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Exploring Northern Thailand 2008 - Detailed Itinerary

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Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Depart the U.S.

Depart from the U.S. for Bangkok. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 2 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive in Bangkok

Arrive this evening in Bangkok (approximately 11:00 pm). Claim your luggage and clear customs. Then meet your VBT representative (who will be holding a VBT sign) in the Arrivals hall. Suvarnabhumi Airport is a single terminal airport with three exits from the secure area into the public Arrivals hall. International arrivals will exit through Gate B or C into the Arrivals hall. The VBT representative will know in advance which exit you will be coming through (based on your flight details) and will be waiting in the appropriate area. In case you do not connect with the VBT representative, kindly proceed to the ATTA desk located at exit door 10. This representative will help you transfer to your hotel (a 50 minute transfer).

Hotel: Triple Two Silom

Day 3 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Explore Bangkok

Spend the morning touring the famed Grand Palace, and its Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew), with a guide. Then board a long tailed boat in the middle of the city and travel through the canals (klongs) witnessing daily life. Stop at The Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) before returning to the hotel. The afternoon is free to enjoy world famous shopping and cuisine.

Meals: B  Hotel: Triple Two Silom

Day 4 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Bangkok

Enjoy a day at leisure in Bangkok. Your hotel is located within steps of the city's air-conditioned and fast Skytrain transit system, making it possible to visit Chatuchak Market in the morning and then have lunch at the Oriental Hotel overlooking the Chao Phraya River. Thai traditional massage is a wonder for jet-lagged bodies.

Meals: B  Hotel: Triple Two Silom

Day 1 of AIR PACKAGE Depart the U.S.

Depart from the U.S. for Bangkok. The particulars of your arrival are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 2 of AIR PACKAGE Arrive in Bangkok this evening

Arrive Bangkok this evening (approximately 11:00 pm). Claim your luggage and clear customs. Then meet your VBT representative (who will be holding a VBT sign) in the arrivals hall. Suvannabhumi Airport is a single terminal airport with three exits from the secure area into the public arrivals hall. International arrivals will exit through Gate B or C into the arrivals hall. The VBT representative will know in advance which exit you will be coming through (based on your flight details) and will be waiting in the appropriate area. In case you do not connect with the VBT representative, kindly proceed to the ATTA desk located at exit door 10. This representative will help you transfer to your hotel ( a 50 minute transfer). The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Hotel: Triple Two Silom

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Golden Triangle/Bike fitting

Pre-Trip Extension guests: Meet the air package guests in the hotel lobby after breakfast for the transfer to the Bangkok airport. VBT Air Package guests: After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Bangkok for the short flight north to Chiang Rai. On arrival in Chiang Rai meet your VBT Trip Leaders and transfer by minivan to the ancient town of Chiang Saen. This area is commonly called the Golden Triangle. Have lunch and check into the resort along the Mekong River. In the afternoon the leaders provide a briefing of the week ahead, followed by a safety and bike-fitting session. Tonight dine with your fellow travelers and leaders. VBT No-Air Package guests: Your VBT Trip Leaders and the rest of the group meet you outside the domestic arrivals area at the Chiang Rai airport at 11:00 am. If you are scheduled to arrive at the airport in Chiang Rai later than 11:00 am, or if you are delayed, you must take a taxi at your own expense to the Imperial Golden Triangle Resort (address 222 Golden Triangle, Chiang Saen. Tel (0) 2261 9000) at an approximate cost of 1800 Thai Baht/60.00 US Dollars.

Meals: B,L, D  Hotel: Imperial Golden Triangle Resort

Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Explore the Golden Triangle/Tour the Hall of Opium

After breakfast, ride a scenic loop through the countryside surrounding Chiang Saen. The ride passes tobacco plantations, temples, and farming villages. Stop to wander among the old city walls of Chiang Saen. Visit the hilltop temple, “Wat Phra Tat Pha Ngao” which offers a unique and spectacular view of the Mekong River, Laos, and of Chiang Saen. Have lunch at a local restaurant, then return to the hotel for a siesta or swim. In the late afternoon, head over to the Hall of Opium, a state-of-the-art museum telling the story of the many thousand year history of Opium cultivation and the effect on society. Dinner is on your own this evening.

