Island Beaches & Ancient Temples in Thailand & Cambodia - 14 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Phuket (Thailand), Sightseeing Around Town

Welcome to Thailand! Your flight lands in Phuket, the country's largest island, known for its resort-like beaches, turquoise waters, and rich, multicultural history. You'll be met by a driver at the airport and transported to your hotel, where you can rest and regroup before heading out to explore on your own.

If you're in need of some beach time, visit Patong Beach, which is located on the island's west side. Here, you'll find a stretch of soft sand lined with shops, restaurants, and bars. There are equipment rentals and sports activities available here, and if you stay through the evening, you can also enjoy the famed Patong nightlife. For a quieter experience, try Sai Keaw, a relatively undeveloped beach near the Sarasin Bridge, or Ya Nui, which is more of a local beach and not as touristy. 

For historic and cultural highlights, spend the afternoon in the island's eponymous capital. See the colorful buildings and architecture of the Old Town, and if you happen to arrive on a Sunday, make sure to stop at the market on Walking Street (known locally as Lard Yai), where you'll find stalls selling local fare and handmade products. The Old Town district is also home to numerous cafés and restaurants, making it a great spot for lunch or dinner. You can even get a traditional Thai massage at one of the many massage shops here.

Day 2: Guided Phuket City Tour

Start the morning with a guided tour around the island. After breakfast, meet with your guide and drive along Patong and Kata Beaches, with a stop at the viewpoint of Karon Beach. Here, you'll see the whole city laid out in front of you and photo-worthy vistas of the coastline. Afterward, continue to Wat Chalong. Founded at the beginning of the 19th century, this is Phuket's largest temple and one of its most visited. Walk the sacred grounds and see the nearly 200-foot (60 m) chedi, which houses a splinter of bone from Buddha, and enjoy the incredible paintings and statues around the temple. 

Make a quick stop at a local honey farm, which sells raw honey, bee pollen, and royal jelly, and at a cashew factory, where you can watch the workers extract the nuts from the cashew shells. Then, your driver will take you to Phuket's Old Town, where, if you didn't get to see all the sights there yesterday, you'll have plenty of time to explore today. Learn more about the history of the district, and you can take a closer look at the Sino-Portuguese architecture of the popular Thalang Road, stop for a traditional Thai lunch, and visit the local shops and museums before returning to your hotel.

Day 3: Speedboat Excursion to Phi Phi & Khai Islands

Meet your driver this morning and head to the local pier, where you'll board a speedboat for a day of island hopping along the Phi Phi Islands and Khai Island. Your first stop is Phi Phi Ley and a visit to Maya Bay, made famous by the movie, "The Beach" with Leonardo Di Caprio. You'll have a chance to walk around and explore the clear waters and peaceful beaches, then boat around to the back side of the island and enter Pi Leh Lagoon. You can jump right from the boat into the turquoise waters and swim and snorkel all around the lagoon! 

Have lunch at a nearby restaurant, then head back out to the water to snorkel with the abundant marine life of the nearby Viking Cave, which has a spectacular coral reef full of tropical fish. Afterward, jet over to Kahi Island, home to more rich underwater life. Relax on the beaches here, swim or snorkel a bit more, and enjoy the quiet beauty of the island before returning to Phuket just in time for sunset. 

Day 5: Scuba & Snorkel in Ao Nang

Explore more of Ao Nang's underwater world with a snorkel and dive tour. You'll meet your guides in the morning and take a boat out to one of the region's top dive spots. After a safety and equipment briefing, you'll be set up with your tanks and weight belt, and with your guides alongside you, take the plunge into the deep waters of Krabi. Swim along spectacular rock formations, and see tropical fish, brightly-colored coral, or even some leopard and blacktip reef sharks. Those not interested in diving can make use of the provided snorkel equipment, and you'll partake in a delicious buffet lunch before returning to shore.

Day 7: Fly to Bangkok, Guided Tour of Museums & Temples

Your journey continues as you take a private transfer to the airport for your flight to Bangkok, Thailand's capital city. Known for its street food, shopping, and friendly residents, Bangkok is considered the epicenter of Thailand's culture and commerce, blending an abundance of history with a fast-paced, cosmopolitan vibe. Upon arrival, take a private transfer to your hotel for a quick break before you set off on a sightseeing tour of the city's most notable sights. 

Start with a visit to the Jim Thompson Museum, once the home of this American businessman and architect. Thompson is known for his efforts to revitalize the Thai silk industry, and the museum has exhibits that showcase his large art collection. Then, head to the Central World pier to take a short canal ferry ride to Golden Mount or Wat Saket. Once the highest point in Bangkok, the temple's 320 steps are a bit of a climb, but your reward is a panorama that spans the entire city. After your climb, you'll make your way back to the canal, where you'll ride back over to the pier and return to your hotel. 

Day 8: Bangkok Floating Markets & City Sights

The day starts early as you meet your guides and depart for Bangkok's famed Khlong Lat Mayom Market, which is located near the downtown area. This is a less busy market than some of the others around the city, but it offers a more authentic experience and fewer tourists. You'll find a wide range of food and produce, local crafts, as well as appliances, clothing, and household items.

After you've fully explored the market, continue to the iconic Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn. It was built during the Ayutthaya period and is named after Aruna, the Indian god of the dawn. Sitting on the bank of the Chao Phraya River, the structure sits high above the shore, with a statuesque tower of nearly 270 feet (82 m) and steep stairs that offer panoramic views of the river and countryside.

