Thailand Holiday with a Twist

📍 Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport – Bangkok Hotel (approx. 30 – 40 km): approx. 50 min – 1 hr

Upon arrival in Bangkok, meet with our Exo Travel guide and transfer to the hotel.

In the early evening, guests will be transferred to the meeting point at Hua Lamphong Railway Station, where they will begin a street food walking tour through one of Bangkok’s best-kept secrets—Chinatown, a neighborhood internationally renowned for having the city’s longest street food strip.

On this tour, guests will explore hidden backstreets and experience the vibrant energy and neon lights of Yaowarat Road. Along the way, they will be introduced to the history of the area and sample delicious offerings from some of Chinatown’s most beloved street food vendors. Highlights include famous Chinese dumplings, peppered pork noodles, Chinese donuts, and more. Guests will also enjoy traditional Chinese desserts and visit a local tea shophouse.

After the tour, unwind with a refreshing cocktail at Samsara Bar and Restaurant, one of the city's riverside hotspots.

Overnight in Bangkok

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, begin the day with a visit to the Royal Grand Palace, Bangkok’s number one “must-see” attraction and Thailand’s most important landmark. Our guide will take you on an in-depth journey through Thailand’s

history and royal heritage. You will be awed by the grandeur and majesty of the buildings and throne halls. Today, the palace is used only for occasional ceremonial purposes by the Royal Family. Of course, you will also marvel at the mysterious Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha image in Thailand, which resides in Wat Phra Kaew, adjoining the Grand Palace within the same compound.

Note: The Grand Palace is one of the city’s most popular destinations and consistently ranks as a top must-see place in Bangkok. Unsurprisingly, it attracts millions of tourists annually. To help you make the most of your visit and avoid crowds, your guide will have the flexibility to schedule the temple visit either early in the morning or late in the afternoon, depending on your itinerary. If you find the crowds overwhelming, your guide can bring you to an alternative temple in the area, such as Wat Saket or Wat Suthat. This decision must be made before entering the Grand Palace.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

After lunch, visit Wat Pho—Bangkok’s oldest and arguably most impressive temple—home to the magnificent 45-meter-long Reclining Buddha. Following the temple visit, participate in a Thai massage training session at the temple’s massage school. This course is designed for those interested in learning the correct techniques for using their hands to provide relaxation for both body and mind. During the three-hour training, guests will learn how massages affect the body and soul, study massage techniques, and discover the energy lines of the hands, arms, and shoulders, as well as how to apply the correct pressure points.

In the evening, it will be your turn to receive a massage. You will be transferred to a hidden, small massage place called Perception, located in one of Bangkok’s central business districts. This special and unique massage venue offers relaxing treatments provided by trained blind masseurs.

Overnight in Bangkok

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, explore the flavors, spices, and aromas of the city’s “Village of Love”—the historic Bangrak neighborhood. Experience how the locals live, eat, and shop as guests take part in unique local food tastings, each packed with authentic history and intimate stories of the neighborhood.

Local experts have hand-picked foods guaranteed to delight your taste buds, while their personal stories of Bangkok and Thailand’s everyday culture will captivate and amaze you.

In the early evening, transfer to the Golden Mount to enjoy a panoramic view of the old city before cycling down to Bangkok’s main attractions. Ride past the Giant Swing, Wat Suthat, and the flower market area. Just before sunset, arrive at a peaceful park by the Chao Phraya River to watch the sun go down over the Temple of Dawn, with the golden spires of the Grand Palace illuminated in the background. Continue cycling to the largest amulet market as it closes for the day, and see more buildings featuring both Thai and European architectural styles, including the iconic Wat Benchamabophit—the temple known as the “Temple of the Five-Baht Coins.” Be impressed by the shimmering beauty of Wat Ratchanada and Loha Prasat before being dropped off for dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Bangkok

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Bangkok – Samut Songkhram (75.2 km): 1.03 hr Samut Songkhram – Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (20 km): 20 min Damnoen Saduak Floating Market – Kanchanaburi (115 km): 2 hr Saduak Floating Market – Kanchanaburi (115 km): 2 hr

Just a short drive from the bustling streets of Bangkok, the high-rise urban landscape gives way to a lush, green rural idyll. This full-day trip to Samut Songkhram and Ratchaburi Provinces, located only an hour outside the capital, allows guests to experience the traditional charms of Thai countryside life and its famous floating markets.

