Northern Thailand Discovery – From Bangkok to Chiang Rai

Breakfast at the hotel. 

We visit the Grand Palace, dedicated to the ceremonies of the Thai Royal Family. It is the most sacred, respected, and majestic site in Bangkok. The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in the heart of Bangkok that served as the official residence of the Kings of Siam and later Thailand from 1782 until the early 20th century. The King, his court, and the royal government carried out their functions in the palace until 1925.

Within the same complex is the magnificent Wat Phra Kaew, known for the Emerald Buddha statue. After visiting this complex, we continue to Wat Pho, home to the giant Reclining Buddha, and Wat Traimit, famous for the Golden Buddha.

Wat Pho is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist temples in Bangkok. It is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, south of the Grand Palace. The temple houses the famous “Reclining Buddha” statue, which represents the Buddha on his deathbed. It is 45 meters long and 15 meters high, with feet inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

Lunch on your own at a local restaurant (to be paid on-site).

In the afternoon, you will take a boat trip along the Chao Phraya River, visiting many lively inner canals on the Thonburi bank that offer fantastic views of local life. You will have the opportunity to taste local specialties and buy souvenirs. Along the way, we stop at Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.

Return to the hotel and free time for relaxation. Overnight stay in Bangkok.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

Early morning departure for Bang Pa-In, where you will visit the famous summer residence of the Royal Family. In the late morning, you will arrive in Ayutthaya, home to the celebrated ruins that served as the capital of the Kings of Siam for over four hundred years, from the 14th to the 18th century.

Visit the Wat Chai Watthanaram temple, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River and built in the 17th century in Khmer style, featuring five monumental “Prangs” at its center. Continue with a visit to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the temple of the ancient Royal Palace consisting of three giant bell-shaped pagodas, followed by the adjacent Wat Mongkhon Bophit, which houses a massive seated Buddha statue.

After lunch, we continue toward the city of Phitsanuloke in the north-central part of the country. In the late afternoon (timing depends on traffic), arrive in Phitsanuloke and visit Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, which contains the original sacred “Phra Buddha Chinnarat” statue. This temple is considered one of the most sacred in the country and is visited daily by thousands of Buddhist pilgrims. Here, you can witness one of the most traditional religious ceremonies: the offering to the monks (“Sankhathan”), a precise ritual involving prayers and thanksgivings in the ancient Pali language between monks and pilgrims.

Continue to nearby Sukhothai, once the site of the first capital of Siam and the birthplace of Siamese culture, language, and national identity (13th and 14th centuries). Arrival in Sukhothai at approximately 7:30 PM. Check-in, dinner on your own, and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. 

We will begin the day by visiting the Sukhothai Historical Park, which contains the ruins of Wat Mahathat, the impressive temple of the Royal Palace, as well as the graceful Wat Sa Sri and Wat Sri Sawai, which predates the Sukhothai kingdom and was initially dedicated to Hindu worship. Outside the walls of the Historical Park, we will visit Mondop Sri Chum, which enshrines one of the most majestic and gigantic Buddha statues, standing approximately 15 meters tall.

Concluding the visits in the late morning, we depart for Chiang Mai, the great city of Northern Thailand. Along the way, we will make stops to visit some typical local sites.

At approximately 4:00 PM, arrival in the famous city of Chiang Mai, the “Rose of the North,” one of the most important Buddhist spiritual centers in Asia, whose temples house the largest and most active communities of monks in the country.

Visit the ancient Wat Phra Singh, whose “Bot” and “Wihan” are expertly built of wood with refined decorations. Finally, at Wat Chedi Luang, it will be possible to admire the melodious and idyllic evening chants in the Pali language by the monastic community, inspired by the Dharma, the sacred teaching of Buddha. The chants take place at 5:00 PM and last for about twenty minutes. At Wat Chedi Luang, the ceremony is held in the “Wiharn,” where visitors can enter while maintaining respectful and quiet behavior.

Check-in at the hotel, dinner on your own, and overnight stay.

Note: In conjunction with certain special Buddhist holidays, the monks’ chants may be suspended on some days. Should these holidays coincide with the visiting days, every effort will be made to experience the event the following day.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit to one of Thailand’s most famous sites: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, known to Westerners as the “temple on the hill.” Built at over 1,000 meters above sea level on the mountain of the same name that dominates the entire city, the history of Doi Suthep is linked to the legend of a mythical white elephant. Along the slopes of Doi Suthep, you can also admire the Huay Kaew waterfalls.

In the early afternoon, visit the Chiang Mai orchid farm.

Next, you will visit a handicraft center in the locality of San Kamphaeng. Here, skilled artisans produce silver objects, lacquerware, ceramics, silks, and colorful paper umbrellas with expert hands.

Return to the hotel at the end of the visits and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for the city of Chiang Rai (approx. 180km ~ 3 – 3.5 hours). Along the way, we will take a break to see the Mae Khachan hot springs, where you can soak your feet in the warm water. We then continue to reach the temple of Wat Rong Khun (White Temple). This is the most visited monument in the region, a work by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, started in 1997. Its uniqueness and its pure white color make it a one-of-a-kind temple.

Afterward, we will take a boat cruise on the Mae Kok River from Chiang Rai to the Karen village, where you can observe the elephants and feed them.

Return to Chiang Rai. Dinner on your own and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Continue to the north of Thailand, famous for its wild and almost untouched nature. We will stroll through the green hills of the tea plantations. You can also taste the delicious tea produced by one of the many plantations in the Doi Mae Salong region. Then, we will visit two ethnic minority villages: the Akha hill tribe village and the Lisu village of Ban Hanygo.

Next, we will transfer to the Golden Triangle; in this area, until the 1980s, 75% of the opium for the global drug market was produced. Here, we will take a boat trip on the Mekong River to see the triangle where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet before returning to Chiang Rai.

Dinner on your own and overnight stay in Chiang Rai.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer with a driver to Chiang Rai Airport for your return flight.