Thailand – Culinary tour 7 days

After breakfast, start your visit to Wat Phra Keo, the beautiful Emerald Buddha temple, the exquisite temple contains an image of Buddha carved from a single piece of jade and one of the most holy and revered of religious objects in Thailand, then head to the Grand Palace, the spectacular Royal Palace with intricate architectures, an area of 218,400 sq. meters and is surrounded by walls built in 1782. The length of the four walls is 1,900 meters. The Grand Palace is one of the most beautiful samples of an ancient Siamese court with a complex of the Funeral Palace, the Reception Palace, the Throne Hall, the Coronation Hall, and the Royal Guest House. Taste the local food for your lunch at a local restaurant.

Then take a long-tailed boat along the Chao Phraya River to see Thai lifestyle, contrast between luxurious condominiums and ruined houses along both sides of the canal. Pass the Grand Palace and the Royal Barge Museum which houses ceremonial King’s Barges decorated with multi-color glasses, gilt and stuccos. Disembark at Wat Arun – the temple of Dawn to visit the tallest prang in Thailand. It was built in the concept of Mount Meru, the resident of God located on the center of the Universe.

This evening, walk through the cuisine streets at local food markets where you will be introduced to local Thai foods. You will encounter some small restaurants or food stalls/carts, have a chance to see the chefs using local ingredients/spices to cook their special spicy Thai foods for their customers. You may interact with the chefs with lots of Q&As. Tasting some of the local street foods for your dinner is an interesting experience! Overnight in Bangkok

This morning at around 06:45 (to avoid crowds and in time for the Meaklong Railway Market), drive about 104km ~2hours to visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Market with stop en-route to visit an unusual market: Market on the Railway Tracks or an off beaten tour in Thailand’s Maeklong Railway Market.

Upon arrival, take a private long tailed boat ride to navigate your way through the Floating Market along the canals. The canal twists and turns around a plantation surrounded by greenery, that gives you a chance to view native life along the canal banks and at the market where boats of various shapes and size, carry goods for trading you can admire the sight of smiling vendors selling colorful products such as tropical fruits, vegetables, flowers and food on wooden boats. At the market, you may taste some local food. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to your hotel for refreshment.

This evening, take an amazing night tour to see nightlife of Bangkok with Skytrain experience and enjoy magnificent views from the skyscraper. Enjoy eating delicious food at a local restaurant (your own account). All transports are local. Overnight in Bangkok

After breakfast, check out your hotel and drive to the Jim Thompson’s House, home of the legendary Jim Thompson who was responsible for the revival of the Thai silk industry after World War II. He is also the founder of the Thai Silk Company, houses an exquisite Southeast Asian Art. Here, you will have a chance to see the wide range collection of rare Asian art and antiques such as Thai paintings, blue-white Chinaware, Sawankalok Pottery, Benjarong porcelain and Khmer statues. This extensive collection is housed in six old teak houses built in 1959 in a lush garden. The fact that he disappeared without a trace in the jungles of Malaysia in 1967 adds an aura of mystery to the old compound. Taste the local food for your lunch at a local restaurant.

This afternoon, transfer straight to the airport for your flight to Chiang Mai. Upon arrival, meet up with your guide and drive to your hotel for check-in and rest.

Later, walk with your guide through the cuisine streets at local food markets where you will be introduced to local Thai foods. You will encounter some small restaurants or food stalls/carts, have a chance to see the chefs using local ingredients/spices to cook their special spicy Thai foods for their customers. You may interact with the chefs with lots of Q&As. Tasting some of the local street foods for your dinner is an interesting experience!. This street food tour can be combined with shopping opportunities at the night market if interested. Return to your hotel for the night. Overnight in Chiang Mai

After breakfast, be picked up at your hotel and go to a local market to buy fresh food for the cooking class. After the market tour, start a private cooking class with demonstration and hands-on experience at a local cooking school/restaurant. Lunch with what you have just cooked. After the cooking class, you’ll have opportunities to walk around the herb garden where you can see lots of herb trees and Thai fruits, and listen to the chef explain about the herbs growing and ingredients.

This afternoon, further visiting to Borsang, a traditional umbrella-making village is made, that you can see the local people making umbrella or paper parasols in a variety of pretty floral and animal designs. The umbrella is a personal accessory of the northern lady when she goes outdoor, the same as handbag. Made with skilful workmanship, a Chiang Mai handicraft can either serve as a valuable gift or be kept as a beautiful tangible memento of your visit. Return to your hotel for the relaxation. Overnight in Chiang Mai

Optional for early risers: Highly recommended because this is a gentle way to see Chiang Mai Buddhist people’s life: wake up early in the morning and take a ride to Kruba Sri Vichat Statue, the holy monk of Northern Thailand to take part in a daily Buddhist ceremony “Tak Bat” or “Merit Making” by giving offerings to monks on their arms-rounds with local people. Purify your mind and learn how to give and learn a part of Buddhism. After Tak Bat, continue to Wat Suan Dok to offer some requisites to monk and receive blessings from him on this special time. Today, you might skip your breakfast at the hotel and have breakfast.

After breakfast, start with a drive through different parts of the city, passing old city walls, gates and city moat, markets, residential areas, foreign consulates, government buildings and Tapae, Chiang Mai’s main street. Drive up Doi (Mount) Suthep to visit Wat Phrathad Doi Suthep built in 1383 on Doi Suthep (3500 feet above sea – level), is the symbol of Chiangmai. It is the most sacred temple in the city and contains the holy relic of the Lord Buddha which is enshrined in the magnificent golden pagoda with a challenging flight of over 300 steps, flanked by enormous mythological Nagas. A panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside can be seen from the temple grounds.

Then visit Meo Hill tribe village, only 3 km on the back road behind the Phu Ping Palace on a hill called Doi Pui. The Meo live in houses that sit right on the ground, not on stilts as do most on the other tribes. The Meo, even more than the other tribes, practice a strict male-female division of labor. One custom that especially illustrates this is that of giving a newborn boy a gift of metal from which he will one they forge a weapon, whereas newborn girls receive no special gift. A visit to the village also helps you to see genuine poppy plants with opium producing bulb and the ramshackle, windowless wooden huts with the remnant of the night wood fire on the stamped earthen floor. Taste the local food for your lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, drive to visit Wat Suan Dok which was built by King Keu Na of Lanna for a revered priest visiting from Sukhothai as a place for the monk to spend the rains retreat. The principal Buddha statue is a huge cast image named Phra Chao Kao Tu. Here, you will have a talk with the monk who will explain about the Buddhism, Lord Buddha, Buddhist way of life and how to do meditation. The Monk Chat Session gives an opportunity to have an interactive communication with Thai monks via talking in formally Buddhism and Thai Culture as well as general topics about Thai ways of living are discussed at the session. Return to your hotel relaxation. Overnight in Chiang Mai

Today is free at leisure until the time to pick up & transfer to the airport for your departure flight or to your next destination. Trip ends.