Thailand in the Grand Manner
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Highlights:
If you are interested in exploring all areas of Thailand and doing it in style, then this suggested program for you. Featuring Four Seasons properties is the perfect way to celebrate a wedding, an anniversary or any other special occasion.
See the highlights of Bangkok and then enjoy a unique experience on the border of Thailand, Burma and Laos. Take a cooking class in Chiang Mai and as a grand finale, relax on the elegant island of Koh Samui. We have left many of the evenings open and will make recommendations and reservations for dinner if you request.
If you are interested in exploring all areas of Thailand and doing it in style, then this suggested program for you. Featuring Four Seasons properties is the perfect way to celebrate a wedding, an anniversary or any other special occasion.
See the highlights of Bangkok and then enjoy a unique experience on the border of Thailand, Burma and Laos. Take a cooking class in Chiang Mai and as a grand finale, relax on the elegant island of Koh Samui. We have left many of the evenings open and will make recommendations and reservations for dinner if you request.
SKU:
Explore: Thailand in the Grand Manner
Customizable Itinerary - 15 Days (from $10,217 / person)
Day 1: Depart USA
Today you board an aircraft for the flight to Bangkok and the beginning of your Luxury Thailand Vacation.
Day 2: En route
You may have said “ Where did the day go?” many times but for sure when you “cross” the International Date Line, one moment it is Saturday and the next Sunday. Don’t worry since you will gain it back on the return trip.
Day 3: Arrival in Bangkok
Upon arrival in Bangkok, our representative will meet you and assist with customs and luggage before handing you over to one of our drivers who will take you to your elegant hotel, formerly the Four Seasons but now managed by Anantara to a similar quality.
Day 4: Regal and Religious Bangkok
Like much of Southeast Asia, temples and monks are a major part of the culture. Thailand also has a revered monarchy. Unlike its neighbors, Thailand or Siam as it was called was never a colony of either France e.g. Vietnam or Britain e.g. Malaysia. Today your day starts early as you listen to the chants of the monks at Wat Pho. Take a walk around Wat Pho and admire the famed reclining Buddha which is 135 feet in length. You next turn to Royalty with a visit to the Grand Palace. While parts are closed for use by the royal family you are able to explore various temples and museums within the compound. For a change of pace you board a private longtail boat to explore the hidden life along the klongs of the city. As you ride these canals you will pass by shops, houses, temples covering a variety of styles. Your destination is a 100 year old house which has been remodeled as an art gallery and a gathering place for artists some of whom you will meet. As you head back to the main city you can make a stop at Wat Arun known as the Temple of Dawn.
Breakfast
Day 5: The “Other” Capital
In the morning your guide will pick you up for a visit to the previous capital of Siam, Ayutthaya. It was established in the 14th Century but an invasion and sacking by the Burmese in 1767 caused the capital to be moved to Bangkok. The road journey will take about ninety minutes but it is a scenic trip with picturesque countryside and lush paddy fields. You will visit a selection of temples but also take a closer look at life in rural Thailand. Stroll through Ayutthaya’s local market and take a walk through the town’s Muslim Quarter which offers the opportunity to sample candy floss roti, something you don’t see back home. You will then drive to the banks of the Chao Phraya River where you board an air-conditioned riverboat and cruise down the river. The journey takes three hours allowing for plenty of time to enjoy lunch and the passing scenery of riverside life.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6: Bangkok to Chang Rai
After breakfast your driver will be ready to take you to the airport for a flight to Chiang Rai in the country’s north. Upon arrival you will be met by one of our guides who will deliver you to the pier where you board a private boat to take you to the Four Seasons Tented Camp. Upon arrival you will be taken to your luxury tent and given a tour of the camp. You join the other guests for ‘Sundowners’ as you toast the setting sun much as it is done on Safaris in East and South Africa. Dinner is served at Nong Yao Restaurant, an open-air thatched roof pavilion by the riverbank, with rustic hardwood floors. The restaurant offers Thai, Laotian, Burmese and Western cuisine. In keeping with the camp’s atmosphere, guests have the option to dine together at a long family-style table, seated in suede chairs or, privately, at separate tables. A bar area, complete with a double-sided fireplace in the middle, is perfect for pre-dinner drinks.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: Elephant Encounters
You wake up and enjoy breakfasts and then meet with the professional mahouts who will provide training in how to care for and “steer” an elephant. Once you have mastered the technique a full jungle trek lays ahead. The experience takes place in the camp’s bamboo jungle where you will get the chance to show your newly acquired skills and complete with a one-of-a-kind elephant shower experience. Return to the camp for some relaxation by the pool. In the early evening try the Burma Bar for before dinner drinks, an open-air thatched-roof lounge within sight of Elephant Camp and overlooking the Rak River and Burma. The bar enjoys perfect views of sunset. Enjoy the decorations of trekking and navigational equipment and binoculars mounted on tripods.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: The Golden Triangle and the Perfect Massage
After breakfast you board a traditional longboat for a cruise down the majestic river enroute to the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and Laos come together. You go ashore and visit a local market and an ancient temple called “Chedi Luang” before sailing upstream back to the camp for lunch. In the afternoon you may want try one of the specialty Thai massages amid the bamboo forests and views over the river. If you are not into massage you can curl up in one of the overstuffed leather couches in the Burma Bar and read a book.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai
You have the chance for one more breakfast in the jungle before your road transfer to the elegant town of Chiang Mai and your Four Seasons Hotel. If the tented camp was about luxury adventure, Chiang Mai is about elegant tranquility and relaxation. The hotel, nestled in rice paddies, is a perfect start. Check in to the hotel and sit on your open deck overlooking the gardens and the rice fields beyond. You have the choice of three elegant restaurants when it is time to dine.
