The Eastern Oriental & Express Train, Southeast Asia

The exotic Eastern Oriental & Express train, operating in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Laos, has long transported its lucky passengers in luxury not seen since the colonial days. Although excursions are included in the glamorous classic journeys, the itineraries tend to focus more on the experience of the train and less on in-depth sightseeing. For those interested in digging deeper, Orient-Express has recently unveiled a new set of itineraries called the "Chronicles of South-East Asia."

On these three- to six-night tours, the train’s capacity is reduced from 132 passengers to just 60, and significantly more time is devoted to exploring unspoiled villages, Khmer temples and even picturesque vineyards. Two of the journeys also include overnight stays at world-class resorts, either in Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands or along the beaches of Trang in Thailand. Travelers on one of the three six-night journeys receive the added benefit of a complimentary one-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok before departing, and a complimentary one-night stay at the end of the trip at either Raffles Singapore or the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, depending on the itinerary. Breakfast and transfers to and from the train are included.