Wellness & Culture of Thailand and Laos
Duration: 11 days
Highlights: THAILAND & LAOS
• Experience time-honored Thai massage traditions
• Meditate at a Lao waterfall
• Cruise the Mekong’s timeless landscapes
Description: Uplift the mind, body and soul during this private wellness-focused cultural tour of Thailand and Laos. Enjoy biking and light trekking through scenic landscapes, retreat to a mountain lodge near the Golden Triangle, enjoy time for yoga and foodie activities, practice meditation at a waterfall in Luang Prabang and experience an overnight cruise on the remote Upper Mekong River.
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This tour is a recommended sample itinerary that can be fully customized to your preferred dates, time frame, hotels and interests. Contact your preferred travel agent for more information.
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Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Bangkok
Enjoy Fast Track service upon arrival at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport and transfer directly to your preferred hotel in the heart of the city.
The vibrant capital of Thailand, Bangkok offers an eclectic mix of ornate temples and towering skyscrapers. Both traditional and contemporary, the city is a hive of colorful food and flower markets, buzzing off-beat streets and intriguing waterways complemented by a dynamic dining scene with some of Asia’s top restaurants as well as Michelin-worthy street food all just waiting to be explored.
Overnight: Bangkok
Meal Plan:
Day 2 - Bangkok
Begin the day with a private blessing ritual performed by monks at one of Bangkok’s sacred temples. Then explore the city of contrasts, visiting Bangkok’s old communities and hidden green corners. Discover centuries of history along Bangkok’s meandering rivers and sleepy canals where a 200-year-old Thai-Portuguese reveals the cultural and culinary heritage of European traders. Then escape the hustle and bustle of city life for a leisurely cycling experience through jungle foliage, fruit orchards and winding canals in Bangkok’s urban oasis by bike. Cycle through lush vegetation and over narrow streets to reach an old, weathered temple and admire the vibrant local flowers and tropical fruits.
Overnight: Bangkok
Meal Plan: B
Day 3 - Bangkok - Chiang Mai
Fly to Chiang Mai, the capital of the former Lanna kingdom which ruled northern Thailand from the 13th to 18th centuries. Hop on a bike and explore northern Thailand’s rich natural beauty of on two wheels. Cycle through fertile valleys, lush rice paddies and peaceful mountain landscapes, stopping to experience the local craft industries and taste seasonal fruits along the way. made from hard mango wood. Soak in the curative waters of a natural hot spring.
Overnight: Chiang Mai
Meal Plan: B
Day 4 - Chiang Mai
Lift your spirit with an early morning blessing and breakfast in the sacred mountains of northern Thailand. Experience the local almsgiving tradition and be blessed by monks on the way up to Chiang Mai’s sacred mountaintop temple, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Enjoy a picnic breakfast top at a mountain-side monastery nestled within the forest overlooking the city in the distance.
In the afternoon, head into the rolling hills of Chiang Mai’s north-western Mae Rim district where hill tribe villages thrive from a sustainable agriculture and vegetable farming industry. Learn about the Royal Projects, a royal family initiative that promotes conservation. Then stroll through the curated gardens and glasshouses at the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden to admire wild orchids, colorful water lilies and sweet-smelling gingers.
Overnight: Chiang Mai
Meal Plan: B
Day 5 - Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
Fly to Chiang Rai where you can escape to a remote mountain retreat for an immersive wellness experience. Reconnect with nature and immerse in wellness and mindfulness discovery at a mountaintop retreat hidden in a verdant forest overlooking northern Thailand’s scenic valleys. Enjoy the fresh mountain breeze from your simple bamboo cottage with dreamy vistas from your private terrace where there is no television or media to distract you. The picturesque mountain estate is surrounded by water reservoirs, natural springs, rivers, an organic vegetable farm and a fruit orchard.
Overnight: Chiang Rai
Meal Plan: B
Day 6 - Chiang Rai
Engage in wellness activities at the mountain retreat where your options include mountain treks through the Mae Salong valley region, private yoga sessions with expert practitioners and spa treatments based on ancient knowledge passed down through generations of Thai healers, using soothing natural aromatic oils.
Overnight: Chiang Rai
Meal Plan: B
Day 7 - Chiang Rai to Mekong River
Depart early from your mountain lodge and transfer to the edge of the Mekong River where you cross the border into Laos. Board an elegant river boat and begin cruising downriver towards the old royal capital of Luang Prabang, where you will arrive the next day. Stop at traditional villages along the way for a chance to observe the rural life of ethnic minorities and their talented craftsmanship. Lunch is served on board while cruising and you arrive at your riverside lodge near Pak Beng just before sunset. Enjoy the scenery at the simple, yet comfortable lodge, surrounded by nature. Enjoy dinner at the lodge.
Overnight: Pak Beng
Meal Plan: B,L,D
Day 8 - Mekong River to Luang Prabang
Wake up surrounded by the serenity of Laos’ natural countryside with its mist-covered mountains and peaceful, flowing river. Enjoy breakfast at the lodge before returning to the river boat to continue your journey. Enjoy the sights of granite cliffs and sparkling sandy shores, stopping to explore the sacred Pak Ou caves with over 2,500 Buddha statues. Lunch is served on board amid the wild beauty of the Mekong River and you arrive in Luang Prabang in the early evening. Experience a traditional baci ceremony, a welcoming ritual performed to bestow good luck and happiness during your travels.
Overnight: Luang Prabang
Meal Plan: B,L
Day 9 - Luang Prabang
Experience Luang Prabang, rising before dawn to participate in tak bat, a silent ceremony offering food to local monks who walk in meditation with their alms bowls. Then visit a local market before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Later, explore the Royal Palace Museum and Wat Xieng Thong with its impressive Tree of Life mosaic and richly decorated wooden columns. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure. Then head out for an evening with locals, enjoying a game of pétanque (the French version of bocce) followed by a sin dad (Lao barbecue) dinner and drinks overlooking the Mekong.
Overnight: Luang Prabang
Meal Plan: B
Day 10 - Luang Prabang
Start the day early this morning and travel to stunning Kuang Si Falls for a guided meditation led by a local expert. Enjoy a picnic breakfast along the cascading waters, then explore a path running along a wide multitiered fall. Cool off with a refreshing swim or walk the forest trails. Take a closer look at the lush rice fields that define the landscape of Laos and enjoy an enriching crop-to-bowl experience with a local farmer. Explore every stage of the rice harvest before tasting local snacks made from this regional staple.
Overnight: Luang Prabang
Meal Plan: B
Day 11 - Depart Luang Prabang
Savor your final moments in Luang Prabang before transferring to the airport in time for your departure flight.
Overnight:
Meal Plan: B