Best of Northern Thailand 8 days

Sawad-dee! (Hello)

When you get to Bangkok, your private guide and driver will be there to meet you. They will then take you to your hotel.

As soon as you step foot in this vibrant metropolis, you will feel the stifling heat and hectic pace of Thailand's bustling capital. After you have checked into our hotel, you are free to do some independent sightseeing, relax your muscles with a therapeutic massage, or just lie by the pool and take in the first rays of that delicious Thai sunlight.

Overnight in Bangkok

Your tour guide will come to the hotel to get you up. Visit one of Rattanakosin Island's most well-known and historically significant community markets—the amulet market—along the way.

Learn about the Emerald Buddha Temple, or Wat Phra Kaew, also known as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, the temple's official name. It's the holiest Buddhist temple in all of Thailand.

Go on a tour of the Grand Palace, the royal palace of Thailand. Certainly among Thailand's most impressive palaces. After King Rama, I relocated the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in 1782, and construction on the Grand Palace began that same year. It was the royal palace of the Chakri dynasty in Thailand from the 18th century onward.

Our tour of Bangkok's temples continues as we make our way across the city to Wat Po, where we'll see the massive reclining Buddha and the Chedis (stupas containing the ashes of the Kings). Find out how King Rama I made this previous temple his main temple and how some of his remains are interred here. UNESCO has included it in its "Memory of the World" project. Moreover, it is the original site of Thai massage, which is now taught and practiced in the temple as it has been for centuries.

Visit Wat Arun (the Temple of Daw); it is one of Bangkok's most recognizable sights. The temple is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River and is most famous for its 70-meter tower covered with tiny bits of colorful glass and surrounded by Chinese porcelain.

Our afternoon ends in Bangkok's Chinatown, which is one of the city's oldest areas. It is possible to buy almost anything you can think of in this chaotic labyrinth of narrow streets and busy sois (alleys), which are overrun with restaurants, stores, street markets, and food booths. You will also make a pit stop to try some of the most delicious food the city has to offer, such as odd snacks in a market, some of the best noodles in the city, or dessert. There is no need to bother eating in advance because you won't feel hungry at any point during the event. Throughout the course of the tour, vegetarian meal alternatives will be provided.

Note

• The chapel is a national shrine and you will be required to wear proper attire: no bare shoulders and knees, or strapless-heel shoes.
• Shoes must be removed before entering the temple buildings as a matter of respect.
• Photography is permitted in the Royal Palace Grounds and in the compounds of the Emerald Buddha Temple, but not inside the buildings.
• The Grand Palace is one of Bangkok's most popular places to go, and it's often the first place people say they must see there. It's no surprise that millions of people visit every year. So that you can get the most out of your trip and avoid crowds, Your guide has the option of going to the temple either early in the morning or late in the afternoon, if that works with your schedule. If you decide that there are too many people, the guide can take you to a different temple in the area, like Wat Saket or Wat Suthat. You need to make this choice before you enter the Grand Palace.

Overnight in Bangkok

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam during its golden age, and its temple ruins are a sight to behold.

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up for the drive to Wat Lokayasutha, which is the first stop in Ayutthaya, after traveling there in a luxurious and air-conditioned vehicle from Bangkok. This temple is famous for its enormous picture of a Buddha that is reclining because it is one of the few constructions that has been preserved here.

Your next stop will be at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, which is located within the complex of the royal palace and was used by the royal family for religious ceremonies. It is widely acknowledged as Ayutthaya's most significant religious structure.

After that, you should go to Wat Mahathat Ayutthaya. It is said that the sacred relic of the Buddha was formerly kept within this temple, making it one of the oldest and most important in Ayutthaya's history. Take a moment to appreciate the iconic Buddha head that has been sculpted into the roots of a Bodhi tree.

You will have a delicious lunch at a local Thai restaurant, where your guide will be available to provide recommendations on the regional delicacies served there.

Your journey should come to a close at the magnificent Wat Chaiwattanaram, which is located along the river. As you make your way through the gigantic grounds, don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for the captivating architectural style that was inspired by the Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia.

Overnight in Bangkok

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

In the morning, we take an early flight to Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai, the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom, is your destination today. Lanna, which had been on par with the Ayutthaya Kingdom, was dissolved and incorporated into the new Siamese kingdom in the late nineteenth century. Northern Thailand is still home to the Lanna people with their own language, culture, cuisine, and traditions.

