Northern Thailand Explorer

Phitsanulok tours start from your arrival at Phitsanulok Airport, meet and greet with our local guide.

Visit Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, temple houses one of Thailand’s most beautiful and significant Buddha images; Phra Phudth Chinnaraj. The museum in the temple compound housed a collection of Sukhothai art.

Transfer from Pitsanulok to Sukhothai (around 1 hour).

Continue to Sukhothai Historical Park  (1 hour drive). Visit ruins of the royal palaces, Buddhist temples, the city gates, walls, moats, dams, ditches, ponds and canals. Start the historical tour with, King Ramkhamhaeng Monument; the bronze statue of King Ramkhamhaeng sits on a throne named Phra-Thaen-Manangkhasila-Asana with a record of his life on the base.

Mahathat Temple - the largest temple in Sukhothai consists of a customary main chedi in lotus-bud shape and a ruined viharn.

Si-Sa Wai Temple- was once a Hindu shrine, but later converted into a Buddhist monastery, with three prangs surrounded by a laterite walls.

Traphang-Ngoen Temple - is famous for the square pedestal, main sanctuary, and a four inch standing Buddha image. There is a viharn in the front, and in the east is a pond with an Ubosot.

Sa-Sri Temple - Well-known for the Singgalese-style chedi built on an island in the middle of Traphang Trakuan Pond. The Wat has a large viharn containing a stucco Buddha image and at the south stands nine chedis of different sizes.

Sorasak Temple - An inscription in the temple about ‘Augya’ that is the rank of a nobleman in Ayutthaya period proved that Sukhothai was once controlled by Ayutthaya.

Sri Chum Temple -  has a square mondop which is the main sanctuary containing a monumental Buddha image which measures 11.3 meters wide from knee to knee.

Phra-Phai-Luang Temple; is formerly as a Khmer-Hindu shrine but later converted into a Buddhist monastery and is surrounded by a moat.

Transfer to hotel in Sukhothai City for overnight.
Overnight  at hotel in Sukhothai

Upon arrival at Srisatchanalai Historical Park, an ancient town with total of 134 monuments has been discovered within the park. Start this historical tour with, Phra Si Rattana Mahathat Temple, one of the most impressive sites in the area. Explore the decorative stucco bearing the Bayon art style of ancient Khmer at the main entrance of the temple.

Chang Lom Temple - the most important historic building at this temple is the main chedi in Sri Lankan Style. The base of the temple consists of 39 elephant’s sculptures surrounding it.

Chedi Jet Thaew Temple; contains a large compound with 7 rows of chedis reflecting various art styles, including Sri Lankan, Pagan and Srivijaya.

Nang Phaya Temple; the exterior of the viharn is made of literate blocks, which was decorated with highly elaborate stucco, in the style of the early Ayutthaya period.

Then proceed to Lampang, a unique town that still uses a colorful horse carriage as a mean of today’s transport

Lunch is arranged at local restaurant in Lampang Town.

Explore with a unique colorful Horse Carriage around the town.

Visit Baan Sao Nuk; a 150 years old teak house in northern Thai style and Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao, where the famous Emerald Buddha was enshrined for 32 years (from A.D. 1436 to 1468). 

Then visit Phrathat Lampang Luang Temple; the northern finest temple and best presentation of Lanna style architecture. 
Continue to Chiang Mai in the late afternoon.
Overnight at hotel in Chiang Mai

Travel to north of Chiang Mai route to Mae Taman Elephant Camp; explore the spectacular mountainous scenery along the way. Enjoy Demonstrations of how trained elephants are used as working animals in teak forests. The show includes elephant bathing in the river, working in the jungle, elephant painting, dragging and pushing logs, and responding to commands. 

Experience a special adventure with Elephant Ride for one hour through the beautiful mountain scenery and over hilly trails. Then take a local farmer transportation Ox-cart Ride, through rice fields and tropical fruit plantations to return back to the elephant camp.

