Experiences

Meet your guide at the meeting point and get ready to spend an evening cycling the maze of streets in Chiang Mai's old quarter; visiting ancient temples and monuments after dark when they are quiet and free of crowds. In the coolness of the evening, cycle the deserted back alleys to visit some of Chiang Mai's famous landmarks, such as Wat Intakhin with its serene 700-hundred-year-old white Buddha and the Three Kings Monument, a sculpture of Kings Mengrai, Ramkamhaeng and Ngam Muang, said to be the founding fathers of Chiang Mai. See illuminated temples with chanting monks; Tha Phae Gate and sample some tasty snacks from a busy night market – your guide will point out the different types of street food available.

Meet your guide in the morning and get ready for a bicycle tour, which starts with a train ride. From the historic Lamphun train station we bike the quiet streets of this small city. We start cycling across the countryside biking through villages, along canals and tree-lined lanes. We enjoy a simple Thai lunch in a village, then bike through paddy fields until we come upon the famous wood carving village of Ban Tawai. We then pedal on
through country lanes and the foothills of Doi Suthep to a Beekeeping Center. After biking up and down a few more hills on forested lanes the bike tour arrives at the forest temple of Wat Umong.

In the early morning meet your guide for a one-day trek to see the hill tribes of Chiang Dao. The area east of Chiang Dao town is home to the people of the Akha, Lisu, Lahu, Palong and Karen tribes. Our first stop will be at the local market of Mae Malai. We then proceed to the bamboo rafting camp and head down the stream by raft. Eventually we disembark and walk to an Akha hill tribe village. We then hike to a nearby Lisu village where villagers once cultivated opium poppies, but now supplement their income by producing local handicrafts. Here we start a hike through the protected community forest to a Palong village and enjoy a simple and tasty picnic lunch. When we reach Pang Daeng Nai village, our guide will explain the Royal Project and talk about the village shrine and the huja rawl, or ‘village heart’.

Start your day at the riverfront Warorot Market, Chiang Mai’s bustling ‘Chinatown’ quarter. Nearby is the Hmong hill tribe market, while facing the Ping River is the photogenic flower market. From here we head to Thapae Gate, one of the four original city gates, where we continue by samlor, or rickshaw, to Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang. You will also have the chance to meet with an English-speaking monk, who will answer your questions and offer some insight into Chiang Mai’s past. After lunch, we drive up into the hills to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a sacred temple named after Doi Suthep Mountain with impressive views looking down on Chiang Mai. After participating in a blessing ceremony and admiring the view we drive back to your hotel.

We first begin with a visit of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple on Doi Suthep Mountain before the crowds arrive. Next we take a short nature walk through a deciduous oak and evergreen forest. We then pay a visit to the national park headquarters and stop briefly at the tree nursery of the Forest Restoration Research Unit, run by a small team of ecologists and research students in the Science Faculty of
Chiang Mai University. The Unit carries out research to develop efficient methods to restore tropical forest ecosystems. We continue on to the Hmong ethnic hill tribe village of Doi Pui, where villagers supplement their income with making handicrafts and still wear the traditional Hmong attire. Views from the village are spectacular. On the way back to Chiang Mai visit the Montatarn Waterfall.

You will visit the teak wooden home of the Raunkaew-Yanon family, who arrived in the region almost 150 years ago. They are a Lanna family, continuing the traditions of many generations and maintaining the natural surroundings in a way now rarely seen. You also learn about their culture, their way of living and traditional Thai architecture. You will cook together with the family some traditional dishes with authentic northern Thai flavours. Best of all, you have the opportunity to get to know a real Thai family; be their house guest for the day and enjoy a delicious home cooked lunch.

Be ready for an early departure from your hotel to Doi Inthanon National Park. Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain of Thailand (2,776m) and was declared a national park in 1972. The park boasts the greatest diversity of tree and bird species found in any park in the country. Here we also visit the Vatchirathan waterfall and stop to enjoy a picnic lunch. After our break, we continue on to the summit, but on the way we pay a visit to the Royal Project of Baan Khun Glaang, which provides villages with profitable work and therefore a better livelihood. Once we reach the summit, we continue hiking through the evergreen forest along a nature trail, enjoying the stunning views of the surrounding hills and rice plains far below.

