Siam Past & Present: Best of Northern Thailand Tour
What to expect on this itinerary
Amid the rice paddies and the elephant-studded jungle, northern Thailand is a region of cultural treasures and evocative tales. You will be in a land of mystique, where monks wander the streets and ancient ruins stretch across dusty plains. In this part of the world, you are immersed in the culture, as exemplified on this 7-day Thailand tour. With nights spent in Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, and Bangkok, you will discover traditions and histories with local encounters and incredible personalized experiences.
Customizable Itinerary
Chiang Mai – Easing Into the Cultural Experience
Your plane will swoop across the mountains and the jungle as the city of Chiang Mai slowly comes into view. Surrounded by green and tucked between mountain folds, this old city was cut off from the world for most of its history. Only by elephant back or tortuous upriver cruising could you reach it, meaning Chiang Mai was saved from the Burmese and Angkor raids that devastated cities like Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. It was only in the 1920s that Europeans made it here, but small hill tribes have always used Chiang Mai as a trading post, giving the city an ethnically diverse flavor. You will see many different faces and clothes along the streets, a testament to Chiang Mai’s continued domain as Thailand’s cultural hub.
You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your hotel that is within the old city walls. Most of the surrounding area is pedestrianized, characterized by narrow cobblestone lanes, small shops and cafes, and the odd, intriguing temple. The city is a quiet place for easing into the Thai experience, with monks on the streets and many cafe corners for watching the world go by. Your guide will take you to Doi Suthep this evening. Walk up a few hundred steps, see the spinning prayer wheels and listen to chiming bells as you go. Sunset is magical up here, especially as pilgrims help create a spiritual atmosphere.
What's Included:
Chiang Mai – Exploring Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle
Chiang Mai – Buddhist Temples, Night Markets and Meeting the Monks
Sukhothai – A Day Visiting Traditional Hill Tribes
Sukhothai – Sublime Highlights of the Ancient Capital
Bangkok – An Ancient Legacy and an Afternoon on the River
Bangkok – Visiting Ayutthaya and Late-Evening Departure
Trip Highlights
- Immerse yourself in the ancient capital of Sukhothai, where temples and chedi suggest glorious past centuries
- Meet with a monk in an incense-filled Chiang Mai temple
- Explore the highlights of Bangkok, including the Emerald Buddha and the enormous Buddha inside Wat Po
- Cruise around the old Siam capital of Ayutthaya to take in the redolent central streets and the royal enclosures
- Gasp at Chalermchai Kositpipat’s White Temple, the most unconventional structure in Southeast Asia
- Spend a day with remote hill tribes, comparing traditions and legacies
- Ride a hot air balloon above Chiang Mai and watch the sun go down from Doi Suthep
- Explore the Golden Triangle, a beautiful slither of land between three distinct countries
Detailed Description
Thailand can bring two very different experiences for visitors, as so much depends on where you land. The southern region is predominantly islands and beaches with nature abounding and plenty of space for lazy days spent on the sand. It is in the north that you will find culture and history, the remains of the great Siam kingdom and the traditions kept alive by hill tribes and villagers. With only seven days in Thailand, there is so much more you can experience in the north. In one week you can connect disparate cultures, explore ancient cities, interact with monks and convivial locals, and still get to experience the bounty of Southeast Asia’s nature. There are legacies to uncover here, and this 7-day tour covers the best of them, taking you on a one-way journey from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
It is the diversity of experience that makes the north so different from the south. Lanterns illuminate stalls at bustling night markets as aromas of incense greet you at a 15th-century temple. Cracked chedi, or Siam stupas, stand guard to ruined temple remains as great cities stand abandoned on dusty plains, surrounded by forest. Local life unfolds around canal and river banks, and deep in the hills, you will meet with small tribal communities, each different to the next. All of this will be wrapped up in energy and positivity so ubiquitous across Thailand. You will not just experience what is traditional as you will also experience histories that are continuing to shape modern culture.
This handcrafted tour connects most of northern Thailand’s main highlights. A one-way journey is best as it helps to maximize the short time you have. There is a new flight route from Sukhothai to Bangkok, which then saves another half day of traveling. Seven days naturally necessitates a fast-moving private tour yet your destinations are not the fast-paced type. They are laid-back, almost serene, bringing leisurely evenings to catch your breath and relax amid local scenes. Handpicked hotels accentuate this atmosphere with a connection to heritage, placing you central to all the old stories while maintaining a strong sense of contemporary comfort.