The day begins with a visit to a local railway station where a bustling country market has sprung up along the tracks. When a train pulls in or out of the station, the vendors quickly clear their stalls—only to set them up again moments later once the train has passed! From here, the journey continues to the well-known and very popular Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Although quite touristy today, this market remains the best example of what a floating market looked like decades ago.

A relaxing paddle boat ride through the labyrinth of canals offers the chance to see the older parts of the floating market and observe local life along the canal banks. After the boat ride, enjoy strolling around the colorful floating marketplace, bustling with boats and vendors selling tropical fruits and other delights.

For visits falling on a Saturday or Sunday, the tour offers the option to choose between Damnoen Saduak or the smaller, less touristy Tha Kha Floating Market. At Tha Kha, a short paddle boat tour through the backwaters includes a visit to an old Thai house where coconut palm sugar is made.

The day continues with a drive to Kanchanaburi, where guests will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant situated near the famous Bridge on the Kwai River, built by Allied prisoners of war during World War II. After lunch, visit the Railway Museum and take a stroll through the historic lane in the Pak Preak community, lined with charming shophouses built during the reign of King Rama V. Afterwards, drive to the hotel.

Dinner will be served at the hotel.

Overnight in Kanchanaburi

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Kanchanaburi – Elephants Haven (47.8 km): 40 min

After breakfast at the  hotel, be picked up and transferred to Sai Yok District that the day’s elephant experience will begin. Enjoy an introduction to the elephant freedom project at Elephant Haven, and discover how this project is working towards providing elephants the opportunity to live in natural habitats, roam and interact freely with one another. 

Upon arrival at the project site, there will be a short safety briefing on the best way to interact with the gentle giants before learning how to prepare some food for the elephants. Afterwards, enjoy some one-on-one time with the elephants getting to know them and feeding them the prepared snacks. Continue with a walk through the forest alongside the elephants, learning a bit about their daily activities, how they live, interact and other daily essentials. 

Continue with a local-style lunch at the project. 

In the afternoon after lunch, watch the elephants having fun playing in the mud. Once their playtime is over, it’s time for the most exciting portion of the experience, joining them in the river for the day’s bath. After bath time, walk back to the main project area where it will be possible to feed them one final time before saying goodbye. After the elephant experience, transport will be provided back to the hotel.         
       
Overnight in Kanchanaburi.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Kanchanaburi – Ayutthaya (173 km): 2.31 hr (230 km): 3.23 hr

Breakfast at the hotel.

Depart Kanchanaburi and head to Ayutthaya. Upon arrival in Ayutthaya, which dates back to the 14th century, spend the morning exploring the breathtaking, temple-studded landscape by visiting the city’s highlighted temples, including Wat Yai Chaimongkol and Wat Mahathat (where the Buddha’s face naturally emerges from a tree). Stroll through a local market on the way to Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Then, proceed to the town’s Muslim Quarter, which offers the opportunity to sample an unusual local delicacy: candy floss roti.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the tour continues with a leisurely one-hour long-tail boat ride down the Chao Phraya River. This boat trip begins at Wat Niwet Thammaprawat, one of the area's most distinctive Buddhist temples, featuring remarkable Gothic-style architecture and stained glass windows. Then, take the cable car across the river and travel by golf cart to visit Bang Pa-In Summer Palace, the majestic residence of Thailand's royal family.

In the evening, hop on a tuk-tuk for a ride to see the spectacular twilight view of the historical park, beautifully illuminated by lights.

Overnight in Ayutthaya

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Ayutthaya – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (101 km): 1.16 hr Chiang Mai Airport – Wat Umong (7.4 km): 25 min Wat Umong – Chiang Mai Hotel (15 km): 20 min – Chiang Mai Hotel (16.7 km): 45 min

Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to Bangkok Airport for your flight to Chiang Mai.

