Bangkok:

Our Packages

New winter season packages

Discovering Thailand

Thailand Exposure Holidays

(TRA.TH.16)
(14 days 13 nights)

tour features: Bangkok city & canal tour, mahout training at Lampang elephant conservation center, Chiang Mai tour, River Kwai boat trip and raft house stay in Kanchanaburi, hiking Khao Sok rainforest, ,beach holiday in Krabi

Program:

Day 1 Arrival in Bangkok:

Arrival at Donmuang Airport. Meet and transfer to Asia Hotel Overnight

After breakfast, travel to see different architectural styles in Bangkok suchas the Ratchadamnoen Avenue , Grand Palace & Wat Phrakaew (The Temple of Emerald Buddha), China Town , and Suan Pakkard Palace . Lunch & dinner at local restaurants. Overnight at Asia Hotel

am. After breakfast, canal tour incl. Royal Barge and Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn). Then visit Wat Po (The Reclinng Buddha Temple) and have Thai traditional massage, and end with visiting Pak Klong Talad, the biggest flower market

19.40. Take the night train sleeper (2nd. Class air-cond.) to Lampang

06.29. Arrive Lampang, transfer to the Elephant Conservation Center . Check into Mahout homestay in the mahout village

Activities: study and experience the life of a mahout and his elephant. Activities include participating in mahout's daily life and join in various communal activities. In the morning, they will go into the woods to bring their elephant out,then practice basic riding and giving commands to the elephant and exchange experience with English-speaking staff who are familiar with elephants and mahouts. In the evening, students will return the elephant to the woods.

Participants will also cook local foods, dine northern Thai style and listen to local music played by mahouts.

There are many projects at the Elephant Conservation Center : - Mahout Training School
- Consumer Products from Elephant Waste
- An Education Center for Veterinary Students
- Elephant Release Project
- Elephant Hospital
- Elephant Sperm Bank Research Project
- Pang La Elephant Nursery Center
- The Lampang Elephant Art Academy
- The Thai Elephant Orchestra

am. After lunch with mahouts, travel to Chiang Mai with stop to visit Sankampang Hotsprings and Muang On Cave. At leisure, swim/hike. Kantoke Dinner with watching Thai dances. After that visit the Night Bazaar, the largest handicraft Center in Chiang Mai.

Overnight at The Empress Hotel

am. After breakfast, city tour: start with visiting Chiang Mai Arts & Culture Center where you will know about its history and present situation.¦nbsp; After that drive through many different parts of the Northern capital, passing residential areas, notable foreign establishments, handsome government buildings and shopping at the busy Ton Pa Yom or Som Pet Market where you can buy local products in season. Drive through Ta Pae, the main street and shopping center, and on to two splendid temples: Wat Chedi Luang (AD 1411), where the Emerald Buddha was once enshrined; Wat Phra Singh (AD 1325), where a 1,500 year Lord Buddha image and fine carvings are to be found.

Overnight at The Empress Hotel

am. Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for the morning flight return to Bangkok .On arrival in Bangkok Domestic Airport , travel by van to Kanchanaburi. Drive north to Thong Papoom area. Arrive Hellfire Pass Memorial. Take a walk downhill to glimpse the death railway remnants and learn the moving story of WWII from the comprehensive exhibition at the museum.

After lunch, return to Kanchanaburi visit the Bridge Over the River Kwai. Then take a long-tailed boat for about 20-30 minutes from pier to get to the Jungle Rafts, passing by unspoiled mountainous jungle scenery. Check into the Jungle Rafts on arrival.  You can swim off the raft and visit a Mon village nearby.

19.00 Dinner followed by a 45-minutes presentation of Mon Dance and overnight.

am After breakfast, visit to Lawa Cave , explore the fascinating rock formations inside.
12.00 Lunch
pm Transfer by boat and van to Ratchburi Railway Station
21.36 Travel to Surat Thani by the night train sleeper.

06.40. Arrival in Surat Thani Railway Station. Transfer to Khao Soke, check into a nature lodge. At leisure.

pm. After lunch, a half-day hike with guide experienced in the lore and crafts of the jungle. Walk through a rainforest crisscrossed with waterfalls and streams and teeming with thick bamboo, thorny rattan, pandanus and other tropical flora. Plenty of chance to swim in the cool clear waters. Or tubing trip on the river for about 1 hrs. before excursion to the beautiful view point.  After that return to the lodge.

Dinner & overnight at a nature lodge

am. After breakfast, leave by van/truck to Chiew Larn Lake ( Ratchaprapa Lake ), Boat through a fairyland of majestic limestone cliffs, to the tranquil and secluded floating rafthouses. After a delicioud lunch at the rafthouses you'll have time to spot some of the wildlife or take a dip in the emerald green water.  We then head off on a 2-3 hour guided walk through the jungle with a stop at a waterfall. Perhaps the weather will favor a walk through Namtaloo Cave.

Dinner and overnight at rafthouses Evening the hornbills, other large birds, and monkeys emerge to feed.

am. Early morning , take the boat trip to see the beautiful view on the other site of the lake and observe wildlife, which often show off at the edge of the lake.¦nbsp; Following breakfast, the morning is at leisure to swim in the lake.

pm. After lunch, transfer to Krabi. Check into Princeville Resort, located on Ao Nang Beach.

Overnight at Princeville Resort (Superior room)

At leisure on the beach.
Overnight at Princeville Resort (Superior room)

am. Take leisure on the beach.

pm.Take an afternoon flight return to Bangkok and have the connecting flight back home.

The price includes :
13 nights accommodation ( 7 nights in mentioned hotels/resorts in a twin-share basis, 2 nights homestay at Mahout Village (a basic& simple accommodation), 1 night at¦nbsp; nature lodge in Khao Soke, 1 night rafthouse with simple & basic accommodation, and 2 nights on 2 nd. Class air-cond.train sleeper), 34 meals (13B,11L,10D), train tickets: BKK-Chiang Mai & Ratchaburi-Surat Thani, visit & excursion by air-cond. bus, all transfers, boat fee, admission fee as per itinerary, all activities as mentioned in the program, an English speaking guide, a travel insurance (Bht1,000,000 / person )

The price excludes: drinks, other meals than mentioned in an itinerary, and personal expense, Airfare: CNX-BKK, and Krabi-BKK

Itinerary :
Due to the nature of the tour, the weather, road condition, local circumstance, prevailing safety factors, the route & itinerary may vary to those published but the content of the tour will remain similar. The final decision of the actual itinerary will be made by the tour operator's staff on the day of the tour.

Hot Spots

Travel info