Thailand Meander All: Small Group Adventure & Holiday – Tour 8C

Tonight our Thailand Meander All small group, part adventure, part holiday tour package will stay in; BANGKOK – Our Thailand small group tour officially starts when we check into our Bangkok riverside hotel.
A welcoming dinner will be had in the evening.
If you arrive early enough your free time could be spent visiting the enormous Chatuchak weekend market and/or, Wat Phra Kaew & the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, MBK or Siam shopping centres or take a boat ride with the locals on the Chao Phraya express to some local shops/markets in nearby Nonthaburi province. A few of the dozens of other options may be Vimanmek Teak Mansion, Chinatown, Wat Traimit, Jim Thompsons House, Silom or Sukhumvit road shops.
OR? As many choose after a long flight just lay back by the pool and/or have a traditional Thai Massage.
A month in the Big Mango wouldn’t allow enough time to see it all.

BANGKOK – A free day to recover from any jet lag by the pool or get out and experience what this truly amazing city has to offer. Our tour coordinator available to point you in the right direction whether it be sightseeing and/or shopping or a real Thai meal experience that can only be had in Thailand.

One of the most visited cities in the world and it won’t take long for you to find out why.

Tonight our slow local experience small group tour will stay in; CHIANG MAI – After breakfast, our group tour will take a short domestic flight to the Rose of the north in Chiang Mai.
The rest of the day is free to start our exploration of the Northern Thai capital.
Just a few of the easy to visit sights by foot, Tuk Tuk or Sawngthaew, (share taxi) include Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Jet Yot and Wat Phan Tao among dozens of others.
If you don’t temple out there is still the mountaintop temple of Phra That Doi Suthep, approx fifteen kilometres away in a national park. For shoppers, it doesn’t get much better than Chiang Mai. After a day at Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Centre, Worowat Market, and/or dozens of other speciality shops all over the place you can barter hard at the famous Night Bazaar. Arts and crafts, textiles, silver and clothing are but a few of the great bargains to be had in Chiang Mai.
A budget trip to a dentist is another possibility also.

CHIANG MAI – With all of the above and more you’ll be glad to have almost three totally free days to meander in this traveller’s favourite destination.

CHIANG MAI – See Day 4. Still lots to do and see. More shopping most likely along the way.

Tonight our small group slow travel tour will stay in; SUKOTHAI – This morning our small group tour will take a bus to the first capital of Thailand, Sukhothai, arriving mid-afternoon.
The rest of the day is free to relax or explore before dinner.
While the centuries-old, Old Sukhothai is the main reason for our visit New Sukhothai is an interesting town in itself.
A great Night Market will get the taste buds going for a start. Grazing with entrees from the nearby street food vendors is a great way to start.

SUKOTHAI – Sukhothai Historical Park; A local operator will take our group tour by Tuk Tuk to explore the old ruins of Sukhothai which is now a wonderful UNESCO World Heritage-listed historical park.

SUKOTHAI – A full day to explore New Sukhothai at leisure. Small enough for a meander while checking out the local food scene and other markets. Maybe a Thai massage. The choice is yours; lazy or busy?

Tonight our small group Thailand tour will stay in; CHAI NAT – A change to local buses today will see our small group tour in the central Thai province of Chainat. This off the beaten track destination will give you a great chance to experience a rarely visited Thai provincial capital. No meals

CHAI NAT – A free day to explore Chainat which has a bird park as its main attraction. Another local street vendors market or a floating restaurant on the Chao Praya river are two of the better options for dinner. No meals

Tonight our cheap small group Thailand tour will stay in; LOPBURI – Two local bus trips will see our small group tour in the once important historical, but now monkey ruled town of Lopburi.

Lopburi is one of the oldest cities in Thailand dating back to before the 11th century which accounts for some of the Khmer style architecture of the old temples. No melas

LOPBURI – A free day in the historical section of old Lopburi to explore the many ruins close to our accommodation. These include The former Royal Palace of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat, Prang Khaek and Prang Sam Yot with the latter usually covered in the local monkey population. We may also see a monkey or two roaming freely around town.

