Northern Thailand by Road and Phuket: Ayutthaya to Chiang Rai in 12 Days

Welcome to Thailand. Your private guide and driver meet you at Bangkok airport and take you to your hotel on the Sathorn side of the city. Standard check-in is at 2 pm, so you may want to leave your bags and enjoy a first meal nearby. The rest of the day is free to rest after your flight. Your guide will brief you on the journey ahead before leaving you to settle in.Overnight: Bangkok

A full day in the heart of Bangkok. Start at the Grand Palace, the former home of the kings of Siam, and Wat Phra Kaew with its revered Emerald Buddha, golden chedi and colorful towers. Please wear long trousers or skirts and covered shoulders. In the afternoon, a long-tail boat takes you along the Chao Phraya River into the quiet canals of Thonburi, past wooden houses on stilts, to Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.Overnight: Bangkok · Meals: B

Drive west to the Maeklong Railway Market, where vendors pull back their awnings just minutes before a train rolls slowly through the stalls. Continue to Damnoen Saduak, about 100 kilometers from Bangkok, and explore its busy canals in a small boat, with fruit, noodles and souvenirs sold from the water. Return to Bangkok to rest. In the evening, your driver takes you to the river for a buffet dinner cruise with live music.Overnight: Bangkok · Meals: B, D

An early start today, at around 6:45 am. Stop first at Bang Pa-In, the elegant Summer Palace of King Rama V. Then explore Ayutthaya, the old capital, visiting Wat Yai Chaimongkhon, Wat Mahathat with its Buddha head in tree roots, and Wat Phanan Choeng. Lunch is at a restaurant in Chai Nat. Continue north to Phitsanulok for a short orientation tour of the city. The drive is about 405 kilometers, or six hours.Overnight: Phitsanulok · Meals: B

Begin at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat in Phitsanulok, where locals bring morning offerings to the Phra Buddha Chinnarat, one of the most revered Buddha images in Thailand. Drive on to Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO site of lotus ponds, temples and serene Buddha statues. After lunch, visit Si Satchanalai, a quiet park of ruined temples reached across a wooden suspension bridge. Continue to Lampang for the night, about 410 kilometers in total.Overnight: Lampang · Meals: B

Visit Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, a walled Lanna temple with fine wood carvings and a revered golden chedi. Head north with a coffee stop by Phayao Lake, then visit Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, near Chiang Rai. Continue to the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, and take a 45-minute boat trip on the Mekong with a stop on Don Sao Island. End at the House of Opium museum.Overnight: Chiang Rai · Meals: B

After breakfast, your guide and driver take you south to Chiang Mai, about three hours by road through green hills. Before checking in, drive up the mountain to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, built in 1383 and one of the most sacred temples in the north. Climb the 306 steps flanked by naga serpents to the golden chedi and enjoy wide views over the city and the Ping Valley. Then settle in to your hotel.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B

A gentle day after the long drives. In the morning, head to an organic farm outside Chiang Mai for a hands-on Thai cooking class. Pick herbs and vegetables in the garden, learn to balance sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors, and enjoy the dishes you make for lunch. In the afternoon, your guide takes you to two of the old city's great temples, Wat Phra Singh and the ruined chedi of Wat Chedi Luang.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B, L

The morning is free for a last walk or a visit to a market in Chiang Mai. Your driver then takes you to the airport for a direct flight of about an hour and twenty minutes to Phuket. On arrival, a private driver meets you and takes you to your hotel on Kamala Beach. Standard check-in is at 2 pm. Spend the rest of the day by the pool or on the sand, watching the sunset over the Andaman Sea.Overnight: Phuket · Meals: B

Join a speedboat day trip to the Phi Phi Islands. On Phi Phi Leh, visit Maya Bay, then swim in the emerald water of Pileh Lagoon and see Viking Cave from the boat. Lunch is a Thai buffet on Phi Phi Don at Tonsai Bay. In the afternoon, cruise to Khai Island to snorkel among colorful fish and relax on its white sand beach before returning to Phuket. Bring sunscreen, a hat and a swimsuit.Overnight: Phuket · Meals: B, L

A full day to enjoy the beach. Swim, read under a parasol or book a Thai massage at your hotel. If you feel like exploring, Phuket Old Town, with its colorful Sino-Portuguese shophouses and cafes, is less than an hour away, and we can arrange a private car on request. In the evening, enjoy fresh seafood at one of the restaurants along Kamala Beach.Overnight: Phuket · Meals: B

Enjoy a final breakfast and a last swim or a quiet hour by the sea. Your time is free until your private transfer to Phuket International Airport for your flight home or to your next destination. We hope this journey from the old capitals of Siam to the islands of the Andaman has given you a rich picture of Thailand and its people.Meals: B