After breakfast meet with our guide and drive by songthaew to a local market selling fresh vegetables, spices and other local produce. From here we begin an exploration of Chiang Mai’s charming old city on foot. We first walk to Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai built in 1297. We then continue on to the Three Kings Monument, a sculpture of the founding fathers of Chiang Mai. We then head for the Lanna Folk Life Museum followed by a visit to the Chiang Mai Women's Correctional Institution. Here, female prisoners are trained in traditional Thai massage and we can enjoy a 30-minute foot massage and learn the story of this successful rehabilitation programme. We then continue walking to the 14th century Wat Chedi Luang and enjoy a locally prepared meal.

Meet our guide at your hotel in the early evening and start your exploration of the city by tuk-tuk. Driving around Chiang Mai in the evening is cooler and more peaceful than during the day and gives you a chance to see the city in a very different light. We drive around the old city walls and moat, making stops at Chiang Mai landmarks such as the Iron Bridge, the Three Kings Monument and some of Chiang Mai’s oldest temples. We also stop to let you try some traditional northern snacks at one of the local markets. At the end of the tour we bring you back to your hotel, or take you on to another destination – like the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar.

Be ready for a very early visit to Chiang Mai Gate Market, a traditional market where we find fresh vegetables, fruit, spices, fish, cooked meats and all sorts of ready-made dishes. The monks from local temples make their alms rounds here early in the morning, so it’s an opportunity for you to make an offering of food to them. At a nearby temple we also witness the monks taking part in an early morning chant. After, we visit Warorot Market, Chiang Mai’s bustling ‘Chinatown’ quarter. Here we have organized a short workshop for you to make traditional flower garlands at the photogenic flower market on the Ping River. From the market we head to Thapae Gate and continue by samlor or rickshaw to the ancient temples of Wat Chiang Man, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.

Meet your guide at your hotel and drive to Wat Rong Khun temple,acontemporary, unconventional, privately-owned structure that is better known to foreigners as the White temple. It is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a Thai visual artist and painter who designed, constructed and opened it to visitors in 1997. Continue on to Baan Dam Museum, a collection of wood buildings featuring sculptures and other artworks by contemporary Thai artists. Afterwards we visit Wat Rong Suea Tean, also known as the Blue Temple – another unusual modern Buddhist temple distinguished by its vivid blue coloring and elaborate carvings. After lunch we change transport to samlor or rickshaw and visit Wat Phra Keo where one of Thailand's most important Buddha statues was discovered in 1444.

Meet your guide at your hotel and drive to Doi Tung Mountain where we visit the Mae Fah Luang botanical gardens and learn about the Royal Project on Doi Tung. The gardens are on the slopes below Doi Tun Royal Villa, the former resident of the Princess Mother Srinagarindra. We then continue to the Golden Triangle to visit the Hall of Opium. This is where the borders of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet, a major opium producing area. After a delicious Thai lunch we take a relaxing boat ride down the Mekong River to Chiang Sean and explore this small, quiet town. On the way back to Chiang Rai we stop at the Baan Dam Museum, a collection of wooden buildings featuring sculptures, paintings and other artworks from around
Southeast Asia.

We pick you up from your hotel and drive to a beautiful spot to begin our cycle ride along rural roads outside the city. After a short safety briefing and personalized bicycle fitting, we begin our cycling trip through small villages, rice fields, and then follow the Lao River downstream, passing fruit orchards, rubber plantations and many teak trees. We also stop and visit the amazing Wat Rong Khun temple, a
contemporary, unconventional, privately-owned sculpture that is better known to foreigners as the White temple. We then enjoy lunch in a quiet local restaurant near the temple surrounded by the peaceful countryside.

