Tour Detail

PANORAMA - 11D 10N - BANGKOK TO NORTH - KANCHA(1) - AYUT(1) - SUKHO(1) - CEI(2) - TATHON(1) - PAI(1) - HGN(1) - CNX(12

DAY 1: BANGKOK - KANCHANABURI, River Kwai: War Museum, Allied Cemetery, Train Riding, Prasat Muang Singh. (L.)
DAY 2: KANCHANABURI - AYUTTHAYA: Sai Yok Yai National Park, Long Tail Boat, Bang Pa In Palace (B.L.)
DAY 3 - AYUTTHAYA - LOPBURI - SUKHOTHAI. Ayutthaya Historical Park, Phra Prang Sam Yot, Sukhothai Historical Park. (B.L.)
DAY 4 - SUKHOTHAI - SRI SATCHANALAI - PHAYAO - CHIANG RAI Si Satchanalai, Wat Phra That Suthon Mongkol Khiri, Vonburi House, Lake Phayao (B.L.)

DAY 5: CHIANG RAI - Golden Triangle, Opium Museum, Doi Tung, Mae Fah Luang Garden. (B.L.)

DAY 6: CHIANG RAI - THATON. Doi Tung, Mae Fah Luang Garden, Mae Salong. (B.L.)
DAY 7: TATHON - CHIANG DAO - PAI. Chiang Dao Caves, Pong Duet Geyser, Historic Bridge and Pai Canyon. (B. L.)
DAY 8: PAI - MAE HONG SON. Chinese village of Santichon, Lod Caves, Fish Cave, Surin Namthok National Park. (B. L.)
DAY 9 : MAE HONG SON - MAE CHAEM - CHIANG MAI. (B.L.)

DAY 10: CHIANG MAI - Elephant Sanctuary, Doi Suthep. (B.L.)

DAY 11: CHIANG MAI. Transfer to the airport. (B.)

Day 1

BANGKOK - KANCHANABURI, River Kwai: War Museum, Allied Cemetery, Train Ride, Muang Singh Historical Park. (L.)

06:30 Meet with the guide and depart for Kanchanaburi, with an expected arrival around 09:30. Start of the visits. Kanchanaburi is a city in western Thailand. It is known for the Death Railway, built during World War II. The line crosses the Khwae Yai River through the Death Railway Bridge. Exhibits at the JEATH War Museum honor the prisoners of war who died building the bridge. The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre explores the broader history of the railway. Nearby, thousands of Allied soldiers are buried in the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. 10:45 - Board the train for a scenic journey to Tham Krasae. Stop for lunch, and time to visit the area with the Tham Krasae Bridge next to the cave of the same name. In this area, the train slows to a walking pace as it crosses the precarious-looking viaduct known as Wang Pho Bridge. A wall of rock towers is located a short distance to the right, with a sheer drop to the river and phenomenal views on the left, another highlight of the journey. After lunch, visit the Prasat Muang Singh Historical Park. Here we find traces of the Khmer Kingdom, once thriving, in one of the most well-known religious structures in Thailand. Historians estimate that Prasat Muang Singh, and its surrounding architectures on the banks of the Kwai Noi River, were built between 857 and 1157 as a religious temple of the Khmer kingdom. Later, the temple was abandoned until the reign of King Rama I when the Mueang Singh area became one of Kanchanaburi's border cities. However, the restoration of the structures was not completed until 1987. The main remaining structure is the Prasat Mueang Sing (the City of Lions Tower), an architecture in Khmer style with influences from the arts of Lop Buri. It is framed by city walls of 800 x 1,500 meters. During excavations, historians found valuable artifacts, antiques, ceramics, and religious ornaments with over 2000 years of history. Around 15:00 Transfer to the hotel. Check-in. Rest of the evening at leisure.

Day 2

KANCHANABURI - AYUTTHAYA: Sai Yok Yai National Park, Long Tail Boat, Bang Pa In Palace (B.L.)
Visit on a private basis at about 08:30.
At 09:30 am Arrival at the pier and boarding on a long tail that accompanies you to the park, amidst beautiful scenery.
At around 10:30 am arrival at Sai Yok National Park and start of visits. The Park In addition to being a home for numerous wild animals, such as squirrels, bats, deer and birds, it is also the home of the smallest mammal in the world, the bat with the muzzle of the double-headed kitten, first discovered in 1973. lunch is served in local restaurant or packed
At 14:00 Ca, departure for Ayutthaya, Visit of Bang Pa In, the summer palace of the kings of Thailand. The palace dates back to the seventeenth century, pre-dating of the settlement of Bangkok as its capital, although it has fallen into disuse for a long time. All the buildings you will see date back to his awakening by King Mongkut (Rama IV) in the nineteenth century. Today, the palace is used only rarely, and therefore mostly for state occasions rather than as a royal summer residence.
Arrival at the hotel between 18:00 and 18:30.

