16-DAY TOUR - THAILAND FROM NORTH TO SOUTH

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Bangkok - The Grand Palace

  In principle, many flights arrive very early in the morning (if this is not the case, we will adapt and organize the tour accordingly). We will be waiting for you at Bangkok airport. You have nothing to worry about, the airport is simple and, once you exit, you are automatically directed to gate 3 where everyone waits for the arrivals. We will have a sign with the indication "SIAM HOLIDAYS". When we have the whole group with us, we will take our van to go to our hotel. The hotel is located in one of the most popular districts of Bangkok. Very comfortable, like all the hotels on the tour which are carefully selected by us, it has the particularity of being quite close to all the visits planned in the program. Free morning to settle into the hotel. Around noon, we will go for lunch near the Grand Palace, which we will visit at the beginning of the afternoon, as well as Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Wat Pho and Wat Arun. Probably the most visited monument in Thailand, the Grand Palace of Bangkok is the place where every visitor must go at least once in their life. The construction of the Grand Palace began in 1782 under the reign of King Rama I, the founder of the Chakri dynasty, to become a royal residence, and it has since been the greatest architectural symbol of Thailand. The Grand Palace served as an important royal residence until 1925 and is now used only for ceremonial purposes. We will return at the end of the afternoon and will have dinner at the hotel or nearby, according to your wishes.

• day 2

  Jim Thompson's house and the klongs of Thonburi

  After breakfast, departure at 8:30 am for the Klongs (canals in Bangkok where the boat-buses allow you to travel outside of the land routes). These boat-buses are popular with Bangkok residents because, depending on where you want to go, they obviously allow you to get there much faster than by land, as there are no traffic jams. From our pier, we will head to the station where Jim Thompson's house is located. You will be immersed in the daily life of Bangkok's very middle-class residents (the wealthier ones take taxis) and will be impressed by the dexterity of the staff on board in charge of collecting tickets. Indeed, when passing under the many bridges, these staff, walking on the edge of the boat outside, must duck or risk being decapitated… The helmet they wear is not very useful, but it must be said that accidents are extremely rare as they are so used to it. In its green setting, sitting on the bank of the Saen Saeb canal, the house would no doubt have disappeared without a legacy left by an American named Jim Thompson. His elegant residential enclave, made up of six traditional Thai teak houses, transported from Ayutthaya and the Ban Krua community of Bangkok, echoes Jim Thompson's 30-year love affair with the art and cultural heritage of Southeast Asia. An architect by training and an avid collector of Asian art objects, Jim Thompson's sharp eye and flair for design brought everything he touched to life. After his release from military service in 1946, Jim Thompson decided to settle in Thailand, where he devoted more than 30 years to reviving Thai silk and presenting it to the most respectable fashion houses in the world in Paris, New York, London, and Milan. The same goes for his Thai house, which was not an ordinary teak house but a complex filled with incongruous collections of antiques, almost a museum, but one that embodies the life and passions of Jim Thompson. One day, in 1967, while at the height of his success, he mysteriously disappeared in the Malaysian jungle, and thus began the legacy of Jim Thompson... We will have lunch near Jim Thompson's house and then head to the Thonburi district for a special experience: visiting the klongs. These klongs have retained all their authenticity and you can see old and quite unique houses on the sides. You also very often encounter monitor lizards that are part of the scenery. Here, the atmosphere is calm, rural, and among a very welcoming population that sees very few tourists. We can see orchards, small orchid nurseries, gardens… Another world in a megacity. Very surprising. The excursion lasts 3 hours and is really worth experiencing. Return to our hotel around 5:30 pm.

• day 3

  Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-In Summer Palace

  We will leave around 8:30 am for Ayutthaya in a private van. Less than one hundred kilometers from Bangkok, Ayutthaya is today a small, peaceful "prefecture" of 80,000 inhabitants. But at its peak, this former royal capital had 1 million souls... It was the leading city of all Southeast Asia in the 17th century. European kings sent ambassadors there, and the city attracted merchants from Japan all the way to Western Europe. Founded in 1351, it was completely destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. What remains from that era are the ruins of temples, scattered throughout the modern city, as well as accounts left by foreign visitors who described it as of unforgettable splendor, or compared it to Venice because of its many canals at the time. The kingdom of Siam then extended beyond the current borders of Thailand. For more than four centuries, Ayutthaya was the royal capital. Thirty-three sovereigns from various dynasties ruled over this vast territory, before the fall of Ayutthaya during one of the many wars against the Burmese, and the relocation of the capital to Thonburi. You will first visit, on the way, Bang Pa-In, the royal summer palace, before arriving in Ayutthaya. You will visit the three main temples (the Temple of Victory, the Mahathat Temple, and the Srisanphet Temple), as well as the historical park, at your own pace. We will have lunch in Ayutthaya. We will be back at the hotel around 4:30-5:00 pm.

