Tour Overview
Thailand is a rush for your senses: a bustling, exotic, and vivid culture that never ceases to amaze visitors. On this cultural tour, you’ll visit Thailand’s gilded temples, one more gorgeous than the next, in the cities of Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and Chiang Mai. Other highlights include a cruise through Bangkok’s canals, a visit to a rural hill tribe village, riding elephants through the jungle and exciting shopping opportunities in Chiang Mai’s famous night bazaar. Continue to Cambodia, where you’ll visit the bustling capital of Phnom Penh. Tour the Royal Palace with its dazzling Silver Pagoda. Then it’s on to Angkor Wat, where you have two days to explore the spectacular carved stone temples of this World Heritage site.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Bangkok, ThailandArrive Bangkok International Airport. Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, you are met by an iExplore Representative who will greet and assist you in the arrival hall. Transfer to you hotel, where the balance of the day is at leisure. Be prepared to experience another world in Thailand. Life is simply more vivid and more exotic here. It is a land of unending and unforgettable images: magnificent temples, bustling markets, and tranquil villages. Each of these images reaffirms a strong, vibrant, and timeless spirit that is uniquely Thai.
Overnight: Bangkok Day 2: Bangkok
After breakfast, travel by long-tail speed boat on the picturesque Chao Phraya River and klongs (canals) to see the serene family houses and temples along the waterways that give this city the name “Venice of the East.” Visit the elegant Temple of Dawn, whose 79-m spire silhouette has become so identified with Bangkok. We’ll stop at a neighborhood monastery to learn about Thai Buddhism and at an old wooden schoolhouse where kids delight in visitors. After lunch, visit the Grand Palace, a lavish, awe-inspiring monument of tapering gilded spires, majestic pavilions, dazzling murals, and brilliant colors. A glorious example of Thai architecture through the ages, the Grand Palace is a feast for the senses. Housed in its own temple, the Emerald Buddha is the most sacred image of the Buddha in Thailand and is believed to guarantee the independence and prosperity of the nation. Bangkok is a shopper’s paradise, and few visitors leave the city without a few trinkets. The itinerary can be varied to suit the desires of the guests and the time available. Points most frequently selected include a silk factory, major shopping mall, antique shops, etc. Thai Dinner & Classical Dance at White Elephant Restaurant. This evening introduces you to mystical dances, Thai cuisine and a truly Thai ambiance. During dinner, feast your eyes on the grace and beauty of the dancers, elegantly performing stories from classical Thai literature and folktales.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Bangkok Day 3: Bangkok- Ayutthaya- Bangkok
After breakfast, depart from Bangkok by road through the countryside to the north of Bangkok, heading for Ayutthaya, the former capital of Siam. Ayutthaya was the capital of a truly fabulous kingdom for 417 years (1350-1767), built on what Sukhothai had begun and carried onward with remarkable flair and panache. It also set the standards for Bangkok to follow. At the magnificent city ruins, you can see the largest Buddha image of Phra Mongkhon Bophit. Continue to Bang Pa-In Summer Palace of King Rama V, consisting of buildings in a quaint mixture of European and Thai architecture. You will have a chance to visit the interior of Chinese Wehat Chamrun Palace. Cruise back to Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River aboard the luxurious Horizon Cruise. En route, observe the scenic beauty and friendliness of the canal folks as you enjoy a sumptuous lunch.
Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight: Bangkok Day 4: Bangkok- Chiang Mai
This morning you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Chiang Mai. Thailand’s second largest city, Chiang Mai seems able to combine the relaxed, slow motion world of a Thai village with the facilities and sights of a big city. The city has a rich and colorful history, still evident in the architecture that includes more than 300 wats (temples.) The most significant and interesting wats are located within the city walls. The city of Chiang Mai has a wealth of beautiful and historic Buddhist Wats (temples) and on this tour a visit to the most fascinating is made. Near the summit of Doi Suthep, a 1600-meter peak named after the hermit Sudeva who lived on the mountain's slopes for many years, is the 600-year-old temple of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. After a drive up the mountain's winding road, the final climb to the site is via a magnificent Naga (dragon-headed serpent) staircase of 306 steps. Inside the cloisters is an intriguing copper-plated chedi topped by a five-tier gold umbrella, which contains partial relics of Lord Buddha. On a clear day, there are incomparable views over the city of Chiang Mai from the grounds of the temple. Other temple visits on this tour include Wat Jet Yot dating back to the mid 15th century and whose seven spires represent the seven weeks Buddha spent in Bodhgaya after his enlightenment. Wat Suan Dok whose large central stupa contains a Buddha relic which supposedly self-multiplied! One of these relics was mounted on the back of a white elephant that was allowed to wander until it chose a site on which a Wat could be built to shelter the relic. The elephant stopped and died at a spot on Doi Suthep, where Wat Prathat Doi Suthep was built. Wat Chiang Man, the oldest Wat in the city, features typical northern Thai architecture with massive teak columns inside. Tonight enjoy dinner at Le Grand Lanna. Ancient Lanna culture has been the foundation of northern Thai lifestyle for almost a thousand years. There is no better way of experiencing the atmosphere and ideals of Lanna than at Le Grand Lanna. Modeled on the original architectural design, this teak restaurant is set in 28 acres of beautiful garden. After dinner, visit the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. With its wide range of goods at competitive prices, this easily rivals Bangkok’s Chatuchak Market. Inside are endless stalls selling hill tribe crafts, leather goods, and clothing.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Chiang Mai Day 5: Chiang Mai
Day at leisure, or join one of these full day excursions: Option #1: Doi Inthanon National Park, home to the highest mountain in Thailand (2,565 meters). The park offers beautiful scenery, evergreen forests, dwarf rhododendron groves and many types of habitat. The area is popular for bird watching, with nearly 400 bird species, many from North Asia including mountain hawks and Eurasian woodcocks. Other stops along the winding road include Karen hill tribe villages, Wachiratharn waterfall and the twin chedi built by the Thai Air Force to commemorate King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit. Lunch is included. Option #2: Visit the Mae Taman Elephant Camp to see the show. Enjoy an elephant ride across the Mae Tang River and up the hill. This lasts about 1 hour. Then, return by oxcart to the elephant village where lunch will be served. Your rafting adventure starts from here and lasts for approximately 45 minutes along the Mae Tang River. This place is relatively unspoiled. Next, travel to the Orchid Farm, where you may view many beautiful species of orchid.
