Discovery North of Thailand: Bangkok, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in 10 Days

Your private guide and driver meet you at Bangkok airport and take you to your hotel to settle in. In the evening, board a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River for an international buffet from about 19:30 to 21:30. The boat glides past the Grand Palace, Wat Arun and old riverside shophouses as the city lights come on, which makes for a gentle first night after a long flight.Overnight: Bangkok · Meals: D

Start with the Grand Palace, home of the Chakri kings since 1782, and Wat Phra Kaew, where the small jade Emerald Buddha is the most sacred image in the country. Cover shoulders and knees, and note that some halls close on Sundays and during royal ceremonies. After lunch, drive west to Damnoen Saduak, the best-known floating market in Thailand, where boats loaded with fruit, flowers and snacks crowd the narrow canals.Overnight: Bangkok · Meals: B, L

Drive to Kanchanaburi, about 130 kilometers west of Bangkok. Visit the Allied cemetery, resting place of around 9,000 prisoners who built the Thailand-Burma railway in the 1940s, and the JEATH Museum, which retells their experience. Then ride a train along the original Death Railway track beside the river, with lunch near the station where you step off. Finish at the Bridge on the River Kwai before checking in to your riverside hotel.Overnight: Kanchanaburi · Meals: B, L

Leave Kanchanaburi for Ayutthaya, the Siamese capital founded in 1350 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk through Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, Wat Mahathat and the three great chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Continue to Ang Thong to see Wat Muang and its giant seated Buddha, almost 100 meters tall. After a local lunch, drive north to Phitsanulok, one of the country's major pilgrimage cities, as the scenery turns greener along the way.Overnight: Phitsanulok · Meals: B, L

A short drive brings you to Sukhothai, the cradle of Thai civilization and capital of the first Thai kingdom from 1238 to 1438. With your guide, walk through the Historical Park among lotus ponds, brick chedis and serene Buddha images, including the giant seated Buddha of Wat Si Chum. Then settle in for the scenic drive north through Lampang province into the hills, with a lunch stop on the way, reaching Chiang Mai in the late afternoon.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B

Explore the old city, beginning with Wat Chedi Luang and its huge ruined chedi, once home to the Emerald Buddha, and Wat Phra Singh, a jewel of Lanna art built in 1345. After lunch, drive up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, 1,050 meters above the city, for its golden chedi and views over the Ping valley. In the evening, return for a khantoke dinner of northern dishes on low trays, with traditional Lanna music and dance.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B, L, D

Head out to Doi Inthanon, at 2,565 meters the highest point in Thailand. Visit the summit and walk the short Ang Ka nature trail through cloud forest, then continue to the Twin Royal Pagodas, set in flower gardens with sweeping views. After lunch at a local restaurant, stop at the Royal Project, where hill-tribe farmers grow flowers and cool-climate crops, and finish at the thundering Wachirathan Waterfall before returning to Chiang Mai.Overnight: Chiang Mai · Meals: B, L

Drive north through forested hills to Chiang Rai and stop for lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the Blue Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten, glowing in sapphire and gold, then Baan Dam, the Black House, a dark and fascinating complex of teak pavilions full of carvings and art. End at Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, the shimmering masterpiece of national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.Overnight: Chiang Rai · Meals: B, L

Drive to Mae Sai, the northernmost town in Thailand, and browse its border market. After lunch, continue to the Golden Triangle, where you board a long-tail boat on the Mekong to see the point where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. Visit the Opium Museum for the history of the region, then stop at Chiang Saen, an ancient Lanna city founded around 1328, with temple ruins, stupas and an old moat and city wall.Overnight: Chiang Rai · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, your guide and driver take you to Chiang Rai airport for the short flight to Bangkok, where you connect to your international flight home. If you would like to stay longer, we can add a night in Bangkok or a few days at the beach in Phuket, Krabi or Koh Samui. Just let us know when you plan your trip.Meals: B