 

Day 3

AYUTTHAYA - LOPBURI - SUKHOTHAI. Ayutthaya Historical Park, Phra Prang Sam Yot, Sukhothai Historical Park. (B.L.)
At 08:00, meeting with the guide and departure for the discovery of the ancient capital of Thailand.
We proceed with the Ayutthaya Historical Park, the city was founded in the year 1350 Ca. and became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai.
It flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries, during which it became one of the largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas in the world and a center of diplomacy and global trade. Ayutthaya was strategically located on an island surrounded by three rivers that connected the city to the sea. This site was chosen because it was above the Gulf of Siam tide as it existed in that period, thus preventing the attack of the city by maritime warships from other nations
After lunch, we continue to the town of Lopburi, where we arrive at around 2.30 pm. Very ancient, it is also known as the city of monkeys.
The stop includes a visit to the famous Phra Prang Sam Yot temple, the symbol of the city. Last stop today, Sukhothai Historical Park. The park is located 12 kilometers from the new city on the Sukhothai-Tak Highway. The park is open daily from 08:30 a.m. at 04.30 p.m. and also offers tram service, as well as bicycle rental for exploring the vast area. The Service Center for Tourists in the Park offers information, as well as display projections of historic buildings and structures in old Sukhotai. Ruins of the royal palaces, Buddhist temples, the city gates, walls, ditches, dams, pits, ponds, canals, and the dam water control system, was the magical and spiritual center of the Kingdom, are now preserved and were restored by the Department of Fine Arts with the collaboration of UNESCO, the rectangular city measures 1330 meters in width and 1800 meters in length. The walls contain four main gates.
Arrival at the hotel in Sukhothai at about 17.30. Overnight

Day 4

SUKHOTHAI - SRI SATCHANALAI - PHAYAO - CHIANG RAI Si Satchanalai, Wat Phra That Suthon Mongkol Khiri, Vonburi House, Lake Phayao (B.L.)

07:00 Meeting with the Guide, departure for Chiang Rai, with pleasant stops along the way.

Si Satchanalai Historical Park is located on the bank of the Yorm River. The ancient city formally called Muang Chaliang was renamed Si Satchanalai during the reign of Phra Ruang when a new administrative center was established to replace Chailang. The ruins of 134 monuments have been discovered within this park.

Although not an ancient temple, Wat Phra That Suthon Mongkol Khiri has a beautiful architecture inspired by the traditional style, such as the Ubosot (Celebratory Hall) and the Lanna style, with a Teak building.

The Vonburi House, built in Teak and was built in the late 1800s, early 1900s in European colonial style, today is an interesting museum house, very well preserved.

Stop for lunch in a local restaurant.

Lake Phayao is very popular with local tourists and is also an important fishing resource. Early in the morning, the fishermen leave and come back in the middle of the morning, to supply the restaurants on the lake that will prepare themselves for another day of catering, whose menu, of course, features grilled lake fish.

The lakeside promenade is a popular recreation area with afternoon aerobics classes, families picnicking, couples strolling in the evenings and walking along the promenade between the adjacent cafes and restaurants. Here you can choose from various activities (not included in the price, to be paid directly on site) including renting a boat to sail along the waters to Wat Tilokarum, or renting a bicycle to wander around the lake.

Arrival in Chiang Rai around 18:00. Check In at the reserved hotel. Evening available.

Day 5

CHIANG RAI - Golden Triangle, Opium Museum, Doi Tung, Mae Fah Luang Garden. (B.L.)

Meeting with the Guide, today we begin the exploration of this province, the northernmost of Thailand, starting from the famous Golden Triangle, the point where the borders of Myanmar (ancient Burma), Thailand and Laos meet. It is located 9 kilometers north of Chiang Saen, along the road along the Mekong River. Sop Ruak is the place where the Mekong River (border with Laos) meets the Ruak River (border with Burma). In the past, the Golden Triangle was the world's leading source of drug trafficking due to its privileged position linked to the opioid-producing countries. Today it is a popular tourist attraction.

The visit includes Wat Phra That Pu Khao which offers a wonderful view of the Golden Triangle, the Mekong River and the forested mountains. Two large multi-headed Naga snakes at the bottom of the staircase protect the temple. It continues with the Opium Museum. The museum exhibits and educates visitors on the production of opium and its use in the life of the tribal people of the hills, from the visit we can learn a lot about the history of opium since it developed in this notorious location.

