Picture this: You leave the cacophony of Bangkok in the evening, watch the rice paddies and sinuous Mekong River unscroll outside your window, then pull into Vientiane, Laos, for breakfast (after a stop at the ancient Khmer ruins of Phimai, naturally). Starting this month, the Eastern & Oriental Express will unveil four new rail itineraries, each of which gives travelers a condensed but in-depth immersion into some of Southeast Asia’s most scenic spots. Without ever having to unpack a bag, you’ll have time to chat with a monkey trainer in Surat Thani or snorkel in the Andaman Sea, then climb back on board for a lecture on legendary silk impresario Jim Thompson and cocktails with the captain. Four-day journeys from $3,900 per person, double, all-inclusive.
Asia’s Scenic New Train Routes
Photo: Courtesy of Orient-Express
