Day 1: Arrive in Bangkok. (-/-/D)
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by our tour representative, and
transferred to the hotel.
After check in, you are free at leisure to relax on your own. Overnight in
Bangkok.
Day 2: City and Temple Tour – The Royal Grand Palace
and the Emerald Buddha. (B/-/D)
After breakfast at the hotel you begin your
sightseeing tour. Your tour begins at Wat Traimit, the temple of the Golden
Buddha; the 900-year-old, five-and-a-half-ton solid gold image. After this, you
continue on to visit Wat Arun, better known as the Temple of the Dawn, which is
one of the best known landmarks and most published landmarks of Bangkok. Next,
you will visit Wat Po, the largest and oldest temple in Bangkok, and also the
temple holding the largest single Buddha image; the Reclining Buddha (Phra
Buddhasaiyas). This temple is also known as the birthplace of Thai traditional
massage. We then go for lunch at a local restaurant, after which, we continue
on to visit some of the most famous tourist spots in Bangkok; the Royal Grand
Palace and the Emerald Buddha. The Grand Palace adjoins Wat Phra Kaew in a
common compound, and is where you will end up after exiting Wat Phra Kaew.
Despite the proximity of the two, there is a distinct contrast in style between
the very Thai Wat Phra Kaew and the more European inspired designs of the Grand
Palace (the roof being the exception. After this we return to the hotel and you
are free at leisure. Overnight in Bangkok.
Day 3: Bangkok – Ayutthaya. (B/-/D)
We check out of the hotel in Bangkok, after which we
head to Ayutthaya to visit the Bang Pa-In Summer
Palace; beautifully decorated in both the traditional Chinese and European
styles. From here, a long-tail boat journey takes you up the Chao Phraya river
to inner Ayutthaya to explore the temple ruins within and surrounding the
Ayutthaya Historical Park. Among the “must-see” attractions in Thailand are the
palaces, temple ruins and historical sites of Ayutthaya. This former capital of
Thailand is situated 90 km north of Bangkok. The principal sights include the
gigantic bronze statues of Wat Mongkol Borpith, Wat Phra Srisanpetch and Wat
Yai Chai Mongkol. A traditional Thai long-tail boat will transport guests between
sites, and
this tour also includes a boat trip to Bang Pa-In, a former Royal Summer
Residence, which represents a fine example of Thai architecture. Lunch will
also be served during this tour. Afterwards, we transfer to the hotel and you
are free at leisure. Overnight in Ayutthaya.
Day 4: Ayutthaya – Lopburi – Sukhothai. (B/-/D)
Check out of the hotel in Ayutthaya and drive to
Lopburi. This city was used as a second capital during the reign of King Narai
the Great. Today we will bring you to Monkey House (the shrine of the city),
and then proceed to Prang Sam Yot (the three Khmer Prang) that are the symbols
of Lopburi city. Lunch will be at a local restaurant before we continue our
drive to visit Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, the most sacred temple in Pitsanulok
which houses the shrine of King Naresuan the Great, most well-known in Thailand
for his victories over the invasions of the Burmese . In the temple area you
will see the most beautiful Buddha image in Thailand called “Phra Buddha
Shinnarach”, in the beautiful and graceful design of Sukhothai art. Walking
around the temple area you will see more Buddha images and have the time to
enjoy taking photos, after which we continue to your hotel in Sukhothai. After
check-in, you are free to relax on your own. In the evening you can drive to
the town for your dinner if you wish. Overnight in Sukhothai.
Day 5: Sukhothai – Sri Satchanalai – Lampang. (B/-/D)
After breakfast, we will visit the Sukhothai
Historical Park or the first capital of Thailand. Founded in the 13th century,
Sukhothai (which literally means Dawn of Happiness) was the first truly
independent Thai kingdom, which enjoyed a golden age under King Ramkhamhaeng,
who was also credited with creating the Thai
alphabet. The superb temples and monuments of this great city have been
lovingly restored in the Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site and a must-see for all travelers. Lunch at a local restaurant before
continuing on to Sri Satchanalai Historical Park, located on the banks of the
Yom River at Tambon Muang Kao, Si Satchanalai county, only 55 km from the town
of Sukhothai. The ancient town, formerly called “Muang Chaliang”, was named
“Sri Satchanalai” during the Phra Ruang Dynasty when a new administrative
center was established to replace Chaliang. This ancient town occupied more
than 320 hectares (800 acres) of land. Of this, the 91-hectare (288 acres) area
within the old laterite ramparts and the city moat is the sightseeing focus in
the historical park. After this, we proceed to Lampang for your overnight stay.
Overnight in Lampang.