Meals: B, L  Hotel: Imperial Golden Triangle Resort

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Follow the Mekong River South to Chiang Khong/Optional visit to trading town in Myanmar

After breakfast, follow the Mekong, riding south of Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong. Stop for lunch before returning by shuttle to the resort. This afternoon offers an optional excursion by boat to neighboring Myanmar (formerly Burma) and a visit to one of the trading villages along the Thai border. For the energetic, there is an option in the afternoon for a loop ride from the resort that has some hills.

Meals: B, L  Hotel: Imperial Golden Triangle Resort

Day 4 of BIKE TOUR Ride to Phrao/Cooking Class/Overnight Khum Lanna

Shuttle out of Chiang Saen this morning, then begin the ride to our lodge in Phrao. In the afternoon, tour the lodge's herb garden, accompanied by explanations of the uses of Thai traditional medicine, herbal massage and herbal steam bath. Our group has exclusive use of the lodge tonight. The lodge is operated by local Lanna people as an artisan's retreat. We participate in a Thai cooking lesson prior to enjoying the fruits of our labor over a four-course dinner. After dinner, watch a million stars beside a campfire in the garden.

Meals: B, L, D  Hotel: Khum Lanna

Day 5 of BIKE TOUR Early morning ride/Alms giving/Ride to waterfall and shuttle to Doi Angkhang

If you're an early riser, take coffee/tea in your room as the sun comes up. In the first light, ride a rural country road via San Kwang Village to Phrao town to visit an early morning local market, where fresh cut flowers are a specialty. You might choose to sample some of the delicious coffee available here. Our local hosts will help us buy snacks and flower garlands for the temple offerings we will make later. After leaving the market, we visit with a farmer and discover his traditional tools shop. Then, cycle back to Khum Lanna, along the local canal with a stop at Wat Pa, where we “make merit” in the traditional way—by offering gifts of food and flowers to the monks. Back at the lodge, there is time to shower before taking a local Lanna-style breakfast set on the riverside. Later today we transfer to Doi Angkhang and then ride to hill villages of the local Muser and Palong people.

Meals: B, L, D  Hotel: Angkhang Nature Resort

Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Bike/Bird watch/Mule ride

Ride out into the hills that surround Doi Angkhang. Birders may choose to stop for some excellent bird spotting opportunities in these valleys. The scenic rides pass more hill tribe villages. At the end of our ride we transfer to mules to visit some of the more rugged terrain. Today's ride is the most challenging of the trip.

Meals: B, L, D  Hotel: Angkhang Nature Resort

Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Biking and Paddling in Sri Lanna National Park/Shuttle to Chiang Mai

Today we shuttle to Sri Lanna National Park where we have a gentle ride through the countryside and its fruit orchards, rice fields and groves of bamboo. We stop at Mae Ngud Reservoir where we paddle to a floating house for lunch. In the late afternoon, we will board a minibus and travel to Chiang Mai, the most well known city in the North.

Meals: B, L, D  Hotel: Manathai Village

Day 8 of BIKE TOUR Cycle through the countryside/Free time in Chiang Mai

Enjoy a morning ride out of Chiang Mai. Relax and take a soak at San Khamphaeng Hot Springs, our destination. The afternoon is at leisure in Chiang Mai.

Meals: B  Hotel: Manathai Village

Day 9 of BIKE TOUR Chiang Mai

This morning, we ride to Ban Tawai, home of Thai handicrafts. There is plenty of time for shopping before riding or shuttling back to the resort. After some free time to relax and enjoy lunch on your own, we gather together and visit Doi Suthep and the other highlights of the city. Wat Doi Suthep is Chiang Mai's most important temple. We enjoy a final dinner together with our leaders and our fellow travelers, reflective of the great variety in Thai food. For those with shopping left to do, let your self loose in the city's famous night bazaar. Haggling is part of the process, but everything is a bargain when you compare prices to those back home!

