RECOMMENDED INCLUDES PRICE LENGTH BEST TIME
Couples/Family/Friends 3 Stops Contact us 14 Nov-Feb
THAILAND
Thailand, The land of warmth, love and smiles
If you are thinking of visiting the land of smiling Buddha, remember to pack your smiles before beginning your journey! Thailand is a journey, not a destination. It is special travel destination thanks to its extreme diversity in landscapes and cultures but also because of the heart-warming friendliness of its inhabitants.
Bangkok City
You arrive in Bangkok city, the Krung Thep or the city of angels as the Thais affectionately name it. The city is dotted with temples, Buddhist monasteries and loads of other exciting places. But first, you check into the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel. The room booked for you has a beautiful view of the Chau Praya river.
The Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers is a world-class contemporary riverside hotel in Bangkok that offers all the amenities such as an outdoor tennis court, a beautiful garden pool, a state-of-the-art, 24-hour fitness facility, or the pampering treatment provided at the Mandara spa to renew body and mind.
The temples of Bangkok
After a sumptuous breakfast, you will set off with a spring in your walk to visit some of the most impressive temples that Bangkok has.
Wat Pho is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. The temple has more than a thousand Buddha images but the reclining Buddha has notable appeal. With a length of 46 meters long, and height of 15 metres this idol is covered in gold! The sheer allure of the idol with the frescoes surrounding it brings about an ethereal feel to the visitor. It is said merely looking at the serene calm face of the Buddha washes away all your worries. Most of the tourists sit, meditate and reflect at the feet of this majestic Buddha. The temple complex also houses the Thai school of medicine which along other traditional medicinal studies is also known to be the birthplace of the famous traditional Thai massage.
There are many other beautiful temples and stupas (turrets in which relics are kept) and if you are early and lucky you can enjoy witnessing a ritual performed by the monks.
The next stop is the Grand Palace. The Grand Palace was once the residence of the Chakri kings. Go around the palace admiring its architecture and the temple within the palace which is embellished with the frescoes and paintings of mythological elephants, temple guards, and a celestial eagle called the Garuda.
The Grand Palace also has the Wat Phra Keaw or the Emerald Buddha at the heart of this complex. This temple is one of the biggest Buddhist attractions and pilgrimage destination for many Buddhist devouts. The 500 yr old jade sculpture of the Buddha is only 75 cm high! Barring some areas most of the rooms in the Grand Palace are still used by the king and the government of Thailand. Hence some areas of the temple are off limits for the public. The biggest attraction for most people is the jade sculpture that changes colour with the change in seasons.
You can return to the hotel for a light lunch on the banks of the river, relax and resume your sightseeing. Along the west bank of the Chao Praya river is famous Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn. The best way to soak in the majestic sight of this temple is by boat. You can rent the long tailed boat and head out into the river, cruising along its canals, soaking in the evening magnificence of the spires and the architecture of the temple along with the sights of the river bank. It is one of the magnificent temples of Bangkok and a sight to be seen during dusk or dawn.
In the evening if you choose you can dine at hotel Le Bua which again offers a beautiful sight of the city which is lit up in every possible manner. Or you choose to dine at hotel Sheraton and retire for the night.
Chiang Mai
A short plane ride to Chiang Mai is next in the list. Upon arriving, a short road trip leads one to Chaing Mai’s famous landmark, the Wat Prathat Doi Suthep temple!
Located on top of a 1676 metre high mountain, the temple looms over the city. If you are not afraid of heights, you could choose to try climbing the 300-step staircase. As you climb you can see the paintings on the walls on all sides. Some depicting the nagas as serpent deities. If climbing is not your forte, there are cable cars available that will take you through some spectacular sunset views, cool air cooling down your heated skin with some spectacular sunset views as a reminder to regularly visit Thailand and its people. As dusk falls you can relax and unwind in the luxury confines of Hotel 137 Pillars House in Chiang Mai.