When you arrive, we'll take you to your hotel so you can check in or drop off your bags. (Early check-in is NOT included and depends on the hotel's availability)

We start our sightseeing through the old city and learn everything about the fascinating past of this city and its double moat. Then, head to the peak of Doi Suthep, a mountain on the outskirts of town, to look out over the city and its environs. One of the most revered temples in the country may be found at the summit, where you can also receive a blessing. Before heading to your hotel, visit Wat Umong, one of the city's most interesting temples built in the 14th century, a heavily forested temple covered by moss and small plants offering a unique yet charming sense of natural decay. The temples' underground tunnels were built to contain a mad monk.

The rest of the day is yours to do anything as you, please.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Meals included: Breakfast

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel.

Participating in a cooking lesson at Chiang Mai Cookery Class is something that may be done today. Learn the ins and outs of Thai food, including its nuanced flavors and distinctive presentation styles. Learn another facet of this intricate cuisine with a private cooking class that focuses on the cuisine of the Lanna region of Thailand. Go beyond the standard red, green, and yellow curries as well as pad thai, which are typically associated with Thai food. The cuisine of this region is characterized by a predilection for salty and fiery flavors, and it is built around the use of jungle vegetables and herbs, pork, and sticky rice. Cook your lunch on a traditional charcoal stove using food purchased at the market or grown on the farm, and enjoy your lunch in a sala pavilion.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

Discover the White Temple, a modern architectural masterpiece, then take a break at the Blue Temple and explore the chilling Black House on a tour perfect.

After your breakfast at the hotel. The guide will pick up and take the trip to Chiang Rai. During the three-hour trip to the temples, we'll stop at the Mae Khachan Hot Spring to stretch our legs, soak our feet in the hot mineral water, maybe eat snacks, and enjoy the beautiful gardens.

Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple) is the next stop on our tour. You might be startled to encounter a modern architectural masterpiece by Thai artist Chaloemchai Khositphiphat when you go hunting for old ruins. It was said that he used more than 40 million baht (THB) of his own money to put together this unorthodox art exhibit in the hopes of achieving immortality. We'll have a brief lunch and then continue on to our next destination.

Wat Rong Seua Ten, or the Blue Temple, means "temple of the dancing tiger" in Thai. Legend has it that tigers once leaped across the river at this spot.

The Black House has been described as a "dark, mysterious, and almost sadistic" portrayal of hell, complete with preserved creatures and a collection of bones, in contrast to the White Temple, which was meant to be a staircase to heaven. The Baan Dam Museum (Black House) was constructed by the national artist of Thailand, Thawan Duchanee (who, incidentally, was the tutor of Chaloemchai, the guy behind the White Temple). This is extremely unique, and we'll never see anything like it again!

After that, you can head back to your Chiang Mai hotel.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

Start a new day with fresh air and breakfast at your hotel.

Visit an elephant rescue center in the jungle just outside of Chiang Mai for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that is truly one of a kind. Take a dip in a waterfall, taste a lunch prepared in the traditional style of Thailand, and spend the day acting as a caretaker for the elephants as you interact with them, feed them, and watch them in their natural habitat.

Begin from your hotel after breakfast. Take a trip to the southwest of Chiang Mai and enjoy the beautiful scenery as you pass by local farms, communities inhabited by hill tribes, and rice fields.

You should take a trip to the Mae Wang Waterfalls so that you may unwind and cool off in the water there. Elephant Sanctuary, which is located deep in the jungle, is where you will arrive. A host will greet you as you enter the sanctuary, and then a guide will take you through the entire experience.

Put on some traditional garb from the Karen hill tribe, such as the clothes that the elephant keepers wear. The following step is to receive an orientation on Asian elephants as well as the history of the sanctuary. You are invited to visit the tame elephants who have been rescued and give them bananas. Join the elephants as they make their way up the hill through the forest in search of food. See how different elephant families interact in their natural habitat. Get in the river with the elephants and take a refreshing dip. Join the elephants on their walk back to the sanatorium, where you can reflect on your time with them and say your goodbyes.

Before being dropped off at your accommodation in Chiang Mai, you will finish off the day with a bamboo rafting ride along the Mae Wang River, which is known for its breathtaking scenery.

After a journey of one hour back to Chiang Mai, you will be dropped off at your hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal to do as you like.

Note: You should bring extra clothes, comfortable shoes, sandals you don't mind getting wet and dirty, shampoo and soap, a camera, and mosquito spray or bug repellent.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

End of a wonderful trip! We will see you off to Chiang Rai Airport for your departure on your next trip or come back home.