Our tour starts today in Thailand's capital, Bangkok. Here, old meets new, and the energetic local life - awash with street vendors, locals and tourists - is set against a backdrop of ornate shrines and modern skyscrapers. Sample fragrant street food, haggle in the non-stop markets and take a cruise out on the Chao Phraya River to witness stunning sunsets. For those arriving on time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 1pm for a welcome meeting. Afterwards, for those who want to join, there is an optional longtail canal trip to explore the city from its network of backwaters branching off the Chao Phraya River. The excursion will also include visits to Wat Arun, the Royal Barge Museum and the Temple of the Dawn, built to represent the towering slopes of Mount Meru - the Khmer's mythical home of the gods. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), which is one hour from our hotel. Please note, if you plan to join the optional longtail canal trip today, you'll need to arrive at the hotel by 1pm. If you're booking your own flights, we recommend giving yourself at least one hour to clear the airport. From the airport to the hotel is around a one-hour drive, therefore the latest your flight can arrive is 10am. From night markets to temples, Bangkok has so much to see and experience. Our itinerary allows us limited time to see the highlights so we highly recommend booking additional nights pre-tour to your trip. Alternatively, you might like to unwind on the beautiful beaches of Thailand with our premium beach extension to Koh Samet.

We have an early start this morning as we travel to Siem Reap. We take a private bus to Aranyaprathet/Poipet, the border of Thailand and Cambodia, where we change vehicles and travel onwards to the city of Siem Reap. Our Thai tour leader will accompany us to the border where we meet your Cambodian tour leader to continue our journey. Please note, today is a long travel day with around seven hours of driving plus an hour or two to deal with formalities at the border. Border crossings take time and require patience.

Today is free to explore the incredible jungle temple complex of the Angkor period, whose history covers 600 years, from the 9th through to the 15th centuries. Two of the best ways to explore are by bicycle or striking a deal with one of the many tuk tuks that ply their trade here. Obvious choices are the magnificent complex of Angkor Wat, the fortified city of Angkor Thom (home to the Bayon, with its mysterious giant faces) and the wonderfully overgrown and atmospheric Ta Prohm, set amidst tangled tree roots and lush jungle and famous as the setting for some of the Lara Croft film Tomb Raider. Other options include taking to the waters of the Roluos River, visiting the floating villages and local wat at Kompong Phluk and exploring the flooded forest and great lake of Tonle Sap. Those wishing to gain a little understanding of Cambodia's more recent past might like to seek out the fascinating Landmine Museum just to the south of Banteay Srei Temple. Set up in 1997 by a former Khmer Rouge soldier, the museum offers support for countless victims of landmines, as well as providing visitors with a poignant reminder of one of the country's most violent and tragic periods.

We have another free day today to explore Angkor. You might like to visit the Old Market where you can pick up trinkets and try local street food. You could also visit the APOPO Visitor Centre where you meet and observe rats trained to detect landmines.

We leave Siem Reap behind us today and travel on to Battambong (a journey of around three hours). Battambang lies along a route that has seen countless Thai and Khmer Rouge soldiers wind their way north and south, either in the pursuit of conquest or in the case of the Khmer Rouge to escape the invading Vietnamese in 1979. Though the town is the second largest in Cambodia, it has a laid-back feel with its leafy streets and colonial villas. Depending on our arrival time, we might have time to explore this afternoon, taking in the town's traditional temples and French-colonial architecture.

This morning, we'll take the public bus to the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. The journey takes around six hours and should get us into the city by mid-afternoon. Phnom Penh sits at the confluence of the Sap, Mekong and Bassac Rivers, a charming testament to the country's ancient and colonial past, with tree-lined boulevards and colonial villas dotted amongst the reminders of its turbulent history. The Cambodian capital since the mid-15th century, Phnom Penh's origins lie in the legend of four statues of Buddha, washed on the shores of the Mekong and discovered by a woman named Penh, which were later housed in the 14th-century Wat Phnom, located on a small hill at the northern end of the city. On arrival, we should have time to freshen up, before our tour leader takes us on a short orientation walk.

