Thailand Passion: Bangkok, the Golden Triangle and Koh Chang Island in 14 Days

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