Newly opened to rail traffic, the Mekong River’s Friendship Bridge will offer a luxurious link between Thailand and Laos with the launch of Voyage to Vientiane (Belmond; US$1,950 per person, including meals), a three-night train journey aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express. From February 23, the grand green-and-cream train will carry passengers from Bangkok to the Lao capital of Vientiane and back, with the sights and sounds of the two countries unfolding outside your window at a leisurely pace. –Natasha Dragun

Originally appeared in the February/March 2010 print issue of DestinAsian magazine ( “Bridging The Gap”)