A Taste of Thailand
The humming capital of Bangkok, historic Kanchanaburi & the River Kwai, plus ancient Ayutthaya; optional extensions to Angkor Wat & Phuket
| Style | Small Group Tour Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout | ||
| Departures | October 2025 – April 2026 | Group Size | 16 travelers max |
| Themes | History & Culture | ||
| Activity Level | |||
| What to Expect | This moderately-paced, escorted tour includes a reasonable amount of walking or hiking and requires an average level of physical fitness.Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols. | ||
| Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. | ||
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Experience a taste of Thailand on this 10-day journey, with its beautiful beaches and islands, fascinating culture, exotic architecture, and ancient ruins. Discover some of the best highlights of this magnificent country, including the bustling capital city of Bangkok, the historic River Kwai, and the ancient city of Ayutthaya—all for an amazingly affordable price.
Package includes
- Flights
- Coach
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Guides
- Round-trip airfare from Los Angeles including taxes & fees
- Intra-Thailand transportation and transfers
- 7 nights at Superior First Class hotels
- 9 Meals: 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch & a welcome dinner
- Comprehensive touring program including entrance fees
- Professional, English-speaking tour guides
Optional add-ons
- Flights from other select cities are available. Request pricing when making your reservation.
- Optional Angkor Wat post-tour Extension
- Optional Phuket post-tour Extension
Why you'll love it
- For each traveler visiting, Friendly Planet contributes to a carbon-neutral program which supports reforestation, clean water, replenishing mangroves, and seeding coral reefs.
- Visit Bangkok's colorful Flower Market & Grand Palace.
- Cruise the Chao Phraya River by long-tail boat.
- Indulge your taste buds at a Thai Set dinner.
- Admire the 79-meter pagoda of Wat Arun, one of the most striking riverside landmarks of Thailand.
- Navigate the canals of the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market for fresh fruit and other treats.
- Stop along the historic Bridge over the River Kwai, a staple of the infamous Death Railway.
- Observe rescued elephants at an ethical elephant sanctuary.
- Explore the magnificent ruins of Ayutthaya.
- Visit artisans in a local shop in Ayutthaya and see how they weave palm leaves into fish-shaped ornaments.
Itinerary at a Glance
- 1 Depart USA
- 2 En Route
- 3 Bangkok, Thailand
- 4 Bangkok
- Optional Excursion: Flavors of Nighttime Chinatown (purchased locally)
- Optional Excursion: Cabaret show with dinner (purchased locally)
- 5 Bangkok
- Optional Excursion: Bites & Sites in the "Village of Love" (purchased locally)
- 6 Bangkok, Kanchanaburi & the River Kwai
- 7 Kanchanaburi
- 8 Kanchanaburi & Ayutthaya
- 9 Ayutthaya & Bangkok
- 10 Depart Bangkok/Arrive USA
Angkor Wat Extension
- 10 Bangkok/Siem Reap, Cambodia
- 11 Angkor Explorations
- 12 Angkor Explorations
- Optional Excursion: Dining for a Cause (purchased locally) , $59
- 13 Depart Siem Reap/Arrive USA
Phuket Extension
- 10 Bangkok & Phuket
- 11 Phuket
- Optional Excursion: Day Tour of Phi Phi Island by Speedboat with Lunch (purchased locally)
- 12 Phuket
- Optional Excursion: Half Day Southern Community and Cultural Experience (purchased locally)
- 13 Depart Phuket/Arrive USA
Videos
Dates & Prices
Detailed Itinerary
To see full details, click the button to the right.
