BANGKOK, GOLDEN TRIANGLE, CHIANG RAI AND CHIANG MAI
The Kingdom of Thailand is a veritable feast for the senses, and you’ll savor its fascinating culture, extraordinary art and architecture, and flavorful cuisine with gusto. Our escorted women-only Thailand tour package takes you to places both remote and well-known, starting with bustling Bangkok, the capital and the most visited city in the world. Enjoy the visual splendor and vibrant energy of Bangkok where you’ll learn about the role of Thai women in both their culture and society and visit Nakhom Pathom Temple where female monks live and practice their religion. Next, breathe in Northern Thailand’s zen beauty and cultural delights. Intersect with Thailand, Myanmar and Laos at the Golden Triangle before visiting laid-back Chiang Rai and temple-rich Chiang Mai, where an elephant experience and a Thai cooking class add spice to this amazing destination!
Looking for a roommate or to connect with other women before your trip? Join our smarTours Women-Only Facebook group! Visit the group here (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1145762302478350/) and click the + Join Group button!
Itinerary at a Glance
Tour Itinerary:
4 nights in Bangkok
1 night in Phitsanulok
1 night in Lampang
2 nights in Chiang Rai
3 nights in Chiang Mai
Tour Highlights
Buddhist Temples (Bangkok)
Floating Market (Bangkok)
Grand Palace (Bangkok)
Wat Mongkol Borpith Statue (Ayutthaya)
Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai)
Wat Doi Suthep (Chiang Mai)
“The Role of Thai Women in Thai Culture & Society” Presentation
Nakhom Pathom Temple Visit with Female Monks
Redbox Project Visit with Lunch
Your Tour Includes
Optional round-trip airfare from Los Angeles (LAX) including taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
Airfare taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
Intra-Thailand flight and ground transportation
Accommodations at superior first-class hotels
Full buffet American breakfast daily (B)
Welcome dinner in Bangkok (D)
Lunch at Redbox Restaurant (L)
Cooking Class with Dinner in Chiang Mai (D)
Sightseeing Thailand tours as per itinerary and all transfers
Professional English-speaking Tour Director throughout
Find your special women-only tour experiences in bold in the itinerary below.
Map
Click the Day by Day itinerary above (or swipe on mobile devices) to see the experiences that await on each day of your tour.
Flights
Note: Flights may not be available on all departures.
You may have to book your own flights to the tour destination. If so, you are responsible for making your own way to the tour starting point, where you will meet your Tour Director. This is normally the first hotel in your itinerary.
Land in Thailand’s capital, the “city of angels,” today and continue to our hotel.
Accommodations: Menam Riverside Hotel or similar
Day 2:
Bangkok
After a special orientation breakfast, we’ll tour some of Bangkok’s most impressive Buddhist temples. Marvel at the five-ton solid gold statue of Buddha at Wat Trimitr and the colossal 150-foot-long reclining Buddha at Wat Po. We’ll also stop at the White Marble Temple, one of the finest examples of Thai architecture. Spend the afternoon at your leisure or hop aboard an optional canal boat ride across the river for a glimpse of daily Thai life. Later, attend a lecture focusing on "The Role of Thai Women in Thai Culture & Society". Our lecturer is a well-known sociology professor from Chulalongkorn University. After the lecture, there will be an opportunity to ask any follow-up questions during the Q&A session. Your first full day in Thailand ends with a welcome dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3:
Bangkok
With a full days 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 five optional tours and dinners that are specially priced for smarTours travelers, including a tour of the Grand Palace, an afternoon on the canals and two unforgettable dinner excursions. See Optional Tours for specific details.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4:
Bangkok
A market on water? Today's fascinating full-day excursion takes you first to the colorful floating market of Damneon Saduak. It’s great fun watching merchants selling food, produce, baskets and other wares from their boats. Photo ops abound! Our other stop is Phra Pathom Chedi, the world’s tallest stupa, a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine. Afterwards, visit the Nakhom Pathom Temple where female monks live and practice their religion. These Buddhist monks are known as bhikkhunis and are not ofifically recognized by Thailand's conservative Buddhist clergy, and must travel abroad to destinations like Sri Lanka to be ordained. During your visit, you'll meet with these women and join a discussion about their ongoing struggle for recognition in Thailand.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5:
Bangkok/Ayutthaya/Phitsanulok
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 Lopburi to view the magnificent stone carvings of Phra Prang Sam Yot and the mischievous inhabitants of the Monkey Temple. Our drive winds past rice paddies to Phitsanulok, the gateway to Northern Thailand, where Buddha images are made in the authentic way.
