Stacey Keare
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
Bangkok
Welcome to Bangkok — the quintessential eastern metropolis and Southeast Asia’s most vibrant capital city. Known in Thai as the city of angels, Bangkok is a city of mind-boggling history and spirituality, where you can expect ancient Thai temples that rise magnificently from the riverbanks, colorful palaces that glisten spectacularly in the sunlight, and a snaking river that audaciously wind its way through the heart of the city. Fabulous shopping awaits you, whether you’re after high quality artisanal handicrafts or excellent bargains in Asia’s most stylish shopping centers. If you’re a food lover, you will delight at the exceptionally delicious meals that can be enjoyed at every corner of the city.
Upon arrival, you will be warmly welcomed at the airport by your guide, who will take care of the transfer to your hotel. Prepare to be left mesmerized by this urban wonderland.
Overnight Capella Bangkok
Day 2
Experience Bangkok like a local
Today you will experience Bangkok like a local. You will take the BTS skytrain and glide through the city to reach the river, where you’ll take a short boat trip to visit Wat Pho. You will likely hear the monk's morning chanting ritual emanating from the main hall during your visit. You will continue your walk to Wat Phra Kaew, known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, one of the most respected temples in Thailand. Your next unmissable stop will be the Grand Palace, home of the Kings of Siam of the Chakri Dynasty, originally built by King Rama I. Afterward, you will continue your walk to the fascinating Amulet market. For a bit of adventure, jump on a Thai tuk tuk to visit Wat Saket and climb the heavenly Golden Mountain, which offers an incredible view over Bangkok. After that, you will travel aboard a taxi boat to discover the Jim Thompson house, home of the famous founder of Jim Thompson Thai Silk.
Then tonight, you will hop on a tuk tuk and start a twilight tasting adventure into bustling Chinatown. Along lively street food stalls, you will make new culinary discoveries. You will be absorbed by the spectacle of these artists of street food, with expert hands shaped by tradition and family know-how. This is a great opportunity to discover simple but unique dishes that are popular with locals.
Continue your evening on your tuk tuk towards Pak Klong Talad, the swarming flower market. Here, when the heat of the day has subsided, the florists, porters, merchants, sellers of betels or other offerings, work to deliver their goods on time for the next day. You will quietly leave this unique and colorful atmosphere for the silence and serenity of a temple and its illuminated stupas at night. A final destination during which you will find some tranquility after the hustle and bustle, before returning to your hotel.
Overnight Capella Bangkok
Day 3
Bike tour in Ayutthaya
This morning, you will depart from Bangkok to Ayutthaya for a bike tour. You will explore the glorious ruins of Ayutthaya, which bring back to life the early splendor of the city destroyed by the Burmese army in 1767. During your visit you will stroll around the most impressive remains of this UNESCO World Heritage Site: Wat Phra Si Sanphet, a royal temple during Ayutthaya's glory days and Wat Mahathat, where embedded in the roots of a tree, hides the head of the Buddha.
In the late afternoon, transfer back to Bangkok for the night.
Overnight Capella Bangkok
Day 4
Local Markets and Chiang Mai
In the early morning you will travel to the well-known Damnoen Saduak floating market, which has been drawing curious visitors for centuries due to the remarkable practice of buying and selling goods almost entirely on water. Jump in a canoe and gently glide on the canals among hundreds of small boats loaded with all kinds of goods, from juicy fruits to colorful fabrics.
Continue to the Talaad Rom Hoob train market. This market is located along the railway tracks and if you are lucky, you will get to see the train pass within inches of the goods and produce on sale. The train announces its arrival with great blows of the horn, leaving just seconds for the merchants to repack the goods then reinstall them just as quickly once the train has passed.
After that, drive to Bangkok airport for a flight to Chiang Mai, the ancient walled city of leafy green trees, winding alleyways, gentle inhabitants and spectacular cuisine. Chiang Mai can make a good case for being the most charming city in Thailand. Northern Thailand’s most important cultural hub offers a huge variety of antique temples from colorful structures that sparkle in the sunlight to more understated beauties that exhibit the earthy tones of brick and wood. The surrounding countryside is nothing short of spectacular. Chiang Mai is also the gateway into the northern mountains for invigorating treks, enigmatic elephants and culturally intriguing minority villages.
Overnight Na Nirand, Chiang Mai
Day 5
Explore Chiang Mai
Tak Bat is a religious practice of profound generosity and a source of religious merit for the Buddhist faithful. This rite practiced in the morning by the Buddhists with fervor, concentration, and seriousness probably constitutes the closest link between the laity and the monks. In exchange for food given to them, the monks bless the faithful.
At the market of Ton Payom, the largest market in the city, the inhabitants busy themselves at the stalls to buy offerings for the monks. Dressed in their saffron-colored robes, they then begin their morning quest with the faithful.
After, enjoy a walk around the Old City. With the mountains of Doi Suthep-Pui in the background, Chiang Mai offers a unique atmosphere between tradition and modernity. The city unveils its particular beauty during a visit to Wat Chedi Luang, a large temple dating from the late 14th Century that once housed the Emerald Buddha; the Wat Phra Singh temple, hosting one of the main Buddhist festivities; and the temple Wat Chiang Mun, former residence of King Meng Raï who chose Chiang Mai to build the capital of the North in 1290. It is also an opportunity to stroll through the shops and small craft stalls and have a refreshing drink at one of the trendy cafes serving locally grown coffee.
