Singapore and the Eastern & Oriental Express
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Highlights:
Choose this suggested program if you are a luxury train buff or just like “Murder on the Orient Express." It is also part Time Machine, since you stay in ultra-modern Singapore and their newest iconic hotel with its remarkable gardens 600 feet in the air allowing you to sit atop the three towers of the hotel.
Step back in time to the elegance of long distance rail travel as you make your way through Malaysia into Thailand and complete your experience in Bangkok and Ayutthaya.
Choose this suggested program if you are a luxury train buff or just like “Murder on the Orient Express." It is also part Time Machine, since you stay in ultra-modern Singapore and their newest iconic hotel with its remarkable gardens 600 feet in the air allowing you to sit atop the three towers of the hotel.
Step back in time to the elegance of long distance rail travel as you make your way through Malaysia into Thailand and complete your experience in Bangkok and Ayutthaya.
SKU:
Explore: The diversity of singapore
Customizable Itinerary - 12 Days (from $8,549 / person)
Day 1: USA-Singapore
This evening you board an aircraft for the trans-Pacific flight to the island nation of Singapore.
Day 2: En route
As you cross the International Date Line you lose a day but will recover it on the return flight.
Day 3: Arrival in Singapore
When you arrive in Singapore you will be met by one of our guides and taken to one of the newest additions to the Singapore skyline, the Marina Bay Sands. With three separate 600 feet towers supporting a rooftop garden as long as the Eiffel Tower, it fits in with this boisterous city-state. Once checked in you may want to peruse the gardens on enjoy a drink with a view. You have a wide variety of restaurants to select from one being Spago by Wolfgang Puck and another by Gordon Ramsey.
Day 4: Multi-Culturism in Action
Today your guide will help you understand the diversity that makes Singapore work as you visit the various cultural enclaves. You start by driving to Kampong Glam which is the heart of the Malay culture. You will take a walk along Arab Street to see the Sultan Mosque and the many shops offering a wide variety of Muslim food and goods. You will next board a ‘trishaw’ which is basically a two person carriage attached to and pulled by a bicycle. In a city like Singapore it is a great way to get around. You will travel through Little India which features the colors and scents of spices and incenses. You will stop here for lunch before heading to historic Chinatown a mix of old and new shops, markets and cafes. You will visit the Yong Gallery where a master calligrapher will demonstrate the fine art of calligraphy. Watch while he transforms names or creative expressions into auspicious Chinese characters on to a red fan which you get to keep. Next you cruise down the Singapore River in an authentic bumboat which was used in the past to transfer goods from larger ships anchored in the bay into the warehouses on the docks. This is the best way to see the pivotal role the river played in Singapore’s history as a port town. The cruise passes warehouses (called godowns) and old shophouses so called because the family lived above the shop. Cruise past old colonial buildings contrasted with imposing modern skyscrapers. Guarding the river mouth you will see the majestic, water-spouting Merlion, half lion, half fish and symbol of the city. Finish up your day with a seafood dinner along the riverside. Savor an authentic dish of ‘chili crab’ served with mantou (fried Chinese buns) a local favorite.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Contemporary and Historic Singapore
As true believers in the old axiom ‘nothing succeeds like excess” Singapore challenges Dubai for creating the most over the top attractions. But they actually work in their environment. Today your guide will combine the contemporary aspects of the city with the more traditional ‘colonial’ Singapore. You will already have visited the gardens atop your hotel so today you can start with Gardens by the Bay which is a combination of three themed gardens. Flower Dome maintains a temperature similar to the Mediterranean and regions like South Africa, California, Spain and Italy allowing unique plants like Baobab Trees, the Madagascar Ghost Tree and the 1000 year old Olive tree. The Flower Field displays a constantly changing display of vibrant blooms while cloud forest offer the world’s tallest indoor waterfall along with plants found in tropical rain forests. Your driver will then be at your disposal as you visit the shops at Suntec City which is one of the newer malls. You can then visit Orchard Road which is where all the exclusive shops and boutiques are located. After the shopping you are taken to the iconic Raffles Hotel which was opened in 1892. In the lobby you enjoy afternoon tea accompanied by a glass or two of champagne. You then return to your hotel to relax. In the evening you will be picked up and taken to Sentosa Island where you enjoy a performance of Wings of Time the only permanent night show in the world set in the open sea. The show involves 3D projection mapping, state-of-the-art lasers, robotic water fountains, giant water jets and pyrotechnics. After the show you return to your hotel for a late dinner or a cocktail overlooking the city from 600 feet up.
