Discover Chiang Mai
Culture, Cuisine & Ancient Temples

An immersive journey through Northern Thailand’s cultural heart ... Explore local highlights, including a guided visit up Doi Suthep Temple and a traditional Thai culinary experience, a scenic Mae Ping River cruise with market and tuk-tuk tour of the old town, and opportunities to engage in cultural activities such as making merit with monks and visiting temples like Suan Dok. There are also free days to relax or explore on your own, an excursion to historic Wiang Kum Kam and a cycle tour through local villages, and a day at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary.

Itinerary:

Day 1: 

Arrival at Chiang Mai Airport. Meet and Greet and Private transfer to the hotel. Check and rest of the day at leisure.

Approximate pick up & drop off times: Depending on the flight.
Approximate total distances: Chiang Mai Airport to Chiang Mai city Hotel 5 km/20 mins
Meals included: None
Accommodation: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 2: 

Breakfast at your hotel and day is at your leisure. Pick up at 16.00hrs. Visit the one of the best Chiang Mai Excursion: 600-year-olonera That Doi Suthep. This is the landmark of the city located 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 which has many beautiful and historic Buddhist temples and about 306 steps. 

Inside is an intriguing copper-plated chedi topped by a five-tier gold umbrella which contains partial relics of Lord Buddha. On a clear day, there are astonishing panoramic views out over the city of Chiang Mai. This tour offers the 306-staircase to the temple, the unrivalled view at the top is well worth the exercise. See the Doi Suthep sunrise light up the sky and pay respect to the Golden Pagoda at Doi Suthep Temple. You will have the experience to give the offering (Sanghadana) to the monks and then receive a blessing from them.

Then continue your night with the Thai culinary experience, As the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom; the second-oldest Thai Kingdom after the Sukhothai Kingdom, Chiang Mai became a vital cultural and commercial crossroads city between Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and China. The first Thai culinary recipes, as identified by many ingredients that are still in use today such as lemongrass and galangal, have their roots in culinary use in the north and were perfected in the Chiang Mai royal courts. This evening tour provides an insight into the culinary heritage of the “Rose of the North”. You will embark on a guided tour, where you will sample the delights of Chiang Mai cuisine, including various mouth watering local snacks, and the delicious Khao Soi – a delicious coconut curry noodle dish that is unique to Chiang Mai. After the tour, you may wish to go to the night market, where your guide will assist you should you want some help with bartering or searching for particular items. 

Approximate pick up & drop off times: 16:00 – 22:00 hrs.
Approximate total distances: From Chiang Mai city hotel to Wat Pra That Doi Suthep: 15.4 km / 30 mins
Meals included:    Breakfast and local snacks during the tour
Accommodation: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 3:  
 
Breakfast at the hotel, this relaxing tour takes you to Wat Chai Mongkol Pier to start a cruise of the Mae Ping River by local long-tail boat for 30 minutes. Softly navigating the river, the river soon shows its true rural identity as the city view will be replaced by scenes of wide water and green trees. You will see traditional wooden houses interspersed with modern residences, colourful scenery and witness the local lifestyle along the river banks. The boat chugs on to reach its destination point the “Thai Farmer’s House”, a traditional local-style teak wooden house, vegetable and fruit garden. Agriculture remains Thailand’s largest source of income and here the visitor can discover the basic elements-rice, local herbs, fruits, fishing-all thriving in a chemical-free environment. Sit down and relax over a fresh fruit or herb juice, together with a plate of newly prepared mixed fruit, which is included in the price of your excursion. Cups of freshly brewed local coffee and other beverages are also available. Next stop is a fresh food market to see the abundance of crops grown in this fertile area. From the market, take a local Tuk Tuk (1:2 Pax), along Tapae Road, through the city wall gates into Chiang Mai historical old town, passing ancient Buddhist temples, along Rajdamnern Road to see the Three Kings Monument before having lunch. 

Free day in the afternoon, discover Chiang Mai in your own way!

Approximate pick up & drop off times: 08:30 – 13:00 hrs. 
Approximate total distances: Chiang Mai city hotel to Wat Chai Mongkol Pier 5 km/10 mins
Meals included: Breakfast 
Accommodation: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 4:   

This early morning, you will be able to make “merit”. Each morning before dawn, monks wearing saffron robes walk quietly along the streets carrying alms bowls to receive boiled rice and other food donations from bystanders. In return, the people receive holy blessings. You can participate in this very special Thai custom by personally giving alms. Afterwards, back to the hotel for breakfast and free day at leisure. 

Remark: 
• The monk offering set will be prepared by the hotel.
• This activity is available during 06:30–06:50 hrs (depends on the hotel; please check with the hotel on spot).
• RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort: the Almsgiving is available every morning at the hotel.
• This activity doesn’t have a guide escort.