Accommodations: Topland Hotel or similar Meals: Breakfast
Day 6:
Phitsanulok/Sukhothai/Lampang
Before leaving Phistsanulok, we'll stop at the famous Buddha Foundry where Buddha images are made in authentic way. Afterward, we'll continue to two UNESCO World Heritage sites featuring imposing temple 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.
Accommodations: Wienglakor Hotel or similar Meals: Breakfast
Day 7:
Chiang Rai
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). Continue to Chiang Rai where we'll check in to the hotel.
Accommodations: Phowadol Resort & Spa or similar Meals: Breakfast
Day 8:
Chiang Rai
Spend the morning at leisure. You can also take an optional boat trip on the Mae Kok River to visit hill tribe villages. Learn about their culture and see how these hill-tribe villagers live in a contemporary setting. This afternoon, journey to Phayao, a quaint lakeside town, and Chiang Saen, which borders Laos. Here we’ll take a short boat ride on the Mekong River to the Golden Triangle, the meeting point of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
Accommodations: Phowadol Resort & Spa or similar Meals: Breakfast
Day 9:
Chiang Rai/Chiang Mai
This morning, we 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. Enjoy lunch at the Redbox Restaurant, which stands for: ready, eatable, and distinctiveness. Recently awarded a Michelin Star, the restaurant was founded by Chef Dan who has more than fifteen years experience in the food industry in Australia and Brunei with international recognition, enjoy his unique take on traditional southeast Asian cuisine . 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.
Accommodations: Empress Hotel Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10:
Chiang Mai
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.
Accommodations: Empress Premier Hotel Meals: Breakfast
Day 11:
Chiang Mai
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.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12:
Chiang Mai/Depart Bangkok
Our final day in Chiang Mai offers ample free time for shopping or independent pursuits. It’s a manageable city to navigate, and your Tour Director will have plenty of suggestions. We’ll fly back to Bangkok late in the day where our tour comes to an end.
Meals: Breakfast
Guided Tour Pricing
We are working diligently to secure future tour dates and pricing for
this itinerary. Please fill out the "Request a Future Date" form
linked below, and we will notify you once dates are available.
Enhance your trip with these optional tours.
Indicated optional tours are available to pre-book
when you reserve your trip and can be added to your
reservation up to final payment. This is the best option
to guarantee your spot on your preferred optional tour!
Optional tours require a minimum number of participants.
Optional tours are non-refundable unless they do not operate.
Some optional tours can be purchased in-destination and
may cost extra. The payment methods and currency
information to purchase tours in-destination will be
provided on final documentation.
Railway Market & Floating Market Tour
$45 per person
Early morning drives out of Bangkok and first stop to visit Mae Klong railway market. The market is also called Talad Rom Hoop, roughly translates to closing an umbrella or awning. As the name suggests, part of the market is situated on the railway. Every morning till late in the evening, this market springs to life selling a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, snacks, and clothes and accessories. However, what makes the market unique and exciting is the fact that a train will run through the market, the action at the railway market begins several minutes before the train is due to pass through the market. As soon as the siren signals the arrival of the train, everything stops. Shoppers will hop off the tracks, and vendors will quickly pack their goods and prepare to close/retract their awnings from the train track as the train passes by. This process happens fairly quickly since the awning poles have wheels attached. Once the train is gone, its business as usual as if nothing happened. For the locals, they are neither excited nor annoyed by this event since the market has been here long before the railway. Next, continue drive to the colorful floating market of Damneon Saduak. It’s great fun watching merchants selling food, produce, baskets and other wares from their boats. Photo ops abound!
