Bangkok, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai

Upon arrival in Bangkok, you will meet your guide and driver and then transfer to the hotel in the city. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Following breakfast, you will visit the highlights of Bangkok, accompanied by your guide. You will visit two of the most impressive temples in Bangkok. You begin from the Reclining Buddha at Wat Po, which is a gigantic image covered in gold leaf lying majestically on its side. Next, you will proceed to the Grand Palace, comparable to none in Thailand. King Rama built it in 1782, and it was the center of power for more than 150 years, making it a significant landmark of Bangkok today. The Palace shares the compound with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha- Wat Pra Kaew- which enshrines Thailand's most precious image of the Lord Buddha carved from single jade stone.

You will enjoy a Thai style lunch at a local restaurant near the river. After that, you will travel on the picturesque Chao Phraya River, also known as 'The River of Kings.' Then go through the Klongs (canals) of Thonburi, which is on the west side of the river from Bangkok. Enjoy the views of the local dwellings and temples along with the waterways. You will also visit a significant riverside landmark, the Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun. With its incredibly beautiful architecture and the highest level of craftsmanship, it makes the temple one of the most outstanding of its kind in Thailand. The spire prang, colorfully decorated with colored glass and Chinese porcelain, rises 70m high on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. You can see this beautiful temple from quite a distance.

From the temple, you will transport back to the hotel. The tour lasts for 5-6 hours, and you will have time to wash up and change before we proceed for the China town food tour.

Please Note the Dress Code: Temples are a national shrine, so travelers are required to wear proper attire (no bare shoulders, shorts, short skirts, or open-toe shoes, think 'business casual attire'). You must remove shoes before entering the temple building as a matter of respect.

In the evening (5:30 p.m.), your guide will lead you through the Chinatown, locally called Yaowarat, with thousands of street food stalls. Discover delicious and authentic foods of Thailand! You will sample a variety of dishes such as Hong Kong noodles, Dim-Sum (Pan-fried Taro Cake, steamed pork rib, grilled jumbo prawn with Thai seafood chili sauce, fried battered mussels, Chinese bun, Old Chinese Herbal drink, Black Sesame dumpling in ginger tea and Thai seasonal tropical fruits.

Arrive Chiang Rai by morning flight. Meet with our guide and drive uphill to visit Yao & Akha Hilltribe Villages. Continue driving up Doi Mae Salong to Santi Kiri KMT Yunan Chinese Refugee settlement, with its tea plantations and see also co‐op store where they sell home‐made wines, medical herbs, and even other locally grown products. The villagers are ethnic Chinese, descendants of the KMT Nationalist Chinese army regiment. They were a refugee in Thailand almost 50 years ago when the Communist Forces won the civil war in mainland China. Doi Mae Salong enjoys a cool and refreshing climate all year round. In January, Japanese Sakura flowers cover the hillsides.

After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Black House Museum, their art gallery contains the Thai National Visual Art Artist Mr. Thawan Duchanee's works. In the area of more than 100 rai, there are 25 northern-style building where installs of the local arts from the past to present. Most of the buildings are in black and decorated with woodcuts, antlers, elephant bones, etc.

Transfer to hotel for check-in.

This morning visit the Golden Triangle, which is a tripoint of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, followed by a boat ride on the Mekong River to see activities along the border of Laos. Stop at Don Sao Island on to visit the local market selling local handicrafts.

After lunch at a local restaurant in the Golden Triangle area, we drive to Mae Sai, which is geographically the most northern town of Thailand on the border to Burma. A bridge over the Mae Sai River connects the two countries, and the bridge allows lively cross border traffic between the Thais and Burmese. Return your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, then visit Wat Rong Khun, also called "The white temple"; inside, it contains murals and paintings of the Buddha image and painted enamel ceramic floor. The outside is being created with lime sculpture Thai designs decorated with small pieces of mirror that make the building sparkle and shine under the sunlight.

Drive to Mae Ka Chan, which is famous for its hot springs. Then we continue our trip through scenic hillsides and jungles to Chiang Mai, the "Rose of the North."

Lunch at a local restaurant before arrival into Chiang Mai, check into the beautiful resort, and surround by nature and relax.

Today, we travel approximately 165 miles in 4-5 hours.

Breakfast at the hotel; visit the Thai Elephant Care Centre and learn about the elephants. You will learn to make ground grass. Feed elephants with ground grass. We will also visit the cemetery of the elephants and the night resting area of the elephant. We will have the opportunity to learn how to make the herb balls.

Elephant bathing is quite exciting, and we do not want to miss it. If you wish, you could feed elephants the bananas.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit a large Orchid Nursery. Then, we drive up to Doi Suthep to visit Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep (it was built in A.D. 1384). It is 3,500 feet above sea-level, the most sacred temple in Northern Thailand, containing a holy relic of Lord Buddha, with a challenging flight of over 300 walking steps, flanked by enormous mythological Nagas. From here, you can see a panoramic view of the city.

Return to the hotel in the afternoon.

If you can wake up early (6 a.m.), your guide can take you to a nearby temple where you can observe 'Alms Giving to the Monks'- a long Thai Buddhist tradition. Every morning at dawn, the devotees from the nearby areas come to the temple and offer alms to the monks. The alms include rice with curries and fruits. By giving alms to the monks, the devotees feel peace and happiness and also believe that they earn merits.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport in time for a flight to Bangkok. You have a free afternoon in Bangkok to pursue your interests.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport in time for a flight to your next destination.