$1695/ person (USD)
13-Day TourBook this package

Offered By:

Bestway Tours & Safaris

bestway.com
1 800 663 0844
bestway@bestway.com

Package Categories

Culinary Activites
Cultural Activities
Tour Packages
Bangkok
Chiang Rai
Chiang Mai
Ayutthaya
Kanchanaburi
Sukhothai
Uthai Thani

About package

Dive into the ancient sites, and learn about the unique Thai culture through market expeditions, arts performances, an elephant visit and more, this tour will give you a true taste of Thailand.

Known for its rich history, unique culture, and world famous cuisine, Thailand is a treat for any traveler. With opportunities to explore the majestic monuments of vibrant Bangkok, admire some of the country’s most beautiful temples in Chiang Rai and beyond, dive into the ancient sites of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, and learn about the unique Thai culture through market expeditions, arts performances, an elephant visit and more, this tour will give you a true taste of Thailand.

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Package Categories

Culinary Activites
Cultural Activities
Tour Packages
Bangkok
Chiang Rai
Chiang Mai
Ayutthaya
Kanchanaburi
Sukhothai
Uthai Thani

Tour Overview

Day 01: Arrive Bangkok
Arrive at Bangkok International Airport, meet and greet, and transfer to your hotel (transfer unescorted). Check in time starts from 1500 hrs.  Rest of the day is at leisure. Perhaps you could indulge yourself with a traditional Thai massage, surprise your taste buds with the amazing local flavors and cap off the day by enjoying sunset in any of the stylish rooftop bars which have blossomed in the city’s skyscrapers in recent years… the options are limitless.
Overnight: Century Park Hotel, Bangkok (3 nights)

Day 02: Bangkok
Today’s tour includes three of the most important Buddhist temples in Bangkok. Wat Traimit, also known as the temple of the Golden Buddha, houses a three-meter-tall statue made from solid gold and weighing 5.5 tons. You will then pass through Chinatown on your way to Wat Pho, the temple of the Reclining Buddha and home to the Chedis of the Kings. At 46 meters in length and 15 meters high, the Buddha is the largest in Bangkok and illustrates the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. The Grand Palace is one of the most beautiful samples of an ancient Siamese court. It used to be the residence of the Kings of Bangkok. Here you will see palaces which were used for different occasions: the Funeral Palace, the Reception Palace, the Throne Hall, the Coronation Hall, the Royal Guest House, and Wat Phra Keo, the beautiful Emerald Buddha Temple. To round off the tour, we call in at a local lapidary factory and showroom, where you will be able to get locally made jewelery, handicrafts and silk at competitive prices.
Note: The Grand Palace is closed during special royal ceremonies and during visiting heads of state.
(B)

Day 03: Bangkok
When you think of Thailand, the unique Floating Market is one of the first images that springs to mind. Experience the most famous of the floating markets at Damnoen Saduak and Sampran Riverside for an insight into Thai culture and traditions. In the morning, you’ll have an exciting long tail boat ride along the nearby canals to the site of the market, where you will find the locals selling everything imaginable from their boats. Plenty of shopping bargains can be found. Then it’s onto Sampran Riverside, a beautiful resort area, where lunch is taken. After lunch, you will have time to wander around the gardens and the recreated Thai village with lots of interesting and varied handicrafts on display. Before we return to Bangkok, enjoy an excellent cultural show. The show gives you a sample of many aspects of the Thai way of life, including Thai dancing, wedding and monk ordination ceremonies, kick boxing, sword and long pole fighting, and fingernail dancing. (B, L)

Day 04: Bangkok/Chiang Rai (Flight)
Departure transfer (unescorted) to the airport for a flight to Chiang Rai.  Unescorted transfer and check-in at the hotel with the rest of the day free.   You may want to explore the heart of the old town, which dates from the reign of King Mangrai in the 13th century or stroll around the bustling night bazaar to get a taste of what makes Chiang Rai tick.
Overnight: Laluna Hotel, Chiang Rai (2 nights) (B)

Day 05: Chiang Rai
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading to the city centre to admire the iconic monument to King Mangrai en route to the Hilltribe Museum and Education Centre. Learn all about the dozens of hill tribes who have lived in the highlands around the city for centuries and how they have survived the spread of globalization. Continue to the Mae Chan district to explore the remote hill tribe villages of the Yao and Akha peoples, and experience their way of life first-hand.
Take to the road for Mae Sai, a small border town with a busy market, before heading into the heart of the infamous Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. This natural wilderness gained unwanted notoriety in the 1960s because of the abundant opium cultivation in the area. After lunch, continue to Chiang Saen to visit the hilltop Wat Phra That Chom Kitti, which is reached via a 350-step staircase. Return to Chiang Rai with the rest of the day free.
(B, L)

