Bangkok is where South East Asia’s great overland journeys begin, mostly because every road, railway and river in the region seems to lead out of it. Head north and you can drift down the Mekong into Laos on a slow boat. Head east and you reach Angkor. Head south and the sleeper train rattles past limestone cliffs towards Malaysia and Singapore, and if you are still not ready to go home, Java and Bali are just across the water. The hardest part is picking a direction.
This guide compares every multi-country tour we offer that starts or ends in Bangkok, grouped by where they’re going, with who each suits and its honest drawback. A note on expectations: these are proper journeys, with sleeper trains, border crossings and the occasional early start. That’s half the fun. The other half is the food.
The quick answer
- If you want Laos and the length of Vietnam, pick South East Asia Uncovered.
- If you have a month and want Angkor too, pick the South East Asia Loop.
- If you are heading south to Singapore, pick Best of Thailand & Malaysia or the shorter Bangkok to Singapore.
- If you want to end on Bali, pick Bangkok to Bali Overland.
- If you want comfort, pick Thailand & Vietnam.
Every South East Asia overland tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East: Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia | ||||||
| South East Asia Uncovered: Bangkok to Saigon via Laos – 22 Days | 22 | £2,673 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Bangkok to Saigon via Laos |
| Southeast Asia Adventure: Bangkok to Angkor Wat – 29 Days | 29 | £3,416 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | On to Angkor |
| South East Asia Loop: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia – 30 Days | 30 | £3,771 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | The full loop, back to Bangkok |
| Thailand & Vietnam: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ha Long & Saigon – 19 Days | 19 | £5,025 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Comfort, Thailand and Vietnam |
| Thailand & Laos Adventure: Bangkok to Vientiane – 13 Days | 13 | £1,356 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Thailand and Laos in two weeks |
| South: Malaysia, Singapore and Bali | ||||||
| Bangkok to Singapore: Khao Sok, Krabi, Penang & Melaka – 15 Days | 15 | £1,895 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Bangkok to Singapore, two weeks |
| Best of Thailand & Malaysia: Bangkok to Singapore – 22 Days | 22 | £3,240 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Bangkok to Singapore, in depth |
| Singapore to Bangkok by Rail: Malaysia & Southern Thailand – 18 Days | 18 | £6,390 pp incl. flights | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | By train, everything included |
| Bangkok to Bali Overland: Thailand, Malaysia & Java – 28 Days | 28 | £4,130 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | All the way to Bali |
| China to Singapore by Train: Laos, Thailand & Malaysia – 25 Days | 25 | £4,065 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | From China by train |
| Short hops | ||||||
| Cambodian Traveller: Saigon to Bangkok via Angkor – 9 Days | 9 | £928 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Saigon to Bangkok via Angkor |
| Cambodia Express: Bangkok to Saigon via Angkor – 8 Days | 8 | £720 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Bangkok to Saigon via Angkor |
| For 18 to 35s | ||||||
| Epic Southeast Asia for 18–35s: Thailand to Cambodia – 33 Days | 33 | £2,355 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | The full loop |
| Thailand to Vietnam for 18–35s: Bangkok to Saigon – 24 Days | 24 | £1,780 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Bangkok to Saigon |
| Epic Bangkok to Singapore for 18–35s – 22 Days | 22 | £1,118 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Bangkok to Singapore |
| Real Bangkok to Singapore for 18–35s – 15 Days | 15 | £816 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Bangkok to Singapore, shorter |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
East: Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia
South East Asia Uncovered: Bangkok to Saigon via Laos
South East Asia Uncovered: Bangkok to Saigon via Laos – 22 Days
- 22 days
- From £2,673 per person
- Max 16 people
- Bangkok, Thailand to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Twenty-two days with a local leader and up to 16. A river cruise in Bangkok, the sleeper train to Chiang Mai with an elephant experience, the White Temple at Chiang Rai, then two days on a slow boat down the Mekong via Pakbeng and the Pak Ou Caves to Luang Prabang, where monks collect alms at dawn. You fly to Hanoi, spend a night on a boat in Ha Long Bay, tour Hue by motorbike and finish with Hoi An and the Mekong Delta.
Suits: first-timers who want three countries and the Mekong slow boat. The honest drawback: two nights on sleeper trains, simple hotels, and only a few meals beyond breakfast.
