Thailand | Bangkok to Phuket Island - Group departure

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Itinerary
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PURE EXOTICISM

Discover Thailand in all its splendor on this unforgettable trip. From the hustle and bustle of Bangkok to the serenity of the temples of Ayutthaya, the natural beauty of Chiang Mai and the heavenly beaches of Phuket, you’ll enjoy an authentic and enriching experience. Book now and let yourself be seduced by the culture, cuisine and captivating beauty of this exotic country.

Tour highlights

Visit 2 historic sites listed as Unesco World Heritage sites.
Tasting of typical Thai products.
Travel by Songtaew in Chiang Mai and discover Bangkok by cab boat and metro.
Monk offering ceremony, meditation initiation and traditional Buddhist vegetarian lunch
Discovery of a typical northern house and preparation of lunch at the inhabitant’s home.
Visit to the Mae Jo University orchid nursery.
Tuk Tuk ride through Chinatown, Bangkok’s most vibrant district.
Visit the Damnoen Saduak floating market.
Cycling (accessible to all) in Sukhothai.

Bangkok
Kwai River
Ayuthaya
Phitsanulok
Chiang Mai
Phuket

Includes:

Round trip flight from Montreal to Bangkok and return from Phuket
Domestic flights
2 nights’ accommodation at hotel Furama Silom 4* in a deluxe room or similar in Bangkok
1 night accommodation at hotel Felix River Kwai Resort 4* in a superior room or similar at river Kwaï
1 night accommodation at hotel Imperial 4* in a superior room or similar in Phitsanulok
3 nights’ accommodation at hotel Movenpick 4* in a classic room or similar in Chiang Mai
4 nights‘ accommodation at hotel Novotel Phuket Resort Patong in a superior room or similar in Phuket
22 meals: 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners
All transfers in an air conditioned bus, visits and tours following the program
Entry fees to sites and monuments following the program
Services of a local French guide
Free time in Chiang Mai and Krabi (your group leader can suggest tours)
Services of a Gendrontours group leader
Taxe

Not included:

Meals other than those mentioned
Tours other than those mentioned
Luggage fees and seat selection with the airline

OPTIONS ($):

Parking space at YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
Travel insurance
Offset your trip’s CO2 emissions

All-inclusive package at Novotel Phuket Resort Patong
- Buffet breakfasts (6:30 am – 10:30 am)
- A la carte lunches – 2-course service at Herring Bar & grill, V lounge or Ruenthong (11 am. – 3 pm)
- Buffet dinners
- Local beverages (10 am – 10:30 pm)

All the reductions are applied on the prices shown on the website.

Entry and exit requirements – COVID-19

Most governments have implemented special entry and exit restrictions and requirements for their territory due to COVID-19. Before travelling, it is your responsibility to verify if the local authorities of both your current location and destinations have implemented any restrictions or requirements related to this situation. Vaccination or health passports may be required in some cases. It is your responsibility to be aware of the specific entry, exit and transit restrictions and requirements for the country or territory you are visiting before you travel and before you book your trip. Voyages Gendron is not responsible if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements. For full details on health measures and entry and exit requirements for a destination, visit the official government website.

Itinerary:

Itinerary (subject to change)

Day 1

Montreal - Bangkok

Leaving Montreal to Bangkok with a stopover in Doha.

Day 2

Bangkok

Arrival in Bangkok and transfer to hotel.

Welcome by guide with traditional jasmine flower bracelet. Check-in at hotel.

Dinner at 8 pm.

Dinner included.

Day 3

Bangkok

7 am | Breakfast at the hotel.

8 am | Board the subway train to the National Stadium terminus in the heart of the city.

8.30 am | Rush hour begins. A few minutes to catch a “khlong-taxi”, a transport boat that speeds along the city’s canals (khlongs) to escape the traffic.

9 h | First stop at the top of Wat Saket, also known as the Temple of the Golden Mountain, to discover how Thais live Buddhism on a daily basis. Before leaving, don’t forget to make a vow by striking the huge gong three times.

10:30 am | Tuk-tuk ride to the heart of Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, where it all began in 1782 with the expansion of the historic Rattanakosin district.

11 am | Stroll through alleys from another era, amidst stalls, temples and street restaurants, among Thais descended from Hokkien, Teochiew and Hakka Chinese. The bustle of this district is fascinating, with its gold merchants, fabric sellers and fruit and vegetable stalls. Tasting of Kai Kratiem, garlic-fried chicken with soy sauce.

12 h 30 | Lunch by the river.

2 pm | Optional visit ($) to the Royal Palace or free time.

Return to hotel.

7:30 pm | Dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 4

Bangkok - Kwai River

6:30 am | Breakfast at hotel in Bangkok.

