Day by day description of tour activities:
Dates: Jan 27 to Feb 9 Angkor Extension: Feb 9 to Feb 13
Costs: $3100 + int’l airfare Extension: $1200 SS: TBD
Tour begins/ends Bangkok
Day 1 Bangkok
Introductory meeting; Klong tour; dinner
Bangkok is laced with hundreds of canals. A tour of these waterways is a journey into real Bangkok life and a water-bourn photo safari. Afterward we’ll enjoy a traditional Thai dinner at a Chao Phraya River-side venue.
Day 2 Bangkok
Grand Palace; Wat Pho
The GP complex with its flamboyant architectural style includes Wat Phra Kaew, a wonder of gleaming stupas, statues, and bots. Next door is Wat Pho, home to Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha and Thailand’s best therapeutic massage school – we’ll indulge in Thai massage for the whole group.
Day 3 Bangkok
Ayuthaya excursion
Ayuthaya, Siam’s capital from the 14th to the 18th centuries, is one of Thailand’s World Heritage sites. We’ll enjoy lunch on a converted rice barge as we drift by some of Ayuthaya’s outlying ruins and then enter the site for a late afternoon visit.
Day 4 Chiang Mai
Morning flight; Wat Doi Suthep
This morning we’ll transfer to the airport for a flight to Chiang Mai. Upon arrival you’ll be free for lunch and exploring the city. At mid-afternoon we’ll depart for the nearby mountain temple of Doi Suthep for panoramic views and the monks’ chanting ceremony.
Day 5 Chiang Mai
Thai cooking class
Learn to buy ingredients and spices, prepare 3-4 dishes, and have the results for lunch. Your afternoon and evening are free. Options include visiting the craft district or Chiang Mai’s many wats or museums.
Day 6 Chiang Mai
Village excursion
After a free morning we’ll head to a nearby village for a taste of rural life. We’ll begin with lunch in a village home after which we’ll enjoy an easy bicycle ride in the countryside. Later we’ll partake in a traditional Kantok dinner with our village hosts. Music and a dance performance will be provided by local students.
Day 7 Sukhothai
Elephant adventures
We’ll travel to Sukhothai with a stop at the Elephant Conservation Center for demonstrations of elephant care and training as well as an elephant ride.
Day 8 Sukhothai
Sukhothai and Si-Satchanalai Historical Parks
Today we’ll have a guided visit of the twin sites. Sukhothai was the first capital of Siam and Thailand’s second World Heritage site. The nearby Si-Satchanalai park is more remote, rustic, peaceful, and relatively untouched. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch among the temples.
Day 9 Bangkok/Khao Sok
Tuk-tuk tour; overnight train
This morning we’ll head south to Bangkok. We’ll spend the afternoon visiting several of Bangkok’s best known wats and buildings by tuk-tuk – the ubiquitous, Asian 3-wheel transport. Then it’s on to the Bangkok train station for our overnight journey south. Each individual will have a comfortable sleeping berth in an air conditioned car.
Day 10 Khao Sok
Khao Sok National Park
After breakfast in Surat Thani we’ll make the 60-minute drive to KS, a stunning and varied park with waterfalls, beautiful Cheow Lan Lake, soaring limestone cliffs, caves, jungle flora and wildlife. We’ll have a boat excursion on the lake, lunch at a floating restaurant, hike to a jungle cave, and enjoy sunset on the lake.
Day 11 Ko Kraden
Ko Kraden
Our goal today is the sublime Andaman coast. We’ll sleep on idyllic Ko Kraden with Andaman vistas, sweeping sand beaches, and dramatic karst cliffs.
Day 12 Ko Kraden
Free day
Today is a full-stop break from the demands of our tour itinerary. Optional activities only: lounge on the beach, snorkel, swim, scuba, kayak, hike, or write postcards.
Day 13 Ko Kraden
Andaman excursion
After breakfast we’ll take a high-speed boat out to 3 or 4 of the most picturesque Andaman islands for a fun-in-the-sun snorkeling adventure which includes Ko Muk’s spectacular Emerald Cave.
Day 14 Bangkok/Siem Reap
Tour over; Flight to Cambodia
A morning flight returns us to Bangkok where we say goodbye to those ending their tour. For those continuing with the Cambodian extension, we’ll board an ongoing flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia’s gateway for Angkor. We’ll have a sunset excursion to Angkor Wat.
Cambodia Extension
Day 1 Siem Reap
Angkor Thom; Banteay Srie
Our destination this morning is Angkor Thom, a royal city encompassing famous Baray temple as well as the Elephant and Lepers Terraces. After a mid-day break we’ll head to Banteay Srie, considered to be the jewel of Khmer architecture. During our return, we’ll gather for sunset on one of the outlying temples.
Day 2 Siem Reap
Angkor Wat; Ta Prohm
Today’s highlights include photogenic Ta Prohm and world-famous Angkor Wat. At dinner tonight we’ll gather for a classic Khmer dinner and enjoy a dance performance.
Day 3 Bangkok
Angkor sunrise; dinner cruise
For those interested we’ll start the day with sunrise at Angkor Wat. Then on to the airport to fly back to Bangkok. Your afternoon is free to shop, pack, sight-see, rest, or get a last Thai massage. Tonight we’ll wrap up our tour with a final Thai feast on a Chao Phraya dinner cruise.
Day 4 Tour over after breakfast.
[Itinerary details subject to change]