Couple’s Cultural Holiday in Thailand

Upon your arrival in Bangkok, a dedicated Wayfairer representative will meet and escort you to your hotel. We recommend staying at the iconic Mandarin Oriental, overlooking the Chao Phraya River.  This elegant hotel has welcomed cultural icons and diplomatic guests for over a century, becoming a veritable part of the city’s cultural heritage. You will have ample time to refresh and recharge after your flight, before meeting your guide in the early evening to take your first steps out into the bustling capital. Venture out just as the earliest street vendors serve up steaming fish, sizzling satays, fragrant rice, fresh vegetables and delicious fruit. Pull up a stool at a local stall, or head to one of Bangkok’s finest Michelin-starred restaurants: if there is one thing this city does well, it is the food.

This morning, rise early for your full-day, privately guided tour of Bangkok. Your exploration will transport you from the ancient palaces and temples that sit, sprawling and glittering, along the banks of the timeless Chao Phraya, right through to the forward-looking, cosmopolitan 21^st Century Bangkok which is still taking shape today.

In between temple-hopping, traverse the city like a local, taking the iconic khlong (canal) boats, the Chao Phraya River public ferry and the ultra-modern BTS Skytrain.

 For art and culture lovers, Bangkok’s art scene is burgeoning with talent and blessed with a remarkable heritage. A specialist guide can be arranged if this is one of your core interests. By day’s end, you’ll be ready for an evening sipping cocktails at one of the city’s many elegant rooftop bars or restaurants, perhaps even pausing for a spot of light jazz before dinner.

Continue to trace the story of Siam by heading to ancient Ayutthaya, once the largest city in the world. Founded in 1351, it swiftly became a hub for international trade, with diplomatic and trading relationships being established between Siam and partners ranging from China and Vietnam, to far-away Portugal and the Netherlands.

Filled with grand palaces and royal temples, Ayutthaya is now a vast complex of captivating, red-sandstone ruins, interspersed with Buddha statues draped in saffron robes, monks offering blessings, and temples adorned in lotus flowers.

Return to Bangkok in the ways of a long-forgotten age: by boat. An elegant sunset cruise will take you peacefully back to the city, where you shall spend the night before commencing the next phase of your adventure.

This morning, drive to Kanchanaburi, perhaps best known for its dark past. It is home to the infamous bridge over the River Kwai, built by Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and Asian labourers during the Japanese occupation in World War Two.  The sensitive Thai Burma Railway Museum and the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery offer an opportunity to learn and reflect on this important time.

After your day, you will then board a longtail boat to the unique, Floathouse River Kwai. This boutique accommodation settled on the water offers an immersive and relaxing base from which to enjoy Kanchanaburi’s more pleasant and abundant treasures: a wealth of wildlife, leafy jungle trails, mysterious caves and enchanting waterfalls. 

On your second day in Kanchanaburi, you will have better opportunity to explore the natural world, focusing on the beautiful Erawan National Park, replete with wonderful hiking routes and spectacular waterfalls. It’ll be an action-packed day full of adventures, from kayaking and hiking to caving and waterfall-chasing.

From Kanchanaburi’s exceptional natural beauty, it’s time to head to the “Rose of the North”, as Chiang Mai is admiringly known. This ancient walled city was once the stronghold of the Lanna kings. Today, it is a melting pot of Siamese, Lanna and Burmese traditions, visible in everything from the stupendous architecture to the diverse cuisine.

Enjoy a leisurely walking tour of the city, dipping into walled temple courtyards as you please, and be sure to return to the old town come nightfall, when the market lights up the streets after dark.

The next day, you will visit Elephant Nature Park to enjoy a full day adventure with gorgeous, gentle pachyderms. Elephant Nature Park is truly one of Thailand’s only genuinely responsible sanctuaries, offering a home to retired and rescued elephants. Wayfairer is proud to be able to share such a beautiful and responsible experience with our guests.

With a final sunrise visit to Doi Suthep, overlooking the city of Chiang Mai, you shall be transferred back to the airport for the final part of your Thailand cultural adventure. Board your flight to Surat Thani, where you shall be met and ultimately transferred by boat to Koh Samui, a veritable island paradise.

On Koh Samui, one of Thailand’s most beautiful and well-kept islands, you will be completely at your leisure to explore or unfurl: whichever best pleases you. We recommend staying at the stunning Six Senses resort: a tribute to stylish, sustainable luxury, where everything oozes sophistication and conscious design. Guests with a penchant for delicious food will also be delighted to know that the resort also has an unlimited ice-cream policy…

Sadly, your time in the Land of Smiles has drawn to a close. You shall be transferred back to the airport by a dedicated representative, in plenty of time for your onward journey. We hope to be able to welcome you again.