Culinary Trails of Thailand

Upon arrival at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, meet a representative who will assist with fast-track immigration. They will help with your luggage and introduce your EXO travel guide. Then, hop into an air-conditioned vehicle for your transfer to The Siam Hotel. Along the way, your guide will share insights about Bangkok, its rich history, and Thai culture.


Overnight in Bangkok

Inclusions:

Breakfast at the hotel and a morning at leisure.

After lunch, be picked up at 14:00. Begin the afternoon with a visit to the Grand Palace, which has served as the seat of Thailand’s revered Royal Family for more than two centuries. Stroll through the vast grounds, exploring the various temples, throne halls, the Emerald Buddha—the most revered Buddhist image in Thailand—and the museums within the compound, with a particular focus on the Queen Sirikit Museum. For those seeking a more exclusive experience, a curator from this remarkable museum will serve as your personal guide through the exhibits, which not only showcase high fashion but also chronicle the Queen's life and state visits.
 
On the way to Wat Pho, enjoy a coffee break at an authentic café.
 
Continue your journey with a visit to Wat Pho, one of Bangkok’s most enchanting temples. Walk around the temple grounds and explore its vast collection of religious treasures. Admire the famed reclining Buddha, which stretches 45 meters in length. Learn about the symbolism of the Buddha’s intricate footprints and witness devotees making offerings to this revered image.
 
Conclude the afternoon by experiencing the monks’ chanting ritual. Witness this deeply spiritual ceremony and gain a deeper understanding of Thailand’s Buddhist heritage.
 
Following the tour of these iconic Bangkok monuments, be transferred for this evening’s dinner at Nahm Restaurant, awarded “One Star Michelin” located at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok. 

 Overnight in Bangkok

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🍗 Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel.

You will be picked up at 08:00 and transferred to the banks of the Chao Phraya River to board a private solar-powered boat for a tour through Bangkok’s historic and charming khlongs (canals).
 
Turn onto the main river and into Bangkok Noi Khlong. Once a major trading route, this waterway is now lined with wooden shop houses and local temples. Your guide will point out local landmarks and cultural idiosyncrasies of the area.
 
Stop at Wat Ratcha Orasaram Ratchaworawihan, a distinctive temple featuring Chinese-style artwork and artifacts. Take a closer look at the temple’s roof, adorned with unique green-coated ceramic tiles. Continue onwards to Khlong Darn and visit Wat Nang Rachavora Viharn, built in the Ayutthaya style. 
 
Next, visit the insightful Wat Nang Museum. Explore its various exhibitions, learning about the history of Thonburi Khlong, and see ancient tools used by the community’s farmers, relics from royal court officials, and interesting displays of traditional medicine.
 
Observe the local lifestyles of the khlong residents as you approach Talad Phlu, one of Bangkok’s hidden neighborhoods. Disembark at the pier to explore this vibrant market, and stop at the popular Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Tek Heng Mee Krob Jeen Lee to sample mee krob, a delicious Thai-Chinese dish.

After lunch, be picked up by private van and return to the hotel. 

In the evening, explore the flavors, spices, and aromas of the city’s Village of Love—the historic Bangrak neighborhood. Experience local life as you take part in unique food tastings, each packed with authentic history and intimate stories of the neighborhood.
 
Our local experts have hand-picked dishes guaranteed to delight your taste buds, while sharing their insider knowledge of Bangkok and Thailand’s everyday culture. Enjoy a satisfying dinner of scrumptious street food.

To complete your evening, be transferred by local tuk tuk to a luxury hidden bar, Opium Bar by Restaurant Potong, owned by a Michelin-starred chef.

Overnight in Bangkok

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, check out and drive to Ayutthaya. After approximately 1.5 hours, arrive in Ayutthaya and begin exploring on a Kermit tuk tuk. Learn about the rich history of the site, from its founding as the capital in the 14th century to its demise at the hands of Burmese invaders in the 1700s. Venture through the temple-studded landscape, stopping to visit the venerated Wat Yai Chaimongkol and Wat Mahathat, where you can snap a photo of its iconic Buddha image entwined with a tree. Make a brief stop at a local dessert stall to try the famous candy floss roti, a beloved treat of Ayutthaya.
After a morning of exploring the ruins, hop into a private transfer for lunch at The Artisan Ayutthaya, a unique restaurant offering an elevated Thai dining experience in stunning surroundings. The staff, service, food, atmosphere, and location all have historical relevance to the Ayutthaya period.
The final stop on this relaxed-paced tour is a visit to the museum “Arts of the Kingdom.” This museum provides a deep insight into Royal Thai art, from handcrafted golden thrones to massive wooden sculptures and handwoven fabric pictures. It is a treasure trove of exquisite pieces. Take time to explore the museum with the assistance of your guide and the museum’s audio guide, learning about the history of the region and the cultural significance of the artifacts. Some pieces are modern and connected to today’s Thai royal family, while others are centuries old.
If time permits, you may also visit the Khon Museum. Khon is one of Thailand’s oldest narrative dance forms, telling historical stories through performance. Through the SUPPORT Foundation, Queen Sirikit commissioned a new theatrical interpretation of this ancient performance. The museum displays costumes, props, and apparatus used in Khon performances, along with the stories and traditions of this art form throughout history.
After exploring the impressive artifacts in these museums, check in at a boutique hotel in Ayutthaya.

