Food & Cultural Tour to the North of Thailand
If you love food and culture you will love this trip, if you love Thai food and Thai Culture then look no further
as this is the trip for you.
Travel with your Engaging Thailand hosts Prathuan (Lek) and Trevor who are also the owners of the very
popular Thai Home cooking and catering services business in the UK "Thai Gourmet".
The choices of food on the trip are amazing from River Cruise dinners in Bangkok sampling such delightful
dishes as green chicken curry, sweet and sour pork, vegetable spring rolls and tom yum prawn soup to the
northern traditional kantoke ingredients of sticky rice, northern curries and nam prik onn a northern delicacy.
The trip provides just about everything from the safest and professional driving of our very experienced
driver and much used by us Khun Noy to the complete diversity of the trip.
In 16 days we will visit countless places on our journey to the north and back and also visit countless
restaurants and favourite Thai food spots known by our hosts.
We will take in palaces, temples, national and historical parks, waterfalls, mountains, a forest, hill tribes,
dams, beaches, health spas, markets, bridge over the river Kwai, cultural dance performances and the odd
one or two beers and of course more Thai food.
Most of all we will have fun and enjoy the hospitality and service of the delightful Thai people. Why not join
Lek & Trevor on Engaging Thailand's food and cultural tour to the north of Thailand.
We travel more in the way as a group of friends rather than a tour group and would be delighted to have you
along with us.
Day 1 Bangkok Arrival
On your arrival at Bangkoks Suvarnabuhumi International Airport we will collect you and transfer you to your
overnight Bangkok hotel. If you are not too tired after your flight we can sample some delicious Thai food
and a drink after you have freshened up.
Day 2 Bangkok
After breakfast our mini bus driver will negotiate his way through the busy streets of Bangkok and take us to
the Grand Palace. The Grand Palace is still used by the king for certain ceremonial occasions like
coronation day etc, it is a must see for the fantastic architecture. In the afternoon we can relax and take in a
bit of pampering with a Thai massage and at one of our favourite places. In the evening we get a fantastic
view of Bangkok at night from the Chao Phaya River. Plenty of sights to see as we cruise Bangkok at night
from the river in now very comfortable temperatures.
The food on this trip is fantastic and comes in the form of an immaculate laid out buffet, of which you help
yourself. There are an astonishing amount of delicious dishes available and you can go back up as many
times as you want. The food is accompanied with melody from the resident musicians, exemplary service
from the Thai staff and great company which all makes for a very memorable occasion.
Day 3 Bangkok - Auyudhaya - Nakhon Sawan
After an early breakfast we leave Bangkok and stop off to visit the floating markets at Damnoen Saduak.
After the early morning floating market we travel on to Ayudhaya to view the ruins.
Ayudhaya was the capital city of the then named Siam and now Thailand from 1350 - 1767 and during that
period 33 different kings reigned until ayudhaya was conquered by the Burmese. In the evening we spend
the night in Nakhon Sawan a city well known to Engaging Thailand as it is Lek's home city and where she
grew up.
We visit the night markets to take in the evening activity and visit a fantastic outside restaurant where the
food is in quantity, but the bill is minimum.
Day 4 Nakhon Sawan - Sukhothai - Lampang
We leave our hotel in Nakhon Sawan early and head for Sukhothai and visit Sukhothai Historical
parkcontaining the ruins of Sukhothai . The Sukhothai ruins are one of Thailand's world heritage sites, the
park contains classic Sukothai temple architecture.
We leave Sukhothai and head for Lampang in the north, where we will stay overnight in a hotel, after
sampling some of the pleasures of northern food with an outing into town.
Day 5 Lampang - Chiang Mai
From the hotel we take a look at Lampang in daylight by a rare form of transport in the way of horse and
cart. Lampang is the only city in Thailand where horse and carts are still used as public transport, although
nowadays i think more for the passing tourists.
From horse and cart to mini bus and on to west Lampang to the elephant conservation centre. The centre
provides medical treatment and care for sick elephants, promotes ecotourism and of course a major priority
on conserving the Thai elephant. A very interesting centre with lots of information about the history and
culture of the Thai elephant and not to mention the elephant rides.
From the elephant centre we head for the city of Chiang Mai. After arriving at our hotel we go out and about
in the evening to probably Chiang Mai's biggest tourist attraction the night Bazaar.
