THAILAND SOLO TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
- A three night stay and discovery of Thailand’s northern city, Chiang Mai
- Visit the Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai’s elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre
- Visit to Sukhothai Historical Park including a bicycle ride to take in the ruins.
- Visit World Heritage listed ruins of Ayutthaya
- Visit the Hellfire Pass and the Memorial Museum
- Stay overnight on a river raft lodge
- Visit the famous floating markets of Damnoen Saduak
- Bangkok sightseeing tour of the important cultural and historical sites
- Opt to extend your travels with a Phuket beach stay
- Small group touring exclusively for solo travellers
PRE TOUR STAY
Consider arriving a day before the tour starts or staying on after the tour ends. You can relax and refresh after your flight. Also provides a buffer in case of unexpected flight delays. The cost of the additional night/s of stay applies. Ask our travel team about this option, and the additional costs.
DAY 1
Arrive Chiang Mai
Arrive to Chiang Mai. You will be met at the airport by our representative and provided a transfer to our group hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Meals: N/A
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- All flight arrivals are met at the airport for a transfer to our group hotel
DAY 2
Chiang Mai
Enjoy a full day visit to Elephant Nature Park; a natural home and sanctuary for elephants, buffalos, dogs, cats, birds and many other rescued animals. Your visit starts with a picturesque drive through rural countryside to Elephant Nature Park. You will hear the personal stories of rescued and orphaned elephants. See how they became a proud herd and free from abuse for the first time in their lives.
Many find their visit to Elephant Nature Park rewarding and very relaxing. Observe free roaming elephants (no riding), and other rescued animals enjoying the natural surroundings of our sanctuary. Your visit helps support regional projects and offers an invaluable opportunity of helping elephant conservation. After an action-packed day at the Elephant Nature Park, we take you back to the hotel to enjoy your evening at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Visit Elephant Nature Park
- A group lunch
DAY 3
Chiang Mai
Today we will visit Baan Tawai Handicraft Village, that boasts being the largest handicraft market in Thailand. A wide range of handicrafts and artisanal creations are offered here. They are not only teak carpentry but also bamboo and rattan furniture as well as ceramics, silk, hemp, silver, cotton, plastic and glass. They are made from rough country style to meticulously crafted objets d’art, and from antiques to modern designer products.
Visit Sankampaeng Handicraft Village and Bosang Umbrella Village. Sankampaeng Handicraft Village is the most popular destination for tourists to discover the making of Thai handicrafts and to shop for souvenirs. Each factory specialises in one craft and it is possible to see demonstrations of artisans and craftsmen at work, making of Thai Silk, celadon, wood carving, sterling silver, lacquer ware, jewelry, saa paper. Bo Sang Umbrella Village, famous for the production of paper umbrellas, hand-painted in an infinity of painstakingly detailed designs. Sankampaeng and Bosang are near each other.
Enjoy lunch and explore the town for the afternoon and evening at your own leisure. Perhaps check out the historical sites, shopping and the option of Thai massage.
For dinner you ‘re in for a real treat, as we will be dining at a traditional Khantoke Restaurant. This northern-style dinner Is followed by Folk dances and a hill tribe show.
Meals: Breakfast, Highlight Dinner
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Visit handicraft villages
- Highlight dinner with hill tribe show
DAY4
Chiang Mai – Sukhothai
Have breakfast at the hotel. You will then travel to Sukhothai. This afternoon, explore the ruins of Sukhothai by bicycle, which are located in the highly regarded Sukhothai Historical Park. Within these protected grounds lie 193 ruins across 70 square kilometres of land.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Transfer from Chiang Mail to Sukhothai
- Visit of the ruins of Sukhothai by bicycle
DAY 5
Sukhothai – Ayutthaya
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before we head to Ayutthaya, a world heritage site. This afternoon visit the World Heritage listed ruins of Ayutthaya. Impressively jam-packed with ancient relics and ruins, Ayutthaya is a must-see for history buffs visiting Thailand. Founded in 1350 by King U Thong, there are countless temples and museums where visitors can get an insight into ancient Siam. There will also be time to visit a local market in Ayutthaya.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Travel from Sukhothai to Ayutthaya
- Visit the world heritage site of Ayutthaya.
- Free time to visit a local market.
DAY 6
Ayutthaya – Kanchanaburi
After breakfast you will visit the Royal Palace at Bang Pa-In, the summer palace for the King and Queen of Thailand. Then depart Ayuthaya to the scenic, riverside town of Kanchanaburi. Located in the west of Thailand, Kanchanaburi has a slightly cooler climate owing to its location on the edge of a mountain range. Famed for its stunning waterways, Kanchanaburi boasts countless waterfalls, caves and lakes. The largest and most renowned of these being the River Kwai, an increasingly popular tourist destination and the site of our unique ‘raft’ hotel for the evening.
