Indiana Jones by day and food critic by night - our amazing Thai tour takes you back in time with fascinating temple ruins, interesting food and the amazing Angkor Wat.
Our adventure begins in Bangkok and will end in Siem Reap - from here you can explore more of Cambodia, fly to Vietnam, Singapore, Phuket and beyond.
You make your way to Bangkok and we take it from there as we explore our favourite:
And that's the first few days . . .
For the Indiana Jones in you, we are off to the ancient capital of Ayutthaya - Birthplace of the Thai food that you know and love.
Ayutthaya is a living museum full of crumbling temple complexes, old European trading posts, friendly people and its own unique food culture.
What's that? More temples you say . . .
Let's do a Bucket List item and take you to Angkor Wat . . . it's literally in the neighbourhood - and just a 45 minute flight away.
The largest temple complex in the world, made famous in the 13th century, lost to time in the 15th century and made famous again by Lara Croft in Tomb Raider . . .
Setting out from our boutique hotel each day we show you some of the best sights and sites Angkor has to offer. Some great food and plenty of time for Spa treatments, this is the best way to tour these vast temple complexes.
ABOUT YOU:
We walk 2–3 km daily—think more “strolling to brunch” than “scaling Everest.” If your joints don’t complain and you're not allergic to stairs, you’ll be just fine. Speaking of allergies - in many cases we are dealing with chefs, cooks and vendors who don't understand the word "allergy" - even in their own language - but love the sound of "blue to the sky, orange to the thigh".
Finally, we are a bunch of fun-loving travellers and though we have an itinerary we do tend to mix things up, add things or change things entirely so as long as you're happy with that then you are going to love this trip.
Angkor Wat is magnificent temple complex in Cambodia, and the largest religious monument in the world, covering an area of over 400 acres. It was built in the 12th century by the Khmer Empire and stands as a testament to their incredible engineering skills. Legend has it that it was constructed using a mix of stone blocks and unicorn tears (okay, maybe not the tears part, but it adds a touch of magic to the story!).
We tour the temple complexes in private tuk tuks whizzing past monuments and history carved in stone - making a fun adventure, like a historic theme park without the roller coaster.
Exploring the temple grounds feels like being on an epic treasure hunt, with hidden chambers, secret passageways, and breathtaking views waiting to be discovered. And let's not forget the bragging rights you'll earn when you tell your friends that you've seen one of the most iconic landmarks on the planet. So pack your sense of adventure, grab your Indiana Jones hat (optional but highly recommended), and get ready to have your mind blown at Angkor Wat!
Explore the hidden maze and laneways as we tackle Chinatown.
On the way you will discover a 5 tonne Gold Buddha that lay undiscovered for centuries.
But the highlight is the food - street vendors abound and as we snack our way through the alley ways we arrive at a fantastic food street with some of our favourite gems (in air conditioned comfort).
But there's more - we visit a centuries old gold shop and make our way to the 5th floor for a private viewing of their cool museum of Siamese gold history and production.
Ready for an adventure in food, culture & history with pleny of off-the-beaten-track action along the way? Then this is the trip for you.
11 days exploring the roots of Thai food from street food and giving you the opportunity to dine at some great Michelin starred restaurants as well. Mix that with plenty of culture, temples and you would have an ok tour.
But ‘ok’ is not ok for us.
We’re going to take all of this to the next level going way back in time as we visit ancient ruins of Ayutthaya and the icing on the cake - the specatcular Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Along the way we meet the locals, witness two miracles and top it all off spectacular sights and food which you will enjoy with just 8 other people - we’re like a travelling group of friends.
Let’s break this tour down for you:
Not sure yet? Read on for our detailed Itinerary.
Meet in the morning around 9.30am after breakfast and then we are on to the local canal boat to take a walk through Rattanakosin, the historic old part of Bangkok.
