12-Day Highlights of Thailand Tour

What to expect on this itinerary
Pearl-white beaches line crystal clear waters, magnificent mountains tower up from the earth, golden palaces glimmer under the sun, and grand temples share a wealth of insight. Award-winning restaurants cover the vibrant city streets, and coral reefs yearn to be explored. Thailand boasts many enchanting experiences across its diverse and tropical landscape. On this specially-curated, 12-day tour, you will explore some of the best sights and attractions that this country has to offer. Journey to the Land of Smiles and create memories that will last a lifetime as you uncover what makes this destination truly special and unique.
Customizable Itinerary
Chiang Mai – A Tranquil Arrival Amidst Nature
Thailand’s secluded beauty is best experienced in the Northern capital of Chiang Mai. The diverse landscape and isolated experiences make for an incredibly immersive and captivating stay. Upon your arrival, you will comfortably transfer to your lavish boutique resort that will be nestled at the base of Doi Suthep Mountain. Built into the mountain, your private will villa offer exceptional tranquility within nature. Picture-perfect vistas of the greater Chiang Mai area and first-class amenities make this your ideal destination to rest your head after your long flight into Thailand. You can relax in the private pool before fine dining at the distinguished resort restaurant to let the afternoon slowly slip into the evening.
What's Included:
Chiang Mai – A Soaring Tour in a Private Hot-Air Balloon
Chiang Mai – Share Stories with the Locals
Bangkok – Rise to the Clouds
Bangkok – Delve into a Cuisine of Tremendous Depth
Bangkok – Trace Back Thailand’s Cultural Roots
Koh Samui – Experience Luxury on Sand and Sea
Koh Samui – Island Hop to Idyllic Hideaway Spots
Koh Samui – Absorb an Island Steeped in Heritage
Phuket – Cherish an Evening Supper on the Lagoon
Phuket – Glide Across Phuket Island as a VIP
Phuket – The Best of Phuket’s Allure
Trip Highlights
- Uncover the country’s iconic landscapes from the unique perspectives of a private hot-air balloon flight over Chiang Mai and a VIP helicopter tour over Phuket
- Immerse yourself into the culture of an ethnic hill tribe in the less-traveled city of Chiang Rai to uncover the age-old traditions of Thailand’s local inhabitants
- Learn more about the country’s diverse wildlife and sustainable eco-practices while caring for elephants and an ethical sanctuary
- Discover the tastes of Thailand as you sample dishes prepared by award-winning chefs and revered local cooks on an exclusive food tour of Bangkok
- Craft and master Thai cuisine yourselves as you learn the secrets behind their most coveted dishes at a prestigious culinary school
- Indulge in visits to premier landmarks and ancient temples in Bangkok to learn more about the country’s rich heritage
- Experience a luxurious island-hop to immaculate seaside destinations off the coast of Koh Samui
- Luxuriate at Phuket’s best-kept beach secrets as you traverse the Andaman Sea via the comfort of a lavish private vessel
Detailed Description
Chiang Mai, the first destination on your Thailand highlights tour, is a wonderfully rugged region that is complete with striking mountain ranges and sprawling jungles. Nestled at the base of the renowned Doi Suthep Mountain lies an immaculate resort that you will have the luxury of calling home for a few days. With some time to unwind, you can enjoy the first-class amenities and divine Thai cuisine before your adventurous exploits begin the following day. During your stay, you will check off iconic experiences in the Land of Smiles. A sunrise spectacle from the unique perspective of a private hot-air balloon will take your breath away. Shortly after landing, you will journey to an ethical elephant sanctuary that is set amid a luscious, jungle setting. You will enjoy more of Northern Thailand’s diverse cultural heritage and landscape the following day as you are accompanied by a knowledgeable guide who will help you discover the traditional living of an ethnic hill tribe before visiting the magnificent temple atop the Doi Suthep cave complex.