Meals: B, D  Hotel: Manathai Village

Day 10 of Bike Tour Fly to Bangkok or Begin your Post-trip Extension to Laos

VBT No-Air Package guests: Your trip ends midday at the Chiang Mai hotel. You are responsible for your own transfer to the Chiang Mai airport for your flight home. You can book a taxi (approximately 250 Thai Baht/8 US Dollars, (approximately 30 minutes, depending on traffic) directly from the hotel. VBT Air Package guests: Morning and lunch in Chiang Mai are on your own. Then meet in the hotel lobby 3 hours prior to your flight departure (subject to change per required check-in time at the airport) for transfer (approximately 30 minutes) to the Chiang Mai airport for your flights to Bangkok. Once you reach Bangkok, exit the airport arrival hall and proceed to exit gate 4 on Level 2. There you will find the hotel operated shuttle to take you to the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, your lodging for the night. The rest of the day is on your own. VBT Post-Trip Extension guests: If you have chosen the VBT Post-Trip Extension to Luang Prabang, Laos, meet in the hotel lobby 3 hours prior to your flight departure (subject to change per required check-in time at the airport) for your transfer (approximately 30 minutes) to the Chiang Mai airport. Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, claim your luggage and clear customs. Then meet your VBT representative, who will be holding a VBT sign. This representative will help you transfer (approximately 20 minutes) to The Grand Hotel Luang Prabang. Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Meals: B  Hotel: Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Alternate Hotel: The Grand .   Set around the former villa of local hero Prince Regent Phetsarat, this 78-room resort features French-Indochina-inspired architecture spread over a large well-landscaped area with reflecting pools, lotus ponds and superb views of the Mekong River. The rooms are well-equipped to a four star standard and include air-conditioning, satellite TV and a minibar. The restaurant is set on the edge of the river and is a delightful place to enjoy breakfast or a romantic dinner. Since the hotel is about 4km (2.5mi) from town, a handy shuttle bus is provided to carry guests back and forth throughout the day.

Day 11 of Air Package Depart for US

In the morning, return to the airport by hotel shuttle (operates every 10 minutes, 24 hours per day) for your flight home from Bangkok via Tokyo. You will arrive back in the United States today.

Meals: B

Day 1 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Exploration of Luang Prabang/Pak Ou Caves

Visit the Pak Ou Caves today with your local guide. These caves contain many Buddha images of varying styles, ages and sizes. Explore the city of Ban Zang Hai, once a jar-making village, and now a village busy with brewing of rice whiskey. Continue to see the production of mulberry paper and traditional hand-woven cotton and silk.

Meals: B  Hotel: The Grand

Day 2 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Continued exploration of Luang Prabang

In the morning, join your local guide for a visit to a local market. Continue on to the National Museum (Royal Palace), a modest but graceful building that combines traditional Lao and French beaux-arts motifs. This turn of the century royal residence has been preserved as it was when the royal family last lived here. From Luang Prabang, travel by boat with your guide to visit the small villages of Ban Muang Khai. Then, proceed by car to the Kuang Si Waterfall, located in a natural setting. Turquoise pools are formed by the falls passing over limestone formations. Swim in the clear water before returning to Luang Prabang and saying farewell to your guide for the evening.

Meals: B  Hotel: The Grand

Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Depart for Bangkok

After breakfast, enjoy a final morning of guided exploration with a visit to the oldest living temple in the city, Wat Visoun, dating back to 1513. See Wat Xieng Thong, too. This is the jewel of all the monasteries and temples in the city. Its many buildings feature exquisite mosaic and gold-stenciled murals. You may store your luggage with the hotel when you check out of your room, and use the hotel facilities until it is time to depart for your flight home. Meet in the hotel lobby 3 hours prior to your flight departure (subject to change per required check-in time at the airport) and then transfer to the Luang Prabang airport (approximately 20 minutes) for your flight to Bangkok. Once you reach Bangkok, exit the airport arrival hall and proceed to exit gate 4 on Level 2. There you will find the hotel operated shuttle to take you to the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, your lodging for the night. The rest of the day is on your own.

Meals: B  Hotel: Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport

Day 4 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Depart for US

In the morning, return to the airport by hotel shuttle (operates every 10 mintues, 24 hours per day) for your flight home from Bangkok via Tokyo. You will arrive back in the United States today.

Meals: B