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Destination
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Trip duration
9 days, 8 nights
Day 1
Bangkok – Ayutthaya
We head to the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Siam, Ayutthaya. We start our exploration into the area’s rich history at Bang Pa-In, the summer palace of King Rama V that blends a variety of architectural styles and is nestled in a sprawling park surrounded by waterways. The palace was first used by the royal court as a summer retreat in the 17th century. It was destroyed with the fall of Ayutthaya and later restored by King Rama IV in the mid-19th century. After lunch, we visit Wat Ratchaburana and Chao Sam Phraya Museum. In 1957, a large number of Buddha images and gold artefacts were looted from the temple’s crypt. The thieves were caught and a few treasures recovered, which are housed in the museum (closed Monday, Tuesday and public holidays, when a visit to the Thai Boat Museum will replace this attraction). We visit Ayothaya Floating Market and enjoy snacks sold at stalls that line the canal before check-in at the hotel. Overnight at Kantary Hotel Ayutthaya.
Food
-/L/-
Accommodation
Kantary Hotel Ayutthaya
Day 2
Ayutthaya — Nakhon Ratchasima
After breakfast, we head to the huge impressive bronze statues of Wat Mongkol Borpitr and the three ancient pagodas that served as royal temples of the Ayutthaya Kingdom at Wat Phra Sri Sanpetch and Wat Phra Mahathat. These temples are of huge importance and serve as a popular pilgrimage spot for Buddhists. We then continue on to Nakhon Ratchasima, which is also called Korat. After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, we drive to Pimai to visit a museum and a magnificent collection of Khmer temples, dubbed the Angkor Wat of Thailand. The ornate temple complexes were built by King Jayavarman VI in the 11th century, with the onsite museum chronicling their history. We then visit Ban Dan Kwian pottery village to see the potters of this famous area before stopping at a roadside retail market and returning to Korat for our overnight accommodation. Overnight at Kantary Hotel Korat.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
Kantary Hotel Korat
Day 3
Nakhon Ratchasima – Sukhothai
Today we leave Korat and head to Lopburi. En route, we visit Phra Buddha Badh in Saraburi, which is home to a shrine of the holy footprint of Buddha. We spend some time exploring the ancient city, stopping at the museum at Narai Raja Nives Palace (closed on Monday), the sacred three-spired pagoda of Prang Sam Yod, and the ruins of Wat Phra Sri Ratana Maha Dhat, as well as a short visit to the Monkey Temple. After lunch at a local restaurant, we proceed to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Sukhothai. Before check-in at our overnight accommodation, we make a stop at Sukhothai’s pottery village, where local artisans use traditional techniques to produce delightful hand-painted dishes and other ceramics. Here, we will have the opportunity to learn some of these skills and brush up on our painting ability on the pottery dishes. Dinner and overnight at Legendha Sukhothai Resort.
Food
B/L/D
Accommodation
Legendha Sukhothai Resort
Day 4
Sukhothai – Lampang
Today we take another step back in time to visit the famous ruins of Thailand’s first capital (1257-1379), Wat Maha Dhat, believed to have been constructed in 1374, Wat Sra Sri, which is surrounded by delicate lotus ponds and Wat Sri Chum, a large Burmese-style temple. We then continue to Sri Satchanalai, the northern outpost town of the Kingdom of Sukhothai, built by King Ramkamhaeng. It is also home to Si Satchanalai Historical Park, which forms part of the UNESCO world heritage site of Sukhothai and is home to a series of ancient temples, including the ruins of Si Satchanalai and Chaliang. Si Satchanalai, which translates as ‘City of good people’, was founded in 1250. We visit the historic sites of Wat Chang Lom, Wat Jedi Jet Thaew, Wat Nang Phya and Wat Phra Sri Ratana Maha Dhat, which stands on the site of the Khmer fort Chalieng. We then drive to Lampang to check-in to our overnight accommodation. Dinner and overnight at Lampang River Lodge.
Food
B/-/D
Accommodation
Lampang River Lodge
Day 5
Lampang – Chiang Saen
We start the day driving to Ko Kah to visit Wat Phra Dhat Lampang Luang, which houses the only Emerald Buddha image besides Bangkok’s Wat Phra Keo. We then head to Phayao, a rural town and once the princely state whose former glory is highlighted at Wat Sri Kom Kam. We then continue to Chiang Rai, stopping to have lunch and heading to Chiang Saen, which served as the former capital of the first Thai Kingdom and is located on the River Mekong at the Thailand-Laos border. Here, we climb 383 steps to the hilltop temple Wat Phra Dhat Jom Kitti. We also visit Wat Jedi Luang and the nearby small museum before continuing by long-tail speedboat upriver along the Mekong toward the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. We then check-in at our overnight accommodation in Chiang Saen. Overnight at The Imperial Golden Triangle Resort.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
The Imperial Golden Triangle Resort
Day 6
Chiang Saen – Chiang Rai
After breakfast, we leave Chiang Saen to visit a traditional Lisu village at Ban Mae Khao Tom to learn more about the hill tribe’s way of life and traditions, before continuing uphill via Mae Chan to Yao and Akha hill tribe villages. Here, we dive deeper into the unique traditions and cultures of these ethnic people. We then head to Doi Mae Salong, passing through stunning mountain scenery and breath-taking rural landscapes. At the peak, we will stop to enjoy the sprawling panoramas of Thailand, Burma and the Mekong Valley. We enjoy a local lunch at Doi Mae Salong Villa in Doi Mae Salong and then visit Ban Lorcha, a Phami Akha hill tribe community centre that aims to improve the quality of villagers’ lives in this Akha community. We then drive to Mae Sai, the northernmost Thai town that sits on the border with Myanmar. We take a stroll through the town and do some shopping at the local market before returning to Chiang Rai. Overnight at The Legend Chiang Rai Boutique River Resort & Spa.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
The Legend Chiang Rai Boutique River Resort & Spa
Day 7
Chiang Rai – Chiang Mai
After breakfast, we hit the road for a drive through spectacular scenery to the northern Chiang Rai district of Mae Chan. Along the way, we make a short stop at Mae Kachan Hot Springs, a revitalising natural spot that is believed to have healing properties. After a tasty lunch at a local restaurant, we leave Chiang Rai and drive to Chiang Mai in the afternoon. Enroute, we will visit a series of handicraft villages that are home to traditional artisans specialising in a range of handcrafted arts. We can watch Thai silk being hand-spun, lacquerware being created and how paper umbrellas are made. We also visit a Thai wood-carving factory which specialises in a range of antique-style work that can be bought. We then check-in to our overnight accommodation in the city of Chiang Mai. Overnight at Banthai Village.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
Banthai Village
Day 8
Chiang Mai
Our day exploration of Chiang Mai starts with a visit to a colourful orchid farm, where we will see a huge variety of species of indigenous plants. We then drive to Elephant Poopoo Paper Park, an eco-friendly initiative that comprises an outdoor museum park that introduces the unique steps involved in making paper products from elephant poop fibres. We then continue to Dara Pirom Palace Museum (closed Mondays), an elegant house of the late Princess Jao Dara Rasamee, one of the princess consorts of King Rama V. It has been transformed into a museum full of exhibits showcasing the palace décor and Chiang Mai’s rich culture and history at the time of her life then have lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, we visit the sacred temple of Wat Doi Suthep, perched on a forested mountain, this affords splendid views of the city below. We then return to our overnight accommodation. Overnight at Banthai Village.
Food
B/L/-
Accommodation
Banthai Village
Day 9
Chiang Mai - Bangkok
Today sees this nine-day tour that digs deep into northern Thailand’s rich history come to a end. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and, depending on when your onward flight is, free time to do some last-minute souvenir shopping at the markets, or sight-seeing. We will then transfer to Chiang Mai Airport for your onward flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival in the capital, we will transfer to your overnight accommodation, bringing the tour to an end. You will then have the rest of the day to soak up the many sights and sounds that pack this vibrant city. There are no shortage of restaurants, ranging from street eateries through to elegant diners and drinking spots, from sipping a beer at a local bar to watching Bangkok sprawling below at one of the many classy sky bars – and the entertainment continues well into the early hours.
Food
B/-/-
Create the experience of your dream with our travel experts
Make your own trailIncluded
- Tours and transfers with licenced English / German-speaking guiding services / assistance. Other languages are on request and are subject to availability;
- Accommodation in sharing twin / double room with air-conditioning;
- Transportation for tour and transfers by air-conditioned vehicle, unless otherwise stated;
- All entrance fees for visits as mentioned in the program;
- All applicable taxes and service charges;
- All meals as indicated in the program (food only).