Rattanokosin is filled with hidden lanes, old palaces and fascinating food vendors that have been plying their trade for generations dating back to when this area was home to lesser royals, ministers etc. who served the royal courts. We are talking around the time of "The King and I" which took place in this area when Anna Leonowens was the governess of the ruling monarch's children.
From interesting temples, amulet markets plus fascinating maze of Buddha factories, this walk really does show you a side to Bangkok that most tourists never see. There is also some great street food to sample along the way including dishes that date back 70 years or more.
Lunch will be at a hip new restaurant serving some interesting takes on Isaan food. Good toilets and air conditioning plus cold beer - perfect!
Now you have some choices . . .
If you are up for more adventure we can take a walk to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho) and then take a long tail boat or public ferry back to the sky train stop and home to our hotel.
If you've seen enough Buddhas or just want to pace yourself when it comes to seeing Buddhas (there are plenty of Buddhas on this trip) then you can head back to the hotel and relax with a massage or a swim or perhaps some shopping.
Dinner is at a great favourite restaurant of ours in an old jam factory.
Inclusions:
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Meet in the lobby around 8.30am and we are off to the skytrain and then the subway into Chinatown.
This day highlights the blend of old and new and showcases how the younger Thai instagram crowd are changing the neighbourhoods and experiences in this very old part of the city.
Our first stop is Wat Traimitr - home of a 6 tonne gold Buddha. The history surrounding this Buddha is fascinating and ties in with our visit to Ayutthaya where precious objects were covered with render to hide them from invading Burmese armies.After the sacking of Ayutthaya the location of the treasures were lost and this buddha sat neglected for years until moved to Bangkok where, by accident, it was dropped and the render cracked open revealing this jaw-dropping buddha image. Equally as fascinating is the casting process of this buddha which is explained in a great museum on site.
Moving on, we hit the street and marvel at the organised chaos that is Chinatown and her bustling shopping lanes. No-one gets between one of these shop owners and the ability to make a buck - their houses are shops, the footpath is their store front and there's no town planning, fire safety or places to stop. It's like floating in a current of people wanting to get a good deal on everything from raincoats to belt buckles - such fun!
Every turn is a surprise as we pass through old neighbourhoods, a restored mansionsfor a coffee and learn about the history of Chinatown and the influence the Chinese had on Thai food.
You also have the opportunity to buy some gold in a centuries old 7 story gold shop.
Eventually we manage to break from the riptide and find ourselves in a street that is becoming famous for young Thais doing some very cool things with traditional food.
First stop - some traditional herbal drinks and ancient Thai snacks - plus good toilets, and air-conditioning.
Lunch in a great restaurant close by.
If you still have room, there are some more food experiences for you as we make our way to a fascinating Chinese temple that is very different to what we've seen before.
From here we head underground to the subway and back to our hotel. Swim, relax as you have the rest of the day free - including tonight.
DINNER
You can join us for dinner at one of our local favourites . . . however, with so many Michelin starred restaurants in Bangkok you might like to head out on your own and enjoy a real treat.
Here are a few that we recommend:
You will need to book these well before you leave.
Here is a list of the twenty eight 1 Michelin Starred Restaurants - change the filter for two stars or recommended.
In short, Dinner tonight is really up to you. Join us, get room service or have a fine-dining experience - it's all up to you.
Inclusions:
Today we're cooking with Poo. Thankfully it's much better than it sounds
We’ll meet in the downstairs lobby/meeting area of the Patumwan Princess Hotel at 8:00AM before heading to the Sky Train to the ‘posh’ part of Bangkok.
But we’re not in the land of the rich and wealthy for long.
We will meet up with Poo and her team and head to Bangkok’s largest wet market to see all the produce and buy what we need for our private cooking class in Bangkok’s largest slum.
Once again, the slum is much better than it sounds. You get to see a side to Thailand that most tourists will never experience. This cooking class is a highlight of the tour and very safe and professionally run. Khun Poo has been featured with Jamie Oliver on his shows.
