The Back Roads of Cambodia, Laos and Thailand

Depart your home country on your flight to Chiang Mai.

On arrival in Chiang Mai, meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel. Spend your first afternoon here getting acquainted with the city on an introductory walk through Old Chiang Mai. Venture out to explore sacred temples, ancient ruins and markets by songthaew, long-tail boat and bicycle. Spend your second day out in the countryside as you walk through the forest, passing tea and coffee fields before observing jungle life from a unique perspective.

It’s about two hours north to the neighbouring province of Phayao today. Visit the Thai Lua community, an ethnic minority of Thai people from southern China. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get to know the people, learn about their fascinating history and see how they have retained traditional ways of life. Visit their temple, wander through the village, help cook food and enjoy a traditional dinner with community members.

You’ll travel an hour or so to Phayao town, stopping on the way to admire Buddha carvings in the cliffs at a temple. Take a trip in a Thai-style punt on the lake before visiting Wat Analayo, with its exceptional views of the lake and relaxing gardens. Continue to the village of Ban Dok Bua to spend a night in a homestay. In this community, the people live by being economically self-sufficient and organic farming is practised. Enjoy dinner with your homestay host family and learn how they maintain this self-sufficient lifestyle.

Gain a deeper understanding of how the community withhold their traditional ways of life, visit a composting enterprise, see how rice husks are used as a cooking fuel, and how bamboo is made into various handicraft products. You’ll also board a Thai-style farm tractor for a ride around the village and up into the hills, taking in the tranquillity and beautiful scenery.

In the afternoon, transfer by road to Chiang Rai and check in to your contemporary resort.

Today you’ll travel by car towards Oudomxay with scenic stops along the way, arrive in time for lunch and check-in at your off-the-beaten-track resort set amongst a protected forest. Surrounded by mountains and jungle, this is a wonderful base for exploring the area.

This area sees few visitors, making for a very serene environment and the opportunity to experience day-to-day village life without feeling that you are just one of many tourists passing through.  For adventurous types, there is some excellent trekking in the jungle-clad hills and, for those who prefer to take it a bit easier, there are some lovely easy walks that could wind up with a picnic at a waterfall or a trip to the local hot springs.

Today your guide and driver will take you to Muang Khoua on the banks of the Nam Ou River. Here you’ll board a private boat for the first day of the river journey downstream to Luang Prabang. The initial part of the journey takes around 2.5 hours towards the Nam Ou Dam, where you’ll cross to another private boat for the second part of the journey towards Nong Khiaw. The scenery en route is remarkable so enjoy sitting back and just taking it all in. The boat stops along the way for swimming and to visit riverside villages. On arrival in Nong Khiaw, you’ll transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay.

The beautiful area around Nong Khiaw is excellent to explore by bike or kayak. The hotel has bicycles available for hire, so you could choose to head out with your guide to the picturesque local limestone caves.

In the afternoon, you’ll continue your journey downstream to Luang Prabang, passing more spectacular mountain scenery as the Nam Ou meets the Mekong River. The famous Pak Ou caves are situated near the confluence, and you can visit them if you choose. Later in the afternoon, you’ll reach Luang Prabang – the river route is a lovely way to arrive at one of Asia’s most romantic and beautifully preserved cities.

Say goodbye to Laos and take the short flights from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap in Cambodia. On arrival, you’ll be met by your local guide.

Each day here will be designed around your particular interests – to ensure you have the best possible experience of this remarkable area.  On one day, we might suggest focusing on the more remote temples such as Beng Melea, another day an early start for sunrise over the Tonle Sap Lake, followed by the more famous temples like Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Bayon. A local restaurant or picnic lunches will be included, as will plenty of time to relax.  You might also like to get to grips with the Cambodian food scene; an after-dark food tour by Vespa is a fantastic way to do this.

Phnom Penh is a city of contrasts where history, art, and modern life coexist. Start by visiting S21 with your guide to understand the haunting legacy of Cambodia’s history before continuing to Wat Phnom, a 14th-century temple that marks the city’s foundation. Wander through the French colonial district, visit local markets, and explore Phnom Penh’s growing art scene, from modern galleries to street art. 

Take a food tour through hidden corners of the city, or you could choose to step outside Phnom Penh for a private cooking class with Chef Nak, where you’ll learn to prepare traditional Cambodian dishes.  

With your guide and driver, you’ll begin the journey to the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia’s remote South West. You will take a short boat trip along a peaceful river until you get to Canvas and Orchids, where you will have three nights to relax, explore and take in the idyllic surroundings. A variety of activities based around the waterways and its surrounding nature and wildlife are available.

It’s barely an hour to the Thai border, where you’ll cross into Thailand. Your destination will either be Koh Chang or Koh Kood. Both islands are reached from a jetty near the city of Trat. Unlike other Thai islands, Koh Kood, in particular, still feels relatively unexplored and is idyllic. Spend four nights here, relaxing on the quiet and untouched white sand beaches.

Take a short flight from Trat to Bangkok and return to fast living! Spend two nights at Ariyasom Villa, a stunning boutique hotel in the heart of Bangkok. A personal guide is included to take you to the sites that take your fancy, from the Royal Palace to a boat trip through the never-ending waterways and, of course, the simply unbeatable food stalls!