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Itinerary 9 Days / 8 Nights
Day 1: Bangkok - Am City & Temples Tour - Evening Loy Nava Dinner Cruise
Meet your guide at your hotel, and head off to visit three iconic Buddhist temples in Bangkok. Encounter the glimmering Golden Buddha at Wat Trimit and the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. As you tour the grounds of Wat Pho, learn about the temple’s fascinating culture as the place where the blind train to become masseuses. Finally, visit Wat Benchamabopit, one of Bangkok’s most beautiful temples, which is also known as the Marble Temple; marvel at the glistening white marble that makes up the entire building’s facade.Dine in style drifting down the Chao Phraya River on the Tahsaneeya Nava, a teakwood river barge converted into a delightful cruise boat. The historic landmarks on the glistening riverbanks, from impressive neoclassical buildings and palaces to wooden homes on stilts, provide a dynamic, moving backdrop for your evening, as you pick out Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace amid bustling river traffic.
If you can tear your eyes away from the riverbanks, you’ll be greeted with a performance of traditional Thai dances as well as classical Thai ‘kim’ music to accompany your feast of traditional delicacies. Savour the fresh, authentic cuisine as you sip delicious cocktails, before returning to your hotel or onto an evening experiencing the exciting Bangkok nightlife.
Day 2: Bangkok - Vimanmek Teakwood Mansion & Thai Boxing Match
In the morning visit Vimakmek Teakwood Mansion. "Vimanmek Teakwood Mansion" said to be the world's largest golden teak mansion, built with nary a single nail. You will explore The Gracious Royal Residence was built by King Rama V in 1901. An outstanding example of 19th century architecture, it is built entirely of precious golden teak. Admire the craftsmanship as you travel back in time and enjoy some rare insight to the lifestyle of the royalty. The section where The King resided is octagonal and has four-storey. The mansion has 81 rooms, halls and ante-chambers. Exhibits include a silverware room, ceramic display room, glassware and ivory display. Some of the rooms have been preserved to retain the atmosphere of the earlier era, particularly the bedrooms, bathrooms and the Audience Chamber. Other buildings in the compound also house displays of various artifacts and precious art objects.Move one big step closer to the intensity of Thai boxing, otherwise known as Muay Thai, as you get off your sofa and sit ring-side just meters away from the heat, adrenaline and intensity of one-on-one combat. Learn a little about this native martial art and self-defense technique as you watch the bruises build and sweat fly. Soak up the mental and physical agility of the competitors as they utilize their elbows, shins, fists and knees to grind each other down. This ancient battlefield technique known as the “art of eight limbs” unfolds before your eyes as you sip a cold drink and ponder the pain! Feel your adrenaline surge with every grapple and blow as traditional music fills the arena, building on the drama and theatre of the experience. You may even catch yourself seeking out lessons afterwards!
Day 3: Bangkok - Saraburi - Buddha Footprint - Winery Tour & Wine Tasting - Khao Yai
Drive from Bangkok to Khao Yai. On the way stop at Wat Phraputthabat to see Buddha's foot print. Wat Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi is recognised as one of the top six Thailand Buddhist Temples and is well worth a visit. The Buddha’s Footprint measures 53 cm wide, 1,5 m long, and 28 cm deep. The footprint was discovered during the reign of King Song Tham of Ayutthaya.Lunch, visit Winery and Wine tasting at Grand Monte. Grand Monte Estate is uniquely located in Asoke Valley, Khao Yai and conveniently lies adjacent to Khao Yai National Park, approximately 160 kilometers from Bangkok. Asoke Valley is known in Thailand for its beautiful yellow blossoms special to the region of Khao Yai. The serene atmosphere and beautiful natural surroundings of Asoke Valley provide the perfect setting for the GranMonte Estate. The grandeur of Khao Yai mountain ranges has inspired the name "Grand Monte", which translates to "big mountain”.
Afternoon, check in hotel and rest of day free at leisure.
Day 4: Khao Yai - Khao Yai National Park Trekkking & Night Safari
After breakfast, transfer to Khao Yai National Park for soft trekking. Venture onto the winding trek trails through the dense jungle under the knowledgeable guidance of a park ranger before heading over to the visitors' center. Look out for some of the illusive residents as you walk such as the endearing wild jungle elephants, vibrant hornbills, and the mischievous gibbons and macaques. Escape from the humidity of the forest canopy as you bath in the cool trickling waters of the Park's many waterfalls. Savor the views from the grand cliff tops but beware of vertigo as some are as high as 1270m above sea level!Lunch provided. Set out on a night spotlighting tour. A pickup truck will be provided with a powerful spot light. The one hour tour can be started after sunset, spot the animals hiding during the day, come to find their food. Deer, Civets, Owls, Porcupines and snakes are often seen. Binturongs, small cats, elephants and slow Loris are seldom seen, although the potential is always there.
