Ultimate Asia – Singapore, Cambodia and Thailand

Highlights

Experience all the big hits of Southeast Asia on this unforgettable voyage through Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia. Beginning with three nights in the eclectic and futuristic Lion City, a highly modern and accessible city that makes a great warm-up for the Asian adventures to come. A greater contrast could not be found with your next destination, the breathtaking ancient ruins of Angkor Wat, with a three-night stay in Cambodia’s second city Siem Reap. You’ll then fly back over to neighboring Thailand, splitting your time equally between bouncing Bangkok, charming Chiang Mai, and blissful Phuket. This action-packed tour is privately guided throughout and easily tailored to suit honeymoons, family adventures, or cultural exploration.

DAY 1 Singapore: Arrival into Singapore Changi International Airport

You’ll be met in the arrivals hall of Singapore Changi Airport by a private driver, who will then lead you to a private vehicle and transfer you to your downtown hotel.

The Lion City’s cityscape is a mix of sci-fi skyscrapers and heritage shophouses, proudly showing the exotic mix of Chinese, British, Tamil, and Malay influences which made the city. Once arrived at the hotel you have the remainder of the day to recuperate after your flight. You might want to relax with a drink in one of the rooftop restaurants overlooking the Singapore River or walk in one of the city’s heritage neighborhoods; when it comes time to dine, the incredible cuisine reflects the melding of cultures, with a wide range of delicious options.

DAY 2 Singapore: Walking tour of the Lion City

This morning you’ll meet a local guide for a half-day tour of downtown Singapore. Begin with a drive through the ‘Civic District’, which calls back to colonial Singapore, with its elegant Cricket Club, Supreme Court, old Parliament House, and City Hall. From here it is a few steps down to the Singapore River and a photo stop at Merlion Park, which looks back to Clarke Quay on one side and across to futuristic Marina Bay on the other.

You’ll then sample the collision of old and new Singapore in Chinatown, where you’ll see atmospheric shophouses sitting in the shadow of soaring skyscrapers. Sample the city’s eclectic diversity as you browse carpets and batiks, exotic perfumes and rattan baskets, and sample Teh Halia, a ginger tea. Finish the tour with a visit to the National Orchid Garden, set within the excellent Singapore Botanic Gardens, where you’ll find our 60,000 orchid plants, including Singapore’s national flower the Vanda Miss Joaquim.

Your guide will leave you at this point, with the rest of the day yours to continue exploring independently.

DAY 3 Singapore: Day at leisure in Singapore

Singapore is one of the world’s most modern and highly developed cities with a public transport system to rival anywhere in the world. The MRT (subway) and bus systems are cheap and quick, with various apps available to make getting around as easy as possible. Fleets of taxis swarm throughout the city center. English is the island’s first language, spoken fluently by all and seen on all signage.

Part of the fun of any stay here is spending a day or two exploring under your own steam. In Singapore’s downtown neighborhoods you’ll find bustling markets, art galleries, and independent designers. Beyond the city center, you’ll find protected reserves with canopy walkways, scenic nature trails, and abundant flora and fauna, as well as a wealth of public parks and reserves island-wide. The crown jewel of Singapore’s green scene is the Singapore Botanic Gardens – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – with the iconic Gardens by the Bay, and smaller Chinese and Japanese Gardens also warranting a dedicated visit.

The food scene of course needs no introduction. Singapore’s infamous hawker centers can be found in every neighborhood, serving up the world’s best cheap eats 24/7. For a high contrast, enjoy one of the city’s many high-class dining destinations, with some 44 Michelin-starred restaurants to choose from. First-hand food experiences include an array of cooking classes and passionately guided food walks.

DAY 4 Siem Reap: Fly to Siem Reap; Evening Phare Cambodian circus

After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll be transferred back to Singapore Changi Airport, where you’ll board a 90-minute flight over the border to Cambodia, landing in Siem Reap – home to the temples of Angkor. You’ll be greeted on arrival by your private English-speaking guide, and then private driver, and together they will transfer you to your nearby hotel.

While best-known for the temples and ruins of Angkor, once the world’s largest and greatest pre-industrial city, Siem Reap also offers opportunities to explore museums, markets, and buzzing nightlife. Once checked in you will have the remainder of the day free to rest and recuperate at the hotel, or jump in a tuk-tuk and head out to explore.

In the evening you’ll be taken to enjoy Siem Reap’s finest contemporary spectacle – the Phare circus. Tightrope walkers, contortionists, and acrobats take to the stage for a dynamic artistic spectacle that blends visual art, music, dance, and circus skills. Phare arose from Battambang-based NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak, with all proceeds from the Siem Reap event going back to their mission of skilling impoverished children in the arts and performance. The NGO’s impact on rural Cambodia is genuinely remarkable, and the show itself hugely entertaining, so on all counts the 90-minute show (with private transfers to and from included) is an inspiring and invaluable use of your time.