You will begin your handcrafted tour in Chiang Mai at a hotel within the old city walls. Ease into the cultural experience at Doi Suthep, where pilgrims and locals alike watch the sun go down over the distant jungle. Spend the next day in the far north, Chalermchai Kositpipat’s White Temple the most memorable of all Asia’s temples, and a perfect stopping point on the route to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle. Your third day will be focused on Chiang Mai, with its historical temples, atmospheric night market, and a very personal encounter with a robed monk.
Hill tribes dot the surrounding landscape, and you will visit three different communities on the road to Lampang. Although accustomed to visitors, these villages preserve a number of unusual traditions with each tribe having its own distinguishing feature. Lampang is just as eye-opening, the central 15th-century temple covered in murals and a second temple memorable for its emerald Buddha. This is a busy fourth day, and you will roll into Sukhothai around dusk, staying at a hotel that overlooks the World Heritage area with silhouetted chedi as an inspiring first sight.
The next day will be dedicated to the old capital city, tracing three years of early Middle Ages history from ruined Buddhist temples to a royal palace and streets of sun-scorched rock. There are options to explore on foot or by bicycle, and it is best to have a full day as there is a lot to see. Take the direct flight to Bangkok, and you will get most of your morning to visit the capital’s major sights, including the Royal Palace and Wat Po. Then put your feet up during the afternoon, drifting down Bangkok’s canals and waterways, following the lifestyle of locals. Your final day will be spent in Ayutthaya, another ruined capital packed with surprises. Late check-out has been arranged so you can refresh before your international departure. Consider reading some of our travelers’ Thailand tour reviews for more ideas to perfect your dream Thailand vacation.
Starting Price
$2,600 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 212 reviews
Overall, it was a great vacation and we all enjoyed it very much. Thailand is a beautiful country with very friendly people, a deep and rich culture and awesome food!
When we set out to book our family vacation to Thailand, at first we were overwhelmed by the choices and the planning. Which cities to visit ? What are the tours ? Where do we stay ? Flight travel etc. Luckily, I came across Zicasso – a new way to book travel – that connects you with a travel advisor who has local knowledge of the place you want to go. This is how I got referred to our tour planner and travel team.
The travel team really helped us experience Thailand with local guides who know the place well.
First of all, our tour planner is awesome – she and the travel team helped us plan our trip – everything from airline, to hotels to the day by day itinerary and travel insurance. Even before we left on the trip, we felt both prepared and excited by the program. The app is amazing – it feels great to have your complete itinerary including local tips around guides, phone numbers, flight details all available in the app when you need it. Our agent gave us many good choices for local tours and helped us pick the itinerary that best suited our family.
Flights – The tour planner connected us with an airline which did a great job with our flights. We flew from Vancouver and within Thailand. The flights were great, good service and generally on time.
Hotels – the hotel in Bangkok was great. We got rooms on a high floor overlooking the Chao Praya river – amazing views! The best part was seeing the fireworks display on the Chao Praya river for the New Year. The hotel was packed since it is high season for tourists and yet we got good service overall. In Chiang Mai, we stayed at a hotel. It is a quaint, homely place to stay and within walking distance to local markets. A couple downsides – lots of mosquitoes in Chiang Mai – the hotel does a mosquito spray in the evening sometimes and we had to be out of our rooms for an hour in the evening for that. The Wi-Fi also was not great. They serve a great buffet breakfast in the morning.
Local guides – Chatcha in Bangkok and Oil in Chiang Mai – were awesome! They were very flexible with our family needs, knew the local conditions well and really helped us get the most out of each day in Thailand. Having a guide and vehicle exclusively for our family needs each day was amazing! The pickup and drop-offs at the airports were great and both our guides helped us all the way from check in to the point of entry into security. Both guides had extensive knowledge of the history of Thailand and the local tours and this helped us understand things better. Finally, the guides helped us experience the amazing Thai food – including in local places and street food. We felt safe wherever we ate and always had bottled water available for our needs.
