The Best of Southeast Asia: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A valid passport is required, along with the following additional requirements: -Thailand Digital Arrival Card -Lao Visa -Cambodia Visa -Vietnam Visa *Review the passport and visa section along with the program notes section for more information about each requirement. Additional e-arrival cards are also required for Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The Group Leader will assist with this step while on program.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

Laos

• Your passport must have 2 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is required and it must be obtained in advance.

• The cost of this visa is not included in the cost of your trip.

Please note: A Laos Tourist Visa can be obtained either on arrival (US$42) or in advance online (US$50), prices subject to change. We recommend applying online within 60 days of arrival at https://laoevisa.gov.la. You will need to provide passport details, a passport-sized photo, and a copy of the passport’s picture ID page. The required arrival flight and first address in Laos can be found in the program notes section of the participant mailing packet. Once approved, print your eVisa approval letter to present upon arrival. Alternatively, you can apply for a visa on arrival. Payment in US$ with exact change required (bills must be clean/crisp, without tears/ink marks) and bring 1 passport-sized photo for the visa.

Cambodia

• Your passport must have 2 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is required and it may be obtained upon arrival.

• The cost of this visa is not included in the cost of your trip.

Please note: A Cambodian tourist visa (Visa T) costs US$30 (subject to change) and can be obtained on arrival or online in advance. The single-entry visa is valid for a 30 day stay. We recommend applying online within 60 days of arrival Visa on Arrival: US$30 (exact change required; clean, undamaged bills only). Photo kiosks in the arrivals hall take your photo as part of the visa on arrival process. Visa online in advance: Apply at least 30 days before your program start date, but not too early—check your itinerary for your Cambodia travel dates. The e-Visa is valid for 3 months from the approval date. Apply at https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ and upload your passport ID page & a passport photo. Arrival flight and hotel information can be found in the program notes section of the mailing. Once approved, print/ save a copy of your e-Visa to present upon arrival.

Thailand

• Your passport must have 1 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is not required

• The cost of this visa is not included in the cost of your trip.

Please note: No Tourist Visa required for stays under 30 days. Note: A Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is required to enter Thailand. You can complete the online form for the TDAC up to 3 days (72 hours) before your arrival at https://tdac.immigration.go.th. View the program notes section of your mailing for information needed for the form.

Vietnam

• Your passport must have 2 blank passport page(s) for entry/exit visas in this country.

• A travel visa is required and it must be obtained in advance.

• The cost of this visa is not included in the cost of your trip.

• Your visa can be secured electronically. You may use the services of our designated visa service, Passport Visa Express, please see details on the process and the price at Passport Visa Express. If you prefer you may secure your electronic visa on your own, see the notes below for details.

Please note: A Vietnam tourist visa (e-Visa) costs $25 (subject to change) and can be purchased online at https://evisa.gov.vn/. The single-entry visa is valid for a 90 day stay. Information for the e-Visa form—such as entry gate, exit gate, and hotel address—is provided in the program notes section of the mailing. If you need assistance, Passport Visa Express can complete your e-Visa application at www.passportvisasexpress.com/roadscholar for a fee of US$102 (fee subject to change). Apply at least 4 weeks before arriving in Vietnam. Ensure your visa arrival date matches your flight arrival date to Ho Chi Minh City, and that all application details (including middle names) exactly match your passport. Once approved, print/ save a copy of your e-Visa to present upon arrival and departure.

Though all efforts will have been made to keep health and hygiene practices at the optimum standard, please note that diarrhea is quite common when traveling in Asia. This illness can be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, contaminated food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage (hepatitis). You should be up-to-date with your routine vaccines, such as for Covid-19, influenza, MMR, chickenpox (or varicella), polio and DPT. The CDC also recommends Hepatitis A and Typhoid shots. Antimalaria medication is based on medical guidance from your doctor, CDC information, and your personal comfort level. Air pollution can be a problem in Vietnam. Rapid development combined with deforestation, few vehicle emission standards, polluting gasoline motorbikes, and poor urban planning have caused poor air quality in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Poor air quality represents a risk to human health and is linked to a number of significant adverse health effects. These effects are likely to be more severe for sensitive populations, including children, older adults, and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart or respiratory disease. Participants traveling to Vietnam are encouraged to consult their doctor prior to departure to discuss the impact that seasonal smog and heavy particulate pollution may have on them. Road Scholar and its local partners monitor air quality conditions carefully. As regional and local air quality can change significantly over a period of hours, please note that we reserve the right to adjust program itineraries, change scheduled activities, and restrict the amount of time spent outdoors. We will distribute masks as needed in order to help minimize the potential risk to our program participants.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on January 11, 2027

Meet the group at Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside Hotel in Bangkok

Start of Trip:  3:00 p.m. Hotel Check-in. 5:00 p.m. Orientation. Due to varied arrival patterns, the Welcome Dinner takes place on Day 4.

Getting to the site: Participants who purchased Road Scholar airfare and arrive on the program start date in Bangkok, Thailand will be provided an arrival transfer from the Bangkok International Airport to the first program hotel. Participants who have not purchased Road Scholar airfare are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements and the costs involved. To take a taxi from the airport to the hotel, take the escalator down to the public taxi stand on the ground floor. Take a ticket from the taxi queue machine and proceed to the line number indicated on your ticket. Queue and board your taxi. Taxis must be certified to pick up from the airport. The taxis have a metered fare structure - the fare to the hotel should be around 500 baht - plus a 50 baht airport surcharge and expressway fees. Alternatively, there is also an Airport Limousine service that will cost around 1500 baht. This can be booked at the AOT Limousine counters in the terminal. Hotel check-in is available from 3:00 p.m. onward on the program start date (Day 3). If you arrive a few hours early, the hotel can store your luggage at the front desk until check-in time. If you wish to check in upon arrival in the morning, or if you arrive a day before the program starts, we suggest booking the additional pre-program nights in advance with Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404, the hotel directly or through a third-party website. Program nights are reserved in Deluxe Riverview Room category.

Your trip ends on: Friday, January 29, 2027 in Hanoi at Mercure Hanoi La Gare Hotel

End of Trip: 8:00 a.m. Breakfast. 12:00 Noon Hotel Check-out.

Getting to the airport: Participants who purchased Road Scholar airfare and depart on the program end date in Hanoi, Vietnam will be provided a departure transfer from the last program hotel to the Hanoi International Airport. Participants who have not purchased Road Scholar airfare, or who are departing on a different day, are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements and the costs involved. The cost of a taxi from our hotel to Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi, is approximately $20 (455,000 Vietnamese dong [VND] – be prepared to pay in dong). Recommended taxi companies are Taxi Group (red stripe), Viet Thanh Taxi (blue stripe) and Noi Bai Taxi (yellow stripe). Hotel check-out is at 12:00 noon on the last program date (Day 21) of your itinerary. If you depart a few hours later, the hotel can store your luggage at the front desk until you leave. If you wish to check out later, we suggest booking the additional post-program nights in advance with Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404, the hotel directly or through a third-party website. Program nights are booked in Standard Deluxe category.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.