We can email you a detailed version of this itinerary. Click here. Email your friend a detailed version of this itinerary. Click here. Click here to receive, by mail, R. Crusoe’s Travel Journal.

outheast Asia is a veritable treasure chest of wonders, so much so that at times it seems a daunting destination taken as a whole.

R. Crusoe to the rescue.

We have fashioned four short journeys to Thailand and Laos: a three day journey to Bangkok; a four-day foray into Laos (Luang Prabang and the Mekong River): a four-day visit to Chiang Rai, Thailand.

There are all sorts of ways to configure these trips. Take one or two (or all four) and add then to another Small, Select Group Tour (our Dream of Indochine tour, say, or one of our China journeys). Or put some or all four of them together for a wonderfu insider's look at the region.

You decide what works best for you, and we'll take it from there.

Bangkok, Thailand. 3 Days. To know Bangkok is to know one of Thailand's many personalities. Using the lovely Oriental Hotel as a base, we explore the city first from its soon-to-be-extinct klongs canals, which we travel by traditional longtail boat. Visit some of the city's most important wats (temple monasteries) as well as an ancient palace done all in teak. On a private visit, step inside the Jim Thompson House, the silk entrepreneur's home until he mysteriously disappeared some years back. Soak in the wilderness, the edginess, of Bangkok's street like, and delight in some of the best Asian food ever to pass your lips.

Laos. 4 Days. It only takes a quick history lesson to understand how gentle Laos, with miles and miles of verdant jungle and quiet native hamlets, ended up with one very continental city. Luang Prabang, anointed a World Heritage site by UNESCO, is one of our favorite Asian spots, home of the ultimate Asian-French fusion. Monks cluster on sidewalks. French is spoken here and there around town. The smell of warm baguettes is in the air. Our elegant hotel, La Residence Phouvao, sent the editors of Architectural Digest into a frenzy of superlatives. Visit the Pak Ou Caves, where 3,000 Buddha statues have lived for generations.

Chiang Mai, Thailand. 4 Days. Wealthy teak farmers built more than 300 temples in this part of Thailand, and before anyone knew it, it had become the religious and cultural hub of the nation. So be it. Get cozy in the Four Seasons Resort before we head out to an elephant camp. See just what a pachyderm can do in the care of a seasoned mahout. Take in the local art galleries, visit a shrine built by a king in the late 1300s. Its copper-topped stupa looks like a figment of Dr. Seuss's unbounded imagination.

Chiang Rai. 4 Days. YouÕve entered the Golden Triangle, where Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand converge. Chiang Rai was the capital of ancient Thailand in the 13th century. Home base for us is the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, a jungle paradise the likes of which youÕve not seen before. The next-door elephant camp calls us. Take a lesson in "driving and trekking" these gentle giants, then try your hand at it in the jungle later in the day. (Think of them as the original SUVs.) Fish or hang out at the pool or take a lesson in crafts with local artisans. Cruise the mighty Mekong River for a look at life along the banks.

Bangkok, Thailand. 3 Days.

Laos. 4 Days.

Chiang Mai, Thailand. 4 Days.

Chiang Rai, Thailand. 4 Days.