Chiang Mai Nature and Culture
3 Nights / 4 Days

Trip Grade: Easy and relaxing
Activities: Visit temples, historic places, museums, handicraft cottage industries, elephant rides, bamboo rafting, and hill tribe village excursions.
Best Season: September to March is the cool and dry weather best season. However, Chiang Mai can be visited year round.

Welcome to Chiang Mai!
Chiang Mai is the northern province of Thailand, founded by King Mengrai in 1296. The northernmost region of Thailand was known as the Lan Na Thai kingdom in the 13th to 14th centuries. Chiang Mai is the second most popular tourism gateway in the north as well as active trading post in north Thailand. Chiang Mai is also home to its vibrant university center and mosaic of cultures. Visitors will be amazed by the well over 300 temples and its scenic landscape which also include the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Thailand's highest peak, Doi Inthanon (2595 meters above sea level), crowns the north. Here, adventure seeking travelers can enjoy scenic trekking, elephant riding, hiking through hill tribe villages and national park forest trails, bamboo rafting and magnificent vistas at sunset and sunrise. The province is home to many hill tribes with distinct cultures. Extraordinary woodcarvings, silverware and the artworks, beautiful flower festival parades and diverse cultures are some of the attractions here. Discover Asia Travel operates finely designed nature and culture tours with the emphasis of ecologically friendly tourism.

Itinerary: Chiang Mai Nature and Culture Tour 4 Days:
Day 1 Doi Suthep Temple and Handicrafts

Pick up from hotel or port of arrival and transfer to visit Chiang Mai National Museum and the Hill-Tribe Museum. After the museum visits, we drive to visit Wat Prathad Doi Sutep, which proclaims to have a holy relic of Lord Buddha, the most celebrated temple in Chiang Mai located on a scenic hilltop inside the Doi-Pui National Park. To reach the temple, we drive up the base of Doi Suthep, and climb up 300 steps to get to the temple courtyard. Both sides of the steps are flanked by enormous mythological Nagas (snakes). A panoramic view of the city can be seen from here at 3,500 feet above sea level. Those of you do not wish to walk up the stairs can take the tram both ways. Then, we will return to Chiang Mai town for lunch break.

Chiang Mai Handicraft and cottage industry in the afternoon:
In the afternoon, we visit local handicraft centers on Sankampaeng Road to see Thai silk and cotton loom industries, Bo-sang the paper and umbrella-making village; lacquer-ware, teak-wood carving, jewelry, and silverware artworks.
This particular street in Chiang Mai is set aside for small and medium handicraft as well as cottage industries to show case and make their products. Thus, visitors can see how the local handicrafts are made, a first hand experience. Then, return to hotel and at leisure until departure for Khantoke Dinner.

Evening-we enjoy Kantoke Dinner, traditional northern Thai welcome dinner, and observe Northern Thai folk song and dance performed by different hill-tribes in their colorful costumes. Each tribe is different in costumes, dialects, and culture. Overnight at hotel in Chiang Mai. Meals. LD.

Day 2 Elephant trekking and Bamboo Rafting

Early breakfast at the hotel, at 07.30AM travel about 50 kilometers from the city to Chiang Dao elephant camp. Watch the elephants taking their morning bath in the running stream before starting their day training and work. See demonstration of elephants at work. Then, go on a hour elephant ride through the semi-jungle vegetation to visit a Lisu hill tribe village, a wonderful experience. Return trek to the elephant camp, take refreshments along the riverfront café before next activity.

Then, take an exciting bamboo rafting (traditional transportation in the river) down the scenic Mae Ping River for about an hour. Along the river, you can see various species of birds and squirrels. On the way back to hotel in Chiang Mai, visit an orchid nursery and butterfly farm. Evening at leisure. You may wish to visit the Chiang Mai night market. Meals: BL.

Day 3 Chiang Mai at leisure

Breakfast at hotel and at leisure to explore Chiang Mai at your own pace.
Chiang Mai has so much to offer you. Simply relax, visit sights of interest or shop souvenirs or treat yourself to one of the spas.
Overnight at hotel in Chiang Mai. Meals. B.

Day 4 Depart from Chiang Mai

Breakfast at the hotel and at leisure until transfer to the airport for your next destination. Meals. B.

Hotel Group A (quality 3-4 star hotels)
Chiang Mai Nature and Culture Tour 4 Days.
TOUR COSTS PER PERSON IN US DOLLARS:

Hotel Group B (quality 3 star hotels)
Chiang Mai Nature and Culture Tour 4 Days.
TOUR COST PER PERSON IN US DOLLARS:

Bangkok-Chiang Mai airfare roundtrip US$177 per person Airfares are current and subject to change.

Tour Cost Includes:
Three nights accommodations in quality hotels in Chiang Mai on twin sharing,
meals- breakfast at hotel and lunch while on tour,
tour activities as mentioned in the itinerary,
transfers by air-conditioned tour van or coach including on
on arrival and departure,
entrance fees to monument & park visited,
English speaking local tour guide service, and
insurance for the duration of the tour.

Tour Cost Excludes:
Bangkok-Chiang Mai roundtrip airfare and departure tax, train fares, bus fares, lunch & dinner on stated in tour program, any items of personal nature including personal insurance, beverages, telephone, laundry, charges for delays caused by situations beyond our control including bad weather, natural disasters, political unrest, and emergencies.