Southeast Asia Family Journey

Arrive in the heat, hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, where scooters zip past temples and gleaming high rises. Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers to hear about the adventures ahead, then we enjoy a warm Vietnamese welcome over a group dinner at a local restaurant. Our hotel is in the heart of this vibrant city. If you want extra time here, you can arrange additional nights before the tour with your sales representative.

We set off early to beat the traffic and drive about two hours to the Cu Chi tunnels. Used by the Viet Cong, this remarkable network spans three levels and roughly 150 miles (240km). Some sections have been widened for visitors, so we can crawl through parts of the system and see makeshift kitchens, sleeping areas and even an underground hospital. Anyone with claustrophobia may prefer to remain above ground in the sunshine. The afternoon is free for your own exploration – the Saigon River, Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral are all within easy reach, and you can also visit the War Remnants Museum, which has a powerful photographic record of the Vietnam–American War.

This morning we leave the city for Vietnam’s rice bowl – the Mekong Delta – a fertile patchwork of orchards, rice fields, fish farms and cottage industries threaded by waterways. We visit Cai Be floating market to watch traditional trade on the river; it is smaller now as much produce moves by road, yet it remains a vivid slice of local life. A short boat ride takes us from Vinh Long to an island homestay, where we share dinner with our hosts and enjoy the tranquil Delta evening. We spend the night in simple, local style accommodation – bedding, a mosquito net and a small towel are provided – and sample home cooked dishes.

After breakfast at the homestay, we return by boat to Vinh Long and continue to Cai Rang floating market, one of the largest in the Delta – a riot of colour and fragrance. We then travel on to Chau Doc, a key trading town near the Cambodian border, set by the foothills of Sam Mountain. You may choose an optional trip up the mountain for sweeping views across the Mekong Delta and into Cambodia.

After breakfast, we leave Chau Doc for the Tinh Bien–Phnom Den land border and cross into rural Cambodia. We then continue to the picturesque riverside town of Kampot, a journey of around three to three and a half hours excluding immigration. En route we stop at La Plantation pepper farm in Kampot province. On arrival, we check into our centrally located hotel for two nights, take an orientation walk along the Kampot River, and you can opt for a sunset river cruise before an optional group dinner. Please note – electronic visas are not currently accepted at this border; you can obtain a visa on arrival and will need a passport photo and payment in US dollars.

This morning we drive about 25 minutes to Kep and pause at Kep Mountain in the national park for fine coastal views. The town still bears traces of the civil war in the ghostly shells of old villas. We then board a boat for the short hop to Koh Tonsai (Rabbit Island), fringed with palms and a petite beach that invites a swim or a lazy day on the sand. Alternatively, you may prefer to stay on Kep beach and feast on the day’s catch at simple seafood shacks – your tour leader will advise on both options.

This morning, if we did not fit it in yesterday, we explore the countryside around Kep to glimpse rural Cambodian life. In the afternoon we travel to Phnom Penh, the capital at the meeting point of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Tonle Bassac rivers. To get our bearings we take a sunset cyclo ride, then we enjoy dinner at a local riverside restaurant serving traditional Khmer cuisine.

This morning we visit the Royal Palace grounds, including the Silver Pagoda – one of Cambodia’s most sacred temples – home to an impressive array of gold, diamonds and other precious objects alongside traditional musical instruments. The rest of the day is free for your family to explore. You might browse local markets, relax in public gardens or visit the National Museum, set in a classic Khmer building with ancient and modern works – children can even feed the fish. Adults who wish to confront Cambodia’s recent history may choose to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which is not suitable for younger travellers; your leader can offer guidance and help with arrangements.

We travel by private air conditioned bus for approximately seven hours to Siem Reap, with several interesting stops that reveal everyday Cambodian life. We visit Santuk Silk Farm, which supports jobs in a poor rural community (closed on some major Khmer holidays), and explore Sambor Prei Kuk, one of the most impressive groups of pre Angkor era monuments in the country. We enjoy a traditional Khmer lunch at a community restaurant, then continue to Siem Reap, gateway to the Unesco listed Angkor complex, where we catch sunset at the temples for a first glimpse.

We make an early start for a fun cycle around the Angkor ruins. The ride is easy on mostly flat paths and quiet roads, covering about 30 kilometres – around 18.5 miles. Non cyclists can opt to ride in a local remork – motor rickshaw. On two wheels we slip away from the crowds, following backroads along the river, passing villages and into the Angkor park, then pedalling along the wall of Angkor Thom with its moat on one side and thick jungle on the other. We may pause to watch monkeys on the temple ruins. We finish with a visit to Angkor Wat, a masterpiece both architecturally and photographically. Tonight we attend Phare, The Cambodian Circus – modern Khmer tales told through theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling, aerial acts and contortion by performers who have gained international recognition.

Today is free for your own plans and your group leader can suggest and organise transport. If you missed it yesterday, you might visit the atmospheric jungle temple of Ta Prohm (Angkor pass required). You could also head into the countryside to the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity at the base of Kbal Spien Mountain, which shelters animals rescued from trafficking, passing rural villages en route where you can sample palm sugar sweets. On the return, you might call at exquisite Banteay Srey – the Citadel of the Women – renowned for intricate classical Khmer carvings in pink sandstone (Angkor pass required). For something active, you can try ziplining in the nearby canopy of Angkor Park, or visit the floating village on Tonle Sap Lake.

After breakfast we transfer to Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport for a flight of about 1 hour 5 minutes to Don Mueang (DMK) in Bangkok. Arriving early afternoon, we are met by our Thai tour leader at the airport, who stays with us for the remainder of the journey, and we transfer to our hotel. After checking in, our leader gives a short orientation walk near the hotel, then the rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore at leisure.

This morning a short walk brings us to the Chao Phraya River, where we board a longtail boat to cruise the khlongs of old Bangkok. Larger groups may be accommodated in a bigger boat. Afterwards we visit Wat Pho, home to the country’s largest reclining Buddha and guardian of the traditions behind Thai massage. The afternoon is free – you might visit the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, wander along lively Khao San Road, pick up last minute souvenirs, savour superb street food or delve into colourful Chinatown.

The tour ends in Bangkok this morning and we say our farewells. If you would like more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.