
| 22-Nov | 04-Dec | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
| 29-Nov | 11-Dec | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
| 2025 | |||
| 17-Jan | 29-Jan | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
| 24-Jan | 05-Feb | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
| 14-Feb | 26-Feb | $4830/$3630 | $1990/$1480 |
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What the tour price includes:
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What the tour price excludes:
See Terms & Conditions for more information. |
Passport
For this tour, you’ll need a passport that has at least four (4) blank visa pages and six (6) months validity at the end of the trip.
Visa
Thailand does not require visa for stays less than 30 days. Cambodian and Laotian e-visa can be easily obtained online. Please wait till within 30 days of travel to apply and feel free to ask for us for assistance. If you apply on your own, be sure to deal with the appropriate authorities directly and avoid any middleman. Some of the middlemen may use domain names ending with .org to trick the public.
Cambodia Tourist e-Visa: US$36
https://www.evisa.gov.kh/
Laos Tourist e-visa: US$50
https://laoevisa.gov.la/
Immunization
Visitors may be asked to show proof of vaccinations against COVID-19 prior to or on arrival. COVID testing prior to arrival is no longer required.
We are not aware of any other inoculation requirements and we suggest you visit the websites of your national government’s disease control centre and pertinent embassies in your country for the latest. We recommend all of our guests to be vaccinated against hepatitis A.
Tips on Staying Healthy
Do not drink from the tap when you travel. Ask for bottled or boiled water when eating in restaurants. When buying bottled water from street vendors, especially at tourist sites, make sure the cap is properly sealed because some vendors may be selling tap water in recycled bottles.
Try to avoid uncooked food. Raw food, even clean, may still cause stomach upset or diarrhea.
Always carry a roll of toilet paper and a bottle of hand sanitizer containing more than 60% of alcohol, no matter where you go.
Always have an N95 type of facemask ready. Passengers sitting next to you may be sick and cough loud but wear nothing to cover their mouth. This was a big problem before the pandemic that may return soon.
Banknotes in general are filthy and carry all kinds of germs. Minimize your contact with local banknotes and coins by keeping them in a plastic bag and sanitize your hands every time you touch them. Use plastic for payment as much as possible.
Currency & Credit Card
Cambodia currency: Riel (KHR)
Laos currency: Kip (LAK)
Thai currency: Baht (THB)
Please keep your inventory of local currencies to the minimum. Your tour fare covers all the expensive items already. You only need some local cash, which can be easily obtained as you go, for souvenirs and meals not included in the tour price.
Consider using a credit card for transactions over $20. Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted throughout Southeast Asia. Street vendors in Cambodia prefer U.S. dollars to their own currency but you should exercise caution if you want to play along. Merchants in more prosperous Thailand only accept their own currency if you pay by cash.
Travel Insurance – When to Buy
We will save your deposit as credit if you cancel at any time and for any reason. The transferrable credit has no expiration date. Therefore, it may be unnecessary to pay $30 to $50 on cancellation insurance for your deposit.
However, you should definitely consider purchasing trip cancellation & emergency medical insurance when your balance is due. If you don’t have proper coverage, the loss could be devastating if you were forced to cancel close to your departure date or run into a serious medical emergency during the trip. Please ask us for insurance quotes when your balance is due.