Culinary Highlights of Central, Northern & Southern Thailand - 9 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Bangkok, Chao Phraya Cruise & Dinner

Sawadika and welcome to Bangkok! A driver will be waiting for you at Suvarnabhumi Airport ready to take you to your hotel. You have the rest of the day to spend at leisure, relaxing in your hotel or exploring Thailand's vibrant capital. You could start by heading to the Golden Mount, also known as Wat Saket temple, where you'll climb 320 steps to reach its top but will be rewarded with fabulous views over the city. Afterward, try a famous crab omelet at Jay Fai, the first street food stall in Bangkok to be awarded a Michelin star, and then grab a cold drink on the lively Khao San Road.

Alternatively, you have the option of going on a dinner cruise and taking in Bangkok's historical landmarks while you float down the Chao Phraya River. After an evening of fruit punch, an international buffet, jazz musicians, and dancing, your driver will be waiting to take you back to your hotel.

Day 2: Floating Market Visit, Bangkok Tour, Food Tasting in Chinatown

There are various floating markets in Bangkok and today you'll visit the Khlong Lat Mayom market. It isn't as congested with boats as others, allowing you to avoid hordes of tourists. Then, head to the Wat Arun temple, which was built during the Ayutthaya period and is named after Aruna, the Indian god of dawn. After this, take a local ferry boat to the opposite pier to visit the Wat Pho temple. Enjoy lunch at a nearby local restaurant then walk to the opulent Grand Palace, a symbol of the Thai royal family. If you have the time and energy, take a tuk-tuk to Bangkok's famous weekend market of Chatuchak to peruse its stalls.

In the evening, head to Chinatown, a foodie favorite where you can try different Thai snacks, desserts, and drinks. You'll visit five or six vendors with your group, passing street vendors selling fried insects such as scorpions and bamboo worms, rice noodle soups, pad thai, fried rice noodles, som tam (papaya salad), grilled chicken or boiled pork, and raw prawns with lime (which are super spicy). You'll be able to choose different drinks to sample too, such as Thai tea or coffee, fresh orange juice or pomelo juice, and different local desserts, such as sweet rice balls with coconut milk.

Day 3: Unique Bicycle Adventure in Bangkok, Traditional Cooking Class

See a different side to Bangkok today while exploring on a bike. After meeting your guide and being fitted for your wheels, you'll take a ferry to Bang Krachao, which is also known as "The Green Lung of Bangkok." Here, you'll cycle on pathways surrounded by lush vegetation with welcome shade from coconut palms and banana trees. You'll stop at a small temple, school, Muay Thai boxing gym, and a park. Refuel at a local restaurant with a typical Thai meal such as pad thai or kao pad (fried rice) with shrimp, crab, pork, chicken, or vegetables. 

You'll head back to Bangkok for the afternoon to rest in your hotel before going to a small Thai house that's more than 100 years old to learn how to make some authentic Thai dishes. Before your lesson, you'll be taken on a tour of the garden to see a range of vegetables, some of which you'll pick as ingredients. Then, you'll be taught how to make four main meals. A highlight will be learning how to make curry paste. After all of your hard work, you can enjoy eating what you've made and can take home a cookery book to remind you of the recipes you've been taught.

Day 4: Transfer to Chiang Mai, Traditional Khantoke Dinner

You'll travel to Chiang Mai today in northern Thailand. After a short flight, you'll be picked up from the airport and taken to your Chiang Mai hotel. You're free to explore and a good place to start is in its Old City, where there are historic walls, moats, and ornate Buddhist temples. Two standout temples to visit are Wat Chedi Luang, home to Chiang Mai's largest Buddhist chedi, and Wat Chiang Man, the city's oldest temple which has a beautiful Lanna-style ordination hall. Look around the largest central market in the city too, Wororot Market, to see colorful fresh fruit, flowers, and local delicacies. 

Tonight, you'll be taken for a famous Khantoke dinner. Khantoke is delicious northern Thai cuisine named after the wooden pedestal or rattan tray it is served on by Lanna Thai people. The menu usually consists of dishes such as gaeng hang lay (pork curry), nam prik ong (minced pork cooked with chopped garlic, onion, and red chili paste), cab moo (crispy pork rind), and deep-fried chicken and banana. During the meal, music will be played by a traditional northern musical ensemble, dancers will entertain you, and you could even join in with the Ramwong dance, which is great fun.

