Asia: Southeast Asia Wanderlust | Teen Travel Network

Asia

Southeast Asia Wanderlust

Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam

The Experience

Have an extraordinary adventure to three unforgettable countries in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Your sense of wanderlust will never be the same after this trip!

Trip Highlights

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS PLANNED FOR SUMMER 2024. IT IS NOT RUNNING DURING SUMMER 2023.

Take a Vietnamese cooking course in local resident’s home kitchen
Get up close with Elephants during elephant led interaction at a sanctuary
Engage in cultural exchange with high school students in each country we visit

Soak up the sun and play in the warm waves in Koh Samet
Visit the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha
See the iconic Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious structure

Asia

Southeast Asia Wanderlust

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Program Overview

Are you feeling a sense of wanderlust? Do you have an inkling to fly overseas for an adventure that will take you to places most Westerners never see?

Then spend time in three incredibly unique places in Southeast Asia this summer! These culturally rich and vibrant destinations are ideal locations for student travelers who wish to take the road less traveled.

Along the way, you’ll travel far and wide, with visits to Hanoi, Halong Bay, Koh Samet, Bangkok and Siem Reap, the home of the legendary Angkor Wat!

This program will have a perfect mix of beaches, jungle,and metropolitan cityscapes. Discover the historic, cultural and natural wonders of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam during your nearly two weeks traveling across these three magnificent countries.

KEY DESTINATIONS

REGION: ASIA & THE PACIFIC

EXPERIENCE: MULTI-COUNTRY ASIA

COUNTRY: CAMBODIA

COUNTRY: THAILAND

COUNTRY: VIETNAM

CITY: BANGKOK

CITY: SIEM REAP

Asia

Southeast Asia Wanderlust

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AT TEEN TRAVEL NETWORK, YOU'RE NOT ONLY TAKING A JOURNEY IN MILES, BUT A JOURNEY OF SHARED EXPERIENCES AND SELF-DISCOVERY.

PROGRAM ITINERARY

THIS ITINERARY IS AN APPROXIMATION OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM EXPERIENCE. THE ORDER OF ACTIVITIES ON YOUR TRIP MAY CHANGE.
IF A PARTICULAR SCHEDULED EXPERIENCE IS CANCELED, WE MAY REPLACE IT WITH AN ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY.

Day 1: Arrival

Welcome to Vietnam!

Staff will greet students at the airport upon their arrival. Transfer to your hotel on the edge of the Hanoi’s Old Quarter and get settled in; we’ll have an orientation to go over our itinerary and expectations, as well as get tips on acclimating to the culture here.

Get to know your fellow students through icebreaker activities before enjoying a welcome dinner of traditional Vietnamese food. Hit the hay early — we’ve got a big day ahead!

Day 2: Hanoi (Old Quarter & Cooking Class)

We’ll start the day exploring our new neighborhood; the Old Quarter is known as the historic heart and soul of the city and is home to artists, bustling restaurants and cafes, and unique French colonial architecture.

Later, stroll through a local market and take a Vietnamese cooking course in local resident’s home kitchen. Here students will learn about local cuisine and how it contributes to the culture and daily routines of the people who live here.

Day 3: Hanoi (Sightseeing & Cultural Exchange)

This morning we’ll visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Hao Lo Prison Museum. The museum highlights the history of the building, which was constructed during colonial times. It’s notable for being the prison that held POW John McCain during the Vietnam War.

To balance the somber nature of our morning activities, we’ll liven things up with an afternoon exchange with local bilingual Vietnamese high school students.

We’ll all tour Hoan Kiem lake and try Hanoi’s famous “egg coffee”: despite it’s somewhat unappetizing name, the dish is more akin to a sweet coffee custard.

After dinner, we’re in for a treat–take in a water puppet show with translation help from our new friends.

Day 4: Hanoi → Halong Bay

Travel by van to Halong Bay, roughly three hours west of Hanoi. Take advantage of the downtime to bond with your new friends, listen to music or relax and take in the beautiful scenery.

When we arrive, we’ll hop a boat for a cruise around the bay, underneat unusual rock outcroppings. Stop for some sea kayaking and to explore the areas sea caves.

Day 5: Halong Bay → Hanoi → Bangkok

Head back to Hanoi, where we’ll bid Vietnam goodbye and hop a quick flight to Bangkok, Thailand for the next leg of our adventure.

Enjoy our new hotel (with a pool!) and learn some Thai cultural do’s and don’ts from our knowledgeable staff.

Day 6: Bangkok → Koh Samet

Check out of our hotel, leaving most of our luggage behind, but don’t worry–we’ll be back before long.

We’ll take a morning drive down to Koh Samet, a relatively quiet, small island located just south of Bangkok. A chartered speedboat will take our group from the mainland to directly in front of our hotel, which is located right on the beach.

After checking in, the group will have time to rest, relax and enjoy the quiet beach. Eat dinner on the beach against the backdrop of an incredible sunset.

Day 7: Koh Samet

Enjoy more of the beach view with a late morning breakfast, then head into Koh Samet.

Take a walking tour of this quaint town and learn what quiet island life is like. We will visit Saikaew Beach, the most well-known beach on the island, and see some market areas where you can browse for souvenirs from local vendors.

After lunch, head back to our home base where more beach fun is in store. Later, join a group discussion about the places we’ve seen so far and dive a bit deeper into Thai culture.

Day 8: Koh Samet → Bangkok

Our island getaway has drawn to a close.

Head back to Bangkok, but not before stopping at an elephant sanctuary to get up close and personal with the majestic Asian elephant. This sanctuary is an ethical and sustainable eco-tourism project that allows small groups to interact with these gentle giants through education and outreach.

With some luck, we’ll have a chance to feed the elephants and maybe even participate in a mud bath!

Back in Bangkok, check back into the hotel and enjoy some well-earned downtime.

Day 9: Bangkok

What better way to learn about a culture than by meeting with locals? This morning, visit a local high school and meet with bilingual students who have spent many years learning English.

We will go as a group to Thailand’s most well known attraction and place of prayer and culture: The Grand Palace and temple of the renowned emerald Buddha.

The Thai students will be our tour guides through this amazing place. Learn about one of the world’s most well-known religious and cultural sites through the stories and eyes through local students our own age.

Next on our list is Wat Po, the temple of the reclining Buddha. Here we will quietly observe the customs of local visitors and learn more about Buddhist customs from our experienced guide.

Day 10: Bangkok → Cambodia

And, we’re off to our final destination!

Transfer to the airport and fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia’s second-largest city. Check in to our accommodations for the next few days and dive right in as we head to Phare Circus!

This show is conducted completely by youth of the region. With shows changing daily it’s hard to say exactly what we’ll see, but we know it will be fun! With a little luck, we may get to interact with the performers after the show.

Day 11: Angkor Wat

Today we are in for a treat!

Explore Angkor Wat, a complex of Buddhist temples that are absolutely breathtaking. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the world’s largest religious structure and is truly something to see.

We will also pay a visit to Angkor Thom – a temple with hundreds of carved smiling faces.

Our last visit of the day will be Ta Prohm, an iconic temple where sequences of the movie Tomb Raider were filmed. If we have any steam left after our big day, head to the Angkor Night Market to shop for local treats and souvenirs.

Day 12: Siem Reap (Cultural Exchange & Scavenger Hunt)

On our final day in Cambodia, we’ll meet up with local high school students for some cultural exchange activities and a group lunch.

Discover more of the city’s hidden gems with a scavenger hunt — there are prizes for the top groups!

After the scavenger hunt, thank our local Siem Reap high school friends and head back to our hotel.

Tonight, we’ll celebrate the end of our Southeast Asian adventure with a special farewell dinner. Say your goodbyes to your new friends and reflect on all that we’ve learned over the past twelve days.