Thailand Family Fun

Upon arrival at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport, you will be greeted by our airport representative who will provide a private vehicle transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and meet with your guide in the foyer before embarking on a full day of sightseeing in the City of Angels using exclusively public transportation. Walk to the nearest BTS Station and ride the Skytrain a short journey to the terminal station of Saphan Taksin on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Continue by public boat to Tha Thien pier where you disembark to visit Wat Pho, the home of Thai massage and the reclining Buddha. Continue to  the Grand Palace, the nation’s landmark and the most revered royal monument and host of the mysterious Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha image in Thailand, and please note appropriate dress is required. (Note: Grand Palace is one of the most popular destinations and is usually a number one must-see place in Bangkok, and not surprisingly, it receives millions of tourists annually. To get the best out of your visit and avoid crowds, we will allow your guide flexibility to visit the temple either early morning or late afternoon, in your itinerary. If you decide there are too many people for your liking, the guide can bring you to an alternative temple in the area such as Wat Saket or Wat Suthat, this decision needs to be made before entering the Grand Palace.)

Lunch will be enjoyed in a local restaurant nearby the palace.

In the afternoon, enjoy a walk or Tuk-Tuk ride across the royal fields of Sanam Luang to visit Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall (Closed on Mondays). The exhibition displays the authentic Thai way of life from every period of Rattanakosin and Thai tradition and beliefs with interactive light and sound performance.

In the afternoon board the Khlong “bus-boat” and cross the city to the west and disembark at Ratchathewi boat station for a short walk to the shopping complex for your shopping enjoyment, or simply return to your hotel by BTS.

Early this morning, drive south from Bangkok to the garden province of Samut Songkhram (80 kms) in the Mae Klong River delta area. Visit a unique country market along the railway tracks where a variety of goods are sold and the train travels through, bringing people to the market,  afterwards continue to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market where you can stroll around the colourful floating marketplace bustling with boats and vendors selling tropical fruits and other delights.

Continue to Kanchanaburi where you will find the famous bridge on the River Kwai, built by Allied prisoners of war during World War II proceed by train ride to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. The restaurant is situated near the famous bridge on the River Kwai. In the late afternoon board a long-tail boat to the hotel.

This morning enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and depart for Erawan Waterfall, a beautiful 7-tiered waterfall, located in Erawan National Park. Walking up to see each of the picturesque falls, it is best to bring good walking shoes, and do remember to bring your swimming suit if you wish to swim in the fall’s natural pools. Note: Depending on the circumstances the guide will decide whether it is safe enough or not for swimming in the waterfalls, and guests should always respect and follow this decision.

Note: Erawan Waterfall is a famed attraction for locals as well as tourists, hence expect it to be busy during weekends and Thai public holidays. On the way back, stop at a local temple for a private blessing and special merit.

After breakfast, we leave the beautiful nature of Kanchanaburi behind and head to historic Ayutthaya and enroute, visit some important ruined temples in the historical park. Lunch will be enjoyed along the way.

Visit Bang Pa-In Summer Palace and explore the majestic royal mansions which are usually quiet in the afternoon. Built in the 17th century, this palace complex showcases a collection of different styles of buildings arranged amongst beautifully landscaped gardens with an inspiring water setting. The mansions reflect Chinese, Swiss, Khmer, Thai, and European styles of architecture.

This evening enjoy a Dinner Cruise on a traditional Thai Rice Barge called Nattawarin.

Enjoy a cruise around Ayutthaya and take in the romantic atmosphere of the old capital. Preserved in its beauty are precious treasures, and artistic and cultural heritage for later generations to admire. You will have ample opportunity to discover some of these magnificent sites along the river, as well as observe the timeless day-to-day activities of the people living along the riverbanks.

During your cruise, a carefully selected delicious set menu of traditional Thai cuisine will be served to you. The art of Thai cuisine is balancing the delicate flavours that make up our four different tastes: sour, salty, sweet and – of course- spicy hot! Thai food is very versatile and can be adapted to suit almost any palate.

In the early morning, freshen up and ‘make merit’ by giving alms to the local Buddhist monks (by the river or in front of the resort, depending on where guests stay).

Arrive in Sukhothai in the late afternoon, and visit the Sukhothai Historical Park, which was once a walled city surrounded by a moat, and explore the main historical site by electric tuk-tuk.

Depart north to Lampang with a stop on the way at a village in Sri Satchanalai, Baan Na Ton Chan, and walk through the charming small village. Experience the heartbeat of Thailand on this experiential tour that seeks to bring travellers and locals together while exposing a side of the country that is rarely seen by visitors. During this visit, you will pick fruit alongside locals, see what it is like to work in a rice paddy field and generally get an idea of how communities in this region are adopting sustainable living practices. Observe the innate craftsmanship of the country when you visit the home of a wooden toy manufacturer and a local silk weaver.

Enjoy a Sukhothai-style noodle lunch at Baan Na Ton Chan.

Continue to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, one of the most spectacular temples in Thailand dating back to 1486. You can have the option to take a horse-cart ride through the town (at your own expense). Also visit Wat Pong Sanook, a temple awarded by UNESCO for Culture Heritage Conservation providing an inspirational model of community-led conservation in saving a unique Lanna temple.