Day 5: Eco Elephant Care & Cooking Class 

It's an exciting day as you'll meet elephants living in an eco elephant care project this morning. This project was started by a local family in Meung Kud village and aims to improve the well-being of these gentle giants and increase awareness of elephant conservation. The project doesn't believe that elephants are for entertainment but you'll have the chance to enjoy close interaction with them and will be taught more about the fascinating creatures. After you've enjoyed the activity and taken lots of photographs, you'll be transferred back to your hotel.

 

Late afternoon, your driver will pick you up from your hotel to take you to a cooking class. This starts with a visit to a local market to buy fresh ingredients and learn about tropical vegetation. Armed with your purchases, you'll be driven to Baan Hong Nual, an open kitchen in Lanna Thai style where your class will take place. Here an English-speaking instructor will teach you step-by-step how to cook some traditional Thai dishes before you enjoy the dinner you've cooked with your classmates. You'll be given a cookbook once you've finished so you can recreate your favorite dishes at home.

Day 6: Explore the Famous Golden Triangle 

Today, you'll be taken to explore the famous Golden Triangle area in the north of Thailand. You'll be picked up from your hotel and driven along a wild route passing through the Doi Saket district, past scenic hills, valleys, and villages. You'll stop at Mae Kachan Hot Spring for a quick refresh then continue until you reach Wat Rong Khun, which is known as the White Temple. Owned, designed, and constructed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, this is an art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple in the Chiang Rai province.

 

Next, you'll visit the Long Neck and Hill tribes of northern Thailand to learn more about their daily life and language. Here women wear several brass rings around their necks from a young age which causes them to elongate. Then, head to the banks of the Mekong River to see the mysterious land that was, in the past, associated with the drug trade. After lunch at a local restaurant, take a boat trip along the Mekong River near Laos Island, which you can visit for an extra fee. Afterward, you'll be driven back to your hotel to relax for the evening.

Day 7: Transfer to Khao Sok National Park, Canoe Trip

You're off to southern Thailand today to see another side of the country and its vastly different landscapes. Your driver will pick you up in the morning to take you to the airport where you'll board a flight to Surat Thani Airport. From here, it will take around one and a half hours to drive to Khao Sok National Park. Settle into your new hotel after you've arrived or head straight out to explore before your afternoon activity.

 

See Khao Sok National Park from the water this afternoon on a guided canoe trip. Your guide will paddle and point out the wildlife that you pass including playful monkeys in the trees, striking kingfishers, and snakes. You'll enjoy a coffee break and a swim to cool off if you wish before carrying on to admire limestone cliffs and forested riverbanks.

Day 8: Organic Farm Cooking Experience, Khao Sok River Rafting 

Learn how to cook a selection of traditional Thai dishes this morning on an organic farm cooking experience. First, you'll be taught how to choose your own ingredients before your cooking lesson at Rungfah Organic Farm. You'll learn some important techniques including how to boil rice in bamboo. Then, as a reward for your hard work, you'll eat the dishes you have prepared in the picturesque surroundings of Khao Sok National Park.

 

Step back in time this afternoon on the Khao Sok River while exploring aboard a bamboo raft, one of Thailand's oldest forms of transport. You can relax as you meander down the river amid the lush jungle landscape, spotting exotic wildlife. If you'd like to do something more active as well, you'll be able to hike through the jungle and a rubber tree plantation to reach a cave. While you're here, you'll learn to boil water in a bamboo stem over an open fire to brew a traditional cup of tea or coffee as the people who once traveled on this ancient trade route did.

Day 9: Transfer to Phuket & Depart

It's time to say goodbye to beautiful Thailand today as you head to Phuket International Airport for your onward flight. If you have enough time in Phuket before your departure, you have the option to use a car and driver for half a day to tick off more of the sites you'd like to see. You could do some final souvenir shopping, visit some more temples or relax in one of Phuket's cafés. Then, in plenty of time for your departure, your driver will drop you off at the airport. Until next time!

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