Day 1: Arrival Bangkok

Upon your arrival, you will be met by our guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day will be free and easy at your own leisure. You can explore the city on your own or just relax in your hotel room before the excitement begins tomorrow.

Included: Private Airport Transfer & Accommodation Bangkok

Day 2: Bangkok City Tour

Rise and shine! Today, you will be visiting four of Bangkok’s finest temples and taking a tour around the city’s fascinating canals. You will start out at Wat Traimit – home to the world’s largest solid golden Buddha, before hopping across the old city streets to see an even larger Buddha statue at Wat Pho. While the Buddha statue here may not be solid gold, but it impresses, even more, thanks to its sheer size and the fact that it is ‘leaning’ on its side, a reference to Buddha’s ’Lion Sleep’ position.

Your next stop, the magnificent Grand Palace, will be just across the road. The Grand Palace is another sprawling temple complex boasting some of the finest Thai-Buddhist architecture in the entire country. Explore the vast grounds and numerous magnificent buildings, including the highly revered Wat Phra Kaew, home to the prized Emerald Buddha statue that dates back to the 14th century.

After lunch, you will get to spend the better part of the afternoon on the water, meandering through the quaint canals and taking in the quieter side of life from the seat of a traditional ‘long tail’ boat. Of course, a tour of Bangkok’s Thonburi side will not be complete without the spectacular and iconic Wat Arun. Take the time to explore the iconic temple towering 79 meters over the Chao Phraya River.

Included: Accommodation Bangkok, English Speaking Guide & City Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 3: Floating Market – River Kwai – Kanchanaburi

Today, our guide will pick you up from your hotel early morning, to take you to Ratchaburi to visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Due to its many canals, Bangkok and the rest of Thailand are known for such modes of commerce. From here, you will be travelling for approximately two hours to reach the famous ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’.

This bridge was first built as a part of the railway between Thailand and Burma (now Myanmar) in 1942, during World War 2. Using the forced labour from their Allied POWs, the Japanese planned to build a railway across East Asia to British India. 16,000 Allied POWs (out of 65,000) and 100,000 local people died of starvation, exhaustion, diseases and malaria fever during the construction of this railway. Your next stop is a visit to the War Museum & War Cemetery before taking a ride on the notorious Death Railway.

In the late afternoon, you will be taking a shuttle long-tail boat to check-in at your resort accommodation. Relax and bask in the comfort of your room before having dinner at the resort.

Included: Accommodation Kanchanaburi, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Erawan National Park / Hell Fire Pass

Today, you will be picked up from your hotel first thing in the morning and then taken to the Resotel Pier via shuttle boat that will bring you to the Erawan National Park, where the 7-tier Erawan waterfall resides.

The falls are surrounded by a lush forest where several orchid and tree species grow abundantly, the water gushes down into a deep pool from a height of 1,500 meters. A trail leads up to the 6th level of the falls but to reach the 7th level, you will have to climb over the rocky cliff. It’s worth the effort for the sheer beauty of the panorama that you will be able to witness from up above. The name of this waterfall came from Hindu mythology’s three-headed elephant, the Erawan Elephant, which the falls resemble. In the afternoon, you will visit the Hell Fire Pass Memorial Museum. This museum is a component of the Death Railway that was built during World War 2, using the prisoners of war as the construction crew, who had to make do with simple tools to cut a pass into the mountain. The museum is dedicated to the memory of the labourers from Asia as well as the Allied POWs. It was built and managed by the government of Australia. The exhibits in the museum chronicle the history of the construction of the railways, the reasons why it was constructed and how it was constructed. Deferring to the request of the Thai government, much of the atrocities suffered by the people who were forced to work on its construction were glossed over, opting to focus on reconciliation.

By the time you finish the day’s tour line-up, it will be late afternoon and time to head back to your resort from the Resotel Pier. Your dinner will be served at the resort.

Included: Accommodation Kanchanaburi, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Ayutthaya

After breakfast, we go for a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Ayutthaya, an ancient capital of Thailand that flourished for several hundred years (from 1350 to 1770), sacked by the Burmese and then taken over again by the Thais.

This was the last location of the capital before the government based itself in Bangkok. At the magnificent city ruins at the Ayutthaya Historical Park, you can see the three spired pagodas of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the large Buddha image housed at Phra Mongkhon Bophit, Wat Maha That (Monastery of the Great Relic) and Wat Chai Wattanaram where parts of 120 Buddha statues remain.

The tour finishes late in the afternoon and you will be taken back to your hotel where you can spend the rest of the day at your own leisure.

Included: Accommodation Ayutthaya, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 6: Sukhothai

After breakfast, you will be driven to Lop Buri to visit the Phra Prang Sam Yot, which used to be a shrine for the Hindus. The Phra Prang Sam Yot was constructed during the 13th century, in the style of Khmer-Bayon. A corridor links the three towers (prangs) of the complex. Its decorations are believed to be the representation of the concept of Trimurti in Hinduism; creation, maintenance, and preservation personified by Hindu gods Brahman, Vishnu, and Siva, respectively.

Afterwards, you will visit the San Phra Kan, a compound comprising both old and new sections. The former can be dated back to the Khmer period, as attested by the laterite mound that was found. The new section, constructed in 1951, contains a famous object of worship, a four-armed Vishnu figure fixed with a Buddha’s head.

Next, you will be off to Phitsanulok for a tour of the Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, a monastery that most locals call Wat Yai. This monastery houses the gilded statue, Phra Buddha Chinnarat, which is considered the most beautiful among all the Buddha images found in Thailand.

