Thailand to Laos: Kanchanaburi, Chiang Rai & Laos Countryside
- Trip code: 490X023
- Dauer: 13
- Stil: The Geluxe Collection
Thailand and Laos invite you to uncover two of Southeast Asia’s most captivating countries on this 13-day Geluxe adventure. Get ready for the perfect mix of iconic sites and hidden gems that dive deep into authentic culture and local life. Join your CEO to explore the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre and ride the historic wooden railway, then hike through Hellfire Pass and canoe back to your floating accommodation. Discover Chiang Rai at your own pace before boarding a slow boat to cross into Laos. Venture far off the tourist trail in Nong Khiaw, where you’ll walk across hanging bridges to secluded waterfalls and enjoy locally crafted Laotian dishes with your hosts. Experience Thailand and Laos at their absolute finest.
Übersicht
Accommodation
Hotels ( 12 nts)
Checklist
Documents:
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)
• Visas or vaccination certificates (With photocopies)
Essentials:
• Toiletries (required) (Shampoo, bodywash, soap, etc.)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket
Health & Safety:
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Face masks (Clients will be only be required to wear a face mask where it is mandated by local regulations.)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sturdy water shoes/sandals
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) and local guides throughout
Group Size Notes
Max 15, avg 12
Highlights
Bangkok Dinner Cruise, Hellfire Pass and Thai-Burma Railway Centre explorations, Chiang Rai street food tour, 2-day slow-boat along the Mekong, Cultural Immersion in northern Laos, Canopy Hanging bridges of Nam Kat, Alms giving in Luang Prabang
Introduction
Thailand and Laos invite you to uncover two of Southeast Asia’s most captivating countries on this 13-day Geluxe adventure. Get ready for the perfect mix of iconic sites and hidden gems that dive deep into authentic culture and local life. Join your CEO to explore the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre and ride the historic wooden railway, then hike through Hellfire Pass and canoe back to your floating accommodation. Discover Chiang Rai at your own pace before boarding a slow boat to cross into Laos. Venture far off the tourist trail in Nong Khiaw, where you’ll walk across hanging bridges to secluded waterfalls and enjoy locally crafted Laotian dishes with your hosts. Experience Thailand and Laos at their absolute finest
Meals Included
12 Frühstück, 8 Mittagessen, 8 Abendessen
Meal Budget
Plane USD80-105 für nicht inbegriffene Mahlzeiten ein
Optional Activities
Nong Khiaw
- Som Nang View Point
Start / Finish
Bangkok nach Luang Prabang
Transport
Train, flight, boat, public bus, private vehicle, walking, train, cycling
What's Included
Dein Welcome-Moment: Anreise und Begrüßungstreffen
Your OMG Day: Golden Triangle Cycle or Doi Tung Tea Experience, Chiang Rai
Dein Foodie-Moment: Cooking Class, Nam Kat
Dein Discover-Moment: Luang Prabang. Complimentary Arrival Transfer. Bangkok Dinner Cruise. Hellfire Pass and Thai-Burma Railway Centre explorations. Floating accommodation in Kanchanaburi. Chiang Rai street food tour. 2-day slow-boat along the Mekong. Som Nang Viewpoint hike. Cultural Immersion at Nayangtai village in northern Laos. Canopy Hanging bridges of Nam Kat. Alms giving in Luang Prabang. Internal airfare. Tips are included for all included meals and activities, except for CEO and porterage. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Minimum Age 18+
The minimum age for this trip is 18 years
Itinerary
Day 1 Bangkok: An Evening on the River
Bustling Bangkok is the heart and soul of Thailand and offers plenty of adventure. For day one though, we are going to take it a bit easy. Step aboard a converted rice barge to set sail along the Chaopraya River as you settle in to Thailand and get to know your fellow travelers. Dig into a delicious meal of curries, jasmine rice, tofu stir fry and mango sticky rice and chat to your CEO as you float downriver and take in the vistas of Bangkok from aboard the boat. Welcome to Thailand and to Laos, and we invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy the adventure
Day 2 Bangkok to Kanchanaburi: Death Railway Train
Begin your Thailand explorations by heading north to Kanchanaburi. Explore the Thai-Burma Railway Centre, an interactive museum dedicated to sharing the history of the railway to those who visit. Ride the Death Railway train over the steep cliffs and visit the famous Bridge over the river Kwai. As your Kanchanaburi explorations conclude, board a long tail boat to reach our floating accommodation for the next two evenings
Day 3 Kanchanaburi: The River Kwai
Named for the torturous and hellish-like conditions in which the workers toiled away on the railway, Hellfire Pass and it's namesake interpretive centre offer an incredible glimpse into this pivotal time in global history. Spend some time at the centre and then trek out to Hintok Cutting to experience the trail itself, and imagine what it might have been like for those workers. To cool off after the humidity of the morning, board a flat bottomed raft to float lazily back to your floating accommodation. Want to get a bit of exercise? Paddle yourself upstream a bit and race your neighbor. Enjoy a hearty lunch back at the lodge after working up an apetite
Day 4 Kanchanaburi to Chiang Rai: The Land of Flowers