Tours – the original tours planned had more temples in the program. After a couple, we decided to improvise and change things up which our local guides helped with a lot. We added an Elephant camp tour at the last minute – this turned out to be the highlight of the entire trip for our kids (and us!). I did not know that Elephants can paint and seeing the Elephants paint some great pictures is an experience we will never forget! For the temples, there is a dress code – our guides helped us buy elephant pants where needed so we could go in. The Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai is a must see – you need to climb 300+ steps to get to the top – stunning temple and great views of Chiang Mai city. We loved the boat rides – the long tail boat ride in Thonburi and near the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market were super fun! Lots of history – if you like that, the Ayutthaya day trip is worth it. The Jim Thompson house in Bangkok is a short tour but very interesting and well worth it.
Food - always lots of food choices – a noodle dish restaurant in Chiang Mai is soooo good! Loved the foodie tour with street food in Thonburi, the floating market and Chatuchak market. Tom Kah soup, Mangoes, Coconut pancakes and of course Phad Thai, Fried rice, sticky rice – if you love great food, Thailand is like heaven!
Shopping – lots of great shopping opportunities and we bought many interesting things for the house. Its good to have local currency for small purchases. We loved the shopping at Chatuchak market, floating market and the malls – MBK and Siam Paragon.
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I have to say without a doubt a trip of a lifetime. The trip and schedule that was worked out with our travel agency worked perfectly and met our every request from fantastic and comfortable lodging, to seamless transportation and fantastic experiences of historic culture, sites, food and wonderful people.
Drivers, Guides and excursions:Our drivers and vans were exceptional! They took care to ensure we had cool towels after long hot treks and always a fresh supply of water. The guides even purchased local fruits from vendors to supply some on the road snacks. The vans were quite comfortable and the 6 hour drives in the country sides were broken up by stops to local markets or food stands / restaurants.
Our guide from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi to Sukhothai was great, always providing insights into local customs and culture. We originally had scheduled a trip to the Erawan Falls but after a very hot day at hell fire pass and our guide explaining that the trek to the waterfalls would mostly be similar in the sense that it would be extremely hot and the waterfalls were currently dry, he suggested that a river rafting trip might be better…and it was spectacular. Our guide was great about letting us know what was coming next, when we would have free time and even suggested restaurants for dinner. Also his Lunch selections when we were on the road were some of the best local restaurants. He took us to one lunch place right outside of Sukhothai that was what he called the noodle bowl place that served 4 different colored noodles with a soup broth full of different seafood items that was really spectacular. The whole family agreed it was one of our best meals….and very local!
Our guide from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai was also great and very friendly. After hearing that I was looking for a couple of specific items she arranged a tuk tuk during our free time to take us to some local shops to purchase the very items I was looking for and gave us great suggestions for the night markets and areas to eat dinner.
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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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Below is a brief summary of our 2018-2019 family trip to Thailand and Cambodia. Each year on Christmas we pick a new place to explore and spend time together. As the kids get older and we see them less often, Trish and I really look forward to sharing these quality experiences with them.
Christmas is high season for SE Asia and so we knew there would be crowds. We are a very active family and prefer that most of our activities include getting out and moving, exploring and adventuring. We prefer to have a private adventure with a knowledgeable guide, rather than a group tour where there is a need to cater to the least active of the group. With that caveat, here is the report:
Day 1 – Arrival into Bangkok
The lines at Immigration in Thailand can take over an hour to get processed, we paid for a Fast Track service which was well worth it. After 24 hours of travel, the last thing you want to do is wait in an extended queue. A guide with our name placard met us as we got off the plane and led us directly to the immigration officer with no wait, and then immediately to the baggage claim. VIP service indeed.
We arrived late in the afternoon and went directly to the hotel where we had Two Bedroom Suite and a Grand Deluxe Room for the six of us. Highly recommend the hotel. Great service, city views, comfortable beds, and an amazing breakfast buffet.
Day 2 –Bangkok Biking
Most of us woke really early (the effects of jetlag) and I went for a 5:30 AM run in Lumphini Park. I was shocked to see hundreds of joggers out getting their morning exercise, running circles around a 1.5 km loop surrounding the park. It was impressive.
At 8:30 AM we were taken from the hotel to our private tour of the city and countryside on bicycles. Our guide, Aon, spent a few minutes getting to know us, and we were off. The traffic on the streets of Bangkok is madness. Motorcycles, tuk-tuks, autos, buses, and pedestrians all vying for a finite amount of tarmac. Add seven bicycles to the mix and the scene is comical with the weaving and bobbing of bodies and machines. Miraculously, we survived thanks in large part to Aon’s deft guidance.