Not Included
- Voluntary Carbon Offset Compensation: USD 1.50 per person per day;
- Personal expenses such as other meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours/ visits, unless otherwise stated;
- Hotel accommodation in the destination of commencement;
- Any domestic / international airline tickets, airport taxes, visa fees, specific camera / video fees, additional transportation cost from and to the general pick-up / drop-off regions (such as airports, out-of-town resorts, ports, harbours and accommodation in surrounding towns);
- Any accommodation expenses of a personal nature. This includes (compulsory festive) meals and drinks, mini-bar consumption, laundry, room service, any telephone or other communication cost not mentioned in the program;
- International travel and medical insurance coverage for customers.
Payment and Cancellations
- Full payment is due 30 days prior to departure. We reserve the right to release all services in case of payment default.
- Intermediate bank charges and fees are the responsibility of the client.
- Cancellation policy: In case of cancellation, the following cancellation fees will apply:
• Between 30-15 days prior to departure - 25% of total price
• Between 14-7 days prior to departure - 50% of total price
• Less than 7 days prior to departure – 100% of total price
You are booking
9 Days Trails of Thailand
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Destination
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Trip duration
9 days, 8 nights
About your trip
RESERVATIONS
All tours and services can be booked directly with our office in China
A TRAILS CHINA / DAOCHENG
Beijing Office
Suite 810, SunFlower Tower
#37 Maizidian Street Chaoyang District, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100022, P.R. China
Tel: (86-10) 6515 9259
Fax: (86-10) 6515 9293
Email: info@atrails.cn
CONFIRMATIONS
All reservations are confirmed by return with the up-dated booking status within 2 working days. Due to occasional delays in communication with more remote destinations, it may take a few days longer to get confirmation.
RATES AND AVAILABILITY
All rates are quoted in RMB and are subject to change without prior notice. Inclusions and exclusions in the tour packages are indicated at the end of each itinerary. Commonly our package tour rates include accommodation, transfers, certain meals, and other tour related services. Domestic or international airfares are included where mentioned. Our tour itineraries do not include visa fees and expenses of a personal nature. The validity of our rates is November 01, 2018, until October 31, 2019, unless otherwise specified.
SERVICES
Local English speaking guides are accompanying tours and transfers in each destination. German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian and Chinese speaking guides are available on request in major cities and subject to confirmation.
DELIVERY FEES
A delivery fee will be charged according to the distance traveled, if any train tickets are required to be delivered to clients’ hotel.
PAYMENT
Full pre-payment by bank transfer is required 30 days before the commencement of services.
Our bank account details are:
Bank Name: Bank of China Beijing JianGuoMen Wai Sub-Branch
开 户 行：中国银行北京建国门外支行
Account Name：ATC TRAVEL SERVICES (BEIJING) LTD.
账 户 名：北京道成国际旅行社有限公司
Account No.：3259 6908 9747
账 号：3259 6908 9747
Swiftcode : BKCH CN BJ 110
For itineraries operated outside China
Account Name：BEIJING GLORY INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICE CO, LTD.
账 户 名：北京千乘假期国际旅行社有限公司
Account No.：3211 6010 0100 1577 67
账号：3211 6010 0100 1577 67
Bank Name: Industrial Bank Co., Ltd Sanyuanqiao Sub-Branch
开 户 行：兴业银行三元桥支行
CHILD POLICY
For children aged between 2 and 11 years following rates will apply:
- Child in shared adults’ room with extra bed will pay 80% of the total package price
A maximum of two children per party is granted such a discount. Besides this general policy, specific conditions may apply case by case.
CANCELLATIONS
For cancellation of confirmed reservations, following general cancellation charges apply :
- Between 30 and 15 days prior to arrival : 20% of the total amount
- Between 15 and 7 days prior to arrival : 50% of the total amount
- Less than 7 days prior to arrival : 100% of the total amount.
Special conditions apply for cruises, beach resorts as well as for some of the boutique and landmark hotels. Expeditions and specific products may have different conditions.
Domestic and international air tickets are non-refundable once issued. You are obliged to pay full airfare (inclusive of any tax and fuel surcharge) of any cancelled tickets based on the contract rate.
