The Best Rail Trips to Take in Asia

People don’t always associate Southeast Asia with train travel, but our two-week epic across two of the region’s most spectacular countries aims to change that perception. We’ll start in Bangkok before hopping on a train to explore the ancient ruins of Sukhothai and the street food delights of Chiang Mai. You’ll be treated to a Thai cooking masterclass ahead of some jungle exploration in Northern Thailand, where you’ll go bamboo rafting, visit an ethical elephant sanctuary and barbecue back at our jungle campsite. After around a week it’s time to cross the border into Laos, where we’ll briefly swap train travel for its water-based cousin, the river cruise. We’ll float down the verdant jungles of the Mekong, stopping off to meet remote whisky-making villagers and sacred caves. You’ll hike through a rainforest in search of Laos’ most famous sight, the spectacular Kuang Si Falls, before taking a high-speed train to Vang Vieng, where we’ll explore the Nam Song river by kayak. Having crossed back into Thailand, you’ll hop on the sleeper train back to Bangkok, where we’ll round off the trip with a city tour and farewell dinner.