Southeast Asia Adventure: on to Angkor
Southeast Asia Adventure: Bangkok to Angkor Wat – 29 Days
- 29 days
- From £3,416 per person
- Max 16 people
- Bangkok, Thailand to Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Twenty-nine days with a leader and up to 16, following the same route through Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and then carrying on to Phnom Penh and the temples of Angkor with a local guide. On the way: dinner at a training restaurant for young people in Hanoi, a vegetarian lunch at a pagoda in Hue, the Kuang Si falls, and a rural homestay in Cambodia on some departures.
Suits: travellers with a month who want four countries. The honest drawback: simple, twin-share hotels and multi-share sleeper trains, with long travel days.
South East Asia Loop: the full circle
South East Asia Loop: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia – 30 Days
- 30 days
- From £3,771 per person
- Max 16 people
- Starts and ends in Bangkok, Thailand
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Thirty days that start and end in Bangkok, with local leaders in each country and up to 16 travellers. North to Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep, down the Mekong to Luang Prabang and Vientiane, a flight to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, Hue, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, then Cambodia: Tuol Sleng in Phnom Penh, the villages around Battambang and Angkor, before flying back to Bangkok. Three internal flights are included.
Suits: anyone who wants to fly in and out of Bangkok and see four countries. The honest drawback: mostly simple two- and three-star hotels, and it’s a long time on the move.
Thailand & Vietnam: the comfortable option
Thailand & Vietnam: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ha Long & Saigon – 19 Days
- 19 days
- From £5,025 per person
- Max 12 people
- Bangkok, Thailand to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Nineteen days, premium small group, with a local leader and up to 12. Bangkok’s Grand Palace and canals, Erawan Falls and the Death Railway at Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai by bike, a community-run lodge in the hills, Elephant Nature Park and Doi Suthep, then three flights to Hanoi, Ha Long Bay on a traditional boat, Hoi An, the Cu Chi Tunnels and a coffee workshop in Ho Chi Minh City. Breakfast daily, plus six lunches and seven dinners.
Suits: travellers who want two countries in comfort. The honest drawback: it skips Laos and Cambodia, it costs more than the adventure trips, and you move often.
Short on time? Thailand & Laos Adventure (13 days) covers the northern half, Bangkok to Vientiane, with the slow boat and three nights in Luang Prabang. Cambodian Traveller (9 days) and Cambodia Express (8 days) cross Cambodia between Saigon and Bangkok via Phnom Penh and Angkor. For Vietnam on its own, see our Vietnam tours guide.
South: Malaysia, Singapore and Bali
Bangkok to Singapore: the two-week version
Bangkok to Singapore: Khao Sok, Krabi, Penang & Melaka – 15 Days
- 15 days
- From £1,895 per person
- Max 12 people
- Bangkok, Thailand to Singapore
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Fifteen days with a local leader and up to 12: a canal cruise in Bangkok, the overnight train south to Khao Sok National Park and a longtail boat across Cheow Lan Lake, two nights at Ao Nang in Krabi, a coastal village near Trang, then Penang’s George Town, Kuala Lumpur, a trishaw tour of Melaka and Singapore.
Suits: first-timers on a budget who want beaches, cities and street food. The honest drawback: a night on a sleeper train, and only breakfasts and three lunches are included.
Best of Thailand & Malaysia: in depth
Best of Thailand & Malaysia: Bangkok to Singapore – 22 Days
- 22 days
- From £3,240 per person
- Max 12 people
- Bangkok, Thailand to Singapore
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Year-round departures
Twenty-two days with a leader and up to 12. It goes north before it goes south: the Hellfire Pass Memorial and the Death Railway to the Bridge on the River Kwai, Erawan Falls, an elephant sanctuary, Sukhothai by bike and Chiang Mai, then a flight back to Bangkok and the same southern route as above, with a lunch on a raft house on Cheow Lan Lake, sea kayaking near Krabi and a community lunch in a fishing village.
Suits: history and nature lovers with three weeks. The honest drawback: long travel days, sometimes in cramped transport, and standard hotels.
Singapore to Bangkok by Rail: everything included
Singapore to Bangkok by Rail: Malaysia & Southern Thailand – 18 Days
- 18 days
- From £6,390 per person incl. flights
- Singapore to Bangkok, Thailand
- Flights included
- Departures in February, March, October, November
Eighteen days the other way, largely by train, with return flights from the UK, 3-star-plus and 4-star hotels, every meal and all entrance fees. A national escort in each country and local guides take you from Singapore’s gardens to Malacca, the Batu Caves, the Cameron Highlands’ tea plantations, Penang and its hill funicular, Phuket, Phang Nga Bay, Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi and Bangkok’s Grand Palace.
Suits: rail fans who want everything arranged. The honest drawback: most days are fully guided, groups can be larger, and beach stays are short.