137 Pillars House is a boutique hotel in Chiang Mai that brings back old world elegance of an oriental time combined with modern luxuries. You are treated as a member of the hotel with honour and respect that will lead you to willingly become a part of its rich hospitality process, combined with the Thai charm.
The home-style residential concept unique to Chiang Mai invites its guests to participate in its way of life and enjoy its environs in total privacy and comfort.
137 Pillars House
This is a day of total relaxation at the luxurious 137 Pillars House. Give in to the amenities, drink fresh juice at the edge of 25-metre outdoor swimming pool that touches the iconic garden wall or opt for the excellent spa offered by the hotel. A team of trained therapists leads you into a world of holistic pleasure. Aromatherapy, various massages, beauty rituals that mix local organic ingredients with centuries-old secrets that just sets your body clock in motion with your senses rejuvenated and alive.
Become a mahout for a day
Head out to the Thai Elephant Home, or the elephant sanctuary where elephants are taken care of in a safe environment. It is a home for many sick elephants and a nursery for the young ones too. It is exciting to be a part of a large conservation programme of these gentle creatures. After paying obeisance to Lord Elephant in the temple, the Home will provide you protective clothes and gear that will enable you to mount an elephant without causing discomfort to the animal. This is a unique opportunity to be closely associated with an elephant, take care of him, feed him and even ride him. The mahout assigned to each elephant will help you in learning few commands and the do’s and dont’s that you need to take to gain its confidence. It is then that you can ride and take it out into the forest.
After a brief stroll, you can choose to have lunch in the forest or just watch the animals play around or even better frolic with them in the natural black mud spa built to cleanse your skin. This mud has therapeutic properties both for man and animal. After a good play in the mud it is time to bathe in the river. You get a chance to wash the animal, play around with it as elephants love to frolic in the water and mud for longer hours. So have fun. Upon returning to the 137 Pillars House you can treat yourself to a good lunch, a herbal spa, eat fresh fruits and just wind down after a hectic day. If you choose to you can learn and interact with people on the reforestation project or know more about elephant rescue and conservation. You can return to Chiang Mai when ready.
Breakfast and lunch is always a part of the package if you intend to stay overnight at 137 Pillars House
Koh Samui
It is another day and another destination to the beautiful island resort of Koh Samui which is almost two hours by flight from Chiang Mai. You will stay at the Belmond Napasai Luxury resort, a little paradise on the northern shores of Koh Samui, tucked between the forest and the sea.
The Belmond Napasai is every weary traveller’s dream come true. A cosy hideaway this is the perfect place to unwind your inner engines and cast away your troubles into its foamy waters or crush it under your feet in the pristine golden sands of the beach.
Belmond Napasai and its stand-alone villas welcome every weary traveller with its tropical gardens, filled with rich cashew and coconut trees. The hibiscus and bougainvillea add a tempting allure with their colours. If the smell of the local cuisine that wafts through the air and smiles of the staff doesn’t tempt you to stay put there forever then nothing will.
Enjoy the lush tropical gardens and the azure blue calm seas at Belmond Napasai as it is not often that you get to visit a paradise!
Belmond Napasai
You get to spend 3 whole days in the paradise. So make the most of it.
Enjoy it blissful environs. Take all the time in the world to get a real traditional Thai massage, that is done by expert hands using age-old secret herbs, designed to bring a long lasting relief from physical ailments and leave you with a glowing skin.
Three days is a good time to indulge in a lot of activities like jungle bike tours to windsurfing or even some Thai boxing. There is something for everyone on the idyllic resort.
If the physical activities drain you of energy, regain the same at the various restaurants, that seek to indulge every traveller with their culinary delights. So tuck into some of the best local cuisines or be adventurous to enjoy their fusion food. The delicately spiced prawns, the roasted duck or the steamed snapper topped with fresh tender coconut water or fresh fruit juices that cater to your palate, are designed to leave you with memories of a resort that reaches out to every spirit that comes into its fold.
As the third day comes to an end you leave Thailand with a tinge of sadness and a promise that you intend to return to sample its other charms another day.