The Thai New Year festival of Songkran is a great family-friendly way to get your feet wet (literally) with the traditions of Southeast Asia. This 10-day tour is designed to fit into an extended spring break vacation and will take families to some of Thailand’s most iconic destinations. Start in Bangkok where you’ll experience the nationwide water fight that is the Songkran festival. Next, head north to Chiang Mai where you’ll explore temples and take part in the Patara Elephant Farm’s Elephant Owner For A Day program. Finish up with a relaxing stay on the beaches of Phuket.
12 April 2016 Bangkok: Arrival
Arrive in Bangkok where you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Meals Included: None
Overnight at Riva Surya Hotel – 1Double & 1Twin Connecting Premium Riva Rooms
13 April 2016 Bangkok: Riverside Public Transport City Tour
You will be met by your guide at your hotel at 9.00am before joining a river express boat along the river to the flower market. Enjoy the sights and smells before taking a lively tuk-tuk ride to Wat Pho to see the famous Reclining Buddha. Enjoy a 30-minute massage at the temple’s traditional Thai massage school followed by lunch at a local restaurant. After your delicious meal, head to the pride of Thailand – the Grand Palace, also visiting Wat Phra Kaew, which houses the famous Emerald Buddha. Then, boarding a river express and returning to your hotel for the evening.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Riva Surya Hotel – 1Double & 1Twin Connecting Premium Riva Rooms
14 April 2016 Bangkok: Songkran Festival at the Chatuchak Weekend Market
Today you will have the opportunity to take part in the Songkran Festival, also known as the Thai New Year. Songkran literally means “astrological passage” in Sanskrit and is celebrated by pouring water to represent purification and washing away sins and bad luck. As a way to show respect, younger people would traditionally pour water over the palms of elders and this tradition has developed into a nation-wide water fight! After an early breakfast, head to the Chatuchak Weekend Market with your guide using local transportation. This market is one of the largest in the world and offers variety beyond compare and serves as a wonderful family-friendly location to take part in the Festival. Roam through the thousands of stalls selling clothing, books, wood carvings, house decorations, gifts, art, antiques, plants, live animals and so much more! Your guide will explain some of the making of native Thai crafts and answer any questions about Thai Culture you may have. While you are here, feel free to take part in the festivities. Before noon you may return to your hotel with your guide or continue shopping on your own.
Please note: This is a nation-wide cultural and religious festival which will have many participants celebrating throughout Bangkok. Be prepared to get wet! We recommend wearing clothes you don’t mind getting soaked and if you would like to join in the festivities, you may want to bring along a bucket or water pistol! We strongly recommend bringing sealable plastic bags and cases for your valuables such as phones and cameras so as to prevent any water damage.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Riva Surya Hotel – 1Double & 1Twin Connecting Premium Riva Rooms
15 April 2016 Chiang Mai: Arrival and Doi Suthep Temple with Wat Suan Dok Sunset
Your driver will meet you at your hotel for your private transfer to the airport, where you will arrive in time for your onward flight – Bangkok Airways PG270 departing Bangkok at 10:00 & arriving Chiang Mai at 11:15.
You will be met by your guide at Chiang Mai Airport and transferred to your hotel.
Drive up to visit Doi Suthep, the most important Wat in Chiang Mai. Perched high above the city, it offers wonderful views of the city and countryside below.
From here head west of the city walls on to one of the most beautiful viewpoints for sunset – Wat Suan Dok. Literally translated as ‘’field of flowers’’, this temple was built by King Keu Na of Lanna, and is a prime example of Lanna architecture.
Here at this fourteenth century temple you will witness evening prayer as the monks and local people come together at the end of the day.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Puripunn Baby Grand Boutique Hotel – Puripunn Family Room
16 April 2016 Chiang Mai: Elephant Owner for a Day at Patara Elephant Farm
You will be met in the lobby of your hotel at 7:30am and transferred to the Patara Elephant Farm, located not far from Chiang Mai. At the farm you will be given your training outfit and a brief talk on working with elephants before heading into the bush to find them. You will learn about the management of the elephant farm and the how the breeding program has been developed and maintained. You will of course be introduced to the stars of the show, and slowly will learn how to work with them on the ground. After you’ve made friends, you can then lead them down to the river for their morning bath, followed by a short ride to a local temple where you can learn about elephants in Buddhism and the Thai’s ancient relationship with these traditional beasts of burden. Around midday you will set off on a ride through the jungle to visit some lovely waterfalls where you can enjoy a picnic lunch as well as a swim in the falls with your elephant. Return to the camp in the afternoon and say goodbye to your new friends before being transferred back to your hotel.
