Bangkok and Ayuthaya Tour
4 Night / 5 Days

Activities: Visit ancient palaces, temples, museums, long tail boat ride in the Chaophraya River, see floating market and Thai country life style show, and cruise trip in the Chaophraya River from Ayuthaya to Bangkok.

Highlights of Bangkok:
Welcome to Bangkok, the capital and the major metropolitan city of Thailand! The Grand Palace, ancient temples, river boat cruise, floating market, classical Thai dance, elephant show, and crocodile farm are some of the highlights of the tour here. The bustling capital offers sightseers a full range of historic monuments and avant garde modern architecture. Temples, monasteries, museums, libraries, cultural centers, safari parks, huge shopping complexes and first class hotels make Bangkok one of the greatest cities in the Far East. Our guided tours will take you through most attractive historic monuments and sites of Bangkok.

Highlights of Ancient Ayuthaya (Cultural World Heritage site)
Ayuthaya was Capital City of Thailand from 1350 to 1767. During this period Thai culture flourished and so did international relations with the Dutch, French, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese. Ayuthaya is in the middle of the Pasak River and boasts uncountable ancient temples, monuments, ruins and stupas. The Ayuthaya Historical Park is an UNESCO declared Cultural World Heritage site. In 1767, the Burnese Army sacked and burnt down Ayuthaya to complete ruins. Although it suffered a great destruction, Ayuthaya is still a very attractive ancient city to visit and is only 82 kilometers north of Bangkok. Other attractions in Ayuthaya that we incorporate as part of our tour are The Bang Pa In-Summer Palace and national museum. Our guided tours will take you through some of the most attractive sites of Bangkok and Ayuthaya.

Itinerary: Bangkok and Ayuthaya Tour 5 Days:

Day 1 Arrive Bangkok
Meet on arrival at Bangkok International Airport and transfer to hotel.
Remaining time at leisure.
Meals: None.

Day 2 Bangkok Grand Palace and ancient Temples
Breakfast at the hotel. 08:00am depart to visit the National Museum in Bangkok. The visit to the National Museum is to give you an insight about the history of Thailand, its people and culture. Museum opens 9.00am to 4.00pm, and closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and National holidays.

Next, we visit Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) is the oldest, largest and most visited temple in Bangkok, which is also well known as the first open university of Thailand; for example, Thai people learned therapeutic Thai massage techniques from this temple.

Visit the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Keow (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) located within the palace complex, various halls of royal function such as Amarindra Throne Hall, Chakri Mahaprasart and Dusit Mahaprasart Throne Hall and the residential area. Wat Pra Keow (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is one of the most beautiful temples in the royal grand palace compound. The temple itself is being used for principal royal function and royal chapel. This temple is the repository of The Emerald Buddha, the most holy Buddha Image of Thai Buddhism. The Image is carved in semiprecious green stone 66cm high. The temple is regarded as the oldest and the most beautiful decoration in the country.

Dress Code: Formal attire is required to enter the Royal Grand Palace. Thus, please wear comfortable casual clothes while touring the Royal Grand Palace. High cut-shorts, skirts, beach attires, bare shoulders and ankles are not allowed. If you are not in proper attire, you will be asked to rent one at the palace gate! Recommendation on Foot Wear: Wear comfortable walking shoes covering your ankles; Tevas covering ankles are acceptable. Wear shoes that you can take off and put on easily while visiting the temples.

Lunch will be served at local restaurant near the Chaophraya River around noon, depending on when you finish the tour inside the Grand Palace.

Canal tour after lunch, we board on long-tail boat and cruise along the main river of Thailand's Chao Phraya River (The River of Kings). There are well over 100 canals in Bangkok. Hence, it is often called the "Venice of the east". Early Thai lifestyle of dwelling along the riverbanks is still experienced in this hustle and bustle of the modern city of Bangkok.

Canal tour gives you an opportunity to observe how the local people live here. Bangkok has many canal ways, many of which are still active. The canal tour also takes you to the impressive Royal Barge Museum located at the riverbank.