Upon arrival at Chiang Mai Airport, drive to the tranquil Wat Umong, which dates back to the 14th century and features a network of tunnels and caves. Within this mysterious labyrinth, guests can experience a private blessing.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the evening, enjoy a delightful dinner at The Service 1921 Restaurant & Bar, located in the luxurious Anantara Chiang Mai Hotel.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Chiang Mai – Wiang Kum Kam (7.4 km): 14 min

After breakfast at the hotel, be picked up by an e-tuk tuk for the starting point of the walking tour designed to reveal a more authentic side of the city. Set off through the city’s old town with a knowledgeable local guide. Step off the main streets to see hidden neighbourhoods brimming with charm.

During the tour, get a taste of local life. Visit bustling markets where Chiang Mai’s residents come to buy fresh vegetables, spices, and more. See school kids on their way to class, elderly Thais tending their garden, and other scenes of daily activity in the city.

Explore historic landmarks, including Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai’s oldest temple. Walk alongside the crumbling walls of the old town and admire the city’s iconic Three Kings Monument. 

Pay a visit to the Lanna Folklife Museum. Located inside a restored colonial building, the Museum showcases the rich heritage of Northern Thailand and provides further insight into the history of Chiang Mai. 

Having spent several hours walking, it’s time to refresh tired muscles. Head to the Chiang Mai Women’s Correctional Institute where former female prisoners run a traditional Thai massage spa. The project trains the prisoners to be masseuses, providing them with a valuable skill and allowing them to be self-sufficient after their prison term. Help support this fabulous program by enjoying a thirty-minute foot massage.  

Before returning to the hotel, take a short stroll to majestic Wat Chedi Luang, the final stop on the Chiang Mai walking tour. After a visit to the temple, return to the hotel by e-tuk tuk. 

In the late afternoon, get picked up at the hotel and transfer to a local Thai family to experience a true taste of Thai life at Mr. Prapat’s house in Hang Dong. Enjoy home-cooked meal with him and his family. Select the fresh ingredients needed and learn the traditional techniques and skills of northern Thai cuisine, before setting down to enjoy a family Khantoke dinner meal. 

Overnight in Chiang Mai.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Chiang Mai hotel – Doi Inthanon National Park (60 km): 1.15 hr

Breakfast at the hotel.

Start the day heading towards Thailand’s highest mountain, Doi Inthanon National Park — a spectacular land of mist-covered peaks, tropical forests, mighty rivers, and majestic waterfalls. It is also a treasure trove of wildlife, with gibbons, deer, and wild boar roaming the hills and valleys, along with an incredible 383 different species of birds.

This remarkable ancient ecosystem can now be explored on a full-day tour that takes guests from the bustling streets of Chiang Mai out into the remote mountains.

The trip begins with a hike to a local Karen hilltribe village, where guests can meet this colorful community and learn about their work at a coffee plantation. The trek then continues for two hours along lush forest trails and across bamboo bridges, emerging at dramatic waterfalls. Along the way, there will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy the natural scenery and take photos. The day ends with a visit to Wachirathan Waterfall, one of the most spectacular sights in Northern Thailand, where 70-meter-high torrents crash into the refreshing pools below. A picnic lunch is included.

The evening starts at a local temple where the monks gather for their nightly prayer chants. Guests can take part in this deeply sacred ritual by lighting incense and candles, ensuring an unforgettable and otherworldly experience.

Dinner is then served at the stunning Rachamankha, inspired by the courtyard architecture of ancient Chinese dwellings, and offering an exquisite selection of Lanna, Burmese, and Shan cuisine. Afterward, guests will be transported to the colorful Waroros Market. This bustling night market is the hub of local life in Chiang Mai, with fresh food and flower stalls offering an intoxicating mix of sights, sounds, and smells. Here, guests can sample some local Thai delicacies, providing a sweet end to an enchanting evening.

Overnight in Chiang Mai

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Chiang Mai Hotel – Chiang Mai Airport (4.7 km): 11 min

Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to the airport for your departure flight to your onward destination.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast