Our ‘History and Culture of central Thailand’ tour is perfect for those who want to get a greater understanding of the history and culture of the destination that they are travelling to. From meeting local people and minorities and learning about their past and hopes for the future to discovering many incredible and fascinating historical sites.
Your holiday starts in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok, where you have the first night to sleep off your flight before exploring the city’s most important sites, such as the magnificent Grand Palace. You then leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind you and catch an overnight train to Udon Thani. From here you travel to Chiang Khan visiting the stunning Suan Hin Pha Ngram park and the Thai Dam Cultural Center to learn about the Thai Dam People and their distinct culture and language.
Your next Thai stepping stones are the towns of Loei and Phitsanulok, where along the way you will enjoy a cycle ride, visit an Eco Farm, the Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park and the Wat Yai temple. Not only this, but you get to discover the breathtaking ruins and the ancient city of Sukhothai, meet many local people that you can talk to, photograph and observe.
Journeying on, your last stop on this Thailand tour of discovery is Kanchanaburi, where you will get to walk across the famous bridge over the River Kwai and learn more about this part of history at the Thailand-Burma Centre (War Museum), before taking a trip to the War Cemetery and boarding a boat down the Kwai Noi River to Resotel Pier to visit the Hell Fire Pass Memorial. After time to reflect, you transfer back to Bangkok for one last night before returning home.
Highlights
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Bangkok City
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Train ride to Udon Thani
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Suan Hin Pha Ngram park
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Thai Dam Cultural Center
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Chiang Khan’s timeless traditions
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Pha Sat ceremony of good luck
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Wang Saphung Town
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Sirila Eco Farm
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Wat Neramit Temple
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Phu Hin Rongkla National Park
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Wat Yai Temple
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Mon tribal village
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Bridge over the Kwai River
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River Kwai Jungle Rafts
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Hellfire Pass Memorial
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On arrival in Bangkok, you will be met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel. For the afternoon you can choose to relax or take a short tour of the city.
Overnight in Bangkok(Meals: _/_/_)
Day 2
Udon Thani
Bangkok to Udon Thani | Train: 8.5 hours
Today you have a free day in Bangkok to explore this fascinating and hectic city. You may want to explore the magnificent Grand Palace, which used to be the former royal residence, or go out and tickle those taste buds and experience the great variety of food options available in Bangkok. In the evening you will board the overnight train to Udon Thani.
Overnight in Sleeper Train (Meals: B/_/_)
Day 3
Chiang Khan
Udon Thani to Chiang Khan | Drive: 3 hours
On arrival in Udon Thani you will travel to the stunning Suan Hin Pha Ngram park, where you will pause to soak up your surroundings before continuing to the Huai Krating reservoir, which offers breathtaking views of the evergreen mountains. Next, you visit the Thai Dam Cultural Center to learn about the Thai Dam People and their distinct culture and language before ending the day in Chiang Khan.
Overnight in Chiang Khan (Meals: B/_/_)
Day 4
Chiang Khan
Day Tour
If you rise early, you can watch monks leave their temples on their daily rounds to receive alms. Another tradition, unique to Chiang Khan is called Pha Sat Loy Khor, which is very similar to the national tradition of Loy Krathong. This square-shaped offering is made from only degradable elements like banana leaves, banana trunks and decorations made from bee wax. Releasing the Pha Sat is a way of releasing all the bad luck from your life, and you will get the opportunity to decorate your own Pha Sat with the help from some friendly Chiang Khan aunties and release it on the Mekong River.
Overnight in Chiang Khan (Meals: B/_/_)
Day 5
Loei
Chiang Khan to Loei | Drive: 1 hour
Today you travel to the peaceful town of Wang Saphung, the starting point for an easy-going bike ride of the area. Experience the local life by meeting friendly local people and learn about their daily lives. After enjoying lunch at the Sirila Eco-Farm you spend the afternoon in the town of Loei and visit the unique Wat Neramit temple and the Phi Ta Khon Museum before settling in for the night.