Breakfast
Day 10: Retail Therapy, Thai Style
Today is a shopping day as Chiang Mai is famous for the quality and uniqueness of its local handicrafts. Your guide will take you to stores offering the finest in Thai Silk, Cotton fabrics Borsang Paper and Umbrella-making. In the afternoon you will drive outside the city to Baan Tawai for high quality carved teak, handmade lacquerware and other items. Some items are large but there are shipping companies that can ship back home. In addition to quality retail, Ching Mai is also known for the quality of its dining both Thai and Western
Breakfast
Day 11: Mastering the Thai Kitchen
Today you will get a cooking class at the Rim Tai Kitchen at the hotel. Learn from the best as you enhance your culinary expertise and embark on an exclusive expedition with a Four Seasons chef as your guide. Spend the morning amid the energy and excitement of local markets as you and your chef/guide examine fresh, indigenous ingredients before returning to the kitchen for a hands-on lesson in preparing delicious Thai dishes. You will also learn principles of Thai cuisine and the equipment essential to the Thai Kitchen
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 12: Chiang Mai to Koh Samui
After breakfast at the hotel you check out and are transferred to the airport for a flight to Koh Samui. Upon arrival you will be met and taken to the resort and installed in your pool villa.
Breakfast
Days 13 & 14 Relaxing on Koh Samui
If you follow our suggested itinerary you will have enjoyed a wide variety of unique experiences and now it is time to relax and enjoy the island. We do caution that the sun is strong on the island so arrive with plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat at all time. Both we and your concierge will recommend some interesting dining choices although just dining at your resort would not be a sacrifice.
Breakfast
Day 15: Return to USA
In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Bangkok to connect with your flight to the USA. You recoup the “lost” day and arrive back the same day.
Breakfast
Today you board an aircraft for the flight to Bangkok and the beginning of your Luxury Thailand Vacation.
Day 2: En route
You may have said “ Where did the day go?” many times but for sure when you “cross” the International Date Line, one moment it is Saturday and the next Sunday. Don’t worry since you will gain it back on the return trip.
Day 3: Arrival in Bangkok
Upon arrival in Bangkok, our representative will meet you and assist with customs and luggage before handing you over to one of our drivers who will take you to your elegant hotel, formerly the Four Seasons but now managed by Anantara to a similar quality.
Day 4: Regal and Religious Bangkok
Like much of Southeast Asia, temples and monks are a major part of the culture. Thailand also has a revered monarchy. Unlike its neighbors, Thailand or Siam as it was called was never a colony of either France e.g. Vietnam or Britain e.g. Malaysia. Today your day starts early as you listen to the chants of the monks at Wat Pho. Take a walk around Wat Pho and admire the famed reclining Buddha which is 135 feet in length. You next turn to Royalty with a visit to the Grand Palace. While parts are closed for use by the royal family you are able to explore various temples and museums within the compound. For a change of pace you board a private longtail boat to explore the hidden life along the klongs of the city. As you ride these canals you will pass by shops, houses, temples covering a variety of styles. Your destination is a 100 year old house which has been remodeled as an art gallery and a gathering place for artists some of whom you will meet. As you head back to the main city you can make a stop at Wat Arun known as the Temple of Dawn.
