DAY 1 - DEPARTURE Take your overnight flight to Bangkok.
DAY 2 - ARRIVAL IN BANGKOK Transfer to the four-star Rembrandt Hotel for two nights with breakfast. The rest of the day is free to enjoy the hotel’s excellent pool and restaurants. Exploring the city is easy, as the hotel provides a tuk tuk shuttle service to the busy shops of Sukhumvit Road.
DAY 3 - BANGKOK This morning we’ll explore the astonishing Grand Palace, Bangkok’s most famous landmark, for 150 years the Siamese Kings’ home and seat of government. Adjacent is the city’s largest temple, the astonishing Wat Pho, with its 46m-long reclining Buddha, completely covered in gold leaf. You’ll also discover Bangkok’s delightful klongs (canals), explored by small boat, which lead to an enchanting water- borne world, full of verdant orchards, palm trees and picturesque paddy fields.
DAY 4 - FLOATING MARKET We set off from Bangkok to see one of the most iconic images of the ‘Land of Smiles’ – the famous Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak. The jostling boats are filled with colourful flowers, fruit, food and drink, plying their trade as they have done for centuries. We soon arrive at the River Kwai, immortalised by David Lean’s iconic film. Constructing the bridge was just one of many tasks set for the thousands of allied POWs as they laboured to build the infamous ‘Death Railway’ under the most terrible conditions. We stay for two nights with breakfast at the lovely riverside eco-friendly River Kwai Resotel surrounded by jungle.
DAY 5 - RIVER KWAI This morning we board the local train which travels along the line and viaducts built by the POWs. We continue upcountry by road to Hellfire Pass: a deep railway cutting only 300ft long which took a thousand Allied POWs more than three months to dig out of solid rock. Only 300 survived. A trail leads to the pass where you can observe the simple black granite memorial and the excellent museum is operated by the Australian Office of War Graves.
DAY 6 - AYUTTHAYA Today, we arrive at the ancient Siamese capital of Ayutthaya. This was Thailand’s capital up to 1767, when an invading Burmese army razed it to the ground. During our tour of the city you’ll see some of the ancient palaces and temples, now lovingly preserved, as well as the beautiful 19th century Summer Palace. We spend the night at the four-star Classic Kameo Hotel with breakfast.
DAY 7 - SUKHOTHAI Our journey into Thailand’s history continues as we drive to the ancient capital of Sukhothai. The Sukhothai kingdom ruled up to the mid- 1400s – a time during which the Thai alphabet was created and Buddhism was established as the official religion. The Historical Park has some of the best ancient temples in the country. Our hotel is the charming four-star Legendha, with breakfast.
DAY 8 - LAMPANG & CHIANG RAI Continuing our journey we head for Thailand’s most northern province of Chiang Rai. Today we break our journey in Lampang, where we have a traditional sightseeing tour by horse carriage. We arrive at the four-star Dusit Island Resort in Chiang Rai in the afternoon for two nights with breakfast.
DAY 9 - GOLDEN TRIANGLE Today, we explore the rainforest-covered hills deep in Chiang Rai province where the present King’s mother spent many years overseeing numerous agricultural projects, thus enabling villagers to eradicate opium cultivation. We visit her Royal Villa with its museum and delightful gardens at Doi Tung. Thailand’s most northerly point is the small market town of Mae Sai and with Burma just across a small river, its streets are crammed with Burmese products and handicrafts. This afternoon we explore the nearby Golden Triangle where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Burma meet.
DAY 10 - CHIANG MAI This morning we see the work of one of the province’s most famous sons and now one of Thailand’s foremost artists, Chalermchai Kositpipat. His remarkable White Temple, is undoubtedly Thailand’s most unusual – it’s mostly white and silver with just one room of another colour: the public toilet, which is gold! In the afternoon we arrive in Chiang Mai and after a tour of the city we head to our home in the hills for two nights with breakfast, the delightful four-star superior Panviman Resort, in the Mae Rim valley.
DAY 11 - FREE DAY A day at leisure to enjoy the many facilities of our hotel. Temperatures in the hills are 5-6 degrees cooler than in the city, and despite this being tropical Thailand, between November and February it can be a little chilly in the mornings and evenings, so be sure to bring some warmer clothing.
DAY 12 - HUA HIN We take a short flight back to Bangkok, from where we head for the shores of the Gulf of Thailand. We spend three nights with breakfast at the superb five- star Dusit Thani, near the beach resort of Hua Hin, known for its vibrant night market and numerous fish restaurants. The Dusit Thani is a 10-minute drive away, set in lush tropical gardens and boasting three restaurants, two superb pools and excellent spa. Several world-class golf courses are close by.
DAY 13 & 14 - FREE DAYS Two full days at leisure to enjoy the wonderful pool and facilities at your hotel.
DAY 15 - RETURN FLIGHT Transfer to Bangkok for your return flight, arriving into Heathrow later the same day.
PLEASE NOTE: The above itinerary is for 2017 departures only, for 2016 departures please see our website.
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