Updated Itinerary

This is our daily schedule at a glance. Our tour staff will make daily announcements with specifics and times during the trip. Note that our itinerary may shift due to the weather or to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.

Meals included in the program are indicated next to the hotel name with the following designations:

B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner R = Reception

Main Program

Friday, February 28

Singapore

3:00 p.m. Check in time at the Shangri-La Singapore Hotel.

Luggage can be left with the bell captain if you arrive before your room is ready.

6:30 p.m. Gather for a welcome orientation and reception featuring canapes, wine, beer, and soft drinks, in a room on the Mezzanine Floor of the Tower Wing of our hotel. Dinner is on your own.

SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE

Saturday, March 1

Singapore

Morning:

Start the morning with a lecture from faculty leader Tom Fingar, then enjoy a tour by coach of this glittering metropolis, beginning at Merlion Park and the Esplanade Bridge. Drive through the Civic District and past the Cricket Club, Parliament House, Supreme Court and City Hall, and visit Thian Hock Keng, one of the oldest and most important Hokkien temples in Singapore.

Afternoon:

After a lunch sampling Singapore’s popular dishes, embark on a tour of Kampong Glam, a Malay enclave at the mouth of the Rochor River that originated as a fishing village, and continue on to explore Chinatown’s shop houses and Little India’s flower-and-spice market. Return to the hotel at approximately 5:00 p.m. Dinner this evening is on our own.

SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE (B, L)

Sunday, March 2

Singapore

Morning:

This morning travel to the Katong area, a Peranakan enclave, and visit a family business noted for their Peranakan cuisine and learn about the history and preparation of the traditional kueh chang, a pineapple tart. The pineapple tart is a small, bite-size tart filled or topped with pineapple jam. Often considered a "festive cookie", pineapple tarts are especially popular during Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Deepavali celebrations in Singapore and Malaysia. They are also sold all year round by commercial bakeries and souvenir stores serving tourists. After our tasting, enjoy a brief presentation on the history of the Kim Choo Kueh Chang shop, the heritage of Peranakan culture and the significance of kueh chang.

Afternoon:

3:00 p.m.: Gather in our hotel for a reception with special guests. First, you will hear from Kanti Bajpai, Vice Dean (Research and Development) and Wilmar Professor of Asian Studies in the Lee Kwan Yew School at the National University of Singapore. Afterwards you will have a chance to connect with local Singaporean Stanford alumni who will join you for drinks and canapés.

5:00 p.m.: Enjoy an excursion this evening to Gardens by the Bay, a remarkable nature park with interactive displays. The visit will be at leisure to explore the gardens on your own and will include tickets to the two main attractions, the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Dinner this evening is on your own and we suggest one of the many restaurants within Gardens by the Bay, ranging from fast food to gourmet. The gardens also feature a Garden Rhapsody light show in the Supertree Grove, at 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. every night.

SHANGRI-LA SINGAPORE (B) – Please remember to settle any bills with the hotel this evening.

Monday, March 3

Embark Eastern & Oriental Express / Malaysia

Morning:

Attend a morning lecture from faculty leader Tom Fingar at our hotel. Check out of our hotel and head to lunch at Blue Ginger restaurant.

Afternoon:

After lunch, transfer to the Woodlands Railway Station and embark the Eastern & Oriental Express, our home for the next three nights. As the train travels through lush, green landscapes, it sets the scene for your immersion into the Malaysian countryside. Enjoy an elegant and sustainably-sourced dinner served on board. Afterwards, enjoy a nightcap while watching our onboard entertainment.

EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS (B, L, D)

Tuesday, March 4

Taman Negara National Park

Morning:

Enjoy breakfast on board, then depart for one of today’s excursion choices to the Taman Negara National Park, one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world. Your excursion choices have already been collected; you may be able to make a change once on board the train if space is available.

Merapoh Caves Experience. Mount an electric bicycle accompanied by experts in geology and paleozoology and cycle to the Dragon’s Scale Cave. Follow the guides by headlamp through narrow passages, emerging into the jaw-dropping monumental chamber. Remount your e-bike and continue to the Shooting Stars Cave for a lesson on lighting and long-exposure photography. (Active; participants must be comfortable navigating wet, slippery floors, accessing narrow passages and clambering up and down small slopes.)
Capturing Wild Malaysia. Travel into the rainforest by jeep, where a wildlife photographer and conservationist will share photography tips on capturing jungle scenery by zooming in on enchanting details. At the same time, you learn about the rainforest’s vital ecosystem. Continue up to the canopy layer for a bird’s-eye-viewpoint and more picture-taking while local villagers serve snacks and herbal tea brewed from jungle aplants. (Moderate)
Spirit of the Tiger. Travel by jeep to learn about the critically endangered Malayan tiger in its habitat while immersing yourself in the rainforest’s beauty, flora and fauna. Drive up to Seray Tower for a breathtaking view of the forest-cloaked Tahan Range and Gunung Tahan’s majestic peak, and then go to Juram River to wade among tame golden fish. Pause for refreshments of chilled pandan water and local treats. (Moderate)

Afternoon:

Return to the train for lunch as it travels down the jungle line past rice paddies, palm trees, and rural Malaysian villages. Later attend a third lecture from faculty leader Tom Fingar, then relax over a delicious dinner followed by a local performance in the Piano Bar Car.

EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS (B, L, D)

Wednesday, March 5

Penang Island, Malaysia

Morning:

Today, enjoy one of three excursions on Penang Island:

Art and Artistry in George Town. Art lovers can explore Georgetown Old Quarter with a guide, delving into temples, a contemporary studio and an opera and puppet house.
Flavors of Penang Food aficionados can embark on a discovery of Peranakan cooking, purchasing specialities from spice and grocery stores before mastering delicious local dishes in a cookery class.
Free and Easy in George Town. For those who prefer to explore independently, we present you with a tri-shaw, a driver and a map, so that you can wind through Georgetown’s enchanting streets and visit its attractions at whim. Rejoin the train at Butterworth for a convivial final evening on board with sublime cuisine and fabulous entertainment.

Afternoon:

Rejoin our train for a leisurely lunch on board and an afternoon of travel. Everyone will reunite this evening for our final celebratory dinner aboard.

EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS (B, L, D)

Thursday, March 6

Singapore / Bangkok, Thailand

Morning:

Linger over breakfast in your cabin or the Dining Car as you travel through the southernmost state of Johor. Soon afterwards, the train crosses the strait to Singapore where we will depart the train and head straight for the airport. Lunch will be on our own at the Singapore Airport.

Afternoon:

3:55 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Fly from Singapore to Bangkok (Thai Airways 414)

Evening:

Check in to our hotel. This evening, take a short transfer to board the Manohra Cruise. Relax aboard a converted rice barge while taking in the views of Bangkok’s landmarks at night from the Chao Phraya River, all while enjoying drinks and canapes, followed by a full dinner on board.

PENINSULA HOTEL BANGKOK (B, D)

Friday, March 7

Bangkok

Morning:

Gather for our fourth and final lecture from faculty leader Tom Fingar. Afterward, board a private boat for a cruise along the Chao Phraya River and Thonburi canals to experience a scene that offers a stark contrast to the frenzied activity of the modern metropolis of Bangkok. See family homes, temples, and a local market en route to the Grand Palace. Visit the Grand Palace and the 15th-century Emerald Buddha Temple, one of the most important Buddhist temples in Thailand. Experience local transportation with a tuk-tuk ride to Wat Po to see the reclining Buddha.

Lunch will be at the Blue Elephant Bangkok restaurant, housed in a century-old building. We will enjoy dishes from the past known as "Forgotten Recipes", and preparations from the present known as "Blue Elephant Classics."

Afternoon:

After a short post-lunch break, gather in a conference room in our hotel to hear from one of Tom Fingar’s colleagues, Ambassador Nongnuth Phetcharatana. She is a senior advisor to the Foreign Ministry and has served, among other postings, as Thailand's ambassador to Germany.

After the talk, take a short boat ride across the river to enjoy dinner at the famous Sala Rim Naam restaurant. Savor exquisite local cuisine and watch a Thai classical dance performance.

PENINSULA HOTEL BANGKOK (B, L, D)

Saturday, March 8

Ayutthaya

Morning:

This morning, venture out to the Bang Pa In Summer Palace and observe the mixture of Thai, Chinese, and Gothic architecture. Continue to Ayutthaya, capital of Thailand from the 14th to 18th centuries, to explore the massive complex of ruins that marks a once-magnificent metropolis.

Afternoon:

Embark on a leisurely boat ride on the Chao Phraya River and enjoy lunch on board as we head back to Bangkok. Gather for a festive farewell dinner at our hotel this evening.

PENINSULA HOTEL BANGKOK (B, L, D) – Please remember to settle any bills with the hotel this evening.

Sunday, March 9

Depart Bangkok ✈ Home

Fly from Bangkok to your home country, or continue on the post-trip extension to Cambodia

(B)

Post-trip Extension to Cambodia Itinerary

Sunday, March 9

Bangkok, Thailand / Siem Reap, Cambodia

Morning:

11:20 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. Fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia (Bangkok Airways 905)

Afternoon:

Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for lunch and check in. This afternoon, take a tuk-tuk tour of Siem Reap including a visit to an arts and dance center with local artisan demonstrations. This evening join a local expert to learn about the spectacular temples and ruins at Angkor before our visit the next day, then enjoy dinner on your own.

RAFFLES GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKOR (B, L)

Monday, March 10

Siem Reap

Morning:

Explore breathtaking Angkor Wat. Built in the 12th century, it’s the largest temple complex in the world and the crown jewel of Angkor Archaeological Park. Although it was originally dedicated to the Hindu god, Vishnu, the temple eventually became filled with Buddhist elements after the Buddhist religion spread throughout the empire. An extensive gallery of bas-relief murals is one of the highlights of the temple.

Afternoon:

Later this afternoon, learn how to make traditional rice noodles at the home of a local family. Dinner is on our own.

This evening, watch the captivating choreography and hypnotic color of a Cambodian circus performance, an hour-long spectacle that blends riveting theater with folk music and traditional Cambodian stories.

RAFFLES GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKOR (B)

Tuesday, March 11

Siem Reap

Morning:

Today, roam the grounds of Angkor Thom, a great walled city that was once home to one million people and was the last capital of the Khmer Empire before it fell in the mid-15th century. Afterward, explore the haunting temples of Ta Prohm, built by the same king who directed the construction of Angkor Thom. This Buddhist monastery was once a powerful religious center serving 80,000 people, but after centuries of human neglect, the roots of massive kapok trees have overtaken the temples, courtyards and paths.

Afternoon:

Enjoy an afternoon at leisure then gather for a festive farewell reception and dinner this evening.

RAFFLES GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKOR (B, D) – Please remember to settle any bills with the hotel this evening.

Wednesday, March 12

Depart Siem Reap✈ Home

Fly from Siem Reap to your home city.

(B)