Onward and upward today, quite literally. Flying north to Chiang Rai brings us to our last stop in Thailand and the opportunity to experience the unique culture of northern Thailand. Join your CEO and a local expert guide for a foodie walking tour designed to introduce you to some of the regions most famous dishes. Sample Sai Ou, a type of sausage from Laos and northern Thailand and douse everything in Nam Prik, chili sauce with lime, shrimp paste and garlic. You'll sample over ten types of food and drink, so there's almost a guarantee you'll identify your new favorite Thai food item before the night concludes
Day 5 Chiang Rai: OMG Day
With so much to explore in Chiang Rai, there is no wrong way to spend your OMG Day. If you are looking for some exercise, get out on two wheels and explore Chiangsaen and the Golden Triangle area on a guided cycling tour. Visit an Opium Museum that gives context to the naming of the 'Golden Triangle' as you cycle through rice, cassava and pineapple fields. If you relish taking things at a less active pace, join some fellow travelers on an incredible Tea Journey. Head to an area one dominated-and destroyed by- the aforementioned Opium trade, and witness how it has been transformed into a thriving landscape of tea plantations. Join an expert guide as you learn all about tea blending and dipping, and sample some of the local blends. Enjoy an outdoor picnic lunch-with a cup of tea of course
Day 6 Thailand to Laos: Float down the Mekong River
Bid farewell to beautiful Thailand as you board a private chartered slow boat in Laos to cruise along the Mekong River. Spend the day aboard the boat relaxing, snapping photos and taking in life along the Mekong from your unique vantage point. Dine on a delicious lunch aboard and disembark in the late afternoon to make your way to your comfortable hotel in Pak Beng
Day 7 Mekong River Float: Pak Beng to Nong Khiaw
A final morning on board the slow boat means a few final opportunities for photos of the famous Pak Ou caves and a final lunch on board as your slow boat expedition comes to an end. Journey into Laos further as you head to Nong Khiaw, an area of Laos not yet overly popular with international tourists. After two days of relative relaxation, choose to stretch your legs and see Nong Khiaw's undeniable beauty on a hike to the Som Nang viewpoint. Sunset from the viewpoint is spectacular, and worth the half an hour walk
Day 8 Traditional Laotian Communities: Nayangtai and Sopkhong Village Experiences
Nayangtai Village welcomes you this morning for an immersion into the local Tai Lue community. Participate in the Baci Sou Kwan ceremony, a cultural and spiritual traditions of the Tai Lue tribe, and then join local artisans to learn about local pottery making and bamboo weaving. In the afternoon, board a traditional boat to ride upstream to Ban Sopkhong village, where a short trek brings you to a beautiful waterfall. Take some time to refresh yourself in the waterfall before returning back to the village and back downstream to your hotel on the riverside
Day 9 Pha Daeng Peak: Sunrise Hike
If you are naturally early riser, take advantage of a guided hike to witness sunrise over Pha Daeng peak. This moderate hike features some challenging areas but hikers are rewarded with incredible views over Nong Khiaw and surrounds as the sun pops into the sky. If you are keen for a rest this morning, recharge your batteries with a later start and rejoin your fellow travelers for breakfast after the hike. Our explorations of Laos continue as we head further north to Nam Kat Yorla Pa, a protected forestry area along the Nam Kat river. Grab a few local items at the Muang Xai market before reaching the hotel
Day 10 Nam Kat: Jungle Trek & Cooking Class
Witness some of Laos most stunning jungle foliage on a walk over 13 hanging bridges constructed throughout the protected area. These bridges bring you to a secluded waterfall where you will have time to swim and enjoy the sounds of nature around you. Enjoy some time at leisure in the afternoon to explore further on a hike or if you are in need of an adrenaline rush, a zipline through the canopy. Join together for an evening cooking class with your CEO and fellow travelers
Day 11 Nam Kat to Luang Prabang: A UNESCO Town
After a final morning and breakfast among the lushness of northern Laos, travel south on a high-speed train to Luang Prabang. Spend time exploring on foot with your CEO at the night market in the evening
Day 12 Spiritual Laos: Alms Giving & Baci Ceremony
Choose to rise early this morning and join your CEO to witness and participate in the almsgiving practice near your hotel. Your CEO will guide you through the Luang Prabang market as it begins to open up, allowing for a less chaotic look at some of the more unusual items on offer. Return to the hotel for a hearty breakfast and choose to spend the day as you choose. Your CEO will offer to guide you on an excursion to the Kuang Si waterfall and Ban Ou, or choose to explore this UNESCO World Heritage area at your own pace. To celebrate a final evening together, join your CEO and fellow travelers for a dinner in the local community. You are welcomed with a traditional ceremony, offering blessings for your onward journeys upon leaving the country. Join your local hosts to help make lemongrass stuffed with pork and dine together on an indulgent meal
Day 13 Luang Prabang
Your adventure comes to an end, and you can depart at any time today
