CHINA TO THAILAND When visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China, Beijing is a great starting point on a slow travel journey through parts of Asia and Australasia. Elsewhere in the city, there are more historical artifacts and architecture, as well as an abundance of street food. Overnight trains run daily to the city of Nanning in the Guangxi region. The climate here is tropical, with green spaces and botanical gardens. From here, another overnight train runs to Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi. It’s one of the oldest capitals in the world and worth exploring slowly to come across street art, the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. Trains run daily to Ho Chi Minh City, surrounding the Saigon River, with the option to stop over in Hue or Hoi An. From Ho Chi Minh City, there are daily buses to
Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. A bus to the country’s border with Thailand can take travelers to Poipet. This is the main hub for overland travel between Cambodia and Thailand. Beyond the many casinos in the city, there is the Banteay Chhmar temple complex and Aranyaprathet Gate. Catching a local train can then bridge the rest of the journey over to Bangkok.
Left: The Great Wall of China
THAILAND TO SINGAPORE Bangkok serves as a gateway to travel overland in Thailand via train (and to other countries, like Myanmar and Laos) — it has one of the best train systems in the world, with options (including overnight trains) running to islands and the Malay peninsula. Stopping off in Bangkok gives time to explore the temples, floating markets and, by night, even more markets that serve up delicious cuisine (Jay Fai runs Thailand’s only Michelin-starred street-food stall on Mahachai Road, which is highly recommended). Thailand’s surrounding islands provide beaches, sailing and snorkeling, while the Malay peninsula gives travelers a chance to explore beautiful national parks, like Khao Sok and Ao Phang Nga.