EXPLORE THAILAND -06
Thailand Tour (11Days/10Nights)
Day 01
Arrival at Bangkok & Stay Night in there
Day 02
Wat Phra Kaew
Construction of the temple began in 1783 under the orders of Rama I, the first king of the Chakri dynasty. Since then, each successive king has been personally involved in adding, restoring and embellishing the temple during their reigns as a way of making religious merit and glorifying the dynasty. Many important state and royal ceremonies are held within the temple each year, presided by the king in person and attended by government officials. This makes the temple the nation's preeminent place of worship and a national shrine for the monarchy and the state. Throughout the years, each king has donated sacred and valuable objects to the temple, making it a treasury as well.
The Emerald Buddha Temple
The Buddha image is made of a semi-precious green stone, described variously as jade or jasper rather than emerald, as "emerald" here refers to its colour rather than the stone. The image has not been analyzed to determine its exact composition or origin.
The figure is 48 centimetres (19 in) wide at the lap, and 66 centimetres (26 in) high. The Buddha is in a seated position, with the right leg resting on the left one, a style that suggest it might have been carved in the late Chiang Saen or Chiang Mai school, not much earlier than the fifteenth century CE. However, the Meditation attitude of the statue was not popular in Thailand but looks very much like some of the Buddha images of southern India and Sri Lanka, which led some to suggest an origin in India or Sri Lanka.
Wat Arun
Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand, on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple derives its name from the Hindu god Aruṇa often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. Wat Arun is among the best known of Thailand's landmarks. The first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence. Although the temple had existed since at least the seventeenth century, its distinctive prang (spire) was built in the early nineteenth century during the reigns of Rama II and Rama III.
Chao Phraya River
Major bridges cross the Chao Phraya in Bangkok: the Rama VI railroad bridge; Phra Pin-klao near the Grand Palace; Rama VIII, a single tower asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge; Rama IX, a semi-symmetric cable-stayed bridge; and Mega Bridge, on the Industrial Ring Road.
In Bangkok, the Chao Phraya is a major transportation artery for a network of river buses, cross-river ferries, and water taxis ("longtails"). More than 15 boat lines operate on the rivers and canals of the city, including commuter lines.
Stay Night in Bangkok
Day 03
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
The floating market includes three smaller markets: Ton Khem, Hia Kui, and Khun Phitak. Ton Khem is the largest market and is on Khlong Damnoen Saduak. Hia Kui is parallel to Khlong Damnoen Saduak and has souvenir shops on the canals banks to sell goods to larger tour groups. Khun Phitak is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of Hia Kui and is the smallest and least crowded market.
Bargaining is a common practice, although the prices of souvenirs and food are generally fixed within a few baht. Canoe cooks can be found preparing and selling boat noodles
The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is the main prisoner of war (POW) cemetery for victims of Japanese imprisonment while building the Burma Railway. It is on the main road, Saeng Chuto Road, through the town of Kanchanaburi, Thailand, adjacent to an older Chinese cemetery. The cemetery contains 6,982 graves of British, Australian and Dutch prisoner of wars of which 6,858 have been identified.
Boat Ride on the River Kwai
Bridge Over the River Kwai. The famous bridge of the Burma Railway crosses the river at Tha Makham Subdistrict of the Mueang District. However, this is not the same bridge as depicted in The Bridge over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle and in its film adaptation. A bridge was built of wood approximately 100 metres (330 ft) upriver from the current bridge, during the construction of the iron and concrete bridge (which runs in a NNE-SSW direction) and also rebuilt in 1945 when the iron bridge was bombed. No remnants of the wooden bridge remain. That wooden bridge was also not the bridge depicted in the film as the river was not called the Kwai Yai at that time. A wooden trestle bridge was built over the Kwai Noi many miles upstream in the jungle and it would more closely resemble the bridge in the film. However, the film is really a fictional depiction of the events with many inaccuracies and neither bridge can really be said to be that depicted in the film.
Up until the 1960s, the river was considered part of the Mae Klong itself, but this part of the Mae Klong was then renamed Khwae Yai to bring geographical fact more in line with the fictional association with the name River Kwai. The main cemetery of prisoners who died during the railway's construction is nearby and is called the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
Stay Night in Kanchanaburi
Day 04
Moving to Ayutthaya
City tour at Ayutthaya
Stay Night in Ayutthaya
Day 05
Wat Phranuncherng
Wat Phanan Choeng is located in Khlong Suan Plu Sub-district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand, 13000.
It is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. The entrance fee is 20 baht, paid at a small booth at the entrance.
The temple may be reached brom Bangkok by road Asia (Highway 32).
