Journey from Singapore to Bangkok Aboard a Luxury Train

After priority clearance, private transfer to the hotel for three nights. The scale of the lobby is impressive. There are large columns supporting an imposing facade, panelling, pure Art Deco furniture, and a pleasant atrium in which to enjoy high tea with a string quartet. Located at the mouth of the Singapore River and the Raffles subway stop, it offers quick access to the bustling quayside in the evening. A delightful swimming pool is just the place to relax after a day of sightseeing.
In the afternoon, discover Singapore with a private guide. Experience the city-state's own unique multi-ethnic culture and lifestyle. Pass through the colonial quarter with views over Padang, the Esplanade and the Theatres on the Bay. Next up is Thian Hock Keng Temple, one of Singapore's oldest and most important Hokkien temples. Then head to Chinatown and Little India, a neighbourhood formerly home to Chulia Kampong - originally a division of colonial Singapore, when Tamil immigrants resided under the British policy of ethnic segregation. In the evenings, embark at Clarque Quay for a private cruise on the Sungai Singapura River, further enhanced with a fizzy glass of champagne.

Enjoy a day of free discovery to experience the great city-state at your own pace. Behind the skyscrapers with their glass facades and right angles, the shopping malls that combine luxury brands and Asian service, with smartly-dressed hostesses catering to your every whim, there are other Singapores to be found. There's a Malaysian influence in the bric-a-brac shops, Indian in the takeout restaurants and Ganesh temples. And there's the Singapore that still evokes ancient China, with its herbal shops selling powders and snakes. Finally, remember that Singapore is regarded as Asia's gastronomic capital.
Optional - Tickets to Gardens by the Bay.

A table is reserved at Pollen.
Then follow your guide for an architectural tour of Singapore. Passing through the National Gallery, Parliament, the Pinnacle, Park Royal on Pickering and Oasia Hotel, you'll get a glimpse of the architectural contrast that is the hallmark of the city of Singapore.

Transfer to the train station where you'll board the Belmond Eastern & Oriental Express, which takes three days by rail to arrive in Bangkok. Two nights on board in a charming setting, with refined cuisine from a French chef. The train leaves Singapore and travels up Peninsula Malaysia. Afternoon tea will soon be served in your cabin. There are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy the landscapes and scenes of local life from the observation car. In the evening, everyone meets in the restaurant car, which serves its 31 carriages, to sample the eastern and western specialties prepared by the chef. Finally, the bar car is the perfect place to socialise, and also to end the day sipping a cocktail.

As the green landscapes of tropical forests roll past the windows, breakfast is served in your cabin. Then you arrive at Kuala Kangsar Station. There are two options: visit a traditional village near Labu Kubong, or a fairly decent hike accompanied by an expert naturalist guide. Back on board and as the train resumes its journey north, lunch is served. As we cross the Thai border, temples gradually replace the rice fields in the changing landscape. Dinner on board.

After breakfast, the day is devoted to Thai cuisine. Accompanied by an expert guide, walk through a floating market and discover the manufacturing secrets behind the famous rice noodles. Then board a boat for a traditional cooking class on the Kwai River. Alternatively, take a cruise along the Khwae Yai River to see the stilt houses or a visit to the rural village of Nong Kao and its rice paddies by bike.
Arrival at Bangkok train station in the late afternoon and private transfer to the hotel for three nights. More intimate than most of the city's prestigious establishments, it is also the only one with a private pool. This hotel is a family affair, a family of artists with a traveller's soul, and it's palpable. A hotel with character set on the edge of the Chao Praya, the 'river of kings', in a quiet neighbourhood of the capital. Old-style posters, gramophones, antique furniture, vintage references and colonial touches all form a seamless Art Deco ambiance. All without compromising on comfort and service, a real haven of luxury and tranquillity.

Includes an accompanied walk, to experience Bangkok as a local. Over the years, our local contacts with their love of the country and Asia, their enthusiasm for travelling and meeting people from other cultures, or fondness for Thai nightlife and culture, have become real locals themselves, pretty much know the city like the back of their hand, and help lift the lid on this fascinating and buzzing city. Visit the city in their footsteps, with its fashionable places, its private neighbourhoods, its street cuisine, its markets... Mingle with the crowds or get away from them, but the main thing is to discover everyday life in Thailand.
Optional visit to Jim Thompson's house and the Baan Krua Nua district, with private guide.

Take a boat trip along the Thonburi khlongs (canals), and discover another, simpler and more traditional side of Bangkok, with old wooden houses on stilts, unlikely floating kitchens and hidden temples. This boat trip is an opportunity to admire the essential Wat Arun temple and to visit the Baan Silapin 'Artist's House', a traditional house located beside the canal, in an area of authentic tranquillity.
Optional - Private dinner at a chef's table.