North & Central Thailand: See it ALL in 12 Days, 1st Class Tours

Our tour starts in Chiang Mai, specifically at 5:00pm. Our tour guide takes us to the famous Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. There we are provided with a guided tour. This market is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Chiang Mai.

It consists of countless stalls packed along the sidewalks and spilling out into the street. The night ends with a visit to a nightclub complex called Zoe in Yellow.

Today we go on a daytrip from Chiang Mai to an adventure park. There we go ziplining. We then return to Chiang Mai and head to Wua Lai Walking Street. This is an outdoor bazaar with vendors selling traditional street snacks, handmade crafts & souvenirs. Also, note that children who weigh less than 20 kilos (44 pounds) are not allowed to go ziplining.

Note that Wua Lai Walking Street is open only on Saturdays. If you are in town on a Sunday, we take you to Sunday Walking Street. This street becomes a gallery for local arts & crafts.

We relocate by land from Chiang Mai to the mountain village of Pai. Food stalls and handicraft shops line Pai Walking Street. There is a very atmospheric vibe on the streets, with tourists wanting to be nowhere else.

Today we visit a hot spring called Sai Ngam. There we go bathing in the naturally warm water. We then walk on the Bamboo Bridge and end the day at the Pai Canyon. From this canyon we watch the sunset.

Before returning by land to Chiang Mai, we visit Yun Lai Viewpoint and then Nam Lod Cave. Yun Lai is a hilltop village complex which sells tea service and offers panoramic valley views.

Nam Lod Cave is filled with stalactites and stalagmites. It is also home to large numbers of bats and swifts. At this cave, we go on a quick bamboo rafting ride.

We go on a daytrip today. The first attraction to see this morning is in town, a nearby temple called Wat Chedi Luang. Next, we go bamboo rafting. Afterwards, we can eat. Lunch is included on today’s tour.

After our meal, we are taken to Namtok Bua Thong-Nam Phu Chet Si National Park. There we climb up gluey-like rocks resting beneath a small waterfall, hence the nickname ‘Sticky Waterfall’. A calcium-rich spring leaves mineral deposits on the rocks, preventing slippery things like algae from growing. Lastly, we are taken to a temple called Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

We go on another daytrip today. Firstly, we are taken to the White Temple (a.k.a. Wat Rong Khun), located in the city of Chiang Rai. This is arguably the prettiest temple in all of Thailand and is undoubtedly one of the country’s most striking architectural landmarks. Adjacent to this temple is a cave museum, which we check out. Next, we have lunch, which is included on today’s tour.

After our meal, we are taken to the Blue Temple (a.k.a. Wat Rong Suea Ten) followed by to an outdoor museum called Baan Dam. There we see traditional homes and kitchenware and other centuries-old objects

Next, we are taken to a village where mostly Burmese reside. There we see people with long necks and large ears. As a custom initiated by the parents, rings are placed on these Burmese people at a very young age.

These rings usually are never removed. Lastly, we are taken to a dock. There we go on a boat ride and see the countries of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar all at the same time.

We are going on another daytrip today. We are taken to Doi Inthanon National Park. There we are provided with a full-day guided tour. Doi Inthanon ranks second among Thailand’s national parks in number of bird species. What’s more, within the park’s borders are several waterfalls. Lunch is included on today’s tour. We should be back in Chiang Mai in the early-evening.

We relocate by land from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai, home to one of Thailand’s greatest archaeological parks. There we are provided with a guided tour, best explored on a bicycle. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with the help of UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site. Each year, the park welcomes thousands of visitors who marvel at the ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples (a.k.a. wats).

Inside this park, there are 193 ruins, the remains of the royal palace and 26 temples. We visit Wat Chetuphon, Wat Chedi Si Hong, Wat Chang Lom, Wat Si Chum, Wat Sri Sawai, Wat Traphang Ngoen, Wat Sra Sri, King Ramkhamhaeng Monument and Wat Mahathat. We watch the sunset at Wat Mahathat.

We relocate from Sukhothai to Bangkok via a quick and direct flight. The capital of Thailand is popular specifically for its nightlife scene, food market scene and the Grand Palace area. Today in Bangkok we are first provided with a guided tour of the Grand Palace.

Next, we are taken to a large, open-air mall called Asiatique The Riverfront. There we have some time to shop around.

Next, we are taken to Lebua hotel’s Sky Bar, which is located on the nearby Silom Road. This is one of the highest rooftop bars in the world. Also worth mentioning, Sky Bar had a starring role in an internationally acclaimed movie called Hangover 2.

Afterwards, we head to the Chinatown Market (a.k.a. Yaowarat). There we are provided with a guided tour. In the later evening, we are taken to Patpong. It features a busy night market as well as is home to one of the city’s biggest red-light districts. There we are provided with a guided tour.

The night ends on Khao San Road. This is arguably Bangkok’s best spot for nightlife. Parallel to Khao San Road is Soi Rambuttri, another vibrant street we check out in the nighttime before heading back to our hotel.

We are going on a daytrip today. Firstly, we are taken to Damnoen Saduak specifically to see its floating market. There we are provided with a guided boat tour followed by a walking tour.

Next, we are taken to the Maeklong Railway Market. Whenever a train approaches, the awnings and shopfronts are moved back from the rails. They are put back in place once the train has passed. After that, we are taken to the nearby Amphawa Floating Market. There we are provided with a guided boat tour.

In the early afternoon, we are taken to the Chatuchak Weekend Market. There we are provided with a guided tour. We hope you will be hungry, as there are a lot of food vendors at this market.

Walking distance from the Chatuchak Weekend Market is the Jatujak Green (a.k.a. JJ Green) Market. There we are provided with another guided tour. Note that today’s excursion may need to be switched with another day because these markets are open usually on the weekends only.

We go on another daytrip today. Firstly, we are taken to Ayutthaya Historical/Archaeological Park. There we are provided with a guided tour, visiting specifically the temples of Ratchaburana, Maha That and Chaiwatthanaram. These are arguably the three best of the many temples dotted throughout the area.

The city of Ayutthaya was founded in 1351. It was captured by the Burmese in 1569. Though not pillaged, Ayutthaya lost many valuable and artistic objects. Ayutthaya was the capital of Thailand until its destruction by the Burmese Army in 1767. In 1969, the Fine Arts Department began renovations of the ruins. These renovations became more of a priority after Ayutthaya was declared a historical park in 1976. A part of the park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

After Ayutthaya, we are taken back to Bangkok, specifically to a thoroughfare called Sukhumvit Road. It features clubs, bars and famous red-light districts on virtually every side street. We are provided with a guided walking tour of this area, including to a famous red-light district called Soi Cowboy.

After checking out Sukhumvit Road, we take the Bangkok Mass Transit System (a.k.a. BTS Skytrain) to reach another buzzing area called Thong Lor (a.k.a. Soi Sukhumvit 55). After exploring it, we use the Bangkok Mass Transit System to reach Ekkamai (a.k.a. Soi Sukhumvit 63).

Ekkamai is a road filled with restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars. Lastly, we head to Ratchadaphisek Road. The whole road is lined with nightclubs and is centered around Royal City Avenue (a.k.a. RCA). It is one of Bangkok’s largest entertainment and clubbing areas.

Transportation will be arranged for you to reach either airport in Bangkok.