My granddaughter and I traveled to Siem Reep, Cambodia for 3 nights on a private tour. My agents were Ms. Maiky and Ms. Kea. Ms. Maiky recommended some great options and listened to what I wanted. Our hotel was wonderful, the Koulen Central Hotel and we had wonderful breakfasts there included. We witnessed the grandeur of sunrise at Angkor Wat, multiple temples there, a countryside jeep tour, traveled to Tonle Sap Lake and visited a floating village. We inadvertently witnessed a local funeral and two weddings. We received an amazing massage after a full tour day in the nicest spa I have ever been to. Incredibly tranquil and soothing. Our guide, Mr. Socheat, knew everything about the places we visited and answered all our questions. It was a very full itinerary and that is what I asked for.
We then traveled to Thailand for 7 nights. The first 3 nights were in Bangkok at the Amara Bangkok Hotel, very modern and efficient property, also with a full buffet breakfast included. Our guide there was Ms. Ketsara and she was wonderful; very down to earth, lighthearted, and flexible with our itinerary. She came up with things to do that weren't on the original itinerary that we really enjoyed. We took a private motorboat tour on the Chao Praya River and passed temples along the way. Our favorite visit was to the Grand Palace and riding by tuk-tuk to the famous Reclining Buddha. One morning we drove to the train market and the floating market, both highly recommended.
We then flew to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand which had a completely different vibe and some intense spiritual energy. Our hotel there was the Boddhi Serene Boutique Hotel, which, after Bangkok felt like it could use a fresh coat of paint and deep clean, but it was a beautiful, peaceful property. We were there when the 7.7 earthquake hit nearby in Myanmar. The hotel staff was calm and efficient. It was an intense experience and we're grateful we were there at the time instead of almost anywhere else. We spent our days walking into town and checking out the sites.
We then flew to Phuket and stayed at the Burasari Phuket Resort. I didn't schedule full days in either Chiang Mai or Phuket as we were eager for some down time. We did do a full day tour by speedboat to Phi Phi Island and other smaller islands in the area. We snorkeled and swam and it was pleasant but a little too touristy for me. My 20-year-old granddaughter would have loved another day in Phuket and Bangkok.
All our hotels were good and our guides were good. The agents I booked with responded efficiently to any questions I had. I recommend travel with Indo-China Tours. They know the area and respond well to all requests.