Breakfast
Overnight: Chiang Mai Day 6: Chiang Mai- Bangkok- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Transfer from hotel for morning flight to Bangkok and connect on to Phnom Penh. Upon exiting the arrival hall of Phnom Penh International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of day at leisure. At the heart of Phnom Penh, this well-appointed hotel sits on bustling Monivong Boulevard just 10 minutes from the airport and moments away from Embassies, Banks, Ministries and the Business District. Within walking distance are picturesque Buddhist pagodas, French colonial mansions and a wealth of shopping havens laden with treasures waiting to be discovered.
Breakfast
Overnight: Phnom Penh Day 7: Phnom Penh- Siem Reap
Today explore Phnom Penh with its graceful tree-lined boulevards and riverfront promenades, reminders of bygone eras. To start, you will visit the Royal Palace, which was built in 1866 by King Norodom. The Palace is actually a number of structures within a pagoda-style compound. Silver Pagoda located within the Royal Palace compound, the Silver Pagoda is so names because of its floor, which is made up of 5,000 silver tiles. The treasures are a solid gold Buddha encrusted with 9, 584 diamonds and weighing 90kilos and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha and National Museum, which it houses of Khmer art especially sculptures, from different periods of Cambodian history, 19th century dance costumes, royal barges and palanquins. Explore one of Phnom Penh’s great markets, the Central Market, located in a domed Art Deco building and the Russian Market, a labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CD’s to silk, crafts, jewellery and more. Transfer to airport for flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel. This evening enjoy dinner at a local restaurant with private transfer from the hotel.
Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Siem Reap Day 8: Siem Reap
This morning you will visit Angkor Wat, the largest temple in the world, with a volume of stone equaling that of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. It is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west and is inspired by 12th Century Hinduism. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Conceived by Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat took an estimated 30 years to build. It is generally believed to have been a funeral temple for the king. It has been occupied continuously by Buddhist monks and is well preserved. Intricate bas-reliefs surround Angkor Wat on four sides. Each tells a story. The most celebrated of these is the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, which is located on the east wing. Continuing your touring, you will visit the monumental magnificence of Angkor Thom - last capital of the Khmers, with its Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the stunning Bayon temple. This 12th century masterpiece lies at the very centre of Angkor Thom and is an archaeological wonder of symmetry and grandeur. The exterior gallery walls have extensive bas-reliefs but the highlight is the “faces”, more than 200 of them, silent but with the famous half-smile playing on their lips. PJ de Beerski wrote of them; “godliness in the majesty and the size, mystery in the expression.”
This afternoon, visit Ta Prohm, the temple that has been left largely in its natural state since its “re-discovery” by French explorers. Surrounded by jungle, its labyrinth of stone hallways is overgrown with the roots and limbs of massive banyan trees, which envelop the stone like tentacles. It is one of the largest temples at Angkor, dedicated in 1186. Historians have noted its mystical charm. You will continue a visit to Preah Khan "The Sacred Sword", an extensive monastic complex covering over 56 hectares built by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and teaching complex. It is one of a group of temple complexes situated on a small 'Baray'. Preah Khan is the site of the World Monuments Fund ‘prime’ Asian project a painstaking renovation whilst maintaining it’s mysterious allures and superb original structure. Watch the sunset over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple before transferring to a local restaurant for dinner.
Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Siem Reap Day 9: Siem Reap- Bangkok- Depart
This morning, you drive to Ton Le Sap Lake, the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia, is the lifeblood of the Cambodian fishing industry. The Mekong River, from as a far away as Phnom Penh, reverses the direction of the Ton Le Sap river to bring an overflow of water and silt to support both rice growing and the breeding fish of many sizes and varieties. Hopping on board a small shaded vessel and moving between the floating homes and small fish farms you will experience close up, daily lake life. This afternoon, transfer to airport for your departure flight.
Breakfast
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