Breakfast
Day 5: The “Other” Capital
In the morning your guide will pick you up for a visit to the previous capital of Siam, Ayutthaya. It was established in the 14th Century but an invasion and sacking by the Burmese in 1767 caused the capital to be moved to Bangkok. The road journey will take about ninety minutes but it is a scenic trip with picturesque countryside and lush paddy fields. You will visit a selection of temples but also take a closer look at life in rural Thailand. Stroll through Ayutthaya’s local market and take a walk through the town’s Muslim Quarter which offers the opportunity to sample candy floss roti, something you don’t see back home. You will then drive to the banks of the Chao Phraya River where you board an air-conditioned riverboat and cruise down the river. The journey takes three hours allowing for plenty of time to enjoy lunch and the passing scenery of riverside life.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6: Bangkok to Chang Rai
After breakfast your driver will be ready to take you to the airport for a flight to Chiang Rai in the country’s north. Upon arrival you will be met by one of our guides who will deliver you to the pier where you board a private boat to take you to the Four Seasons Tented Camp. Upon arrival you will be taken to your luxury tent and given a tour of the camp. You join the other guests for ‘Sundowners’ as you toast the setting sun much as it is done on Safaris in East and South Africa. Dinner is served at Nong Yao Restaurant, an open-air thatched roof pavilion by the riverbank, with rustic hardwood floors. The restaurant offers Thai, Laotian, Burmese and Western cuisine. In keeping with the camp’s atmosphere, guests have the option to dine together at a long family-style table, seated in suede chairs or, privately, at separate tables. A bar area, complete with a double-sided fireplace in the middle, is perfect for pre-dinner drinks.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: Elephant Encounters
You wake up and enjoy breakfasts and then meet with the professional mahouts who will provide training in how to care for and “steer” an elephant. Once you have mastered the technique a full jungle trek lays ahead. The experience takes place in the camp’s bamboo jungle where you will get the chance to show your newly acquired skills and complete with a one-of-a-kind elephant shower experience. Return to the camp for some relaxation by the pool. In the early evening try the Burma Bar for before dinner drinks, an open-air thatched-roof lounge within sight of Elephant Camp and overlooking the Rak River and Burma. The bar enjoys perfect views of sunset. Enjoy the decorations of trekking and navigational equipment and binoculars mounted on tripods.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: The Golden Triangle and the Perfect Massage
After breakfast you board a traditional longboat for a cruise down the majestic river enroute to the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and Laos come together. You go ashore and visit a local market and an ancient temple called “Chedi Luang” before sailing upstream back to the camp for lunch. In the afternoon you may want try one of the specialty Thai massages amid the bamboo forests and views over the river. If you are not into massage you can curl up in one of the overstuffed leather couches in the Burma Bar and read a book.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai
You have the chance for one more breakfast in the jungle before your road transfer to the elegant town of Chiang Mai and your Four Seasons Hotel. If the tented camp was about luxury adventure, Chiang Mai is about elegant tranquility and relaxation. The hotel, nestled in rice paddies, is a perfect start. Check in to the hotel and sit on your open deck overlooking the gardens and the rice fields beyond. You have the choice of three elegant restaurants when it is time to dine.
Breakfast
Day 10: Retail Therapy, Thai Style
Today is a shopping day as Chiang Mai is famous for the quality and uniqueness of its local handicrafts. Your guide will take you to stores offering the finest in Thai Silk, Cotton fabrics Borsang Paper and Umbrella-making. In the afternoon you will drive outside the city to Baan Tawai for high quality carved teak, handmade lacquerware and other items. Some items are large but there are shipping companies that can ship back home. In addition to quality retail, Ching Mai is also known for the quality of its dining both Thai and Western
Breakfast
Day 11: Mastering the Thai Kitchen
Today you will get a cooking class at the Rim Tai Kitchen at the hotel. Learn from the best as you enhance your culinary expertise and embark on an exclusive expedition with a Four Seasons chef as your guide. Spend the morning amid the energy and excitement of local markets as you and your chef/guide examine fresh, indigenous ingredients before returning to the kitchen for a hands-on lesson in preparing delicious Thai dishes. You will also learn principles of Thai cuisine and the equipment essential to the Thai Kitchen
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 12: Chiang Mai to Koh Samui
After breakfast at the hotel you check out and are transferred to the airport for a flight to Koh Samui. Upon arrival you will be met and taken to the resort and installed in your pool villa.
Breakfast
Days 13 & 14 Relaxing on Koh Samui
If you follow our suggested itinerary you will have enjoyed a wide variety of unique experiences and now it is time to relax and enjoy the island. We do caution that the sun is strong on the island so arrive with plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat at all time. Both we and your concierge will recommend some interesting dining choices although just dining at your resort would not be a sacrifice.
Breakfast
Day 15: Return to USA
In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Bangkok to connect with your flight to the USA. You recoup the “lost” day and arrive back the same day.
Breakfast