Day 5: Khao Yai - Pimai Historical Park - Ku Ku Sing - Roi Et
In the morning, drive to Visit Pimai Historical Park Within the Park is the Phimai Sanctuary, the largest and one of the most important Khmer historical sites in Thailand. The Phimai Sanctuary is rectangular in shape and is 565 meters wide and 1,030 meters long. It consists of ornately carved sandstone and laterite structures. The most special characteristic of the sanctuary is that it is the only one that faces south while the others usually face east. This is probably because it was built to face the route that the Khmers traveled from the capital of the empire, to the south of Phimai.Afternoon, drive to Ku Ka Sing Historical Park in Roi Et
Local lunch provided at Ku Ka Sing, you will be sitting close to this ruins, it's a good experience to dine in this historical place. A little bit before lunch we have prepared you a Somtam Station which you can take part and try cooking your Somtam with the local and eat this personalized lunch! Somtam, aka green papaya salad, is made from raw grated papaya mixed with small tomatoes, long beans, peanuts, dried shrimps, chili and garlic seasoned with coconut sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. Voila - that's Som Tam Thai! All this mixing is done in a wood or earthen mortar... never a stone one because the weight of the stone won't just mix the salad, but crush everything flat. The dish is often served with fresh local vegetables such as long beans, cabbages or cucumbers.
Afternoon Weaving workshop at Ku Ka Sing. Every piece of hand woven cloth is a timeless, unique work of textile art from the hands of a rural Thai woman. Since it is art work produced by a human, it forever carries an imprint of the character, thoughts, emotions, feelings, spirit and life of the weaver. It's imperfection is the heart of its beauty and the proof of its human creator. Learn and try your hands on with this activity.
Drive to Roi Et City and free at leisure.
Day 6: Roi Et - Batik Painting - E-Taek Riding - Khon Kaen
Morning drive to Muang Mai Batik for Batik Painting Class. Batik is the art on cloth - conveying feelings via unique patterns and colors. Not only on cotton , Muang Mai Batik also combines unique skill with batik and Roi Et silk by using batik technique on silk. The product has become very well-known and different from te other. During a visit here, enjoy the easy batik painting class on a cotton cloth. Learn the technique from the expert, let your imagination grow and create your own masterpiece.Lunch at local restaurant. Let's get active this afternoon with E-Taek riding to visit the Mat Weaving village. Jump on a local style vihecle and start exploring this village. You will see from the crops they used to make the weaving, each process before becoming the beautiful mat. Along the way, you will also see the life of the local people in this rural area. End the trip at a local shops where the villagers sell their finished good.
Drive to Khon Kaen , check in and free at leisure.
Day 7: Khon Kaen - Rafting With Lunch At Huay Krating Mountain Lake - Loei
Drive to Loei. Lunch on the rafting at Huay Krating Mountain Lake, the natural reservoir covers an area of 1,500 rai the water sources and green forest. Hugged by breathtaking views, the reservoir is breeze it has also become a leisure spot for locals who would visit to dine or stay at their choice of rafts, and enjoy recreation activities. Do as local, eat and enjoy the magnificent view and atmosphere like no other.Afternoon check in Tent at Sirila Farm and free at leisure till dinner time with Thai set.
When darkness falls, they set on campfire, torches and candles which will give you a romantic atmosphere as well. They are also using some solar lamps. Tonight you will stay overnight at the farm in a comfortable safari tent. These big tents ( 60 sqm) are very comfortable, have their own private bathroom with an open air rainshower with hot water and a nice veranda with rocking chairs from where you can enjoy the sunrise and sunset.
Day 8: Loei - Village Cycling - Local Market Visit - Little Kunming - Monkey Mountain - Bbq Dinner
We will start with a biking-tour around the farmer village (or if you don't want to bike or cannot bike we will take care for a traditional"song taew" transportation). You will not see many other tourists in this village and the people are happy to welcome you in their houses or just want to say hello and make some pictures with you. You will bike quietly along the village, see the rice fields, other plantations, the wooden houses and the way of life of the local farmers.
During this tour we will make several stops. One of them is at a original farmers house so you can see the traditional way of life. Another stop is at the ricemill and another one at the local market.Lunch at local restaurant. After lunch a visit at Monkey Mountain where you will see hundreds of monkies running down from the mountain to welcome you.
BBQ Dinner in the farm in Wang Saphung. After a welcome drink a walk around the farm. The farm is fully self supporting. They do not have electricity (only some solar) and they are pumping up their own water. It’s amazing to see how they can do so many things all by themselves. We will walk around the farm and some explanation will be given on what is growing there. The plantations include agar trees, pine-apples, dragon fruit, mango, coffee, cashew nut, datepalms, macadammia trees and many more. It will take us about 20 to 30 minutes before we will be back at “The Hut” for our BBQ. If we are lucky, we will enjoy a spectacular sunset. When darkness falls, they set on campfire, torches and candles which will give you a romantic atmosphere as well. You will enjoy a really great BBQ with plenty of food! After the BBQ there will be a really nice surprise!
Day 9: Loei Departure
Transfer to Airport for your flight to Bangkok