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Thailand
Adventure
16 days/15
nights
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Day
01. Bangkok (L)
Our guide will pick you up at
your Bangkok hotel for a short transfer to the local
pier where we start a river and canal tour by long
tail boat. We travel over the mighty River of Kings
and explore Bangkok along the
many klongs (canals), one of the most
exciting ways to experience life in
the city. One will soon comprehend why Bangkok is
called the “Venice of the East”. We
stop to visit the stunning Temple
of Dawn, “Wat Arun” and around noon
we offer you a lunch at the river. Overnight at the Menam Riverside
hotel. |
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Day
02. Bangkok (B,L)
Breakfast at the
hotel. We visit the largest fresh flower
and vegetable market of Thailand.
This market is well known as “Pak Klong Talaad”,
a center for wholesale of
flowers, fruits and vegetables.
Farmers bring their farm products to
this market daily.
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We continue
to Chinatown, a center of
trading by the Chinese since
they arrived from China
some 300 years ago. We
stroll through the small sois
(alleys) and visit the Indo-Chinese food
market and the Golden Dragon
Temple. We visit Wat Traimit, also called the Temple of the
Golden Buddha. It houses the world’s largest
Buddha
solid golden image. The gleaming 4m (13ft) high image from
the 13th-century Sukothai period, is made of 18 carat gold and
weighs around 5.5 tons. Afternoon free at leisure. Overnight at
the Menam Riverside hotel. |
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Day
03. Bangkok (B,L)
In the morning we visit the most
beautiful temple of ancient Siam: Wat Phra Kaew and
the adjunct Grand Palace, a must for every visitor.
We visit the Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha
image of Thailand, the Throne Hall, the Coronation
Hall and The Funeral Palace. We
also visit Wat Po, the oldest temple in Bangkok with
the lone of the argest reclining Buddha images, 46 meters long. After lunch
we visit the Vimanmek Mansion, the world’s largest golden
teak building, constructed entirely without
the use of a single nail. It became a
favored retreat residence of King Rama V. Overnight at the Menam Riverside Hotel.
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Day
04. Bangkok (B)
All day at leisure to discover
the Metropolitan of Bangkok on your own and enjoy the
many shopping areas in Bangkok, such as Prathunam, Siam
Senter, Gaysorn, World Trade and Paragon shopping
centers. Make contact with the local
people and become an attraction yourself! Overnight at Menam Riverside Hotel.
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Day 05. Bangkok - Ban Don
Wai - River Kwai (B,L,D)
In the early morning departure to Nakhon province
where we visit Ban Don Wai market located on the banks of the
Thachin River. The market is well known for typical Thai sweets and
products from the nearby gardens and plantations.
There are
orchids, roses, jackfruit, pineapple and other
exotic fruit. After a stroll on the market, we take a unique boat ride into the green
hart of this area, where we see the real life of Thai
farmers.
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We then
head of to Kanchanaburi, a province best known for its associations with the
(in)famous Burma-Thailand Railway,
constructed during WWII. We visit the Bridge
over the River Kwai and the JEATH
war museum, a realistic replica of a prisoner of war’s living
quarter containing sketches, and photographs
describing life in the camps and the war
cemetery, the final resting place for over
6,000 allied Prisoners of War. |
After lunch we
continue our trip by longtail boat on the Kwai
River passing limestone mountains and dense bamboo jungle. We visit an
ethnic Mon Tribal Village and have dinner at our
rafthouses. In the evening there is a presentation of Mon
song and dance and on the jungle rafts. Overnight in
rafthouses at the Jungle Raft, in basic rooms with
cold-water shower. |
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Day
06. River Kwai (B,L)
After breakfast we return by longtail
boat to and take a ride on the
Death Railway where thousands of Prisoners of War
died during its construction. After lunch we make a canoe trip (2 persons in
one canoe) on the River Kwai. Overnight at Royal River Kwai Resort &
Spa. |
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Day
07. River Kwai – Ayutthaya (B,L)
We depart for the ancient city of Ayutthaya.
This old city was the capital of Siam from 1359 till 1767,
when its was destroyed by the Burmese. Here we visit
three important temples: “Wat Chawathanaram” located on a
magnificent place on the west bank of the Chao Praya River; “Wat Phra Sri Sanphet”, a World Heritage project with ruins in the middle of the
old capital; and the gigantic bronze status at Wat Mongkol
Borpith. After lunch there is time to discover this old
city by yourself. Rent a bike! Overnight at the U-Thong Inn Hotel.
