Day 1

Bangkok

Meeting at the international airport with the Ofakim representative and transfer to the hotel.

After settling in, we will go out for a pampering foot massage and then go out for a night on the town, starting out at the Erawan Shrine that stands on one of the busiest street corners of Bangkok and to which Hindis and Buddhists from all over the city come to pray.

We will see the statue of a four-faced Buddha in the center of the Shrine, watch the fascinating exotic ceremonies that always take place there, and might even make a wish.

From there we will go on to Bangkok’s red light district, Pat Pong. We will see the typical nightclubs and sex show venues and wander among the stalls of the famous night market.

Day 2

Bangkok, Royal Palace and Temples

This morning we will visit important temples such as Wat-Po, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha.

We will continue to the Grand Palace, where the kings of Siam lived. Among the magnificent buildings, we will see the funeral house, the reception buildings, the crown pavilion, the guesthouses and more.

We will also visit Wat Phra Kao, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world.

In the afternoon we will have a guided panoramic tour of the city during which we will see Democracy Square, the Golden Mount, the grounds of the King’s living quarters at Chitralada Palace, the Parliament and we will do a short tour of Chinatown, the Chinese quarter.

We will also take a boat trip along the canals (klongs) of the Chao Praya river and see the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) and the porcelain Pagoda.

In the river, we will see and feed the catfish that are protected by royal decree.

Back to the hotel.

Day 3

Floating Market and the Bridge over the River Kwai

Today we will take longtail boats out of Bangkok in the direction of Nakhon Pathom and make our way directly to Thailand’s biggest floating market, Damnoen Saduak. There, we will take a walk on the ‘islands’ that make up the most famous of all Thailand’s markets.

We will continue on to Kanchanaburi, one of the most beautiful of Thailand’s provinces, and see the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. We will go onto the bridge and then to the War Museum and to the cemetery that became famous after the fascinating film about the prisoners of war who died there whilst constructing the Japanese ‘death railway.’

We will take a boat trip on the River Kwai and then go back to Bangkok.

In the evening we will make a special tour to the Kawasan, the area renowned for its young atmosphere, music and pubs.

We will continue from there to the colorful flower market.

In the evening, we will go to Bangkok’s nightlife and entertainment center, Soi Cowboy, and stop for a special culinary experience at the Seafood Market (meal not included).

Day 4

Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Bang Pa’in Palace

Today we will go to the Thai historical capital that was a powerful military, cultural and political center until its was completely defeated by the Burmese, who forced Thailand to ‘remove’ its capital to Bangkok. We will see the remains of that great city and its temples.

We will take a boat trip from Ayutthaya to Bang Pa’in, the summer palace made famous by the film The King and I.

We will go to the palace gardens and to the fabulous Chinese style mansion, and will, of course, see the ‘green elephant’ family.

Day 5

Pattaya, Nong-Nooch, Chinese Museum

This morning we will leave for Pattaya.

Upon arrival, we will go to the Nong Nooch Park with its beautiful gardens, and see the monkeys and other animals wandering around. We will watch an authentic folklore display of locals doing Thai boxing, sword fighting, singing and dancing, as well as a traditional wedding ceremony. And we will, of course, not miss out on the wonderful elephant show.

From there we will go on to the fascinating Chinese Museum in a building that represents the harmonious blend of Buddhist beliefs, Taoism and Confucianism and that exposes the beholder to Chinese culture and art. This impressive site was inaugurated by the King himself.

Day 6

Coral Island, Pattaya

Today we will take a boat out to Ko Larn Coral Island, one of the exotic southern islands. We will swim at one of the beaches there.

When we get back to Pattaya, we will still have time to go to the shopping and entertainment centers.

Day 7

Chiang Rai, the River Kok, Elephant Ride, Night Market

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand.

Upon arrival, we will take a special boat ride on the River Kok, one of the tributaries of the Mekong River, on our way to the Karen hill tribes.

On our way, we will take in some of the breathtaking landscapes of northern Thailand.

We will go on an elephant ride on a special route that will take us over land and into the river.

After a short rest at the hotel, we will go for a night tour to the town center and to the famous night market.

Day 8

Doi Tung, Hill Tribes, the Golden Triangle, Mekong Boat Trip, Mae Sai

We will go to see some of the hill tribes living in the area: the distinctive Yao and the Akha. In order to get to them, we will have to change our mode of transport and switch over to pickup trucks which will take us to the village centers. We will hear about the special nature of these peoples and about their way of life.

We will then continue to tour the area known as the Golden Triangle by bus. The Golden Triangle is the juncture where Burma, Laos and Thailand’s borders meet up at the Mekong River. The area was once the opium growing and trading center of the local tribes.

We will visit the border town of Mai Sai, take a boat on the Mekong River that became renowned during the Vietnam War. From the boat, we will see the shores of Laos and Burma.

Later on in the day, we will make a special visit to Doi Tung, the Princess mother’s royal gardens, another highlight of today’s tour.

