Far less frequently visited than the hill tribe areas of the northwest, Esaan, or Northeast Thailand, has a beauty all of its own. This special trip blends visits to rural villages with bronze-age archeology, the Khmer heritage and national parks.

This short journey into Laos begins with a boat ride up the Mekong to Luang Prabang. Spend time in the ethnic villages, watch weavers and artists at work, picnic by idyllic waterfalls, and stop at village markets before catching a flight to Vientiane.

Travel from Chiang Rai by boat to Luang Prabang, up to Vientiane and then on to the south. Along the way get to know the people, visit Laotian remnants of the Angkor dynasty and see some of the world's most spectacular waterfalls.

A superb trip for families and individuals, this is a marvelous blend of the Vietnamese ocean world, the Laotian Mekong world, and the magnificence of the Cambodian Khmer civilization.

Travel across the newly opened border between Vietnam and Laos near Hanoi, visiting Muong and Thai villages along the way. Head to the mysterious Plain of Jars, Laos's answer to Stonehenge, before turning towards Luang Prabang.