Many secrets have yet to be uncovered in Thailand and Cambodia. Tree-wrapped temples, stilt-house communities, and mysterious hill tribes can be found in the jungle of Cambodia. Then, in Thailand experience Siam ruins, a World War II railway, the back-canals of Bangkok, and a Chiang Rai night market. Handcrafted to take you off the beaten track, this two-week tour explores a superb variety of destinations and ends with the lesser-known secrets of Angkor.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Bangkok – Lively Welcomes From Across Thailand
When you land in Thailand, you will be transferred to a hotel that’s perched above Chao Phraya River, the artery from which so much of Bangkok extends. Spend the evening at a cultural dance performance, which will be an informal way to get over your travel fatigue and quickly get to know different parts of the country. There are various forms of music and dancing that come from different Thai regions, giving a feel for a diversity that is often understated by visitors. Dinner will be served on the terrace in a quiet part of Bangkok.
What's Included:
Day 2
Bangkok – A Labyrinth of Canals and Backstreet Bangkok
Day 3
Chiang Rai – The Surreal White Temple and a Night market
Day 4
Mae Rim – Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand
Day 5
Chiang Mai – Tea Plantations and Sunset With the Monks
Day 6
Chiang Mai – Thai Cooking Class and Northern Heritage
Day 7
Suphanburi – Legendary Ruins From Early Siam
Day 8
Kanchanaburi – The River Kwai, Hellfire Pass and Floating Through the Jungle
Day 9
Bangkok – Immersed in Nature
Day 10
Siem Reap – An Afternoon With the Icons
Day 11
Siem Reap – Full Day Exploring Angkor
Day 12
Siem Reap – Banteay Srei Temple and 10th-Century Khmer
Day 13
Siem Reap – Silt Houses on Tonle Sap Lake
Day 14
Siem Reap – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Get lost in the mystery of Angkor, where ancient Khmer temples are wrapped in tree roots and jungle
- Spend a day with a hill tribe community in far northern Thailand, where traditions are integral to the everyday culture
- Explore the fabulous ruins of Ayutthaya, the early Siam capital
- Float through the jungle on a raft and take an adventure in Erawan National Park
- Visit a stilt house community and learn about the cultural mysteries of Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake
- Discover the spirituality of Thailand’s temples, from artistic Wat Rong Khun to a monk’s blessing at Doi Suthep
- Disappear into tenth-century Khmer by spending a day at Banteay Srei
- Soak up the tranquility of northern Thailand in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai
- Float through the back-canals of Bangkok, an experiential alternative to the capital city’s bustle
- Take a Thai cooking class, watch the sunset from Bayon in Cambodia, and explore the stories of the World War II Burma railway
Detailed Description
Thailand and Cambodia have always had secrets. The countries’ recent popularity hasn’t changed this, especially as the majority of visitors follow standard routes. Across both countries, you’ll find historical mysteries and tradition that has been kept hidden from most of the world. There are temples wrapped in trees, not just the famous ones in Angkor but others that lay shrouded by jungle. Communities are tucked away, like hill-tribes in northern Thailand and stilt houses on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake. Other evocative stories are known, just lesser celebrated and lesser-seen by visitors, including Bangkok’s back canals, sublime tea plantations, and temples and ruins from distinctive eras. As you dive a little off the beaten track, you will find two countries that appear to have countless secrets.
This handcrafted tour to Thailand and Cambodia focuses on authentic stories that reveal the places and people where there are secrets left to uncover. You will travel at a relatively fast pace, with six different overnight stops in Thailand, before you use Siem Reap as a base to explore different areas of Cambodia. Angkor will be the highlight of course, but four days in Siem Reap will help you travel beyond the postcards of Angkor Wat. You will be led by a number of excellent guides with a focus on meeting the people. On this tour, experience everything from receiving a monk’s blessing in a Chiang Mai temple to a cooking class in a local kitchen.
Your trip will begin in Bangkok with a cultural dance performance offering a quick and laid-back means of getting to know the country’s regions. Then, spend the day on the back-canals and backstreets as you cruise through a lesser-seen side to the city. Fly to Chiang Rai where the White Temple and a night market provide contemporary experiences. Visit tea plantations and meet monks en route to Chiang Mai, where you will have a unique cooking experience. End your stay in Thailand with a day in early Siam at the Ayutthaya ruins before you spend a day around the jungle and railway close to the River Kwai, and a day immersed in the nature of Erawan National Park.
Fly to Siem Reap to travel in many Cambodian directions. Enjoy a sunset with the Khmer Empire as the centerpiece, a full day getting lost in the tree-wrapped temples, and exploring beyond central Angkor. Then, visit the Brahman temple of Banteay Srei, a floating community on Tonle Sap Lake, and sections of Angkor that remain in the most redolent state of ruin. Like in Thailand the tour is all about meeting people, exploring traditions, and uncovering the secrets that have made these places so unique.
Starting Price
$4,600 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.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.86 stars based on 214 reviews.
Reviewed By Mary E.
Reviewed By Diane F.
Reviewed By Dina W.
Reviewed By Lewis L.
Reviewed By meena B.
Reviewed By Bill G.