Taste of Thailand
Thai food is beloved all over the globe, but how well do you really know this culinary giant?
Sure, we’ve all heard of green curry and pad thai, but that’s just the beginning. Peruse markets by night and by day, dine at world-class restaurants, learn to cook up a storm in a local home, and mix cocktails at a rum distillery: this itinerary will introduce a side of Thai food you’ve never imagined.
Pricing
Key facts
Transport in detail
You’ll have two transfers by private vehicle with an English-speaking guide: one of seven hours (broken up by sightseeing stops); the other three and a half hours. There’s also an an internal flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket.
What's great
Expect to try everything and anything! Coffee, tea, rum, noodles, street bites, Michelin-starred dinners — you name it, we’ve included it
With just four destinations over two weeks, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know each place
There’s a great balance of city, town, country and beach
Food is the main attraction, but we’ve included cultural and historical tours to give you a well-rounded introduction to Thailand
Things to consider
This is an action-packed trip with lots of included experiences, so if you’d like to slow the pace, we’ll trim it down to suit you
Unfortunately, some of the food-themed experiences can’t cater for dietary requirements or allergies
This is a popular route through Thailand, so don’t expect to get off the beaten path
There is one long transfer by road — seven hours — but it does include stops for sightseeing
The experience
We designed this trip to celebrate the joy of Thai food, but it’s just one example of what we can do. Let us know your passion, and we’ll craft an itinerary just for you.
Day 1-4
Bangkok
Bangkok has some of the finest food experiences in the world, so there’s no time to lose! Travel by Skytrain, bus boat, longtail, tuk-tuk and metro to experience the city at all hours of the day — sipping kafae boran coffee in the morning, slurping pad thai at lunch, and sampling all manner of dumplings, noodles, pancakes, soups, curries, snacks, desserts and drinks long into the night. Though there’s a focus on food (of course), you’ll also get a feel for the city’s disparate neighbourhoods at sites as diverse as a former silk merchant’s house, a glittering mosaic-covered temple, and a teeming morning market. To cap it all off, dine at Nahm: one of the 50 best restaurants in the world.
Highlights
Explore the highlights of the capital via its brilliant public transport network
Get to know the different flavours of the street food scene with tours by day and by night
See another side of the city with a boat tour of its labyrinthine canal district
Experience the very best of Thai cuisine with dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant
Day 5-6
Sukhothai
It’s a long day of travelling through rural Thailand — by way of the markets and wats of Uthai Thani — to reach Sukhothai, but the journey’s worth it! Here, you’ll stretch your legs on a cycling tour of some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful ruins, dating back to the 13th century and including magnificent giant Buddhas, red-brick spires, and temples reflected in ornamental lakes. Later, you’ll meet Miss Na at her lovely home surrounded by gardens, and learn to whip up some classic Sukhothai recipes passed down through the generations. This is the cradle of Thai culture and civilisation, and you’ll soon find that its legacy extends to much more than bricks and mortar.
Highlights
Take a guided tour of UNESCO-listed Sukhothai Historical Park and see ruins of the first Thai kingdom
Learn to cook some Sukhothai classics in a beautiful local home
Go for a late afternoon cycling tour and watch the sun go down over Sukhothai
The finer detail
What's included
- Breakfast every day
- Eight lunches: one Bangkok daytime street food tour; one on the way to Sukhothai; two you’ll make yourself during cookery classes; one on the way to Chiang Mai; one in the flower gardens in Chiang Mai; one at the Araksa Tea Garden; one during a Phuket street food tour
- Six dinners: one Bangkok street food tour; a Thai meal at Michelin-starred Nahm restaurant; one during the Bangkok nightlife tour; one during your Sukhothai sunset bicycle tour; one street-food tour in Chiang Mai; one dinner cruise in Phuket
- Two full-day experiences: city tour of Bangkok; countryside tour of Chiang Mai by Vespa
- 11 half-day experiences: street food tour of Bangkok with a local foodie; Bangkok’s hidden temples and khlongs; daytime street food tour in Bangkok; Sukhothai Historical Park; cookery class with Miss Na in her home; spirituality tour of Chiang Mai; cookery class of northern Thai dishes in Chiang Mai; visit to Araksa Tea Garden; street food tour of Phuket; Chalong Bay Distillery tour and tasting; Phuket afternoon cruise with dinner
- Four evening experiences: dinner at Michelin-starred Nahm; Bangkok nightlife tour; sunset bike tour of Sukhothai; street food tour of Chiang Mai
- All entrance fees to sites included in guided experiences
- All internal transport & accommodation
Logistics and journey times
Day 1:
Car transfer from Bangkok airport to city (45 minutes)
Day 5:
Car transfer from Bangkok to Sukhothai (7 hours + sightseeing)
Day 7:
Car transfer from Sukothai to Chiang Mai (4.5 hours)
Day 11:
Car transfer from town to Chiang Mai airport (10 minutes)
Flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket (1 hour 10 minutes)
Car transfer from airport to hotel (up to 1 hour)
Day 14:
Car transfer from hotel to Phuket airport (up to 1 hour)
What's not included
- International flights
- Meals not mentioned
- Entrance fees to any sites not included in guided experiences
- Tips for guides & porters