Highlights
- Eat like a local: take a Tuk Tuk to the best eateries in Bangkok
- Go on a wildlife hike in the ancient Khao Sok National Park
- Enjoy a day visit with elephants at a sanctuary
- Spend a few days soaking in the sun on Phuket Beaches
- Visit Thailand's most sacred temples & sites
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival in Bangkok | Bangkok |
| Day 2 | Bangkok - Grand Palace & Wat Po - Midnight Food Tour | Bangkok |
| Day 3 | Bangkok - Flight to Chiang Mai - Sunset at Doi Suthep | Chiang Mai |
| Day 4 | Chiang Mai - Elephant Sanctuary | Chiang Mai |
| Day 5 | Chiang Mai - Love Cooking Chiang Mai | Chiang Mai |
| Day 6 | Chiang Mai - Fly to Phuket | Phuket |
| Day 7 | Phuket - Khao Sok | Khao Sok National Park |
| Day 8 | Khao Sok - Khaosok Jungle discovery | Khao Sok National Park |
| Day 9 | Khao Sok - Phuket | Phuket |
| Day 10 | A Kayaking Trip Through Phang Nga Bay | Phuket |
| Day 11 | Phuket Beach Relaxation | Phuket |
| Day 12 | Phuket - Departure |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Bangkok
Welcome to Thailand! You'll be met at the air-bridge and escorted to the immigration counter without a wait. Meet your driver, who will transfer you to the hotel, then spend the rest of the day relaxing and settling in.
Day 2: Bangkok - Grand Palace & Wat Po - Midnight Food Tour
Meet your guide in the morning and head out for a full day your. Begin at the Grand Palace, Thailand's most impressive and important royal palace. Tour the complex to see palaces that are used for different occasions—the Funeral Palace, Reception Palace, Throne Hall, and Royal Guesthouse. You'll also see the mysterious Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most revered image of Buddha.
Continue to Wat Po, one of Bangkok's oldest temples, to see the giant reclining Buddha. The temple is also the original school of traditional Thai massage. Appropriate dress is required to visit the temple and can be rented on-site. Return to the hotel for lunch and a free afternoon.
In the evening around 6:00 PM, you'll be picked up from the hotel for your midnight food tour. Bangkok is famed as the city that never stops eating, so head to popular (and not so well-known) places to eat. Cruise the city streets on the city's iconic 3-wheel ride, the tuk-tuk, and spend the night sampling a variety of menus, including the local favorite Northeastern Thai Food, Pad Thai, and street snacks.
Between eating, visit historic landmarks and temples for a nighttime view of the busy city. Finish the tour by midnight, then return to your hotel for a well-earned rest.
***Note: This tour is not suitable for vegetarians ***
Day 3: Bangkok - Flight to Chiang Mai - Sunset at Doi Suthep
Get an early start to the day with a 7:30 AM pickup for your morning flight to Chiang Mai. Arrive in Chiang Mai, then meet your driver and transfer to the hotel.
Enjoy a few hours of free time, then meet your driver in the early afternoon for an excursion to Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, North Thailand's most sacred temple. Enjoy a guided tour of the temple, including the impressive chedi, to see the grounds and intricate murals.
In the late afternoon and evening enjoy the peace and quiet of the temple once most of the tourists have left for the day. You'll have your own private blessing ceremony, then witness the evening chanting of the monks.
Lunch and dinner on your own, overnight in Chiang Mai.
Day 4: Chiang Mai - Elephant Sanctuary
Today is a full day out, so pack the essentials. Start the day with an early pickup, then transfer to an elephant sanctuary. Begin the visit with a brief history of elephants in Thailand, then change into an elephant-approved outfit and head out to meet the herd.
The morning's training includes learning about elephant sanctuary management. You'll learn how to approach and interact with the elephants, observe their behaviors, and care for them. Help with the morning feeding and play with the new babies, whose love for mischief is unmatched.
Trek out to a refreshing waterfall for a picnic lunch, then watch the animals take a swim. Return to the sanctuary for the evening feed, then return to your hotel.
Dinner and evening on your own.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 5: Chiang Mai - Love Cooking Chiang Mai
Start the day with a morning hotel pick up, then transfer to the Chiang Mai Culinary School for a half-day cooking class. Begin with a trip to the local market to pick up authentic ingredients, then visit the organic garden before transitioning to the cooking portion of the class.
Learn the nuances of authentic Thai cooking from experienced chefs, then enjoy your delicious meal! Return to the hotel around 2:00 PM, then enjoy a free evening. Dinner on your own.
Day 6: Chiang Mai - Fly to Phuket
Enjoy a free morning, then transfer to the airport for your flight to Phuket. Upon arrival, you'll be met by a driver and transferred to the hotel. The afternoon is free, and lunch and dinner are on your own.
Day 7: Phuket - Khao Sok
Get an early start with a 7:00 AM pickup for your full day out. Your first stop is the Sarasin Bridge for a short break and a visit to the Tsunami Memorial Site. From here continue to the Monkey Cave Temple and the Khaosok Discovery Elephant Camp for a brief visit with the animals.
Break for lunch at Khaosok, then head out for a 1-hour adventure of canoeing down the river for a chance to see wildlife and stunning limestone cliffs. Check into your rooms at the Khaosok Boutique Camps in the late afternoon, then sit down to a delicious dinner as you listen to the sounds of the jungle all around you.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 8: Khao Sok - Khaosok Jungle Discovery
Breakfast this morning is early, at 7:30 AM. Afterward, head out on foot for a jungle hike in the Khaosok National Park, an inland haven tucked away from the beach crowds. You'll see incredible plants, flowers, butterflies, animals, and other wildlife on this 3-hour walk.
Return to the park center for lunch, then check out from camp. In the afternoon, make your way to Cheow Lan Lake. Arrive at the pier, then board a traditional Long Tail boat and go for a cruise on the turquoise water of the lake. The rest of the afternoon is free for a canoe paddle around the floating huts, relaxing in nature, or swimming in the lake.
Enjoy dinner and overnight at the floating cottage.
Day 9: Khao Sok - Phuket
Another early morning, followed by a trip on a longtail boat for a short ride across the 500 Rai Lake jungle for a bamboo raft adventure. See spectacular wildlife, then board the boat again to the Pakarang Cave (Coral Cave). The stalagmites insides are shaped like coral, which gives the cave its name. The cave is open and accessible, but be careful on the slippery floor.
Spend half an hour exploring the cave, then return to the floating hut for lunch. In the afternoon head out on a long-tail boat to Chaew-Lan Lake for a scenic tour of the area. Arrive back on the mainland by 6:00 PM, then transfer to your hotel.
Day 10: A Kayaking Trip Through Phang Nga Bay
Enjoy a free morning, then join a sea canoe group for some island hopping aboard a kayak. Work up an appetite, then sit down to an amazing Thai seafood buffet while taking in the sunset over Phang Nga Bay. Return to the hotel by nightfall.
Day 11: Phuket Beach Relaxation
Today is a free day to enjoy the incredible beaches, sunny weather, and miles of white sand. Lunch and dinner on your own.
Day 12: Phuket - Departure
After breakfast, enjoy your last free day before transferring to the airport.
Map
