14 days 13 nights
Specific Tour
14 people
English
Quick answer
A private 14-day Thailand tour from Bangkok and the River Kwai to Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle and Chiang Mai, finishing with three free nights on Koh Chang. Guided touring for ten days, then a quiet island break.
From US$1,890 per person for the whole tour, based on 4 travellers sharing double rooms in 4★ hotels as listed (couples travelling alone pay a little more). It changes with hotel level, season and group size, and is confirmed in your tailor-made quote.
| Day | Route and highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Bangkok | Bangkok |
| 2 | Grand Palace, Chinatown and the Thonburi canals | Bangkok |
| 3 | Maeklong, Damnoen Saduak and Kanchanaburi | Kanchanaburi |
| 4 | Erawan Falls and on to Ayutthaya | Ayutthaya |
| 5 | Ayutthaya by tuk-tuk, Bang Pa-In and a flight north | Chiang Rai |
| 6 | Chiang Rai: market, temples and the Black House | Chiang Rai |
| 7 | Mae Salong tea hills and the Golden Triangle | Chiang Saen |
| 8 | Thaton, Chiang Dao Cave and Chiang Mai | Chiang Mai |
| 9 | Chiang Mai old city and Doi Suthep | Chiang Mai |
| 10 | Craft villages, a Ping River cruise and the night train | Overnight train |
| 11 | Bangkok to Trat and across to Koh Chang | Koh Chang |
| 12 | Free day on Koh Chang | Koh Chang |
| 13 | Another free day by the sea | Koh Chang |
| 14 | Koh Chang to Trat and depart from Bangkok | — |
Private tour with your own English-speaking guide · 14 days / 13 nights · Bangkok – Maeklong – Damnoen Saduak – Kanchanaburi – Erawan – Ayutthaya – Chiang Rai – Mae Salong – Chiang Saen – Chiang Dao – Chiang Mai – Koh Chang
This Thailand private tour covers a lot of ground in 14 days without feeling rushed. You start in Bangkok with the Grand Palace, Chinatown and a long-tail boat through the Thonburi canals, then visit the railway market at Maeklong and the floating market at Damnoen Saduak on the way to Kanchanaburi. A ride on the Death Railway, a morning at the turquoise pools of Erawan Falls and a tuk-tuk tour of Ayutthaya complete the first part of the trip.
A flight takes you north to Chiang Rai and its striking modern temples. From there you climb into the tea plantations of Mae Salong, visit Akha and Lisu villages and take a boat to the Golden Triangle. You continue through Thaton and the caves of Chiang Dao to Chiang Mai, with a day for the old city and Doi Suthep and another for craft villages and a cruise on the Ping River.
To finish, you head to Koh Chang in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, an island of jungle-covered peaks and long sandy bays, for three free days by the sea.
Moderate. Expect several long days on the road in the north, walking on uneven ground at Erawan Falls and stooping through the low passages of Chiang Dao Cave. Day 10 ends with an overnight sleeper train to Bangkok. Best for active couples, travelers in good health and families with children over 10.
Comfortable 4-star hotels: Nouvo City Hotel in Bangkok, U Inchantree Kanchanaburi, Kantary Hotel Ayutthaya, Grand Vista in Chiang Rai, Bansaeo Garden Resort in Chiang Saen, Bodhi Serene in Chiang Mai and The Dewa Koh Chang, or similar. Night 10 is spent on the sleeper train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Upgrades to 5-star hotels are available on request.
November to February is the best time for this tour, with dry weather in the north and calm, sunny seas on Koh Chang. March to May is hot, with haze in the northern hills in late March and April. Koh Chang sees heavy rain and rough seas from June to October, so we suggest a different beach in the rainy months.
Your guide and driver are yours alone for the whole trip, so the pace, the stops and the start time each morning follow you. The standard version has an English-speaking guide; guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese can be arranged on request.
More ideas: All private tours in Thailand · Thailand Family Holiday: Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Phuket in 14 Days · Beauty of Thailand: Culture, the North and Three Beaches in 15 Days · Thailand Island Hopping: Bangkok, Phuket, Phi Phi and Krabi in 12 Days
Photos: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Grendelkhan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Bjørn Erik Pedersen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images, but please mention me as the author an, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; WPPilot, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Ddalbiez, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; ekeidar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; gbuschner, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Thailand Passion: Bangkok, the Golden Triangle and Koh Chang Island in 14 Days is a starting point. Our Hanoi travel designers adjust every day to your pace, interests and hotel style, then run the trip with your own guide and driver.
Your private guide and driver meet you at Bangkok airport and take you to your hotel. Hotel check-in is from 14:00, so if you land early we suggest a light lunch nearby or a short rest in the lobby. The rest of the day is free to settle in, take a swim or explore the streets around the hotel at your own pace. Your guide will run through the plan for the coming days.
Overnight: Bangkok
Start at the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, home of the Emerald Buddha, then walk to Wat Pho to see the 45-meter Reclining Buddha with its mother-of-pearl feet. After lunch, wander through the busy lanes of Chinatown and visit Wat Traimit and its solid gold Buddha. In the afternoon, board a long-tail boat along the Chao Phraya River and the canals of Thonburi, stopping at Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.