• day 4

  Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Kanchanaburi

  We will leave in the morning at 8am from the hotel to go to the floating market. It is about 1h30 away by road and it is best to arrive there quite early. This market is impressive, as it is located in a marshy area where many families live in houses often on stilts. To access the market, we will take a long-tail boat. These boats are quite narrow, equipped with 2-seater benches to sit on and propelled by means of a long "tail" ending in a propeller, powered by a car engine (often Toyota). The ride is interesting, as through the canals, you can see the houses and many stalls of all kinds. When we arrive at the market, the crowd is indescribable in the canals and it takes all the dexterity of the pilots to get through it. We will have lunch on site. We will leave around 1:30pm to go to Kanchanaburi where we will arrive around 2:30pm. Upon arrival, we will visit the military cemetery, which is a must-see when coming to Kanchanaburi. The military cemetery is in the center of Kanchanaburi. It contains the remains of 6,982 Allied prisoners of war who perished during the construction of the "Death Railway." It is estimated that 16,000 prisoners of war and 49,000 forced laborers lost their lives during the construction of the "Death Railway" and the bridge over the River Kwai. Next, as it is next to the cemetery, we will visit the "Thailand Burma Railway Centre" museum. This museum is very interesting and well done. It traces the dark history of this period of the Second World War, which is quite unknown to us Westerners. We will then go to our hotel where we will arrive around 4:30pm. The end of the afternoon will be free to rest and enjoy the pool. Our hotel is really very pleasant, quiet, well equipped with a pool, and it is one of the most appreciated by people visiting the region. It is also very well located, 10 minutes from the city center. The on-site restaurant offers a wide choice of Thai dishes. We will have dinner here this first evening, as the restaurant is really very good, in a very pleasant setting with its terrace by the river.

• day 5

  Kanchanaburi and the Bridge on the River Kwai

  We will leave in the morning at 9 a.m. from the hotel to go see the famous bridge over the River Kwai. The bridge is close to the station, before taking the famous Death Railway and arriving at Nam Tok around noon, where we will have lunch before returning to Kanchanaburi in the early afternoon. The return will be with our private van, which will be waiting for us at the train's arrival. We will be back at our hotel around 3 p.m. Free afternoon or the possibility to go kayaking for those who wish (service not included in the price of this tour). Dinner at the hotel. The bridge over the River Kwai was only a small part of one of the most ambitious plans of the Japanese invader in Thailand during the Second World War: the construction of a railway line linking Nong Pladuk (Thailand) to Thanbyuzayat in Burma (415 km). This is what is called the "Death Railway". The Allies were then enforcing a maritime blockade, so a land connection was the only way to access the resources of Burmese territory and to head towards India. If the construction of the line took place much faster than expected, it is because thousands of prisoners of war (POWs in English) were used as forced labor. Among them, thirty thousand British, the same number of Dutch, Australians, Americans... but also – and this is too often forgotten – very many Asians: Burmese, Malays, Thais, Indonesians, Chinese... Very few survived the ordeal of construction on land as malarial as possible. A first wooden bridge was built in 1942, and a second – similar to the current bridge over the River Kwai – replaced it in 1943.

• day 6

  The Erawan waterfalls

  We will leave the hotel at 7:30 am to go to Erawan Park, located 1 hour and 30 minutes north of Pechaburi. It is a magical place, with wonderful waterfalls of purity and beauty. You can swim there, and it is recommended to do so for an unforgettable memory. Visit of the waterfalls and swimming. We will have lunch on site. Then departure around 3 pm for Bangkok, to arrive around 6 pm at the airport. From there, we will take our flight to Udon Thani at 7:50 pm, to arrive at 9 pm. Given the time, we will have dinner at the airport before departure. We will arrive at our hotel in Nong Khai around 10:30 pm.

