Arrive in Bangkok where you are transferred to the comfortable and centrally located Royal Benja Hotel. A pre-trip briefing is held in the evening, to meet the other members of your group and discuss the trip itinerary. Please check for a Welcome Notice on the hotel noticeboard located near the hotel lifts which will provide your tour leader's name and the exact time and location of your Welcome Meeting. Until this meeting we encourage you to get out and discover the delights that Bangkok has to offer, including trying some of Thailand’s famous cuisine. After the group meeting in the evening we may adjourn to a nearby restaurant and enjoy a meal together (this is optional and at your own expense). The rest of the evening is free - perhaps a quiet drink or a visit to the bustling night markets of Bangkok.

Today is a full day to enjoy the sights of Bangkok. This city tour is all done on the different forms of public transport available to the citizens of Bangkok (Skytrain, canal boat, ferry and bus), to give you a true taste of life in this busy and varied city. First up it’s a stop at Jim Thompson’s House, a collection of unique antique Thai houses situated by a klong (canal). Here we get to appreciate its amazing Asian art collection. Jim Thompson was an American who arrived in Thailand during World War II and worked with the predecessor to the CIA, the OSS. When the war ended he changed professions and remained in Thailand. He is credited with reviving the Thai silk industry before mysteriously disappearing in the Cameron Highlands, in Malaysia, in 1967. We then visit the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), a must for first-time travellers to Bangkok. We also visit Wat Po, home of the famous Reclining Buddha. (When visiting temples and palaces in Thailand, please dress conservatively in order to respect the local culture). At the end of a busy day we also have a chance to discover the city’s shopping opportunities. For dinner we head down to the Chao Praya River to enjoy an optional Thai feast at a riverside restaurant.

We depart Bangkok and make our way to Kanchanaburi by our private minibus (approximately 2½ hours). A tour takes us to explore the sights in town, including the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai, the sobering Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and the JEATH War Museum. We also explore the beautiful countryside whilst driving out to the infamous Hellfire Pass, where we visit the fascinating museum that chronicles the events of World War II, as well as view a nearby section of the infamous Burma Death Railway. Following this we we take a short longtail boat ride up river and check into our idyllic and peaceful accommodation, set in the countryside on the banks of the River Kwai Noi, away from town.

We then head to Ayuthaya (approximately 4-5 hours). Situated 90 kilometres north of Bangkok, Ayuthya was the capital of Siam from 1350 to 1767 AD. In its prime it was one of the largest and most glamorous cities in the world and the capital city of the then huge Siamese empire, that included large parts of Laos, Cambodia and Burma. Following a siege of nearly two years, the city suffered total destruction at the hands of the Burmese. We board our private rice barge for a two-hour lunch cruise around this ancient city and its major temples. After our cruise we head to Ban Jorakae, where we spend a night in a traditional Thai teak house. The accommodation is basic, however it enables you to experience a slice of the life-style of our gracious Thai hosts.

After breakfast we bid farewell to our Thai friends and are driven back to Bangkok, where our short tour ends on arrival. A transfer to the airport is not included; however, your tour leader will be on hand to advise you as to the available options.