Thailand with Phuket

The adventure begins as you head for fascinating Bangkok. This is a land-only package: if you'd like us to handle your airfare too, ask us for the price with flights included. We recommend getting to the airport at least 4 hours before your flight so the trip starts stress-free.

We land in the connecting city and board our onward flight to Bangkok. Get some rest: a New Year among temples and beaches is waiting.

Welcome to Bangkok! When you arrive in Thailand's exotic capital, a representative meets you and takes you to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon is for soaking up its vibrant mix of tradition and modern life.

A full tour of Bangkok: the Golden Buddha Temple, the Golden Mount, with panoramic views from the top, and the Reclining Buddha Temple, home to one of the largest reclining Buddhas in the world (entry fees included). We finish at the Grand Palace, the former royal residence, with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most important in Thailand. Then we cross the Chao Phraya River by ferry to the IconSiam mall, with free time and your own way back to the hotel.

In Ayutthaya we stroll through the Muslim Quarter and enter the historical park of this former capital of the Kingdom of Siam (entry included). We see the imposing Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon and Wat Mahathat, famous for the Buddha head wrapped in the roots of a sacred tree. Then we head north, reaching Phitsanulok by mid-afternoon.

At dawn, anyone who wishes can join the alms offering to the monks, one of Buddhism's most important rituals. We visit Sukhothai Historical Park and Wat Si Chum, with its enormous Buddha, and in Lampang one of the country's most revered wooden temples (entry fees included). We arrive in Chiang Mai with a short panoramic tour before heading to the hotel.

We head into the mountains to see two unique temples: Wat Pha Lat, hidden in the jungle, and legendary Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of the holiest in the north (entry fees included). Then we visit Elephant Eco Valley (entry included) to learn about elephant life, and a Karen community, a visit built around respect and support for local development.

We ride through Tweechol Botanic Garden (entry included), with its tropical plants and orchids, and continue to the Mae Kachan hot springs. We stop at the iconic White Temple, decorated with mirrors (entry included), and reach the Mekong River at the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet, to visit the Opium Museum (entry included). We arrive in Chiang Rai late in the afternoon.

Transfer to Chiang Rai airport for the included flight to Bangkok. You have free time to enjoy the capital at your own pace.

We fly to Phuket (flight included), the "pearl of the Andaman", famous for its white-sand bays and turquoise water. A representative meets you and takes you to the hotel.

A free day to relax or go exploring. Don't miss the optional trip to the Phi Phi Islands, a crystal-clear paradise that starred in movies like "The Beach".

Another free day to rest or get active; we recommend the optional trip to Phang Nga and its islands, one of which appeared in a James Bond film. The province offers kayaking, rafting, climbing, diving, golf and the Elephant Cave with its stalactites and stalagmites. In the evening, transfer to the airport for the 12:55 a.m. flight on January 7.

End of our services. We head home with the New Year just beginning and suitcases full of temples, smiles and beaches.