Sawatdee! On your first day here, our staff will meet-and-greet you at the airport meeting point, and then guiding you to our private minibus with a smile. Although Thai smiles can mean a lot of things, this one is a warm welcome smile!

Among hundreds of canals in Bangkok, Khlong Bangkok-Noi, once the original route of the Chao Phraya River, are a few which still retains much of its charm. Our boat will take you through this canal and stop at a few local temples, farms, and floating markets. Occasionally, when the traditional Thai puppet show is performed, we will visit the Artist House for the show. This is an extremely rare show that is unlikely to be found elsewhere.

Drive to the west, heading to the best known attractions in Kanchanaburi, including the War Cemetery, the Bridge over the River Khwae, Krasae Cave, and the Hellfire Pass. They’re reminders of the dark time during the Second World War, when the Japanese took control over the province, trying to build a railroad across the regions, in order to attack the British in Myanmar and India. Today, we stay overnight in a camping resort. While staying here we will also enjoy a Thai massage session and a delicious BBQ dinner.

Travel to the Treetop Adventure Park. We’ll enjoy 30 stations of adventurous climbing, ziplining, and sky biking in this park, which surrounded by nature and the evergreen jungle of Kanchanaburi. Then board a long-tail boat to check-in at River Kwai Jungle Rafts, a resort floating right above the historic river: the Khwae Yai River; and well decorated with the concept of Mon traditional housing. There is no electricity! We use wick lamps during the night for lighting to conserve the concept and natural surroundings, and the water flowing underneath is a great eco-cooling system run by the river.

To stay at this floating raft, we do not only support the community of Mon, but also feel close to the nature and abandon all the busy things behind. If the morning walk to a Mon temple and village doesn’t sound interesting to you, just let the sounds of the jungle wake you up. Get on a boat and return to the pier. Then continue by our minibus to Amphawa, a district in Samut Songkhram known for its traditional charm and authenticity. Enjoy a local boat trip through canals and rivers visiting local attractions and temples.

Wake up early to attend the Alms Round, giving alms to the monks. As the sun rises, Buddhist monks in this area depart from their temple by a paddle boat to collect food from laypeople, a distinctive practice rarely found in other regions. Check out by noon. Experience the Umbrella Pull-down Market, where awnings are pulled down within a minute to allow the train entering its station. Head to Bangkok and take a train to Chiang Mai. While trains aren’t the fastest way to travel, its pace creates the charm. We’ll travel in style by a sleeper train, which will arrive in Chiang Mai on the next morning.

Our train arrives in Chiang Mai this morning. Chiang Mai, the old capital of Lanna, is a perfect combination of modernity and old charm. In Chiang Mai, we’ll learn to cook your favorite Thai dishes, which are known for providing high nutrition due to their extensive uses of herbs and spices. The chosen ingredients will be easy enough to find at your home.

Travel to the Elephant Nature Park, an animal sanctuary for not just elephants but a wide variety of rescued animals. While visiting this sanctuary, we encourage you to stay relax, whether while observing, bathing, or playing with the elephants. It’s the best way to make the most from your visit, because unlike any other elephant camps, these elephants are not allowed to be ridden, and there aren’t any harmful activity to them.

Drive up to the top of Mount Suthep. We’ll visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the most important temple in Chiang Mai, which we have seen from down below for the last two days. Then we leave the city and head to Tambon Pa Pae, a remote village situated in a deep valley of Mae Taeng, for an extensive meditation course. Surrounded by wonderful nature, we can learn true meditation from a real Buddhist monk and will stay overnight at this meditation retreat.

Meditation is an ancient knowledge in the east. It’s neither difficult nor something boring, but a practice of doing nothing which anyone can do. After some guidance in English by the monk who is truly an expert in meditation, gently close your eyes and clear your mind. When you attain true bliss and happiness inside yourself through meditation, you can feel so overwhelmed with joy that you can’t find any words to describe it. Stay another night at the meditation retreat.

Wake up with a wonderful sense of inner peace. Feel free to relax and discuss about your practice and thoughts with the Buddhist monk. We’ll leave to the airport after lunch to catch our evening flight to Bangkok. Then transfer to a hotel near the Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Say farewell to Thailand. Check-out time is before noon, but we can transfer you to the airport at anytime.