Day 06: Chiang Rai/Chiang Mai (Drive)
Take to the road after breakfast at the hotel, heading for Chiang Mai. On the southern outskirts of Chiang Rai, stop at the magnificent Wat Rong Khun, a dazzling temple built in the 1990s. Known as one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand, its ornate, all-white exterior, with embedded pieces of mirror, gives it a resplendent appearance. Continue to Chiang Mai and, on arrival, visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of the most revered temples in the country. This sacred location is at the top of a mountain from where you can appreciate stunning panoramic views over the city. Reaching the temple requires a climb up a 309-step naga staircase. Alternatively, you can use the cable car (included) to reach the temple. Head to the riverbank and board a boat for a cruise along the scenic River Ping and drop by a farm to savour a delicious khao soi noodle curry as you enjoy dance performances while feasting on a traditional khantoke meal. Afterward, stroll through the local flower and fresh produce market and check in to the hotel.
Overnight: Holiday Inn, Chiang Mai (2 nights) (B, L)

Day 07: Chiang Mai
Take a walk on the wild side after breakfast with a visit to an elephant camp in Chiang Dao province. The camp is located in a rainforest by the River Ping and offers a perfect natural habitat for appreciating these gentle giants. Learn about Asian elephants – their nature, their individual traits, their lifestyles, their talents and their charms –  and get a glimpse into the unique and very real relationships between elephants and their mahouts. After lunch in a local restaurant, continue to Chiang Mai for an afternoon exploring this ancient city. Chiang Mai’s old town is still surrounded by remnants of the old defensive walls and a moat. Visit the historic Wat Suan Dok and admire its 48- meter-high Sri Lankan-style chedi, which overlooks the Royal Cemetery. Continue to Wat Phra Sing in the old town and appreciate the beauty of this large complex of more than 60 buildings before visiting 14th century Wat Chedi Luang in the very heart of the old city.
(B, L)

Day 08: Chiang Mai/Lamphun/Lampang/Sukhothai (Drive)
Pick-up at 0800 hrs from your hotel in Chiang Mai city. Depart for Lamphun to visit Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, a golden temple complex whose origins have been traced to the Mon Kingdom in the eighth century, before arriving at the picturesque town of Lampang to visit the historic temple of Wat Phra That Lampang Luang. After lunch, relax with a scenic drive to Sukhothai Historical Park*, arriving in the late afternoon. Explore the park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the ruins of ancient Sukhothai, which was the first capital of the kingdom of the same name.
Overnight: Sukhothai Treasure Hotel, Sukhothai (1 night) (B, L)

Day 09: Sukhothai/Uthai Thani/Ayutthaya (Drive)
A spiritual start to the day as you join locals in offering food to Buddhist monks during their morning alms round. Drive south and break for lunch in Chai Nat. Today’s route from Sukhothai via Uthai Thani to Ayutthaya mirrors the southward expansion of Siam, following the kingdom’s historical development. On arrival to Ayutthaya, a former capital of Siam, head to Ayutthaya Historical Park* to visit the temple of Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the adjacent Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophit to contemplate the golden Buddha. Continue to the eerily enchanting ruins of Wat Phra Mahathat, with its famous statue of Buddha devoured by tree roots. Such a heavenly heritage ensemble has earned this historical park the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Overnight: Krungsri River Hotel, Ayutthaya (1 night) (B, L)

Day 10: Ayutthaya/Kanchanaburi (Drive)
Drive through pastoral landscapes virtually untouched by the passage of time before arriving at Kanchanaburi, a quiet town at the confluence of the rivers Kwai Noi and Kwai Yai. It is renowned for the beauty of its natural surroundings and abundant wildlife, but it also holds an unwanted place in history as the location of the notorious World War II ‘Death Railway Bridge’, immortalised in the Hollywood classic, The Bridge on the River Kwai. Visit the war cemetery, the final resting place of thousands of soldiers, and the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre to learn about the appalling conditions in which Allied POWs and Thai slave labourers worked to build a military supply railway. After lunch, enjoy an afternoon of free time at leisure.
Overnight: Pung Waan Resort, Kanchanaburi (1 night) (B, L)

Day 11: Kanchanaburi/Bangkok (Drive)
Depart Kanchanaburi after breakfast at the hotel with a scenic drive to Nakhon Pathom to visit the temple with the magnificent 127-meter-high Phra Pathommachedi stupa, the tallest of its kind in the world.   Then another stop at Damnoen Saduak for lunch before continue on to Bangkok.
Overnight: Royal Hotel China Town, Bangkok (2 nights) (B, L)

Day 12: Bangkok
Full day at leisure to discover Bangkok on your own.
(B)

Day 13: Depart Bangkok
Feast on a reinvigorating breakfast.  Check out time is by 1100 hrs and time at leisure until you are transferred (unescorted) to Bangkok International Airport for onward travel to your selected destination.
(B)

Recommend adding beach stay in Thailand, MALAYSIA or VIETNAM to the above tour

Tour Size Minimum: 02 Maximum: 16 Property Description: Location: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai Other location(s): Sukhothai, Uthai Thani, Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi Category: Culinary Activities, Cultural Activities, Tour Package Other tags: Heritage Tour, Small Group Tour Offer Restrictions: Tour Dates – 2017/2018 Every Tuesday from Nov 01, 2017 to Oct 31, 2018

Included

  • Accommodation as mentioned or similar, including hotel taxes
  • 19 Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch)
  • All sightseeing and transfers on seat-in-coach basis
  • Services of local Multilingual speaking guides
  • Entrance fees to museums and sites included in the itinerary

Not Included

  • Any airfares
  • Insurance/visas
  • Tips/gratuities