Breakfast and Afternoon Tea
Day 6: All aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express
After breakfast, your driver will take you to the station where you board the Eastern & Oriental Express which, in two luxurious days will transport you to Bangkok traveling up the Malaysian Peninsula. Although the carriages were built in the 1970’s they were re-built inside with rosewood and other fine woods to match the look of the Orient Express, the sister company of this train. After settling into your compartment, complete with private shower and toilet you are ready for lunch in the dining car. You stop briefly in Kuala Lumpur to pick up additional passengers and then it is time for cocktails and dinner and a good night’s sleep as the train makes its way north.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Penang and Crossing into Thailand
You are awakened by breakfast served in your cabin. Soon after, you arrive in Butterworth where you disembark and join your fellow travelers on an excursion to the island of Penang which was the original British outpost in Malaya. You will tour the city of Georgetown. Prior to the launch of your train, passengers had to get off their Malaysian train n Butterworth and transfer to a Thai train for the rest of the journey. Upon returning to the train, lunch is served followed by afternoon tea in your cabin or in the observation car which, while covered, is open on the sides much like a moving verandah. Another spectacular dinner completes the day.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: The River Kwai and a Bangkok Arrival
Morning finds you in Kanchanaburi in Thailand where you disembark to visit the River Kwai Memorial. While “The Bridge on the River Kwai” was based on fictional characters the event was real. About 9,000 allied prisoners of war died in the construction of the bridge and the infamous ‘death railway’. During your visit to the area you will visit the war museum which depicts the conditions that the prisoners had to face in building the bridge. You will also visit the war cemetery where the prisoners rest in peace tended by monks from a nearby Buddhist Temple. You re-board the train and, after lunch, arrive in Bangkok. You will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 9: Highlights of Bangkok
Unlike its neighbors, Thailand or Siam as it was called was never a colony of either France e.g. Vietnam or Britain e.g. Malaysia. Today your day starts early as you listen to the chants of the monks at Wat Pho. Take a walk around Wat Pho and admire the famed reclining Buddha which is 135 feet in length. You next turn to Royalty with a visit to the Grand Palace. While parts are closed for use by the royal family you are able to explore various temples and museums within the compound. For a change of pace you board a private longtail boat to explore the hidden life along the klongs of the city. As you ride these canals you will pass by shops, houses, temples covering a variety of styles. Your destination is a 100 year old house which has been remodeled as an art gallery and a gathering place for artists some of whom you will meet. As you head back to the main city you can make a stop at Wat Arun known as the Temple of Dawn. In the evening your guide will take you to experience the night markets and the street food of Bangkok.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10: A Day in Ayutthaya
In the morning your guide will pick you up for a visit to the previous capital of Siam, Ayutthaya. It was established in the 14th Century but an invasion and sacking by the Burmese in 1767 caused the capital to be moved to Bangkok. The road journey will take about ninety minutes but it is a scenic trip with picturesque countryside and lush paddy fields. You will visit a selection of temples but also take a closer look at life in rural Thailand. Stroll through Ayutthaya’s local market and take a walk through the town’s Muslim Quarter which offers the opportunity to sample candy floss roti, something you don’t see back home. You will then drive to the banks of the Chao Phraya River where you board an air-conditioned riverboat and cruise down the river. The journey takes three hours allowing for plenty of time to enjoy lunch and the passing scenery of riverside life.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 11: Return to USA
You have free time in the morning for some shopping and we can provide a car and driver for your convenience. In the afternoon you will be picked up at your hotel and taken to the airport for a connecting flight back to the USA.
Breakfast
Day 12: Arrive in the USA
This evening you board an aircraft for the trans-Pacific flight to the island nation of Singapore.
Day 2: En route
As you cross the International Date Line you lose a day but will recover it on the return flight.
Day 3: Arrival in Singapore
When you arrive in Singapore you will be met by one of our guides and taken to one of the newest additions to the Singapore skyline, the Marina Bay Sands. With three separate 600 feet towers supporting a rooftop garden as long as the Eiffel Tower, it fits in with this boisterous city-state. Once checked in you may want to peruse the gardens on enjoy a drink with a view. You have a wide variety of restaurants to select from one being Spago by Wolfgang Puck and another by Gordon Ramsey.
