Due to market days, this program should start on a Saturday.

Welcome by our team at the airport, then transfer to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Siam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Check-in at the hotel for some rest.

Please note that rooms may be available until 2:00 PM. In case of early arrival, you can leave your luggage at the reception and relax by the pool.

After breakfast, we set off to explore the historic center of the city, including the temple Wat Mahathat, dating back to the late 14th century.

We then continue to the temple Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, which was once the royal temple and is therefore the largest in the city, and Wat Chai Watthanaram, from where we can enjoy the sunset over its ruins.

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Night at Luang Chumni Village

This morning, we head towards the grand Mahasawat Canal, which used to supply the markets of Bangkok. We will explore the canal by boat, followed by a local tractor ride. We will visit a lotus and orchid farm.

We then head to Nakhon Pathom, home to the Wat Phra Pathom Chedi, the tallest stupa in Thailand.

Arrival in Kanchanaburi, where we will take the time to visit the grand temple of Tham Suea, accessible uphill with a small cable car (local standards!!).

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Settle in at the Royal Riverkwai Resort Spa, in a Deluxe room.

Hotel by the river with a pool - Located about ten kilometers after the town and the train bridge.

Departure for the station and boarding around 10:40 am on the famous "Death Railway". made famous by the story of the movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai," for about 1 hour by train to the west and the Sai Yok region, located 70 km west at the end of the train line.

Transfer to Elephant Haven where we have lunch.

Meet your guide and the Mahouts. Together, you will prepare food for the elephants before getting to know them while feeding them. We then go for a walk in the surrounding forest with the pachyderms, our guide taking this opportunity to teach us more about the animal.

Then, we will have the chance to observe them during mud games before accompanying them to the river to give them a bath.

In the end, we return to the camp where we can capture one last time our meeting with the pachyderms.

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

Departure in the morning for Erawan National Park and Waterfalls where we discover stunning waterfalls spanning 7 levels and turquoise water. (Note: From the 3rd level, the terrain is very slippery.) Swimming possible.

After lunch, we hit the road - which is quite long today - towards Sangkhlaburi, a small town where the Thai and Burmese populations mix. This mountainous region invites you to discover a picture of rural Thai life.

Its hillside villages, waterfalls, wooded cliffs, not to mention the wonderful Khao Lem National Park nearby, make Sangkhlaburi a hotspot for natural tourism.

In the late afternoon, we settle into Na Nu's small guesthouse (1 house with 2 bedrooms). A quiet evening by the lake.

Free evening, dinner at the guesthouse

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Early wake-up to participate in the morning alms-giving to the monks on the bridge or in town. To be arranged with your guide.

Return to the hotel for breakfast.

Then, a stroll in Sangklaburi to see the temples of the Mon ethnic group (very close to the Burmese) and walk on the bridge (Saphan Mon) which is the highlight of the area. A walk in the small town (Mon and Burmese markets). Boat ride on the lake and discovery of the submerged temple.

In the late afternoon, we hit the road to venture into the surrounding forest and reach our homestay in Phu Pha Tad.

Accommodation in a guesthouse in the forest for 2 nights.

Small traditional houses (small house with 2 bedrooms) - (rustic comfort but very sufficient - fans or air conditioning)

This forest stay will be more of a "homestay" experience than just a hotel stay! That's why we deliberately left this part without a well-established program.

Feel free to ask in the late afternoon to participate in meal preparation - it will be much better than a formal cooking class - or even in the morning, go to the market with your host to buy ingredients; or to demonstrate your cooking skills to them!

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Morning bike ride with our host.

Getting on our bikes at 09:00

A fifteen-kilometer bike ride, without any particular difficulty

On the way back, we can plan to swim in the Hin Dat hot springs (possibility of massages - not included)

Discovery of a countryside school… or any other meeting or visit that is not always easy, or even desirable, to organize in advance - as it also adds to the excitement of the trip!

Possibility of preparing lunch with a family from the village of a Thai minority (please note, local cuisine)

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

This morning, we bid farewell to our hosts early, as a long morning of driving awaits us. En route, we'll stop in Ratchaburi to visit the shadow puppet theater museum at Wat Khanon.

After lunch, stop at a Thai family's house to learn how to make small objects out of palm leaves, including the small fish known as "pla tapian," which are a specialty of the Ayutthaya and Amphawa regions.

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

In the evening, let's treat ourselves to a Thai massage. (Optional activity to be arranged with the guide, on site).

Night at the Kanokrat Resort.

Note: The schedule may be adjusted so that this day falls on a Saturday.

This morning, we head to the small floating market of Tah Kah, rich in colors and scents. A real immersion in Thai local life.

Then, an excursion to a local palm sugar industry.

In the early afternoon, we visit the gardens of the residence of King Rama II, where we find superb teak wood buildings.

Visit to the temple Wat Bang Khae Noi, located not far from the city. Its architecture is appreciated, as the building was entirely constructed of teak wood. Its walls are entirely carved and represent episodes from the previous lives of the Buddha.

Continuing with a visit to Wat Bang Kung (Kai Bang Kung), commonly known as the Banyan Tree Temple, since its chapel was covered by the roots and branches of a banyan tree.

In its gardens, we can notably observe life-size representations of fighters, commemorating the Battle of Ayutthaya between Thailand and Burma at the end of the 13th century.

Tonight, we head to the docks to taste the local flavors of the floating market, which takes place on weekend evenings. Along the canals, many locals come to dine. Like them, we order our dishes directly from each boat: stir-fried noodles, skewers of shrimp or squid, or why not some pre-cut mangoes.