Day 1 Depart USA
- Your exotic journey begins as you check in for your flight to Thailand via Taipei
Day 2 En Route
- Cross the International Dateline and lose a day (which you will recover on the return leg of your trip)
Day 3 Bangkok, Thailand
- Arrive in Bangkok, meet our representative, and transfer to your hotel
- Enjoy a traditional Thai Set dinner at a local restaurant
Montien Hotel Surawong or similarDinner
Day 4 Bangkok
- Visit the Flower Market and learn how to create your own Thai garland
- Tour The Royal Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha
- See the mysterious Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho
- Spend the balance of the day at leisure
- Enjoy one of the evening optional excursions
Montien Hotel Surawong or similarBreakfast
Day 5 Bangkok
- Embark on a morning long-tail boat ride along the Chao Phraya River
- Visit the Royal Barge Museum
- See Wat Arun, the magnificent temple of Dawn
- Enjoy the afternoon at leisure or take part in an optional excursion
Montien Hotel Surawong or similarBreakfast
Day 6 Bangkok, Kanchanaburi & the River Kwai
- Enjoy a scenic morning drive through the Thai countryside to Samut Songkhram Province
- Visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market on a long-tail boat ride
- See the historic bridge over the River Kwai before touring the Death Railway museum
Royal Riverkwai Resort & Spa or similarBreakfast
Day 7 Kanchanaburi
- Enjoy a panoramic train ride viewing the Kwai Gorge
- Visit an ethical elephant sanctuary
- Spend the evening at leisure
Royal Riverkwai Resort & Spa or similarBreakfast & lunch
Day 8 Kanchanaburi & Ayutthaya
- Drive to the ancient city of Ayutthaya and visit the temples and ruins of Wat Mahathat and Wat Yai Chaimongkhon
- Discover the iconic Buddha head woven into tree roots
- Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore on your own
Kantary Hotel Ayutthaya or similarBreakfast
Day 9 Ayutthaya & Bangkok
- Learn more about an integral part of the Thai lifestyle: rice harvesting
- Visit the Bang Pa-In to view King Rama IV's summer palace
- View the Gothic-style architecture of Wat Niwet Thammaprawat
- Return to Bangkok in the afternoon and enjoy a final night on your own
Montien Hotel Surawong or similarBreakfast
Day 10 Depart Bangkok/Arrive USA
- Today, bid farewell to Thailand as you transfer to the airport to board your return flight to the USA via Taipei
- Or, take advantage of your already included international airfare and join our optional extensions to Angkor Wat or Phuket Island, or both!
Breakfast
Important Notes
- Due to high water levels during and closely following monsoon season (summer into early winter), select sites among the canals may have restricted access. If any sites are temporarily restricted, equally enjoyable visits will be substituted.
Angkor Wat Extension
Take advantage of your already-included international airfare by joining our extension to Cambodia for a special opportunity to visit Angkor Wat, a massive complex of temples that ranks among the most fascinating religious sites in the world. For JFK passengers, the Angkor Wat Extension must be arranged on a custom basis to be coordinated with China Airlines' JFK schedule which may require flying from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh on Day 12 and overnighting in Phnom Penh; please contact us for details.
To see full details, click the button to the right.
Day 10 Bangkok/Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap, gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park.
- After customs formalities, transfer to your hotel for check-in.
Borei Angkor Resort & Spa or similarBreakfast
Day 11 Angkor Explorations
- Tour the royal walled city of Angkor Thom
- Visit the Bayon Temple in the exact center of the city
- Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant
- Explore the temples of the Small Circuit
- Discover the famous Angkor Wat archaeological site
- Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant
Borei Angkor Resort & Spa or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 12 Angkor Explorations
- Visit the "Citadel of Women", the best preserved temple in Cambodia
- Learn about mine awareness at the Landmine Museum
- Create a Khmer style smok box
- Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant
- Tour the Roluos Group: Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei temples
- Spend the evening at leisure or join an optional excursion
Borei Angkor Resort & Spa or similarBreakfast & lunch
Day 13 Depart Siem Reap/Arrive USA
- Transfer to the airport for the short flight to Bangkok, then continue to the USA via Taipei
Breakfast
Phuket Extension
Take advantage of your already-included international airfare and enjoy a luxurious and relaxing stay on Phuket Island, Thailand's most famous resort.
To see full details, click the button to the right.
Day 10 Bangkok & Phuket
- Fly to Phuket and transfer to your hotel upon arrival
- Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure
Amari Phuket or similarBreakfast
Day 11 Phuket
- Enjoy a full day at leisure or join an optional excursion
Amari Phuket or similarBreakfast
Day 12 Phuket
- Enjoy a full day at leisure on the island or join an optional excursion
Amari Phuket or similarBreakfast
Day 13 Depart Phuket/Arrive USA
- Transfer to the airport for the short flight to Bangkok, then continue to the USA via Taipei
- Passengers returning to JFK must leave Phuket early in the morning before breakfast is served at the hotel
Breakfast
Combining Extensions
Travelers may take both Angkor Wat and Phuket extensions, in that order. On Day 13 of the Angkor Wat extension, passengers will continue to Phuket Island for three nights returning to LAX on Day 16. JFK passengers will overnight in Taipei en route back to New York.
Hotels
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
Reviews & Photos
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Trip Details
- What should I know before I go?We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
- Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements?Travel visas are required for this package. Please review the visa & entry requirements.
- Can I make changes to my trip?Want to upgrade your seats? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
- Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions?To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at the time of travel.
- Should I purchase travel insurance?Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
- What's the fine print?Review the terms & conditions for this package.
What should I know about Cambodia?Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
What should I know about Thailand?Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
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