Northern Thailand's Hidden Gems

After completing Immigration procedures (Border Police), please proceed to the baggage claim area indicated on the board for your flight. After collecting your luggage, take EXIT B and head towards GATE 3, where a representative will be waiting for you, holding a sign with your name and flight number. In case you cannot find the assistant in the confusion, please go to the counter marked ATTA to allow us to contact them. Your assistant will meet you at the ATTA Counter and arrange the transfer to your booked hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal. Overnight stay in Bangkok.

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet the guide and depart for this half-day visit to some of the main attractions of this metropolis. It begins with the Grand Palace, founded in 1782, which includes not only royal and throne halls but also numerous government offices and the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew). The tour continues with the contiguous Wat Pho, which is not only one of Bangkok's most visited Buddhist temples but also a combination of history, medical science, and an educational institution. The visits end with Wat Trimitr, this Buddhist temple near Bangkok’s Chinatown is famous for one thing: the Golden Buddha.

IMPORTANT:

• Please dress appropriately, covering shoulders and legs down to the knees.
• Please bring your Passport, as it is often required for checks at the entrance.

At noon, the guide will pick you up at the hotel for lunch. Then, we depart for the Amphawa Floating Market, one of Thailand's old and very popular floating markets among tourists. All visitors can buy fish, local Thai desserts, or souvenirs for friends and relatives. Furthermore, visitors can take a boat ride to admire the views and lifestyles along the Amphawa Canal. At night, visitors can arrange a boat trip to observe fireflies on the cork trees as a charming nighttime scene of the day. During the Ampawa canal tour, a stop at Wat Ban Kung is mandatory. This temple is probably the most iconic in the Amphawa district, known for its centuries-old banyan tree roots and branches that have surrounded and blocked the building. It houses a Golden Buddha. The building dates back to the Ayutthaya period. It is quite simple externally and internally. It is the roots and leaves of the surrounding trees that dominate the temple, making it the trunk of a huge one. Then, departure for Bangkok, with arrival at the hotel expected around 5:30 PM.

Arrival at Chiang Rai airport, reception at the airport with a local guide. Today, we begin the exploration of this northernmost province of Thailand, starting with the famous Golden Triangle, the point where the borders of Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand, and Laos meet. 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 serpents at the bottom of the staircase protect the temple. We continue with the Opium Museum. In the afternoon, we return to the city and transfer to the pier for boarding a long-tail boat that will take us along the Kok River to Ruam Mitr, to visit the Karen and Lahu ethnic minorities. The Karen village of Ruammit, located on the banks of the Nam Mae Kok (Mae Kok River), is famous for its elephants, with a long tradition of training and logging, and remains distinctly Karen in ethnicity, preserving its culture and traditions. In the late afternoon, arrival at the hotel. Overnight stay in Chiang Rai.

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, meet the guide and depart for another beautiful, intensive day of visits. The day begins with a visit to Doi Tung, home to the Mae Fah Luang Gardens and the Queen Mother's Teak House. We continue with a visit to Doi Mae Salong, which is not a typical Thai town but feels more like it belongs to southern China. This is because it was founded as a Yunnanese settlement in the 1960s by the remnants of the Kuomintang (KMT) army who fled from Yunnan after the defeat by Mao Tse Tung's forces in the Chinese Civil War. Our day ends in Tathon, where we will stay overnight. This small, picturesque town is located on the banks of the Kok River at the point where the river emerges into Thailand from the nearby hills of the Shan State of Burma. From the summit of Wat Tha Ton, one can admire a beautiful panorama of the Kok River valley and see the Burmese border nearby.

Breakfast at the Hotel. In the morning, meet the guide and depart in the direction of Pai, with a first stop at Chiang Dao, the Chiang Dao cave complex. We climb the steps leading to the cave entrance, then descend into a large cavern where there are numerous Buddha images. A little further on is the guide station. From here, you can freely explore two caves that are illuminated by electric lights: Tham Seua Dao (540 m) and Tham Phra Nawn (360 m). Both of these caves contain many shrines, statues, and Buddha images. We continue to the Pong Duet Geyser, a hot spring geyser that emits hot water all year round, sometimes up to 4 meters high. This place also offers hot thermal water bathing with excellent facilities. We continue our journey and, as we approach Pai, we stop to visit the Historical Bridge and the Pai Canyon, which offers a beautiful panorama. Arrival at the hotel around 6:00 PM. Evening at leisure.

Breakfast at the Hotel. Meet the guide, visit Pai, and depart for Mae Hong Son, but not before visiting the Santichon Chinese village, or Yunnanese Chinese cultural center, which was colonized by Chinese who fled Mao Tse Tung's Chinese Revolution. Along the way, we will stop at the Lod Caves, Tham Lod is a cave system with a length of 1,666 meters. Geological formations sprout from the floor and ceiling, forming flowing stone columns where stalactites and stalagmites grow. Tham Lod Cave is a natural limestone cave system, and its main feature is the flow of fresh water that runs through the center of the cave for about 200-300 meters. The Fish Cave or Tham Pla, which is home to thousands of carp. Arrival in the evening in Mae Hong Son, visit the city temples: Doi Kong Moo, Wat Chong Kham, Wat Chong Klang. Arrival at the selected hotel, check-in to reserved rooms. Evening at leisure and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, visit the morning market. Visit a Karen village with the so-called Giraffe Women. Kayan long-neck women wear rings from childhood, starting with four or five, and adding more each year. The 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 Chiang Mai at the selected hotel, check-in to reserved rooms. Evening at leisure and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check Out from the hotel. Meet the guide. The day begins with a visit to: Wat Pratat Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai's most important temple, which offers a spectacular view of the city. Continues with Wat Pra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang, inside the city walls. At a convenient time, transfer to the airport for the departure flight. End of services.