Day 9

Long-neck Women, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai

We leave Chiang Mai and drive through mountains and densely vegetated areas to the Tha Ton Reserve where we will walk among the lush vegetation to see and photograph the most distinctive and unique of the tribes in the area: the Long-Neck Women who came to Thailand from neighboring Burma and belong to the larger group of Pudong tribes.

Our bus will then take us to Chiang Mai, the capital of northern Thailand. We will drive up the mountain to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep which dominates the hillside from a height of 1200 meters and is one of the four holiest shrines in Thailand. We will make our way up 300 steps to the temple via the Dragonhead stairway and see the golden stupa. There is a breathtaking view of Chiang Mai from the summit.

Transfer to the hotel.

After a brief rest, we will go out to northern Thailand’s biggest and liveliest night market.

Day 10

Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon National Park, Artist villages

This morning we will leave early to go to one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Thailand - Doi Ithanonon in the province of Chiang Mai - in special vehicles that suit the terrain. We will go up to the 2500-meter summit and see the stupas that date back to the Rama 9 Dynasty.

We will then drive down the mountain and see the biggest waterfall of the area. We will also take a walk in the mountaineous jungle. We will visit some of the famous artist villages and see woodcarving, colorful umbrella making and more.

In the evening, we will have a typical northern Thai Kantok dinner accompanied by music and dancing.

Day 11

Phuket

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Phuket.

Transfer to the hotel with its beautiful gardens and swimming pool where we can spend the rest of the day unless we prefer to go out for a walk to the Patong Beach center and wander around the stalls and various places of entertainment.

Day 12

Phuket, Phang Nga Bayt

Today we head for Phang Nga Bay.

On the way, we will stop at a rubber farm and learn about the manufacturing process.

We will take a boat and sail amid the karst mountains and the mangrove reserve on our way to Ko Tapu, better known as James Bond Island, because the movie ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ was filmed there.

We will sail on from there to a fisherman’s village where we will stop for lunch.

On our way back to the hotel, we will stop at a cashew factory.

When we get back to the hotel, we will continue to relax and to go out and have fun visiting the various pubs and entertainment centers that the island has to offer.

Day 13

Phuket

We will take a beach tour with special vehicles, stopping at observation points in the hills for the fantastic views of some of Phuket’s bays such as Kata Noi, Karon and more.

We will go down to the southernmost point of the island and see the lighthouse.

Back to the hotel.

Day 14

Phuket, Bangkok

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Bangkok and then home at the end of an enjoyable, exotic tour to this enchanting part of the world.

END OF SERVICES.

The fullest, most comprehensive and most exclusive tour of Thailand available, including:

Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Long-Neck Tribes

Guided tours in: Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Bang Pa’in Palace, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket. Special visits: Bangkok: Temple of the Golden Buddha, Royal Palace, Pat Pong, Kawasan. Special visit to the Floating Market, Bridge of the River Kwai. Chiang Rai: Golden Triangle, Elephant ride, Long-Neck Women Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep Shrine Kantok evening: Folklore, including dinner. Visit to two holiday resorts: Pattaya and Phuket. Pattaya: Boat trip to Coral Island Phuket: Tour into the hills for views of the island, Phang Nga Bay.   Domestic flights abroad Hotels: First class and good tourist class. Double rooms with adjoining bathrooms. Meals: Buffet breakfast throughout the entire tour and 11 extra meals, either lunch or dinner (including a picnic and a traditional Kantok dinner). Air-conditioned bus for all touring and transfers Experienced, professional guide Visa: Please check with your travel agent Visits: Entrance fees included as per the itinerary   The price also includes: local airport taxes, fuel tax as per 6/1/07, tips for services rendered. The price does not include: international air, optional tours, travel insurance. We recommend that you read the chapter at the end of the brochure devoted to general information and general terms. TOUR CODE: OTP Arrival date to destination Land only - per person in USD 2007 Sep 3, 5, 9, *24 $1,890 Oct 2, 10, 11 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 $1,890 Nov 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 $2,180 Dec 5, 6, 19, 20 $2,300 2008 Jan 2, 3, 16, 17, 30, 31 $2,300 Feb 6, 7, 20, 21 $2,100 Mar 12, 13, 26, 27 $2,100 Apr 9, 10, 16, 17, 30 $2,100 May 7, 7, 21, 22 $1,930 Jun 4, 5, 18, 19 $1,930 Jul 9, 10, 16, 24 $1,930 Aug 6, 7, 13, 20, 21, 28 $1,930 Sep 3, 10, 18, 25 $1,930 Oct 1, 2, 15, 23 $1,930 Nov 5, 12, 20, 27 $2,220 Dec 3, 17, 18 $2,340 2009 Jan 1, 8, 21, 22, 28, 29 $2,340 Feb 4, 5, 18, 19, 25, 26 $2,220 Mar 12, 25, 26 $2,220 Apr 1, 2, 16 $2,220 *One extra night in Bangkok.

For more information regarding tour costs and extensions, contact Gil Travel by email or phone 800.223.3855.

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