Your guide and driver will pick you up early from the hotel in Chiang Rai. Drive to Mae Sai, the bustling border town and cross the border into Myanmar. By tuk-tuk we explore Tachilek and visit the Enrobed Elephant Temple and the Maha Myat Muni Temple – a fine example of typical Burmese temple architecture. We continue to Tachilek’s own Shwedagon Pagoda, a smaller version of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon and then enjoy an authentic Burmese lunch in a local restaurant. We then return to Thailand and continue on to the Golden Triangle where the borders of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet. We visit the Hall of Opium, an excellent museum that tells the history of the opium trade in the Golden Triangle.

This late afternoon cooking experience offers a fantastic ‘home-from-home’ environment to master the art of Thai cooking in a relaxed and fun way, and allows you to make friends and enjoy some serious culinary experimentation at the same time. We also include a market tour to further enhance yourunderstanding of traditional Thai ingredients and how they are prepared. Each tour gives you a wonderful chance to nibble at the delicacies available,
before rustling up some specialties of your own back at the kitchen! For this cooking experience you will be picked up at your hotel in Chiang Rai late afternoon to be in time for the local evening market. This course will finish in the late evening.

Spend either a morning or afternoon in the company of elephants. Following, photographing and even feeding these majestic creatures as they get to enjoy being elephants again, after having worked most of their lives in logging or as former riding elephants. Covering 40 acres of land, Elephant Valley Thailand has some fantastic lush elephant habitats including bamboo groves, forest, swamps and grasslands. You will enjoy an outdoor lunch with views of six beautiful elephants as they wander peacefully or graze in their grassy paddocks. Proceeds not only go towards providing the herd with an amazing place to live, but also help conservation efforts geared to providing the species as a whole with a secure future.

Starting early in the morning, we set sail and head north to the first snorkeling point at Koh Nang Yuan, a small island connected to two even smaller islands by white sand bars that lie next door to Koh Tao. Upon arrival, we put on our snorkeling gear and swim out to admire the fantastic underwater world. This diving and snorkeling
paradise 70 km north of Koh Samui has the clearest seas and best underwater visibility in the Gulf of Thailand. It is home of an abundance of coral species and other tropical marine life such as giant clams and reef fish.

You will be picked up at your hotel to take part in a truly unique kayaking experience. We board our tour boat and head for the southern end of Koh Mae Island in Ang Thong Marine Park where we use the on-board kayaks to navigate beneath huge rock overhangs to see some of the most magnificent scenery the Gulf of Thailand has to offer. Once ashore we visit the astonishing ‘emerald lake’, a hidden salt-water lake on Koh Mae Island. Back on board our tour boat we enjoy a tasty buffet lunch while cruising around the breathtaking Koh Mae Island scenery. We then head for Koh Tai Plao to do some more kayaking where you will discover magical caves and bizarre rock formations. There is also plenty of time to explore the underwater sights.

You will be picked up at your hotel to take part in a truly unique kayaking experience. We board our tour boat and head for the southern end of Koh Mae Island in Ang Thong Marine Park where we use the on-board kayaks to navigate beneath huge rock
overhangs to see some of the most magnificent scenery the Gulf ofThailand has to offer. Once ashore we visit the astonishing ‘emerald lake’, a hidden salt-water lake on Koh Mae Island. Back on board our tour boat we enjoy a tasty buffet lunch while cruising around the breathtaking Koh Mae Island scenery. We then head for Koh Tai Plao to do some more kayaking where you will discover magical caves and bizarre rock formations. There is also plenty of time to explore the underwater sights.

We leave Koh Samui port in the early evening on board ‘The Chantara’, a traditional Burmese junk boat that is 25 metres long and built entirely of teak with all the modern conveniences. Equipped with a mainsail and a 380-horsepower engine, The Chantara can sail in any weather and offers a main lounge, as well as plenty of sun beds and traditional Thai cushions on its spacious 75 metre-square deck. We head west to the small island of Koh Som where we anchor for a swim and maybe to do some fishing. Appetizers and refreshments are then served, while you enjoy the
beauty of the twilight sky as dusk falls and the sun sets behind the horizon. We return to Koh Samui after that last rays of light have dissipated in the clear night sky.