End of canal tour, visit Wat Arun (The Temple of dawn), the former palace of King Taksin of Thonburi (period 1767-1782), one of the most revered temple of Thailand, and transfer to your hotel.
Overnight at the hotel. Meals: BL.

Day 3 Ancient Ayuthaya Tour and Cruise to Bangkok
Pick up at hotel lobby at 07.00AM and depart to see the Ancient Capital city of Ayuthaya.

We'll see Bang-pa-in, the famous summer palace of the royal family, which was built about a century ago. Here, different buildings reveal different architectural designs - Thai, Italian, and Chinese.

We'll drive to the town of Ayuthaya via Wat Phanancheang and visit the largest sitting Buddha image, Luangpor Tor. Made from gilded brick and plaster, this Buddha's knee span is 45 feet, and its height from shin to scalp is 62 feet. Records indicate that it was built in 1324, about 20 years before Ayuthaya was founded. Other highlights include the ruins of the Royal Grand Palace built by King Trilokanart in the 15th century and Wat Mahathat, said to hold a holy relic of the Buddha. Historians don't know who built this later temple, but it is believed that it was either the second king or the fourth king of Ayuthaya.

Finally, we'll pay a visit to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, built by king U Tong in 1357, which was once famous for meditation temple. The compound contains a very large stupa from which the wat takes its name and a large reclining Buddha; Buddhist monks and nuns reside within the temple ground.

We will then drive to Bangsai pier (Wat Potengtai) to begin our three-and-a-half-hour cruise to Bangkok. From the boat, we'll enjoy splendid views of the Chaophraya River and the settlements along the riverbanks. A buffet lunch will be served on board. On arrival, in Bangkok, board local boat to pier, and sky train back to hotel. Meals: BL.

Dress Code: Formal attire is required to enter the Bang-pa-In Summer Palace. Please wear comfortable casual clothes for the day. High cut-shorts, skirts, beach attires, bare shoulders and ankles are not allowed. If you are not in proper attire, you will be asked to rent one at the palace gate! Recommendation on Foot Wear: Wear comfortable walking shoes covering your ankles; Tevas covering ankles are acceptable. Wear shoes that you can take off and put on easily while visiting the temples.

Day 4 Bangkok at Leisure
Breakfast at hotel and day at leisure.
Overnight at hotel. Meals: BL.

Day 5 Departure from Bangkok
Breakfast at the hotel and at leisure until transfer to the Bangkok Airport for your next destination flight. Meals: B.

Day 5 Departure from Bangkok
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to connect domestic or international flight will be provided based on the client schedule.

Bangkok and Ayuthaya Tour 4 Night / 5 Days
Tour Price per Person in US Dollars:

Tour Cost Includes:
Four nights in Bangkok in quality hotels on twin sharing with daily breakfast,
Transfers by air-conditioned van or coach on arrival, departure and during tour,
Tour activities as mentioned in the itinerary,
Ayuthaya to Bangkok by cruise trip with buffet lunch on board,
English or other foreign language speaking local tour guide service on tour,
Entrance fees to monuments visited as per program, and insurance for the duration of the tour.

Tour Cost Does Not Include:
Meals not mentioned in the program, all personal expenses and any item of personal nature including personal insurance, alcoholic beverages, telephone, tips, optional tours, charges for delays caused by situations beyond our control including bad weather, natural disasters, political unrest, and emergencies.

Hotels Used for this tour:
Asia Hotel, Indra Regent Hotel or similar
Prince Palace Hotel or similar,
Manhattan Hotel or similar,
First Hotel (Deluxe Wing)

Optional: Floating market and Rose Garden
Pick up from your hotel lobby at 07.00am and drive to Damnernsaduok floating market to the west of Bangkok in Rajaburi Province.

Once we reach the center of floating market, get on the wooden canoes and paddle to explore the market at leisure. Depart floating market and continue journey to a woodcarving center to see the world famous fine arts of Thailand.

Lunch at The Rose Garden, and visit the beautiful country resort to observe the Thai ways of life from every part of the country featuring Thai boxing, wedding ceremony, folk song and dance, ordination into the monkshood and more. End of show, transfer back to your hotel in Bangkok. Meals: L.

Tour Cost: US$79 per person