Cambodia, Laos & Thailand Tour: A Bed & Breakfast Journey Through Southeast Asia ( 12 Days Tour)

The Many Wonders of Elephants

Elephants have graced Asia for millennia, prized for their elegance, power, speed, and, sometimes, an integral part of a people’s religion. After a delightful breakfast you will journey to an elephant camp to witness the intelligence and majesty of the elephants up close. From the moment you enter the camp you can see the elephants’ playfulness and loyalty, following their handler like puppies, eager to please, and quick to joke. Climb atop one of the elephants and be guided through the dense jungle in an antique travel method that has captured so many imaginations throughout time. Wander through the trees, swaying in the breeze beneath the dangling vines and leaves. Traverse the nearby gorge as the elephant tears up trees to make a path, spreading the seeds of the jungle at the same time. Along the back of an elephant while traipsing through the Thai forest, it’s hard to imagine a more adventurous and inspiring day. 

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, tour, accommodation

Along the Forested Hills

Above the canopy but hidden within the brush, high on the mountain of Doi Suthep, is the most important temple in Chiang Mai. The legend says that a white elephant chose the temple’s location when it died while carrying a very important statue of Buddha. You are greeted first by the Naga staircase, where dragons guard the first steps, their tails rising with the mountain until reaching the top after 300 steps. The tiles shine pink and white beneath the colorful dragon tails and gilded pillars. The golden spire decorates the center of the temple and the mountaintop. Its supporting walls crate an enclave decorated with astounding historical murals and shrines, including one that houses a white elephant statue; the elephant now guards the pagoda, welcoming visitors and pilgrims alike.

In the evening you will return to the city where you will partake in the fabulous Khantoke Show. The show is a grand representation of Thai culture, where the history and traditions of the country are displayed in the clothing and movement of the dancers. While you enjoy the sensational tastes of Thailand, from the red curry to the crispy fried chicken, you will watch the tantalizing ballet of the sword dance, where the rush of the blade is mixed with the precise movement of the body, turning the weapon into an instrument of beauty and elegance. The glowing costumes imitate temples and palaces, while the graceful movements imitate nature, creating balance and showing great restraint.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, tour, accommodation

Laotian Wonder

The morning sun rises over the surrounding mountains where the gentle glow of the day brings more than just breakfast. After your delicious start you will venture out on a guided tour of the city where so much of the traditions and Laotian culture have persisted throughout the centuries. Step onto a longboat that will take you along the expanse of the Mekong River. The water is gentle and the air cool as you float down the river arriving at the intimidating Pak Ou Caves. One of the most revered holy sites in Laos, the caves date back millennia, where thousands of Buddha icons decorate the shrine. Many of the figures are made from wood, sitting beneath the sagging rock face, 50 feet above the river. The caves are scented with limestone and incense, giving a soft but welcomed fragrance to the damp air. Stalactites dip like spikes from the ceiling as the gilded shapes of Buddha glisten within the cavernous space.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, tour, accommodation

Over Mountains and Under Jungles

The quiet majesty of Luang Prabang and Laos will never be far from your thoughts as you make your way from the north into Siem Reap, a city surrounded by jungle and adjacent to the magnificence of a once proud empire. You will be met at the airport by a private transfer who will take you the sensational accommodation of Journeys Within Bed and Breakfast. The luxurious hotel is situated within a gorgeous remnant of Cambodia’s French colonization, where the immaculate white façade is a taste of what each room has in store. The vibrant trees stretch and cover the surrounding area giving a touch of seclusion to the hotel, the pool, and the luxuries within.

What’s Included: dinner, transfer, accommodation

A Sunrise Best

The morning begins with a remarkable breakfast within the beauty of the hotel. The early rise brings you awake before dawn, the vague lights of the city are the only glow of the streets. The morning air is cold, a comfortable change from the afternoon heat. You arrive at the base of Angkor Wat once again with the temple silhouetted by the darkness. You look to see its reflection in the pond below but can only see an unclear outline of lilies. Orange robes glow in the distance as monks make their way from the tree line like ethereal beings, slowly parading into the foreground. When the sun starts to rise you can see the sensational shimmer of the towers, the stretch of golden coloration ridding the world of darkness.

Later in the day you will come to the temple Banteay Srey, where the incredible sandstone offers an earthy color to the structure. The temple was first constructed in the 10th century focusing on the central image of Shaivite Linga, while now the name of the temple refers to the intricate carvings and the small dimensions of the architecture, giving the structure the name “Citadel of Beauty.” You can see a mixture of antiquity and innovation within the frame, where the pediments are large but the entryways are thin. Along the eastern pediment you can see Indra on a causeway over 130 feet that connects the monumental tower with another enclosure.  There is a never ending sense of delight within the designs of the walls that lash out like tiger claws wanting to be seen within the melee of intricacies, including the god of love shooting an arrow at Shiva.

What’s Included: breakfast, lunch, tour, accommodation

Never a Goodbye to Magnificence

The morning rises softly over the horizon. It is hard to imagine a sunrise without the majesty of Angkor Wat beneath it. After you delight in breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home. Your holiday within the charm of large cities and the grace of jungles, where rivers flowed and landscapes were celebrated, has shown you the magnificence of Southeast Asia, in the greenery, the serenity, the flavorful history, and the overall elegance of this world away.

What’s Included: breakfast, transfer