Overnight in Ayutthaya

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, check out and drive approximately 2 hours to Khao Yai.

Before lunch, explore Khao Yai National Park. Take a walk along a natural trail and try to spot some wildlife; many birds can be seen, and with some luck, larger mammals may also appear.

Lunch at another Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, Kua Kampan Khao Yai, offering a wide range of local Thai delicacies, popular for both locals and tourists alike. 

After lunch, continue to a phenomenally and beautifully designed hotel, InterContinental Khao Yai, with the railway theme. 

Spend a free afternoon at leisure. Explore the resort on your own, visiting some of Thailand’s most innovative and celebrated rail-themed architecture. Learn about the original inspiration behind the designs, and walk along the railway tracks through the woods to discover a series of groundbreaking structures, seeing how the resort came together, piece by piece.

Overnight in Khao Yai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

Breakfast at the hotel. 

This morning, drive further to explore the wonders of Khao Yai with a captivating Vineyard Tour at GranMonte Vineyard, a family-owned estate. Begin your journey through the lush vineyards, learn about winemaking, and indulge in wine tasting, followed by a That Set lunch.

After lunch, return to the hotel with an en-route stop at a local mango farm, where a must-try dessert is grilled mango served with ice cream—a sweet ending to the day!

Enjoy a free afternoon at leisure.

Tonight, dinner will be served at Poirot Restaurant, offering a French dining experience reminiscent of the golden age of first-class train travel, set in an upcycled railcar. It is one of the most stylish and luxurious restaurants in Khao Yai.

Overnight in Khao Yai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, check out late in the morning and drive to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport for your onward flight to Chiang Mai.

Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, you will be met by your guide and transferred privately to your beautiful villa, nestled in the serene natural surroundings of the Mae Rim Valley. The villa is exclusively booked for you and your loved ones—Howie’s Homestay is the perfect choice!

Upon arrival, your host, Howie, will welcome you and give you a tour of his wonderful property. 

Enjoy an authentic home-cooked Thai dinner, prepared to Michelin-star quality, served at the homestay.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🍗 Dinner

Breakfast at the villa. Enjoy a free day to relax at your beautiful property. Spend the day unwinding or exploring on your own, with optional experiences recommended by your host.

Authentic home-cooked Thai lunch and dinner with Michelin star quality served at the homestay.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

After breakfast at the villa, you will be picked up and transferred to Mae Tang District, heading straight to the scenic evergreen Araksa Tea Garden, which specializes in producing high-quality Assam tea, a black tea named after India’s largest tea-growing region.

Upon arrival at the tea plantation, you will receive a warm welcome from the local guide, who will explain the processes and methods used to cultivate young tea plants, select seeds, and pick tea leaves. Then, take a bamboo basket and prepare to partake in harvesting tea. Following the guide’s instructions, pick and collect tea leaves to fill the basket.
Next, move to the roasting station to experience the art of making tea by hand, from kneading to roasting the leaves. After roasting, enjoy tea tasting accompanied by delicious Thai snacks. A Thai set lunch will be served at the Araksa Tea Garden restaurant before returning to your hotel in Chiang Mai.
After lunch, return to the villa and spend your free time at leisure, enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
Authentic home-cooked Thai dinner with Michelin star quality served at the homestay. 

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🍗 Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up and transferred to the Elephant Peace Project, located in Mae Yao District, about a 20-minute drive from Chiang Rai city center. First, you will be dropped off at a local meeting point, where you will transfer to a local pickup truck for the final 10-minute drive to the project. The journey continues along a rough path, offering a fun ride past local communities, rice paddies, and scenic mountainous landscapes.
 
As one of the ethical elephant sanctuaries, the Elephant Peace Project has a long history intertwined with the Karen hill tribe culture and their bond with Thailand’s elephant population. The sanctuary treats elephants not only as a royal symbol of Thailand but also as family members. Upon arrival, you will be introduced to the project, learning about the history of the Karen people, their culture, and how the elephants are cared for and respected.
 
After the introduction, greet the elephants and learn how to prepare nutritious food for them before starting the feeding session. You can then bathe with the elephants in the natural water or simply observe them enjoying their bath. You will also learn a few words of the elephants’ language, as used by Karen mahouts to command them, and have the opportunity to try communicating with the elephants yourself. Afterwards, trek with the elephants through the mountains or jungle and observe their natural behaviors, daily routines, and eating habits.
 
Lunch will be served at a local hut at the foothill of the mountain, overlooking the jungle. Here, you can enjoy your meal while observing the elephants and local buffaloes roaming freely in their natural surroundings.
The program concludes in the late afternoon, and you will be transferred back to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free for leisure.
In the evening, meet your guide and enjoy another exceptional culinary experience at Locus Native Food Lab, located close to your accommodation. This Chef’s Table experience by Chef Kong showcases his passion and unique food concepts. The menu can also be paired with fine wines for a complete gastronomic journey.


Overnight in Chiang Rai.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, check out and transfer to Chiang Rai Airport for your onward flight.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast