Example Itinerary
Pack your bags and head to Southeast Asia a thrilling journey through some of the area’s most incredible sights. Begin the 15-day tour by walking through the streets of Hanoi, a city where timeless French architecture meets elegant Vietnamese pagodas. Continue to Ha Long Bay and sail to picturesque islands and remote caves. On board your cruise ship, learn the calming martial art of Tai Chi and feel your stress melt away. Return to land and travel to the scenic towns of Mai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien Phu, Sapa and more. In the gorgeous countryside, prepare to be spellbound by the miles of rich green rice fields, endless forests and misty mountains. Fly to Cambodia and uncover Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. Here, you’ll trek through many ancient abandoned temples and learn about Khmer history and culture.
This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.Fly into the gorgeous capital of Hanoi and settle in at your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the fascinating city on your own. See where the East and West meet as Hanoi blends Vietnamese and French culture together. In the evening, take a stroll around the city and admire the many timeless buildings built in European style.
Begin the day with an unforgettable tour of Hanoi and see the unique stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived. After the tour of his home, walk through his alluring garden and carp-filled pond. Continue on to the unbelievable one-pillar pagoda, the Tran Quoc Pagoda and the Temple of Literature. In the afternoon, appreciate art at its finest at the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts, followed by a stop at the beautiful Ngoc Son Temple, which sits on the stunning Hoan Kiem Lake. Travel to the Old Quarter, a maze of streets bustling with thousands of shops and enjoy a cyclo tour through the busy roads. The excursion will finish with an extraordinary performance at the Water Puppet Theatre in the early evening.
After breakfast, take a 3-hour drive to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Indulge in delicious Vietnamese cuisine at a local buffet before boarding a cruise ship that will take you to the picturesque towns of Hon Gai, Cam Pha and the fishing village of Vung Vieng. After a day of sightseeing, enjoy some free time once back on the ship. We recommend kayaking into the floating village or swim in the cool waters of the bay.
In the early morning, try a Tai Chi class on the deck. After, the ship will take you to Lan Ha Bay, a destination famous for its many scenic limestone mountains. We will stop on Cat Ba island, where you’ll have the opportunity to cycle around or kayak off its shore. Continue to the Three Peach Beach and take a dip in the crystal blue waters. Be sure to work up an appetite for a freshly-caught seafood lunch. Later, sail where few have journeyed and visit the Ho Ba Ham Islet, the most secluded point in Lan Ha Bay. In the evening, watch an impressive Vietnamese cooking demonstration onboard your accommodating ship.
Start your day with another rejuvenating Tai Chi session. After breakfast, cruise by the gorgeous landscapes of the Trong Grotto and the Trinh Nu Caves. Next, you’ll visit the natural beauty of the Coc Ngoi Islet and the Sung Sot Cave, the largest and most breathtaking in Ha Long Bay. In the afternoon, head back to Hanoi and stay the night there.
Travel 4 hours to one of Vietnam’s best kept secrets and discover Mai Chau, a region with an abundance of misty mountains, lush green rice paddies and old fashioned villages. After a tasty local lunch, use your free time to unwind and take in the tranquility of the Mai Chau Valley. Here, you’ll experience traditional Vietnamese culture and stay overnight in a homestay at a local village.
Kick off the day with a scenic 4-hour drive to Son La and lose yourself in an ocean of rice fields. Keep your eyes open for the traditional markets in the Black Tai villages and a tea growing region in the mountains. The ride will continue to the forest home of the Hmong people, an Asian ethnic group who take pride in their culture and independence. Shortly after, we will arrive in Son La in the early evening.
Spend the day in Dien Bien Phu (2 hours away) and tour the Army Museum. After the museum, make your way to A1 Hill, the historic site where Vietnamese and French forces battled in 1946. Continue hiking up the hills and stop at the top to take in the amazing view of the city.
