Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand

Two weeks across three countries, with three nights aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express through Malaysia. In Singapore, a private tour of a Peranakan home museum with the collector who made it; on the train, George Town by Vespa with local artists; then the temples and river of Bangkok and four nights on the Mae Ping in Chiang Mai.

Length: 13 nights
Pace: Four stays
Style: Rail, culture, food, private guides
Route: Singapore to Malaysia by train to Bangkok to Chiang Mai

SingaporeThree nights
Malaysia by trainThree nights
BangkokThree nights
Chiang MaiFour nights

An outdoor pool with blue mosaic tiles, lined with sun loungers and parasols, facing a white colonnaded pavilion. — Photo: Raffles Hotel Singapore

Days 1 to 4 · three nights

Singapore

Met on arrival. Two private days in the city: Little India, Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Joo Chiat, with hawker centres and temples along the way. For Raffles guests, a private tour of The Intan, the Peranakan home museum of its owner and curator Alvin Yapp, and a hawker food trail drawn up with KF Seetoh, founder of Makansutra. A Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, where it was first mixed in 1915.

Where you stay

Raffles Singapore

Raffles opened in Singapore in 1887, and its 115 suites come with personal butler service. The Long Bar is where the Singapore Sling was first mixed in 1915, the Tiffin Room serves North Indian food in a setting from 1892, and 1887 by André looks at heritage cooking through a French lens.

Islands scattered across a turquoise sea, seen from a forested hilltop.

Days 4 to 7 · three nights

Malaysia by train

An afternoon transfer to Woodlands station and the train north, with menus from chef André Chiang. On the second afternoon, a choice: a secluded Langkawi beach and a boat through the Kilim Geoforest mangroves, Perlis Geopark by bicycle with a historic tin mine, or batik, antiques and local tea in Perlis. In Penang, George Town by Vespa with local artists, or its food through the markets, Penang Hill and a cooking class, before the train runs south past Ipoh and back to Singapore.

Where you stay

Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train

The Eastern & Oriental Express runs round journeys from Singapore into Malaysia, with 32 sleeper cabins including two Presidential Suites. Chef André Chiang leads the menus in the two dining cars, Malaya and Adisorn, and the train carries the first Dior Spa in Southeast Asia.

A suite balcony with wicker seating overlooking the Chao Phraya river and city towers. — Photo: Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Days 7 to 10 · three nights

Bangkok

A flight to Bangkok with assistance on arrival. The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, the markets, a private longtail boat and a further half day in the city. Afternoon tea in The Authors' Lounge, in the original Oriental Hotel among photographs of the writers who have stayed since the late 19th century, and one evening across the river at Sala Rim Naam for a royal Thai set dinner with classical dance, from Wednesday to Sunday. Another evening, a seat at the Kitchen Table of Blue Elephant, in a century-old building, where the brigade cooks a menu for the table in the heart of the kitchen and you join the chefs at the hot plate.

Where you stay

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok has received travellers on the Chao Phraya River for more than 150 years, at Oriental Avenue in the old Bang Rak district. Anne-Sophie Pic cooks at Le Normandie, afternoon tea is served in The Authors' Lounge, and The Bamboo Bar pairs cocktails with jazz.

Two pagodas on a forested mountain ridge in northern Thailand at golden hour.

Days 10 to 14 · four nights

Chiang Mai

A flight north. A mountain temple with the option of alms-giving at sunrise, the craft districts, an afternoon at Patara, which rescues elephants and has returned eight to the wild, learning to feed, health-check, bathe and command an elephant as its owner would, or more cultural touring, the night market, and a market visit followed by a Thai cooking lesson. From the resort's own pier, 90 minutes on the Mae Ping aboard Nam Jai, its handmade teak boat, then a Lanna khantoke lunch beneath centuries-old trees at Bodhi Terrace.

Where you stay

Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

On the banks of the Mae Ping River, Anantara Chiang Mai Resort is built around the 1921 House, which was once the British consulate and now serves afternoon tea and dinner. There are 52 rooms, 34 suites and 25 serviced suites, with river cruises from the resort's own pier and Spice Spoons cooking classes.

Arranged on request

The Intan with its curator

For Raffles guests only, a private tour of The Intan, the Peranakan home museum of its owner and curator Alvin Yapp, with traditional refreshments and a Raffles car each way.

A hawker trail from KF Seetoh

A three-hour hawker food trail across Singapore, made with KF Seetoh, the street food advocate who founded Makansutra, offered to Raffles guests at no charge.

George Town by Vespa

On the Eastern & Oriental Express, a morning in UNESCO-listed George Town riding pillion with local artists, or its food through the markets, Penang Hill and a cooking class.

Perlis Geopark and its tin mine

An afternoon off the train to cycle Perlis Geopark and visit a historic tin mine, or to spend it with batik, antiques and local tea.

The Mae Ping by teak boat

Ninety minutes on the river aboard Nam Jai, Anantara's handmade teak boat, then a Lanna khantoke lunch at Bodhi Terrace.

The Kitchen Table at Blue Elephant

An evening at the table set in the heart of the kitchen, in a century-old Bangkok building, where the brigade cooks a menu for the table and guests join the chefs at the hot plate.

Subject to availability.

Ways to make it yours

The six-night Tiger Express, which adds a stay at The Datai Langkawi.
A morning at the Asian Civilisations Museum, with more than 1,300 objects from across Asia.
Time with Buddhist teachers in Chiang Mai.

This is a sample. The hotels, the pace and the order are where we start, not where we finish: every journey is designed around the people taking it.

Made around you

Most travel is bought. This is designed.

Before anything is booked, we talk: who is travelling, how you like to spend a morning, and the hotel preferences below the obvious, from the kind of bath you like to the time you wake and how much daylight you need in a room. You see options where options matter and clean recommendations where they don't.

The same person remains your point of contact from the first reply to the trip after next. No handovers. No team.