DAY 5 Siem Reap: Sunrise at Angkor Wat; Afternoon tour of the Bayon and Angkor Thom

This morning you will visit Angkor Wat, the mother of all temples. Timings are flexible but we recommend visiting at dawn, seeing the sun climb over the temple, and bathe it in the softest and best light of the day. Angkor Wat is reputed to be the largest religious complex in the world. Constructed over 30 years during the reign of Suryavarman II, it was originally a Hindu mountain temple, then later converted to Buddhist use in the 16th century, remaining in such use today. The sheer scale of Angkor Wat, coupled with the incredible complexity and detail of its bas reliefs, is difficult to comprehend. Spend as much time as you need exploring in the company of your guide before returning to your hotel to relax.

In the afternoon your guide will take you on a walking tour through the mighty Angkor Thom – literally ‘Great City’. Start at the imposing Victory Gate, then continue along the 5m high former city walls to the ‘Death Gate’ and then the Terrace of the Leper King. A further short walk from the Buddhist sanctuary of Preah Palilay takes you through shaded woodland to the three tiers of Phimeanakas, flanked by beautiful lakes, and then to the Hindu temple Baphuon. The big finish arrives in the exact center of Angkor Thom at the Bayon, former state temple of Jayavarman VII. The Bayon is known for its captivating bas relief faces, carved in their hundreds, each telling a different story of daily life and epic events in the time of Angkor. End the day with a leisurely boat ride on the moat of Angkor Thom, enjoying the sunset with cocktail in hand.

DAY 6 Bangkok: Morning tour of Tonle Sap, then fly to Bangkok; Evening street food tour

After an early breakfast you will head out to the great Tonle Sap Lake: the richest fresh water fishing ground in the world, and a Cambodian national treasure. A privately guided boat tour will introduce you to the communities that live around the margins of the lake, who adapt to the continual variation in water levels by building their homes on floating stilts. Take the opportunity to pause at the stilted houses to learn how a subsistence fishing family lives, before returning to shore, where you will find a picnic lunch has been prepared for you.

You’ll then be transferred straight to Siem Reap Airport in time to board a short flight over to Bangkok. On arrival, you’ll be met by a new local guide and driver team and then transferred to your hotel to have some time to relax.

Your guide will meet you again in the early evening, and you’ll then set off together on a voyage of culinary discovery. Traveling by tuk-tuk, you’ll whizz through the buzzing city streets and sample the best street food the city has to offer, including an authentic Isan (northern Thai) restaurant, a Michelin-listed chicken noodle stall, and a vendor who claims to serve up the best pad thai in the city.

In between bites, you’ll enjoy an intriguing nighttime visit to Wat Pho, and a walk through the colorful flower market nearby. The evening finishes with a drink at a secret bar down on the river bank, facing the glittering Temple of Dawn. Your guide will drop you back at your hotel – unless of course, you prefer to stay out and keep the night rolling!

DAY 7 Bangkok: Full day city tour – highlights and hidden corners

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up by your guide and head out to discover the magnificent Thai capital.

This morning will concentrate on the city’s key highlights. First travel by private car to Wat Traimit, where you’ll be dazzled by the world’s largest solid gold Buddha. Then continue to Wat Pho, with its remarkable reclining Buddha, and then the Grand Palace, an icon of Thailand and the most famous sight in the country. Spend the morning exploring these culturally important sites in-depth, learning about the country’s regal history and the deep-rooted spiritual traditions of its people.

In the afternoon you’ll move across to Yaowarat Road – Bangkok’s Chinatown. Visit tea shops, temples, and shophouses that have still retain an old-world charm, rubbing elbows with the locals at vibrant markets while browsing stalls overflowing with fresh produce and dry goods. Pay a visit to the nearby Bangkok Folk Museum; located in a seventy-year-old house, the museum has a small but fascinating collection of historic items and displays.

Then delve even deeper into local Bangkok life, taking a typical long-tail boat into the quiet canals (khlongs) of Thonburi, on the more traditional and less-visited western side of the Chao Phraya. Pass by houses built on stilts and see how local life takes place on the water.

Today’s final stop is at glittering Wat Arun – arguably Bangkok’s most attractive temple. Admire the incredible glazed pottery inlaid in this towering stupa, and learn about its spiritual connections with the city. On the opposite side of the river, facing elegant Wat Arun, are numerous terrace bars which make a fine spot for a post-tour sundowner.

DAY 8 Chiang Mai: Fly to Chiang Mai; Afternoon walking tour

This morning your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel and then drop you back at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport, where you’ll board a short domestic flight up to Thailand’s northern capital, Chiang Mai.