Today has been left free for you to continue exploring the city at your own pace. Phnom Penh offers a rich blend of cultural, historical, and atmospheric experiences. You can explore the National Museum, which houses a remarkable collection of Angkor-era statues, or visit the Royal Palace, a stunning example of French-influenced Khmer architecture. The palace, with its striking pagoda-style design, features golden nagas, vibrant tiles in hues of orange, sapphire, and green, and intricate scenes from the Ramayana painted on the ceiling. For a sobering glimpse into Cambodia's tragic past, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek offer poignant reminders of the horrors under the Khmer Rouge regime. The glass tower filled with skulls at Choeung Ek is a stark memorial to the 17,000 victims who perished there between 1975 and 1978, though these sites may be distressing for some visitors. If you're looking for a change of pace, take a scenic trip along the Mekong River or explore the bustling markets of the city, such as the Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Poung), known for its textiles, jewellery, and antiques. Alternatively, you can simply stroll through Phnom Penh's lively streets, soaking in the vibrant atmosphere and perhaps enjoying a refreshing drink at one of the charming old colonial riverfront bars.

This morning, we set off on the seven-hour journey to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly and still locally known as Saigon). We'll cross the border at Bavet (Cambodia) and Moc Bai (Vietnam). Lying to the north of the Mekong Delta, on the banks of the Saigon River, the city is the largest in Vietnam, an eclectic mix of the traditional and the new, where pagodas and markets compete alongside the trappings of Vietnam's newly discovered entrepreneurial spirit. Depending on our arrival time we plan to have a short orientation tour on foot, taking in some of the more obvious highlights, including the prominent Hotel de Ville, whose ornate grandeur is today the home of the city's People's Committee, as well as the Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral and the impressive French style edifice that is the GPO building (if we arrive too late, we'll take this tour tomorrow morning instead).

Today you're free to choose from several optional activities. You might like to visit the remarkable Reunification Palace and the emotive War Remnants Museum, which contains a fascinating, and at times chilling reminder of the cost of what the Vietnamese refer to as the American War. Or perhaps browse the bustling stalls of the Binh Tay Market, the largest wholesale market in southern Vietnam and a fabulous place to stroll and meet the locals. Another option is to visit the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground command base which was a major part of the 1968 Tet Offensive. If you're up to experiencing the claustrophobic conditions the Viet Cong lived in, there's the opportunity to crawl through a small, specially adapted section of the tunnels.

This morning, we transfer to the airport for our short flight to Danang in Central Vietnam. On arrival in Danang, we'll continue by charter bus to Hoi An. Given the early hour of our arrival, we might not be able to check in at our hotel so we plan to store our bags, have breakfast (not included) then embark on a walking tour of Hoi An. First colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Hoi An became one of the busiest international trading posts in southeast Asia and it retains the charm of a medieval port. Highlights include the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, a pagoda dedicated to the worship of Buddha and the 400-year-old Japanese bridge. We'll finish up at the colourful riverside market, a perfect setting for exploring and the rest of the day is free to enjoy as you wish.

Today is free to wander through the historic heart of this World Heritage Site at your leisure. Why not visit the early morning fish market and soak up the riot of noise and colour - a great opportunity for snapping photos. You could also visit the Japanese Bridge, Hoi An's emblematic symbol, believed to have been constructed to quell the violent rumblings of a restless monster. There are numerous traditional wooden houses and Chinese temples lining the streets to explore, too, as well as tailors' shops providing an incredibly cheap and quick service if you're in the market for a souvenir. As the roads are relatively quiet, you could also choose to hire a bike to explore the city and further afield. There's a good beach just a few kilometres from the town or alternatively set out to visit nearby villages. If you've already gotten a taste for Vietnamese cuisine, cooking classes are another option available in this popular traveller's hangout.

This morning sees us heading along the coastal road towards the historic setting of Hue, crossing part of the Truong Son Mountains and travelling via the Hai Van (Sea Cloud) Pass. This scenic region once marked the boundary between Vietnam and the Champa Kingdom to the south. Our journey should get us into the old imperial city around lunchtime, after which the rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace. Once the capital of Vietnam and an inspiration for poets and artists alike for centuries, Hue is divided by the waters of the Perfume River, which separate the city's 19th-century citadel from the suburbs that radiate from the eastern shore. Even today, its easy air of leisurely ambience makes it one of the most engaging cities in the country to explore.

