Compare The Best of Thailand: An Exploration of the Culture and Kingdom by Road Scholar

Day 1 Depart for Thailand In Flight

Day 2 In Transit Across the International Dateline In Flight

Day 3 Arrive, Hotel Check-in, Orientation at 6:30 p.m. Chiang Mai

Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m. The Orientation is at 6:30 p.m. If you arrive later and miss the Orientation, the Group Leader will give you a brief overview the next day. DINNER: Tonight we will have a regular dinner as some flights are arriving quite late. The Welcome Dinner will be held tomorrow (Day 4 of your itinerary).

After arriving at the hotel and checking in, take some time to unpack, freshen up and relax. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Evenings at leisure offer opportunities to make the program more meaningful and memorable through personal independent exploration, engaging in available activities on your own, or simply relaxing and making new friends among fellow participants. The Group Leader will always be happy to offer suggestions for free time. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may be changed due to local conditions/circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Traditional Thai plated set menu at the hotel with coffee, tea and water included. Other drinks available for purchase.

Day 4 Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Walking Discovery Chiang Mai

Van transfer to Doi Suthep, driving up winding mountain roads for approximately 45 minutes (12 miles) one way. Morning visit entails approximately 1.5 hours walking (1-2 miles). Afternoon exploration entails approximately 1.5 hours walking (1 mile) along cobblestones in the old city center with light traffic.

In the early morning, we depart for Doi Suthep via minivans to experience a Buddhist tradition, the procession of the monks, before they ascend the 309 steps of the Golden Naga staircase to reach the glittering, golden pagodas at the sacred Doi Suthep Mountain. We continue our drive to Wat Umong, a temple that dates back to the 14th century and contains a network of tunnels and caves. Here we experience a private blessing ceremony, a traditional Buddhist way of offering you good health and happiness.

After lunch, join our local guide and Group Leader for a walking discovery of Chiang Mai. Begin at a local market where fresh vegetables, spices, meat and fish are sold. Continue walking to the Three King Monument which, according to legend, has became a landmark for the city of Chiang Mai. Return to the hotel on a 'songthaew', a local form of transportation, with time to freshen up before our Welcome Dinner.

At leisure.

Boxed breakfast to be eaten during our journey to Doi Suthep.

Enjoy a traditional Northern Thailand lunch, "Khao Soi". Chiang Mai's most famous dish combines crispy noodles and a rich coconut curry sauce. Coffee, tea and water included. Afterwards, enjoy a presentation on sustainable and organic tea plantations given by the founder of the restaurant.

Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant featuring traditional northern Thai cuisine. We have a welcome drink with dinner this evening. Coffee, tea and water included. Other drinks available for purchase.

Day 5 Doi Inthanon National Park, Karen Hilltribe Village Chiang Mai

Drive is approximately 37 miles (1 hour 25 minutes) one way. Easy to moderate walking in the mountains for approximately 2 hours.

Doi Inthanon National Park is the home of Thailand's highest mountain, Doi Inthanon. The National park is made up of tropical forests, rivers, and waterfalls. It is also filled with wildlife - gibbons, deer, wild boar and over 300 species of bird. Depart from the hotel by vans to the summit of Koi Inthanon National Park (approximately 1.5 hours drive). At the summit, enjoy a walking discovery along natural trails (approximately 30 minutes). We continue our drive down to the Twin Pagodas for a walk around the beautiful gardens.

After lunch, we visit the Karen Hiltribe village to learn about this ethnic group with a walk through the village and a visit to one of the homes. Return by van to Chiang Mai.

At leisure.

At the hotel, we will have a buffet featuring local and international cuisine with a selection of hot and cold dishes. Coffee, tea and water are included.

At the Royal Project restaurant.

At own arrangements. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Day 6 Chiang Mai, Free Morning, Wat Suan Dok, Chat with Monks Chiang Mai

In preparation for tomorrow's visit to the Elephant Valley, we have a short presentation on Asian Elephants to be given at the hotel. The rest of the morning is free for you to explore Chiang Mai. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer ideas and suggestions to make the most of your free time.

Travel by motorcoach to Wat Suan Dok, the Buddhist University. Take a short walk around the temple to learn about its history and understand why it is revered as one of the city's most sacred sites. Spend some time chatting with the monks to learn more about the religion of Buddhism. Return to the hotel by motorcoach with time to freshen up before dinner.

At leisure.

At the hotel, we will have a buffet featuring local and international cuisine with a selection of hot and cold dishes. Coffee, tea and water are included.

At own arrangements.

At a local restaurant. Coffee, tea and water are included. Other drinks available for purchase.

Day 7 Coach to Mae Chan, Elephant Valley Mae Chan

Driving approximately 150 miles (4.5 hours) with rest stops. Easy to moderate walking for approximately 3 hours.