• day 7

  Visit of Nong Khai and its many facets

  In the morning at 8 a.m., we will leave to see the lotus lake, 15 minutes by car from Nong Khai. This lake offers the sight of thousands of lotuses that only open at night and close during the day, hence the need to arrive early enough. The lake appears completely pink in a calm atmosphere, in the middle of the countryside. Here, no tourists... and a total calm that also allows you to admire many wading birds. After the lotus lake, we will go to the Thasadet market. This covered market, located on the banks of the Mekong, is the largest in Nong Khai. The narrowness of its street, with shops on either side, will immerse you in the special world of Northern Thailand. You can find everything there: souvenirs, Marseille soap from the 1940s (from stocks in Laos when it was still French), clothes, bags, kitchen utensils, etc., not to mention food, sun-dried buffalo skin, and even real antiques... Nothing like the big markets of Bangkok, and much quieter. We will have lunch in a barge restaurant on the Mekong. Very typical and relaxing after visiting the market... After lunch, we will visit Sala Keoku park. It is a sculpture park. It is the work of the mystic Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat (1932-1996), who bought the land in 1978, when he was exiled from his native Laos. Some sculptures are over 20 m high... In a calm environment and never with many tourists, it is a place to see if you are in Nong Khai... Very surprising and unique in Thailand... We will then visit the rum distillery of David and Lek. The welcome is always wonderful and the owners (David is French) are happy to see visitors (there are very few because this place is little known). The Isan region has significant sugar cane production, especially to the west of Nong Khai. What is extraordinary is that this distillery won the 2015 gold medal at the rum fair in Paris, ahead of Caribbean productions. You will be able to taste and appreciate the quality of this agricultural rum. The place is also charming, in the middle of the countryside. David and Lek wanted to create a business focused on fair trade. With their own sugar cane fields, they control the entire production chain up to bottling. They thus support the whole village with their small production and everything is done by hand. A true example of fair trade and eco-agriculture. We will have dinner in the evening in Nong Khai, on the banks of the Mekong, in a small quiet restaurant.

• day 8

  Chiang Khan, a little hidden spot on the banks of the Mekong, is a very beautiful experience.

  We will leave around 8am for Chiang Khan, but we will make two interesting visits before arriving in the late afternoon. First, after 1 hour of driving, we will visit the Phu Phra Bat National and Historical Park. The place is amazing. For two hours, we will explore this park which includes many curious rock formations, as well as caves displaying beautiful cave paintings. Some rock formations carry Buddhist messages and have been "converted" into small temples. The place is charming and peaceful, very few tourists come here. After this visit to the park, we will go through the mountain and visit Wat Pa Phukon. It is a recent temple, located in the middle of the mountains in a very beautiful setting. In 2006, monks went to Italy to choose marble in Carrara… In 2008, the site was chosen and in 2012, the temple was opened. A real achievement in such a short time. The reclining Buddha is made up of 43 blocks of marble, each weighing between 15 and 30 tons, nearly 1000 tons in total, and it measures 20 m long… Cost: 350 million baht financed by the royal family. Lunch while coming down the mountain (simple meal, papaya pok pok; few restaurants on the way, but it is in the countryside and relaxing). We arrive in Chiang Khan around 4:30pm to reach our hotel not far from the center. We settle in quietly and take a little rest until 6pm before going to see the beautiful sunset over the Mekong. The hotel is very pleasant, with original architecture. After the sunset over the Mekong, we will have dinner in the old town and then visit the night market on the main street, where the wooden houses, often very old (some are 1000 years old), give a special character to this town. The atmosphere here is unique and the main street, pedestrian in the evening, turns into a large night market where you can find a bit of everything.

• day 9

  Offerings to the monks and departure for Chiang Mai

  Those who wish may get up early to make their offering to the monks. It is a special moment when the locals take part in the daily offering. Return to the hotel for breakfast at 8am. We will leave Chiang Khan after breakfast, around 9am, to head to Udon Thani in order to take our flight to Chiang Mai at 2pm, with an expected arrival at 3:20pm. We will have lunch at Udon Thani airport before leaving. Our hotel in Chiang Mai is located in the center of the old city, very well situated and very comfortable, with a swimming pool and an on-site restaurant. The late afternoon will be free and we will have dinner near the hotel, where there are many restaurants.

• day 10

  Visit of Chiang Mai and its wonders

  We will leave at 8:30 am to visit Wat Phra Lat. This temple is located about 20 minutes from the city and is unique in that it is in a very beautiful forest environment and is totally peaceful, as it is little known. It is quite a surprising place and a visit you really must do when in Chiang Mai. After visiting Wat Phra Lat, we will go to the famous Doi Suthep temple. This temple, at a significant altitude, is a must-see in Chiang Mai and offers a fantastic view of the city. The brave can climb the 300 steps, otherwise for others, there is a cable car to save your energy (often, people go up by "mechanical means" and walk down, which is much easier...). After visiting the temple, we will visit a very beautiful orchid farm. Here you will see all kinds of orchids found in Thailand, with, in addition, a butterfly reserve where butterflies pollinate the orchids. It is truly a beautiful sight. We can have lunch on site, where the restaurant offers a very good buffet. In the afternoon, back in Chiang Mai, we will leave by TUK TUK (it's essential to ride a tuk tuk when in Thailand and it supports the local population) to visit the Wat Chedi Luang temple, which is one of the most beautiful temples in Chiang Mai. The majesty of the place and the calm are also pleasant. Easily accessible, the temple is located in the city center. The visit lasts between 1 and 2 hours depending on how much time you want to spend there. We will then visit the Wat Phra Singh temple, which is a must-see in Chiang Mai. A very beautiful temple gilded with fine gold where the monks like to chat if you wish, and some visitors can try meditation. We will finish with a visit to Wat Chiang Man, which is a small temple but very beautiful with its elephant sculptures. We will return to the hotel between 5 pm and 6 pm and will go for dinner nearby or at the night market.

