Treasures of Thailand

Day 1
Welcome to Bangkok
Say sawadee ka to the land of smiles, starting your Thai adventure in Bangkok. Transfer to your hotel where this evening, you will meet our Travel Director and fellow guests for a drink with local appetisers.

Day 2
See the Sights of Bangkok Dive Into Culture
Rise early and join the locals for a graceful T’ai Chi practice in Lumpini Park to kick-start your day. Alternatively, enjoy a leisurely start before joining your fellow travellers on a City Tour, which begins with a visit to Bangkok’s Grand Palace, where you’ll visit the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand, Wat Phra Kaew. See the largest-reclining Buddha in Thailand in Bangkok’s oldest temple, Wat Pho, and enjoy a traditional Thai massage in the temple’s massage centre. Return to your hotel by express river boat, cruising down the Chao Praya past beautiful Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn.

Day 3
Thai Cuisine and Cooking Experience Dive Into Culture
Immerse your senses in the five flavours of Thai cuisine as you join a Local Specialist for a traditional cooking class in a colonial-style house. Visit a local market nearby to source the freshest ingredients that reveal the sweet, sour, salty, bitter and hot flavours of Thai cuisine. Sample the results later, then spend the afternoon exploring the City of Angels on your terms, or consider joining an Optional Experience to Jim Thompson's House, home to an impressive collection of Asian art.

Day 4
Onwards to Damnoen Saduak and Kanchanaburi Dive Into Culture
A riot of colours greets us this morning as we embark on a visit to the famous floating market at Damnoen Saduak. Connect with the friendly merchants who paddle along the congested canals in their sturdy canoes, laden with fresh fruit and vegetables to sell to shoppers on the banks. En route, we’ll Dive Into Culture, stopping at a coconut palm sugar plantation where we’ll discover how the farmer extracts the sap from his palm trees to create palm sugar. After lunch in a local restaurant, visit the world-famous Bridge over the River Kwai. After a walk along the bridge continue to the Thailand-Burma Railway Museum, revealing insights into the history of the infamous railway line built during WWII by the Imperial Japanese army. Our final stop today sees us pay tribute to the thousands of allied prisoners of war who were laid to rest at the War Cemetery.

Day 5
Railways and Rivers in Kanchanaburi
This morning, we visit Hellfire Pass, a section of the Thailand-Burma “Death Railway”, so named for the tortuous conditions that prisoners of war endured during WWII to build it. After lunch, we embark on a thrilling train ride across wooden viaducts, skirting the winding waters of the Kwai River. We’ll disembark and see the wooden viaducts first-hand walking across one. This evening, we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 6
On to Ancient Ayutthaya and Sukhothai
After breakfast, we travel to the UNESCO-listed Ayutthaya, once the second-most important ancient capital of Old Siam and the largest city in the world. Here, we’ll delve into the trading heritage of a mighty city that was all but raised to the ground by an 18th century Burmese invasion. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then return to Bangkok for our flight to Sukhothai, Thailand’s first capital.

Day 7
Explore Sukhothai
Gain insights into a powerful kingdom that enjoyed its golden age during the 13th and 14th centuries and shaped modern Thailand as we know it today. Start the day with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Sukhothai Historical Park which reveals thousands of years of history and a 15-metre seated Buddha secreted within its walls. Your choice of exploring will see you engage with the historic complex by bicycle or on the internal tram. This afternoon, visit the home of a local family and learn how to make amulets which are thought to protect the owner from harm.

Day 8
Continue to Chiang Mai Make Travel Matter
Our day begins with a visit to the first of our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences today at the village of Natonchan, where our visit supports the community’s eco-tourism project . We’ll interact with the locals and meet one of the villagers to learn about 'gymnastic doll' making and the villagers’ traditional cotton clothes which are soaked in mud to protect them from fading. Arriving in Chiang Mai, we enjoy an evening walk with our Travel Director and visit the colourful Sunday market. Our hotel tonight is located in the old town of Chiang Mai.

