Itinerary
- Day 1
Bangkok
You're arriving in Bangkok today. If your flight gets in early, there's time to check out the Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, walk around Khao San Road, or grab a Thai massage before meeting your group. Your leader will find you at 5 pm, then you'll head to Krua Apsorn for dinner with authentic Thai dishes. Afterward, you'll wander the neighborhood and try some Thai sweets together.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome Dinner at Krua Apsorn restaurant with Thai cuisine)
Included Activities
- Welcome Dinner at Krua Apsorn
- Thai sweets tasting and exploration with leader and group
Optional Activities
- Grand Palace visit
- Temple of the Emerald Buddha visit
- Khao San Road exploration
- Thai massage
Landmarks/POIs Grand Palace Temple of the Emerald Buddha Khao San Road Krua Apsorn - Day 2
Bangkok
After an early breakfast, you're traveling to Tha Kha Floating Market to walk through the canals where vendors sell from boats and see how coconut palm sugar is made traditionally. You'll return to Bangkok by afternoon with free time to shop, rest, or explore on your own. Later your leader will take you on a walking tour through Chinatown where you'll sample street food and check out lively bars with live music playing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Tha Kha Floating Market tour
- Paddleboat exploration of waterways
- Palm Sugar Demonstration at riverside operation
- Chinatown walking tour
- Street food sampling in Chinatown
Optional Activities
- Live music at bars in Chinatown
- Group meal at lively bars in Chinatown
Landmarks/POIs Tha Kha Floating Market Chinatown - Day 3
Bangkok to Ayutthaya
Following breakfast, a private vehicle takes you to a local village and community farm for a hands-on cooking class focused on Central Thai food. You'll learn about traditional farming before preparing kaeng som, spicy fish cakes, and watercress salad with chicken plus multiple desserts. Later you're taking a longtail boat cruise on the Chao Phraya River to visit a Buddhist temple on a remote island, then heading to Ayutthaya with the evening free.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Home-cooked lunch of local delicacies prepared during cooking class), Dinner
Included Activities
- Local village and community farm visit
- Central Thai cooking class preparation
- Home-cooked lunch preparation: kaeng som (green papaya soup), spicy fish cakes, watercress salad with chicken
- Homemade dessert making lesson using coconut, rice milk and crispy noodles
- Chao Phraya River longtail boat cruise
- Buddhist temple visit on remote island
Landmarks/POIs Chao Phraya River Wat Niwet Thamma Prawat - Day 4
Ayutthaya
You're exploring Ayutthaya, which served as Siam's second capital and was once one of Asia's most powerful cities. Start with a street food demonstration and tasting of roti sai mai, then have lunch eating boat noodles. A guided tour takes you through temple ruins including Wat Phra Mahathat where you'll see the headless Buddhas and a Buddha head nestled in Banyan tree roots. Later you'll board an overnight train heading to Chiang Mai.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Boat noodles (guay-tieo-ruea) - fragrant pork broth, roasted meat slices, Thai-style pork balls, morning glory stalks, green onion, rice noodles), Dinner
Included Activities
- Roti Sai Mai demonstration and tasting
- Boat noodles (guay-tieo-ruea) tasting
- Guided tour of Ayutthaya temple ruins and remains
- Wat Phra Mahathat visit
- Buddha head surrounded by Banyan tree roots viewing
Landmarks/POIs Wat Phra Mahathat Ayutthaya Temple Ruins - Day 5
Chiang Mai
You arrive in Chiang Mai by mid-morning, the vibrant heart of Northern Thailand with its temples and distinctive regional cuisine. Lunch is plant-based at a local restaurant using organic vegetables from nearby farms. You'll take an orientation walk through the old quarter, stop at Wat Chedi Luang, and visit Akha Ama coffee enterprise. Dinner is at a local restaurant, and if you're interested, you can check out the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar for handicrafts and street food.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Plant-based meal at local restaurant using organic vegetables from nearby farms), Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Wat Chedi Luang entrance and visit
- Leader-led Old Quarter orientation walk
- Coffee stop at Akha Ama social enterprise
Optional Activities
- Chiang Mai Night Bazaar exploration for handicrafts and street food
Landmarks/POIs Wat Chedi Luang Akha Ama Chiang Mai Night Bazaar - Day 6
Chiang Mai to Thai Village Homestay
You're traveling to a small Thai village where you'll meet your homestay host Aoi. After lunch at a restaurant specializing in fermented rice noodles, you'll visit local producers including a mushroom farm to gather ingredients. Then comes a Northern Thai cooking class where you'll prepare a khan tok dinner with eleven dishes like nam prik ong, deep fried vegetables, hung leh curry, and mushroom larb, with local musicians performing during the meal.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at restaurant specializing in fermented rice noodles), Dinner (Khan tok dinner with eleven dishes including nam prik ong, deep fried vegetables, hung leh curry, and mushroom larb)
Included Activities
- Travel to Thai village homestay
- Local producers visit including mushroom farm
- Khan Tok Northern Thai cooking class
- Khan Tok dinner with eleven dishes: nam prik ong (chilli paste with tomatoes), deep fried vegetables, hung leh (curry), mushroom larb (spicy mushroom salad)
- Local musicians performance during dinner
Landmarks/POIs Thai village - Day 7
Thai Village to Chiang Mai
Start with a Northern Thai breakfast of gai tod, fried rice, sweet sticky rice, and egg custard. After saying goodbye to your homestay hosts, you'll drive to the Doi Suthep temple complex. Climbing the 300-step naga-guarded stairway gets you to the temples where you can hear Buddhist monks chanting and take in sweeping city views. Back in town you'll have lunch eating khao soi. This afternoon you're exploring Warorot Market, one of Chiang Mai's largest, sampling regional snacks like sai ua and bamboo worms.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Northern Thai breakfast of gai tod (fried chicken), fried rice, sweet sticky rice, and egg custard), Lunch (Khao soi (curry noodle dish))
Included Activities
- Doi Suthep Temple Visit
- 300-step naga-guarded stairway climb
- Temple and city views exploration
- Khao soi lunch
- Warorot Market (Kad Luang) exploration
Optional Activities
- Sai ua (Chiang Mai sausage) tasting
- Bamboo worms tasting
Landmarks/POIs Doi Suthep Warorot Market - Day 8
Chiang Mai Departure
Your trip concludes after breakfast today. You're free to leave whenever you'd like. If you want to stay longer in Chiang Mai, contact your booking agent before arriving to add extra nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Additional accommodation in Chiang Mai (available with prior booking)