Overnight: Bangkok · Meals: B
Leave the city for the countryside of Samut Songkhram. At Maeklong Railway Market, vendors fold back their awnings minutes before the train squeezes past, then set up again. Continue to Damnoen Saduak for a paddle-boat ride through the floating market's canals. On weekends, the smaller Tha Kha market is an option. Drive on to Kanchanaburi to visit the Allied cemetery and the JEATH Museum, then take a 30-minute train ride on the Death Railway from Wang Pho along the river.
Overnight: Kanchanaburi · Meals: B
Spend the morning in Erawan National Park, where a seven-tiered waterfall tumbles through the forest into a chain of turquoise pools. Walk up as far as you like, and bring good shoes and a swimsuit if you want to swim. In the afternoon, drive to Ayutthaya, the old royal capital founded in 1350 and once called the Venice of the East for its rivers and canals.
Overnight: Ayutthaya · Meals: B
Hop into one of Ayutthaya's rounded tuk-tuks to tour the temple highlights: Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, Wat Mahathat with its Buddha head held in the roots of a tree, and Wat Phra Si Sanphet, with a stroll through a local market on the way. Then visit Bang Pa-In, the royal summer palace that mixes Thai, Chinese and European styles. Return to Bangkok for the afternoon flight to Chiang Rai.
Overnight: Chiang Rai · Meals: B
Begin at the local market to see the produce of the northern hills. Visit Wat Phra Kaew, where the Emerald Buddha was first discovered, and Wat Phra Singh with its revered Buddha image. Drive out to Baan Dam, the Black House, a dark and fascinating world of teak pavilions created by artist Thawan Duchanee. In the afternoon, see the Blue Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten, and the dazzling White Temple, Wat Rong Khun.
Overnight: Chiang Rai · Meals: B
Drive up into green mountains to Doi Mae Salong, where tea plantations cover the slopes and you can taste the local oolong. Visit an Akha village and a Lisu village to learn about the hill peoples of the north, then the Mae Fah Luang botanical garden. In the afternoon, reach the Golden Triangle and take a boat on the Mekong to the point where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. Overnight in riverside Chiang Saen.
Overnight: Chiang Saen · Meals: B
Drive to Thaton, a quiet town on the Kok River, and visit hilltop Wat Thaton for its views over the valley. Stop at a traditional Chinese medicine shop, where an expert explains the herbs, roots and ointments used for generations. In the afternoon, head south to Chiang Mai, pausing at Chiang Dao Cave to explore its chambers of stalactites by lantern light. Some passages are low, so expect to bend down.
Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B
Spend the morning in the old city inside its moat and brick walls. Visit Wat Phra Singh, Wat Phan Tao with its teak hall, and the giant ruined chedi of Wat Chedi Luang. Take a rickshaw through lanes of old wooden houses, then browse the stalls of Kad Luang, the central market. In the afternoon, drive up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep for its golden chedi and city views. In the evening, explore the Night Bazaar on your own.
Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B
Visit the craft villages east of the city, around Bo Sang and San Kamphaeng, where artisans paint paper umbrellas, weave silk and craft lacquer boxes and wood carvings. After lunch, enjoy a two-hour boat trip on the Ping River, passing traditional teak houses and green riverbanks. In the evening, board the overnight sleeper train to Bangkok. This journey is without a guide, and our team will meet you on arrival.
Overnight: Overnight train · Meals: B, L
Arrive in Bangkok around 07:00 to 08:00, where our driver meets you and takes you to the airport for a late-morning flight to Trat. On arrival, a transfer takes you to the pier for the ferry to Koh Chang, one of the largest islands in Thailand. Check in to your resort and enjoy the beach. From here, the days are free and without a guide.
Overnight: Koh Chang
Koh Chang is wild and green, with steep peaks covered in rainforest and a string of bays along its west coast. Spend the day on the beach, by the pool or in the spa. If you would like to explore, your resort can arrange a boat trip to the smaller islands, a visit to a jungle waterfall or a kayak along the mangroves at extra cost.
Overnight: Koh Chang · Meals: B
A second day with no plans at all. Walk the sand early while it is cool, enjoy a long seafood lunch overlooking the bay, and watch the sun set over the Gulf of Thailand from your resort. It is the perfect pause before the journey home. Your transfer details for tomorrow will be confirmed by our team the evening before.
Overnight: Koh Chang · Meals: B
After breakfast, a transfer takes you to the ferry and on to Trat airport for the short flight back to Bangkok, where you connect with your international flight home. Please allow a comfortable gap between the two flights; we will help you choose the right times. If you would like more time, we can add a night in Bangkok before departure.
Meals: B
Yes. The sleeper train is fun and comfortable for most travelers, but if you prefer, we can replace it with a flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and a night in a Bangkok hotel before you fly to Trat. Tell us when you book and we will adjust your quote.
No. The three domestic flights are quoted separately because fares change often. We book them for you at the current fare and add them to your total.
Koh Chang is at its best from November to April. From June to October the sea can be rough and rain is frequent, so for those months we suggest switching the beach to Koh Samui or Hua Hin.
Yes. This is a private tour with your own English-speaking guide. We also arrange private guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese: tell us when you enquire and we confirm your guide in the quote. Book early for the December to April high season.
Nothing is payable until you approve your written quote. We then ask for a 30% deposit to confirm, and the balance 45 days before arrival, by bank transfer or card. Bank details come with your booking confirmation; always confirm them with us by phone or WhatsApp (+84 812 247 572) before any transfer.
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