Take a leisurely cruise along the rural Mae Taeng River by Bamboo River Rafting for 45 minutes. Softly moving along the river while relaxing as the rafts men pole you down through farm houses and stunning green scenery.

Lunch served at the restaurant in the camp.

Visit the Orchid Nursery to see a large collection of more than 50 different types of colorful exotic year-round-bloom orchids.

Enjoy an evening of Welcome Khantoke Dinner, which is the traditional northern Thai (Lanna) form of dining. The food is served on a wooden pedestal tray, called Khantoke. The diners sit on the floor around the Khantoke, supported by triangular cushions.
The dishes are all northern Thai delicacies. While guest enjoy the meal there are usually performances of traditional northern Thai Lanna dances and music such as Fingernail dance, Sword dance, Candle dance, Ramwong dance and Firework displays.
Additionally, there are also hill tribe shows, which are performed by Akha, Lahu, Lisu, Yao, Meo and Karen hill tribes and music.

Then transfer back to hotel.

Overnight at hotel in Chiang Mai

Breakfast at the hotel.
Travel to south of Chiang Mai route to visit Inthanon Mountain, (1½ hours drive) the Thailand’s highest mountain (2,565 meters above sea level), which offers beautiful scenery, evergreen mountain forests, dwarf rhododendron groves, rare bird life, and impressive waterfalls.

Visit to the Summit and short trek along Angka Nature Trail; explore and feel the beauty and the unforgettable nature around.

Continue to the great Twin Royal Pagodas, which were built for His Majesty the King and Her Royal Highness the Queen of Thailand. This place provides a marvelous view of its surrounding.

Lunch served at the local restaurant.

Depart to Doi Inthanon Royal Project, one of the many royal-sponsored projects to familiarize hill tribe people with new agricultural techniques. View the flower nurseries and cultivation areas.

Then visit Karen Hill Tribe Village to experience their primitive lifestyle. Stop at Vachirathan Waterfall, one of the highest waterfalls in Northern Thailand to take pictures.
Then transfer back to hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Chiang Mai

Visit Chiang Mai most sacred temples, drive around the Old City to see city’s moats and ruined city’s walls.

Drive around the Old City to see city’s moat and ruined walls. Start the temples tour with Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple which probably dates from 1296. The temple was the residence of King Mengrai, who founded Chiang Mai, and is noteworthy for a chedi supported by rows of elephantine buttresses.

Visit Wat Phra Singh, which was built in the year 1345. This temple contains marvelous examples of Lanna art including a Lanna style viharn and the finest scripture repository of its type in the north.

Drive to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, which was built in 1383. It is located 15 kms from the city and 3,500 feet above sea level. See the marvelous golden pagoda, which contains the holy relics of Lord Buddha.

Enjoy the panoramic view of Chiang Mai City and Ping valley from the summit of Doi Suthep. Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep can be approached on foot by climbing 306 steep stairs, flanked by tremendous mythical Nagas, which symbolizes humanity’s progress from earth to nirvana.

Lunch served at local restaurant.

Drive to Pai, a tiny town halfway between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son with some steep and winding roads through the mountains with various stops on the way, such as Mok Fha Waterfall, Pong Dued hot spring where the steam from the spring permeates the site in the morning creating fascinating sights. The area is also rich in teak woods.

Then continue drive on to Pai and made a stop at World War II Memorial Bridge, this bridge was built in 1942, at that time the Japanese troops chose Pai to be their military base.
Arrive to Pai in late afternoon.

In evening, you may walk around Pai night market.
Overnight at hotel in Pai

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive on to visit Lod Cave where a huge cave system is once a dwelling place of pre-historic man.

Experience with take the Bamboo Raft reach into the cave; explore the 1 kilometer-long cave along which can be found beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Also discovered are 2,000 year old remains of utensils and coffins.

Then continue to visit Fish Cave, A special feature is the hollow cave filled with numerous freshwater fish, which is of the same family as the carp. The fish are quite safe from being caught as they are believed to belong to the gods.

Lunch served at local restaurant.