Note: This optional activity is available on Day 5.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
The Klongs (Canals) Afternoon Tour
$50 per person
Discover why Bangkok has been nicknamed the “Venice of the East!” Depart your hotel to Thornburi, situated on the right bank of the river, where you’ll board a private motorboat and ride along the canals to get a firsthand impression of the scenic life along the city’s waterways. A stop will also be made at the Royal Barge Museum.
Note: This optional activity is available as an afternoon tour on Day 3.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
The Imperial “Grand Palace” Tour
$40 per person
This not-to-be-missed morning guided tour takes you to the Imperial Grand Palace, one of the most beautiful examples of ancient Siamese architecture. Former residence of the Kings, the mile-square palace grounds contain the greatest concentration of Thai arts and architecture in the country, including the Temple of the “Emerald Buddha.”
Note: This optional activity is available as a morning tour on Day 5. A dress code is strictly enforced at the Grand Palace. Men must wear long pants, and women must cover their legs to just above the knee. Avoid wearing tight-fitting stretch pants or “revealing” clothing, and refrain from wearing sleeveless shirts or showing your shoulders.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Siam Niramit Show and Dinner
$58, dinner included
This “must” evening begins with a sumptuous Thai and international buffet dinner. Dinner is followed with an extravagantly staged performance depicting Thailand's historical and spiritual heritage. Boasting over 150 dazzling performers and state-of-the-art special effects, this $40 million production takes you on a journey to the enchanting Kingdom of Siam. Transfers from the hotel and back are included.
Note: This optional activity is available as an evening tour on Day 4.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Grand Pearl Cruise
$65, dinner included
Enjoy a sumptuous Asian dinner while slowly drifting along the Chao Phraya River. This is a relaxing way to see the scenic river life by night firsthand.
Note: This optional activity is available as an afternoon tour on Day 3 and conflicts with the Klongs tour. Travelers may select either this tour or the Grand Pearl Cruise tour, but cannot book both.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Mae Kok River Boat Trip & Hilltribe Tour
$35 per person
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.
Note: This optional activity is available as a morning tour on Day 9.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Khantoke Dinner and Entertainment
$32 per person
Enjoy a dinner featuring local specialties, followed by a breathtaking performance of songs and dance by members of local hilltribes dressed in traditional garb.
Note: This optional activity is available as an evening tour on Day 10.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Morning City/Temple Tour
$32 per person
Explore this charming city and visit some of its most interesting temples. The highlight is the golden, gleaming Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple, tucked away in the mountains at 3,500 feet above sea level, a sacred place for many Thai people with simply divine views. Here you'll have the opportunity to take part in the morning offerings and prayers with the local monks.
Note: This optional activity is available as a morning tour on Day 12 and conflicts with the Local Life: Chiang Mai Rickshaw Explorer tour and the Essence of Chiang Mai: Full-Day Coffee & Jungle Trail excursion. Travelers may select either this tour or the Local Life: Chiang Mai Rickshaw Explorer tour or the Essence of Chiang Mai tour, but cannot more than one of these three tours.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Ban Hmong Mae Sa Mai & Orchid Farm
$38 per person
On our optional tour, we'll depart this morning and travel approximately 25 miles to Hmong Mae Sa Mai. We'll begin at the Hmong Mae Sa Mai Learning Center where we'll meet a staff member and learn more about the Hmong people from their history, way of life and beliefs, and equipment and tools for agriculture. Afterwards, we'll walk through the village to observe their way of life. Afterwards, stop at the orchid farm en route back to Chiang Mai.
Note: Please bear in mind that the villagers may not be at home as they might be in fields, farms, or town for their own work. Even those who are home may not dress in their traditional costume or may wear part of their traditional costume. Only the staff at the learning center will dress up in full.
Note: This optional activity is available on Day 13.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
What to Expect
Max Group Size: 30 travelers
For more detailed information about this tour and destination, visit
our Before You Depart section.
