This 14-day Classic Thailand tour takes travelers through some of the country’s most iconic destinations, blending culture, history, and nature. The journey begins in vibrant Bangkok, where visitors explore royal palaces, ancient temples, canals, markets, and sample renowned street food. Next, the tour ventures to Ayutthaya, Thailand’s historic capital, to explore its magnificent ruins. In Kanchanaburi, travelers learn about World War II history and enjoy nature at Erawan Falls. The trip ends with a relaxing stay on the tropical island of Koh Samui, featuring optional tours to temples, waterfalls, elephant sanctuaries, and nearby islands for snorkeling.
Itinerary
Arrival Flight: TBA
Welcome to Bangkok – the quintessential eastern metropolis and Southeast Asia’s most vibrant capital city.
Meeting point: GATE 6, Arrival hall 2nd floor
Upon arrival to the airport, you will be warmly welcomed at the airport by your private English speaking tour guide who will take care of the transfer to your hotel.
Known in Thai as the city of angels, Bangkok is a city of mind-boggling history and spirituality, where you can expect ancient Thai temples that rise magnificently from the riverbanks, colorful palaces that glisten spectacularly in the sunlight, and a snaking river that audaciously wind its way through the heart of the city. Fabulous shopping awaits you, whether you’re after high quality artisanal handicrafts or excellent bargains in Asia’s most stylish shopping centers. If you’re a food lover, you will delight at the exceptionally delicious meals that can be enjoyed at every corner of the city. You will be warmly welcomed at the airport by our guide who will take care of the transfer to your hotel. Prepare to be left mesmerized by this urban wonderland.
Check in at your hotel and free time at leisure.
Meals included: None
Accommodation: Overnight in Bangkok
Note: Check-in at the hotel from 14:00
Bangkok highlights (08:00 – 15:00)
In the morning, you will go to the Grand Palace, the most important and impressive royal palace in Thailand. Here, you will see the enigmatic Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha image in Thailand. You will then continue to Wat Pho, one of the oldest temples in Bangkok. Wat Pho is renowned for housing the famous 45 meter long reclining Buddha as well as for being the original school of traditional Thai massage and here you will enjoy a 1 hour Thai herbal massage. After that, you will take a long tail boat and cruise along the canal of Thonburi and get a glimpse of the everyday life of the famous ‘water people’ of Thailand. On your way back, you will stop by what is probably the best known symbol of Bangkok, the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), with its sparkling spires covered in broken shards of glass and pottery.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight in Bangkok
Optional: Dinner Cruise
Take in the Bangkok skyline from a unique vantage point aboard a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River. Enjoy a selection of delicious food as you glide down the river. With a musical note to entertain you, you are sure to have an unforgettable experience.
Meals included: Dinner
Morning Visit Jim Thompson’s House (10:00 – 12:00)
Start off your day with the opportunity to explore one of the city’s best museums: Jim Thompson’s House, which displays collections of artifacts from all over Southeast Asia. This exquisite teakwood house, which belonged to Jim Thompson, known as the ‘father of Thai silk’, offers a serene retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city and is an essential insight into local culture.
A feast in the dragon belly – Chinatown walking tour (12:00 – 16:00)
You will explore hidden alleys where restaurants, which have been owned by the same family for decades, and streetcars are bustling away, far from the attention of the popular guidebooks and tours. Then you will queue with locals who dine there daily to try their signature dishes that are difficult to find anywhere else. You will learn the difference between Buddhist and Chinese temples and discover traditional customs which are still preserved in the local neighborhood of Yaowarat – Bangkok’s Dragon Belly. You will conclude your tour by a last walk to an expected place with a magnificent view on Chao Phraya River.
