Highlights
- Float along the waterways of Damnoen Floating Market for an explosion of colors
- Take a Thai cooking class with the locals in the mountains of Chiang Mai
- Go snorkeling near Phang Nga Bay, with stunning limestones cliffs as a backdrop
- Explore Koh Phi Phi by speed boat with its clear water, secluded beaches, and coves
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Bangkok, Explore Bangkok & Dinner Cruise | Bangkok |
| Day 2 | Damnoen Saduak Floating Market & Elephant World Sanctuary | Bangkok |
| Day 3 | Fly to Chiang Mai, Boat Trip on the Mae Ping River | Chiang Mai |
| Day 4 | Thai Cooking Class with a Local Family | Chiang Mai |
| Day 5 | Visit Karen Hill Tribe Villages, Hike to Pa Dok Siew Waterfalls | Chiang Mai |
| Day 6 | Fly to Phuket | Phuket |
| Day 7 | Canoe & Snorkel Phang Nga Bay | Phuket |
| Day 8 | Explore the Phi Phi Islands by Speedboat | Phuket |
| Day 9 | Depart Phuket |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Bangkok, Explore Bangkok & Dinner Cruise
Your Thailand journey begins with an arrival in Bangkok. A driver will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel in the heart of the city. After some rest, you are free to discover Bangkok at your leisure. The city combines the old with the new, and there's something for everyone. You could visit Chinatown to try delicious street food or spend some time at Siam Paragon, one of Bangkok's largest and most popular shopping malls. If you are visiting over the weekend, don't miss Chatuchak Market, one of the world's largest outdoor markets, with over 15,000 stalls.
For sports lovers, watch a kickboxing fight, Thailand's signature sport. You could see a puppet show or visit Warehouse 30 for modern art exhibitions to have a cultural immersion. In the evening, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Siam Pier, where you will board a dinner cruise and enjoy the beautiful night scenery on both sides of the Chao Phraya River. Glide toward Pinklao Bridge, where you can take fantastic snapshots of the Temple of Dawn and the Grand Palace completely illuminated, before sitting down to dinner and drinks with a soundtrack of live music.
Day 2: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market & Elephant World Sanctuary
Get up early for an adventure taking you west of Bangkok. Visit the most famous floating market in Thailand, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, and see how Thai people lived and traded in the past before roads or cars. Discover a colorful network of waterways with vendors on wooden boats. Try seasonal fruit, coconut ice cream, and snacks as you float through the market in a long-tail boat. Continue to Kanchanaburi for the day's highlight, a visit to the Elephant World sanctuary for rescued elephants.
This self-supporting environmental conservation organization cares for domestic elephants outside Kanchanaburi and offers up-close and personal encounters with these fascinating creatures. Don't forget your bathing suit—after feeding and interacting with the elephants, you'll get to help bathe and scrub the pachyderms, which they love. After lunch, do some shopping at the local souvenir shop. All the profits go to help further the cause of elephant conservation.
Day 3: Fly to Chiang Mai, Boat Trip on the Mae Ping River
Enjoy a leisurely morning in Bangkok before meeting your driver for a transfer to the airport for a flight north to Chiang Mai. Upon arrival, a driver will greet you at the airport and take you to the hotel in the heart of the region's largest city. Once checked in, with some time to relax, meet your guide at the hotel, and travel thirty minutes by vehicle north of Chiang Mai to a long-tail boat dock. Before boarding the vessel, there will be time to stroll around the grounds, where you'll see a traditional herb garden.
Hop on your long-tail boat and enjoy a cruise along the rural Mae Ping River, spotting traditional wooden houses and modern residences along the river banks. Arrive at the boat landing and walk for about 10 minutes from the dock to Waroros Market, where you'll see typical seasonal food. Rub elbows with the locals and experience the northern Thai way of life. After the tour, return to your hotel.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 4: Thai Cooking Class with a Local Family
Escape from the bustling city today as you head into the relaxing countryside to enjoy a cooking class with a local family in a village. Upon arrival at the house, you can take a walk around the farm while the chef introduces you to the native herbs and plants. You'll harvest the produce you plan to cook with from the garden yourself. Then, you'll learn how to cook traditional Thai dishes with the chosen ingredients. Enjoy the creations you've prepared as you have lunch on the terrace. After you've eaten, relax and soak up the peaceful backdrop before returning to Chiang Mai for a free afternoon.
