Highlights Of Thailand

Sa-wat dee, welcome to Thailand! Your adventure begins in the country’s bustling capital, Bangkok, famous for its tuk tuks, khlong boats and street vendors serving up delicious Thai food. A welcome meeting will take place at 6pm tonight where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive in Bangkok with time to spare, you may like to take a riverboat to Chinatown and explore the crowded streets, wander down the tourist mecca of Khao San Road, or indulge in some Thai massage. After the meeting tonight, perhaps get to know your group over dinner at one of the many restaurants surrounding your hotel.Accommodation: Hotel

Begin the day with a river cruise down the Chao Phraya River to explore the famous ‘khlongs’ (canals). Life along these canals seems a world away from the chaotic streets of the capital. Pay a visit to the magnificent Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The sprawling royal complex houses numerous ornate structures that highlight the grand architectural traditions of Thailand. Later in the day, travel south by private minibus to Kanchanaburi (approximately 2.5 hours). Located where the confluence of the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers, Kanchanaburi is home to the infamous 'Bridge on the River Kwai'.Accommodation: Resort

This morning, make tracks for the Erawan Falls. These terraced waterfalls, named after the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology, cascade into a series of emerald green pools – a beautiful place to swim, walk or sit back and relax. After your visit drive to the Hellfire Pass Memorial, built to honour the allied prisoners of war (POWs) and Asian conscripts who died while constructing some of the most difficult stretches of the Thai-Burma Death Railway. You can head out to a teak observation deck and look across to Myanmar just kilometres away. You’ll also see the eponymous pass, cut through rock 18 metres deep, that got its name from the hellish fires used to light the work at night. Boarding at Nam Tok station, the main terminal of the Death Railway, take a ride along the historic tracks along the Kwai Noi River and travel over the original wooden viaduct (the Bridge on the River Kwai) constructed by the allied POWs. Pass through magnificent scenery and spend a moment reflecting on those who were forced to give their lives in the process of bending this environment to man’s will. Tonight, you can explore the rows of street vendors in town and perhaps grab a drink overlooking the River Kwai.Accommodation: Resort