Spectacular Thailand Cost per person twin-share $3735.00 Single Supplement $ 932.00 High Season surcharge $ 190.00 Dec 09 - Jan 15 - Jun 01 - Aug 31 * Based on a minimum of 2 pax traveling SUN : DAY 01 / LOS ANGELES / BANGKOK Your exciting journey begins as you board your Malaysia Airlines 747 wide-bodied jet for the flight across the Pacific to the Orient. Delicious meals are served in-flight. MON : DAY 02 / BANGKOK ARRIVAL Bangkok, the capital of the fabled Kingdom of Siam (modern day Thailand). A culture more than 1300 years old, its temples and palaces are a fantasy in store, a land with natural beauty and a people whose ingenious friendliness is a legend. Upon your arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. TUE : DAY 03 / BANGKOK Float along the Klong's to Bangkok's colorful morning market where boat vendors sell vegetables and flowers to customers living in houses rising above the water. Heavily laden boats are filled with tropical fruit delights and other exotic offerings. Visit Grand Palace, gem of the entire city. Its sacred Emerald Buddha has played a major role historically, glimpse the throne room of the present day dynasty, a miniature reproduction of Angkor Wat and the fierce guardian gatekeepers. WED : DAY 04 / BANGKOK This morning you will see the Golden Buddha made of five and a half ton of solid gold, the colossal reclining Buddha, the exquisite White Marble Temple of the Kings. This evening you will be served a savory Thai Dinner accompanied with classical dances and music featuring exquisite costumes and the elegant movements unique to this style of dance. THU : DAY 05 / CHAO PHYA RIVER CRUISE Afternoon transfer from your hotel to your home for the evening, the deluxe barge Mekhala. As the sun set, you will cruise up the Chao Phya River. After we moor for the night at Wat Kai Tia, you will enjoy a candlelight dinner aboard. FRI : DAY 06 / KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK At sunrise, you may choose to participate in an alms-giving ceremony. After a delicious breakfast, depart for Bang Pa-in and tour the Summer Palace. Continue by long tailed boat to the ancient capital of Ayuthaya. After lunch, we will continue by road to Khao Yai National Park. SAT : DAY 07 / KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK Spend the wholeday at the park, considered one of the top ten wildlife parks in the world. Its 540,000 acre spread has an average elevation of 2,600 feet above the sea level with the highest peak over 4000 feet. The Park supports a variety of protected wildlife including tiers, elephants, deer, monkeys, bears and countless species of birds and butterflies. Return to Bangkok this evening. SUN : DAY 08 / BANGKOK / CHIANG MAI Morning at leisure, in the afternoon travel north to Chiang Mai, considered to be the Shangri-La of Northern Thailand and a wonderful contrast to Bangkok. It is the center for handicraft production and hill tribe artifacts. This evening enjoy a traditional Kantoke dinner with authentic dance presentation featuring dancers from all major tribes in the region. MON : DAY 09 / CHIANG MAI Today we tour this delightful ancient city with a distinctive charm, famous for its beautiful women, historic temples dating back from the 1300's and its distinctive festivals and handicrafts. Visit the most interesting temples including Wat Doi Suthep-possibly Thailand's most beautiful temple, overlooking the city. Our tour concludes with a visit to s Handicraft factory to see the manufacturing of lacquerware, weaving of Thai Silk, paper umbrella making, wood carving, silverware and more delightful arts. TUE : DAY 10 / ELEPHANT SAFARI A delightfully different experience awaits today as we visit an elephant camp north of Chiang Mai. Watch the elephants take their daily bath in the nearby stream, then see a demonstration of the unique skills required for clearing the forests and hauling tree trunks to the rivers. Then, climbing aboard our elephant taxis, we ride through the spectacular natural beauty of the northern Thai countryside to lush Mae Sa Valley where we enjoy lunch amid this picturesque and tranquil setting. Proceed via road to Chiang Rai, stopping enroute to visit a New Meo Mae Sa Valley hilltribe village untouched by the modern world. On arrival in Chiang Rai, near where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos meet, we check in at our hotel. WED : DAY 11 / GOLDEN TRIANGLE The entire day is dedicated to visiting the Golden Triangle, its sights and scenes presenting images of a traditional way of life unknown in the western world. Travel to Chiang Saen, a charming old town along the Mekong River. Enroute visit villages of two tribes, the colorful Yao and the Akha whose women wear complicated head dresses and mini-skirts. Board a long-tailed boat down river to the Golden Triangle, a spot where three countries-Laos, Burma and Thailand meet. At Mai Sai the Burma border connects the two countries together. Haggling for wood carvings is a spirited art and we can exercise our skills ! Once infamous for opium and gold smuggling, now Burmese rubies and jade lure buyers. THU : DAY 12 / CHIANG RAI / PHUKET Depart by air for Phuket. Upon arrival, you will be met and transported to your hotel to begin your relaxing beach stop. FRI : DAY 13 / PHUKET Today you will travel by express boat to Phi Phi Island to visit the Viking Cave which contains prehistoric paintings. The island is also a collection point for sea swallow nests which are highly valued and collected by local islanders to make bird's nest soup. SAT : DAY 14 / PHUKET Wholeday free for own activities. SUN : DAY 15 / PHUKET / BANGKOK DEPARTURE Transfer to the air for your departure flight back to the States.