Day 6: Lampang – Payao – Chiang Rai.(B/-/D)
Check out of the hotel and then drive to visit
Phrathat Lampang Luang Temple; the finest northern temple and best presentation
of the Lanna style architecture. After this, we will explore the town using the
town’s unique and colorful horse carriages. We will also visit Baan Sao Nuk; a
150-year-old teak house in the northern Thai style, and Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao,
where the famous Emerald Buddha was enshrined for 32 years (from A.D. 1436 to
1468). Later on, we proceed to Chiang Rai. En-route we will stop at Kwan Payao,
the largest permanent freshwater lake (1,980 ha), fringed to the south and west
by approximately 3,000 ha of rice paddies to the south and west, and with a
marshy area and some old oxbows (c.300 ha) at the northern end where the Nam
Mae Ing empties into the lake. There is also some inflow from the Mae Tam which
empties into the lake from the south. The eastern shore of the lake is largely
built up, and the town of Phayao lies near the southeast
corner. The lake empties to the east, via the Nam Mae lag, into the Mekong. The
water level is controlled by a sluice gate and a spillway; the mean depth is
1.7m, and the pH varies from 6.0-9.1. Kwan Phayao is one of
the largest semi-natural wetlands in northern Thailand. Lunch at a local
restaurant before proceeding to Chiang Rai. Free at leisure after check in.
Overnight in Chiang Rai.
Day 7 : Chiang Rai – Full-day City and Temple Tour
(B/-/D)
After breakfast you will meet your guide and
transfer onwards for your visit to Wat Phra Kaew, where the Emerald Buddha
image was once enshrined. The temple now houses a jade Buddha image which was
made to commemorate the 90th birthday of the late Princess Mother. We will also
visit Wat Phra Singha where the famous Buddha image housed here is believed to
have been built in 157 A.D. in Sri Lanka or Ceylon, and brought to Thailand in
the Sukhothai period (1238-1438). We then continue on to visit the Hill-tribe
Museum and Education Center, built with the intention of teaching people about
the hill tribes and strengthening their
position in Thai society. The center exhibits local crafts, all of which are
for sale, and also provides information through slideshows. Continue on to the
extremely beautiful Rong Khun Temple (the White Temple), designed by a famous
national artist. The main temple building is a striking white which shines in
the sun, and is decorated with fragments of reflective glass which can be seen
from afar. After this, we transfer back to hotel where you are free at leisure.
Overnight in Chiang Rai.
Day 8: Chiang Rai – Chiang Mai (B/-/D)
After check-out you will meet your guide and begin
the drive to the Mae Sai border. This is not only the largest border in Thailand,
but is also used as an important gateway to Tha Khi Lek, a border city of
Myanmar, the mystic country (Tourists pay an immigration fee of 500 THB per
person; please take care of this fee yourselves). We continue on to the Golden
Triangle where the three borders of Laos – Myanmar – Thailand meet. Later on,
visit the Hall of Opium, where you can study how the opium was delivered
commercially in the old days. Then we transfer to Chiang Mai in the evening.
You are free at leisure after check-in. Overnight in Chiang Mai.
Day 9: Chiang Mai Full-day Temple and City Tour (B/-/D)
Early this morning, at 6:15 am, you will be picked
up from your hotel to experience the traditional offering of food to the
Buddhist monks. This is a daily ritual and can be a very beautiful experience.
Join the locals during the daily alms-offering ceremony. This is a serene
Buddhist procession where hundreds of monks walk barefoot through the street
collecting food. Next, you will drive to the Doi Suthep Temple which is on top
of a mountain. In the morning is the best time to visit this temple while the beams
of sunrise brighten the Golden Pagoda. Then transfer back to the hotel.
This afternoon, you will drive around the Old City to see city’s moat and old
city wall ruins. We start the afternoon temple tour with Wat Chiang Man, the
oldest temple, which probably dates back to 1296. The temple was the residence
of King Mengrai, who founded Chiang Mai, and it is noteworthy for its chedi
supported by rows of elephantine buttresses. Next, we visit Chedi Luang Temple,
where the great chedi which was built at the end of 14th century is located.
Even though it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1545, it was to remain the
tallest structure in Chiang Mai till today. Then, we visit Wat Phra Singh,
which was built in the year 1345. This temple contains marvelous examples of
Lanna art, including a Lanna style viharn and the finest scripture repository
of its type in the north. After this, continue with a visit Wat Suan Dok, which
means ‘field of flowers’. This temple is one of the first temples with a large
viharn, or prayer hall. This chapel is unusual not only for its size, but also
for the fact that it is open on the sides rather than being totally enclosed.
We then continue to Warorote Market, the biggest local market in Chiang Mai,
which sells everything from clothes and textiles to fruits, herbs, flowers,
vegetables, insects and even fireworks. Afterwards, we transfer back to the
hotel. Overnight in Chiang Mai.
Day 10: Full Day at the Elephant Camp (B/-/D)
After having breakfast at the hotel, we embark on
our trip to the Elephant Camp where you will see the elephants at work in the
jungle areas, see how the elephants are trained for working with
humans, and enjoy the elephant shows. Then, you will have the chance to enjoy
an exciting ride on elephant-back along the trails (Elephant Ride is optional),
followed by an ox-cart ride back to the camp. Lunch will be served at the
elephant camp. In the afternoon, enjoy the local hand-crafted bamboo rafting
along the Mae Taeng river. Return to Chiang Mai and have a stop at the beautiful
Orchid Nursery. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Chiang Mai.
Day 11: Chiang Mai departure (B/-/-)
After check out, you will meet your guide and transfer to the airport for your
onward flights and departure back home.