Thailand: Bangkok | Laos: Luang Prabang, Mekong River Cruise, Vientiane | Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat | Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Small groups of no more than 16 travelers, guaranteed
Veer off Southeast Asia's trodden paths to uncover the glory days of lost empires and immerse yourself in the vibrant cultures that have emerged in their wakes. On this journey through four countries, explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bangkok, Luang Prabang, and Angkor Wat; cruise the Mekong; and tour dazzling temples and haunting ruins.
20 days starting from $4,795
including international airfare from Los Angeles
Single Supplement: FREE
Departure Dates: Feb-May; Aug-Dec
Activity Level: 120 Moderately Easy
2025 & 2026 DEPARTURES AVAILABLE
See all departure dates at www.oattravel.com/lvc2025pricing
DAY 1 • Depart U.S.
Fly to Bangkok, Thailand.
DAY 2 • Bangkok, Thailand
Upon arrival in Bangkok, you'll be met by an O.A.T. representative and transfer to your hotel, where you'll be joined by travelers who took our optional pre-trip extension to Thailand: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai & the River Kwai.
DAY 3 • Discover Bangkok • Cooking demonstration
Enjoy a cooking demonstration. Afterward, embark on an orientation walk, stopping to sample traditional street food.
DAY 4 • Bangkok • Grand Palace
Step into the Grand Palace of Thailand to witness the Emerald Buddha. Then, visit a local university for a conversation about freedom of expression in Thailand. After, cruise the Chaophraya River and enjoy a Welcome Dinner onboard.
DAY 5 • Ayutthaya • Boat ride on Pa Sak river
Visit the ancient city of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the capital of Siam from 1353 to 1767. After, learn how to make a local delicacy before enjoying a boat ride on Pa Sak river.
DAY 6 • Bangkok • Fly to Luang Prabang, Laos
Fly to Luang Prabang, the royal capital of Laos.
DAY 7 • Mekong River cruise • Pak Ou Cave
Cruise to rural Muangkham Village and learn to prepare a traditional snack before cruising to Pak Ou Cave, filled with thousands of Buddha sculptures. After, journey by jumbo, the local mode of transportation, back to Luang Prabang.
DAY 8 • Alms-giving ceremony • A Day in the Life of a local village • GCF visit: Village school
Partake in Buddhist alms-giving to local monks. Then, experience A Day in the Life of a local village. We'll also meet students at a school supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation. After, meet the nearby Hmong hill tribe community.
DAY 9 • Transfer to Vientiane • Home-Hosted Dinner
Board a high-speed train for Vientiane, Laos' capital. A local family will invite us into their home for a Home-Hosted Dinner.
DAY 10 • Vientiane • Visit Monastery • C.O.P.E. Center • Conversation about unexploded bombs
Explore Wat Sisaket monastery and meet a local monk. Then, visit the C.O.P.E. Center to meet a victim of unexploded bombs buried in Laos after the Vietnam War. Later, join our optional puppet show and dinner tour.
Fly to Phnom Penh today. Witness a children's dance performance at the Champey Academy of Arts. Then, ride in a remork, a three-wheeled motor rickshaw.
Visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum—both grim reminders of the Khmer Rouge.
On Day 8, participate in a quintessential part of Laotian culture when you give alms to Buddhist monks.
Transfer to Siem Reap. Along the way, we may meet with a local woman who hunts tarantulas. We'll also have a chance to see the thousand-year-old Kampong Kdei Bridge.
Take a buffalo-drawn cart and private boat ride on Tonle Sap to visit the floating villages. Later, venture to ancient Angkor to visit Bayon and the Terrace of the Elephants.
Venture to the ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat and the Bayon-style structure of Ta Prohm. Later, return to Angkor Wat just as the sun sets.
Choose to join our optional tour to visit the well-preserved temple of Banteay Srei. After, gather to visit the Angkor National Museum before flying to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Discover Vietnam's famous Mekong Delta. Drive to My Tho, the gateway to the Mekong River, and cruise aboard a barge, as well as a rowed sampan.
Discover the city's sights, including the Catholic Cathedral, Independence Palace, and a Vietnam War bunker. Later, perhaps you'll join our optional tour, featuring a street food experience in Saigon.
Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels—a 125-mile-long underground maze from the Vietnam War. After, meet a Viet Cong veteran to discuss the legacy of the Vietnam War 50 years later.
Return to the U.S., or fly to Hanoi to begin our post-trip extensions to Northern Vietnam: From Hanoi to the Hill Tribes of Sapa.
For departure dates & prices, visit www.oattravel.com/lvc2025pricing