7:30 am | Departure for Damnoen Saduak. On the way, stop at a factory where coconut sugar is extracted. Access to the floating market by pirogue through the canals to admire the houses on stilts. Disembarkation.

9:30 am | Visit the Damnoen Saduak floating market. Discover the merchants whose boats are loaded with fruit and vegetables.

12:30 | Continuation to Kanchanaburi. Tasting of Kaeng Kai Baan, a farm chicken curry, a Kanchanaburi specialty. Lunch.

2 pm | Stop at the River Kwai Bridge for panoramic views. During the Second World War, to support its troops in the conquest of the British Raj, the Japanese Empire launched the ambitious project of building a 415-kilometer railroad through Thailand to British Burma. The workforce, made up of 100,000 Asian workers and 30,000 Western prisoners of war, suffered heavy losses due to mistreatment, tropical diseases and American and British bombing raids.

3:30 pm | Ride on the small wagon train through bucolic landscapes.

5 pm | Check-in at the hotel.

7:30 pm | Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 5

Kanchanaburi - Ayutthaya - Phitsanulok

6:30 am | Breakfast at the hotel.

7:30 am | Departure for Ayutthaya, former capital of Siam and a remarkable archaeological site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

9:30 am | Visit Wat Chai Mongkhol, with its courtyard entirely lined with Buddha statues and its imposing Chedi, Wat Chedi Sri Suryothai built in tribute to a Thai princess, heroine of the resistance against the Burmese army, and Wat Lokayasutharan with its giant reclining Buddha 37m long and 8m high.

12:30 | Tasting of Pad Thai, stir-fried noodles with soy, dried shrimp and fish sauce. Lunch.

5.30 pm | Arrival in Phitsanulok late in the day.

6 pm | Check-in at hotel.

7:30 pm | Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 6

Phitsanulok - Sukhothai - Lampang - Chiang Mai

6:30 am | Breakfast at hotel.

7:30 am | Drive to Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

8:30 am | Visit the main 13th-century remains: Wat Mahathat and Wat Sra Sri. Enjoy this visit either by bike (easy and accessible to all) or on foot, accompanied by your guide.

1 pm | Arrival in Lampang. Tasting of Tom Kha Kai, chicken soup in coconut milk, flavored with lemongrass. Lunch.

4 pm | Arrival in Chiang Mai

4:30 pm Check-in at hotel.

7:30 pm Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 7

Chiang Mai

Welcome to Chiang Mai, in the heart of the ancient Lanna kingdom. From this day on, all travel is by songthaew, a local shared cab, which we privatize for the group. You’ll get around just like the locals.

6 am | Sunrise viewing of the offering ceremony: a long procession of monks, preceded by the eldest, makes its way through town.

7 am | Breakfast at the hotel.

10 h 30 | Wat Suan Dok temple hosts a Buddhist training center. Meet monks from all over Asia for an introduction to the principles and practice of meditation. (2 x 15 minutes)

11:15 am | A traditional offering of vegetarian food to the monks.

11.30 am | They thank you in song and, for once, you share a traditional Buddhist vegetarian meal in the temple restaurant. A unique experience in a special atmosphere.

3 pm | Departure for the summit of Mount Doï Suthep, overlooking Chiang Mai to the east, where you’ll find a temple that is still very popular and venerated by Buddhists. The view of the “Rose of the North”, as Chiang Mai is known, is breathtaking. Tasting of the national drink: Samg Som.

7:30 pm | Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 8

Chiang Mai

6:30 am | Breakfast at hotel.

8:30 am | Visit to the Kad Luang market, renowned for its diversity of colors and scents. Thais frequent this large market in search of the best products. Competition is fierce between vendors, and the most beautiful stalls win the day. The best producers of homemade sausages and grilled pork rinds are immediately recognizable by the many buyers patiently waiting their turn. A very interesting area is dedicated to the ethnic crafts of the northern tribes.

10:30 am | Departure for the outskirts of Chiang Mai, where Mr. Praphat welcomes us to his traditional Lanna-style house, more than a century old, a veritable living museum where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather already lived. A return to the past, amidst fruit trees, medicinal plants and herbs.

12 h | Help prepare dinner under the expert guidance of the whole family.

2 pm | Drive to Mae Jo University to discover an orchid nursery, a far cry from the tourist orchid farms. These orchids are produced by Chiang Mai Agricultural University and then reintroduced into the northern forests.

3:45 pm | Stroll through old Chiang Mai, lined with the old houses that make up the charm of the “Rose of the North”. Free time.

7:30 pm | Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 9

Chiang Mai - Phuket

Breakfast at hotel in Chiang Mai.

Transfer to Chiang Mai airport.

Flight to Phuket.

Transfer to hotel.

Free lunch and dinner ($).

Breakfast included

Days 10-12