Take a lunch break at one of the restaurants near here, then make the short walk to the Grand Palace, a large complex in the city center and the official residence of the Kings of Siam since the 1700s. Here, you'll visit the famed Temple of the Emerald Buddha, where you'll see the meditating Buddha statue created from a solid piece of green jade. If it's a weekend and you aren't too tired from the busy day, end with a tuk-tuk ride to the Chatuchak weekend market. This popular shopping mecca sells a little bit of everything, from clothing to handmade items and more.

Day 9: Fly to Siem Reap (Cambodia), Guided Walk Around the City

Trade Thailand for Cambodia this morning as you catch a short flight to the northern city of Siem Reap, where a driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in the city. Once you've had a chance to settle in, meet up with your guide for an immersive walking tour. Start with a stroll in front of the King's Residence and see the Main Shrine, where locals worship. The shrine includes the statues of Yeay Teap, Preah Ang Chek, and Preah Ang Chorm. You may see the statues surrounded by flower offerings, as jasmine and lotus flowers are considered an important part of worship for the Cambodian people.

Afterward, stop by the Artisans D'Angkor, a vocational collective created in the 1990s to help young Cambodians find work and learn traditional craft skills that include stone and wood carving, lacquering, and silk processing. Meet some of the students and see their creations, with the option to purchase some unusual gifts to take home. End the day at the Psar Chars, or Old Market, one of the city's lively street markets where anything and everything is for sale!

Day 10: Explore the Realm of Angkor Wat

Visit one of the most well-known and important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat. Considered the largest religious structure in the world, this sprawling temple complex encompasses more than 200 acres (81 ha), with scores of large and small temples, canals, hydraulic structures, and communication routes—a showcase of the architecture and engineering of its time. For several centuries Angkor was the epicenter of the Khmer Empire, and it's still inhabited by villagers, some of whom have ancestry that dates back to the complex's origins. 

Your guides will take you past the distinctive five towers, which symbolize Meru's five peaks, while the surrounding walls and moat represent the mountains at the edge of the world and the ocean beyond. Continue to the South Gate, with its huge statues, and the ancient capital of Angkor Thom, a 12th-century Bayon temple known for its 54 towers decorated with more than 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara. See the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace, and the Terrace of the Leper King.

Your tour ends at Ta Prohm, one of the area's most beautiful temples. Partially reclaimed by the surrounding jungles, Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mysterious atmosphere. Spend some time here in quiet contemplation, then receive a blessing ceremony from a Buddhist monk to bring prosperity, happiness, and safe travels. Your tuk-tuk will then take you back to your hotel, offering a quick evening spin around the city before dropping you off. 

Day 11: See the Floating Villages of Tonlé Sap, Transfer to Phnom Penh

Take a quick trip out of the city to tour the floating villages of Cambodia's Tonlé Sap, the country's own "Great Lake" and one of the largest in Asia. You'll start in the morning, departing from the hotel with your guides and driving to the lake, where you'll board a traditional wooden boat and cruise through the watery roadways of the floating villages. The lake is home to more than three million people, with many living directly on the water. Travel around the lake, see fishermen at work, and notice the other floating homes and villages in the distance.

This afternoon, it's time to hit the road for the scenic five-hour transfer south to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. Along the way, you'll stop to see views from Naga Bridge, take a break at a stone carving workshop in the Santuk district, and visit the popular spider market of Skuon, where, if you're especially adventurous, you can snack on fried and spiced spiders.

Day 12: Phnom Penh Cyclo City Tour, Sunset Cruise

Get to know the Cambodian capital like a local as you cruise around its key landmarks and neighborhoods by cyclo. First introduced in the 1930s, these three-wheeled transports are considered an integral part of the city and remain one of the best ways to get around. Start with a visit to the Independence Monument, built to commemorate Cambodia's independence from France. Continue to the Royal Palace, built in 1866 on the site of the Old Town and the Silver Pagoda. Located on the palace grounds, this glittering marvel is named for its incredible floor, made up of 5,000 silver tiles. 

Then it's on to the National Museum (or Musee des Beaux-Arts). A French archaeologist and painter, Georges Groslier, designed it in Khmer style in 1917, and it contains an impressive collection of Khmer art pieces. End the day at Phnom Penh's Psar Toul Tom Pong, otherwise known as the Russian Market, a great place to hunt for last-minute gifts and souvenirs.

Before you head back to your hotel for the evening, make the most of the gorgeous Cambodian sunset with an evening cruise on the Mekong River. You'll board at the pier and set out on a traditional wooden boat, enjoying views of the city lights as the sun goes down over the water. See the fishermen bringing in their boats for the day and locals heading home from work, and have a refreshing beverage as you travel along the river.

Day 13: Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum & Killing Fields of Choeung Ek

After breakfast at your hotel, meet with your guides and make the drive to the Tuol Sleng Prison Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung. Grim as it may be, this memorial is an important piece of Cambodia's historic and cultural puzzle. You'll walk the grounds and see the Buddhist memorial that commemorates the 1.7 million victims of the 1975-79 Pol Pot regime. Your guides will share information about these horrific events, and you'll have time to contemplate what was once an evil time in this gentle land. 

Day 14: Depart Phnom Penh

Your two-week journey through Thailand and Cambodia comes to a close today. At the appropriate time, your driver will collect you from your hotel and transport you to Phnom Penh's airport for your flight home. Safe travels! 

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