Wander among the temples and palaces of Bangkok • Taste the many regions of Thai food on a Bangkok food tour • Join a cooking school in Chiang Mai • Discover Thailand's golden age in Sukhothai • Learn to care for, and ride an Elephant • Relax on the bank of the beautiful River Kwai in your luxurious hotel. Hop on our gay tour of Thailand and discover the exquisite Land of Smiles in style! Thailand conjures up images of spicy delicacies, majestic elephants, golden Buddhas, vibrant nightlife and exotic hideaways - and we experience it all on this trip for gay men, their friends and family (women are welcome!).
Discover the exquisite Land of Smiles in style. Thailand conjures up images of spicy delicacies, majestic elephants, golden Buddhas, colourful hilltribe villages, fantastic shopping and exotic hideaways - and we experience it all on this trip. Witness traditional hilltribe life in a H'mong village, support the rehabilitation of the endangered Asian elephant, step back in time in the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai and try your hand at whipping up some gastronomic delights - this is your chance to capture the adventure and essence of timeless Thailand. This trip also features fantastic 4 star properties.
Support the rehabilitation of the endangered Asian elephant, step back in time in the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai and try your hand at whipping up some gastronomic delights. Need a beach vacation? We're happy to add a beach extension to the beginning or end of your adventure. It is recommended to combine this trip with our Cambodia Luxury Gay Tour & Myanmar Gay Tour.
• Group leader from beginning to end of tour
• 9 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 4 Dinners
• Private sedan arrival transfer to joining point hotel
• Grand Palace & Wat Pho tour (Bangkok)
• Khlong (canal) tour (Bangkok)
• Local food tour (Bangkok)
• Doi Suthep Monastery (Chiang Mai)
• Thai cooking class & dinner (Chiang Mai)
• Temple Tour by red Songthaew (Chiang Mai)
• Sightseeing in Sukhothai Historic Park (Sukhothai)
• Elephant experience & ride (Sukhothai)
• Sri Satchanalai Historical Park
• Sightseeing including the Allied War Cemetery, the Jeath War Museum and the Bridge over the River Kwai (Kanchanaburi)
• Train journey on Death Railway (Kanchanaburi)
• Hellfire Pass (Kanchanaburi)
• Memorial Museum (Kanchanaburi)
• Erawan Waterfall visit
• Travel insurance package covering medical, trip interruption & baggage loss.
• International Airfare
• Departure Transfer
• Meals and activities not outlined in itinerary
All optional activities are entirely your choice and are not included in price of this trip. The following is not an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only.
• Thai massage, various locations - from USD $9
• Day spas, various locations - USD $30-80
• Bicycle tour, Chiang Mai - USD $20
• Kayaking, Kanchanaburi - USD $10-35
4 Star Boutique Hotels (9 nights)
We have carefully chosen these gay-welcoming properties with you in mind. They have the right balance of comfort and luxury while still being locally owned.
Joining/Finishing Point Hotel
Sofitel So Bangkok
Sofitel So Bangkok is the city's first truly urban hotel, bringing together elegant French luxury and warm Thai hospitality. This design hotel was styled by Monsieur Christian Lacroix, and the result is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between an award-winning architect and five of Thailand's leading designers. The hotel features two restaurants, a fantastic pool, free mini-bar and wifi and a monthly LGBT party at their famous rooftop bar!
This stylish urban oasis boasts stunning interior design inspired by the 5 natural elements of Water, Earth, Wood, Metal and Fire. Rising 30 stories above the city, Sofitel So Bangkok has rooms equipped with Apple Mac minis and suites with iPads.
Elegant and modern, the themed rooms feature full-length windows with views or the city or Lumpini Park. All come with free Wi-Fi, a 40-inch flat-screen TV and a free minibar. Bathrooms have a bathtub and separate rainshower.
An arrival transfer is included on day 1 of this trip. Transfers cannot be arranged on arrival. Please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to your departure. If you plan to arrive earlier, this arrival transfer can only be offered in conjunction with pre-tour accommodation booked through us. You are provided with one complimentary arrival transfer per booking even if clients are arriving at different times.
Physical Rating
This trip is a relaxing break. You don't have to worry about being able to do anything physically demanding unless you want to. We do however, highly recommend that you let loose for our jungle flight zip-line adventure!
Culture Shock
The trip includes 4 & 5-star boutique accommodations. Days of being on the move are well interspersed, communication with the outside world is ever-present and a wide variety of food is commonly available.
Group Size Maximum of 16 travellers per group. Departure is guaranteed, subject to 4 people travelling.
Budget Allow USD $500 for meals not included.
Days 1 and 2 Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand.
Bursting with life and colour, Bangkok is a modern city with an ancient heart. Visit the Emerald Buddha, housed beneath the gleaming spires of the Grand Palace. Take a boat trip through the khlongs to witness the remarkable contrast between city and canal-side life. Enjoy the many culinary delights on a food tour and the gay nightlife of Bangkok with your gay local guide who will join you throughout your adventure.
You are met on arrival at Bangkok Airport and transferred to your centrally located 4 star hotel. Please note that an arrival airport transfer is included, so please advise us of your flight details at least 14 days prior to departure. You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned until the important welcome meeting. Your leader will leave a note at reception telling you where and when this important meeting will take place. Please ask a member of reception for this information.
If this is your first visit to Thailand and you want some more time to explore Bangkok, we highly recommend booking a couple of nights' additional accommodation prior to your trip.
In the evening on day 1 we hae a private food tour where we'll learn about the many regions of Thailand, through their fabulous food! Following this exceptional excursion we'll explore the local gay nightlife in the Silom area.
