#64 best destination in the world
Ban Chiang
- Archeological site including several skeletons and bronze grave gifts such as bracelets, rings anklets, wires, spearheads, axes, hooks, blades and bells
- Dates back to 4420 BC, making it the earliest Bronze Age culture in the world
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Wat Pho
- #17 of the top 25 landmarks in the world
- First-class royal temple built under King Rama I
- Built in the 16th century
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ayutthaya Historical Park
- Ruins of the old city of Ayutthaya
- Founded in 1351 by King Ramathibodi I
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Sukhothai Historical Park
- Preserved remains of 3 main cities of the Sukhothai Kingdom, the first of the Thai kingdoms
- Built during the 13th-14th centuries
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Si Satchanalai Historical Park
- City founded in 1250
- Park contains ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings, and ruined temples
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Phuket Giant Buddha
- Giant Buddha built on Phuket island
BTS Skytrain
- Elevated rapid transit system
- Opened in 1999
Thanon Bangla
- A road that comes to life after sunset
- The road is closed to traffic and becomes a festival of neon lights, loud music and cheap beer
- Jammed most nights of the year, it is quite a friendly and lively place to walk around
- Beer bars occupy most of the street’s length, with several go-go bars and a few pubs, restaurants, discos and shops
- Street performances are also common most nights
Wat Phra Kaew
- Regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple (wat) in Thailand
- According to legend, this Buddha image originated in India where the sage Nagasena prophesied that the Emerald Buddha would bring “prosperity and pre-eminence to each country in which it resides”
- The Emerald Buddha deified in the Wat Phra Kaew is therefore deeply revered and venerated in Thailand as the protector of the country
- Historical records date its finding to the 15th century in Chiang Rai where, after it was relocated a number of times, it was finally brought to Thailand in the 18th century
- It is carved in the meditating posture in the style of the Lanna school of northern Thailand
- Except for the Thai King and, in his stead, the crown prince, no other persons are allowed to touch the statue
- The king changes the cloak around the statue three times a year, corresponding to the summer, winter, and rainy seasons, an important ritual performed to bring good fortune to the country during each season
Wat Arun
- Buddhist temple (wat) that derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun
- Wat Arun is among the best known of Thailand’s landmarks
- Although the temple had existed since at least the seventeenth century, its distinctive prang (spires) were built in the early nineteenth century
Red Lotus Lake
- Lotus flowers bloom in this lake, you can rent a boat to get a complete view
Wat Rong Khun
- Privately owned art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple
- An example of Thai Modern and Lanna Architecture
- Completed in 1997
Wang Saen Suk
- Buddhist temple that is meant to describe and depict Naraka (Buddhist hell)
Erawan Cascading Waterfalls and Caves
- A series of seven waterfalls flowing over limestone terraces, they are arguably among the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand
- Founded in 1975
- The park is also home to a series of caves known as Mi, Rua, Wang Bahdan, and Phartat
Wat Samphran
- Buddhist temple (wat) notable for its 17-story tall pink cylindrical building with a gigantic red-and-green dragon sculpture curling around the entire height
- The interior of the dragon sculpture contains a spiraling flight of stairs, which has however deteriorated to a poor condition in places
- It also contains a huge Buddha statue as well as many additional Buddhist statues
Costs
all flights $2,282
food $6/day x 17 days = $97
hotel $16/day x 16 days = $256
tickets (all attractions) $114
TOTAL for whole itinerary $2,749