You will journey to Bangkok after your immersive stay in Northern Thailand. Here, you will delve into the rich tastes of Thailand with an enthralling food tour of the most authentic and luxurious culinary destinations that the country has to offer. You will further your knowledge of Thai cuisine at a prestigious culinary school, where you will learn the age-old traditions of their most coveted meals. The following day, you will revel in revered landmarks and uncover the sheer beauty of the glimmering golden temples. A stop at the Jim Thompson House will conclude your inspiring stay in Bangkok. Then, you will then make your way to Koh Samui, which is a magical island that shares tranquil experiences for a truly pleasurable stay. A private speed boat will transfer you to the pivotal neighboring islands as you hop your way around this paradise. You will dine on world-class cuisine and visit immaculate cultural destinations throughout your serene exploration.
Next, you will make your way to the tropical island of Phuket. Boasting a collection of pristine white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, you will be whisked away to paradise, where you will stay in an ultra-luxurious resort that will provide you with an enchanting spa treatment at its leading wellness center. The next day, you will capture unforgettable vistas of the greater Phuket region as you soar across the sky in a VIP helicopter. You will witness more of the picturesque seascape from the comfort of a luxurious private speed boat as you tour hideaway beaches and snorkel the vibrant coral reefs. Your Thailand trip will culminate with a private tour of Phuket’s most significant cultural and heritage sites. If the beautiful sights and attractions were not enough, you will share in exquisite, award-winning meals alongside marvelous sunset views to finish off your vacation in absolute style. Consider learning more about our travelers’ best Thailand travel experiences by reading their Thailand travel reviews.
Starting Price
$3,500 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 457 reviews
My wife and I just returned from a 2 week trip that included a few days in each of the following locations: Tokyo, Bangkok, Chiang Rai/GoldenTriangle, and Koh Samui. Our agent at this Asia travel company quickly understood the type of trip we wanted to plan and presented a competitively priced itinerary, which included great hotels, private guides, transportation, and activities.
Your overall comments on Zicasso
We were pleased with both travel companies that responded to our request submitted via Zicasso. Both responded quickly and thoroughly.
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It was an incredible journey and made memories for a lifetime for my entire family. Our Zicasso travel partner’s planning and selection of activities was the best. The guides were personable, funny, and professional. Our guide in Bangkok was so friendly, nice, and helpful. The night foodie tour was great. Our guide, a professor, was energetic and knew his way around. The hotel location was a bit on the wild side, but that was alright considering we didn't spend much time there.
In Chiang Mai, the elephant sanctuary, bamboo rafting, sights, and temples. Walking around the river just before the lantern festival was just as amazing!
Patong Beach in Phuket was rowdy, crazy, hectic, and just a typical beach for folks to visit and relax, but the kayaking at Phang Nga Bay was otherworldly. Serene, spiritual, and breathtaking. The trip was well planned, with great and knowledgeable guides. Lunch and dinner on the boat was perfect.
The tour went according to plan, without any problems or issues. It was perfect.
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Excellent tour package and itinerary for a month long Southeast Asia trip visiting Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Our travel agent did a super job to ensure that we had an amazing travel adventure.
Transportation arrangements for pick-up and tours were efficient and well organized.
Drivers were courteous and safe and vehicles were well maintained.
With the exception of one, all tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and beyond helpful.
Special commendations to the following: Our guides in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Saigon, Hoi An, Hanoi, Bangkok and in Chiang Mai.
Restaurants for lunch and food selections were exceptional.
Our vacation ended with a blissful few days of R&R at the resort on Koh Samui.
Overall experience .....5 Stars, Excellent! Highly Recommended!
