Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour General Itinerarythe Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour....

Our Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour is an exotic mix of historic landmarks, cultural exchanges, and eco-friendly activities. The itinerary was planned by travelers that have journeyed around Thailand and lived in Chiang Mai. There is a blend of active events such as a hill-trek, attraction visits to numerous Wats & the Grand Palace, cultural exchanges including a Thai language & etiquette class, and relaxing pleasures -- you choose between a Thai massage, oil massage, foot massage or even a fish spa treatment. Most meals are included and once you have tasted true Thai food you will want to cook it – so a cooking class, complete with a market visit, is part of the itinerary. A unique element of our itinerary is its flexibility… this is your trip, so you should enjoy each and every day. We believe Flashpackers may want some help in planning, but they also want some independence to do things of special interest to them or to participate in activities that are more (or less) taxing than bog standard tours. As such we have built in “You Decide Days”. There are also several activities that can be changed based on your desires. A goal of Flashpacker Tours is to show you the REAL Thailand. As such, we don’t just rush you past famous sites like many tours do. Instead our itinerary is loaded with activities that let you explore and truly learn about this exotic country. Find out about Thai history, and also see what life is like today by visiting a grocery store plus shopping and eating where the locals go. Flashpacker Tours’ organizers will unveil to you the authentic Thailand through our dynamic itinerary. Plus our tours focus on the native guides that share their stories and teach you about

their homeland. Our Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour itinerary was created so you don’t just see Thailand; but you experience it!

flashpackertours.com

Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour

General Itinerary



Daily Itinerary

Day One – Arrive in Bangkok.

– Meet-n-Greet with Flashpacker Tours’ Team.

When you arrive in Bangkok, you will be met at the airport by a reliable driver that will bring you to the hotel. Once checked-in you can recover from jet-lag at the hotel or begin your Thai exploration with a walk around the neighborhood. Sunday night we will have the official “Meet-n-Greet” to introduce the Flashpacker Team and discuss the details of the Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour. (Dinner included)

Day Two – Morning massage. Thai etiquette class.

– Visit Wat Arun. Explore Khao San Road.

Get over your jet lag with a massage. Choose from a foot massage, traditional Thai massage or an oil massage. Then delve into the Thai culture with a language and etiquette class. Learn how to say hello, thank you and a few other basic words. Also, learn when to give a “wai”, the traditional Thai greeting.

After this, we will take a water taxi to Wat Arun. The Temple of the Dawn shimmers in the sunlight since it is decorated with seashells and porcelain which were used as ballast by boats from China.

This evening explore Khao San Road, infamous for its street food, cheap shopping and bucket drinks. You can return to our hotel as early or late as you want. (Breakfast & Lunch included)

Day Three – Tour the Grand Palace & Wat Pho. Night Train north.

Today we visit the Grand Palace, the official residence of Thai Kings

from 1782 to 1925. Continue to learn about Thai culture with a visit to

one of the country’s largest Buddhist monasteries – Wat Pho. This

beautiful complex is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Bud-

dha.

In the evening we will go to the train station. Tonight we take the sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. (Breakfast included)



Daily Itinerary

Day Four – Tour walled city of Chiang Mai.

– River cruise with Northern Thai dinner.

In the morning, you will wake up as the train pulls into Chiang Mai – 700 kilometers (435 miles) north of Bangkok. Chiang Mai is the cultural capital of the north and is a charming city where you can easily get around and learn about Thai customs and traditions. To help you get oriented, we will spend the afternoon touring the walled city. By foot or Pedi-cab this is a beautiful area to explore.

To wrap up your first day in Chiang Mai, we will take a dinner river cruise. This is not just an interesting way to see the city, but is also a great intro-duction to Northern Thai food. Want to hear some local music? This can be arranged too.

(Breakfast & Dinner included)

Day Five – Delicious Thai cooking class with local market visit.

Now that you have had authentic Thai food – you will want to know how to cook it! Today you have the fun and delicious opportunity to take a full-day cooking class. The course will be led by Thai cooks that speak Eng-lish and can explain the names of the ingredients in your home country. The class will begin with a fascinating visit to a local market and then you will start cooking. You eat the six dishes you make, so you leave the class with not just new cooking skills, but also with full bellies. Vegetarian course available.

(Breakfast & Lunch included)

Day Six – Full-day mahout training

– OR half-day elephant camp followed by the Tiger Kingdom.

Due to habitat encroachment, the numbers of Asian elephants are falling and they are now on the endangered species list. Today, you get to inter-act with these remarkable pachyderms! And the great thing is – you de-cide how much time you spend with the elephants. Choose between a full-day Mahout training, where you learn subtle nuances for guiding these incredible animals. Or spend half-day at an elephant park interacting with them and watching an elephant show.

With the half-day option, you also get to visit the Tiger Kingdom. This is a park designed to bread tigers - another endangered animal. If you are brave enough, you can even enter a cage and pet these majestic cats. We are happy to advise you on the eco-friendliness of both options and set you up with an experience that inspires your animal side.




Daily Itinerary

Day Seven – Shop till you drop - flower market, grocery store,

shopping mall & walking street.