Lunch is served in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon visit Doi Tung, where the Mae Fah Luang Gardens and the Queen Mother's Teak house are located.

The Mae Fah Luang Garden is dotted with roses, dahlias and tulips, arranged in European-style flower beds. Scattered around the garden are fountains, rock art, wooden structures and a small evergreen labyrinth. Some areas of the park are also dedicated to traditional tropical plants and flowers, including a fern house, an orchid house and a night garden. There is also a special cactus house, returning to the city in the late afternoon. Overnight at the hotel in Chiang Rai.

Day 6

CHIANG RAI - THATON. Doi Tung, Mae Fah Luang Garden, Mae Salong. (B.L.)
Breakfast at the hotel.
At about 07:30, in the morning meeting with the guide, departure for another beautiful, intense beautiful day of visits. The Golden Triangle, it is known, was once a notorious area, where it was very dangerous to venture, today we will travel through those areas, finally pacified and dedicated to leicte cultivation.
The day begins with a visit to Doi Tung, where the Mae Fah Luang Gardens and the Queen Mother's Teak house are located.
The spectacular Doi Tung range in Chiang Rai stretches from Mae Fah Luang in the south to the Mae Sai district in the north, with the Burmese border demarcating the western slopes of the mountains. These rugged peaks reach 1,500 meters and, until recently, it was a wild and inaccessible place. In these days the area is crowded with convoys of tourists in minibuses, (being the streets too steep and narrow for buses) when still 30 years ago you would have seen trains of opium mules, KMT soldiers, the Shan United army and Akha of Khun Sa, the women who harvest the poppy pistils. The hill tribe peoples are still there, but Shan fighters now continue their struggle across the border; Khun Sa has long been gone, while retired KMT soldier families now run tea tasting shops in Mae Salong.
An important project that has brought peace to the area is that of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation and the Doi Tung Royal Project, also taken by the UN as an example for the development of degraded areas in other countries. Northern Thailand is blessed with a cooler climate than the rest of the country. This makes it conducive to the growth of "exotic" western flowers (temperate breeds) that are typically found outside of Thailand. The Mae Fah Luang Garden is dotted with roses, dahlias and tulips, arranged in European-style flower beds. Scattered around the garden are fountains, rock art, wooden structures and a small evergreen labyrinth. Some areas of the park are also dedicated to traditional tropical plants and flowers, including a fern house, an orchid house and a night garden. There is also a special cactus house,
It continues with the visit of Doi Mae Salong, which is not a typical Thai city, but feels more like it belongs to the south of China. This is because it was founded as a Yunnanese factory in the 1960s, from the remains of the Kuomintang army (KMT) who fled Yunnan after the defeat of Mao Tse Tung's forces in the Chinese civil war.
Most of the elements of the Republican army took refuge in the then Formosa, now Taiwan, while some units fled through Burma and Laos, from where they continued to raid the Chinese border, before settling in the anti-communist Kingdom of Thailand. Some elements of the 93rd division - the so-called "Lost Army" - under General Tuan set up the camp in what is now Mae Salong. A few years ago, to mark the reconciliation of the area, the town was renamed Santhikir, the hill of peace. Today, Mae Salong is famous for its tea plantations, heats of fruit and vegetables, which can easily grow thanks to its cool and temperate climate.
Our day ends in Thaton, where we will spend the night. The small and picturesque town is located on the banks of the Kok River where the river emerges in Thailand from the nearby hills of the Shan State of Burma. From the summit of Wat Tha Ton, you can admire a beautiful panorama of the valley of the Kok river and you can see the Burmese border nearby.

 

Day 7

TATHON - CHIANG DAO - PAI. Chiang Dao Caves, Pong Duet Geyser, Historic Bridge and Pai Canyon. (B. L.)
Breakfast at the hotel.
At about 07:30, in the morning meeting with the guide, departure in the direction of Pai, with a first stop in Chiang Dao, the complex of the Chiang Dao caves is supposed to consist of over 100 caves that extend for about 10-12 kilometers within the mountain range, but there are only five main caves that are currently open to the public.
Go up the steps leading to the entrance of the cave, then go down to a large cave where there are numerous images of the Buddha. A little further on is the guide station. From here you can freely explore two caves which are illuminated by electric lights; they are ThamSeuaDao (540 m) and ThamPhraNawn (360 m). Both of these caves contain many shrines, statues and Buddha images.
Continue to the PongDuet Geysers, This is a geyser hot spring which emits hot water all year round, sometimes up to 4 meters. This place also offers bathing in hot thermal water with excellent facilities located between the picturesque views of the mountain forest.
A walkway with steps preserves the path from degradation and protects the environment. It leads through the heavily wooded area to scattered hot springs and geysers; 550 meters from the geyser and another 560 meters to the thermal pools where visitors can dive. We continue our route and as we approach Pai, we stop to visit the historic bridge and the Pai Canyon from which you can admire a beautiful panorama.

