Style : Group tour
Island-sea-ocean-water-sky-clouds-1973839

Thailand Explorer

Ritz Tours
4.5 . Great
96%
Travel Style: Array Full on
Physical Level: All or most of day hiking or biking, hills included. Moderate
Lodging Level: The highest level of comfort and service. All accomodations are in four or five star hotels, boutique lodges or high-end homestays. Luxury (5*)
12 days
From: $ 1,600 $ 133 / day
Checking price

Overview

Highlights (Bullets)

  • Explore Bangkok
  • Visit Bang Pa In
  • Visit Chiang Mai
  • Visit Phuket

Short Description

Discover the best of Thailand on this unforgettable 12-day tour that uncovers the many facets of this endlessly fascinating country. Dip into the glittering palaces, floating markets, and bustling streets of Bangkok; meet elephants and tribal hill peoples in jungle-bound Chiang Mai—Thailand’s northern capital; and finish with time to rest and recharge surrounded by the white sands and turquoise seas of idyllic Phuket.

Style Group tour
See all the highlights and popular spots on a classic tour.
Itinerary Focus Classic Highlights
The highest level of comfort and service. All accomodations are in four or five star hotels, boutique lodges or high-end homestays.
Lodging Level Luxury (5*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions All internal ground transport
Start City Bangkok
End City Phuket

Itinerary

DAY 1:USA—Bangkok

Your voyage begins with an international flight from the US to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand

DAY 2: Bangkok

Meet your tour representative at the airport arrivals hall and transfer to your downtown hotel. Check in for four nights and enjoy the remainder of the day at your own leisure—perhaps recharging at the hotel pool, or diving into the bustling city to discover its enticing restaurants, shops, and markets.

DAY 3: Bangkok

Today enjoy a guided introduction to Bangkok, one of Asia’s most captivating metropolises. Topping the sights is the Grand Palace, a sprawling 18th-century complex of residences and temples that were home to the kings of Siam and Thailand for 150 years. Stroll around the courtyards to view the gilded buildings, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, regarded as Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist shrine. You’ll also view the elegant Marble Hall—another Bangkok showpiece. While you’re exploring, stop for a delicious restaurant lunch and then transfer back to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure you enjoy a Welcome Thai set dinner at your hotel tonight.

DAY 4: Bangkok – Damnoen Saduak- Bangkok

This morning, head for Damnoen Saduak, one of Thailand’s most popular floating markets, and a fascinating window into local life. Gaze at lush paddy fields and salt farms en route, and on arrival, ride a boat along noisy canals packed with fruit, vegetable, and handicraft vendors. Spend time here soaking up the atmosphere and browsing for souvenirs and street foods before returning to Bangkok after lunch and getting more time to spend as you wish.

DAY 5: Bangkok – Bang Pa In - Ayutthaya - Bangkok

After breakfast, leave Bangkok and venture north to UNESCO-listed Ayutthaya, where a cluster of ruined temples, stupas, and monasteries mark what was once the medieval capital of Siam. Stroll the ruins, set on an island formed by three rivers—and stop, too, to see Bang Pa-in, a palace and garden complex that was once a summer retreat of Siam’s kings and their consorts. Admire the glittering, Thai-style lake pavilion with its multi-colored tiled roof, spires, and porches; and view the other ornate European-and Chinese-style halls that sprinkle the picturesque lawns. Having explored both Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-in, step aboard a modern riverboat and relax as you cruise back to Bangkok along the Chao Phraya river, enjoying the views and a delicious buffet lunch served on board as you sail. This evening is yours to enjoy as you wish.

DAY 6: Bangkok – Chiang Mai

This morning, check out of your Bangkok hotel and transfer to the airport for your short flight to Chiang Mai, often dubbed Thailand’s ‘Rose of the North.’ Surrounded by lush mountains, this history-steeped city was the capital of the independent Lanna kingdom until the mid-16th century and is rich in attractions, from Buddhist temples and national parks to tribal hill villages and elephant sanctuaries. After checking in at your hotel, sit down to a Welcome “Khantoke” dinner—where a selection of small dishes are served together on a pedestal tray— and a cultural show at a local restaurant.

DAY 7: Chiang Mai

Relax over breakfast before journeying into Chiang Mai’s mountains to visit the Mae Rim Elephant Sanctuary, a jungle camp dedicated to the welfare of rescued elephants. Observe these magnificent animals as they’re fed and walked in the forest, and learn where they came from and how they’re cared for. Following lunch at a local restaurant, visit two tribal villages—homes to the Big Earring and Long Neck Karen community whose women wear spiral neck rings—and shop for handicrafts as you learn about their ancient cultures. After returning to Chiang Mai, enjoy the remainder of the day as you please.

DAY 8: Chiang Mai

Today, pay a visit to Chiang Mai’s premier attraction: the Buddhist Temple of Wat Doi Suthep. Crowning the top of Doi Suthep mountain, this revered and lavishly decorative shrine has 14th-century origins and is one of Thailand’s most important places of worship. After delving into the temple, drink in its stellar views over Chiang Mai before sitting down to lunch at a local restaurant. Then, continue to a Thai handicrafts village to seek out traditional handmade souvenirs such as hand-painted umbrellas and silks.

DAY 9: Chiang Mai – Phuket

Meet your tour guide after breakfast and travel to the airport for your flight to the island of Phuket, in south Thailand. Basking in the Andaman Sea, this gorgeous gem is famous for its rainforest-coated interior and palm-lined beaches fringed by luxury hotels and seaside resorts. After a transfer to your hotel, enjoy free time this afternoon to unwind in the island’s idyllic surroundings. This evening, dinner is served at your hotel.

