2023 Thailand

Thailand June 2023 Live

Click above for real time trip information.

https://grouptoursite.com/tours/thailanddonnakirkland

2023 Thailand

12 nights in handpicked hotels
12 breakfasts
4 lunches
4 dinners with beer or wine
1 cooking class
4 food tastings
12 sightseeing tours
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach
3 on-tour flights

*Hyperlinks are solely intended to give you an overview of the sites mentioned. Tours are not necessarily associated with the direct website address.

Overnight Flight 1 night

Day 1: Travel day
JUNE 16, 2023 (FRIDAY-NOLA) (BATON ROUGE DEPARTURES...THURSDAY, JUNE 15)

Board your overnight flight to Bangkok today.

Bangkok 3 nights

Day 2: Arrival in Bangkok
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2023

Welcome to Thailand! Settle in to your hotel tonight.

Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Bangkok
SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2023

Included meals: Breakfast, Welcome lunch, Tasting

This morning, join your Tour Director on a sightseeing tour of Bangkok.

Explore the sprawling Grand Palace complex, built in 1782 for the king of Siam
Pass by the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew)
Step inside the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) to see the famous 150-foot-long statue of Buddha
Visit the nearby flower market before taking a walking tour of the Chinatown neighborhood
Enjoy an included welcome lunch with your fellow travelers
Tour the city’s canals, called klongs, on a speedboat and converted rice barge as you sample local fruits

Day 4: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Maeklong Railway Market & organic farm

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2023
Included meals: Breakfast, Tasting

Explore the region on a series of stops at local cultural sites.

Ride through canals and villages on a long-tail boat to arrive at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
See the varied stalls, where locals sell food and goods, before sampling a local specialty
Explore the Maeklong Railway Market, built on an active train line, where vendors regularly pick up their stalls to allow trains to pass
Continue on to a local organic farm to learn about the eco-friendly practices
Sample freshly picked fruit and a refreshing coconut drink
Take part in a hands-on planting workshop with the local farmers

Chiang Rai 2 nights

Day 5: Ayutthaya Historical Park & flight to Chiang Rai
TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2023

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Journey to Ayutthaya, Thailand’s capital from 1350 to 1767, for a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Ayutthaya Historical Park.

Learn about Ayutthaya’s role as the second capital of the Siam Kingdom
Tour the ruins of palaces and monasteries, which are decorated with beautiful statues of the Buddha draped in saffron robes
See the giant reclining Buddha at Wat Lokayasutharam
Learn why Ayutthaya is referred to as The Venice of the East with its various canals and rivers

Then, transfer to the Bangkok airport and fly to the mountainous provincial town of Chiang Rai, where buddhist shrines and the ruins of ancient civilizations, dot the hills. Once you arrive, sit down for an included dinner with your group.

Day 6: Mae Kok River cruise & oolong tea plantation tour

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2023
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tasting

Spend today exploring the waterways, villages, and markets outside of Chiang Rai.

Board a long-tail boat and venture past hill tribe villages along the Mae Kok River
Visit the Golden Triangle, where the three countries of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos meet on the Mekong River
Enjoy an included lunch overlooking the Mekong River
Head to an oolong tea plantation in Mae Salong for a guided tour with an expert
Sample three different kinds of local tea at the Choui Fong Tea shop while admiring views of the terraced tea plantation

Chiang Mai 3 nights

Day 7: Chiang Mai via Wat Rong Khun, Doi Suthep & cooking class

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2023
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Enjoy the stunning scenery as you stop at some of the region’s most impressive temples and historic sites on your way to Chiang Mai.

Stop at Wat Rong Khun, the otherwordly “White Temple”
Visit Doi Suthep, the regal mountain overlooking the city and home to some of the most deeply loved symbols in the kingdom
Take a cable car to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a major temple and pilgrimage destination during the important Buddhist holidays of Makha Bucha and Visak
Opt to take a one-hour hike down a well-marked trail with many stairs or ride the cable car back to the base of the mountain

Continue on to Chiang Mai and take part in a Thai cooking class this evening.

Prepare four Thai dishes with culinary chefs in a secluded village known for its stunning rice fields
Enjoy the meal you cooked for dinner alongside your fellow group members

Day 8: Chiang Mai Night Market

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2023
Included meals: Breakfast, Tasting

Spend a free day in Chiang Mai or add an excursion.

Tonight, join your Tour Director to explore the Chiang Mai Night Market, just outside the ancient walls of the old city. You’re in for the best night market experience in Thailand.