Thailand’s second city and capital of the north, Chiang Mai is an absolute must for first-time visitors to Thailand. Its higher elevation means it enjoys a cooler climate than Bangkok, and it has a more laid-back atmosphere too, with more of a sleepy town feel than a bustling capital. The historic city interior houses over 300 temples, and you’ll also find lively markets, cooking classes, craft stores, and fantastic street food.

You’ll be received on arrival a new private guide and driver, then taken to your hotel to check-in. Once freshened up, head back out with your guide to explore the city. Begin with a drive up to the peak of Doi Suthep mountain, overlooking the city. A steady walk up through Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple takes you past some wonderful Naga carvings and out to a 14th-century mountain-top pagoda.

Come back down from the mountain and then enjoy a walking tour through the heart of the Old City, taking in the best of the city’s ancient temples and also passing through an eclectic mix of ancient lanes, bustling markets, crumbling city walls, and majestic royal monuments.

DAY 9 Chiang Mai: Full day at Elephant Conservation Center

This morning you’ll travel out in the countryside, around an hour north of Chiang Mai, where you’ll find the Elephant Nature Park.

Our pick of Chiang Mai’s many elephant centers, the Elephant Nature Park has excellent conservation credentials, rescuing former working elephants and providing a beautiful natural environment for their rehabilitation. The park runs a ‘hand’s off’ visitor program, during which you can observe these beautiful creatures up close and help out with daily park activities – such as feeding, bathing, playing, and washing – but there is no riding offered. The day will also involve a tour of the verdant park grounds and the opportunity to meet other rescued species under the park’s care, such as buffalo, dogs, cats, horses, and tropical birds.

You’ll be out and about with the elephants for much of the day and likely to join them in their daily dip, so please make sure to bring sunscreen, mosquito repellent, a hat, and a change of clothes! Lunch is included during your visit.

DAY 10 Chiang Mai: Full day tuk-tuk tour around the Chiang Mai countryside

Today you’ll head out of the city again into the stunning valley of Mae Wang, around an hour outside of the city. Here you’ll meet a local guide and embark on an enthralling tuk-tuk tour of the Thai countryside – a day trip that is quite simply unlike anything else in Thailand!

These tuk tuk tours are both thoughtfully curated and lots of fun. Staying well away from the usual tourist traps, you’ll visit rural communities and temples to get a glimpse of true Northern Thailand. You’ll learn about the future of Thailand’s elephants at a fantastic small elephant home, float gently downriver on a bamboo raft, and travel remote country roads in your very own bright orange Tuk Tuk.

Lunch is included at a small local restaurant along the way, and you’ll be dropped back in central Chiang Mai late afternoon, with the rest of the day yours to explore independently.

DAY 11 Phuket: Fly down to Phuket, transfer to your luxury beach resort

After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll be transferred back to Chiang Mai Airport, where you’ll board your 90-minute flight down to Phuket. Thailand’s largest and most famous island is home to some of the country’s most enticing beach resorts. There are around 30 noted beaches, all featuring powdery white sands and cerulean seas, with visitors able to choose from busier or quieter locales dependent on their interest. Interior Phuket offers a huge array of amenities and activities, with opportunities to indulge in legendary Thai massage, dine on fresh-caught seafood, hike in the interior, arrange water sports, or enjoy lots of great shopping.

DAY 12 Phuket: Phang Nga Bay speedboat tour

Today you’ll embark on an enthralling day tour around the spectacular islands of Phang Nga Bay. Traveling in style, you’ll be taken by speedboat around a series of remarkable limestone outcrops, taking in Talu Cave, the fishing village of Tak Dad, the 150-year-old Muslim village of Koh Panyi, and the natural beauty of Panak Island. A further highlight will be a visit to Tapu Island, now known better as James Bond island following its starring role in ‘The Man With Golden Gun’.

In between these stops you’ll pause at an isolated cove for a picnic lunch on the beach. There will also be ample time to sunbathe and to swim and snorkel amongst incredibly clear waters and pristine coral.

DAY 13 Phuket: Day at leisure in Phuket

Today is free to relax and enjoy Phuket. There are many excellent facilities on offer at your hotel, plus of course the magnificent beach, but should you wish to stay active we have a few ideas in mind. Another speedboat trip could take you out to the Phi Phi islands, or to dive or snorkel again in Phang Nga Bay. Staying on the island, dramatic hikes are available in the jungly mountainous interior, or you might like to indulge in some cultural immersion with a cooking class or village walk. Alternatively, head to one of the livelier beaches on the island for lots of shopping, dining, and nightlife opportunities. Make sure to ask your expert for their recommendations on how best to spend this day!

DAY 14 Phuket: Departure day

Today your adventures in Thailand must come to an end. At the appropriate time, you’ll be transferred privately from your beach resort to Phuket Airport, arriving in good time to check-in for your onward flight.