Page Text Content
Thailand offers a rare combination of ancient ruins, glittering temples, lush rice fields, teak forests and beautiful beaches. The "Land of Smiles" welcomes its visitors with charm and hospitality. Our tour will introduce you to the highlights of the fabled Kingdom of Siam, including the bustling cosmopolitan capital, Bangkok, the Buddhist ruins of Sukhothai and the Golden Triangle where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma) meet. We visit Chiang Mai, often called the `Rose of the North' situated at the foot of the majestic Doi Suthep mountain on the banks of the Ping River. Our tour concludes on the coastal resort of Hua Hin, a haven for relaxation and where the Thai Royal Family have made their summer residence. This is the ultimate holiday of Thailand from where you will return with vivid memories of a wonderful adventure.
15 DAYS FROM £1575
The Grand Palace Elephant Trail
Bangkok · River Kwai · Phitsanulok · Sukhothai · Chiang Rai Golden Triangle · Chiang Mai · Hua Hin
This holiday includes 12 breakfasts and 3 lunches
Thailand
DAY 1
LONDON · BANGKOK
We begin with Titan's VIP Home Departure ServiceTM to London Heathrow Airport and your direct scheduled Thai Airways flight to Thailand's capital city, Bangkok.
DAY 2
BANGKOK
Early arrival in Bangkok, where our coach transfers you to the Montien Hotel our base for the next three nights. Bangkok was first established as the capital of Thailand in 1782 by King Rama I. Its name comes from Bang Makok which means `Place of Olive Plums'. Today the city has a population of six million inhabitants and has many fascinating attractions. After checking in we have arranged a relaxing tour, allowing you to experience the timeless world of "The Venice of the East". In Bangkok people still depend on the waterways to transport their merchandise, in particular rice, as the canals are linked to the rice fields and today you will experience this relaxing mode of transport. Evening at leisure.
Japan, England, Australia, America, Thailand and Holland at Kanchanaburi during World War II). Continuing on we reach the notorious Bridge over the River Kwai. The first version of the bridge, which was constructed of wood, was completed in February 1943. In April of the same year a second bridge of steel was finished. In 1945 the bridge was bombed several times and was eventually rebuilt after the war. We board the Death Railway train to Wang Po station and then return to Kanchanaburi by coach. We travel to Ko Kasem Island Resort where we enjoy a rafting tour with lunch on board, after which we visit the Second World War cemetery before returning to Bangkok for the evening.
DAY 5
BANGKOK · PHITSANULOK
DAY 3
BANGKOK
This morning we visit the Grand Palace complex, which includes the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Keow), unquestionably one of the wonders of the world today. Within its enormous grounds is the most exotic Buddhist temple and at the heart of the temple itself is a fabulous Buddha image, carved from one piece of Jade, which is the holiest and most revered in Thailand today. The aura of mystery is heightened by the fact that it cannot be viewed closely. It is located in a glass case, on a pedestal high above the worshippers and it is forbidden to take photographs, which further enhances its remoteness. Nearby is the Grand Palace itself, once the official home for the Kings of Siam, built in traditional Thai architecture mixed with European designs. Your afternoon and evening are at leisure to visit the night market, where bartering for everything is a way of life.
Our day commences with a visit to the second capital of Thailand from 1350 to 1767. Thirty-three kings of a number of Siamese dynasties reigned in the city until it was conquered by the Burmese. Today's city is located at the confluence of three rivers, the Chao Phraya, Pa Sak and the Lopburi. We visit Bang Pa-In, the summer palace of the early Chakri Kings where a wide variety of architectural styles, can be seen. We visit Ayuthaya Historical Park, Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, once the largest Temple in Ayuthaya. After lunch we continue north to Phitsanulok and your hotel, the Topland Hotel.
DAY 6
PHITSANULOK · SUKHOTHAI CHIANG RAI
Doi Suthep Temple - Chiang Mai River Kwai, Kanchanaburi
DAY 4
RIVER KWAI
252
This morning we travel westwards through sugar cane plantations and rice paddies to the Kanchanaburi province. We visit the JEATH War Museum (the acronym JEATH coming from the meeting between
Today, we continue to what some consider to be the most beautiful city in the northern central plains, Sukhothai, meaning `Dawn of Happiness'. Sukhothai was Thailand's first capital and had its heyday from the mid 13th to the late 14th centuries. The old city of Sukhothai has around 45 square kilometres of some of the most impressive Buddhist ruins. After lunch, our journey continues to Chiang Sean, where we take a break at Payao Lake before continuing to the area known as the Golden Triangle, where the confluence of the Ruak and mighty Mekong Rivers meet. Our hotel, the Dusit Island Resort, is situated in its own landscaped gardens close to Chiang Rai, and here we spend the next two nights.
|
inbro