Encounter Thai Culture

Arrival Note: When your flight arrives at Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport or Suvarnabhumi Airport, our guide will already be waiting for you in the arrival hall. After a warm welcome, you will be escorted to the hotel in a comfortable car exclusively arranged for you. It takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on the traffic.

Activities & Dinner Suggestion:
In order to facilitate your choice of flight time, we have no fixed sightseeing plan today. If you arrive early and are not tired, you can go to the Erawan Shrine downtown by yourself. The Nana Station of Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain is a 10-minute walk southwest from the hotel. From there, you can take the BTS Sukhumvit Line for two stops and get off at Chit Lom. Then walk 5 minutes to the Erawan Shrine. 25 minutes is needed for one way, and the BTS Skytrain costs THB 15. You can also take a taxi or Uber to save trouble. If you arrive late and do not want to go out, you can have a good rest in the hotel. The hotel restaurant has a variety of delicious food for dinner.

Accommodation: Movenpick Bangkok Sukhumvit 15 (4 stars)

Sightseeing Activities: Let’s start our best Thailand tour! After breakfast, our driver will escort you and the guide off at the first attraction of the day, Wat Pho, the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok. Here, you’ll witness the morning ritual of monks chanting prayers. Take a guided stroll through the tranquil temple and you’ll find the 46-meter-long (151-foot-long) magnificent reclining Buddha statue. Next, we’ll walk a few minutes north to the highlight of the day, the Grand Palace. This elaborately designed palace is Thailand’s most important temple complex and the symbol of the country. The guide will lead you all the way north to the Wat Phra Kaew, a gorgeous temple housing the sacred Emerald Buddha.

At noon, our guide will take you on a shuttle boat to Supatra River House, a riverside restaurant across the Chao Phraya River for a sumptuous Thai lunch. After a short break, we’ll drive about 20 minutes to Bangkok Chinatown, where we’ll explore the bustling blocks on foot. Our guide, who has spent years navigating Bangkok and is most familiar with its labyrinth of alleys, will take you for a walk along one of the city’s oldest streets. Pass through the Yaowarat Road full of interesting boutiques, you can stop at an old tea shop to sample a cup of Chinese tea if you like. Walking past Trok Leng Moi Eia to Talad Kao, we will find a distinctive local market. Finally, the guide will take you to visit the Wat Mangkon Kamalawat (Wat Leng Noei Yi), a small and tranquil Taoist temple hidden in the downtown.

Here is the end of today’s walking tour, and we'll take a few minutes to walk to the Ratchawong Pier, where we’ll cruise down the Chao Phraya River to Khlong Bangkok Noi, the ancient channel of the Chao Phraya River. Along the way you will see the riverside Thai houses and the real life of the local people. On the west bank of the river lies the spectacular Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). The guide will show you around and then escort you back to the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Movenpick Bangkok Sukhumvit 15 (4 stars)

Sightseeing Activities: Today, we’ll leave the hectic Bangkok City and make our way to Ayutthaya, the 400-year-old ancient capital of Siam and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here we will witness the spectacular remains of the once glorious Historic City of Ayutthaya. In the 17th century, Ayutthaya was one of the largest cities in the world, while in 1767, the Burmese army sacked the area and devastated many ancient sites. Now, you can still see the magnificent ruins of the ancient royal palace and many fine temples and Buddha statues.

Lunch & Flight Transfer: When finishing the visit, the guide will take you to a stop in the Muslim quarter for one of the most popular local snacks, candy floss roti. After having a sumptuous lunch, the guide and the driver will escort you to the Bangkok Airport for your flight to Chiang Mai. After approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes’ flight, you will arrive at the Chiang Mai Airport. Our local guide will greet you warmly and take you to the hotel in our exclusive car with chauffeur.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Rim (4 stars)

► Tip: Our carefully selected hotel is conveniently located in the old city of Chiang Mai, within easy walking distance to some famous temples and night markets. There are also many restaurants around. You'll spend three nights here. 

