Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and their cultural ties

Twenty years ago, Asia Transpacific Journeys started a tour to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia under the unifying theme Passage to Indochina. The trip has become the company’s most popular small-group tour. “We pioneered this combination of activities when these countries were just opening their borders,” Marilyn Downing Staff, founder and president of Asia Transpacific, says in a statement.

The Passage to Indochina trip takes 17 days to explore the region. Highlights include an overnight Halong Bay cruise on a restored junk and a cooking class in Vietnam; a visit to the incomparable Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia; and a traditional dawn gathering of monks in Luang Prabang in Laos. This trip accents cultural immersion amid a small group of travelers (limited to 18 people).

When: Tours depart Oct. 13 and Dec. 1.

Price: It costs $8,995 per person, double occupancy; add $2,480 for single supplement. It includes hotels, most meals, tour leaders, daily activities and entry fees, ground transportation (including cruise), private airport transfers and more. International airfare is extra.

Contact: Asia Transpacific Journeys, (800) 642-2742