The Indochina Trail: Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos — Ancient Civilisations

Private transfer from Noi Bai Airport to your hotel in the heart of the Old Quarter. The remainder of the day is yours to rest and recover from the flight. Welcome dinner this evening with Clara, who briefs you gently on the journey ahead.

A full but unhurried day with Clara. Morning: the 36 Streets of the Old Quarter — Southeast Asia's oldest continuously inhabited merchant district — the Temple of Literature (Vietnam's first university, founded 1070) and Hoan Kiem Lake. Afternoon: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex and the One Pillar Pagoda. Frequent café and rest stops throughout.

A scenic morning drive (approx 2.5 hours, with a comfort stop) to Halong Bay, the UNESCO seascape of nearly 2,000 limestone karst islands. Board your cruise boat for lunch as you sail among the islands. Afternoon: a visit to the Surprise Cave and time on deck as the light softens. Dinner and overnight aboard in a private en-suite cabin.

Wake to a quiet sunrise over the bay — an optional gentle tai chi session on deck — followed by a leisurely brunch as you cruise back to harbour. Private transfer to Hanoi airport and a short flight south to Hue, the former imperial capital. Evening at leisure beside the Perfume River.

A full day exploring the seat of the Nguyen emperors with Clara. Morning: the vast Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City, modelled on Beijing's palace. Afternoon: a boat along the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda, and the serene tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, set among lotus ponds and pine. A gentle, deeply atmospheric day.

A spectacular private drive south over the Hai Van Pass — the "Pass of the Ocean Clouds" — with stops at the Lang Co lagoon and the Marble Mountains. Arrive in the lantern-lit trading port of Hoi An by mid-afternoon. Evening: the Ancient Town comes alive with silk lanterns reflected in the Thu Bon River.

A gentle morning walking tour of the UNESCO Ancient Town — the Japanese Covered Bridge, the old merchant houses, the Fujian Assembly Hall and the central market — all within a compact, traffic-free quarter. Afternoon free for the celebrated tailors, a coffee by the river, or simply rest. In the evening, release a paper lantern on the Thu Bon as the locals do.

A restful day, by design, midway through the journey. Optional morning excursion to the My Son Sanctuary — the brick temple ruins of the ancient Champa kingdom, a haunting prelude to Angkor and a UNESCO site in its own right. Or simply enjoy Hoi An at your own pace: the beach is nearby for those who want it, but the day is built for rest before the temple days ahead.

A morning transfer to Da Nang airport and a flight (via a regional hub) to Siem Reap, gateway to the temples of Angkor. You are met on arrival by Sophea, your Cambodian specialist. Evening at leisure to settle into your heritage hotel, with a welcome Khmer dinner.

An early but unforgettable start for sunrise over Angkor Wat — the largest religious monument on earth and the spiritual heart of the Khmer empire. After the crowds thin, Sophea leads a measured tour of the temple's galleries and bas-reliefs. A long midday rest at the hotel, then the walled city of Angkor Thom, the Bayon with its enigmatic stone faces, and the Terrace of the Elephants in the gentler late-afternoon light.

A second temple day at a relaxed pace. Morning: Ta Prohm — the "jungle temple" left in the grip of strangler-fig roots, made famous on film — followed by the exquisite pink-sandstone carvings of Banteay Srei, the finest stonework at Angkor. Afternoon free, with an optional visit to a local artisans' workshop or a sunset over the rice paddies. Farewell-to-Cambodia dinner with a gentle traditional Apsara dance performance.

A morning flight to Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Laos and the most serene town in Indochina, cradled between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Met by Khamla, your Lao specialist. The afternoon is gentle: settle into your colonial heritage hotel and take a first slow stroll through the UNESCO old town as the heat eases.

A full day in the town with Khamla. Morning: the gilded Wat Xieng Thong, the Royal Palace Museum and the morning market. For the willing, the climb up Mount Phousi gives the finest view over the rivers — entirely optional, with a level riverside walk as the alternative. Afternoon free for the town's cafés, temples and handicraft shops.

A gentle excursion into the Lao countryside to the turquoise tiers of the Kuang Si waterfalls, with the rescued moon bears at the sanctuary en route. A relaxed picnic lunch in the cool of the forest. Return to town in time for the evening alms-giving rehearsal and the quiet night market, where the hill-tribe textiles are among the finest in Asia.

For those who wish, a quiet pre-dawn vantage point to witness the centuries-old tak bat — the procession of saffron-robed monks receiving alms — observed respectfully and from a distance. After breakfast, a serene boat upriver on the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves, brimming with thousands of Buddha images, pausing at a riverside weaving village. A farewell dinner this evening overlooking the river.

A final, unhurried morning — a last coffee on a colonial verandah, a return to a favourite temple, or a gentle browse of the silk shops. The day is deliberately free of fixed plans, a calm full stop to a journey across three civilisations. (Most homeward flights depart late; your departure transfer is timed to your flight.)

Private transfer to Luang Prabang airport for your homeward flights (typically connecting via Bangkok or Hanoi). You arrive back in the UK having travelled the length of the Indochina trail — three nations, three ancient civilisations, and not a single wasted day.