Pick up at 15.00hrs. The Afternoon tour will start with Suan Dok Temple (Flower Garden Temple), built by the sixth Lanna king in the 14th century. There are dozens and dozens of small white chedi, about three to six meters high. These house the ashes of many of the Chiang Mai Royal Family but the largest one, just to the south, is a Buddhist relic chedi. Suan Dok temple originally lay in a fortified square beyond Chiang Mai walls. After exploring the temple with your guide, you will visit the ‘monk-chat’ area. This is an initiative by the temple in order to have monks talk with foreigners, to give them more of an insight into their religion; it is an open forum, and a fascinating way to find more about Thai Buddhist religion, culture and traditions Monk Chats are informal discussions where you sit at a round table and talk with prep school age Monks who are usually accompanied by their teacher.  Monk Chats are a great way not only to be part of a fun exchange culture but is also important in helping the young Monks to get better at speaking English.

• Remark: Monk chat available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 

Approximate pick up & drop off times: 15:00 – 19:00 hrs. 
Approximate total distances: Chiang Mai city hotel to Suan Dok Temple 6 km/15 mins
Meals included:  Breakfast
Accommodation: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 5: Chiang Mai 

Breakfast at the hotel, Full day / evening at leisure 

Meals included: Breakfast,  
Accommodation: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 6: Chiang Mai 
 
Breakfast at the hotel, the route takes us on quiet and green land roads, passing the historic settlement Wiang Kum Kam, founded in 1286 by King Mengrai. It was the capital of the Lanna empire for a period of only 10 years. We will see temples and ruins dating back hundreds of years. We make a stop at a local temple enroute. The guide can tell you everything about this temple and about Buddhism in general. We continue our Chiang Mai bicycle tour and stop at an elementary school mostly attended by hilltribe children. The ancient Lanna Empire produced some of the finest ceramics ever to have been made. These days the northern region still is the major centre of Thailand’s pottery industry. At a small pottery we watch the craftsmen make different shapes of pottery by hand. Riding along the Ping River we breathe in the local atmosphere that makes Chiang Mai so special. We stop at a local bakery where we have a delicious, sweet bun while watching them produce many other different products. At the market we see the same products back in small traditional shops; and here you have the opportunity to sample some of the most delicious and exotic fruits and other snacks. During the Colours of Chiang Mai bicycle tour, we stop every hour for a short rest and provide you with drinking water or a soft drink. 

Approximate pick up & drop off times: 08:30 – 13:00 hrs. 
Approximate total distances: Chiang Mai city hotel to Wiang Kum Kam Information Center 11.7 km/20 mins
Meals included:  Breakfast and Delicious Thai meal or snack
Accommodation:     RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 7: Chiang Mai 
 
Breakfast at the hotel, Free day in the morning. Then, get picked up at your accommodation and enjoy beautiful landscapes of Thailand during your ride to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. At arrival, you will be friendly welcomed by the Sanctuary team who will then introduce you in the basic activities of their organization. Information includes elephant welfare programs; the natural habitat and behaviour of elephants and they will give you a general overview of the day. Elephants are always searching for food and to satisfy their hunger you will feed them with different kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables which are placed in baskets near to the meeting point. After the small snack you will go on a short sunny walk to the mud bath in order to take a mutually mud bath with your new grey friends. 

Continuing with a bath in the pond where you have to scrub and clean the elephants while the grey pachyderms take a break enjoying the relaxing massage. Now, it is time to get back to the camp, take a shower and savour delicious Thai food, freshly cooked by the team. As the trip comes to an end the guides will show you how to transform elephant poop into sustainable paper out of you can create the perfect souvenir of the trip. The time has come, say goodbye to your new friends and head home to your hotel.

At Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, the money raised from visits, volunteers, merchandise and donations is primarily used for elephant rescue, food, veterinary care, infrastructure and land so we can constantly be growing and expanding the capacity of our Sanctuary and receiving more elephants. Some of the money is also designated to compensate the local owners of the elephants so they let us take care of them, instead of making them work. Some of the income gets saved so in the future we can buy our own elephants, and they can live forever, free and happy at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary.

Pick up time approximately: 11:30 – 18:30 hrs.  
Approximate duration of the visit: 5 hours
Approximate distances: Chiang Mai city hotel to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary 60km/1.20hrs
Meal included: Breakfast and early 17:30 dinner at the Elephant camp
Accommodation: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 8:   Chiang Mai 
 
Breakfast at the hotel, Free day at leisure and explore and enjoy Chiang Mai!

Pick up time approximately: N/A
Approximate duration of the visit: N/A
Approximate distances: Chiang Mai city hotel 8 km / 30 mins
Meals included: Breakfast 
Accommodation: RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – Deluxe Room

Day 9:   Chiang Mai Departure
 
Breakfast at your hotel and free time at leisure until check-out time.  Transfer to Chiang Mai Airport for your flight back to the UK

Pick up time approximately: Depending on the flight.
Approximate total distances: Chiang Mai city hotel to Chiang Mai Airport 5 km/20 mins  
Meals included: Breakfast

Flight Information:
Depart London Heathrow 11.00hrs arrive Kuala Lumpur 07.15hrs, Depart Kuala Lumpur 09.50hrs arrive Chiang Mai 11.40hrs (next day) 
Depart Chiang Mai 14.40hrs arrive Kuala Lumpur 18.40hrs, depart Kuala Lumpur 23.30hrs arrive London Heathrow 05.55 hrs (next day)