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Nightfall, boat trip on the canal. Our boatman picks us up from the quayside, and we set off on a mini-excursion in search of fireflies that illuminate the waters.

We start with a quick stop at the Mae Klong Railway Market, where four times a day, fruit and vegetable stalls hurriedly fold away as the train passes through the market.

Then, a half-day of discovering life in the mangroves. By boat, we explore this fragile ecosystem. During our excursion, we discover the way of life of the fishermen (here clam fishing is done from a surfboard) and visit a shellfish farm.

Lunch of specialties.

In the afternoon, we say goodbye to our team who has accompanied us so far and board the overnight sleeper train to Phatthalung in the extreme southeast of Thailand. Departure at 16:11, with an expected arrival the next day at 05:04.

Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Welcome to Phatthalung! Arriving early in the morning at Phatthalung station, where our driver is waiting to take us for breakfast (not included).

Please note that trains in Thailand are often delayed (30 minutes to 1 hour).

In the morning, we will visit a weaving workshop for an initiation to basketry; weaving with reeds called "krajoot". This activity will last about an hour where we will learn how to weave the reeds using a Varni.

During the afternoon, we will meet with a local beekeeper to discover his production.

Day not accompanied by a english-speaking guide. Driver only.

We'll make a stop at the local market of Kwanjai Papai Sansook, which takes place every Saturday 20km from the city. Very local atmosphere, in a beautiful setting shaded by immense bamboos.

Then, we'll have lunch (not included) at the Pa Pai Sang Suk Market for a guaranteed typical atmosphere.

Not far, we will continue our day with a visit to the temple Wat Tham Khuha Sawan.

Finally, we will visit the information center on the shadow theater "Nang Thalung," an art that has given its name to the region of Phatthalung.

Other activities/visits are possible on-site such as visiting a Muay Thai training camp. However, this type of visit is difficult to schedule in advance as we can only make an appointment a few days before your visit, depending on availability.

Day not accompanied by an English-speaking guide. Driver only.

Meet in the early morning, before sunrise (probably between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m.) for the exploration of Thale Noi Lake and Park ("small sea" in Thai), a natural ornithological reserve. At sunrise, we will discover the water buffaloes crossing the lake, and then a little further in the lagoon, we will observe various birds taking flight upon our arrival.

During this approximately one and a half hour journey, we will pass by the large fishing dip nets that are located just at the mouth of the river.

Return to the hotel for breakfast.

Then, we head to the river where a large part of the village community gathers on weekends to have lunch and spend the afternoon with family. Lunch (excluding drinks) will be included - a meal prepared by the ladies of the community - so we can plan to buy some drinks on the way before we arrive.

In the evening, meet at the grand Chalerm Prakiat Bridge to observe the sunset over the lake, offering a view of the water buffalo farms.

We hit the road again, heading for the coast and the seaside. Our destination is the region of Thong Nian on the Gulf of Thailand coast for a day of rest before continuing our journey.

Arrival at our hotel, the Baan Thong Ching, where we can rest this afternoon and all day tomorrow.

Driver only.

Three days of rest to enjoy the sea and the facilities of your hotel.

Various activities can be arranged on-site:

• Visit of the surroundings, including Tham Khao Whang Thong Cave
• Relaxation on the beach
• Hiking at Khao Luang
• Fishing
• Snorkeling …

We leave our resort and, with our driver, head to Surat Thani train station, where we board our train bound for Chumphon.

Arrival at the train station, where we are greeted by our host who will take us to his home in the rural community of Pathiu.

Driver only.

Here we are immersed in our homestay with a local family in the small village of Pathiu. During our 2-day, 2-night stay with the locals, we will not only discover the daily life of the Thai people but also participate in many activities:

• A raft ride on a sandbank in the sea
• A half-day at sea on the tiny islands on the outskirts of the village (30 to 40 minutes by boat). Possibility of snorkeling.
• Introduction to local cuisine, for the preparation of the evening meal
• Self-service kayaking

Full board (3 local Thai meals included - drinks not included)

It is with great emotion that we leave our hosts with whom we have shared these few days. We arrive at the station in the late morning and board our train bound for Bangkok. Afternoon on the train.

Arrival at the station in the early evening, where your driver awaits to take you back to your hotel.

Settling in at the Shanghai Mansion, a boutique hotel ideally located in the heart of the capital's Chinatown.

This morning, we will go on a bike tour in the "Green Lung" of the capital. Accompanied by a local private guide for the island part, we will explore the extraordinary Bang Krachao district, a true jungle in the heart of the city.

You will also be able to visit several small temples and see old houses in the neighborhood.

We set off by boat through the Khlongs to discover the curious Artists' House. In this authentic neighborhood of Bangkok, local artists have settled and exhibit their traditional as well as contemporary works. An atypical visit to a Bangkok less known to the general public.

In the afternoon, we take the time to visit the 2 must-see temples in Bangkok. We first go to Wat Pho, one of the oldest temples in Bangkok, to discover its reclining Buddha.

We then cross the river with a small boat to visit Wat Arun, the "Temple of Dawn," located on the right bank.

Day accompanied by an English-speaking local guide

In the evening, you can freely stroll through the Chinatown district, wander the alleys overflowing with all kinds of shops. In the early evening, the night market sets up on Yaowarat Road and its illuminated side streets, bringing new life to the neighborhood. You will find all kinds of Thai and Chinese specialties for dinner there.