Your driver will pick you up from your hotel for an energetic hike to the top of Khao Ngon Nak, also known as Dragon Crest Mountain. Khao Ngon Nak is 565 meters above sea level with a 3,700 meter hiking trail to the top that passes a number of picturesque waterfalls and several viewpoints. As we climb you are immersed in nature with the rugged limestone cliffs and lush tropical forest all around. We arrive
at the summit from where you have a stunning view looking down on Krabi town, Ao Nang Beach and the Andaman Sea. We take time to relax and enjoy the amazing panorama below us before commencing our descent and returning to your hotel.

We pick you up from your hotel and head to the Sea Kayak pier at Ao Thalane. From here we transfer to Hong Island by long-tail boat, board the kayaks waiting for us and enjoy exploring the fantastic coral reef areas around the island. Hong Island stands out as one of the most beautiful islands of the Andaman coast. As we approach it, you will be impressed by the towering limestone formations, crystal clear water and the powder white sands of Pilay Beach. At the centre of the island lies a hidden lagoon where the nests of the edible-nest swiftlet are collected. Lunch is served on the beach near the National park office. In the afternoon, you have free time to swim and to kayak
around the area.

Explore the lush greenery of the tropical rainforest, enjoy a soothing bath in natural hot springs and walk through the rainforests to explore the different species of plants and animals and enjoy the sight of the Emerald Lagoon. Relish a delicious Thai lunch and visit the sacred Tiger Cave Temple which is one of the most beautiful temples in Krabi.

Meet your guide and drive up to the North of Phuket Island to Bang Rong, from here we depart for the island of Koh Naka where we stay for a swim and some sunbathing. Later we continue to Koh Yao Noi island and on the way we are treated to spectacular panoramic views of Phang Nga Bay. Once we arrive at Koh Yao Noi we go straight to the house of khun Mina, a most charming host who is also an expert cook. She shows us how to make some classic Thai dishes such as a Thai curry; some popular stir-fried dishes and more. We have lunch at the house, after which we return to the pier and board our long-tail boat.

Meet your guide for an early morning cultural walk through Phuket town. This walk is all about observing local daily life so we visit a local shrine, pay our respects to the spirits and learn about such things as the use of traditional herbal medicines. We pass through Phuket town’s old quarter full of the historic Chinese shop houses and also visit a number of old shops, including an old style barber shop. For lunch we try the Muslim style roti and some Chinese noodle dishes as well. Parts of Phuket’s Old Town seem almost to be frozen in time: the printing shops, the old Indian cloth sellers; the hardware stores and Chinese apothecaries – all seem to be from another age.

You meet your guide early in the morning for this Phuket food tasting experience. Phuket town is a unique place with a cuisine that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. We want to take you to the hidden little places only the locals know about. Indulge in a scrumptious breakfast at a little dim sum shop behind the fresh market. Then after walking through the charming, quiet city center try some delicious roti with curry, followed by noodles and other local delicacies. We also visit the local fresh market were you can become familiar with some of the unique products of Thailand. And during our walk, we also explore some of the shrines and sights of Phuket’s old
quarter.

Transfer to the northeast of Phuket, a part of the island that has remained largely untouched. The only surviving track of rainforest is located here at the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary. Amid this lush jungle is the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre, a private enterprise that aims to reintroduce gibbons back into the wild. Many of the gibbons at the centre were used as ‘props’ for tourists to take photos with and have been poorly treated by their illegal owners. We then hike up to the Bang Pae Waterfall and from there head to Bang Rong, a small Muslim community on the northeast coast where you will almost certainly see monkeys in the mangroves. At the floating restaurant in Bang Rong, tourists can rent kayaks and paddle through mangrove forests along a relatively untouched area of coast.

This morning meet your guide and driver who will bring you to Bangrong pier where we take a private long tail boat to explore Phan Nga Bay. When we reach Koh Panak and Koh Hong, we enjoy paddling in the clear waters. In each canoe there is space for
two persons and one guide. We will take you closer to the limestone rocks and explore the nature and caves from the canoes. After this it’s time to have lunch on the beach and enjoy the beautiful view of Phang Nga Bay. In the afternoon visit James Bond Island and explore the coastline around the island before heading back to Phuket.