The Temples of Thailand

Day 1

Flight to Bangkok

Flight to Bangkok:  You depart today on the overnight flight to Bangkok.

Day 2

Arrive in Bangkok. Water taxi ride and visit to the Golden Mount

Arrival in Bangkok: You are met by your guide and private coach and transfer to your central hotel for breakfast.

The Golden Mount: You then head onto the exciting waterways of Bangkok, travelling by public water taxi along the canal to visit the Wat Saket temple, commonly known as the Golden Mount. Sitting on top of a hill, the temple commands a fine view over the city. The Grand Palace and Wat Arun can be seen in one direction, while the skyscrapers and the modern Silom financial district can be seen in the other direction.

Afternoon: After exploring the temple you transfer to a city restaurant for lunch. In the afternoon you return to your hotel for time to relax or sleep off the jetlag.

Day 3

Riverboat trip to the temples of Wat Arun, Wat Po and China Town

Wat Arun and Wat Po Temples: This morning you visit the most famous of the temples on the Chao Phraya River. Travelling by river boat you first explore Wat Arun which was built in the days of Thailand’s ancient capital of Ayutthaya. The outstanding feature of Wat Arun is its central pagoda which is about 80 meters tall and symbolizes the legendary Mount Meru, the centre of the universe. Across the river, accessed by ferry, Wat Po was founded in the seventeenth century, making it the oldest temple in Bangkok. It is most famous for its huge reclining gold Buddha.

Wat Suthat Temple: In the afternoon you visit Wat Suthat, one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok. The temple is famed for its beautiful roofline, huge golden Buddha, magnificent frescoes and giant swing. The temple is famous for its wall paintings which depict the Jataka Tales – the 24 previous lives of the Buddha.

Shopping and China Town: There will be time in the afternoon for a trip to a Shopping Mall on the Sukhumvit Road and in the evening we travel to China Town for dinner, with its myriad of narrow alleyways and shops selling everything under the sun.

Day 4

The Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha Temple and Golden Buddha Temple

The Grand Palace: This morning you visit the Grand Palace which dates from 1782 and the reign of King Rama I, the founder of Chakri Dynasty. Probably the most visited landmark in Thailand, the Palace is the architectural symbol of the country. Also found here is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Kaew in Thai. This temple houses a Buddha image intricately carved from a large solid piece of green jade.

Golden Buddha Temple: Your final visit today is to the temple of Wat Traimit, more commonly known as the Golden Buddha Temple. Situated at one end of Chinatown, the Buddha is the world’s largest solid gold Buddha image, made of almost pure gold and weighing five and a half tons.

Evening: You can explore the lively markets on the Sukhumvit Road before dinner at a city restaurant.

Day 5

Full day at Ayutthaya. Transfer to Kanchanaburi in the afternoon.

Ayutthaya: Today you travel to the historic city of Ayutthaya, one of the archaeological splendours of Thailand. Founded in 1350, it was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom and flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries, during which time it grew to be a centre of commerce. The city was attacked by the Burmese in 1767 who burned the city to the ground and forced the inhabitants to abandon the city. It was never rebuilt and today is an extensive archaeological site. In the afternoon you transfer from Ayutthaya to the town of Kanchanaburi.

Day 6

The Bridge on the River Kwai and Kanchanaburi Temples

The Bridge on the Kwai: Today is spent in Kanchanaburi, a region with a magnificent landscape comprised mainly of a region of mountains and high plains which divides Thailand and Burma. Buddhism was thought to first arrive in Thailand around the 3rd century via an overland route from India. During WW2 the Japanese used Allied POW’s to build the notorious Death Railway which passed through the town of Kanchanaburi. The Bridge on the River Kwai, now reconstructed, can be visited, as well as several monuments including an Allied War Cemetery and a war museum.

Kanchanaburi Temples: Besides its WW2 history there are some incredible Buddhist temples around Kanchanaburi. Located next to the Bridge on the River Kwai just on the outskirts of town is the striking Kung Im Temple. The grounds are full of sculptures of animals, dragons, golden coins and dominated by a huge Chinese Goddess of Mercy statue. Located nearby is the Dragons Head Temple. A staircase of bright red steps leads you into the mouth of a giant dragon. From there you walk through the body of the Dragon which is decorated with murals until you reach the temple cave. Here you will find a Buddha image along with a monk who gives blessings to all who enter.

Day 7

Travel to Pattaya. Beach time and Night Market

Travel to Pattaya:  This morning you depart from Kanchanaburi and travel south to Pattaya , a large and cosmopolitan city with a pleasant beach and warm tropical seas. You stop on the route for lunch and arrive at your hotel in the early afternoon and after check in can make use of the hotel’s private golden sand beach with wonderfully warm water.

Night Market:  In the evening you can visit the Night Market in Pattaya for shopping and dinner.

Day 8

Pattaya Elephant Sanctuary and Evening Flight Home

Pattaya Elephant sanctuary:  This morning you visit the Pattaya Elephant Sanctuary, an ethical sanctuary where there are no elephant rides. There are opportunities to meet, touch, feed and wash these gentle giants. After lunch at the Elephant Sanctuary you may have further beach or shopping time before you return to Bangkok airport for your homeward flight.

Day 9

Arrive Back Home Today

Arrive Home: Your flight arrives back home today.