Sightseeing Activities: After breakfast at the hotel, we will go on a walking tour to explore the highlights of the charming Chiang Mai City. Starting from the bank of the Mae Ping River, we’ll first visit the bustling Waroros Market, a favorite hangout for the locals. There are all kinds of rice, exotic ingredients, spices, colorful fruits, and a wide variety of culinary delights. When you are tired of walking, we will considerately arrange a rickshaw experience for you, which is a great way to explore the city. Our guide will take you on a rickshaw to the Tha Phae Gate. With a significant history dating back to the 13th century, it was the main portal of the ancient city of Chiang Mai. Nowadays, it is the center of the important public activities and festivals in the city. From here we’ll continue walking to visit the remarkable Three Kings Monument, and the most valuable temples of Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Rim (4 stars)

Sightseeing Activities: After a hearty breakfast, our guide will take you to the Elephant Nature Park in Mae Taeng Valley to participate in an Elephant Care Program. At the park, you will join other visitors on a guided tour led by one of the park’s volunteers who will explain their efforts to rescue and heal the elephants. You will see how the elephants now live in freedom and get close to the herd. In the late afternoon, we will return to the hotel in Chiang Mai.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Rim (4 stars)

★ What makes us different: Unlike the routine arrangements of other mediocre travel agencies, we will take you to experience the real life of Thailand in depth.

Sightseeing Activities: After a leisurely breakfast today, we will leave Chiang Mai for Mae Kampong Village, deep in the mountains. On the way, we’ll stop at a local market to pick up the ingredients for today’s lunch. Located at a high altitude of 1,300 meters (4,265 feet), the Mae Kampong Village enjoys a cool climate all year round, with no distinct seasons. Upon arrival, our guide will take you on a forest walk and explore the natural waterfalls. With the guide’s translation, you can communicate with the local people in the village. At noon, we will have lunch at a local family, and you will be invited to try cooking with the host, which will be a fun and unforgettable experience.

In the afternoon, we will continue our drive through the wooded mountains for about 2.5 hours to Chiang Rai. The guide will help you check in at a local hotel and leave the rest of the day for you to make your own arrangements.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Legand Chiang Rai (4 stars)

Sightseeing Activities: Today, we are going on a special border trip. In the morning, our guide will lead you to Mae Sai to visit the bustling Burmese border market. Then, we’ll head to the well-known Golden Triangle area where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar. The guide will take you through the comprehensive Opium Museum, which tells the history of opium production, trade, and its impact on the local people and the region. Next, we will transfer to Chiang Saen, the center of the Golden Triangle located on the Mae Kok River plain, to visit some of the local temples and historic sites. Finally, we will arrange a pleasant Mekong River cruise for you to enjoy the scenery of the border. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

► Note: The Opium Museum is closed on Mondays. If it happens to be a Monday, the visit to the museum will be skipped, and the guide will take you around the nearby local market.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Legand Chiang Rai (4 stars)

Departure Note: This is the last day of our tour of Thailand. After getting up, please pack your bags. After breakfast, our guide and the driver will see you off at the Chiang Rai Airport, where you will board a flight back to Bangkok. Here’s the end of our service. Wish you enjoyed the trip!

Meals Included: Breakfast

► Please note that the flight from Chiang Rai to Bangkok will land at one of the city’s two airports – Don Mueang International Airport or Suvarnabhumi Airport. If you need a connecting flight home or to your next destination, be sure to pay attention to the departure airport. If it is not at the same airport, you need to leave enough time for transfer, and the two airports are about 50 minutes’ drive apart. You are advised to book a late afternoon or evening flight out of Bangkok. If you need the transfer service between airports, or want to continue exploring Thailand or travel to other neighboring countries such as Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam, you can contact our travel consultants to make proper arrangements or tailor-make an itinerary for you.