Overnight Na Nirand, Chiang Mai
Day 6
Visit Doi Suthep Temple and a Hmong Village
In the early morning you will make your way up Doi Suthep Mountain. You will start the day with a visit to the magnificent Doi Suthep Temple, one of Chiang Mai's most famous highlights. Arriving early, you have the chance to visit the temple complex without the crowds. Then you will continue to Doi Pui Village, a Hmong village that has become a major tourist draw throughout the years.
The village is very developed, but after meeting your guide you soon leave the souvenir shops behind and start hiking into the surrounding nature. You will follow a trail that takes you to another Hmong village on the other side of the mountain. Along the way, your local Hmong guide will tell you about life on the mountain and the importance of the historical trail. There are some excellent viewpoints along the way, which with clear weather offer priceless views.
After arriving at your destination, you will have time to relax and take in the scenery of one of Thailand's largest Hmong settlements before returning to your hotel.
Overnight Na Nirand, Chiang Mai
Day 7
Spend time in a Local Community
After breakfast, you will head to a small community in a fertile valley just 1.5 hours north of Chiang Mai. Your hosts will welcome you with some snacks and juice and a short Mad Mue ceremony. After a quick introduction to the day’s plans, you will set off for a relaxing nature walk in the community forest. At lunchtime, you will return to the village for your meal. You may even be able to help prepare some of the dishes!
In the afternoon you will explore the village and learn about everyday life there. Depending on the season, you can take part in one of the daily tasks and gain some practical experience. Together with your hosts, you can look back on a fun-filled day of experiences before returning to your hotel.
Overnight Na Nirand, Chiang Mai
Day 8
Khum Lanna
In the afternoon, the local staff of Khum Lanna are waiting for you at the charming countryside lodge. Enjoy a tasty welcome drink as you get ready to immerse in real Thai countryside living.
In the early evening, take part in a cooking class and learn to prepare and cook various dishes, using local ingredients from the garden. Then enjoy the fruits of your labors with a full four-course, sit-down Thai dinner.
Overnight Khum Lanna
Day 9
Explore Phrao by Bicycle
Today you will embark on a sunrise biking trip to Phrao. From there, visit an early morning market and stop for a coffee. Your next visit will be to meet a local rice seller before cycling back to Khum Lanna and enjoying a local Lanna-style breakfast set up for you on the riverside.
For your lunch, you will learn how to steam sticky rice and prepare a local style barbeque to accompany the green papaya salad you will make. You will learn all about Khum Lanna’s concept “Rice for Life” as you start to understand the importance of rice for the local people. You will get more fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden and use these in some more dishes that will complement your lunch. In the afternoon, you can partake in one of the following optional activities: bike tour, fruit carving, steam bath or therapeutic herbal massage.
Overnight Khum Lanna
Day 10
Bicycling and Temples
After a leisurely breakfast at the riverside, head out on a bicycle again to explore Khum Lanna’s surroundings a bit more. This time you will visit local temples and historical sites that pre-date Chiang Mai. After taking in the local sights and magnificent views you will return back to the lodge for your lunch.
After lunch, transfer to Chiang Mai airport for a flight to Bangkok.
Upon arrival at Bangkok airport, your car and guide will transfer you to Hua Hin to check in at your hotel.
Welcome to Hua Hin – the city of white sand beaches, magnificent mountain scenery and beautiful waterfalls, all of which remain largely untouched by human intervention. Hua Hin is also famous for being a favorite residence of the Royal family for their beach stays. While it is a popular destination for beach-goers from Bangkok, we appreciate the playful energy of the vibe here.
Overnight AVANI Hua Hin
Day 11
Day at Leisure
Today, the entire day is free for you to enjoy as you please. Take a rest day, and recharge a bit before the adventures continue.
Overnight AVANI Hua Hin
Day 12
Sam Roi Yot National Park
Today, you will drive to Sam Roi Yot National Park, located about 1 hour south from Hua Hin. The national park consists of a range of spiky mountains that give the name to the park and which means "three hundred peaks". The most well-known attraction in the park is the scenic Laem Sala beach from where you can enjoy an invigorating hike to the Phraya Nakhon cave. To reach the beach you will board a local boat at Bang Pu, a small fishing village. The boat takes you through the village where you’ll observe life along the canal. At Laem Sala beach you will have some time to relax before hiking to the enchanting Phraya Nakhon cave. The cave has become famous with locals since King Rama V visited and built a small shrine in the cave. Under the right conditions, the light shining down on the shrine is an amazing sight. Upon returning to the beach you will have some time to relax and take a dip in the sea. After the hike, you can refuel with a local meal at the restaurant and enjoy some more free time to explore the beach looking for dusky langurs, or enjoying a swim in the sea.
In the afternoon, you will return to Bang Pu where you disembark on the beach and then continue to the lesser known wetlands located further inland. These wetlands are the largest in Thailand and home to a wide variety of birds and other fauna. At a hidden local pier a boat will take you to explore these magnificent surroundings. The majestic peaks of Sam Roi Yot and the warm light of the late afternoon sun create the perfect backdrop to end the day.
Overnight AVANI Hua Hin
Day 13
Enjoy Hua Hin
Your last full day in Thailand is another day to soak up the memories and reflect on all that you have experienced while you enjoy Hua Hin’s rays of sunshine. If you want to stock up on souvenirs, the local markets will surely offer something unique for you to bring home.
Overnight AVANI Hua Hin
Day 14
Departure
On your final day, you will be transferred to Bangkok airport in time for your onward departure.