Via public transit, the temple may be reached from New Mor Chit station, where there are many buses to Ayutthaya every day. It may also be reached by vans at the Victory Monument or Future Park Rangsit. One may also take a motorcycle taxi or auto rickshaw to Wat Phanan Choeng.
By train, after going from Bangkok railway station to Ayutthaya railway station, one may take a motorcycle taxi or auto rickshaw to reach the temple.
Wat Sri Sunphet
In its final stage before its destruction the temple was an impressive structure. Additional facilities were located on a raised platform, the three Chedis, which are today the only buildings which have been restored. All other the foundations are still preserved.
The Chedi is built in the classic, Ceylonese design that is reminiscent of a bell. In every direction small chapels are recognized, which lead to steep stairs. The roofs of the chapels are in turn topped with a miniature Chedi. Each of the three Chedis is on the eastern side assigned a Mondop where Buddha's footsteps are believed to be.
The terrace of the Chedi with Mondop was surrounded by a cloister (Phra Rabieng), in each case a hall was built in the west and in the east, an arrangement as can be seen in many temples in the country today. The building in the West actually consisted of four individual viharn, which were arranged in a cross shape to a Mondop around. The building to the east was the viharn Luang, the biggest building of the temple. In it stood the statue of Phra Si Sanphet Phuttha, which gave the name to the temple.
Symmetrically around the viharn Luang were grouped four other halls. North was a viharn which was a bit smaller than the viharn Luang, yet large enough to accommodate the more than 10 m high statue of Phra Phuttha Lokanat. East front was the Phra Chom Thong Tinang Throne Hall.
Moving to Lopburi and visit San Phra Kan.
San Phra Kan is a Hindu/Buddhist shrine in the town of Lop Buri in Thailand. The original structure dates to the time of the Khmer Empire, though it has received later additions. It is a popular tourist attraction best known for the monkeys inhabiting the area.
Moving to Phitsanuloke & Stay Night in there
Day 06
Wat Sri Mahathat
Wat Phra Si Mahathat Wora Maha Viharn is a Buddhist temple in the Bang Khen District of Bangkok. Construction began in 20 March 1941 in commemoration of the government victory over the Boworadet rebellion in 1933. Wat Phra Si Mahathat was designated a first-class royal monastery in 1942, making it one of the most significant temples in Thailand.
The temple is served by Wat Phra Sri Mahathat BTS station since June 2020.
Arrive Sukhothai & visit the marvelous old temple
Historical Park to the Srisatchanalai City
The city was rectangular in shape. In the 16th century, a 5-metre high wall with an upstream moat was built to fend off the growing Burmese attacks. The location of the town was facilitated by two neighboring dominant hills. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with help from UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site together with the associated historic parks in Kamphaengphet and Sukhothai. Similar to Sukhothai Historical Park, Si Satchanalai Historical Park attracts thousands of visitors each year, who marvel at the ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples. The park is easily toured by bicycle or even on foot.
Arrive at Lampang city & Stay Night in there
Day 07
Visit Wat Phrathat Hariphunchai
The restoration of 1443 enlarged and enhanced the central stupa, including the incorporation of repousse Buddha images on bronze sheets affixed to the stupa bell element (anda). These repousse Buddhas are indicative of the Lanna Early Classic period.
The unusual pyramid-shaped, 46 m high Chedi Suwanna in the northwest of the compound is in the Dvaravati-style of the Haripunchai period and believed to be modeled on similar stupas at nearby Wat Chama Thewi (Wat Kukut). The chedi is featured on the reverse of the one-satang coin.
Wat Phra That Hariphunchai's wihan houses a 15th-century Lanna Buddha. Near the wihan is a library of 19th-century origin. The library's staircase features naga images. Also near the wihan is a large bronze gong, purportedly the world's largest. The gong dates from 1860
Moving to Chiang Mai & Stay Night in there
Day 08
Doi Suthep Temple
Once inside the temple grounds visitors must be appropriately dressed and must remove footwear. The original gold plated chedi is the most holy area of the temple grounds. Within the site are pagodas, statues, bells, a museum, and shrines. Aspects of the wat draw from both Buddhism and Hinduism. There is a model of the Emerald Buddha and a statue of the Hindu God Ganesh. Views of Chiang Mai can be seen on the far side of the temple.
City tour at Chiang Mai & Stay Night in there
Day 09
Visit the famous Mae Sa Elephant Camp to experience the life of elephants
Butterfly and orchid farm
Stay Night in Chiang Mai
Day 10
Visit Chiang Rai city & Stay Night in there
Day 11
A boat ride on the Mekong River to the Laos island of Don Sao
Move back airport