Day 4: Multi-Culturism in Action
Today your guide will help you understand the diversity that makes Singapore work as you visit the various cultural enclaves. You start by driving to Kampong Glam which is the heart of the Malay culture. You will take a walk along Arab Street to see the Sultan Mosque and the many shops offering a wide variety of Muslim food and goods. You will next board a ‘trishaw’ which is basically a two person carriage attached to and pulled by a bicycle. In a city like Singapore it is a great way to get around. You will travel through Little India which features the colors and scents of spices and incenses. You will stop here for lunch before heading to historic Chinatown a mix of old and new shops, markets and cafes. You will visit the Yong Gallery where a master calligrapher will demonstrate the fine art of calligraphy. Watch while he transforms names or creative expressions into auspicious Chinese characters on to a red fan which you get to keep. Next you cruise down the Singapore River in an authentic bumboat which was used in the past to transfer goods from larger ships anchored in the bay into the warehouses on the docks. This is the best way to see the pivotal role the river played in Singapore’s history as a port town. The cruise passes warehouses (called godowns) and old shophouses so called because the family lived above the shop. Cruise past old colonial buildings contrasted with imposing modern skyscrapers. Guarding the river mouth you will see the majestic, water-spouting Merlion, half lion, half fish and symbol of the city. Finish up your day with a seafood dinner along the riverside. Savor an authentic dish of ‘chili crab’ served with mantou (fried Chinese buns) a local favorite.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Contemporary and Historic Singapore
As true believers in the old axiom ‘nothing succeeds like excess” Singapore challenges Dubai for creating the most over the top attractions. But they actually work in their environment. Today your guide will combine the contemporary aspects of the city with the more traditional ‘colonial’ Singapore. You will already have visited the gardens atop your hotel so today you can start with Gardens by the Bay which is a combination of three themed gardens. Flower Dome maintains a temperature similar to the Mediterranean and regions like South Africa, California, Spain and Italy allowing unique plants like Baobab Trees, the Madagascar Ghost Tree and the 1000 year old Olive tree. The Flower Field displays a constantly changing display of vibrant blooms while cloud forest offer the world’s tallest indoor waterfall along with plants found in tropical rain forests. Your driver will then be at your disposal as you visit the shops at Suntec City which is one of the newer malls. You can then visit Orchard Road which is where all the exclusive shops and boutiques are located. After the shopping you are taken to the iconic Raffles Hotel which was opened in 1892. In the lobby you enjoy afternoon tea accompanied by a glass or two of champagne. You then return to your hotel to relax. In the evening you will be picked up and taken to Sentosa Island where you enjoy a performance of Wings of Time the only permanent night show in the world set in the open sea. The show involves 3D projection mapping, state-of-the-art lasers, robotic water fountains, giant water jets and pyrotechnics. After the show you return to your hotel for a late dinner or a cocktail overlooking the city from 600 feet up.
Breakfast and Afternoon Tea
Day 6: All aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express
After breakfast, your driver will take you to the station where you board the Eastern & Oriental Express which, in two luxurious days will transport you to Bangkok traveling up the Malaysian Peninsula. Although the carriages were built in the 1970’s they were re-built inside with rosewood and other fine woods to match the look of the Orient Express, the sister company of this train. After settling into your compartment, complete with private shower and toilet you are ready for lunch in the dining car. You stop briefly in Kuala Lumpur to pick up additional passengers and then it is time for cocktails and dinner and a good night’s sleep as the train makes its way north.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Penang and Crossing into Thailand
You are awakened by breakfast served in your cabin. Soon after, you arrive in Butterworth where you disembark and join your fellow travelers on an excursion to the island of Penang which was the original British outpost in Malaya. You will tour the city of Georgetown. Prior to the launch of your train, passengers had to get off their Malaysian train n Butterworth and transfer to a Thai train for the rest of the journey. Upon returning to the train, lunch is served followed by afternoon tea in your cabin or in the observation car which, while covered, is open on the sides much like a moving verandah. Another spectacular dinner completes the day.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: The River Kwai and a Bangkok Arrival
Morning finds you in Kanchanaburi in Thailand where you disembark to visit the River Kwai Memorial. While “The Bridge on the River Kwai” was based on fictional characters the event was real. About 9,000 allied prisoners of war died in the construction of the bridge and the infamous ‘death railway’. During your visit to the area you will visit the war museum which depicts the conditions that the prisoners had to face in building the bridge. You will also visit the war cemetery where the prisoners rest in peace tended by monks from a nearby Buddhist Temple. You re-board the train and, after lunch, arrive in Bangkok. You will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 9: Highlights of Bangkok
Unlike its neighbors, Thailand or Siam as it was called was never a colony of either France e.g. Vietnam or Britain e.g. Malaysia. Today your day starts early as you listen to the chants of the monks at Wat Pho. Take a walk around Wat Pho and admire the famed reclining Buddha which is 135 feet in length. You next turn to Royalty with a visit to the Grand Palace. While parts are closed for use by the royal family you are able to explore various temples and museums within the compound. For a change of pace you board a private longtail boat to explore the hidden life along the klongs of the city. As you ride these canals you will pass by shops, houses, temples covering a variety of styles. Your destination is a 100 year old house which has been remodeled as an art gallery and a gathering place for artists some of whom you will meet. As you head back to the main city you can make a stop at Wat Arun known as the Temple of Dawn. In the evening your guide will take you to experience the night markets and the street food of Bangkok.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10: A Day in Ayutthaya
In the morning your guide will pick you up for a visit to the previous capital of Siam, Ayutthaya. It was established in the 14th Century but an invasion and sacking by the Burmese in 1767 caused the capital to be moved to Bangkok. The road journey will take about ninety minutes but it is a scenic trip with picturesque countryside and lush paddy fields. You will visit a selection of temples but also take a closer look at life in rural Thailand. Stroll through Ayutthaya’s local market and take a walk through the town’s Muslim Quarter which offers the opportunity to sample candy floss roti, something you don’t see back home. You will then drive to the banks of the Chao Phraya River where you board an air-conditioned riverboat and cruise down the river. The journey takes three hours allowing for plenty of time to enjoy lunch and the passing scenery of riverside life.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 11: Return to USA
You have free time in the morning for some shopping and we can provide a car and driver for your convenience. In the afternoon you will be picked up at your hotel and taken to the airport for a connecting flight back to the USA.
Breakfast
Day 12: Arrive in the USA