Check out of the hotel and depart for Chiang Rai to visit an elephant sanctuary (approximately 3 hours drive). The Elephant Valley Thailand is a lush, 40 acre elephant sanctuary in Chiang Rai where we will have a brief introduction to the Thai Elephants and the sanctuary's mission. We have some time to observe the elephants in their natural environment, with the chance to meet them and feed them as well. After your time with the elephants, we enjoy lunch at the sanctuary.

We continue our drive along winding roads to Mae Chan, and our hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel, we will have a buffet featuring local and international cuisine with a selection of hot and cold dishes. Coffee, tea and water are included.

We will have a family style meal at the sanctuary. Coffee, tea and water included. Other beverages available for purchase.

We will have a family style meal at the hotel. Coffee, tea and water are included. Other beverages available for purchase.

Day 8 Mae Chan, Hilltribe Villages, Mae Salong, Free Time Mae Chan

Easy to moderate walking approximately 1 mile (2-3 hours).

We travel by motorcoach to Baan Pangpooloer, a hill tribe village. In this village, three ethnic groups of people live together:- Akha, Yao and Thai lowlander. We walk from the Thai lowlander houses to the Akha houses to the Yao houses, comparing and contrasting these villagers' lives and learning about their culture and history. We re-board our motorcoach and drive towards the 101 Tea Plantation for a photo opportunity. We continue up to the summit of Doi Mae Salong and stop for a walk at the Yunnan village. We will have the opportunity for tea tasting this morning. Return to the resort by motorcoach to participate in a cooking class followed by lunch.

Free afternoon.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

Enjoy preparing our own food for lunch at the resort. Learn about the different herbs and spices that are common in Thai cooking.

At the hotel. Coffee, tea and water included. Other beverages available for purchase.

Day 9 Coach to Chiang Rai, Fly to Bangkok, Lecture Bangkok

Drive to Chiang Rai airport is approximately 1 hour. Evening walk from hotel to nearby restaurant is approximately 10 minutes.

Check out of the hotel and transfer to Chiang Rai airport for our late morning flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival in Bangkok, transfer to the program hotel and check in.

In the late afternoon, we will be joined by a local expert for a presentation about Thailand’s political economy: the interdisciplinary study of economics, political science, sociology, and other disciplines to understand the impact and influence of political factors in economic outcomes. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand has been a unified kingdom since the mid-14th century. The national government is in transition.

Soak up the atmosphere at Asiatique and return to the hotel at leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will have a family style meal at the hotel. Coffee, tea and water included. Other beverages available for purchase.

We will walk to Asiatique on the Riverfront (approximately 5-10 minutes walk) for dinner at a restaurant. Asiatique is an outdoor bazaar hosting many different restaurants and is themed according to the architecture of old Siam. It features a very distinctive atmosphere in the evenings.

Day 10 Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Boat Ride Bangkok

Getting in/out of a long-tail riverboat. Walking approximately 1.5 miles throughout the day from river pier to the Grand Palace, to lunch, then to Wat Pho. Note: We do not go inside the Grand Palace; we explore the surroundings. Wat Pho is a sacred site. Please dress conservatively (no shorts or singlet tops); shoes must be removed to enter the temple, but socks are allowed; photography not permitted.

We will take a local river taxi to the Grand Palace area. The Grand Palace with its surrounding complex is Bangkok’s most famous landmark. Built in 1782, the extraordinary architecture, artistic detail, and amazing history have made it a cultural icon. The Grand Palace is no longer the royal residence, but is used for important ceremonial occasions. We do not go inside the Grand Palace, but we explore the surroundings. In addition to the Palace itself, there are more than 100 structures within the grounds. Many of these are beautifully designed and decorated, including Wat Phra Kaew, Thailand's most important and sacred temple. We will visit the Wat Phra Kaew temple that houses the so-called Emerald Buddha, painstakingly carved from a single block of green jade. It was discovered in a Chiang Rai stupa in 1434, covered in plaster! Legend says its history goes back to India in the year 43 BCE. It now sits in splendor on a golden throne and watches over the Thai nation. Afterwards, we visit the Queen Sirikit Textile Museum to learn about Thai textiles past and present. We then continue by foot to Wat Pho, adjacent to the Palace. The oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok, it contains more than 1,000 images of the Buddha. One of the most famous is the Reclining Buddha, nearly 150 feet (46 meters) long and 50 feet (15 meters) high. Wat Pho was also the country’s earliest center for public education. It is the national headquarters for preserving and teaching traditional Thai medicine, including Thai massage, which is still practiced here.