You have more free time to enjoy Hue this morning and there's plenty to see. You could pay a visit to the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, home to the oldest monastery in the city. Dedicated to the Manushi- Buddha, within its confines you can find several superb Buddhist statues, as well as an enormous cast bell that you can supposedly hear over 10 kilometres away. Another alternative is to explore the Old Citadel that dominates the left bank of the Perfumed River. Built by the Nguyen dynasty, the Citadel was constructed to be an exact copy of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Farther afield, amongst the forested landscapes of the Perfume Valley, you can find the Royal Tombs of the Nguyen kings - an ideal destination to explore by bicycle. Later this afternoon, we'll head for the railway station to board the overnight train north to Hanoi, Vietnam's vibrant and historic capital. We plan to stay in 'soft-sleeper' four berth cabins, bunk bed style and bedding is provided. Both Western and Asian style toilets are at the end of each carriage as well as a basin. Our tour leader will allocate beds and will try to keep our group together as far as possible, however, it might be necessary to share with other travellers and passengers of a different gender.

Arriving in Hanoi in the early hours of this morning, we'll then drive for two hours to the Bay of Tonkin on Vietnam's northeast coast. Our destination is the island of Cat Ba, the largest island in the bay and a UNESCO Biosphere site. The island is made up of rolling hills, and towering cliffs and has a lush-forested interior which is pocketed with some impressive natural cave systems. After settling into our hotel, we'll set out to explore Cat Ba's green interior and some of its best caves. We first take a short, forested walkway to Trung Trang Cave which extends into the side of one of Cat Ba's many limestone cliffs. Next, we visit Hospital Cave, so-called as it was used as a shelter by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War and its 17 separate rooms included a working operating theatre and even a cinema. Finally, our afternoon's exploration winds up atop Cannon Fort, which provides us with glorious views out over the bay.

Wake up and soak in the breathtaking setting of Lan Ha Bay, a lesser-visited but nonetheless beautiful extension of stunning Halong Bay. The greater Halong Bay area is one of Southeast Asia's most spectacular natural attractions, whose staggering beauty has seen it listed as one of the eight natural wonders of the world. It presents an extraordinary vista of hundreds of limestone islands (over 1600 at last count) that rise from the jade-green waters of the bay like the scales of some great submerged dragon. In fact, Halong means 'where the dragon descends to the sea' and local legends tell of a time when this rugged landscape was created by the pounding tail of a dragon as he ran from the mountains into the waters of the bay below. Taking to the waters, we board our junk and set sail, passing the floating village of Cai Beo which has been used as a home for the bay's fishermen for generations. The plan for this morning is to sail through this stunning seascape, stopping off to swim and visit some of the limestone caverns that pepper the landscape. There's also the option to hire a kayak to get even closer to some of the rugged coastline and hidden caves. We disembark from our boat around lunchtime and drive back to Hanoi, a journey of around two hours. Returning to Hanoi, our tour leader will take those who wish on a short orientation tour of the city, wandering the streets of the city's Old Quarter, whose narrow streets are named after the various crafts and specialities of the city's artisans: Paper Street, Silk Street, Basket Street etc. This practice dates back to the 13th century, when the city's original 36 guilds established themselves here, adopting a street each to differentiate them from their neighbours. The maze of alleys and streets is fascinating to explore on foot and the area is known for its interesting 'tube' houses, where the narrow frontages give way to long rooms. Here, the pavements are littered with food sellers tempting passers-by with all manner of noodles, snacks and stir-fried delights from shoulder panniers.

Architecturally styled like a French provincial town, Hanoi is a wonderfully nostalgic city to enjoy and amongst its more interesting sights are the charming One-Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature and the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh was a spartan-living and scholarly man, who chose to live in a simple teak two-storied stilt-house built for him in the grounds. You can visit his museum and this austere mausoleum, said to resemble that of Lenin in Moscow, or perhaps take another walk through the streets of its Old Quarter. The city's French Quarter is a great place to explore by bicycle, its colonial architecture is a rich contrast to the more frenetic pace of the old city. Those looking to discover more about the colonial wars might like to pay a visit to the Museum of Vietnamese Revolution or the Military History Museum.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Hanoi. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Hanoi at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), which is 45 minutes from the hotel. If you have time before your flight, you might like to take another wander through the fascinating Old Quarter or stroll along the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake.