The Eastern & Orient Express - Bangkok to Singapore

Day 1: Bangkok

Arrive in Bangkok where you are transferred to our comfortable and centrally located boutique colonial style hotel. A pre-trip briefing is held in the evening, to meet the other members of your group and discuss the trip itinerary. Please check for a Welcome Notice on the hotel noticeboard located near the hotel lifts which will provide your tour leader's name and the exact time and location of your Welcome Meeting. Until this meeting we encourage you to get out and discover the delights that Bangkok has to offer, including trying some of Thailand's famous cuisine. After the group meeting in the evening we may adjourn to a nearby restaurant and enjoy a meal together (this is optional and at your own expense). The rest of the evening is free - perhaps a quiet drink or a visit to the bustling night markets of Bangkok.

Day 2: Bangkok - overnight train

Today is a full day to enjoy the sights of Bangkok. This city tour is all done on the different forms of public transport available to the citizens of Bangkok (Skytrain, canal boat, ferry and bus), to give you a true taste of life in this busy and varied city. First up it's a stop at Jim Thompson's House, a collection of unique antique Thai houses situated by a klong (canal). Here we get to appreciate its amazing Asian art collection. Jim Thompson was an American who arrived in Thailand during World War II and worked with the predecessor to the CIA, the OSS. When the war ended he changed professions and remained in Thailand. He is credited with reviving the Thai silk industry before mysteriously disappearing in the Cameron Highlands, in Malaysia, in 1967. We then visit the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), a must for first-time travellers to Bangkok. We also visit Wat Po, home of the famous Reclining Buddha. Please note that when visiting temples and palaces in Thailand, please dress conservatively in order to respect the local culture. In the evening we are transferred Bangkok's Hualamphong Railway Station where we board our Eastern & Oriental Express and settle into our cabins. Our train departs at 5:50 pm (17:50 hrs). We can enjoy a drink in the Observation Car as the train leaves the city and heads out into open country. We then savour dinner in the restaurant car and later, over a nightcap, enjoy music by the resident pianist in the Bar Car. Upon retiring to our cabins, we will find it has been transformed into a bedroom by our personal steward. Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

Day 3: Kanchanaburi - overnight train

We awaken to the excitement of the train making its way from Wang Po along the wooden trestle viaduct beside a towering cliff. On arrival at the River Kwai Bridge station, the Eastern & Oriental Express stops to allow passengers to disembark. Guides escort us on the short walk down to the jetty to board a local raft for a cruise along the lush greenery of the picturesque Kwai Yai River, passing under the infamous bridge. On board, a local historian provides a brief overview of the history of the Thailand-Burma Railway and the bridge. At our landing point we board a coach for a brief trip past the North Temple and Chinese Cemetery to the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre to discover the history of the infamous railway built here during World War II. As we explore the informative museum, our historian is available to answer questions. There is time to visit the Don Rak War Cemetery adjacent to the museum if you wish. We rejoin our coach for the short ride to the Kanchanaburi Railway Station to reboard the Eastern & Oriental Express. We enjoy lunch on board whilst admiring the unforgettable scenery passing by and later reflect on our day's sightseeing over dinner and relax with a drink in the Bar Car before retiring for the night. Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 4: Georgetown (Penang) - overnight train

Brunch is served before arriving in Butterworth in Malaysia. Here coaches will meet us and take us across to colonial Georgetown, capital of Penang, on the local ferry. Georgetown is an original Chinatown with many heritage buildings, evoking the moods of a bygone era. We enjoy a guided introductory tour that includes historic mosques, elaborately-roofed temples, churches, bazaars and colourful shop houses. After our short sojourn we take the short ride back to Butterworth and rejoin the Eastern & Oriental Express. Spend the afternoon watching the passing scenery from one of the lounge cars or from the open deck of the Observation Car. On our final evening on the train, we get to dine again in one of the opulent dining cars and then spend a relaxing evening in the Bar Car with its resident pianist. Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 5: Singapore

After breakfast, soon it's time to leave the train, having crossed the Straits of Johore into Singapore. On arrival at Singapore's Keppel Road Station around 11:45 am, we are met by our Singapore guide and transferred to our boutique Colonial style hotel. We are soon out exploring this modern city with our guide. Making our way past modern skyscrapers and bustling street stalls, we visit Chinatown, Boat Quay, as well as the Merlion statue - the half-fish, half-lion icon that became the symbol of Singapore in the 1960s. We finish our walk at the world-famous Raffles Hotel – an iconic structure that epitomises colonial elegance. Here we enjoy High Tea in the historic Tiffin Room – an appropriately elegant way to finish our tour. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 6: Singapore

The tour ends after breakfast in Singapore. A transfer to the airport is not included; however, your tour leader will be on hand to advise you as to the available options. Alternatively, you may wish to extend your stay in Singapore to explore its many other attractions. Singapore has one of the best zoos in the world, whilst Sentosa Island has its share of tourist attractions including a few small beaches, Fort Siloso and Universal Studios theme park. Meals included: 1 breakfast