Day 9
Meet the locals of Northern Thailand Dive Into Culture
Visit Wat Suan Dok where we’ll meet a local monk and learn about Buddhism, against the backdrop of the temple’s magnificent golden chedi. We continue to a small village nearby where we’ll Connect with Locals, joining a family in their typical stilt house for a northern Thai-style Be My Guest experience with lunch. Then admire the delicate hand-painted fans and colourful paper umbrellas that are famously crafted in Chiang Mai’s Sankamphaeng district.

Day 10
A Day to Discover Chiang Mai
Your morning is yours to enjoy or join an Optional Experience to visit the Kayan tribe, where you’ll meet the women who wear traditional brass rings round their necks and learn about their centuries-old customs. Later, you’ll visit Wat Doi Suthep, one of Thailand’s most sacred temples. As the sun sets, take in the breathtaking views and listen to the amazing chants of the monks. It’s your final evening before flying to Phuket, gather with your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 11
Farewell Thailand
Our exhilarating encounter with old Siam and new Thailand at its end, we take a transfer to Chiang Mai International Airport for your onward flight.

Dining Summary
5 Dinner (D)
10 Breakfast (B)
8 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
Chiang Mai: Join the Saiwangjit family who live in a wooden Thai stilt house for a traditional northern Thai-style meal.
Dive into Culture
Bangkok: Visit Lumpini Park in Bangkok and join the locals in their daily T'ai Chi practice.
Bangkok: Enjoy a traditional Thai massage in the grounds of Wat Pho, a centre for traditional Thai massage.
Bangkok: Learn the secrets of Thai cooking and visit a local market to buy fresh ingredients.
: Stop at a coconut palm sugar plantation and discover how the farmer extracts the sap from the palm trees to be turned into sugar.
Iconic Experience
Bangkok: Begin your city tour by visiting Bangkok's Grand Palace, home to the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand, Wat Phra Kaew. Continue your exploration of the city and its renowned landmarks. 
Bangkok: Embark on an Express River Cruise on the Chao Praya River and admire the beautiful Temple of the Dawn along the way.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market: Visit the famous floating market at Damnoen Saduak and paddle along the canals laden with fresh produce to sell.
Kanchanaburi: Discover the "Death Railway" when you visit Hellfire Pass and learn about the horrible conditions of which the prisoners of WWII had to endure when building this landmark.
Kanchanaburi: Bask in the views of the Kwai River as you make your way across wooden viaducts on your scenic train ride.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya: Delve into the rich trading history of the UNESCO-listed Ayutthaya as you embark on your city tour.
Sukhothai: Visit Sukhothai Historical Park and choose to explore the park by bicycle or tram tour. 
Sukhothai: Spend some time with a local family and learn the art of amulet making and how these jewels protect the owner from harm. 
Chiang Mai: Spend the evening enjoying a walk through the vibrant Sunday market of Chiang Mai with your Travel Director.
Wat Suan Dok: Visit Wat Suan Dok Temple, marvel at the golden details and meet a local monk.
Chiang Mai: See the vibrant paper umbrellas that are famously crafted in the San Kamphaeng District.
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep: Visit Wat Doi Suthep, which is one of Thailand's most sacred temples and listen closely for the chanting of the monks.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
Natonchan: On a visit to Natonchan we interact with the locals and meet one of the villagers to learn about traditional crafts such as gymnastic doll making and creating textiles in an array of patterns which are then soaked in mud to protect them from fading. 
Must-see Highlights
Explore Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Sukhothai
Visit the Grand Palace, the temples of Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho in Bangkok, the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, the ancient city of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai Heritage Park
View the Bridge over the River Kwai, Hellfire Pass in Kanchanaburi and Wat Mahathat in Ayutthaya
Stays With Stories
Bangkok: The Montien Hotel was ceremoniously opened by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand on Valentines Day in 1967. It quickly became one of Thailand's most-loved venues attracting royalty and actors from across the globe.