Bangkok to Bali Overland
Bangkok to Bali Overland: Thailand, Malaysia & Java – 28 Days
- 28 days
- From £4,130 per person
- Max 12 people
- Bangkok, Thailand to Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in December
Twenty-eight days, four countries and only one short flight, with local leaders and no more than 12. The first half follows the Bangkok-to-Singapore route; then you fly to Jakarta and cross Java by train: Bandung and the Tangkuban Perahu crater, Borobudur, a cycle tour in Yogyakarta, an eco-guesthouse in a nature reserve, sunrise over Mount Bromo, and finally the ferry to Bali and Ubud.
Suits: overlanders who want Java as well as Bali. The honest drawback: Bromo means a 3am start, you move often, and departures are few.
China to Singapore by Train
China to Singapore by Train: Laos, Thailand & Malaysia – 25 Days
- 25 days
- From £4,065 per person
- Max 12 people
- Kunming, China to Singapore
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Twenty-five days from Kunming in south-west China to Singapore, mostly by train, with a local leader, specialist guides in China and Laos and up to 12 travellers. A Hani tea village on Nannuo Mountain, the bullet train into Laos and Luang Prabang, kayaking in Vang Vieng and the COPE centre in Vientiane, then Bangkok and the southern route to Singapore, with two nights on sleeper trains.
Suits: rail and slow-travel fans. The honest drawback: several long journeys, shared sleepers and visas for several countries.
For 18 to 35s
Four trips are just for 18 to 35-year-olds. Epic Southeast Asia (33 days) loops through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, with beach bungalows on Koh Rong and a rural homestay. Thailand to Vietnam (24 days) runs Bangkok to Saigon. Epic Bangkok to Singapore (22 days) adds a two-day hilltribe trek near Chiang Mai and two nights on Ko Samui, with three sleeper trains, and Real Bangkok to Singapore (15 days) is the shorter, cheaper version. Expect hostels, shared rooms and new friends.
How to choose
By direction. Laos and Vietnam: Uncovered, Thailand & Laos, Thailand & Vietnam. Angkor too: the Adventure and the Loop. Malaysia and Singapore: the two Bangkok to Singapore trips and the rail tour. Bali: Bangkok to Bali.
By time. Under two weeks: Thailand & Laos and the Cambodia crossings. Two to three weeks: Uncovered, both Bangkok to Singapore trips, the rail tour and Thailand & Vietnam. Around a month: the Loop, the Adventure, Bangkok to Bali and China to Singapore.
By budget. The 18–35s trips and the Cambodia crossings are the cheapest. Thailand & Vietnam and the rail tour cost the most, though the rail tour includes flights and every meal. Live prices are in the table above.
By comfort. Most of these trips use simple hotels and sleeper trains. For better hotels and fewer early starts, choose Thailand & Vietnam or the rail tour.
When to go
The cool, dry season from about November to February is the best time for most of mainland South East Asia, with March to May the hottest months and the monsoon bringing heavy showers from around June to October. Malaysia’s west coast and Bali have different patterns, so the southern routes work well at other times too. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
Visa rules differ by country, so before you travel check the FCDO travel advice for Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best South East Asia overland tour?
For Laos and Vietnam, South East Asia Uncovered. With Angkor too, the South East Asia Loop. For Malaysia and Singapore, Best of Thailand & Malaysia.
Can I travel from Bangkok to Singapore by train?
Yes. Bangkok to Singapore uses a sleeper train in Thailand, and the Singapore to Bangkok by Rail tour travels largely by train with everything included.
Is there an overland tour from Bangkok to Bali?
Yes, Bangkok to Bali Overland takes 28 days through Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Java, with one short flight.
Which tours include the Mekong slow boat?
South East Asia Uncovered, the Southeast Asia Adventure, the Loop and Thailand & Laos all spend two days on the slow boat to Luang Prabang.
Are there South East Asia tours for 18 to 35s?
Yes, including Epic Southeast Asia, Thailand to Vietnam and Epic Bangkok to Singapore.
Are flights included?
Return flights are included on the Singapore to Bangkok rail tour. The others include some internal flights but no international flights, and we can arrange them.
Ready for South East Asia?
Tell us which direction tempts you and how long you have, and a Travelisto specialist will compare the overland tours with you.
Keep planning
- All escorted tours in Thailand
- Escorted tours in Laos
- Escorted tours in Cambodia
- Escorted tours in Malaysia
- Vietnam tours compared
- Thailand holidays
- Vietnam holidays
- Cambodia holidays
- Malaysia holidays
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