First stop was the Farmer’s Market. The hustle and bustle of commerce were fun to see. Every type of fresh produce was available, as was live, dying, or butchered livestock and fishes. Not a place for the animal lovers and the smell was a bit horrific as the day’s juices covered the concrete streets.
Leaving the market, we boarded longtail boats with our bikes, crossed the Chao Prava river, and biked country trails which were elevated above the jungle floor. We had a good Thai meal at a local restaurant, returned to the boats and biked back.
Highly recommend this tour company. Ohn was delightful, knowledgeable, and a charismatic hostess- She got the most family votes for the best guide of the trip.
We stayed at the hotel the second night.
Day 3 – Travel to Chiang Mai
We were picked up for our short flight to Chiang Mai, which is an hour flight north on Bangkok. Upon arrival, we were met by our guide for the day, Nancy. The itinerary was seeing the Thai temples of Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Pra Sing, and Wat Prathat Doi Suthep. Lots of ornate buildings, old architecture, tons of Buddhas, history, and symbolism. At every stop, there were street food stalls and local merchants catering to the crowds. We found the coveted “elephant pants” for Bridget and Camdyn and a pretty neat high-end jade store where Trish picked out a belated birthday necklace.
By the end of the day, we had seen our fair share of Thai temples and were dropped off at a beautiful resort for the night. The resort was cottage style with cabana rooms that were nestled next to pools that weaved throughout the resort. The service here was also excellent- less refined than the last hotel but more genuine. Most of the breakfasts and dinners during our stay in Chaing Mai were here, as the hotel was a bit remote from downtown.
Day 4 – Elephants!
The next day we were picked up and taken to the Elephant Sanctuary. We spent the morning feeding them sugar cane, bananas, and protein balls for dessert. We learned about their lifestyles and behaviors and Gavin, Tegan and Camdyn ended the afternoon joining them in the mud for a good scrub down. The ability to interact directly with the animals in their natural habitat was a real treat. They truly are amazing creatures – big and beautiful. One of them was pregnant and we could see the baby move like some wild alien in her belly.
We returned to the hotel, where everyone got a massage- except for me. I went for a run.
That night, Tegan, Bridget and I went to the Sunday Night Street Market. Absolute mayhem, which was part of the fun. Part food market, part street fair, part circus, all in an open air and festive environment, the play was humming! There were times when it was hard to push through the crowds as space was defined by all of the merchant stalls that lined the streets. We ate, shopped and people watched. It was a fun evening.
Day 5 – Ah, Nature?
Nancy was once again our host for the day and she and her driver picked us up for what I thought would be a great hike up some mountain where we could stretch our legs and enjoy some wild. After all, it was described as “one of the most fertile troves of natural treasure in Chiang Mai, DoiIntanon National Park. The invigorating mountain air, the fresh, cool climate, makes it a rejuvenating break from the city.” We did get to Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s tallest peak at 2,565 meters, but it was slow-go as it was December 31and half of Chaing Mai had the same idea. Once at the top, the destination was a street food market and a couple of .5 km loops through the forest. And it was swarming with bodies. We actually couldn’t get off the hill fast enough.
We stopped briefly at the Twin Chedi - built by the Thai Airforce to honor King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, and at the summit - the shrine of Chao Inthawitchayanon, the former prince of Chiang Mai.
On the way back, we stopped at the impressive Wachiratharn Waterfall which was probably the best part of the day, as we were left to explore it on our own and we were able to climb to the top where the crowds preferred to remain below.
We’d skip this day again. Even without the crowds, the trip didn’t warrant the time.
Back to the resort.
Day 6 – Travel to Phuket
After a private shuttle and a quick two-hour flight south, we landed in Phuket. Phuket is an island province of Thailand known for its beautiful beaches and iconic pinnacle rock islands off its coast. We had Googled pictures of the resort online and were excited to be right on the beach in a resort with many pools and water slides for Camdyn- The Centara Grand Resort. Upon arriving, however, we were dropped off at the Centara Karon Resort- a third rate sister facility which was a 5-10 minute walk to the beach and which overlooked a crowded and unkempt street. Rooms were extremely dated, plumbing questionable, service and attitudes were poor. It was such a contrast to what we had experienced in the first two locations that I thought that it must be a mistake. There were two "Centara" hotels close to each other. The issue turned out to be the word GRAND in our itinerary, which despite also having the word Karon in it, would show up as the nice beachfront property when we Googled it when previewing the itinerary. The "Karon" had no Grand it it’s name and we now know why.