Meals included: Breakfast, progressive street food meal
Accommodation: Overnight in Bangkok
Free day at leisure
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Bangkok
Option: Khlong Maha Sawat and Don Wai Market – Local Farmers’ Life (08:30 – 12:30)
Escape the frantic Bangkok center and delve into the farmers’ life in a peaceful village along Khlong Maha Sawat. See the canal built by King Rama IV, orchard farms and lotus farms and learn about the importance of these flowers in Thai culture. Travel by boat to admire beautiful orchids at a farm. Discover how foods are being farmed and taste local treats like rice crackers and tropical fruits, before continuing to Don Wai market, located on the banks of the river. This is one of the oldest in Thailand, dating back to the beginning of the 20th Century and still retaining its characteristics of the time. Here you’ll meander among dishes not commonly palatable for the eyes and taste buds of Westerners, but each more colorful and exotic than the next.
Meals included: Lunch
After checking out you will meet your driver and travel to Ayutthaya.
Competing in magnificence with Angkor of Cambodia, Borobudur of Indonesia and Bagan of Myanmar, stunning Ayutthaya is Thailand’s most alluring ancient city. This ancient capital of Siam has been engraved into history and is still shrouded in mystery, with striking religious imagery, crumbling ancient temples and a turbulent past that ultimately ended in tragedy. Ayutthaya looms large in any visit to Thailand beyond the beaches of the south, and with good reason, as this incredible place delights visitors today just as it enchanted explorers and merchants centuries ago.
Ayutthaya’s glorious ruins (07:00 – 17:00)
Today, you will explore the glorious ruins of Ayutthaya, which bring back to life the early splendor of the city destroyed by the Burmese army in 1767. Your journey will start with Wat Chai Wattanaram which is one of the most imposing of the remaining monuments of old Ayutthaya. Then, you will move onto the bronze Buddha at Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit, a thrilling example of the significance of Thai spirituality, before visiting the Royal Monastery – Wat Phra Si Sanphet, famous for its three iconic chedis. You will then continue with a visit to Wat Mahathat, famed for the head of Buddha which is embedded in a tree trunk surrounded by the growing roots. Your last destination will be Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon. Within the complex abides a huge statue of a reclining Buddha built of brick and stucco, the chedi is bell-shaped and constructed on a mound of raised ground with steps going up to the Buddhist image placed midway to the top.
Estimated Travel duration from Bangkok to Ayutthaya: 1hr
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight in Ayutthaya
After checking out you will meet your driver and guide and travel to Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi has become one of Thailand’s most interesting destinations for travelers interested in war history, due to the so-called ‘Death Railway’. Timelessly immortalized by the epic World War II film ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’, this fascinating and yet harrowing historical symbol of human courage and endurance is enhanced by a visit to the Thai-Burma railway center, which details the intricacies of the story behind the railway. The surrounding countryside is truly breath-taking, with the railway snaking around mountains and over verdant jungles and calm rivers.
Kanchanaburi highlights ( 07:00 – 18:00)
Today, you will take a trip to the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum which is built and maintained by the Australian Government. Here, you can learn the stories of the Allied prisoners and Asian laborers who suffered terribly under the harsh working conditions. In fact, many died an untimely death as they were forced to build the railway to further the invasion of Burma during World War II. For a deeper experience, you can set foot along the walking trail below the museum and retrace the steps of a miserable time in history. Afterward, you will head into the Erawan National Park, famous for its emerald green, dense jungles and thundering waterfalls. Hike to the well-known Erawan Falls where you can admire how the crystal clear water cascades elegantly on the smoothened rocks to form azure water pools. There is no better place to dip into regenerating waters and calmly float around in wonder. Going for a swim and rewarding yourself for the trek will almost seem like a necessity before hiking back.
Estimated Travel duration from Ayutthaya to Kanchanaburi : 3.5 hrs
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Overnight in Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi’s gloomy legacy and train ride (08:00 – 16:00)
Drive North West of Bangkok to Kanchanaburi province. Here you will spot the bridge on the River Kwai, timelessly immortalized in history and the subject of the famous film. Continue to the World War II cemetery where 6,982 allied prisoners died during the construction of the infamous Death Railway. Learn about the distressing series of events which marked the history of the region at Death Railway Museum. Finally take a stunning train ride on the Death Railway, spectacularly snaking along on a solid wooden support system.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight in Kanchanaburi
After checking out you will meet your driver and travel to Bangkok airport for your flight to Koh Samui.