Experience another lovely 8-hour drive and watch the fertile green valleys and beautiful mountains pass you by as we travel to the quaint town of Sapa. Sapa is rich in cultural diversity because many ethnic minorities live in and around the rustic town. You’ll arrive in the late afternoon, and you may use the remainder of the day to experience Sapa’s rugged scenery.
Head to Ban Khoang and walk through the pastoral village to experience the life of Vietnamese locals. Continue on to the Ta Giang Phin Valley where the Black Hmong people live in various settlements. Here, you will visit different hamlets and watch men harvest crops and women sew traditional gowns. This evening, you’ll return to Sapa, where we board an overnight train back to Hanoi.
Say goodbye to Vietnam and board a flight to Siem Reap. After hotel check in, take the rest of the day to sightsee the famous Cambodian city on your own. Consider visiting the Angkor National Museum, where exhibits tell the history of Khmer culture and the Angkor complex. We recommend one of the following luxurious hotels: Amansara, La Residence d’Angkor, Park Hyatt Siem Reap, or Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor.
Experience the expedition of a lifetime and spend the day at Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After, visit the ancient royal city of Angkor Thom and walk through the South Gate, where large statues welcome visitors. In the afternoon, discover the Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, the Phimeanakas Hindu temple, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Finish the day with a boat ride on a majestic Angkor Gondola and catch the sun setting over Angkor Thom.
Today, you are headed to see the Banteay Srei temple, one of the best examples of classical Khmer art. Next, travel to the secluded Beng Mealea temple situated in the thick jungle and trek through the abandoned sanctuary. After a picnic lunch in the wilderness, continue to the ancient town of Koh Ker and uncover more deserted monuments.
Begin the day with an excursion to Chong Khneas, a floating village on the outskirts of Siem Reap. Sail on the beautiful Tonle Sap Lake in a traditional wooden boat. Once on land, walk through the village and stop at the school of the Chantier Ecoles where locals learn the art of stone carving, wood ornamental sculpture, furniture making and more. Next, enjoy a stroll through the lively local market and dine at a nearby restaurant for lunch.
On your last day, use your free time to see the rest of Siem Reap. We recommend taking a tour of the Angkor Silk Farm. Learn the incredible silk making process as you watch Cambodians take a cocoon and turn it into a high quality thread with traditional weaving techniques. Head to Siem Reap International Airport, where we say farewell.
Price is based on double or twin hotel room occupancy and includes accommodation, transfers, car/driver, English-speaking guide, activities and entrance fees, breakfasts and some casual lunches while touring. Flights and optional special activities will be quoted separately. Most personal expenses, including dinners, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments and gratuities can be paid on the spot while traveling. Prices may vary depending on season, choice of accommodation and other factors.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
An Asia-focused magazine brought to you by Remote Lands – a platform for adventure, luxury, and authenticity from experts and explorers around the continent.
Travelogues boards the lavish Aqua Mekong for a four-day expedition from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, a luxury cruise on Tonle Sap.
When you’re about to engage in a live land mine field you’d better wear your halo, as in the orb which hovers over beings from the angelic realm. Following in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie and Princess Diana, I went to visit a land mine dig in Cambodia. I brought along my family for moral support.
Angkor Wat normally comes to mind when one thinks of Khmer architecture, but perhaps its truest modern form is found in Cambodia’s capital, where the Phnom Penh palace makes for early morning inspiration.
Here is a small selection of the kind words our guests have said about us, as well as features by journalists and travel writers.
From the moment I happened upon the REMOTE LANDS website over a year ago, browsed the options, I knew that this would be well worth it. The entire staff is nothing less than professional with service that made us feel like royals.
This was truly the trip of a lifetime. Magical destinations, the most luxurious hotels in the world, and the most wonderful travel companions we could’ve wished for. We were treated like family everywhere we went and we have 14 new best friends.
We have used some of the top rated travel specialists all over the world and, without question, Catherine Heald and Remote Lands are at the very top of the list!