One of the best ways to learn about a culture is to shop like the locals do. Today we will visit four entirely different shopping areas. First, we will go to Ton Lamyai, the flower market. Stall after stall of beautiful buds - the smell intoxicates and the colors amaze. Next up is a grocery store. May sound conventional, but you will be surprised what you find. Morning glory, dragon fruit, blueberry-flavored Pringles, fish balls pressed into smiley faces, pre-packaged “monk gifts”. Every aisle holds something unusual yet interesting.

Our third stop is one of Chiang Mai’s shopping malls. Differences and similarities abound - both revealing insights into this emerging culture. Lastly, we will go to Saturday walking street. Local Thais skip the overly touristy Night Bizarre, but they come out in droves for the weekly walking streets. You will find a plethora of crafts, art, and Thai souve-nirs. Plus, the street food is delicious.


Day Eight – Visit Wat Suthep & Wat Umong. Sunday walking street.

Sunday we will explore Chiang Mai’s spiritual side with trips to two beautiful and very different Wats. In the morning, we will go to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. The chedi here dates from 1383. This Wat is very active - Thais come here to pray and offer alms. It is on the hill Doi Suthep and affords wonderful views of Chiang Mai.

Umong is a forest Wat. Stroll through the woodlands while encountering statues, temples and words of wisdom. An interesting feature here is the tunnel with Buddha images below the chedi. This is an active monastery. Monks live here and can be heard chanting or seen studying. Sunday afternoon there is a monk talk in English that allows foreigners to learn about Buddhism – the religion of 95% of Thais.

The Sunday walking street brings Chiang Mai alive. Enjoy this weekly spectacle while you shop, eat, people watch, listen to street performers, and perhaps even indulge in a foot massage.




Daily Itinerary

Day Nine – Full-day hill trek. Stay the night in a Hill Tribe village.

Today, an experienced local guide will take you into the countryside of northern Thailand for a two-day hill trek. Learn about the flora and fauna as you hike through majestic landscapes. You will encounter dif-ferent Hill Tribe people. There are six major Hill Tribe groups in the north of Thailand – Akha, Lahu, Karen, Hmong, Yao and Lisu. Each group has their own language and culture. Most are subsistence farm-ers and live simple lives. No electricity but plenty of smiles and laugh-ter. You will spend the night with an authentic Hill Tribe group and get to see how real life is for these people.

(Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included)

Day Ten – Another day trekking. Return to Chiang Mai.

After breakfast with your Hill Tribe hosts, the trekking continues. Enjoy another day of beautiful hiking in this lush mountainous region. The trekking in Thailand can be strenuous, so we will discuss your desires and abilities before you head out to make sure you enjoy this activity. You will return to Chiang Mai in the early evening. Treat yourself to a well deserved hot shower before heading out to dinner. Tonight you can try another Thai restaurant – or perhaps go for Burmese or Viet-namese. We can even direct you to a burger joint if you are missing food from home.


Day Eleven – “You Decide Day” Select from an assortment of activities & sites.

This Flashpacker Tour gives you flexibility to pursue your interests with a “You Decide Day” that lets you focus on what inspires you. Do a guided mountain bike excursion down Doi Suthep. Travel through the forest like a monkey on a zip line. Tour the small but interesting insect museum. Visit the umbrella village of Baw Sang or the woodcarving village of Ban Tawai. Take an advanced cooking course. Spend the day in an internet café. The list of options is extensive and we can help you book the activity that interests you most (cost depends on choice). YOU DECIDE!

(Breakfast included)



Daily Itinerary

Day Twelve – Relaxing morning. Massage & Thai barbecue dinner.

After so much activity, it will be time for some R&R. So this morning relax and take it easy. We will meet in the afternoon to make sure you get truly pampered as we head off for another spa treatment. Choose from a Thai massage, a foot massage, an oil massage, or even a fish spa experience. For dinner we will have another Thai specialty – a bar-becue. It is not like a barbecue in the west, more like a cook your own hot pot. It is a fun meal experience popular in Asia.

(Breakfast & Dinner included)

Day Thirteen – Return to Bangkok. Visit MBK. Final group dinner.

Our time in Chiang Mai is through, so pack your bags for a flight to Bangkok. This time in this mega-city, we will stay in the Sukhumvit/Siam neighborhood. In this area is the goliath shopping complex called Mahboonkrong, but better known as MBK. This eight-story mall has more than 2000 stores or stalls, and is only one of many shopping centers linked by sky bridges. It is a Thai experience not to be missed. Here we will celebrate with a group farewell dinner. Karaoke anyone?!?

(Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included)

Day Fourteen – Jim Thompson House Museum.

– Then “You Decide Time”.

We will begin our final day in Thailand with a visit to the legendary Jim Thompson House. This museum, built by a silk merchant in the 1950s, is considered one of the best in Bangkok. The rest of the day is left open. See another museum, do some last-minute shopping, get one more Thai massage, treat yourself to a final serving of authentic Pad Thai. It is up to you; just give yourself time to pack. For anyone need-ing to fly out tonight, transfers to the airport can be arranged.


Day Fifteen – Farewell from Thailand and the Flashpacker Tours’

Team.

Today you return home with many fond memories of this Flashpacker Tour and of Tantalizing Thailand. You will long remember the delicious foods, beautiful sites and of course, the friendly Thais that you have met on your journey to the land of smiles!


Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour General Itinerarythe Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour....

Documents

Transcript of Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour General Itinerarythe Tantalizing Thailand Flashpacker Tour....