Thailand | Bangkok to Krabi

Welcome to Thailand!  Upon arrival to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, your driver and guide will meet and transfer you to your hotel in the heart of the city. Check-in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Riva Surya Bangkok

Riva Surya is synonymous with a luxurious experience. Set along the famed Chao Phraya River, the Hotel is strengthened by the well-known reputation of Thai hospitality. This idyllic setting and boutique offering is set in the heart of the city and conveniently connected via Chao Phraya Express boats and Skytrain and is the perfect getaway for travelers to Bangkok. All rooms come with airy balconies and sublimely comfortable beds with 400-thread count bed linens.

After an early breakfast, meet your guide to begin your journey by visiting Wat Po, one of Bangkok’s oldest and largest temples, arriving just in time to hear the morning chanting of the monks. Continue to the Grand Palace Complex, which includes the Temple of The Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Keow), unquestionably a “must” for every visitor to Bangkok. For lunch, instead of a standard restaurant, explore the backstreets of Thammasat University! Your guide will take you for a culinary visit among hundreds of Thai students rushing to the numerous small street restaurants. Early afternoon, we depart by long tail boat and embark on a klong tour, a great way to observe local life along the canals. We stop at a kind of local artist community: Khlong Bang Luang. Well-preserved wooden homes more than a century old and historic but non-touristy temples join smaller art studios, vintage antique galleries, a few outstanding hole-in-the-wall noodle shops, a tiny guesthouse and several family-run cafes, convenience shops and barbers. The centerpiece of the Khlong Bang Luang community is Baan Silapin (Artists House), which occupies a traditional two-story wooden building set beside the canal and centered around a 300-plus-year-old chedi. Later, return to your hotel and enjoy your evening at leisure.

Today we explore Bangkok’s sights off the tourist track by bicycle. Explore very small back streets, alleys, markets, temples and even the small streets and houses below Bangkok’s highways. The tropical landscape and Thai-style homes will shatter all Western illusions as you discover the real Bangkok. Upon arrival at the Chao Phraya River, board a boat with your guide and bikes, leaving the city behind. Continue your tour through an oasis of green landscape, scattered with fruit plantations and typical Thai-style houses. Return to your hotel in the afternoon for some free time to freshen up. Tonight, enjoy a mouthwatering exploration of Bangkok’s 200-year-old China Town district by visiting various tasty eateries, from sit-on-the- pavement-vendors to characterful restaurants. You’ll get to sample all kinds of dishes (and a few local drinks too!) from the likes of dim sum, dumplings, fresh seafood, local deserts and more!

After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Sukhothai. On arrival, meet your guide and driver and transfer to your hotel for the rest of the day free at leisure. Sukhothai was the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries. It has a number of fine monuments, illustrating the beginnings of Thai architecture. The great civilization, which evolved in the Kingdom of Sukhothai, absorbed numerous influences and ancient local traditions; the rapid assimilation of all these elements forged what is known as the ‘Sukhothai style’.

About Sukhothai Heritage Resort

Embraced with vast organic fields, adjacent to the Sukhothai Airport, this low-rise boutique accommodation is styled with ancient Sukhothai architecture and eclectic interior design inspired liberally by genuine Thai touch. Relaxing ambiance is sought inside the compound where the serene garden and lotus ponds meet with a large swimming pool. This boutique resort is an ideal choice for your sojourns back in time with great accessibility to Sukhothai’s main attraction.

Your cycling tour starts from a small village on Sukhothai’s outskirts known as Ban Kheay. We take a dirt road passing though endless rice paddies with beautiful views of the Kao Laung mountain range in Ramkhamhang National Park. Arriving at the Southern Gate we will explore some of Sukhothai’s famous ancient ruins. You will marvel at beautiful Buddhist and Hindu architecture and be exposed to some of the country’s most stunning craftsmanship from a period known as Thailand’s Golden Era. The tour offers the visitor a guided cultural experience, learning about Sukhothai’s history and complex architecture as well as the story of Buddhism in Thailand. After a delicious local lunch we will continue our journey along small irrigation canals (Klong Mae Lampan) passing through rural villages before arriving back at the hotel.

This morning, meet your guide and depart Sukhothai on the approximately four-hour drive to Chiang Mai, making a full day of it with interesting stops along the way. First stop at Si Satchanalai, located just north of Sukhothai. A 12th-century Khmer outpost, Si Satch became a royal residence of the Sukhothai period and an important pottery-producing center. Next stop in the town of Lampang, which was an important center of the international teak trade and was influenced by the British Raj because of his familiarity with the teak industry in Burma. After a local lunch, visit the most impressive sites yet: Wat Phra That Lampang Luang as well as Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao which once housed the sacred Emerald Buddha. Late in the day arrive in Chiang Mai and check in at your charming, boutique hotel, located in a traditional neighborhood, but just a short ride from the heart of town and Chiang Mai’s famous Night Bazaar.

About RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort

Rati Lanna Riverside Spa Resort features well-appointed rooms and beautiful views of Chiang Mai’s Mae Ping River. The resort features 3 dining options, a spa, and an infinity pool. The elegant rooms at Rati Lanna Riverside combine wooden furnishings and traditional Thai décor. Each room has a flat-screen TV with home theater system and DVD player. The bathroom features a flat-screen TV mounted by the bathtub, a separate rain shower stall and complimentary aromatherapy toiletries. Guests can exercise in the fitness center or enjoy quiet reading in the library lounge. It has an on-site gallery shop and a business center.