The night bazaar is like a huge market with Thai and northern Thai goods at low prices especially if your
bargaining skills are good. After all that bargaining, time for a few tasty northern dishes a beer and watch the
activity in one of the many food places in the night bazaar.
Day 6 Chiang Mai
Day 6 is a real packed to the brim day of activity.
In the morning we visit probably the most sacred temples of the north in Doi Suthep called 'Wat Phra That
Doi Suthep' the temple lies at the end of a 300 step staircase, with good weather there are some fantastic
views of Chiang Mai.
We leave Doi Suthep and travel not too far to Doi Inthanon National Park. Doi Inthanon is Thailand's highest
peak, here we visit 3 fantastic waterfalls which have picnic areas and food vendors, the mountain is also the
home of approximately 500 hmong and karen tribesman.
After freshening up at the hotel we go out to a cultural dinner and dance evening with delicious northern
food, northern dance and northern traditions, it is called 'Kantoke' and is a very enjoyable experience.
Day 7 Chiang Mai
Today we take it easy, well not only take it easy but take it easy and get pampered as we visit a health and
wellness spa, it is up to you what package you choose, but relaxation and being pampered are the order of
the day.
In the evening we visit the night bazaar for a further look around and then go to one of Chiang Mai's best
restaurants where the food is incredible. You have the choice of indoor and outdoor dining and music
provided.
Day 8 Chaing Mai
Today we enchance our Thai cookery skills with a Chiang Mai cookery course. We will be cooking healthy
thai dishes on this hands on Thai cookery course, after identifying and gathering our ingredients at the
market in the monring. We will eat our transformed ingredients at the end, cooking approximately 6 dishes.
Spending the evening at another quality restaurant in Chiang Mai
Day 9 Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai
We leave Chiang Mai for our 3 hour trip north to Chiang Rai although stopping off on the way at various
places which our driver thinks we would enjoy seeing. After arriving at our hotel our driver will give us an
orientation tour of Chiang Rai central and then we head for the Chiang Rai night market area for food, drinks
and free nightly northern Thai music and dance performances.
Day 10 Chiang Rai
In the morning we leave quite early to take in the breathtaking views and early morning scenery of Phu Chi
Faa mountain, and stopping off for a delicious northern Thai breakfast.
After we head for the golden triangle and the town of mae sai. We can observe border life before finally
going on to Doi Tung which basically translated means flag peak. The road to Doi Tung is quite interesting in
the form of winding and narrow. On the way are hill tribe villages of different hill tribe settlers such as Shan,
Akha and Lahu.
The landscape is very beautiful at Doi Tung Royal Villa, which was built by the late princess mother (the
kings mother) as a summer palace.
In the evening you are free to do whatever you please.
Day 11 Chiang Rai - Mae Hong Son
Again we need to make an early start as we begin the 3 hour journey to Thailand's most north western
province to Mae Hong Son. Mae Hong Son province is very beautiful and surrounded by mountains. We
explore the area and then the actual town of Mae Hong Son itself.
In the evening we take in a meal at a great little Chinese - Thai restaurant.
Day 12 Mae Hong Son
In the morning we take a river boat tour to the Karen hill tribe village, the scenery en - route is absolutely
fantastic amongst a mountainous background we continue to explore the beautiful province of Mae Hong
Son and stay over night in Mae Hong Son.
Day 13 Mae Hong Son - Tak
We say goodbye to Mae Hong Son as we leave for Tak. We have a fair trip to make, but stop off on
occasions during our journey. Whilst in Tak province we visit Bhumibol Dam which is Thailand largest Dam
and take a boat cruise around, we are now very close to the Thai - Myanmar boarder. We stay overnight in a
hotel in Tak.
Day 14 Tak - Kanchanaburi
After breakfast we leave Tak for Kanchanaburi. On arrival in Kanchanaburi we head straight to the bridge
over the river Kwai. It is a bridge built by the Japanese army during the occupation of Thailand. The bridge
was bombed on a few occasions and was rebuilt sometime after the war. It is said that 16,000 prisoners of
war (POWs) died whilst building it. We stay overnight in a hotel in Kanchanaburi.
Day 15 Kanchanaburi - Bangkok
After breakfast we take a brief look at the town of Kanchanaburi and then travel on to Bangkok, We all have
a farewell spot of food and drinks before we say our goodbyes, because the tour has now come to an end.
For those departing by air today we personally escort you to the airport to catch your flight. For all those
going on somewhere else in Thailand we say goodbye and wish you well.
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