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Overall, it was a great trip - we loved Thailand and would highly recommend it. Our Thailand travel agency set up a great itinerary for us and almost all of the activities and hotels were fantastic. The agency is based in Vietnam and they used a Bangkok based tour company to book our tour - we didn't have any major problems at all, but I do think this created just a few hiccups, since our main contact with our travel agency wasn't actually in Thailand and needed a third party to help plan our trip. With that said, with the exception of one less than ideal hotel stay, it was an amazing trip, and I would highly recommend the Ariyasom Villa in Bangkok, the De Naga in Chiang Mai (amazing - stay here!) and the Saree Samui in Koh Samui. I would NOT recommend The Legend in Chiang Rai - or really, going to Chiang Rai at all - the time we spent there would have been better spent in Chiang Mai or Koh Samui, or perhaps seeing another part of the country.
Our contact at our travel agency was WONDERFUL. We loved her! But her contact at the Thailand based company was not as helpful as we would have liked when we encountered a military coup while we were traveling. We were completely safe the entire time, but we decided to change one of our hotel stays to be closer to the airport in Bangkok. Our travel agent responded immediately and helped us make the change, but we needed the Thailand based company to help with the change in the reservations, and they pushed back a bit on the change fees, etc.
Bottom Line: I would go back to Thailand and I would definitely use our travel agency again, but I would also recommend researching the places you are headed a little bit more than we did and knowing who your contact on the ground will be, to be sure you're getting exactly what you want. Also, if we plan a trip to Vietnam, I would definitely use this agency as well, since they are based there.
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The travel company made some good recommendations and did a good job tailoring the package to our requests. The selected hotels were all very comfortable and located per our requests in the city centers except one hotel in Chaing Mai but that was likely due to late booking in high season. The hotel, was a fabulous property and once we figured out where to find Tuk-Tuks (close by but out of sight of the main doors) the location was actually fine. The guides were exquisite - on time, knowledgeable, friendly and paced very well with us. All the connections were on time and flawless. The itinerary and information that they furnished for the trip was complete and accurate. Very professional end to end. High marks!
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Simply the best travel experience I have ever had! When preparing for my SE Asia venture, I spent a significant amount of time researching each of the destinations I was visiting prior to booking my trip. I knew exactly where I wanted to stay, places I wanted to visit, and activities which I wanted to partake in. I think this was probably the best thing that I could have done in order to maximize my trip, and still allow for plenty of down time. Zicasso and this Southeast Asia tour operator were both amazing to work with, were able to take each of my "wants" and create a beautiful, adventure packed, yet still relaxing and self discovering month long voyage. Each of the individuals whom I worked with (from the planning phase through the execution phase) were exceptional. I was always pleased by the warm & welcoming tour guides, comfortable means of transportation, and fabulous boutique hotels. I am incredibly pleased with the overall work, and service which went into creating such an amazing experience. My only constructive comment, is that I was disappointed in the quality of included lunches while visiting in Bangkok specifically. I chose to embark on a bespoke, solo tour because I am a traveler who enjoys truly experiencing each culture/country I visit, and wish to avoid westernized/tourist laden restaurants. Each of the restaurants which I went to were buffet style, westernized versions of local fare. Personally I would have preferred to go to a local restaurant and given the opportunity to order the meal of my choice (even if for extra $), just as I did when visiting included restaurants in Chiang Mai and Siem Reap. Additionally, there was one more item of constructive feedback: Having greater than 1 week to enjoy Phuket, we built my itinerary to spend the first half of my time in Patong (to have fun) & the second half in Kata (to relax). When leaving my hotel in Patong, I had to wait several hours (past the agreed uoon time on the itinerary) for transportation (sitting in the hotel lobby, as I had already checked out) to bring me to Kata Beach. The manager from the local travel company in Phuket whom was providing my transportation & services while on island was very kind and came to speak with me at my hotel in Kata that evening. However, I was disappointed that he literally just came to "meet" me. He did not offer any type of good will (ie: fruit basket, dinner voucher, discount for activities, etc). With the lunches in Bangkok aside, and the transportation mix-up/inconvenience, I was 200% satisfied with my experience!
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