We board a colorful long-tail boat and cruise up the river, admiring the Bangkok skyline from a unique point of view. We will discover an intricate network of waterways, dotted with traditional teak houses as well as modern mansions. Bangkok's waterside reveals some of the city's history and shows how it has evolved into the cosmopolitan capital we see today. Return to the hotel.

At leisure. Prepare for our early morning flight to Phuket tomorrow morning.

At the hotel, we will have a buffet featuring local and international cuisine with a selection of hot and cold dishes. Coffee, tea and water are included

We will have a family-style meal at a local restaurant near Wat Pho. Coffee, tea and water are included. Other beverages available for purchase.

At own arrangements.

Day 11 Fly to Phuket, Free Time Phuket

Flight is approximately 1.5 hours. Drive to Bangkok Airport is approximately 40 minutes-1 hour (11 miles). Drive from Phuket Airport to the hotel is approximately 5 minutes (1 mile).

We check out of the hotel and transfer to Bangkok Airport for our flight to Phuket, in the south of Thailand.

Arrive at Phuket International Airport and transfer to the hotel. Check in and relax.

At leisure.

At the hotel, we will have a buffet featuring local and international cuisine with a selection of hot and cold dishes. Coffee, tea and water are included

On the flight to Phuket.

At the hotel. Coffee, tea and water are included. Other drinks available for purchase.

Day 12 Phang Nga Bay, Cave Kayaking, Krathong Launch Phuket

Enjoy some time at leisure before our late morning departure (around 11:30 a.m.) to Phang Nga Bay. Ride to Ao Po Grand Marina Pier to explore the sea caves and hidden lagoons, and uncover the pristine beauty of Phuket as we explore the limestone cliffs and turquoise waters of Phang Nga Bay.

Explore the Phang Nga Bay caves. Local guides will do the paddling as we take in the surroundings. Look out for hidden caverns with bat colonies and picturesque lagoons surrounded by giant cliffs.

We finish the day by floating our self-made flower “Krathong”, and will return to the pier after sunset. Return to the hotel.

At the hotel, we will have a buffet featuring local and international cuisine with a selection of hot and cold dishes. Coffee, tea and water are included

Enjoy lunch aboard the boat as we cruise around Phang Nga Bay.

Enjoy a Thai seafood buffet dinner underneath the stars on one of the beautiful beaches of Phang Nga Bay.

Day 13 Snorkeling and Beach Time Phuket

Motorcoach transfer time from hotel to pier is approximately 1 hour. Speedboat travel time is approximately 15 minutes to Maiton Island.

We board our private speed boat and spend the day on the Andaman Sea. We will make a stop at a snorkeling location where we can spend some time exploring the underwater world. We continue to Maiton Island, which is a private island. Here we will spend some time walking on the white sand beaches and enjoying the beautiful clear water. For those interested, there is the opportunity for more snorkeling along the Maiton Reef.

After lunch, you may choose to walk to the island's viewpoint, relax on the beach, swim or snorkel before heading back to the hotel. Our speedboat departs for Phuket at 3:30 p.m. The transfer by motorcoach from the pier to the hotel is approximately 1 hour (20 miles).

At leisure.

Breakfast buffet at the hotel including Asian and Western dishes.

Enjoy lunch on the beach.

At own arrangements.

Day 14 Walking Discovery of Phuket Town, Free Time, Farewell Dinner Phuket

Walking in town for approximately 2-3 hours (2 miles) along small, sometimes busy, roads.

Explore the old town of Phuket on foot. Learn about the island’s past while exploring different architectural styles. See former Chinese schools that have been repurposed into museums and restaurants as well as Chinese shrines. Walk to Sino-Portuguese buildings that stand in testimony to the influence of the migrants who came to Phuket during the tin mining days of the 19th century. Take a closer look at the past with a visit to Thavorn Museum. Located in the hotel of the same name, this museum boasts an impressive collection of old calculators, typewriters, tin toys and more. Seeing these relics gives us a sense of what life was like in Phuket in earlier times. During the walk you can sample various local delicacies.

Free time. Return to the hotel with some time to relax before our Farewell Dinner.

At leisure. Say farewell to new Road Scholar friends and pack for your journey home.

Breakfast buffet at the hotel including Asian and Western dishes.

At own arrangements.

Farewell Dinner at the hotel. We have a Farewell to Thailand drink with dinner this evening. Coffee, tea and water are included. Other beverages available for purchase.

Day 15 Program Concludes In Flight

Hotel check-out by 12:00 p.m. The airport is located approximately 1 mile (5 minutes) away from the hotel.

Breakfast buffet at the hotel including Asian and Western dishes. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys! Follow us on social media to stay in touch with Road Scholar! Find us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures and www.instagram.com/rsadventures