Wat Phra Kaew

After breakfast, we transfer to the city centre for an unforgettable day visiting Bangkok’s most important attractions.

We begin at Wat Arun, also known as the Temple of the Dawn, a Buddhist complex built in the 17th century and one of the nation’s most important historical landmarks, celebrated for its impressive central Prang encrusted with coloured porcelain.

We then cross the Chao Phraya River by boat and make our way to Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, a religious complex housing Thailand’s largest collection of Buddha images, including the 46-metre-long Reclining Buddha statue. It is considered the oldest public centre of learning in the country and includes the Thai Medicine School and the Traditional Massage School.

We continue to the Grand Palace, the complex of buildings at the heart of the capital that has served as the official residence of the Kingdom of Siam’s rulers since 1782, and to Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Built in 1783 within the Grand Palace grounds, it is considered the most sacred Buddhist temple in the nation. Nearby, we visit the Tha Phrachan’s Amulet Market, one of the largest and most important amulet markets in Thailand.

We then head to Chinatown, one of the most vibrant and colourful areas of the capital, for a visit to Wat Traimit, the Temple of the Golden Buddha, which houses the world’s largest solid gold Buddha statue, weighing 5.5 tonnes and standing 3 metres tall.

The day concludes with a return to the hotel, or a private transfer to the airport in time for your departure flight.

Included: Tour guide, entrance tickets and private transfers

Maeklong Railway Market

After breakfast, we transfer to the Maeklong Railway Market, also known as the Umbrella Pull-down Market — the most picturesque and authentic market in Thailand, established in 1905 literally on the railway tracksbuilt by local authorities at the time for the rapid transport of goods. Today, eight times a day, as vendors hear the approaching train, they swiftly remove their goods and umbrellas from the tracks to let it pass, then immediately reposition everything and calmly resume selling until the next train.

We then transfer to Damnoen Saduak, 90 km from Bangkok in Ratchaburi province. On arrival, we board a boat to explore the artificial canal built over 150 years ago, now famous for its celebrated floating market, where vendors aboard small wooden boats sell a variety of local produce, vegetables, fruit, desserts and handicrafts every day. Over the years the floating market has become a popular tourist attraction, yet it remains such a distinctive glimpse into everyday life that it is absolutely worth a visit.

We conclude with a stop at a coconut sugar farm, a working agricultural business specialising in the processing of coconut and its derivatives, where we observe the production process and sample some delicious products. We then return to our hotel in Bangkok.

Included: Hotel, breakfast, tour guide and private transfers

Wat Mahathat

Today we look forward to an unforgettable visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once the most populated and remarkable city in the world from the 14th century until the Burmese invasion of 1767, considered the forerunner of modern Thailand: the Ancient Kingdom of Ayutthaya.

We visit the most important monuments of Ayutthaya, including Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, or the Summer Palace, the complex once inhabited by Thai rulers; the Wat Yai Chai Mongkol Monastery, built in 1357; Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, the Temple of the Holy; and Wat Mahathat, renowned for the iconic stone Buddha head entwined within the roots of a tree.

At lunchtime, we board a river cruise back to Bangkok, enjoying a delicious buffet lunch as we glide slowly along the enchanting Chao Phraya River.

On arrival in the city, we continue to Asiatique the Riverfront, the large open-air riverside shopping complex built on the former wharf of the East Asiatic Company, founded in 1897. It is home to 1,500 shops and stalls and 40 restaurants, most of which are housed in the original warehouses. Among the many historic buildings, visitors can see an old sawmill, a World War II air-raid shelter, a train shed decorated with bronze statues, and several performance venues.

Included: Hotel, breakfast, buffet lunch on the river cruise, tour guide, entrance tickets and private transfers

Transfer to Bangkok airport in good time for the regional flight to Siem Reap.

Included: Transfers, regional flight, hotel

Banteay Srei temple

After breakfast, we begin our exploration of the Angkor archaeological site at the Vishnuite sanctuary temple of Prasad Kravan (921 AD), renowned for its brick sculptures found nowhere else within the complex.

We stop at the Pre Rup temple, built in the 10th century during the reign of Rajendravarman, an unmistakable example of the “Temple Mountain” architectural style.

We then proceed to Banteay Samré, erected in the late 12th century as the last Hindu temple built at Angkor, and to Banteay Srei (10th century), the “Citadel of Women”, celebrated for its exquisite and delicately carved bas-reliefs — widely regarded as one of the unmissable highlights of the entire site.

In the afternoon, we visit the Buddhist temples, the last to be built during the Khmer Kingdom.

We explore the small yet captivating Ta Som, modest in size but utterly enchanting for its atmosphere of serene quietude; the Medicine Temple of Neak Pean, a wholly atypical structure from an architectural standpoint, designed to replicate the mythical lake of Anavatapta, the sacred Himalayan lake; and the temple of Preah Khan, “The Great Sword”, built on the site of Jayavarman II’s final battle to reclaim his kingdom from the invading Champa Empire.

Included: Tour guide, private transfers, entrance tickets, hotel.

Bayon temple

After breakfast, we continue our exploration of the archaeological site at Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, spreading across a surface area of approximately two million square metres. We then make our way to the picturesque temple of Ta Prohm, one of the most fascinating and photographed in the entire complex, still engulfed in vegetation and wrapped in the enormous roots of centuries-old banyan trees.

In the afternoon, we visit “The Great City” of Angkor Thom, a vast complex of buildings dominated by the Bayon temple, renowned for its 216 gigantic stone faces carved atop its 54 sanctuaries.

The day draws to a close with a visit to the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King, and the temple of Phimeanakas.

Included: Tour guide, entrance tickets, private transfers and hotel.

Kompong Kleang floating village

In the morning, we transfer to the village of Dom Dek. Weather permitting, we make a stop at the colourful and authentic local market. Taking a detour, we immerse ourselves in the surreal atmosphere of Kompong Kleang : a long dirt road lined with wooden stilt houses rising over ten metres high, built to shelter their inhabitants from flooding during the rainy season.

We observe the daily life of the local community engaged in a variety of traditional fishing activities that, as if frozen in time, have remained unchanged for centuries. We then board a traditional wooden boat and navigate along the canal that flows into Tonle Sap lake. Continuing further, we reach the floating village — an entire community that has lived and worked on the water for centuries. Alongside private homes, we find floating schools, shops, workshops and restaurants.

In the afternoon, we head north to visit Beng Mealea, one of the last Hindu temples predating the Buddhist religious reform. The visit is among the most captivating in the area, as the temple has undergone little restoration and remains almost entirely swallowed by the surrounding forest.

At the end of the day, we transfer to the airport in good time for the evening departure flight.

Included: Tour guide, entrance tickets, private boat, private transfers and hotel.