 

Day 8

PAI - MAE HONG SON. Chinese village of Santichon, Lod Caves, Fish Cave, Surin Namthok National Park.   (B. L.)
Breakfast at the hotel.
At around 07:30, meeting with the guide, visit of Pai and departure for Mae Hong Son, not before visiting the Chinese village of Santichon, or Chinese cultural center of Yunnan, which was colonized by Chinese who fled the Chinese revolution by Mao Tse Tung. After all these years, the descendants who still live here and adhering to traditional ways of life have managed to profit from Pai's economic recovery. The village of Santichon has a population of 2000 souls from Yunnan, populations of Thai hill tribes and former Chinese soldiers. When opium was still the cornerstone of the village and old Chinese soldiers roamed the streets in their old republican uniforms, automatic rifles in hand. Today it is quite popular with Thai tourists, with a large tea tasting area, which has replaced opium as an important crop, and a souvenir market at the entrance of the village.
Along the way we will make stops at the Lod caves, Tham Lod is a cave system with a length of 1,666 meters. Geological formations that sprout from the floor and ceiling and form flowing stone columns in which stalactites and stalagmites grow. The ThamLod Cave is a natural limestone cave system, its main feature is the flow of fresh water that runs through the center of the cave for about 200-300 meters. Inside the walls are covered with massive formations and columns over 20 meters high. The cave is also home to a large number of bats and swifts. The internal walls of the cave are covered with gigantic formations and columns (some more than 20 meters high) but there are many steps to climb to get a really nice view of the stalagmites and stalactites. When we advance even deeper into the cave, there is no light to explore the caves, you need to have a good guide with a good torch that makes exploring the cave an even more mysterious atmosphere.
The Fish Cave or ThamPla, which is home to thousands of carp.
Arrival in the afternoon in Mae Hong Son, visit of the 2 city pagodas, Wat Chong Kham, Wat Chong Klang, followed by Wat Phrathat Doi Kong Mu. Check in at the selected hotel and overnight.

Day 9

MAE HONG SON - MAE CHAEM - CHIANG MAI. (B.L.)

Breakfast at the hotel.

At about 07:00, meeting with the guide, visit of the morning market, then continue with a Karen village with the so-called Giraffe Women, Women with long necks Kayan wear rings since childhood, starting with four or five, and adding them every year. Coils weighing up to 25 pounds depress the chest and shoulders.

Then departure for Chiang Mai, passing through the Doi Inthanon National Park, where we will visit the pagodas dedicated to the King and Queen, the Wachiratan waterfalls and, if there is enough time, the Royal Projects.

Arrival in the selected hotel in Chiang Mai in the evening, assignment of reserved rooms, evening available and overnight

Day 10

CHIANG MAI - Elephant Sanctuary, Doi Suthep. (B.L.)

Breakfast at the hotel

07:00 Pick up in your hotel or accommodation

You drive approximately 1.5 hours south of Chiang Mai through rolling hills, forests and local agricultural areas.

08:30 Arrival at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. Discover the elephants and change into traditional Karen clothes.

09:00 Meeting with the elephants. Feed them, interact and play with elephants in a natural environment while learning about their behavior and story. Take photos with elephants.

09:45 Mud Spa with elephants

10:30 am Walk with the elephants on the river and wash them.

11:30 Lunch with a traditional meal and then greeting the elephants.

12:00 Leave the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and drive for about 1.5 hours to Chiang Mai.

13:30 Visit of Doi Suthep, the most important temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Built in the early 19th century Buddhist, the beauty of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is marked by seven-headed snake statues flanking the stairs to the temple where there is a golden Chiang Saen-style pagoda and all its exquisite Lanna architecture. The view of Chiang Mai from here is simply phenomenal. 16:00 Return to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure

Day 11

CHIANG MAI. Transfer to the airport. (B.)

Breakfast at the hotel. Room available until 12:00. Two hours before the flight, meet with our driver and transfer to Chiang Mai airport.

PLEASE NOTE: Departure times, indications of travel times and itineraries are indicative. They may undergo changes for reasons beyond our control and unpredictable.