Later on, you can tour the Buranathai Buddha Casting Foundry, the only foundry in the area that creates the Buddha images in all sizes for bronze casting. It also creates copies of the Phra Buddha Chinnarat. After that, your driver will bring you to Sukhothai where we will check-in at the hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening at your own leisure.

Included: Accommodation Sukhothai, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 7: Sukhothai Historical Park

Today, we will visit the Sukhothai Historical Park where you will find the preserved and restored ruins of the Sukhothai Kingdom’s capital, Sukhothai. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is located within an area measuring 70 square kilometres, which contains 193 ruins, including the royal palace (Noen Prasat) and the largest among the 26 other remaining temples, Wat Mahathat.

Each temple has interesting objects to show, such as unique stucco reliefs, different architectural styles, and images, particularly the huge seated or standing Buddha (intact or damaged), as well as statues of elephants and lions.

Included: Accommodation Sukhothai, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 8 : Si Satchanalai Historical Park – Chiang Mai

After breakfast at the hotel, we will take you to Si Satchanalai to visit the Si Satchanalai Historical Park. It’s another very interesting ancient town, which was formerly named Muang Chaliang. The name change was ordered by Phra Ruang.

The park contains the remains of 134 monuments and was established to be the Sukhothai Kingdom’s second centre. It was the residence of the Crown Prince during the 13th and 14th centuries. You can still see what’s left of several temples, various Buddha images, and buildings belonging to the palace complex.

The next stop is Lampang, where you can enjoy a horse carriage ride for a sightseeing tour. Afterwards, you will continue your historical tour with visits to several more temples, such as the Wat Phra That Lampang Luang and the Wat Pra Kaew Don Tao.

After that, we will head to Chiang Mai, with a detour in Lampoon to see the Wat Phrathad Hariphunchai, which is one of the most revered temples in the area. The drive along the old Lampoon-Chiang Mai road is quite scenic. Finally, you will check in at your hotel in Chiang Mai to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Included: Accommodation Chiang Mai, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 9: Chiang Mai Temple – Night Bazaar

Today, you will enjoy a sightseeing tour of the famous city temples of Chiang Mai. We will pass the wall of the old city, and see the remnants of the city gates and the city market. In Chiang Mai, we will visit Wat Chiang Man, the city’s oldest temple and the location of the Phra Kaew Khao, the 10 centimetre Buddha statue, which is carved from a piece of crystal.

Next up is a visit to the Wat Phrasing and Lai Kham Chapel, followed by a visit to Wat Jedilhuang. This destination has a huge pagoda, which, before it was destroyed by the 1545 earthquake, was 280 feet high. The last stop will be at the Wat Suan Dok, the pleasure garden of the Lanna Thai monarch. There are a number of chedis painted white, which contain the city’s former royal family’s ashes. Wat Suan Dok is now a well-known temple belonging to Chiang Mai’s Monk School. After this last stop for the morning, we will have lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, we will head towards Doi Suthep and Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep that was built on top of the hill. You can access the temple by climbing 309 steps. On each side of the flight of steps are enormous sculptures of dragons or nagas. When you have reached the top, you will get the chance to see the magnificent golden temple, a shrine dedicated to a White Elephant and a grand view of Chiang Mai.

After that, the next stop is a visit to the White Meo tribal village in Doi Pui to observe their simple way of life and their very distinct traditional costume.
Before the day’s trip ends, you will get to explore the popular Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. The area is bustling with all the sights and sounds of a very busy Thai market. Stalls carry every kind of arts and craft products, such as dolls in different costumes, clothing, crafts created by tribal artisans and various items made in Thailand.

Included: Accommodation Chiang Mai, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 10: Happy Elephant Home

Enjoy and experience a fantastic day helping us take care of our beautiful elephant’s family. You’ll spend the day with our passionate guides feeding, bathing and learning interesting facts about Asian Elephants in their natural environment. Our tour has been designed to give you a wonderful experience without riding, hurting or exploiting these beautiful animals.

By visiting Happy Elephant Home sanctuary, you help us save more mistreated elephants every day.

Included: Accommodation Chiang Mai, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 11: Golden Triangle

On your final day of adventure, our guide will pick you up in the morning at your hotel and take you to Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple. This temple was designed by Mr Chalermchai Kositpipat, a Thai National Artist. The drive to Chiang Rai will take about two-and-a-half to three hours. You will have your lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, your day trip continues in Mae Sai, which is Thailand’s northernmost point. Here, you’ll observe life along the border, as this is one of the few official sites where border crossing between Myanmar and Thailand is allowed.

Burmese workers cross the border daily in the morning to head to their places of work in Thailand before going back in the late afternoon. Along the main street, you will be able to shop for souvenir items from Myanmar and Laos, including jade, gemstones and lacquerware.

The last part of the trip is a visit to the Golden Triangle, which is the meeting point of the boundaries of Thailand, Burma and Laos—this is where the Ruak River empties into the Mekong River. You will conclude the day tour with a long-tail boat ride down the Mekong to enjoy the spectacular views of the countryside of Laos. Afterwards, you’ll be brought back to Chiang Rai to relax in your hotel.

Included: Accommodation Chiang Rai, English Speaking Guide & Tour

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day 12: Departure Chiang Rai

In the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the Chiang Rai Airport for your departure flight home. You can also opt to continue your adventure at another destination. There are many domestic flight connections from Chiang Rai and we can easily add a beach to this package.

Included: Airport transfer

Meals: Breakfast