Epic Asia, 38 Days

Your group meets you at the airport and takes you to a guesthouse on Khao San Road, in Bangkok's backpacker district. Meet the crew and get ready for what's ahead.

Explore Bangkok's canals and floating markets, then tuk tuk through the city's streets between some of its most famous temples.

Learn the secrets of Thai cooking in a hands-on class, then board an overnight sleeper train with fully reclining beds heading south.

Long-tail boat through limestone cliffs to your floating bungalow in Khao Sok National Park. Spend the day kayaking, tubing and monkey spotting.

Arrive on the island famous for its full moon parties and check in to the group's beachfront resort, complete with pool and yoga space.

A slow day on the sand or by the pool, with a Thai massage included.

Visit some of the island's best-known spots and quieter beaches, then finish with a beach dinner.

Shake off the beach laziness with a Muay Thai class or a private yoga session, then head out together for the last night on the island.

Leave Koh Phangan behind and reach Phi Phi in the late afternoon. Check in to the resort, then head out for dinner and drinks.

Boat around Phi Phi Leh with snorkelling, kayaking and an after-dark underwater light show, then dinner and drinks under the stars. Maya Bay access can be closed at certain times of year.

Hike up to Phi Phi's best-known viewpoint, then take a private boat out to the Paradise Islands to snorkel. Phi Phi's nightlife comes after.

Take a boat to Phuket and settle in for a sunset dinner and drinks.

Fly north to Chiang Mai. Explore the city, relax by the pool or shop, then browse the night markets in the evening.

A full day out: the iconic Doi Suthep Temple, a Thai-style lunch and the 'sticky' waterfalls.

Trek past rice paddies and waterfalls into the jungle and spend the night learning about the daily life of a local hill tribe.

Wake to the sounds of the jungle, keep trekking, then bamboo raft your way back down the river. Spend the evening relaxing or out in Chiang Mai.

Visit an elephant sanctuary to see these animals up close and learn how to feed and care for them.

Fly to Vietnam, where your Vietnam group leader meets you at Hanoi airport and takes you to the guesthouse. Plenty of time to settle in with the group.

Walk and ride a rickshaw through Hanoi's Old Quarter, tasting spring rolls and street food. Dinner and drinks follow in the evening.

Cruise Ha Long Bay's emerald water among limestone peaks, kayak into hidden caves and coves, then sleep on an overnight boat with a hot tub and bar.

Head to Ninh Binh's rice paddies and limestone mountains and stay in a local homestay with traditional bungalows by the river.

Cycle through rice paddies, row a local boat through rivers and caves and hike to the Dragon Mountain viewpoint. Then board an overnight train to Hoi An.

Arrive in Hoi An and check in to the hotel. The afternoon is free to explore, shop or get a custom suit or dress made by a local tailor.

Locals take you through the coconut groves by basket boat. Then cook Vietnamese dishes in a hands-on class.

Make your own Vietnamese lantern, then head to the coast for a relaxed afternoon and lunch at a beach club.

Fly south to Ho Chi Minh City. The rest of the day is yours to explore.

See how locals live and work on the Mekong, visit villages and stay the night in a local homestay.

Tour the Cu Chi Tunnels, the hand-dug underground network used in the Vietnam War for supply routes, hideouts and living quarters.

Take the bus across the border to Cambodia and reach its capital in the afternoon, with dinner and drinks to follow.

Start with a tuk tuk tour of the city, then visit S21 Prison and the Killing Fields with a local guide to learn about the Khmer Rouge era. Expect a heavy but important day, with a night out in the evening.

Travel to the quiet countryside of Kampot and check in to a traditional riverside guesthouse. Spend the afternoon kayaking down the river.

Visit a pepper plantation in the region famed for its pepper, then learn to cook classic Cambodian dishes. Finish with a sunset river cruise.

Travel by train and fast ferry to the island of Koh Rong Sanloem and check in to a stay owned by the village chief. Watch the sunset from the Cliff Bar.

Take a private long-tail boat to the island's best snorkel spots and secluded beaches, then watch another sunset together.

Spend the morning on the beach, ferry back to the mainland for dinner and board an overnight bus to Siem Reap with fully reclining beds and air con.

Arrive in Siem Reap and head into the countryside to visit traditional floating villages among rice fields, lotus flowers and flooded forest.

See Angkor Wat at sunrise and explore it with a local guide, including Ta Prohm, the temple seen in Tomb Raider. In the afternoon, meet the APOPO hero rats, then share a final dinner and night out.

The trip ends in Siem Reap, and your trip leader helps plan and organise your onward travel.