The Streets of Bangkok
Bangkok is the city that never sleeps, the streets beat to the pulse of motorbike taxis beeping their horns, tuk-tuks blaring music, people hurrying to work, vendors pulling food carts and tourists taking photos, it’s sheer chaos but so much fun.
Book yourself into a luxury hotel and spend a few days in this lively metropolis exploring its many sights and attractions.
Start the day in awe by the sheer size of the city’s largest reclining Buddha and the impressive collection of Buddha images in Wat Pho. Shop at the exclusive Emporium shopping mall or CentralWorld that boasts hundreds of shops, international restaurants and cinemas galore, you can spend all day shopping.
If you like the excitement of street markets, Chatuchak is one of the largest in the world selling everything imaginable. Grab a delicious Pad Thai for lunch and find out why Bangkok is famous for its street food culture.
End the evening cruising down the Mae Nam Chao Phraya river as the sun slips below the horizon. Enjoy cocktails and canapés or a romantic dinner whilst admiring the stunning views of the Bangkok waterfront and skyline atop any roof-top bar dotted along the river.
The Stunning Views of the Similan Islands
Located in the Mu Koh Similan National Park, the Similan islands are ‘one of the top 10 dive destinations to visit in the world’.
Sail by luxury yacht through the crystal-clear waters, exploring the tropical islands as they glitter like gemstones in the archipelago. Stop off to sunbathe on the finest white sand beaches, or sit atop a gigantic granite boulder that clutters the sands, look out for monitor lizards! Swim and snorkel amongst a crowd of colourful reef fish in the gorgeous shallow bays.
Take a walk along the winding nature trails and look out for sea eagles and kingfishers at the viewpoints, you might even get lucky and see the rare Nicobar pigeon.
The Similans are a great destination for divers, beginners or advanced. Beautiful reef fish thrive on the lively, multicoloured coral colonies and it’s common to see sea turtles, moray eels, seahorses, and clownfish. For more advanced divers the captain can take you to the best spot to encounter giant manta rays and whale sharks.
Hungry after all that swimming and hiking, tuck into a delicious buffet freshly made by the crew and enjoyed in the shade of the deck while the captain sets sail for home.
The Wildlife of Khao Yai National Park
Khao Yai, or Big Mountain, is one of the most impressive national parks in Thailand, with over 2,000 square kilometres of jungle, grassland, mountains, waterfalls and rivers.
Follow a nature trail, hiking or by bicycle, as it winds through the nature reserve and settle yourself at one of the viewpoints or salt licks. Get ready to see some fantastic wildlife.
Over 200 elephants roam the park’s boundaries, as well as tigers, leopards, bears, gaur, gibbons and pythons, Indian Muntjac and Asian Wild Dogs. Bring your binoculars and see if you can spot the great hornbill, red junglefowl or coral-billed ground cuckoo amongst 300 bird species.
Camp at Lam Ta Khong and fall asleep to the sounds of the forest’s wildlife. Wake up to the chatter of the macaque’s and be delighted by the playful otters swimming around in the river, and the grazing deer keeping the grass neat and tidy.
The Ancient City of Chiang Mai
The former capital of the Lanna people, Chiang Mai is a booming, cosmopolitan city rich in history and culture with its own unique dialect, architecture, cuisine, and traditional dress.
Stay in a luxury hotel in the Old City, surrounded by a 600-year-old moat and crumbling city walls the streets have an artisan vibe and are filled with temples, coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques, and galleries.
Visit Wat Phra Singh, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Thailand and an important pilgrimage destination. Take a Thai cooking class, and snap photos at Warorot Market and get a feel for the local way of life as well as picking up some tasty snacks. After all that walking treat yourself to a foot massage before heading to the atmospheric night bazaar.
Rent a motorbike if you dare and find cooler temperatures at the top of Doi Suthep mountain. The views provide an incredible outlook over the entire valley of Chiang Mai and you can visit Doi Suthep Temple and Bhuping Palace with its photogenic botanical gardens.
Book a trek into the hillside regions of Chiang Mai, follow ancient trade routes through forest-covered hills and misty mountains, visiting hill tribe villages with traditional stilt wooden homes. You can even stay in a homestay and learn more about the lives of the hill-tribe people. Treks can last from 1 day to 5 days depending on where you go.