DAY 10: Phuket

After breakfast, set off on a full-day tour to Phang Nga Bay in the north of the Strait of Malacca and one of southern Thailand’s most photogenic areas. Begin at Phang Nga province to see its Buddha Cave Temple (Suwannakuha), nicknamed the “Monkey Temple” for its colonies of monkeys; and then visit the Ao Phang Nga National Park for a longtail boat ride across its green waters famous for their 40 limestone karsts, evergreen mangroves, caves, and cliffs. Soak in the bay’s beauty from your boat and sail by “James Bond Island,” a limestone pinnacle that featured in the movie “The Man with the Golden Gun.” After lunch at a stilted Sea Gypsy village, return to Phuket.

DAY 11: Phuket

Today is yours to spend any way you wish—either lazing by the pool or enjoying independent shopping and sightseeing. You may want to consider an optional day trip to the Phi Phi Islands—an archipelago of paradise-like islets, a short speedboat ride away across the Andaman Sea. Cruise to several of these astonishingly beautiful gems to see their exquisite bays, forested rock pinnacles, powder-white shores and nodding palms, and to swim and snorkel in their fish-filled, aquamarine waters.

DAY 12: Phuket – USA

Today brings your vacation in Thailand to a close with a transfer to the airport and your outbound flight back to the USA.

 

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 1,600
Price Per Day: $ 133 per day

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177 Ritz Tours Travel Reviews & Ratings

96%
4.5 out of 5 (100+ reviews)
Excellent 116
Great 37
Average 17
Disappointing 4
Terrible 3
Value
4.5
Guide
4.5
Activities
4.5
Lodging
4.5
Transportation
4.5
Meals
4.5

Thailand Explorer

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Company Reviews

Our 2 days stay in Dubai

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
When we arrived at the airport in Dubai we’re welcomed by a driver and with a minivan to be dropped off to our hotel..On the morning of our first day we met our Travel guide named Wally he’s an Egyptian..He toured us around the city especially the Palm islands, Burj Khalifa.He let us go around the Dubai mall..Our day we went to the old Dubai ..explained to us everything we wanted to know about the old city..Our tour guide is a well versed person and smart..We have a good time in Dubai..
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Very satisfied customer

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
Lillian was very accommodating and patient. She planned a two day land tour of Dubai for the four of us before embarking on an 18 day cruise. The location of the hotel chosen was perfect as it was very convenient to nearby restaurants and shopping center. Both the guide and driver were promp, knowledgeable and courteous. The guide was very organized and gave clear explanation of what to do and expect. Overall, we learned something new and we enjoyed the entire tour. We will surely use them in our future trips.
Thank you Lillian for a job well done!!!
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The Bali tour should be redesigned

4.0
Details
Value4.0
Guide4.0
Activities4.0
Lodging4.0
Transportation4.0
Meals4.0
This is our second tour with Ritz. The first one was in Kenya and it was well organized and well planned.

Our second trip was in Bali and Singapore. Our tour was customized but based on the regular tour, we just added more days. Lillian was a great help as the relay with the people in Bali who organized our tour.

The tour in Bali was not logistically planned though: for most of the trip, we were staying in hotels in the south tip of Bali (Uluwatu and Dusa Nua), except when we went to Ubud. So every day, we were leaving from the south point of the island to go in all directions and back south in our hotels. It meant spending a lot of time on the road. The day we went to the Lempuyang temple, located in the East, we left at 6 am because we were two and a half hours away from it. At the end of the day, with the very heavy holiday traffic and the rain, it was past 9:30 pm when we arrived at the hotel to check in, and we were exhausted and in a bad mood. It had been a very long day.

All the hotels where we stayed in Bali were 5 stars and they were very nice. But we would gladly have stayed in a 3-star hotel if it had been closer to the places we were going to visit and if it had meant spending less time on the road.

At the Lempuyang temple, when we arrived, we had to take a ticket to get in line. We did not realize that the number we received was to be photographed in front of the famous Gates of Heaven. After waiting for two and a half hours, they were only serving the number 90 and we had the number 153. When we understood that we were waiting just to take a few photos, we asked the guide to leave: we had other places to go to after and it was not worth waiting another 2 hours or more just for a photo. Again, staying closer to the temple would have saved us a lot of agony.

And why not visit the Uluwatu temple while staying in Uluwatu instead of doing it while staying in Nusa Dua? It seems more logical to me.

I believe the Bali tour needs to be reconsidered so less time is wasted on the road and the visits are more comfortable and not so rushed.
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Ritz Tours is reliable

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
Lilian has helped us make our trip to Bangkok a memorable one. She set our trip with a reliable and knowledgeable tour guide named Yui. Everything was set perfectly for our group. We will definitely use Ritz tours again for our future travels. Thank you!
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Lillian arranged the air tickets very…

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
Lillian arranged the air tickets very patiently with us since it’s peak season to go to Dubai with big group.

She is also well explained to us when we ask for extra activities and some other arrangements.

Well Done!
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Lillian/Ritz Tour EXCELLENT service

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
Lillian was amazing, always available, always found what I needed and looking for. She accommodate myself and my friend with such ease despite all the discrepancies my small group had amongst each other. And trust me we had so many . Our Bali trip was exceptional and unforgettable. From our tour guide to our hotel to our tours. 10 all across to board. Planning my Dubai trip NOW lol. Thank you Ritz your for your 5 star service.
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Details

Flight & Transport Inclusions

All internal ground transport

Group Size

Intimate Group - 12 max

Trip ID#:

ThaiExpRit

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