After lunch, tour the fascinating historical sites that Kanchanaburi has to offer, including the Bridge on the River Kwai and the War Cemetery. Then relax in your jungle raft lodging. Dinner will be served atop the floating, open-air deck of the hotel restaurant where you can take in the uninterrupted, lush jungle surrounds as you dine.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Travel from Ayutthaya to Kanchanaburi
- Touring historical sites of Kanchanaburi has to offer, including the Bridge on the River Kwai and, the War Cemetery
- Overnight stay at the raft hotel, River Kwai
DAY 7
Kanchanaburi - Bangkok
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. This morning visit “Hellfire Pass” the deepest cutting on the unfinished Death Railway line was built by Australian, British, Dutch and other allied prisoners during the Second World War. There is a cruel history to the conditions the prisoners of war endured at the hands of the Japanese. As you walk through the pass, it is hard to imagine the horrors that took place in this tranquil forest just a few decades ago. There are harrowing exhibits in the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, located on the site.
In the afternoon travel to Bangkok and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Visit ‘Hellfire Pass’
- Travel from Kanchanaburi - Bangkok
DAY 8
Bangkok
Dine on a hearty buffet breakfast at the hotel before meeting your tour guide and setting out for a day of sightseeing in Bangkok. Among other things, you’ll see the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha Temple and the klongs (canals) of Bangkok. The klongs are major arteries for a colourful, often-bewildering variety of huge barges, express passenger boats, cross-river ferries, and thundering “longtails”. We will then enter one of the smaller side canals to enjoy an intimate view of Thai riverine life.
Lunch is at your leisure before re-joining the group to take in some more of Bangkok’s fascinating sights.
Royal Grand Palace & Wat Pra Kaew
Wat Pra Kaew, home to the centuries-old, gold-clad figurine, “The Emerald Buddha” and the wonderfully impressive Royal Grand Palace, more stunning in real life than photography can convey. The Emerald Buddha is so sacred that only the Thai King may touch it.
Tonight, there’s the option to join your guide to go out for a local dinner (on your own account) visiting Asiatique The Riverfront, an open-air mall with plentiful shopping options and restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Guided Bangkok sightseeing; including the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha Temple and the klongs (canals) of Bangkok.
FREE TIME EXTRAS:
- Visit Asiatique The Riverfront, Bangkok’s first large-scale riverside community mall
DAY 9
Bangkok
After breakfast at the hotel, we head to Risky Market where a train cuts right through the crowed stalls several times a day. The sight is quite extraordinary – as the approaching train driver sounds the horn, overhead canopies lift, tables move, vendors retreat and the line clears seconds before the thundering locomotive arrives. The rail passage is so tight that ground level vegetable displays disappear from view as the carriages pass directly over them. Moments later, the sequence happens in reverse – and the market returns to normal as if nothing has happened. From here visit famous floating markets at Damnoen Saduak including a short longtail boat ride. Here, hundreds of longtail boat owners gather to sell a vast array of produce, from tropical fruits and vegetables, to steaming plates of ready-to-eat food prepared in mini kitchens on the boats themselves. Enjoy the rest of the day at your own leisure, perhaps purchasing some of the local food sold at the floating markets for lunch.
Enjoy a highlight dinner at a city hotel restaurant with a glamorous and magnificent view of beautiful Bangkok.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Visit famous Risky Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market including a short longtail boat ride.
- Free time to make your discoveries
- Highlight city dinner
DAY 10
Depart Bangkok
The final day of your Highlights Tour. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Touring services come to an end today, unless you’ve included the Phuket Extension.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Hotel to airport transfer for Phuket Extension participants
PHUKET EXTENSION OPTION - 3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS
DAY 10
Bangkok - Phuket
Have breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the airport for your flight to Phuket. Fly from Bangkok to Phuket for two nights at a beautiful resort to relax and enjoy some beach time and get to know Phuket. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- At group nominated time transfer to the airport to connect with your flight to Phuket
- Arrival to Phuket, group transfer Phuket Airport to Patong Beach, Phuket
- Dinner with the group at a local restaurant
DAY 11
Phuket
Take advantage of the hotel’s buffet breakfast before exploring Phuket. Visit Phuket town and see the Sino-Portuguese architecture. Then see a beautiful viewpoint of Patong Beach, Kata Beach and Karon Beach. There is free time in the afternoon and evening, to relax or make your own local discoveries.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Local guided sightseeing including Phuket town
- Free time from midafternoon and the evening
DAY 12
Phuket
Have breakfast at the hotel and then enjoy your final hours in Phuket. Or extend and take more time to experience Phuket.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Itineraries may be subject to change, due to circumstances outside of our control. If there is any itinerary change prior to departure of significance we aim to inform you prior to travel. Itinerary changes while on tour will be informed by your tour leader/guide while on tour.
