Our Thailand vacation begins as we board an international flight bound for Bangkok. Enjoy inflight meals, beverages and entertainment.

Touch down in Bangkok, Thailand's vibrant capital city. Meet your guide at the Bangkok airport and enjoy a convenient transfer to your hotel for the next 5 nights. Enjoy the rest of the evening free at leisure, perhaps relaxing at the hotel or exploring this exhilarating city independently. 

*Airport transfers are not included for land only travelers*

A fusion of über-modern skyscrapers, buzzing markets and golden temples that express the Thai people’s Buddhist beliefs, Bangkok always delights visitors. After breakfast, depart on a half-day city tour of the main sights, starting at the stunning Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Trimitr), home to the world’s biggest solid-gold statue of Buddha.  Pass by the Paklong Talat Flower Market, a whirlwind of stalls selling masses of perfumed orchids, marigolds and roses. End with a visit to the famous Wat Benchamabophit, also known as the Marble Temple, one of Bangkok’s best known temples. 

After a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy the afternoon independently, or perhaps explore Bangkok’s must-sees on our optional Landmark of Bangkok tour.  Enjoy a guided tour of Bangkok’s famous landmarks beginning with the Grand Palace, a sprawling 18th-century complex of residences and temples that were home to the Kings of Siam and Thailand for 150 years. Stroll around the courtyards to view the gilded buildings, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, regarded as Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist shrine.  Meander through the winding Chao Phraya River on a motor boat, with views of the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun). Finish your tour with a stop at a local gem workshop and silk factory to see how these precious items are produced. 

*Men and women must have their shoulders, arms and legs covered when visiting the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple*

A free day beckons, giving you the opportunity to explore and enjoy Bangkok on your own. Alternatively, make the most of your time with our optional full-day Elephant's World Sanctuary, Bridge over River Kwai & Floating Market excursion.

Following breakfast, depart Bangkok for the fascinating Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Ride a long-tail speed boat around the lively canals, passing boats and stalls laden with fresh produce, spices and handicrafts. Visit the Elephant's World Sanctuary for rescued elephants. Admire, feed and help bathe these incredible animals in the river before enjoying lunch at the camp. Continue on to the scenic Kanchanaburi Province, where you will have the chance to visit the Bridge over River Kwai, famously connected to the ‘Death Railway’ of World War II, and the poignant Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, home to 9,000 Allied war graves.

Enjoy today free at leisure or perhaps join our Ayutthaya World Heritage optional tour and venture north to the historical city of Ayutthaya, home to the UNESCO-listed ruins of the medieval capital of Siam. Founded in 1350, this royal city was a major power for over 400 years, until Burmese forces destroyed it in the 1700s. Stroll around the remains of this once-thriving city, seeing the restored chedi of the crumbled Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the blackened remnants of monasteries, the carved Buddha face entangled in tree roots, and the working Wat Yai Chaimongkol temple. Your tour also includes time at the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace, a beautiful lakeside retreat of Thailand’s kings during the 19th century. 

 

Enjoy today free at leisure and spend the evening as you wish or enjoy our optional dinner cruise on the Grand Pearl ship along the Chao Phraya River.

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Thailand and transfer to Bangkok airport for your return flight home.