Lopburi also has a great night food vendors market which sets up daily in the nearby streets for dinner with the locals. Yet another chance to taste some great Thai food that very few tourists get to try. Hoi Tawt, (mussels in batter), is just one of the great local choices.

Tonight our small group Thailand travel tour will stay in; BANGKOK – A morning local train experience sees our small group tour back in Bangkok.

Rest of the day is free to sightsee or shop with a Tuk Tuk ride being the local way to get around.

BANGKOK – A full day to explore or go shopping. Optional day trips are available or maybe just a movie at a Mall. A budget trip to a Dentist is again another possibility. It’s not possible to be bored in Bangkok whatever way we go.

Tonight our small group Thailand adventure tour will stay in; SAMUT SONGKRAM – Let’s head south today on an almost secret little rail line that will be a bit of an adventure among the locals.
Our small group tour will TRAVEL by two very local trains, bisected by a river ferry crossing, to the geographically smallest province in the Kingdom, Samut Songkram.
Also known as Mae Klong by the locals. It would be most unlikely to see any other non-locals on these trains. A fascinating look at local life both on the train and along the tracks of rural Bangkok. A real tour highlight.

SAMUT SONGKRAM – A free day to wander around this REAL Thai provincial capital. Checking out the unique train market is a good place to start.

It seems once again that the Baktrax philosophy of small is best rings true because the local population must surely be in the running for the friendliest people in this Kingdom of friendly people. Wat Phet Samut Worawihan will give you a look at a local temple.

In the evening you will get the chance to have a ten or more courses dinner for a few dollars as you meander around the evening market sampling the numerous delights on offer. No meals.

Tonight our small group Thailand tour package will stay in; CHA-AM – Our small group tour heads for the beach today via local buses. Cha-Am is a very popular weekend beachside destination for Bangkokians and other locals but as we are there mid week and there are fewer crowds, this beautiful coastal destination is even more appealing.

CHA-AM – This lesser known seaside resort has a great atmosphere whether laying on the long beach during the day or eating seafood at night. The local town part of Cha-Am is a short motorbike taxi ride away from the beach where we will be able to visit the once weekly night market with lots of goodies on offer to tempt and delight.

CHA-AM – See day 18.

Tonight our small group Thailand adventure holiday tour will stay in; PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN – By bus or train today will see our small group tour in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Prachuap is far less famous than its neighbour Hua Hin but also has some great beaches and seafood but without the hordes of tourists.

The stunning limestone karsts jutting out of the ocean make the perfect backdrop for an evening coldie.

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN – A totally free day to lay on a beach or by the pool, or perhaps explore this peaceful little seaside town.

For the active, Khao Chong Krajok, (mirror tunnel mountain), is a tough walk to the temple on the top of Wat Thammikikarem. Even more monkeys will entertain you along the way before more great town and ocean views.

Tonight our Thailand small group adventure/holiday tour will stay in: HUA HIN – A very short bus ride will see our Thailand group tour in the far more famous seaside destination of Hua Hin.

Let the real holiday part begin with four nights to relax beachside.
For those who want a more touristy destination, Hua Hin fits the bill perfectly. The town itself makes for a pleasant meander and beaches are only a few minutes away also.
In the evening one of the best night markets for seafood in all Thailand sets up on a daily basis.

HUA HIN – If we must be in a tourist destination then we guess the best thing to do is what all holiday tours do. Lay on a beach, eat, drink and be merry. Hua Hin won’t disappoint in that respect.

HUA HIN – More of the same seaside in tropical climes.

HUA HIN – Yet another day to laze, shop, or meander around town or along the beach.

Tonight our small group Thailand tour will stay in; BANGKOK – By bus or train Our small group tour will return to where we began, Bangkok, with the rest of the day free.

BANGKOK – Last minute shopping, sightseeing or a day trip are among the myriad of options for our last day in the city of Angels known as Krungthep to the locals. A farewell dinner will be had in the evening.

Our Meander in Thailand small group adventure & holiday tour is officially over when we check out of our Bangkok accommodation. An airport transfer is included as always.

You now return home refreshed and with some local knowledge of real Thailand that few non Thai’s ever get to experience. Wonderful & sometimes amazing memories.