• day 11

  Elephant day in the mountains

  We will be picked up at the hotel by the elephant reserve van. We will go to a reserve where the elephants do not work, do not participate in games or shows, but are simply well treated. They are taken in here and sometimes rescued from mistreatment. We will be picked up at 8am at our hotel to go to the reserve, located about 1h30 away by road. On the way, we will be able to admire very beautiful landscapes. During this afternoon, besides taking care of the elephants, we will also take a mud bath with them, then finish in the river. So you will need to bring a change of clothes for after the bath, as well as a swimsuit, of course… Here, we do not ride the elephants because it is suffering for them, but we simply take care of them and play with them. Note that we will have a traditional meal for lunch, prepared by a woman from the Akha tribe, because here we are in Akha country, with many small hamlets lost in the mountains. If you have cameras or video cameras, we can take care of them during the bathing. We have a waterproof bag planned for going into the water (even if we do not go into the water with the devices, of course…) It is truly a magical moment and you should know that the funds collected from the payment of the packages are mainly used for the protection and care of the elephants, as well as for the basic needs of those who live here. We will be back at the hotel around 5:30pm and will have dinner at the hotel or nearby.

• day 12

  Suan Lahu organic coffee farm and tribal village

  We will leave at 7am in a private van to visit an organic coffee farm in the mountains, 90 km north of Chiang Mai. Once there, we will be able to visit the coffee plantation and have the particularities of this crop explained to us. We will be expected and will be the only visitors (lunch included). After the visit and lunch, we will go to the nearby village, home to the Mu Seu tribe, where the inhabitants are charming and truly very kind. On the way back down, as we reach the main road, we will make a stop at the "hot spring". This area is a volcanic zone and hot springs emerge from the depths of the earth. You will see egg vendors offering to cook eggs in the spring... original... We will be back around 4:30 – 5:00 pm at our hotel and will have dinner in the old town.

• day 13

  Transfer to Koh Lanta island.

  We will leave the hotel around 9:30 am to go to the airport and take our flight to Krabi at 11:30 am, with an expected arrival at 1:30 pm. We will have lunch at the airport upon arrival, before taking our van to Koh Lanta, where we will arrive at our hotel around 5:30 pm. Our hotel, which is very comfortable, is 1 minute from the beach. It is very quiet, with a beautiful environment and a swimming pool. We will be able to have meals around the hotel, where there are many local restaurants, or elsewhere, as we wish during our walks or excursions.

• day 14

  Visit of 4 dream islands

  We will leave the hotel at 8:00 am, where a van will pick us up to take us to the port to board for a day of discovery and snorkeling. We will visit 5 islands among the most beautiful and the best snorkeling spots: Ko Mook, Ko Chueak, Ko Waen, Ko Kradan, and Ko Ngai. At Ko Mook, you will be amazed by the visit to the Emerald Cave. You will swim through a tunnel (the guide will light the way and you will go in single file for safety reasons, equipped with a life jacket). The tunnel will reveal truly emerald-colored water, hence the name of the cave. It is a fantastic sight. After about a hundred meters, you will arrive in an ancient volcanic crater where there is a small beach. Here, there is no sunlight because the crater is narrow, but the top is very high, with a scene comparable to the movie Avatar and its tree-like plants clinging to the cliff. Cameras, camcorders, iPhones, and other items will be placed in a waterproof bag so you can take photos on the beach. At the different snorkeling spots, you will be able to see big fish, barracudas, parrotfish, and many other colorful species. We will have lunch on the way (on board the boat or on one of the islands), where a buffet will be served. Return scheduled around 5:00 pm.

• day 15

  Free day where we will guide you to choose the best activities to do on the island.

  On this free day when we will guide you, you can find many activities to do (snorkeling, kayaking, sightseeing, trekking, etc...)  

• day 16

  Return to Bangkok

  Departure at noon from the hotel to go to Krabi airport. Our flight leaves at 3:40 pm to arrive in Bangkok at 5 pm. We will have lunch at the airport. End of your stay... See you very soon!