PROGRAM CHANGES
We reserve the right to re-arrange the order of any tour program, to cancel or substitute elements of any tour itinerary without notice, when local conditions require such changes. All itineraries depending on domestic flight confirmations are subject to changes.
Any increase in taxes or fuel surcharges imposed by the authorities will be advised as soon as we are informed of them, and they will be added to the invoice.
Flight and train details mentioned in our itineraries are for indicative purposes only.
CONFIDENTIALITY
This agreement, its contents and all related documentation sent over to the customer/tour operator are strictly confidential and must not be disclosed to any third parties.
COMPLAINTS AND IRREGULARITIES
We consider complaints as valuable feedback to improve service delivery levels. We request that service delivery failures or customer concerns, be reported during the customer’s stay, to one of our representatives. It is the aim of the company to solve any irregularity on the spot. The company reserves the right to refuse to take action on perceived irregularities submitted to the company 14 days after the customer returns back home.
FORCE MAJEURE
During the term of this agreement, neither party shall be in default of its obligations to the extent that its performance is delayed or prevented by causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to, acts of God, natural disasters, bankruptcy of a vendor, strikes and other labor disturbances, acts of war, or civil disturbances, or other equivalent or comparable events.
INDEMNITY
The client agrees to indemnify and to save A Trails – Daocheng from harm and against all damage or injury (including death) to property or person(s) resulting from intentional or negligent acts or omissions from their respective officers, employees, agents, contractor or subcontractor in connection with the performance of this agreement.
LEGAL NOTE
This agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of China (and/or applicable in relation to the country it is legally represented) for the time being in force and the parties agree to submit any dispute arising between the parties under this agreement to arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the respectable Arbitration Institute, Office of the Judiciary applicable at the time of submission of the dispute to arbitration and the conduct of the arbitration thereof shall be under the auspices of the specific Arbitration Institute accordingly.
IMAGES
Images displayed on the website have a promotional intent only and are not necessarily reflecting the actual destinations and service conditions. These may belong to ATrails staff, customers, photographers we are collaborating with or retrieved from websites such as Pexel, Pixabay, Unsplash or Originoo. While trying to be the most accurate as possible, is agreed that those images do not necessarily depict the actual services promoted.
LIABILITY
We act as an intermediary between the concerned airlines, hotels, all transport operators and local tourist offices providing the services. The Company is therefore not responsible for any loss, injury or damage sustained by the tourists, including those occurring outside the touring programs. Additional expenses incurred due to delay, accidents, natural and disaster, political actions and unrest must be borne by the tourists. Programs and prices, services and conditions are based on those valid at the time of printing and are therefore subject to change without advance notice before or during the tour. Acknowledgment and confirmation of the above-mentioned conditions is active, once clients participate in one of the provided services via us. The itinerary of the excursion, package and/or tour cannot be altered or changed without prior permission from us. We cannot be held liable if you amend the excursion and its content in your brochures or give wrong descriptions to clients that are travelling.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING AUTONOMOUS REGIONS IN CHINA
The Company is not responsible for any last-minute closure of specific regions or tourism sites caused by decisions taken by local or national authorities to restrict access hereto. We will provide alternative itineraries where necessary and reduce cancellation fees to a minimum, however, such imposed closures are beyond our control and constitute a case of force majeure.
The areas concerned include but are not restricted to : The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, minority regions in Qinghai and Gansu provinces.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Travel breaks down borders and brings people together: The nearly 900 million people who travel every year make the sector one of the biggest in the world, a major employer and a key element in the global economy. But this has its downside, too: increasing pollutant emissions from the tourist traffic, loss of coastlines and other landscapes through excessive building development and sexual exploitation of children are just some of the negative consequences of the growth in global tourist travel. In order to minimize the negative impacts and enhance the positive ones, our Corporate Responsibility Strategy focuses on four prime issues:
- We increase efforts to ensure that children and adolescents in tourist areas are protected against sexual exploitation, one of the worst forms of abuse of young people today.
- We promote fair working conditions and sensibly service provider partners to social and environmental concerns.
- The supply and saving of clean water is a further key issue.
- We develop our own projects to meet the growing threat posed by climate change. Indeed, helping counter the adverse effects of global warming is one of the biggest challenges faced by the world tourist.