Sample some of your expert Tour Director’s favorite regional cuisine made by local vendors
Enjoy free time to shop and taste more street food at your leisure

Mae Kampong Hill Tribe: Village Visit & Hike

From $55 per person

Details:

The Mae Kampong Hill Tribe lives in Northern Thailand where members of the community continue to practice and share their storied traditions. Today, you'll head to their village to explore it alongside a local guide. Begin the day with a short hike through the mountains surrounding the village. You'll stop to view a waterfall as you hear about the beauty of the area from your guide. Continue into the village to learn about the traditional ways of life during a tea tasting. Farmers in the community have produced tea for over 200 years, and the area's fertile farmlands were one of the main reasons the villagers chose to live here. Then, enter the home of a village resident and get to the heart of traditional Thai cuisine during a home-hosted lunch. After enjoying some free time, travel back to Chiang Mai. Please note: Out of respect, we recommend wearing clothes that cover your knees and shoulders.

6 hours, departs in the morning, lunch included

Day 9: Sightseeing tour of ChangChill elephant sanctuary

SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2023
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Drive through the countryside and visit ChangChill, an organization at the forefront of elephant welfare and responsible tourism in Chiang Mai.

Hear how the organization works with World Animal Protection to create a safe living environment for the elephants and an educational experience for visitors
Learn about Asian elephants as you watch them roam freely during a hands-off elephant exploration walk
Help prepare medicine and food for the elephants
Chat with the mahouts, or elephant caretakers, and enjoy an included vegetarian meal overlooking the elephants’ natural bathing spot

Enjoy a free evening in Chiang Mai or add an excursion.

Lanna Family Home-Hosted Dinner

From $79 per person

Details:

Make your way outside of Chiang Mai to join a local Lanna family at their home for dinner. Get a tour of the family's orchards and gardens before entering their home. Inside, you'll help prepare a spread of traditional Thai dishes, then sit down to enjoy your meal while learning about Lanna culture and traditions from your hosts.

4 hours, departs in the evening, dinner included

Phuket Island 3 nights

Day 10: Buddhist monk visit & flight to Phuket
SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2023

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, visit the Wat Suan Dok Buddhist temple where you’ll meet a resident monk to discuss Buddhism, ask questions, and learn how the monks of the temple live.

This afternoon, fly to Phuket, where crystal blue water and powder white sand await you. Sit down for an included dinner with your group.

Day 11: Sightseeing tour of Phang Nga Bay & Talu Island canoeing

MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2023
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Depart Phuket Island and spend today boating around the surrounding tropical island paradise on a guided sightseeing tour.

Board a speedboat and cruise around Ao Phang Nga Bay National Park, known for its towering limestone rock formations
Visit a Muslim fishing village on Koh Panyee Island and experience the local lifestyle
Sit down for an included lunch in a floating restaurant
Head to Talu Island and explore sea caves by canoe with experienced local paddlers as your guides
Visit the iconic Khao Phing Kan, or “James Bond Island”

Day 12: Free day on Phuket Island

Included meal: Breakfast
TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2023

Enjoy a free day on Phuket Island or add an excursion.

Phi Phi Islands Cruise, Snorkeling & Lunch

From $85 per person

Details:

The tropical Phi Phi Islands (pronounced “pee pee”) are literally paradise on Earth, and you’ll spend the day beach-hopping alongside an expert guide on this excursion. Head to Phuket harbor and board a speedboat to Phi Phi Don. Here, stop to snorkel in the crystal-clear blue water (some of the best water in all of Thailand!) and admire one of the world’s most abundant coral reef systems. Then, gaze up at the staggering limestone cliffs as you head to Monkey Island, where you’ll stop for photos and a sighting of Long-Tailed Macaques. Finally, soak in the laid-back atmosphere of the islands and taste local specialties at an included lunch before boarding your boat back to Phuket.

8 hours, departs in the morning, includes lunch

Bangkok1 night

Day 13: Flight to Bangkok

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2023
Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner

Fly to Bangkok this afternoon and spend free time exploring the city at your leisure.

Tonight, celebrate your trip with your fellow travelers during a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Flight Home

Day 14: Departure

THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2023
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your early morning flight home, or continue your tour in Cambodia.

Please note the cost of the optionals will be added to the tour price unless you opt out.

Pictures from our 2013 Thailand Trip
https://donnakirkland.smugmug.com/Travel/2013-Bangkok/

More pictures form out 2013 Thailand Trip

https://donnakirkland.smugmug.com/Travel/2013-Thailand-Allen/

BANGKOK

JUN 17, 2023 – JUN 20, 2023

Centara Watergate Bangkok

567 Ratchaprarop Road, Makkasan, Ratchathewi Bangkok 10400

Thailand

JUN 20, 2023 – JUN 22, 2023

The Legend Chiang Rai

CHIANGMAI JUN 22, 2023 – JUN 25, 2023

Eastin Tan Hotel Chiang Mai