Day 5: Visit Karen Hill Tribe Villages, Hike to Pa Dok Siew Waterfalls
Today, drive through northern Thailand's beautiful scenery and rice paddy fields to visit Doi Inthanon National Park. You'll see the pagodas of the king and the queen and can admire the stunning panorama of the mountains in the park from various viewpoints. Visit the Karen Hill Tribe Village, home to the largest ethnic minority group in Thailand. Stop at Hill Tribe Market, and on the return trip, see the Wachiratharn Waterfall. After lunch, take the Mae Klang Luang Nature Trail. Far from the main tourist route, this walk showcases this diverse national park's fascinating flora and fauna.
The path will follow a forested route downhill before the trail meets the river. Next, take a break at Pa Dok Siew Waterfall, where you can dip in the refreshing waters. Eventually, you'll reach the farmland surrounding Mae Klang Luang, another Karen Village. See coffee bushes and rice paddies before stopping at a local coffee house where they roast, hand grind, and prepare freshly brewed coffee from the surrounding village.
Day 6: Fly to Phuket
Savor the remaining moments in Chiang Mai before your private driver escorts you to the airport to catch a 1.5-hour flight to Phuket. Thailand's largest island is a spectacular destination for sightseeing and adventures. Located off the country's west coast on the Andaman Sea, the island has diverse landscapes, from its famous sandy beaches to forested hills, mountains, limestone cliffs, low plains, lagoons, and lush tropical forests. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to your hotel and have the afternoon free to explore around town.
Relax at the beach and go swimming or snorkeling. You could also visit the aquarium in Cape Panwa to see the exotic marine life on the island. If you're into adrenaline rushes, challenge yourself with a zipline adventure at Flying Hanuman, an eco-adventure outfit. Visit Phuket's lively Old Town, where you'll stroll among colorful Sino-Portuguese shophouses, colonial mansions, and cafés. Don't miss the night markets and visit the busy Bangla Road for a drink.
Day 7: Canoe & Snorkel Phang Nga Bay
Head out early this morning as you make your way to Ao Por Pier. Upon arrival at the pier, break for tea and coffee before boarding the luxury boat. The first stop will be Panak Island, famous for its stalactites and lagoons. Enjoy canoeing to the Bat Cave, where you'll find hordes of bats sleeping above your head in the darkness. Continue to Hong Island with your guide and paddle to explore hidden caves. You'll enter its two extraordinary lagoons before high tide. Return to the boat to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch.
In the afternoon, zoom and weave around Tapu Island ("James Bond Island") to discover the famous movie location where "The Man with the Golden Gun" was filmed. You'll also visit Khao Phing Kan Island, an idyllic spot where you can enjoy swimming and snorkeling. In the afternoon, return to the boat and head back to Phuket.Day 8: Explore the Phi Phi Islands by Speedboat
Get ready for an escapade in paradise as you head to Koh Phi Phi on a full-day boat tour. You'll be picked up at your hotel and transferred to Phuket Pier, where you'll board a speed boat to Phi Phi Ley ("Maya Beach"). Known for its crystal clear marine blue waters with limestone cliffs that jut out from the ocean, you'll marvel at the stunning scenery during the one-hour ride to the island. Once there, enjoy swimming and taking beautiful pictures at Pileh Lagoon and Viking Cave. You will be amazed by this secluded hideaway surrounded by cliff formations on three sides.
Next, head to Phi Phi Don, and on the way, you'll pass the beautiful Monkey Beach, home to curious long-tailed macaques who will clamber down the cliffs to greet you. If you still need more beach time, there's plenty at Phi Phi Don, where there's an opportunity to go snorkeling and have a traditional Thai lunch. In the afternoon, visit Bamboo Island for more swimming or relax on the beach. From here, you will return to Phuket and be transferred to your hotel.
Day 9: Depart Phuket
It's time to say sawasdee ka (goodbye) to Thailand. When the time comes, your driver will be waiting to take you to the airport for your departing flight. Safe travels!
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