Northern Highlights - Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai

Upon arrival at Chiang Rai Airport, our guide greets you and transports you to your hotel in town. After checking in, there’s time to relax and get settled. In the late afternoon, you’re driven to Wat Phra Sing. 
Wat is the Thai word for temple, and one you’ll come across a lot.  This one houses a replica of the Phra Sing Buddha, a highly revered image historically related to the famous Emerald Buddha which is now in Bangkok.  Then there’s an evening food tour where you stroll around and sample local market foods like sai ua, a spicy northern Thai sausage and an absolute must-try, stir-fried vegetables done in the inimitable tasty Thai way, smoky satay and barbecue kebabs, as well as khao soi which is a regional speciality and another must-try. Leave room for the fabulous desserts, from coconut and banana pancakes and delicate sweets to simply delicious ripe mango. We’ve also pinpointed the best place in Chiang Rai to browse and pick up souvenirs. 

From here you take a trishaw ride to the golden clock tower for a light show. This is a local landmark and, while it’s distinctive during the day, it takes on a whole new quality when it’s lit up in the evening. By now, night has fallen and you’ll be whisked back to your hotel.

Meals included: Food sampling by night

Meet our local guide at the hotel lobby after breakfast. Then it’s time for a trip to meet ethnic groups in their villages, which have barely changed for centuries. You can say hello to the Akha tribespeople who come from Tibet and are known for their colourful costumes, or the Yao, whose roots are in China. That Chinese influence is still very much alive in their traditions. 

This is followed by an exploration of the Golden Triangle, where the Ruak and Mekong rivers meet to form the border between Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, hence the name. From the Tibetan Plateau the mighty Mekong runs through China and all the way through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and eventually into the South China Sea. It's a memorably majestic sight! 

After lunch at a local restaurant, you visit the opium museum to learn the history of the opium trade; a trade that was once so valuable and prized, it was the cause of major wars between the superpowers of an earlier era. Then it’s back to your hotel in Chiang Rai where you stay overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast & lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, you begin the day cruising along the Maekok River in a traditional Thai boat, arriving at the town of the Karen ethnic group. You then visit the newly built Wat Rong Suea Ten or Blue Temple, whose intense blue colour makes it unique, as no other Buddhist temple in Thailand has been designed this way. 

It’s now time to hit the road for Chiang Mai, with a stop at Wat Rong Khun, known as the White Temple. In our opinion, this is one of the most amazing places in 
Thailand, which is quite a statement, but it truly is a breath-taking site, with simply stunning architecture and lots of unusual, quirky aspects. You’ll see images from modern days alongside the more traditional Buddhist icons you’d expect. It’s quite an experience to see those carved depictions of the likes of Michael Jackson and Neo from The Matrix! The temple was built this century and was hit by an earthquake in 2008, but almost miraculously survived intact. 

Breaking for lunch at a carefully chosen restaurant, there’s a stop at the much more traditional 600-year-old Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, near the summit of Doi Suthep. After a drive up the mountain’s winding road, the final climb to the site is via a magnificent Naga - dragon-headed serpent - staircase of 306 steps. Inside is an intriguing copper-plated chedi which is said to contain partial relics of Lord Buddha, topped by a five-tier gold umbrella. On a clear day, there are incomparable views over the city of Chiang Mai. Then you’re transferred to your hotel in the city.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

The first three days of this tour are eventful, to say the least. So, after breakfast at your hotel, you have a full day of leisure to discover the historic walled city of Chiang Mai on your own, or take one of the many optional excursions available through your guide.

We suggest enjoying the tranquil beauty and glorious flora of the Chiang Mai Botanical Garden. Trekking, biking and cooking classes are also popular choices.

Meals included: Breakfast

Your last day starts with breakfast at the hotel. At the arranged time, your private driver will transfer you to the airport for your flight to your next destination.

Meals included: Breakfast