Orchid Tour, from Bangkok to the Golden Triangle

Flight to Bangkok on a scheduled flight. Meals and overnight on board.

Arrive at Bangkok airport, collect your luggage and be met by our representative (at Gate 10). Transfer to your hotel and check-in (your room will be available between 12 and 3 p.m. by international standards, and you can leave your personal belongings in the hotel luggage room).

Free meals. Night at your hotel.

Early breakfast. Early morning departure for a visit to the Damnoen Saduak floating market, where you'll discover the canals amidst boats with a wide range of activities. Free time for shopping. On to Nakhon Pathom and its 127-metre-high chedi. Return to Bangkok.

Typical lunch in town.

Visit to the magnificent Royal Palace. The Grand Royal Palace is one of the most beautiful monuments of the ancient Siamese court. It has been the residence of all the Kings of Bangkok. You'll see the Funeral Palace, the Reception Palace, the Throne Hall, the Coronation Hall, the Royal Guest House and Wat Phra Keo, home to the extraordinary Emerald Buddha.

Thai dance dinner show. Enjoy the specialty of Massaman Beef, a traditional beef dish with red curry. This southern Thai curry is one of the mildest and most fragrant of Thai curries, a real treat for the palate!

A short tour of Bangkok "by night" to discover the Chinese Quarter, with its narrow streets and lanes of stores lined with illuminated signs and paper lanterns, offering a unique night-time spectacle. Take a stroll through Thailand's largest flower market, where excitement reigns every evening. For just a few cents, pick up a necklace of yellow carnations to make an offering at the next temple, or buy seeds to plant at home.

Return to your hotel. Overnight at your hotel.

Breakfast on board. Departure for Ayutthaya, former capital of the Kingdom of Siam. The city was founded in 1350 by Ramathibodi I and became the capital of his kingdom. Its ruins have been turned into a historical park, and the new city was rebuilt a few kilometers further east. This archaeological park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features a collection of remains characterized by prangs (reliquary towers) and Buddhist monasteries of gigantic proportions, giving an idea of the grandeur of the ancient capital and the splendor of its architecture.

Lunch of specialties (banana or pumpkin fritters) in a lovely local restaurant with a pond.

Continuation by road to Phitsanuloke, via Chainat. En route, visit the Crystal Temple, Wat Tha Sung. This small temple, long forgotten on the banks of Sakae Krang, flourished under the influence of the monk Luang Pho Ruesi Ling Dam. Today, this architecturally unique complex boasts numerous buildings, including a large meditation park bordered by a wall of hundreds of Buddha statues, the Prasat Thong Kham, nicknamed "the golden pyramid", and its famous Viharn Kaeow glass chapel.

Dinner and overnight in Phitsanulok.

We have breakfast. Departure by road for Sukhothaï, the first capital of Siam, founded in 1238 and putting an end to the Khmer reign of Angkor Wat. Sukhothaï was declared a World Heritage Site in 1991. It is more famous for its art than its political achievements. Visit the historic park and its superb temples.

Lunch of Thai fried vegetable specialties.

Departure for Chiang Rai via Lampang. Stop and visit to a pineapple plantation (depending on season and harvest). Chiang Rai, "the City of Kings", is a small town with a population of 65,000. The city was founded by King Mengrai in 1262 and became the first capital of the Lannathai kingdom, but soon lost this status to Chiang Mai. In 1432, the Emerald Buddha, the most important representation of Buddha venerated in Thailand, was discovered in Chiang Rai and transported to the Royal Palace in Bangkok.

Dinner and overnight in Chiang Rai at the hotel.

We have breakfast. Visit to the famous Golden Triangle region, a thin strip of land on the border between Thailand, Laos and Burma. Set off to meet the "hill people" who live in the tree-covered hills of northern Thailand. In the morning, enjoy a moment of exchange and sharing with the Akha and Yao tribes. Today, these ethnic minorities live mainly from agriculture (poppies, rice, as well as various vegetables such as chillies and soybeans) and handicrafts (fabrics, embroidery).

Lunch of rice specialties sautéed with pineapple.

Boat trip on the Mae Kok River. Encounter with the Karen tribes. Established in Thailand since the Mon-Khmer empire, the Karen are today the largest tribe in the north. The Karen have preserved their ancestral beliefs and rites, and are renowned for their particular attachment to preserving their environment. Visit Wat Rong Khun temple, also known as the White Temple. Extraordinarily white to symbolize the purity of Buddhism, and inlaid with small pieces of mirror to bring about the reflection of enlightenment, this complex of nine buildings is both a temple and a true work of art. Departure for Chiang Mai.

Dinner and overnight at hotel.

We have breakfast. Departure for the Doi Suthep temple on a hill overlooking the city. The ascent to the pagoda is via a 306-step staircase framed by giant porcelain snakes and dragons. Discover the different parts of the site, with its pagodas, statues and copper chedi, the sacred element of the temple. A blend of Buddhist and Hindu culture. From the temple, there's an impressive view over the city of Chiang Mai.

Lunch of fried noodle and curry specialties.

Continuation of visits to centers for silk, silver and wood carvings... Chiang Mai, the "Rose of the North", is the capital of Chiang Mai province. It lies 800 km north of Bangkok, among the highest mountains in the country. The city lies on the banks of the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya. Chiang Mai's historical strength stems from its strategically important location on the ancient Silk Road, long before the modern influx of foreign visitors. The city is an important center for handicrafts, umbrellas, jewelry (especially silver) and woodcarving.

Kantoke dinner. This typical northern meal consists of several dishes (rice, meat in tomato sauce, boiled vegetables, local sausages, etc.). A true culinary discovery, accompanied by the traditional dances of the northern tribes. Overnight in hotel.

Enjoy a free morning in Chiang Mai with a choice of three activities.

The first option is to relax at the hotel and enjoy the pool, or stroll through the city's bustling streets, including the local Talat Warorot market and the riverside flower market.

The second option is a bamboo raft trip to the village of Mae Taman, in the middle of the rainforest. You'll discover lush flora and enjoy the tranquility of the river.

You can also opt for the third activity, a visit to the Eco Valley Elephant Sanctuary, where you'll learn more about these majestic animals and take part in activities such as creating eco-recycled paper and bathing elephants in the river.

Lunch is scheduled for 1:30pm, with a typical Thai dish, "Pad Thaï", consisting of rice noodles sautéed with vegetables in a delicious sweet and tangy sauce.

After lunch, you'll be transferred to the train station to board an air-conditioned overnight train to Bangkok. The train offers comfortable compartments for resting during the journey. For late-night travelers, the dining car is open to enjoy the evening. Travelling by night train in Thailand is a unique and memorable experience.

Overnight on board the sleeper train.