Please note: Today you will get wet when you help with the elephants’ bath. Please bring appropriate clothing for this, as well as a towel and change of clothes.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Puripunn Baby Grand Boutique Hotel – Puripunn Family Room
17 April 2016 Chiang Mai: Villages and Bamboo Forest Trek with Caves
Your guide will meet you at your hotel at 07:30. This early start allows you to get on the trail before it gets too hot. Drive two hours to Chiang Dao where you will start your walk. We highly recommend a stop at a roadside coffee shop…an iced coffee or Chai Yen helps get you moving! Once in Ban Pang Tong you’ll be dropped at the end of a dirt road. Hike up the road as your guide tells you about different flowers and birds you see along the way. At the end of the road is a lovely village belonging Lao Ho people. Here Animism is still practiced and the local people are more wary of visitors and can be shy. Your guide will show you the different style of homes and you might get some shy waves from the kids.
Leaving the village you’ll climb a steep hill for some amazing views of the rice fields and the village from above… don’t worry, this is the steepest hill of the day. Walk for a while in the sun seeing the fields and how the hill tribes survive through agriculture. You’ll stop for a break in a farmer’s hut overlooking the valley before continuing on until you enter the bamboo forest. Listen to the peaceful sounds of the bamboo rustling and groaning and the bird calls echoing through this calm area. Feel free to ask the guide questions or just soak up the beauty of your surroundings. Along the way, you may see villages collecting wood, cutting down bamboo or hunting. After a couple of hours you’ll emerge into a valley with huge limestone cliffs towering around you and fields of rice and corn on either side of the trail.
Follow the path into a Karen village and meet some of the locals to see their home. In this village there are often hill tribe women selling souvenirs, but they aren’t the Karen, who are a more shy and reserved group, but rather the Akha from a nearby village, who much more are outgoing and interested in the tourist market. Afterwards you will meet your driver who will take you to lunch at Kru Chang Dao, one of the most famous restaurants in the area, known for their famous stewed pork and rice, as well as many other traditional Thai dishes. After lunch, if you are adventitious and willing to do some light spelunking, head off to nearby sacred caves for some exploration with a local guide by lamplight. Explore the nearby temple and garden before meeting back with your van for you 2 hour drive back to Chang Mai.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight at Puripunn Baby Grand Boutique Hotel – Puripunn Family Room
18 April 2016 Phuket: Arrival
You will be met by your guide at your hotel and transferred to Chiang Mai airport for your departure flight – Thai Airways TG1171 departing Chiang Mai at 09:40 & arriving Phuket at 11:35.
You will be met at Phuket Airport by a hotel representative and transferred to your hotel. Once you have checked in, relax and enjoy your island oasis!
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort – 1Double & 1Twin Deluxe Seaview Room
19 April 2016 Phuket: Day at Leisure
You have the day free to explore on your own.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort – Deluxe Seaview Room
20 April 2016 Phuket: Hongs by Starlight
Late morning you will be met at your hotel and driven with the rest of the group to the Ao Po Pier to board your boat. Cruise towards the National Park while you enjoy a light Thai lunch and listen to a briefing on the wildlife and your schedule. In the afternoon you will be taken by kayak into various hongs and caves, enjoying some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. In the evening enjoy a Thai Seafood dinner and then make your own krathong to float for luck that evening. Enjoy the sunset on board before returning in the dusk to a hong where you will launch your kratong, experiencing a magical moment! At around 8pm you will start your return to the island. Relax on the Starlight Deck and enjoy the amazing boat ride back your way lit by the stars. You will return to your hotel around 10pm.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort – Deluxe Seaview Room
21 April 2016 Phuket: Departure
You will be transferred from your Phuket hotel in time to catch your departing flight – Thai Airways TG206 departing Phuket at 13:05 & arriving Bangkok at 14:30.
Meals included: Breakfast
PLEASE NOTE
This itinerary is currently in progress and does not reflect hotel room availability. The pricing is not final until the itinerary has been confirmed and booked.
Tour Rate starting at: $9,500 total for a family of four (two adults and two children ages 6 & 10)
Price includes:
- Air tickets Bangkok – Chiang Mai – Phuket – Bangkok
- Boat tickets as specified above
- Accommodation as specified above
- Air-conditioned car/van with driver
- Licensed English speaking guides
- Tours and admission fees as mentioned above
- Meals as specified in itinerary, including water
Price excludes:
- Personal expenses
- Visa fees
- Airport tax
- Drinks (except water) and meals not mentioned in itinerary
- Tips
Photo by John Shedrick, Flickr
