Thailand & Vietnam:19-Day Nature Immersion & Beach Escape

Upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Sonasia’s guide & driver will pick you up and transfer directly to the hotel in the center of Bangkok.

Same same, but different. This Thailish T-shirt philosophy sums up Bangkok, a city where the familiar and the exotic collide like the flavors on a plate of pàt tai. At noon, we leave the hotel by walk and take the skytrain to the river. We board a private long-tail boat taking guests onto the peaceful Klong Bang Luang floating market.

Pass by shophouses, local temples and vendors on this waterway which was once a major trading route and lined with impressive homes of aristocrats. 
The guide will point out local landmarks and cultural idiosyncrasies of the area. After observing this lively area, the boat stops at Baan Silapin, a 100-year old renovated house now home to an art gallery. 

Here stop for up to two hours to enjoy the gallery, take part in an art workshop or explore the local community, before experiencing a unique puppet show performed by puppeteers trained under the Joe Louis School of puppetry (puppet show performance not guaranteed due to short notice changes). En-route back to the city stop to visit the Temple of Dawn – Wat Arun.  

Begin your nice dinner this evening onboard with Supanniga Cruise, a brand-new modern cruise that will give you a whole new perspective on Chao Phraya River. 
The dinner cruise is designed for those who would like to indulge in a 6-course dinner of genuine and exquisite Thai taste while enjoying the grande nighttime view of the river. Back to hotel by transportation.

Overnight in Bangkok.

We take the morning flight to Phuket.

Upon arrival, transfer to Khao Sok, the region of Thailand’s rainforest. Head towards the pier or Ratchaprapa Dam and embark on a scenic boat ride to The Greenery Panvaree, seeing the emerald waters of Chiew Larn Lake along the way.

Arrive at The Greenery Panvaree Floating Resort and be welcomed by the resort’s staff. Check in at the resort and enjoy a delicious lunch at the restaurant.

Spend the afternoon at leisure, swimming in the lake, exploring the surroundings by kayaking or simply relaxing in the natural atmosphere.

In the late afternoon, enjoy a boat ride around the place.

Dinner at the resort.

Overnight at the Greenery Panvaree

The morning will be spent with the most beautiful view of the lake along with the sunrise over the mountains as the mist floats across the water.

Get breakfast at the resort, relaxing in the tranquil beauty of the surroundings.

Lunch at the resort.

After lunch, enjoy an adventurous trip to Prakarang Coral Cave, jungle trek to the emerald lagoon, then embark on the bamboo raft to the cave. See the wildlife and rare plants in the rainforest. 

Return to the resort and relax at leisure until dinner time.

After dinner, embark on a boat ride out to the lake for a Loy Krathong activity at the Holy Land of the lake.

Overnight at the Greenery Panvaree

Wake up in the morning under the beautiful mist floating across the sky. Enjoy breakfast. 

Check out and board a longtail boat for cruising back across the reservoir with a panoramic view of ‘Guilin Thailand’. Return back to the pier.

Upon arrival at the pier, meet with the Sonasia Travel guide and transfer to Phuket. Lunch at a local restaurant on the way. Head towards Yacht Haven Marina pier to board the hotel’s private VIP speedboat and transfer to Koh Yao Noi Island.

Overnight at Tree House Villa Koh Yao Noi

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at leisure on the beautiful white sandy beach. The beach here offers tranquility and more privacy.

Overnight at Tree House Villa Koh Yao Noi

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at leisure on the beautiful white sandy beach. The beach here offers tranquility and more privacy.

Overnight at Tree House Villa Koh Yao Noi

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at leisure on the beautiful white sandy beach. The beach here offers tranquility and more privacy.

Overnight at Tree House Villa Koh Yao Noi

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at leisure on the beautiful white sandy beach. The beach here offers tranquility and more privacy.

Overnight at Tree House Villa Koh Yao Noi

You are free before taking the speedboat back to Phuket to take the flight back to Bangkok, where we will spend another night in the capital city of Thailand.

Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Overnight in Bangkok

Take the morning flight to Saigon. Meet with the driver upon arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Once known as the ‘Pearl of Indochina’, Saigon boasts an enormous architectural wealth, mirroring its colourful history. From the pagodas, museums and European architecture of the city’s recent past to the growing number of skyscrapers, Saigon is like a trip through time. On the way to the hotel, make a quick stop at the city historic landmark of Saigon Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral (outside visit)

This afternoon, meet with a respected cultural and history expert and enjoy a guided tour through the Pearl of Indochina. Start with the French colonial area with a visit to the Archbishop's Palace and its more than 200-year-old house of prayer.

Continue through the ages and encounter a local who specialises in the stretch of time that cover the Vietnam war right until today. Visit Gia Long Palace, built in 1885 combining classical Baroque architecture elements with European and Oriental influences.

Walk over to the city’s oldest colonial-era apartment, built in 1886, and see what the young creative Vietnamese are up to from their funky boutiques and coffee shops. Sit down at one of the stylish coffee shops and interact with a local resident who moved here in 1975. During the ride back, there is an optional visit to a restored opium factory. Considering the importance of the opium trade in the first half of the last century, this is another interesting view on Saigon’s history and the city’s power struggles.

Overnight in Saigon.

After breakfast, departure for My Tho, where you will enjoy a boat cruise as well as rowing sampans (rowboats) up the river.

After lunch, we will leave My Tho for Chau Doc. 

Along the way we will stop for a visit at the Crocodile Farm where we will have the chance learn about crocodile incubation and other interesting facts about crocodiles and their hatchlings. We will then check into a hotel before visiting Sam Mountain and the Cave Pagoda. 

We will stay overnight in Chau Doc. 

We will begin with a morning boat trip to visit the Floating Fish Farm, the Floating Village and the Cham Weaving Village. After experiencing the floating village and floating fish farm, we will leave Chau Doc for Can Tho. There, we will check-in at a hotel before having dinner at a nice restaurant. We will spend the night in Can Tho. 
 

After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and travel by boat to Cai Rang Floating Market. Floating markets are a staple of life in the Mekong. This is where many of the natives make their living by selling or bartering their goods. On the way back to Ho Chi Minh City, we will visit Dong Tam Snake Farm, the largest of its kind in Viet Nam. Departing Can Tho, we will have lunch at the Mekong Rest Stop before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.

Free to stroll around for your own exploration of the city before taking the flight to Con Dao Islands.

Also known as Con Dao National park, Con Dao Islands are an archipelago of 16 mostly uninhabited islets just off the southern coast of Vietnam, each of which offering expansive beaches shaded with evergreen trees. Great for savvy travelers looking to escape bustling city life, the main island also boasts miles of coastal roads, hiking trails and a wide range of outdoor activities.

The main (and only inhabited) island, Con Son was once the site of French-run prisons for Vietnamese involved in the independence movement. Most of the derelict prisons are located in Con Son Town, where you can visit the prison cells, and infamous tiger cages. Many locals visit Con Son to pay their respects to revolutionaries such as Vo Thi Sau, the first women on the island to have been executed by the French.

Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Overnight on Con Dao Islands

Free day at leisure at your own relaxation or explore the beach by yourselves. 

There are plenty of unexplored spots around the hotel or the nearby islands for your own exploration.

Overnight on Con Dao Islands

Free day at leisure at your own relaxation or explore the beach by yourselves. 

There are plenty of unexplored spots around the hotel or the nearby islands for your own exploration.

Overnight on Con Dao Islands

Free day at leisure at your own relaxation or explore the beach by yourselves. 

There are plenty of unexplored spots around the hotel or the nearby islands for your own exploration.

Overnight on Con Dao Islands

Free day at leisure at your own relaxation or explore the beach by yourselves. 

There are plenty of unexplored spots around the hotel or the nearby islands for your own exploration.

Overnight on Con Dao Islands

Free before taking the flight back to Saigon to connect with another onward flight back home or to the next destination.