I placed a call to our trip planner at the travel company to try and remedy it. To his credit, he found a place an hour north, but that would cost us another $3,200. We were told that it was a four-bedroom house on the beach. We booked it- not willing to spend more than the single night at the “Karon”.
Day 7 – More Phuket
We arrived the next morning to the four-bedroom house with its own pool as part of the resort. It wasn’t “on the beach” as there was another house between it and the sand, but it wasn’t far and the facilities were so much better.
The beaches in Phuket are gorgeous- clear water, blond sand, and almost empty, but the waves (at least in the two places where we stayed) are small or non-existent and any swimming exposed you to painful (but not debilitating) jellyfish stings. So unless your idea of fun is laying on the beach, there wasn’t a lot to do.
Day 8 – Island Exploring, Kayaking, Swimming- Phuket area
We were dropped off at the boat harbor to join the canoeing company for our tour. After waiting for everyone to arrive (how many people are on this trip!?!), we were divided into four groups of around 40-50 and herded onto four boats. Honestly, sardines have more room than we did on the boat. Fortunately, there was no smoking allowed while on the boat, so all of the chain smokers who previously puffed away while waiting to board didn’t expose us to their toxins while on the water.
“Explore” consisted of landing on a small island, walking it and viewing a unique looking rock that shoots from the sea like a construction piling and is famous for being featured in the 1974 Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. The problem was that there were at least 300-400 others doing the same thing, reminiscent of Disneyland on Independence Day weekend. What a cluster!
“Kayak” consisted of getting into a two-man inflatable and having a “guide” paddle you through a cave- lasting around 10 minutes. If there were a hundred strokes during the trip, I’d be surprised. Oh, the adventure!
Finally, the “Swim” was at an island overrun with food and “activity” vendors where you had to remain in an area cordoned off with buoys to avoid all of the boat traffic, jet skis, and “other dangers”. It wasn’t much larger than the local public pool.
Each island stop required 15-30 minutes of sardine boating. Mercifully, we were done early afternoon and could get back to our room to create our own adventures.
This is a MUST MISS tour.
Day 9 – More Phuket
Free day. We made the most of it spending the morning reading, walking the beach along the far tarmac of the airport to see the planes take off and land up close, and watching for the storm remnants of Cyclone Pabuk (which never arrived). At the end of the day, Camdyn and I made use of the slide park at the resort and had the place to ourselves. I guess no one likes sliding in the rain??
Honestly, any return trip to Thailand would not include a stop in Phuket. Super touristy, overpriced, and a mecca for the uninspired sand kickers and urban whales.
Day 10 –Siem Reap
We flew to Siem Reap the next morning and got a shuttle to our hotel. While the Thailand traffic was crazy, the Cambodia traffic was chaos. It was amazing that we never saw a collision between the tens of thousands of vehicles and pedestrian traffic during our stay. Tuk-tuks and mopeds and motorcycles were the preferred mode of travel. We heard that the tax on vehicles was 120% of the sale price, which meant only the really wealthy could afford to drive a car.
We settled into the hotel, which was very nice for the area. The service was excellent and the staff hooked us up with dinner reservations and transportation. In the evening we visited the famous Circus Show, which was a mix between a musical, comedy, and acrobatics, with fantastic feats of strength and flexibility- all under a tent. Old school carnival style. Highly recommend.
Day 11 –Siem Reap Temples
The next day we toured the “big three” temples of Cambodia. Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ta Phrom. These were reminiscent of South American temples of the Aztecs. They were built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the kings of the day as a capital city (Angkor Thom), a monastery, university, and a temple of worship. Volcanic and limestone rock was hauled by boat, man, and elephant from 70 kms away to build the stunning architecture that has survived the centuries.
This area has a rich history so a knowledgeable guide who is able to speak English well will make the day really enjoyable. Fortunately for us, our guide Tola was every bit the knowledgeable and articulate host.
Day 12 –Siem Reap- Jeeps, Bicycles and a Boat
Our guide Chili picked us up the next morning in a couple of 1960s Jeeps, which were the spoils of the Vietnam War. Spartan and seasoned, they were every bit the “General Purpose” vehicles you’d expect to see in the jungle of Cambodia. We drove about an hour on very dusty roads to a small village where we jumped on single-speed cruiser bikes and rode to the local market. The market was an open-air version of capitalist commerce. Each stall specialized in a specific sector- produce and meats (by far the largest), electronics, house and garden, toys, clothing, hardware, etc. The place had it all.