Overnight in Loei (Meals: B/L/_)
Day 6
Phitsanulok
Loei to Phitsanulok | Drive: 3 hours
This morning you travel east to wonderful Phu Hin Rongkla National Park to enjoy the unique and natural landscape. You can enjoy a beautiful walk with a ranger along the trail that introduces you to the different rock formations together with the political history of the place. Next, you visit the historic city of Phitsanulok and discover the impressive Wat Yai temple with Buddha Chinnarat, one of the most important Buddha statues in Thailand.
Overnight in Phitsanuloki (Meals: B/_/_)
Day 7
Sukhothai
Phitsanulok to Sukhothai | Drive: 2 hours
Today you will travel to the ancient town of Sukhothai, famous for its breathtaking ruins. Sukhothai can be translated as ‘Dawn of Happiness’. Once here you have the rest of the day to stroll around the town before choosing a place to eat for your evening meal.
Overnight in Sukhothai (Meals: B/_/_)
Day 8
Sukhothai
Free Day
You have the whole day to explore the historical Sukhothai under your own steam. You have a variety of options, one of them is exploring the well maintained Sukhothai National Park by bike or tuk-tuk. If you get up early, you could also visit the figures of Buddha that glow as the morning sun hits them.
Overnight in Sukhothai (Meals: B/_/_)
Day 9
Kanchanaburi
Sukhothai to Kanchanaburi | Drive: 6 hours
Before transferring to Kanchanaburi you will pause at a Mon village to see how these fascinating ethnic groups of people, originally from Burma, go about their daily lives. Later in the day, you will then transfer from Sukhothai to your hotel in Kanchanaburi, where you can relax in a hammock, take a swim in the river or explore the exciting area.
Overnight in Kanchanaburi (Meals: B/L/D)
Day 10
Kanchanaburi
Day Tour
Historical Kanchanaburi is best known for the Bridge over the Kwai River. Today you will relive the touching history at the Thailand-Burma Centre (War Museum) before taking a trip to the War Cemetery and the Bridge itself, which goes over the Kwai River. You will then take a boat down the Kwai Noi River to Resotel Pier to visit the Hellfire Pass Memorial. In the evening you will see some mesmerizing traditional dancing and enjoy music before settling in for the night.
Overnight in Kanchanaburi (Meals: B/L/D)
Day 11
Bangkok
Kachanaburi to Bangkok | Drive: 2 hours
You have plenty of time today to explore the area before being transferred back to Bangkok for your final evening in the country’s capital.
Overnight in Bangkok (Meals: B/_/_)
Day 12
Bangkok
Departure
Today you will be free to enjoy your last day in Thailand before being transferred to the airport for your flight back home.
(Meals: B/_/ _)
Tour includes
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Airport pick up and drop off
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Overnights as mentioned
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Excursions as mentioned
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Transportation in private A/C vehicle
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English speaking guide
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Meals as mentioned (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner – excludes drinks)
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All taxes
Tour excludes
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All flights unless included in itinerary & Visa fees
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International airport tax (Included in Airline Ticket)
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Meals, unless mentioned differently
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Beverages and personal expenses
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Other excursions and entrance fees
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Travel insurance (cover against all cancellation costs, medical expenses, including repatriation and evacuation in the event of accident of illness)
Please note: You must have a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining on it as well as bringing with you 4 passport size photos with you for your visa, as well as having a couple spare.
Call us on 0208 150 5150, for International callers 004420 8150 5150, send us an e-mail [email protected] or just use the form opposite.
Your next steps:
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Get in touch and talk to our specialist Asia travel team
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We then craft a unique and tailor-made itinerary just for you.
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We will stay in touch with you all the way through your holiday experience
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Pack you bags and get ready for your Asia holiday of a life time
On arrival in Asia we will meet you at the airport, transfer you to your hotel and then sit down to run over your holiday program again. We then introduce you to your local guides and give you some helpful local travel tips; such as local restaurant and bar suggestions and some cultural insights.
Towns & Cities in Thailand
Thailand has no shortage of captivating destination to visit on your holiday. Refer to our Towns & cities guide to plan the perfect trip.
There are so many beautiful hotels to choose from in Thailand. So we have selected a few of our most favourite and characterful hotels; giving you a taste of what you can expect.
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