In the morning of day 02, we visit the magnificent Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha which is home to the famous but rather small Emerald Buddha, the most important Buddha Image in Thailand. The entire complex is an incredible showcase for Thai Buddhist temples and a proud attraction for the city, being more than 200 years old. After the grand palace we walk to Wat Pho where we see the stunning reclining Buddha. This temple is also known as a birthplace of traditional Thai massage.
We have lunch near Wat Pho before we taking a boat trip along the canals (khlongs) where we can enjoy the natural scenery and observe the daily lives of the people who live along the canals. On our return to the pier we pass the boathouse where the Royal Barges are housed. Return to the hotel by the BTS Sky Train. The rest of this day is free for you to do your own thing, be it a swim in the hotel pool, some shopping, unwinding with a traditional Thai massage or enjoy shopping at Silom.
Accommodation
Sofitel So Bangkok - 4 star Hotel (2 nts)
Days 3, 4, and 5 Enjoy a relaxed temple tour by local songthaew. Learn to whip up local delicacies at a Thai cooking class and afterwards taste the mouth-watering fruits of this epicurean labour. Climb up to Doi Suthep, famous for its wonderful copper-plated chedi and sweeping views out over the countryside. Learn about the Asian Elephant, and go for a short ride.
This morning we transfer to Bangkok Don Muang Airport for our flight to Chiang Mai. We are transfered to a fantastic boutique resort located on the old moat of Chiang Mai where we are surrounded by many impressive temples. The resort is also walking distance to the famous Chiang Mai Night Bazaar.
This afternnon we discover some of the secrets of Thai cuisine by joining a cookery course in a beautiful setting surrounded by rice fields. We will learn about the main ingredients used in Thai cuisine, how they are used and stored and what alternatives you can substitute if you can't get them at home. Questions are welcome and you are provided with a comprehensive book of recipes and ingredient details. For lunch, sit down and feast on the delicious results. The day is rounded off as we feast on our creations.
On day 4 we visit the best temples in the area by local Songthaew car. The trip leads us back in time to the ancient period of Lanna Kingdom. The history of Chiang Mai dates back more than 700 years with unique architecture and a way different form of buddhism being practiced at every temple we visit.
In the evening, we visit Doi Suthep, one of northern Thailand's most sacred temples, accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide. Pass the naga (dragon) that guards the staircase of 300 steps which leads to the temple at the top of the mountain. Once you're up there, soak up the wonderful views of the countryside. Following an included dinner at a small local restaurant we'll head to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar where you can shop amidst the various stalls for souvenirs.
On our last day in Chiang Mai, we are in for an adventure! From Chiang Mai we head to the countryside where we'll learn how to care for the magnificent Asian Elephant. Only after learning about the health of the elephant, we go for a short elephant ride through the forest.
Day 6 Nicknamed the Dawn of Happiness, Sukhothai still recalls Siam's golden age with its superb statues, marvellous monuments and lotus flowers in full bloom. Be bowled over by baby elephants at the Elephant Conservation Centre and take a ride on a full-grown adult.
In the morning of day 6 we visit the sacred temple Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang, said to enshrine an ancient relic of Buddha.
Next, we drive for approximately 2.5 hours to one of Thailand's World Heritage sites, the Sukhothai Historical Park. The city of Sukhothai (literally 'Dawn of Happiness') was the original capital of Thailand's first kingdom and is believed by many to represent 'the Golden Age' of Thai civilisation. The religious art and architecture of the Sukhothai era are considered to be the most classic of Thai styles and these ruins contain the remains of 21 historical sites with awe-inspiring Buddha images and 4 large ponds often filled with stunning lotus flowers in full bloom.
Days 7, and 8 Enjoy a leisurely bike ride through Sukhothai before our trip to Kanchanaburi. Visit the impressive and cascading Erawan Waterfall then visit Hellfire Pass Memorial for a short visit before taking the train to River Kwai on the famous Death Railway and tonight, relax at your riverside luxury hotel.
We set off mid-morning on day 7 to Kanchanaburi (approx. 6 hours).
Accompanied by our local guide, we set off early on the morning of day 8 to visit Erawan waterfalls for some relaxation, and swimming for those interested. Make sure to wear your swimsuit, and bring a towel!
For here we drive to Hellfire Pass Memorial, built to honour the Allied POWs and Asian conscripts who died while constructing some of the most difficult stretches of the Thai-Burma Death Railway. Boarding at Nam Tok Station, the main terminal of the Death Railway, we take a ride along the historic tracks passing through magnificent scenery along the Kwai Noi River and travel over the original wooden viaduct (the Bridge on the River Kwai) constructed by the allied POWs. We'll also visit the Jeath Museum and the Allied War Cemetery.
Days 9, and 10 Returning to Bangkok, there is ample time to visit any number of sights before our included farewell dinner at a fantastic restaurant popular with gay locals and tourists alike.
Day 9 sees us take the short 3 hour drive back to Bangkok, the City of Angels, and the many attractions of this chaotic city. There is ample time here for you to visit the many sights, such as Jim Thompson's house, complete with antiques and a wonderful silk gift shop. The Baiyoke Sky Tower and its external observation deck on the 78th floor offers spectacular views of Bangkok and its surrounds. Pick up all manner of electronics at Bangkok's premier IT superstore, Pantip Plaza.
This evening we enjoy our last dinner as a group (included) at a popular gay-welcoming restaurant near our hotel.
There are no activities planned for day 10 and you are able to depart the hotel at any time. Check out time from the hotel is at 12 noon. If you are departing later, you can arrange luggage storage at the hotel.
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