THAILAND: Home of the Emerald Buddha
Visit Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, (7 days)
(Arrival in Bangkok and departure from Chiang Mai)
Bangkok
Visit Bangkok’s finest temples and take a tour around the city’s fascinating canals. Start out at Wat Traimit - home to the world’s largest solid golden Buddha - before hopping across the old city streets to see an even larger Buddha statue at Wat Pho. The one here may not be solid gold, but it impresses even more thanks to its sheer size and the fact that it is ‘leaning’ on its side - a reference to the Buddha’s “Lion Sleep” position. Hop across the road to the next stop, the magnificent Grand Palace, another sprawling temple complex boasting some of the finest Thai-Buddhist architecture in the entire country. Explore the vast grounds and numerous dazzling buildings, including the highly-revered Wat Phra Kaew, home to the prized Emerald Buddha statue dating back to the 14th Century. (PUT PHOTO
Meander through the quaint canals and take in the quieter side of life from the seat of a traditional ‘long tail’ boat. Explore the spectacular and iconic Wat Arun temple towering 79 metres over the Chao Phraya River.
Experience Bangkok’s bustling and thriving Chinatown District - a flurry of sights, smells and sounds. Your tour starts with a short drive to the gateway of Chinatown, marked by an enormous Chinese gate.
Visit the glimmering Golden Buddha, the world’s largest solid golden statue, housed at Wat Traimit.
Discover local Chinese businesses, shops and temples as you trek along Yaowarat Road, through Bangkok’s centuries-old Chinatown neighbourhood. Enjoy the colourful buildings and rich history found at Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, the most important Chinese Buddhist temple in Bangkok.
Ayutthaya
Discover the historical highlights of Ayutthaya. Visit Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, a temple that forbids monks to enter (due to its ‘royal’ status), and then on to Wat Mahathat, a highly-sacred temple famous for its Lord Buddha relics and traditional style once used as a model for other temples in the ancient kingdom. What seems to be the most prominent landmark of the temple is the head of a sandstone Buddha image entwined in the roots of a Bodhi tree.
Chiang Mai
Surrounded by the lush tropical jungles of Chiang Mai's Mae Sa Valley, this landscape offers elephants their natural surroundings, and for much of the day the animals are free to roam around the camp. The mahout’s, or trainers, philosophy is to create a natural and healthy environment for the elephants while working to conserve and breed them. During your visit, get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Thailand’s national animal with feeding and bathing sessions, as well as spectacular daily performances. During the journey home, stop to visit an orchid farm, housing a large selection of exotic and colourful blooms.
Tackle the long and winding road up to Doi Suthep temple - an absolute must-do for first-timers to Chiang Mai. The mountainside temple is easily the most famous and most revered in the whole province. Every year, Buddhist pilgrims make the journey up by foot - with most making it to the top in around six to eight hours!
At the summit, explore the architecture, statues, murals and shrines all of which are nothing short of breathtaking. After your wander, swap the car for an open-air truck, heading a little further up the mountain to the Blue Hmong village of Doi Pui. This is a real eye-opener into the hill tribe’s traditional culture - here witness how locals continue to honour their lifestyles and traditions while the once-isolated village welcomes more visitors every year.
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