Planning a trip to multiple countries usually feels overwhelming, so there’s something special about a trip that moves through three countries without a single hiccup. You wake up on a quiet Thai island, and six days later you're watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat, with lantern-lit evenings in Vietnam in between  — and it all feels like it simply unfolded…

There's a particular kind of magic that happens in Europe every December. Cobblestone squares glow gold under strings of lights. The air smells like roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. Centuries-old buildings, dressed for the season, frame market stalls selling hand-carved ornaments and hot glühwein in commemorative mugs you'll want to bring home.