Upon arrival at Koh Samui, you will meet your driver and travel to your hotel.
Estimated Travel duration from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok : 2.5 hr
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Koh Samui
Free day at leisure
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Koh Samui
Optional: The inland of Samui (09:00 – 14:00)
In Koh Samui, famous for its palm-fringed beaches and coconut plantations, travelers often forget that the island has more to offer.
Today, you’ll discover another side of Samui. Your first stop is at Wat Phra Yai, commonly called Big Buddha by the locals, where a large statue of Lord Buddha dominates the hill top of a small island. From here, after walking up the steps to the main gallery, you can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding area.
The journey then takes you to Lamai, where Hin Ta (Grandfather) and Hin Ya (Grandmother) rocks have protected the cove for centuries. Those rocky shapes, similar to male (for Hin Ta) and female (for Hin Ya) genitalia, always raise a laugh, but also play an important role as fertility symbols.
Your next stop is Guan Yu Shrine, a tribute to Chinese heritage, dedicated to Guan Yu, a legendary warrior who died almost 2000 years ago. The Guan Yu monument is 16 meters high and the biggest in Thailand.
Then you head into the island’s interior, stopping first at Wat Kunaram. For more than 30 years, this temple has been home to the mummified body of Luang Por Daeng. This devout monk died in a seated position of meditation and his body still shows very few signs of major decay. Nowadays, locals and travelers come to see and pay tribute to the sacrosanct symbol of Koh Samui.
Next, you’ll reach the heights of Samui and Na Muang Muang 1 Waterfall (18 meters wide) and its natural pool – the second impressive natural beauty spot of your trip.
Your tour ends on the west coast of the island in Nathon, the capital and main ferry pier to the mainland.
Meals included: Lunch
Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan by speedboat Join-in (08:00 – 17:30)
(Join-in activity with shared round trip transfer)
Just a few miles off the coast of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan lies Koh Tao. Smaller in size, the island is still rich in hidden gems, amazing viewpoints and great beaches with crystal clear water.
Among them, Koh Nang Yuan consists of a set of three rocky islands covered by lush jungle and connected by two strips of white coral-sand – dream postcard scenery that you can visit by speedboat.
You depart in the morning and reach the island after a 1hr30 trip.
Once on Koh Nang Yuan, you can climb to the viewpoint located 90 meters above the sea to enjoy 360-degree views of the surroundings of Koh Tao and the horizon. Swimming or relaxing on the beach is another option before heading to Koh Tao for lunch in a local restaurant.
The afternoon is dedicated to snorkeling. You’ll be taken to beautiful snorkeling points which make Koh Tao a paradise for divers. It’s a chance to swim in pristine clear water among colorful fish, maybe meeting some of the marine Green or Hawksbill turtles that live here (to which Koh Tao (Turtle Island) owes is name), and its amazing corals.
In the mid-afternoon, your speedboat takes you back to Koh Samui pier for transfer back to your hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight in Samui
Free day at leisure
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Koh Samui
Option: Observe gentle giants at Samui Elephant Sanctuary join-in (09:00 – 11:00)
(Join-in activity with shared round trip transfer)
You will be picked up at your hotel and drive to Samui Elephant Sanctuary, the island’s first real ethical elephant sanctuary. Upon your arrival you will receive an orientation briefing that will provide you with all the necessary background information to make the most out of your visit. Then, it will be time to marvel at the sanctuary’s inhabitants from a safe distance as the focus of Samui Elephant Sanctuary is on observation with as little interaction as possible. However, you will have the exciting opportunity to see the gentle giants up close during their feeding time when you provide them with nutritious snacks. You can let the amazing memories sink in as you enjoy a healthy meal before returning back to your hotel.
Meals included: Light lunch
Free day at leisure
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnigh in Koh Samui
Free day at leisure
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Samui
After checking out you will meet your driver and travel to Samui airport for your outbound flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: None
