The tour begins with a tour of the Grand Palace complex, and a private longtail boat tour through Bangkok’s canals, where we see two contrasting sides to life in this famous city. Leaving the city behind us, we next head into the countryside and visit the cemeteries and museums at Kanchanaburi, as well as the famous prisoner of war built bridge on the River Kwai. Just outside Kanchanaburi we visit one of Thailand’s most beautiful waterfalls, in Erawan National Park, before we head back east to Ayuttaya.

 

Ayutthaya was one of the world’s great cities for many years, and is now a World Heritage Site, and we will tour some of the numerous ruined temples, and learn about the history of this former capital of Thailand.

 

We leave the Taste of Thailand itinerary now, and take an overnight sleeper train journey up into the north of Thailand, and the city of Chiang Mai. While it is known as Thailand’s second city, Chiang Mai is very different to Bangkok in many ways, and is well known for its cooking, and spectacular flower festival every February.

 

While in Chiang Mai, we will drive through lush forest up to the top of Doi Suthep mountain, where we get great views down over the city and surrounding valley and hills. There is an important and colourful temple at the top of the hill, and this is a really good place to learn a lot from your guide about Buddhism in Thailand, and its importance to the country and its people. Back in Chiang Mai, we set one evening aside to enjoy a traditional Kantoke dinner, to give you a taste of the difference between northern Thai food and hospitality compared to that further south. You have enough free time in Chiang Mai to do a cooking course if you wish, and other options to visit more temples, and traditional handicraft villages are also available.

 

We dedicate one day to a journey out of Chiang Mai to the nearby town of Lampang, which has resisted the impact of tourism to keep many original architectural styles in its shops, houses and temples, which include Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang, one of the most sacred temples in the north of the country, and as well as several in the Burmese style. A highlight of this day is a visit to the Elephant Conservation Centre, where you see elephants bathing and demonstrating their skills at hauling lumber. We feel this is one of the best places of its kind to view elephants, and you an also tour the facilities of the elephant hospital which looks after sick and injured elephants from all over the country.

 

After some free time back in Chiang Mai, we fly back to busy Bangkok where you can visit one of Thailand’s most colourful floating markets before finishing your tour.

 

Extensions are available to this tour in and around Bangkok, and to some of Thailand’s beautiful beaches. Alternatively, instead of returning to Bangkok from Chiang Mai, our Classic Thailand tour extends this tour to head further north and east to the Golden Triangle region and Chiang Rai.

Travelling with your children? Check our family information page.

We also have a range of diving holidays that take place in Thailand.