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Day
08. Ayutthaya – Khamphaeng Phet – Mae Sot (B,L)
After an early departure we visit
“Bang Pa Inn”, the summer palace of Thai
monarchs since the 17th century and a fascinating
tourist attraction. Bang Pa Inn Palace has a
charming collection of pavilions in a variety of
Thai, Chinese, Italian and Victorian architectural
styles, surrounded by a beautiful garden and water. We continue to Kamphang
Phet. A city with history
dating back to the 11th century when it was an outpost of
the Khmer Empire. Later,
in the 13th century, it was a satellite city of Sukothai. We visit the ruins
of Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Phra Tat. In Kamphang Phet
we have time to stroll over the local market. Lunch is in a local
restaurant. In the afternoon we arrive in Mae Sot. In the
mid 19th century Burmese and Shan merchants crossing the Moei River from Burma, helped to establish Mae Sot. Today’s
Mae Sot retains the feel of a frontier town. Overnight at
the Central Mae Sot Hotel. |
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Day 09. Mae Sot - Karen
Village (B,L,D)
After breakfast we visit Mae Sot Gibbon
sanctuary, we continue our way to the Pacharoen Waterfall a
very popular spot for picnic and swimming. Picnic lunch will be
provided. We then make a trek of circa 2 hrs to a Karen Hill Tribe
village. The village is very primitive and we will sleep in
a local school, on tin mattresses under a mosquito net.
Shower is with cold water and toilet is basic. Dinner at
the village. Overnight at primitive Karen village.
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Day 10. Karen Village - Mae Sot (B,L,D)
After breakfast we continue with a two-hour
trekking through jungle forest, after the trek we proceed by rubber
raft. We have a picnic lunch on the way. Overnight and local dinner a
the Golden Cottage. |
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Day 11. Mae Sot (B,L)
In the morning an ox cart ride
takes us to
the local Thai-Burmese border market. Here you find unique woodcarvings,
that are not seen anywhere else in
Thailand. We visit the two main temples of Mae Sot
“Wat Chumphon Khiri” which has a magnificent Burmese chedi,
decorated with golden mosaic tiles, and “Wat Thai Watthanaram”, with a
huge Burmese-style reclining Buddha image. Lunch at the hotel. Accommodation at
the Central Mae Sot Hills Hotel.
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Day 12. Mae Sot – Tak
- Lampang (B,L)
Via Tak we continue our way to Lampang. On the
way we visit Bhumipol dam, which provides 25 provinces of electricity.
Upon arrival in Lampang we will take you on a tour through the old
city by horse carriage. You will also visit Baan Sao Nat, a
100-year old teak wood mansion and Wat Chedi Sao which derives its
name from the 20 stupas erected on the temple grounds. Monks at this
temple prepare medicines from herbs and plants, that claim to
cure a large number of remedies. Accommodation the Wienglakor Lampang Hotel.
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Day 13. Lampang –
Lamphun – Chiang Mai (B,L)
In the early morning we visit one
of the most beautiful and famous temples in Northern
Thailand "Wat Phra That Lampang Luang".
The eventful history of this 1000-year-old
temple is described in its many murals. We
then continue our journey and visit the Lampang Elephant
Conversation Centre, one the most beautiful elephants
schools from the North where we see a
demonstration of how these gigantic
animals work in the forest.
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It is also
possible to have a ride on the back of an elephant
as an optional excursion. After the show we visit
the FAE (Friends of
Asian Elephants), an elephant hospital at another part
of the area. Around lunchtime we visit the Dan Kwiang
Forest market, a market (in)famous for its variety
of edible insects. After lunch we proceed to Lamphun and visit Wat Phra That Haripoonchai,
one of the most important Buddhist temples
in northern Thailand. From here it’s a short drive to
Chiang Mai. Overnight at the Park Hotel. |
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Day 14. Chiang Mai (B)
Today all day free to
explore the city of Chiang Mai on your own. The city
was
established over 700 years ago and it is a place with
many hidden treasures from history, religion, culture and art. Often
referred to as the “Rose of The North”, some of its
highlight are the temples “Wat Chiang
Man”, “Wat Phra Singh”, “ Wat Chedi Luang” and
“ Wat Suan Dok”, temples located within
the old city walls of ancient Chiang Mai.
Other places of
interest are the Warrot market:
a
day market from early morning till late
afternoon that offers a variety of food, vegetables and
clothes. Besides
this there is the Night Bazar, a must for every visitor
to Chiang Mai. This market is daily and starts from
18.00 till 01.00 am and offers a variety of clothes,
souvenirs, food, paintings and antiques. Accommodation at The Park Hotel. |
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Day 15. Chiang Mai -
Bangkok (B)
In the afternoon transfer to Chiang Mai train
station where we board the night train in a second-class air
condition sleeper car, for our overnight trip back
to Bangkok. |
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Day 16. Bangkok (B)
After arrival in Bangkok in the early morning we
have breakfast and a transfer to any destination of you choice in Bangkok. |
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Included:
English speaking guide, 12
lunches, 3 dinners and visits in the program,
transport, entrance fee, train ticket 2nd class
sleeper Chiang Mai to Bangkok
B=Breakfast
L=Lunch
D=Dinner
Not
included:
flight to
Thailand, airport taxes, meals not mentioned,
drinks,
tips, optional excursions and travel insurance
Note: small deviations in the
tour program are sometimes necessary, depending
on weather, road conditions and room
availability
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