Tailor Made Holidays in Thailand: Highlights

Escape to nature at Doi Angkhang

Whichever way you travel to Doi Angkhang, the lush landscape will captivate one and all. The geographic location, cool temperatures and relative lack of tourists make this a perfect destination for the naturalist, bird-watcher and photographer alike. Visit the nearby Burmese border post and look across the rolling mountains or stop off for a visit with one of the indigenous hill tribes, the Nor Lae or the Kob Dong, Here you can observe many traditional skills still practised by the tribes including cotton weaving and tea production. 

 
Experience the flavours of Thai cuisine

Thailand's cuisine lies at the heart of its culture, famous the world over and for very good reason. Chiang Mai in the north of the country is considered to be the heartland of Thai food, with the city sitting in the middle of the farming communities that produce the delicate herbs and spices that flavour their dishes - you must try Phad Thai, a spicy fried noodle dish, as well as the red, green and yellow curries!

Read more about: Chiang Mai
 
Explore Chinatown & Prahurat, Bangkok

Bangkok is a confusing city, and many find it overwhelming at first, but with a little patience and an adventurous spirit, one can overcome this. An afternoon wandering the colourful streets of Chinatown, and the narrow alleyways and eclectic markets of Prahurat, the Indian district, makes for a memorable experience. The Indian food stalls in Prahurat sell delicious snacks, and wandering a little further in, you experience the sounds of Bollywood, and enterprising stall owners selling colourful fabrics to passing customers. Chinatown offers similar local markets selling a huge array of goods, and an abundance of noodle shops ensures that you can get an authentic bowl of hearty noodle soup to keep you going throughout the afternoon. This is the real Bangkok.

Read more about: Bangkok
 
Relax on a rice-barge cruise

There are now a number of small, lovingly converted rice barges that operate relaxing cruises from the capital, Bangkok. You might travel up the Chao Praya river and out into Thailand's countryside, observing en route how local villagers live and survive off the river, marveling at the temples that scatter the banks and enjoying the sight of monks bicycling to their daily tutorials. A great way to escape the city's heat and intensity.

 
Snorkel in southern Thailand

The pristine waters of the Andaman Sea offer fantastic snorkelling and diving opportunites, from shallow reefs to the dive hot spots of the Surin and Similan Islands. Kitted out with your snorkel, mask and fins, jump in to the warm turquoise waters and experience the most colourful of aquatic life.      

Read more about: Thailand's Beaches
 
Befriend an elephant at the Anantara

The Asian elephant is a magnficent beast and there is no better place to see him than at the Elephant Conservation Centre at the Anantara, Golden Triangle. The camp is home to 14 elephants, loved and cared for by John Roberts - involved for many years in the preservations of tigers in Nepal. You can learn to be an elephant mahout, having your own elephant dedicated to you (and you to he) for the duration of your course. The courses vary from one day to as many days as you like! This experience was such a hit when Audley arranged it for the BBC 'Holiday' programme that it became one of its 'Ten Best' for 2006.

Read more about: Anantara Resort and Spa
 
Travel through Phang Nga Bay

Phang Nga Bay on the Andaman Coast of southern Thailand, is where turquoise waters meet unusually shaped giant limestone rock formations and islands towering from the sea, in an incredibly dramatic fashion. Motor through the pristine waters, weaving around giant rocks soaring into the sky, and through awesome sea caves. A boat journey through the bay offers scenery that will truly take your breath away. If you need a reminder as to why you came to the Andaman Coast, this is it.

 
Trek through Khao Yai National Park

Khao Yai National Park, Thailand's oldest, was established in 1962 and is a lush mix of grasslands and monsoon forest. Trekking through the park with your experienced guide gives you the chance to immerse yourself in one of the country's most beautiful natural habitats. Navigate your way through a jungle of giant trees and sweeping vines, listening to the calls and sounds of the resident wildlife.

Read more about: Khao Yai National Park
 
Visit the Bridge over the River Kwai

Kanchanaburi is home to the Bridge over the River Kwai and serves as a poignant reminder of the atrocities suffered here during World War II. The museum highlights the plight of the POWs and Asian labourers tortured by the Japanese, whilst the beautifully maintained WWII cemetary provides a quiet sanctuary for reflection. Take time to visit the bridge itself as well as the jungle cutting disturbingly known as Hell Fire Pass.  It is worth spending a few days here, perhaps in a comfortable tented camp, to explore not only the area's history but also its lush, verdant scenery and natural parks.

Read more about: Kanchanaburi & The River Kwai
 
Visit the hill tribes in the Golden Triangle

Thailand plays host to some 20-30 different ethnic hill tribes, largely found in the Golden Triangle (where the border of Laos, Burma and Thailand converge). With their colourful and ornate traditional clothing, cultural heritage and simple lodgings, the hill tribes are fascinating to visit to gain an insight into their nomadic existence and simple way of life.

Read more about: Golden Triangle
 
Walk in the King's Royal Projects

High in the mountains alongside Doi Angkhang is just one of the many Royal Projects in the country, a botanical and agricultural experiment started in the late 1960s by the King to provide opium farmers a legal way of utilising their skills and supporting their families. Walking or cycling in the Royal Project is the best way to see all manner of plant and fruit life from orchids and banzai trees to pears and kiwis, either during the morning mist or at sundown.

 
Watch the sun rise on the misty Mekong

Isan refers to the northeastern region of Thailand and is an area largely untouched by tourism. The mighty Mekong runs alongside the region, separating Thailand from its less developed neighbour, Laos. Spend a night in Khong Jiam at a resort on the banks of the Mekong, and wake up before dawn to board a longtail boat and motor slowly down the river with the mist hanging dramatically over the water. The orange glow of the tropical sun slowly creeps up from behind the rock formations as you witness the first sunrise of the day in Thailand. Spectacular!

 
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