Treasures of Thailand
Treasures of Thailand
$4730
Tour Overview
Embark on the "Treasures of Thailand" tour, a captivating journey through the heart of Thailand's rich culture and history. Begin in the bustling city of Bangkok, exploring iconic landmarks like the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, and experience the vibrant Damnoen Saduak floating market. Delve into the ancient wonders of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, and pay homage at the historic Bridge over the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi. Engage with local traditions through a Thai cooking class and a visit to Natonchan village, where you'll learn about traditional crafts. In Chiang Mai, enjoy a northern Thai-style meal with a local family and explore the city's cultural treasures. With expert guidance, luxury accommodations, and a blend of guided tours and free time, this tour offers an unforgettable exploration of Thailand's past and present. ...more ...less
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Bangkok and Chiang Mai
- 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
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.
Be My Guest
Chiang Mai: Join the Saiwangjit family who live in a wooden Thai stilt house for a traditional northern Thai-style meal.
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.
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Bangkok
Location: Bangkok
Accommodation: Montien Surawong
Accommodation Name: Montien Surawong
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 appetizers.
Day 2: See the Sights of Bangkok Dive Into Culture
Location: Lumpini Park, Bangkok, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Wat Pho, Bangkok, Chao Praya River, Bangkok, Wat Arun, Bangkok
Accommodation: Montien Surawong
Accommodation Name: Montien Surawong
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
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 travelers 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 center. 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
Location: Bangkok, Jim Thompson's House
Accommodation: Montien Surawong
Accommodation Name: Montien Surawong
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Immerse your senses in the five flavors 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 flavors 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
Location: Damnoen Saduak, Bridge over the River Kwai, Thailand-Burma Railway Museum, Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Accommodation: Away Kanchanaburi Dheva Mantra Resort and Spa
Accommodation Name: Dheva Mantra Resort and Spa
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A riot of colors 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
Location: Hellfire Pass, Kwai River, Kanchanaburi
Accommodation: Away Kanchanaburi Dheva Mantra Resort and Spa
Accommodation Name: Dheva Mantra Resort and Spa
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
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
Location: Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Sukhothai
Accommodation: Legendha Hotel
Accommodation Name: Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort and Spa
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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
Location: Sukhothai, Sukhothai Historical Park
Accommodation: Legendha Hotel
Accommodation Name: Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort and Spa
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
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-meter 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
Location: Natonchan, Chiang Mai
Accommodation: Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel
Accommodation Name: Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
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 colorful 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
Location: Wat Suan Dok, Chiang Mai, Sankamphaeng, Chiang Mai
Accommodation: Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel
Accommodation Name: Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
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 colorful paper umbrellas that are famously crafted in Chiang Mai’s Sankamphaeng district.
Day 10: A Day to Discover Chiang Mai
Location: Chiang Mai, Wat Doi Suthep
Accommodation: Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel
Accommodation Name: Movenpick Suriwongse Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
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 travelers for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 11: Farewell Thailand
Location: Chiang Mai
Meals Included: Breakfast
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.
What's Included
-
Expert Travel Director and Professional Driver
The tour includes the services of an expert Travel Director and a professional driver.
-
Cherry-picked Hotels
Accommodation is provided in carefully selected hotels that are tried and trusted.
-
Porterage and Restaurant Gratuities
Porterage and gratuities at restaurants are included in the tour package.
-
Hotel Tips, Charges, and Local Taxes
Hotel tips, charges, and local taxes are covered in the tour package.
-
Must-see Sightseeing and Surprise Extras
The tour includes must-see sightseeing and surprise extras.
-
Audio Headsets for Sightseeing
Audio headsets are provided for flexible sightseeing.
-
Luxury Air-conditioned Coach with Wi-Fi
Travel in a luxury air-conditioned coach equipped with Wi-Fi.
-
Optional Experiences and Free Time
The tour offers optional experiences and free time for personal exploration.
-
Flight from Bangkok to Sukhothai
A flight from Bangkok to Sukhothai is included in the tour.
What's Not Included
-
Personal Expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs, additional meals, and drinks are not included.
-
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.
-
Visa Fees
Visa fees for entry into Thailand are not included in the tour package.
-
Optional Excursions
Optional excursions and activities not mentioned in the itinerary are not included.
-
International Flights
International flights to and from Thailand are not included in the tour package.
Dining Summary
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 10 Breakfast (B)
- 8 Lunch (L)
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 center 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.
Mode of Transport
Travel in a luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi, and enjoy a flight from Bangkok to Sukhothai, ensuring a comfortable and seamless journey across Thailand.
Accommodation
Stay in carefully selected hotels such as Montien Surawong in Bangkok, Dheva Mantra Resort and Spa in Kanchanaburi, and Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort and Spa, ensuring comfort and quality throughout your journey.
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 center 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.
Check out our Q&As
-
What kind of transportation is provided during the tour?
The tour includes travel in a luxury air-conditioned coach equipped with Wi-Fi, and there is also a flight from Bangkok to Sukhothai included.
-
Are meals included in the tour package?
Yes, the tour includes breakfast daily and up to half of the evening meals. Additionally, there are 5 dinners, 10 breakfasts, and 8 lunches included as part of the dining summary.
-
What kind of accommodation can I expect on this tour?
Accommodation is provided in carefully selected hotels that are tried and trusted. On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized if necessary.
-
Will there be opportunities to interact with local people during the tour?
Yes, there are several opportunities to interact with locals, such as joining a traditional cooking class in Bangkok, visiting the village of Natonchan to learn about traditional crafts, and enjoying a northern Thai-style meal with the Saiwangjit family in Chiang Mai.
-
What cultural experiences are included in the tour?
The tour includes several cultural experiences such as practicing T'ai Chi in Lumpini Park, enjoying a traditional Thai massage at Wat Pho, learning Thai cooking, and visiting a coconut palm sugar plantation.
-
Are there any optional activities available during the tour?
Yes, the tour offers optional experiences and free time for personal exploration, such as visiting Jim Thompson's House in Bangkok or the Kayan tribe in Chiang Mai.
-
Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
The beauty of taking a guided holiday with us is that you’ll have the opportunity to meet and travel with people from all over the globe.
-
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Vaccination against Covid-19 is not mandatory to travel with Trafalgar. However, we strongly recommend that guests are vaccinated before travelling. Please note that airlines and/or other authorities may have different requirements. It is the guest's responsibility to comply with these requirements at all times.
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1947
-
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Trafalgar is a founding partner of the TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2008. So far, the charity has donated more than US$2 million to help underprivileged communities and support sustainable tourism around the world.
-
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
Reviews of this operator
1 Select your preferred date
Book with Confidence
-
Low Deposit
Trafalgar requires a minimum deposit of 350 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of trafalgar charges.
Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
-
Terms and Conditions
Treasures of Thailand
11 Days Starting in Bangkok, Thailand and ending in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Visiting: Bangkok, Lumpini Park, Bangkok, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Wat Pho, Bangkok, Chao Praya River, Bangkok, Wat Arun, Bangkok, Jim Thompson's House, Damnoen Saduak, Bridge over the River Kwai, Thailand-Burma Railway Museum, Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Hellfire Pass, Kwai River, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Sukhothai Historical Park, Natonchan, Chiang Mai, Wat Suan Dok, Chiang Mai, Sankamphaeng, Chiang Mai, Wat Doi Suthep ...more ...less
Tour operator:
Tour code:
CSOTN20
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