After the bike ride, we continued by Jeep to a village on the bank of Tonle Sap Lake where we climbed the stairs of a home on stilts, 30 feet in the air, and had the best local meal of our whole trip.
Once lunch was finished, we boarded a local fishing boat and toured the floating village of Kompong Khleang. The Vietnamese Village homes of Kompong Khleang are built on objects that keep them afloat on Tonle Sap. The village moves along the river and sometimes up to the lake depending on the season. There was a floating school, a hospital, local shops, and even a hairdresser.
We finished with an open-air jeep ride back to the hotel where we all looked three shades darker with the layer of red dirt caked to every part of exposed skin. Quick showers and the rest of the afternoon and evening was spent relaxing poolside. And I went for a city “trail” run.
Day 13 – Back to Bangkok
The next morning was a short return flight to Bangkok for our final day. We were met by our guide Willow who took us to lunch and then boarded a private long tail boat for a tour of the canals of the Chao Prava River. The tour gave us a glimpse of the underbelly of Thailand- away from the tourism and commerce. The different angles of life exposed via the backyards of the neighborhoods was a cool perspective.
That evening we went to Chinatown, which is famous for its variety of food in an open-market environment. While it had received high ratings, we were mostly disappointed, although Trish and Gavin were able to find some good ramen.
Day 14 – Departure
We flew out the next morning to San Francisco via Taipei for the 20-hour trip back home.
Of note:
The people of Thailand and Cambodia are amazing. Kind, friendly and accommodating. They were the best part of the trip.There doesn’t appear to be a culture of outdoor activity and exploration, so the trails are utilitarian and not paths to scenic destinationsDo your homework on accommodations. It will make a huge difference to your stay.We preferred our time in Cambodia over that in ThailandLearn to squat. Most public bathrooms are open hole.Our trip planner at the travel company was very responsive and accommodating during our trip
Final Thoughts:
With our trips, so much of what we get out of them is our family time together- regardless of the specific sights or activities. We can make a great adventure out of a deluge in the middle of an ocean (done that). We are privileged to have four amazing kids who get along great, regardless of the circumstances. Sure, there are times when we each need some space, but those times are solved with a book, a walk, or a run. We’ll chalk this trip up as another success. Not necessarily as one that amazed us with specific adventures, but one that nourished us with the richness of being together, for two weeks, meeting great people in new lands.
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My wife, teenage daughter, and I traveled to Thailand for about 10 days in January 2016, with arrangements by this Southeast Asia travel agency. We could not have been happier with all the recommendations, selections, and arrangements by our travel company. We spent time in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Hua Hin. We had requested 4-star hotels and all were excellent selections with nice rooms, good locations, and very good service. The hotel in Bangkok is a high-rise hotel that had great triple room, actually a one room suite, that was very nicely appointed and very comfortable. They have an excellent breakfast included and wonderful Thai massage at their spa! The hotel in Chang Mai has OK rooms but their outdoor space is lovely, and good location. The hotel in Hua Hin is a beautiful beach resort, very nice and comfortable room, and good service. Breakfast is great, although their restaurant Thai buffet we tried one night was only so-so. All of the local transportation arrangements by our travel company were spot on! Right on time (or early), with very nice vehicles (car for airport trips and van for tours). The guides in Bangkok and Chiang Mai were very good. Knowledgeable, helpful, and very nice and engaging. My communication with the company before and during trip was all very good. Our arrival flight was 12 hours late and I was able to easily text their operations manager who quickly re-arranged our initial schedule without any fuss or difficulty so no problems when we finally got there. In all, I was very pleased and satisfied with this travel agency and would absolutely recommend them without hesitation. We are planning to travel to Vietnam and Cambodia in the next couple of years and will definitely use this company again if we can.
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I had a fantastic solo trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand and Siem Reap, Cambodia thanks to the attention and service provided by this travel agency and the wonderful guides assigned to me. They took care of every detail allowing me to focus on the best parts of the trip. The hotels were superb and all of the transportation went extremely smoothly. I especially enjoyed spending my time visiting the various temples in Siem Reap both on foot and bicycle with my guide. He knew how to avoid the crowds and correctly assessed my interests and needs.
My agent put this trip together and did a spectacular job.
I highly recommend Zicasso travel and this travel agency and wouldn't hesitate to book with them again.
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