Agatha Christie fans, old-school glamour-pusses: anyone who wants to indulge in the golden-age of travel and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The traditional route is Bangkok to Singapore, and vice versa, but there are also routes that go all the way up to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, or the un-touched regions of Laos.
You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time as retire to the classic luxury of your cabin: cherry-wood panelled, adorned with intricate marquetry and inlays, and filled with wonderful little details that evoke a bygone era. But aside from the incredible opulence of it all, you’ll find everything you need to make your journey comfortable, with air-conditioning, fully-equipped bathrooms, and large picture windows to enjoy the exotic views. All of the cabins have ingenious ways of creating more space, but for slightly more space, stay in the Presidential cabins which have their own fold-away living spaces.
Starched white tablecloths, clinking glasses and international chatter: this combined with the impeccable cuisine makes for a magical experience in the lavishly decorated dining-car. What’s more, as you savour the exquisite East-meets-West dishes, you’ll marvel at how the chefs prepared them in such a tiny kitchen! But aside from the wonderful dining, you can get to know your fellow passengers in the bar car, and sample a Shanghai Express cocktail or two. There’s also an observation carriage: perfect for snapping away at those incredible views, soaking up the sights, sounds, and scents of South East Asia, and lounging under the colonial-feel veranda.
Whichever route you choose, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to get off the Eastern and Orient Express and interact with the diverse cultures and exotic natural landscape. This may involve saffron-cloaked monks in un-discovered Laos, coconut-harvesting monkeys in Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands, or colourful markets and soaring sky-scrapers in Kuala Lumpur. All this can be tailor-made by us, so that you get the most from your trip. For example, you may like to extend your stay in certain places – enjoying the beautiful beaches in Trang, perhaps – before getting back on the train at another stop. Or, for the ultimate voyage you can join a couple of routes together: starting off with the lush forests and opulent temples of Chiang Mai, and ending up in glamorous Singapore.