Family holiday in Thailand, Tuk Tuk Thailand
| country: | Thailand |
| location: | Thai hill tribes, Golden Triangle, Northern Thailand, Central Thailand |
| departures: | 2008: 27 Sep, 27 Dec |
| price: | From £1045 (12 days) per adult and £520 per child (up to 12 yrs) excluding flights, based on triple share. Min age is 5 yrs. We can arrange flights from the UK. Maximum group size 16. |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
This trip is an exciting new journey through the Land of Smiles, which combines all the highlights of this wonderful country with fun activities for people of all ages.
Highlights include:
Giant reclining Buddha in bustling Bangkok Floating hotel in the River Kwai area Cyclo tour in Chiang Mai Elephant trek and rafting at boutique Lisu Lodge Cycling and cooking class at the Lanna Farm Boat trip in the Golden Triangle
Explore the vibrant city of Bangkok, stay in a floating hotel, enjoy elephant treks, cyclo rides and more on an adventure designed exclusively for parents and their children. End your family journey in Chiang Mai, a centre of activities, shopping and dining in the north.
We use centrally-located three star hotels as well as a remarkable floating hotel and an eco-lodge next to a Lisu village. Travel is by modern air-conditioned vehicles, overnight sleeper train (basic, 4 berth shared cabin), elephant trekking, walking, optional cycling, and boat trips.
Our cost includes breakfast daily, 1 lunch & 3 dinners, a tour leader and local English speaking guides throughout, but excludes entrance fees (US$47 will be collected at the beginning of the trip).
Highlights include:
Explore the vibrant city of Bangkok, stay in a floating hotel, enjoy elephant treks, cyclo rides and more on an adventure designed exclusively for parents and their children. End your family journey in Chiang Mai, a centre of activities, shopping and dining in the north.
We use centrally-located three star hotels as well as a remarkable floating hotel and an eco-lodge next to a Lisu village. Travel is by modern air-conditioned vehicles, overnight sleeper train (basic, 4 berth shared cabin), elephant trekking, walking, optional cycling, and boat trips.
Our cost includes breakfast daily, 1 lunch & 3 dinners, a tour leader and local English speaking guides throughout, but excludes entrance fees (US$47 will be collected at the beginning of the trip).
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Bangkok. Arrive in Bangkok and absorb the energy of the megalopolis as you explore the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, cruise the Chao Phraya River and the Thonburi Canals, and visit Wat Arun and the Royal Barges Museum. You will have some free time to enjoy Asia’s best shops and restaurants. Hotel: Bel-Aire Princess |
| Day 3: | The River Kwai & Kanchanaburi. The beautiful wilderness area surrounding Kanchanaburi is where you will discover ethnic minority groups and a fascinating recent history. Start with a ride aboard the ‘Death Railway,’ and then hop into longtail boats to arrive at your atmospheric floating hotel. Take an elephant trek and a ride on a bamboo raft. Hotel: Floatel |
| Day 4: | Ayuthaya. In Ayuthaya see some of the country’s most impressive monuments. Ayuthaya was once the capital of Thailand, and is home to some temples as old as Angkor. Return to Bangkok this afternoon to catch the overnight train to Chiang Mai. You will love the experience! Hotel: overnight train |
| Day 5-6: | Chiang Mai. Encounter Northern Thai culture by visiting Chiang Mai’s most impressive sites. Doi Suthep Monastery takes pride of place on a hill just outside of town; check it out before a samlor tour of the city. Then journey further into the nearby countryside for an elephant show. Hotel: Karinthip Village |
| Day 7-8: | Hilltribe Villages . You will meet the Lisu hilltribe people and stay at their award-winning ecoresorts. Cycle through the countryside and learn the secrets of Thai cuisine in your cooking class, take an elephant trek through lush scenery, spelunk the Chiang Dao Caves, visit Palong Village and enjoy a foray into the jungle. Hotel: Lisu Lodge & Lanna Farm |
| Day 9-12: | The Golden Triangle. Cycle to a local market before hitting the road. Get to know the mysterious region where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma) meet, and visit Asia’s most impressive interactive museum. Take a trip on the Khong River, stop by Mae Sai and Doi Tung, as well as a Buddha Casting Museum. The Kok River brings you to a Karen village, where you can meet this distinct group before a stop at a hot spring and your return to Chiang Mai. Depart on day 12. Hotels: Imperial Golden Triangle, Karinthip Village |
travellers' tales
Both guides were so friendly and helpful, couldn't do enough for us they were wonderful, please pass on our thanks to them. (more)
small group family adventure holiday
These family journeys have a maximum of 16 like-minded travellers which ensures that all travellers have an amazing overall experience with the destination and that they enjoy the flexibility that comes with the small group dynamic. On this trip you will stay at boutique accommodation with character. Our numbers are discreet enough for us to interact with local families in their homes and meet people in markets, bazaars and temples – something that’s just not possible when you arrive as part of a large tour group. Along with our unique combination of Western tour leader and local English-speaking guide this will ensure an unforgettable travel experience.how this holiday makes a difference
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We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of Thailand’s beautiful natural environment. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel. We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people.
This family adventure combines all the highlights of this wonderful country with entertaining activities for people of all ages. We visit the elephant training camp at Mae Sa and learn about the methods used to train young elephants. Until recently many of the elephants in northern Thailand were used in the logging industry. The camp you will visit engages the elephants in a more environmentally friendly activity, and provides employment for the mahout trainers.  A stay at the award-winning locally run Lisu ecolodge near Chiang Mai is a key feature of this journey. The Lisu people are one of the many hill tribe ethnic groups living in the north of Thailand who migrated from Tibet in the 1920s. The Lodge has won several awards for its wonderful mountain atmosphere, and its employment of local people as managers, cooks, and hosts. A stay at Khum Lanna near Chiang Mai, which is dedicated to the preservation of traditional Thai culture, is also included in the journey. This locally operated farm works closely with and helps to support nearby villagers, and it also has a reputation for great cuisine. During this journey we actively encourage our travellers to patronise or financially assist numerous not-for-profit organisations in Thailand including Cabbages and Condoms in Bangkok (a restaurant which helps fund Thai family planning projects). On this journey our local guides are trained to share their knowledge of cultural and other local issues in a balanced, informative way; in this journey alone you are likely to meet several local guides from different provinces in Thailand. They share real experiences from their own lives and insights into their family life, influences and beliefs, thus providing our travellers with a deeper understanding of the places they visit. This is what motivates our guides, not shopping commissions. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |