Amazing Thailand & Phuket Island

Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return 1 day after the tour ends.

For flight details, see Before You Depart.

Land in Thailand’s capital, the “city of angels,” in the evening. Your Tour Director will be waiting at the airport to meet you and escort you to our home base for the next four nights.

After a special orientation breakfast, we’ll tour some of Bangkok’s most impressive Buddhist temples. We'll see the White Marble Temple, one of the finest examples of Thai architecture. Marvel at the five-ton solid gold statue of Buddha at Wat Trimitr and the colossal 150-foot-long reclining Buddha at Wat Po. Spend the afternoon at your leisure or hop aboard an optional canal boat ride across the river for a glimpse of daily Thai life. Your first full day in Thailand ends with a welcome dinner.

Note: Depending on your arrival time in Bangkok on Day 2, you may enjoy your welcome dinner on Day 2 instead of Day 3.

After breakfast, explore one of Bangkok's floating markets! It’s great fun watching merchants selling food, produce, baskets, and other wares from their boats. Photo ops abound! Later, we'll travel to Nakhon Pathom province on the outskirts of Bangkok. Here we'll visit Patom Organic Village, a family-run eco-cultural project on the banks of the idyllic Tachine River. Immerse yourself in this organic living concept and participate in a wide range of engaging hands-on workshops where we can learn about soil, seedling, planting, compost, and fertilizer. Afterward, we'll visit the traditional kitchen where farm-to-cooking workshops are hosted. We'll see how they turn raw organic ingredients into traditional Thai foods and then enjoy lunch. We'll stop by the organic coffee shop before we return to Bangkok with the afternoon at leisure to discover Thailand's vibrant capital independently.

With a day at leisure to discover the vibrant, exotic city of Bangkok, what will you choose to do? Your Tour Director is full of ideas for independent exploration to match your pace and interests. You can also take advantage of an optional tour of the Grand Palace specially priced for smarTours travelers. See Optional Tours for specific details.

Our travels through amazing Thailand continue as we venture into regions rich with culture, history, and stunning landscapes. First: the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, which was one of the world’s largest cities in 1700. We’ll see some of its former glory in the giant bronze statue of Wat Mongkol Borpith and the three ancient pagodas at Wat Phra Sri. Our Thai adventure continues to Wat Mahathat, "the Temple of the Great Relic" which was once the kingdom's most important temple. Our drive winds past rice paddies to Phitsanulok, the gateway to Northern Thailand, where Buddha images are made in an authentic way.

Before leaving Phitsanulok, we'll stop at the famous Buddha Foundry where Buddha images are made in an authentic way. Afterward, we'll continue to two UNESCO World Heritage sites featuring imposing temples and monument ruins. First: Sukhothai, the capital of the first kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries. Next, we head to its sister city, Sri Satchanalai where we'll view a unique private textiles museum before traveling to our final stop of the day: Lampang.

This morning we'll visit Thalor Village where we'll stop at the Apple Saa Paper shop, famous for making paper from mulberry bark. We'll have the chance to create our own original Sa Paper canvas (delivered to the hotel in Chiang Rai). This afternoon, journey to Phayao, a quaint lakeside town, and Chiang Saen, which borders Laos. Continue to Chiang Rai where we'll check in to the hotel.

An unforgettable and exciting awaits as you board a longtail boat for a ride up the Mae Kok River. En route visit a temple located in a beautiful cave. Proceed to the Karen Hilltribe village at Baan Ruam Mid for an unforgettable visit. The hill-tribe members maintain their own distinct culture, religion, and language. You’ll see the unique way of life passed down from generation to generation within this minority group. Continue to visit Wat Huay Prakan and then Wat Rong Suea Ten or the “Blue Temple,” renowned for its magnificent blue interior, colorful murals, and immense white Buddha image.

This morning, we'll visit the White Temple, one of the most recognizable temples of Thailand. Afterward, we'll drive on to Chiang Mai, the “Rose of the North.” Your hotel is centrally located and only a short walk to the renowned night market. You’ll have a free afternoon to explore or relax. In the evening, you can take advantage of the proximity to the night market or partake in an optional Khantoke Dinner and performance. See Optional Tours for details. 

Today we meet Thailand’s beloved national animal, the stately elephant at a world-famous Elephant Nature Park. This top-rated Elephant Reserve has rescued elephants all over the country and serves as a sanctuary not just for elephants, but for hundreds of cats and dogs as well.

Chiang Mai has no shortage of temples; in fact, there are over 300! Take an optional morning city tour to see some of the city’s most interesting ones, including the regal Wat Phra That Doi Suthep which sits on a mountaintop overlooking Chiang Mai, where you'll have the opportunity to take part in morning offerings and prayers with the local monks. (See Optional Tours.) In the evening, we explore the balanced flavors of Thai cuisine with a cooking class. Whether you participate or watch, you’ll enjoy the delicious results of our labors at our farewell dinner.

Today fly to Phuket where the balance of the day is at leisure. Your hotel is ideally located at Patong Beach, overlooking the ocean.

Two full days at leisure to relax, shop or tour this scenic island. Perhaps head to Phi Phi Islands offering breathtaking scenery or go by boat and bus to Phang Nha Bay and the famous "James Bond Island."

Continue your leisurely stay on your magnificent Phuket island!

Final day at leisure for shopping or independent pursuits. Late today, fly back to Bangkok. Our tour comes to an end as we land in Bangkok today.