In this section you will find a short description of the daily possibilities. The tour leader will offer a program on almost every day but the program is informal and by no means obligatory leaving lots of room for your own initiative. Your guides will organize and accompany some activities and will also make suggestions so that you are free to dine or explore on your own.
Day 1 Depart USA
Day 2 In Transit
Day 3 Via Singapore - Arrival Bangkok
Day 4 Bangkok, boat trip over klongs
You fly Singapore Airlines via Singapore to Bangkok. If you request an earlier departure, you can arrange a layover for a night or two in Singapore before continuing on to Thailand. We arrive in Bangkok in the morning. At the airport our tour leader greets you arranges the transfer by privately hired bus to the hotel conveniently located in the Banglumpoo area. All rooms of the hotel are air-conditioned. Wat Prakaew, the Grand Palace, the National Museum, the Royal Barges and Wat Arun are easily reached on foot. A ride in a traditional (and fast!) longtail boat through the “klongs” is absolutely worthwhile. From the boat you will be able to see places that are hard to reach by road. Other parts of Bangkok, like the busy but interesting Chinatown, or the huge shopping mall called Siam Square, can be visited in several ways: by local bus, the Chao Praya Express River Taxi, by cab or by that typical Thai three-wheel taxi: the “tuktuk”. If you use one of the latter two, make sure you agree on a price before you get in. Do not forget to bargain!
Day 5 Bangkok - Nakhom Pathom - Damnoen Saduak - River Kwai
Early in the morning we will drive out of Bangkok towards the “chedi” of Nakhom Pathom, the highest Buddhist structure in the world and the oldest “chedi” in Thailand. The next stop will be the floating market of Damnung Saduak, a popular market where all sorts of products are sold from boats. From here we leave for Kanchanaburi, home of the notorious “Bridge over the River Kwai”. The cemetery and the JEATH war museum are certainly included in our program. The museum consists of rows of barracks with photos, paintings and paper cuttings on display. From Kanchanaburi we will drive on to the river where we board a long tail boat taking us to our accommodation for the night, the “Jungle Rafts”. These are bungalows built on bamboo rafts, an ideal place to relax or to visit the Keang Lawa Caves.
Day 6 River Kwai
Day 7 River Kwai - Ayutthaya
Day 8 Ayutthaya - Sukhothai
On our way from Kanchanaburi to Sukhothai we will stop in Ayutthaya, one of the former capitals of Thailand. Numerous ancient temples are reminders of that time. The following day we will reach Sukhothai, like Ayutthaya, a former capital of the country from 1238 to 1350. Here, an impressive number of temples are scattered over a large area. Throughout this day we will stop at several interesting places along the way. These are great places to explore with a bicycle.
Day 9 Sukhothai - Chiang Mai
Day 10 Chiang Mai
Day 11 Chiang Mai - Bangkok (night train)
Day 12 Bangkok
The city of Chiang Mai is situated at the bottom of the mountain Doi Sutep (5,055 feet) and on the bank of the river Ping. A bike is the ideal means of transportation around this town to visit, for example, the country house of the royal family or the many temples of the city like Wat Phra Sing and Wat Chedi Luang. On the outskirts of town you can see artisans such as silk weavers, woodworkers, silversmiths and umbrella makers at work. The night market is always busy and souvenir hunters will definitely find plenty for gathering. After two nights we will return to Bangkok on the night train; from there we travel on to Koh Samed.
Day 13 Bangkok - Koh Samed (morning bus and ferry)
Day 14 Koh Samed
Day 15 Koh Samed
On the night train we have reserved sleeping bunks so we will be well rested when we arrive in Bangkok. There a bus awaits the group to take us to the ferry to Koh Samet. On the lovely beach of this island you can relax during your last days in Thailand, but if you are interested in more active pastimes, there are plenty of opportunities for bike rides and beautiful walks. Several nearby islands can be explored by chartering boats. You can discover the amazingly colorful coral reefs while snorkeling.
Day 16 Koh Samed - Bangkok
Day 17 Depart Bangkok - Arrive USA
After returning to Bangkok you have most of the day for activities. You may visit the Emerald Buddha, built by King Rama I, one of the best-known Buddha images in Thailand. You may instead decide to stroll through the gardens of the Grand Palace. The Flower Market is a wonderful place to spend some time. Nakhon Kasem (Thieves Market) has great little back streets, lots of antiques, and plenty of cheap, good eateries. Of course there are plenty of museums and temples and great shopping for the last day before departing for home. For those continuing to Cambodia, a short flight will take you on to Siem Reap.
