13-Day Thailand and Laos Tour with Mekong Cruise and Chiang Mai

• Meet the tour representative at Bangkok Airport and transfer to the hotel.
• Enjoy some free time, then meet the tour guide at 6 pm for a tour briefing.

Have dinner.

• Head out to explore the Royal Palace, Bangkok's biggest attraction, with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha as its centrepiece. Just a 10-minute walk from the palace is Wat Po, which houses the famous Reclining Buddha.

Or

• Take a quick spin on a bike to see what the city has to offer, or try the longboats that glide through the man-made canals, their waters washing the walls of houses lined up along their banks. Get a taste of an alternative lifestyle here - a complete antithesis to the noise and neon often associated with Bangkok. Make sure you have eaten enough because you'll need the energy.
• Regroup in the afternoon and go all out on a street food tour.
• Round off the day by boarding an overnight train to Chiang Mai.

• Arrive early in the morning in Chiang Mai. Dust yourself off from the remnants of last night's travel, freshen up at the hotel, and then follow your tour leader to the old city to get your bearings and appease your stomach with some local breakfast. There's much in Chiang Mai that will get your heart rate shifting up a gear or two. Primary among these is the Muay Thai experience. Find out what the fuss is all about - these boxing tournaments draw thousands to the ring, and don't say we didn't warn you about shouting yourself hoarse along with the locals.
• Spend the rest of your day zip lining, abseiling, or white water rafting, while also keeping an eye out for the Elephant Nature Park or checking in to a cooking class if you prefer something a bit more steady and sedate.

Or

• You can explore the ancient walled city, drop in to see the 19th-century wall paintings at Wat Phra Singh, or wander through some of the typically Thai open markets that come especially alive in the evening. Feel free to rack your tour leader's brain so that you get the best out of Chiang Mai.

• Get ready for some rural experiences as you pedal out of town and into the swaying fields of rice paddies, orchards, and gurgling streams that adorn the backdrop of local villages. Lift your hands in greeting and stretch your lips into a smile as the locals accost and engage with you as well.
• Drop by a local restaurant for lunch, then hit your stride again as you wander through the grounds of an old temple and discover the ruins of an old city.
• Head back to town after this and, as the day wears on, strike out for the 14th-century Phra That Doi Suthep Temple, which keeps a watchful eye on the city from its elevated height.

• Make a pit stop at Wat Rung Khun, a temple that's as visually startling as the contemporary twist its maker gives to ancient philosophy. Although not very old, the temple is remarkable in terms of its design and concept and increasingly makes it onto the list of architectural wonders worth their salt in Thailand.
• Arrive at the Laos border, linked to Thailand by a bridge over the Mekong River, around mid-afternoon. After all the paperwork is done, make your way to Houay Xai, where you will spend the night. While Houay Xai is a small town and the nightlife requires a little imagination, it might be a good idea to trudge down to one of the restaurants by the waterfront to get your first taste of Beer Lao and watch the sun leave its mark on the river as it too settles in for the night.

• Step onto your slow boat after breakfast and drift down the Mekong as the mountains recede and the breeze gently worries your hair like a constant companion.
• Snuggle back in your seat, fish out that book you've been lugging around, and relax because the journey to Pakbeng will take approximately 7 hours.

• Continue your journey down the Mekong as you head for Luang Prabang this morning. Keep an eye out for the tiny villages that dot the riverbanks as you pass by, as well as the landscape that changes with every bend in the river.
• Stop by the Pak Ou Caves. Its entrance is marked by steps that look like a giant white tongue from afar, rolling out from the yawning limestone cliffs.
• Explore a thousand statues of the Buddha with minor imperfections that call these caves home, and take away the feeling of reverence the locals have for the place.

• See the Kuang Si Falls this morning and fall headfirst into this idyll, with turquoise waters gently slipping over tiers of terraced outcrops carved over centuries, and with the constant gurgle of a watery conversation to keep you company. It's quite easy to spend hours here.
• Slip into your bathers and lower yourself into the clear pool at the base of the falls, or go higher up where the upper falls reveal themselves in different dimensions to the faithful.
• Try to tear yourself away from this piece of heaven and, once you've succeeded, visit a local organic farm on your way back for some lunch and perhaps chug a cold, refreshing Beer Lao while you're at it.

• Choose from the following options:
  • Try your hand at being a rice farmer for a few hours as you share the paddy fields with water buffaloes, or simply enjoy the setting of terraced fields cradled by mountains and lush forests on all sides.
  • Go biking, visit some of the temples around the city, and learn about the stories associated with them.
  • Hit the waters on a kayak or just relax by the pool.
  • Test your cardio in the evening as you climb more than 300 steps to Mount Phousi, where a spectacular sunset lurks over the Luang Prabang skyline.
• End your stay in this laid-back town by ducking under the overhanging canopies draping its night market shops. Browse through its varied offerings and gorge on the food while watching tourists and locals alike mirror your motions.

• Leave Luang Prabang early in the morning and journey to Vang Vieng through snaking roads, past rugged mountains that stand as custodians of the little villages that reside in their lap.
• Take a moment to fish out your camera and keep your finger locked on the shutter button because there's more than one photo you'll want to frame on this route. Vang Vieng is a small town that's as laid-back as any, but what makes it different from the others is the spectacular scenery and the number of adventure activities designed to widen the eye. Consult your tour leader on what's available and the logistics of going about it, because you've only until the next afternoon to indulge your options.

• Engage in kayaking in the morning down the Nam Song River, skimming through the waters as they part the jungle-clad landscape in half. If you've still got some time on your hands, spend it across vistas of rice fields or among the many trekking routes that cut through the karst landscape.

Or

• Go zip lining, chase some waterfalls, or swim in the Blue Lagoon. While it may not be possible to do all of these, never say never.
• Catch a short ride out to Vientiane during the latter half of the day.

• Explore the country's capital. Although the typical noise and bustle of a "truly Asian" city are markedly absent in Vientiane, the city is not without its charms. Start by ascending the viewing platform of Patuxai, a war memorial influenced by French architecture but with a distinctly Laotian twist in its details.
• Drop in at the COPE Centre to learn about the "Secret War," whose devastating effects still play a part in modern Lao. Bear witness to the alms-giving ceremony at the 200-year-old Wat Si Saket, and later in the evening, hunker down at Chao Anouvong Park to people-watch and enjoy the shades of pink and orange as the sun sets over distant Thailand.
• Gather round for the last dinner with your fellow travellers and, after the final farewells have been said, amble down along the riverfront to the inevitable night market to make your journey last just that bit longer.

• Bid farewell to your tour leader and new friends, but not without a backpack full of memories. Please consult your tour leader or the hotel desk to confirm the check-out time.