Start Mae Hon Son city tour to visit Wat Doi Klong Moo, located on a hill to the west of town, is a major provincial landmark. There are two Burmese-style Chedis. The larger one was built in 1860 while the smaller one was erected in 1874. A panoramic view of Mae Hong Son can be enjoyed from the site.

Continue to Wat Jong Klang and Wat Jong Kum, magnificent Burmese style temples; there are several interesting items such as wooden figurines of human and animals depicted which means one of odd stories of former incarnations of the Buddha created by Burmese craftsmen.
Overnight at hotel in Mae Hong Son

An exotic experience by take the boat trip along Pai River to visit the world famous Long Neck Karen Village where the women wear several brass rings around their long, slender necks. The Padaung women famously wear brass rings around their necks.
This distorts the growth of their collarbones and makes them look as if they have long necks - which they don’t. This row of brass rings does not actually stretch their necks but in fact squash the vertebrae and collar bones.
A woman generally has about twenty or more rings around her neck. This neck ring adornment is started when the girls are 5 or 6 years old.

Lunch served at local restaurant.

Then transfer to:
Option 1 : Mae Hong Son Airport for Chiang Mai. [25 mins flight]
Option 2 : Return back to Chiang Mai by road with your guide & driver. [349 kms/5 hours drive - non stop]

Arrive Chiang Mai, transfer to your Chiang Mai hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Chiang Mai

Visit The Handicraft Center at Sankampaeng District. The highlight is to see the local people making handicrafts including Lacquer ware, Silverware, Hand-woven Textiles by silk and hand-painted cotton, fine Teak Wood Carving, and Umbrellas or paper parasols which are hand-painted in a variety designs.
Travel to Chiang Rai by road (200 Km/3 hours drive) along picturesque scenic routes passing several beautiful northern mountains.
Visit the Hot Spring at Mae Ka Chan district.
Visit Rong Khun Temple (White’s Temple), designed by the famous national artist. The main temple building is a distinctive white color, decorated with fragments of reflective glass which can be seen from afar.
Visit Emerald Buddha Temple (Phra Kaew Temple); where the Emerald Buddha image was once enshrined. Now it is replaced with a jade Buddha image which was made to commemorate the 90th birthday of the late Princess Mother.
Also visit to Wat Phra Singha where the famous Buddha image housed here is believed to be built in 157 A.D. in Sri Lanka or Ceylon and was brought to Thailand in the Sukhothai period (1238-1438).
Overnight at hotel in Chiang Rai

Visit Akha Hill Tribe; the most beautiful women’s head wares, decorated with assorted coins, shells, beats feathers and animals. They are originated from China. Explore the villages that are very simple, unique costumes, their own tradition and dialect.

Then visit the archeological remains at Chiang Sean, which probably dates from the 12th century and was once original capital of the Lanna kingdom.

Visit the world famous Golden Triangle where the borders of three countries; Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar are met. See the Golden Buddha Statue and the panoramic view of Mekong River.

Then visit Opium Museum, a small museum with historical displays pertaining to opium culture include all the various implements used in the planting, harvest and all information about how dangerous of opium.

The trip continues to Mae Sai, the Thailand-Myanmar border which is also the northernmost point of Thailand. Enjoy shopping local products from China and Myanmar.
Overnight at hotel in Chiang Rai

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive up to the highest mountain peak on the Thai/Burma border; Doi Tung, 2,000 meters above sea level.
In the past, shifting slash-and-burn cultivation destroyed the forest around Doi Tung area. Until 1987 when the Doi Tung Development. Project was established in accordance to the King’s Mother initiative;

Visit to Mae Fah Luang Garden, It’s built in 1992 on an area of 12 Rai. This garden grows winter flowers and decorative plants with beautiful flowers taking turn to bloom season by season. Continue to The Royal Villa of the late Princess Mother (the King’s mother), the most beautiful combination styles of the northern Thai and Swiss winter villa.

Transfer to Chiang Rai Airport. You may also extend your stay in Chiang Mai and enjoy one of the many other exciting tours available.