Continue driving to the northern capital, Chiang Mai arriving in the late afternoon.

Enjoy an early start today and depart your hotel at 06.00 AM (Note: Take away a breakfast box from the hotel.) and arrive at the foot Hill of Doi Suthep Mountain, in time to buy offerings and join the locals during the daily alms giving ceremony. This is a serene Buddhist procession where dozens of monks walk barefoot through the street collecting food and everyday items. Continue up the mountain to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and climb the 309 steps of the Golden Naga staircase to reach its golden pagodas. Proceed to Wat Umong, built in the 14^th century, a heavily forested temple covered by moss and small plants offering a unique yet charming sense of natural decay. After a walk through its mysterious tunnels, you reach the Viharn of the temple to experience your private blessing ceremony. After, you have the option to return to the hotel for a late breakfast or enjoy a delicious bowl of Khao Soy, and this famous Northern Thai dish is a combination of coconut cream, crispy noodles and plenty of spice that is sure to delight!

Lunch will be enjoyed on the way to Lisu Lodge.

On arrival at Lisu Lodge, you are welcomed by Lisu Lodge staff with a welcome drink and enjoy time to explore the authentic lifestyle in nearby Lisu village or local temple, vegetable plantation, Himmapaan Nursery, etc, in the lodge. In the last afternoon enjoy some time at leisure until the Thai dinner with a traditional Lisu dance show.

Depart from Lisu Lodge bound for the Mae Rim District and stop on the way for a visit to a orchid nursery, where more than 50 types of beautiful orchids bloom all year round. Here, you will also be able to see numerous colourful and rare butterflies.

Enjoy Lunch at a local restaurant, then change transportation to the modern pick-up truck or similar car, and drive through the hillside via a number of hilltribe villages, where you can find a comfortable lodge that is surrounded by beautiful, lush jungle and rice terraces.

In the evening, enjoy with barbecue dinner and cultural presentations.

Enjoy breakfast and your hotel, meet your driver and depart for Chiang Mai. On arrival you will check into your hotel and enjoy some time to relax.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Cooking Class at Baan Hong Nual. Depart your hotel for the Sarapee district in a Lanna-style teak house, and learn the art of Thai cooking from master cooks in a typical Thai kitchen. Roll up your sleeves and try your hand at cooking famous food and desserts of the country, and you will gather herbs and local vegetables from the garden and prepare them to create various types of mouth-watering dishes.

Time: 4.00 pm – 9.00 pm

Note: SIC program with join class

This morning meet your driver in the hotel foyer and depart for Chiang Mai Airport for your direct flight to Phuket.

Upon arrival at Phuket Airport, you will be greeted by our guide and drive to Khao Sok’s National Park entrance and headquarters, and after a short briefing, we start hiking up and down the main dirt track in Khao Sok. This track winds through an enormous bamboo forest, old-growth trees, and strangler figs. With a bit of luck, we might see dusky langurs, long-tail macaques, hornbills, small lizards and more.

Hike at a leisurely pace with a short break from time to time so that anyone reasonably fit can enjoy this hike. On occasion we venture off the main track and go down across hiking trails towards the Sok River, if there’s enough water you may even go for a refreshing dip. Keep in mind that the trails are very basic, be prepared to climb occasionally across rocks and tree trunks! At the ranger station at Bang Hua Red, we stop for a (cold!) drink(*) if you like. After this relaxing break, we follow the main dirt track back to the park headquarters.

Return to Anurak Community Lodge between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before meeting your guide and embark on a full day tour of Chiew Lan Lake, which will give you not only the opportunity to marvel at the magnificent ‘fairy-tale’ like scenery but to spot wildlife in its natural habitat as well. This one-day, join-in tour starts with a 9.00 am pick-up from Anurak Community Lodge and you will be transported to the lake pier in a 40-minute drive from the lodge. Once on the lake, your local guide will take you on a jungle hike, leading up to a cave or a viewpoint (depending on the weather conditions). You will have the opportunity to swim in the lake before lunch at the floating raft houses that will capture your imagination with their rustic charm. Afterwards, return to the lodge between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel ready for a pick-up at 9:00 am, and take in the majestic scenery while gently floating down the Sok River this morning. The journey starts a few kilometres upstream taking you past the towering cliffs of Khao Sok! Halfway down the trip, you can enjoy a stop for swimming and a coffee break (depending on the season)! Return to your canoe and continue paddling downstream, and on the way your expert local guide will show you brightly coloured birds, monkeys, monitor lizards or even a snake or two resting high up in the tree canopies. Our guides come from the local villages and although their English language skills may be limited, they more than make up for that with their infectious enthusiasm for the unique natural environment and their desire to share their knowledge with visitors

In the afternoon enjoy the Elephant Bathing and Feeding Experience, offering you a great opportunity to get close to those beautiful and gentle giants. Spend 1 magical hour feeding and bathing an elephant. This is the least harmful experience for the elephant, and the best way for you to interact with these majestic animals, and by offering this ‘low’ impact experience we support the elephants and contribute to their ethical upkeep. After the Elephant experience, you will be driven to Phuket for your onward flight.