After breakfast, meet your guide and visit the riverfront Worarot Market, with its colorful flowers, pungent spices and friendly, bustling crowds. Stroll the alley next to the market, filled with textiles, hill tribe clothes, silks, hats and beads. From the market take a Samlor, or rickshaw ride along Thapae Road down through the city wall, passing residential and important government buildings around the city. Local lunch in one of the old town’s delicious restaurants. This afternoon, visit the Hilltribe Ethnographic Museum for some insight into the minority cultures, which inhabit the hills of northern Thailand. Then continue to what is probably Chiang Mai’s most famous landmark—Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, the temple located on the 1,676- foot-high Doi Suthep. Climb the 300-steps staircase, flanked by Nagas, or take the cable car up. With clear weather, the views are incredible.

This morning, you’ll go for a drive and discover a unique and private hands-on experience. Thailand is truly “the land of the elephant” with nearly 5,000 wild and domesticated elephants in the country. Travel to a local temple where you’ll learn about the role elephant’s play in Buddhism and how Thai people relate to them. In the early afternoon, travel to a waterfall and cool off in the falls. Then go back to the camp. Your driver will be waiting to take you back to the hotel.

After breakfast, meet your guide and transfer to the airport for your flight back to Bangkok. On arrival, your guide will transfer you to Khao Yai, established in 1962 as Thailand’s first national park. It is the third largest national park in the country covering an area of 2,168 square kms and has many open grassland areas, which increases the chances to see some amazing mammals such as elephants, gaurs, and deer. Furthermore, there are a number of waterfalls in the park, most of them easily accessible by vehicles combined with a short walk. Haew Nerok Waterfall in Khao Yai is one of the highest and most impressive waterfalls in the country. Check-in at your hotel and take the rest of the day free at leisure.

About Kirimaya Golf Resort Spa

The name ‘Kirimaya’ means ‘illusion of mountain’ which suitably describes the refreshing character of this property. To stay at Kirimaya is to embark on a memorable journey into the local culture for a total destination experience. Whatever your personal interests are, Kirimaya gives you the lifestyle experiences you naturally prefer. Stargaze, watch wildlife up close, traverse nature trails or relish the challenge of a Jack Nicklaus golf course. Discover new culinary adventures with a vineyard tour. Enhance your wellness at the MAYA Spa, seek mental quietude through Asian therapies or simply laze by the pool.

Early wake up this morning to enjoy the day’s nature expedition to its fullest! First we will visit the park headquarters and later our driver will take us to the beginning of the trail. Here we will hike through dry evergreen forest where Gibbons, Monkeys, and Hornbills are often seen. Then we will drive up to the Haew Suwat Waterfall, famous from the movie “The Beach”, for a nice picnic lunch. In the afternoon we will drive up to the second highest mountain of the park to enjoy a superb viewpoint. In the evening, before returning to the hotel, we will hopefully spot wild elephants that usually come to the salt licks.

After an early breakfast, your guide will pick you up and transfer you to Bangkok Airport for your flight to Krabi. On arrival, meet your hotel representative and transfer to your accommodation. Check in at your beach resort and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

About Amari Vogue Resort

Discover a unique perspective, memorable moments, and bespoke experiences at the beachfront boutique-style resort, Amari Vogue Krabi. Set along the northern coastline of Tubkaek Beach against a backdrop of pristine sandy beaches, azure blue oceans and lush tropical gardens, the intimate surroundings offer a truly tranquil haven. Drawing on inspiration from beach living and contemporary Thai architecture, this resort embraces understated elegance through rich textures contrasted by light tones and soft finishes. Combining relaxed accommodation with warm service, spaces to connect and the dedication to create a personalized stay, Amari Vogue Krabi promises to celebrate vogue living and brighten your days.

Today’s adventure involves sea kayaking to a nearby mangrove forest called Ao Thalane. About halfway along the coast between Than Bok Khoranee and Krabi town is a bay of mangroves that may be the most beautiful bay in Thailand. Here, bays and canyons are like secret passageways, perfect for our kayaks. Several species of kingfishers, little herons and crab eating macaques are almost guaranteed to be seen on our journey. Lunch will be served in the restaurant at Ao Thalane. In the afternoon, we will carry on with our Ao Thalane exploration to see more forests, animals, and scenery. If lucky, you may have a chance to see the monkeys or macaques coming very close to you while you are paddling. However, they can be a bit naughty as they are looking for food. Make sure to protect your belongings! After our paddle, we return to the pier, get changed and transfer back to the hotel.

Take in Krabi’s culture, rural life and beautiful scenery as well as a fantastic waterfall by bicycle today. We begin in Tup Prik village north of Ao-nang, pedaling along a quiet road with incredible scenery of mountains, large palm oil plantations and rubber plantations. Pedal up and downhill, eventually arriving at Phanom Benja National Park where “Huay Tho waterfall” invites you for a cold and refreshing swim. After snapping some photos and enjoying a snack, head back down the way you came (the way back is mostly downhill!). At the end of your ride, cool down with a cold towel, drinks and fruit before arriving back to your hotel.

After breakfast, it’s already time to depart this piece of paradise! Meet your driver and transfer to the Krabi Airport for your flight to Bangkok (routed through Chiang Mai). In Bangkok, connect with your onward flight home. We hope you enjoyed your trip in the Kingdom of Smiles!

* This trip is offered in partnership with Khiri Travel.

**Trip itineraries are subject to change without notice due to road, weather and other factors outside of our control, for the safety and enjoyment of our guests, as deemed necessary and appropriate by Austin Adventures and Khiri Travel.