In theory we have the afternoon free but before we return to your hotel we will see how the other half (rich people) live as you visit one of Bangkok’s amazing shopping precincts full of trendy cafés, fashion and book stores etc.
Dinner:
Once again we have no plans for dinner as there are so many fantastic places that you may wish to explore and shopping to be done.
You are also welcome to join us as we head to the "Hi So" (short for High Society - trendy) neighbourhood of Bangkok to visit some of our favourite bars and restaurants there.
Inclusions:
Leaving Bangkok we head north to Ayutthaya which only takes about an hour but we have time so let's mix it up a bit . . .
At Bang Pa-In we stop and send the vans onwards with our luggage while we explore the King's old Summer Palace - do it on foot or a golf cart if you like.
Time to live dangerously as we climb aboard a jaunty cable car ride across the river to a fascinating Buddhist Temple build in neo-gothic architectural style.
Now the real fun begins - board our long tail boat as we zoom upstream on the "river of kings" in the watery footsteps of ancient seafaring traders to Ayutthaya. Along the way you are treated to life on the river as a small man with a huge engine navigates through the various boats and canals of the river.
We pull in to the jetty of a local restaurant for a relaxing lunch and a cool drink.
After lunch we take the short drive to our hotel where you can relax by the pool, book a massage and just unwind for the afternoon,
Dinner tonight will be in a local market - true street food in a local market. The best part is you can watch the chef in action and learn his secrets.
Inclusions:
Today we are flying to the stunning temples and vibrant town of Siem Reap and Angkor Wat.
After breakfast we are off to the Gold Museum to see the incredible artefacts that have been excavated from the temples in Ayutthaya.
This trip really highlights the wealth and grandeur of the era and is quite spell-binding.
An hour long Van Ride brings us to Don Meuang airport for our 45 minute flight to Siem Reap.
Upon arrival we will send our bags to the hotel and with our Angkor Passes in hand we drive to Angkor Wat for sunset, giving us our first taste of what the next few days hold for us.
Inclusions:
Let’s get up early and do some serious temple exploring.
We have organised our own private tuk tuks and guide to take us off to explore one of the wonders of the world, Angkor Wat.
Angkor is not one temple but the largest temple complex in the world covering 160 hectares. We only have a day so we will visit the most popular.
But first breakfast. You could have breakfast in the hotel but we’re going to visit the least touristed side of Angkor Wat and have breakfast from the back of our tuk tuks before exploring the ruins.
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We get off the beaten track on this trip and visit some seldom seen parts of Angkor - which is what makes this trip so special
Lunch will be at a local restaurant in town and then back to the hotel for you to put your feet up or do some shopping in the markets and boutique shops just a short walk nearby. The town also has some trendy cafés and bars to explore as well.
Later that afternoon we will head back to Angkor in our tuk tuks to view Angkor Wat at sunset - the light is just amazing at this time.
Dinner - with so many options and a bustling market to explore a short walk from the hotel we leave you to your own devices. But we will meet you and take you in to town and show you around
Inclusions:
I know what you're thinking - you need more temples.
And today we deliver.
We walk through a hidden jungle track through a secret gateway to Ta Prohm - where the iconic Tomb Raider scenes were filmed.
By arriving early in the morning we avoid the crowds and you can get iconic photos with no people to spoil your shots.
With time up our sleeves we will explore some other iconic temples in the area before heading back to the hotel for lunch
Afternoon is free to do whatever you want.
Feel free to head back to Angkor Wat and do your own trip at leisure. Maybe some massages or shopping. There is a very cool museum to explore or a water park to satisfy your inner child.
Dinner is at a cool restaurant.
Inclusions:
We end this trip in Siem Reap.
From Siem Reap there are direct flights to Singapore, Vietnam, Phuket, Bangkok and more.
But maybe you want to explore more of Cambodia - from Phnom Phen to the islands in the south. We have only just touched the surface of this fascinating country.
Inclusions:
Bangkok, Thailand 
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