DISCOVERY NORTH-EASTERN 10 DAYS (NE 010)

Day 01 BANGKOK / AYUTHAYA / KHAO YAI

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Leave Bangkok to Ayuthaya, drive pass the lush green paddy fields alternated with growing industrial areas. The first stop is about one hour from Bangkok at The Summer Palace “ Bang Pa In ”, various royal halls were beautiful restored and decorated with a great variety of nice flower plants. Then road to Ayuthaya, visit Ayuthaya a river Island City State found in 14 th century – 18 th century the ancient Thai Capital for 417 years where culture flourished, architecture, sculpture and paintings. There are teeming ruins of palaces, temples and pagodas.

12h00

Lunch at restaurant.

Road passing Saraburi to Klang Dong. You will see the fruits market on the way passing plateau of Korat and Lam Nam Pong Barrage with the scenic beauty on both side. Continue to Khao Yai, National Park and Asean Heritage Park covers areas in four provinces, Nakorn Ratchasima, Nakorn Nayok, Saraburi and Prachinburi. Arrive at Khao Yai. Free and leisure. Dinner at hotel. After dinner, by 4 X 4 to Khao Yai National Park with spotlight to see the wild life and noctural animals such as deer, barking deer, wild rabbit, linsang,…etc. Overnight at hotel.

Day 02 KHAO YAI / PHIMAI / KORAT

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Morning we explore the different types of forest and drive high up into the mountains of Khao Yai National Park to watch macaques, gibbons, some spicies of the rare hornbills and many other birds, insects, reptiles, orchids, ferns and plant life in the forest depending on the season. Stop at a big waterfall where you can swim and take lunch box.

12h00

Lunch box nearby waterfall.

p.m.

Road to Prasat Hin Phimai, Arrive at Prasat Hin Phimai, visit Prasat Hin Phimai, unquestionably the most important Khmer monument and one of the largest and complete restoration of all Khmer temples. Prasat Hin Phimai which furnished a succession of Angkor ’s King is being the destination of one of the imperial roads. Return to Korat. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 03 KORAT / PRASAT HIN PHNOM RUNG / KHON KAEN

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Departure to Burirum and visit Prasat Hin Phnom Rung and Prasat Muang Tam. Prasat Hin Phnom Rung, this major temple, built mainly in a high quality punkish sandstone in 12 th century, combines an impressive hill-top site that commands the surrounding plain, and an extraordinary amount of architectural decoration of the highest order. Overlooked by Phnom Rung, you can see the Lower City or Muang Tam has a particular charm from its tranquil setting and its pond. Visit Prasat Muang Tam was formely in deep forest, but gradual settlement in the area has turned it into a pleasant rural landscape, still partly wooded.

12h00

Lunch at restaurant

p.m.

Road to Khon Kaen, the commercial,administrative an educational centre of the Northeast,which is often used by travellers as a base for visiting many parts of upper Isan. Arrive at Khun Kaen, check-in. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 04 KHON KAEN / UDON THANI / NONG KAI

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Visit in the morning Hong Mun Mang or Khon Kaen City Museum, situated by the Kaen Nakorn lake in the town. The museum which reflects the way of life of Khon Kaen from the past to the present. This museum was established in order to link each community in Khon Kaen province and to make people feel pride in their community. It is also a center of study and research on the history of Khon Kaen. There are 5 zones: Zone 1 : Introduction to Khon Kaen province Zone 2 : History and Culture of Khon Kaen Zone 3 : The founding of the city Zone 4 : Towns and lifestyles of Khon Kaen people Zone 5 : Khon Kaen Today. Visit Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon or The 9-storey stupa Located in Wat Nong Waeng, a royal temple, doors and windows of the 9 storeys of the stupa are beautifully carved, featuring the life and former reincarnations of the Lord Buddha, 16 classes of visible deities in the Brahmas world, and Buddhist rites. Murals within the stupa feature history of the town. The top floor, on the 9th storey, houses relics of the Lord Buddha. Visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the town from there. Road to Udon Thani, stop at Udon Sunshine Orchid garden, produces and sells new species of Thai scented orchid called Udon Sunshine. It is the only known vanda hybrid which is fragrant between the early morning hours and about 2 p.m. , and it is the first orchid in the world to be made into a perfume.

12h00

Lunch at restaurant.

p.m.

Road to Baan Chiang , visit Ban Chiang Archaeological Site nominated as a World Heritage Site in December 1992, comprised of two parts. The first part stores antiques. Inside the building, old artifacts, ancient Ban Chiang culture, tools and utensils that showcase ancient technology and surroundings, as well as earthenware pots from 4,000 to 7,500 years old, are displayed. The second part is an open museum in the compound of Wat Po Si Nai. The Fine Arts Department has retained the conditions of archaeological excavations to illustrate how earthenware pots and other items were buried along with the dead. On the way to Ban Chiang, visitors can stop at several villages where handicrafts are made. Continue to Nong Kai via Udon Thani. Arrive at Nong Kai. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 05 NONG KAI / VIENTIANE / NONG KAI

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Friendship bridge border Thai-Laos, after immigration, Vientiane City tour visit Sisaket museum, Ho Pra Kaew, That Luang Stupa, Patuxay (Victory gate) and Bouddha Park .

12h00

Lunch at restaurant.

p.m.

Shopping center market (Talad Sao) or visit revolutionary museum. Then transfer to Friendship bridge and return to Nong Kai. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 06 NONG KAI / NAKHON PHANOM / MUKDAHARN

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Road along the right bank of the majestic Mekong River appreciate the beauty of jungle covered mountains both size. Stop on the way visit Phra That Phanom , the most important Buddhist site in the province. A 53-meters tall square-shaped pagoda, it was believed to have been built before the 12th century. The pagoda, which is believed to have originally been of Khmer design, was renovated through the years to its present Laotian design.

12h00

Picnic Lunch at Poda beach

p.m.

Continue to Mukdaharn, a peaceful province located on the bank of the Mekong river opposite Sawannakhet in Laos . Arrive at Mukdaharn, dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 07 MUKDAHARN / UBON RATCHATHANI / KHONG CHIAM

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Depart to Ubon Ratchathani via Am-nadchareon and Kaeng Saphue, which is the most beautiful cataract in Ubon Ratchthani, is in the Mun River near the Phibun Mangsahan District This beautiful cataract of natural rocks is visible for half the year during the dry season.

12h00

Lunch at restaurant.

p.m.

Depart to The Khong Chiam district overlooks the Mekhong River . By boat here to go to Kaeng Tana cataract and to go sightseeing at Mae Nam Song Si or the bicolor river where the Mekhong and Mun Rivers meet. Return to Khong Chiam, dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 08 KHONG CHIAM / UBON RATCHATHANI / SRISAKET / SURIN

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Visit Sao Chaliang, which is a place that is scattered with natural mushroom-like piles of stone slabs with a large amount of shells embedded in their surface. The area is believed by geologists to be a long dried up seabed (over a million years ago). Then visit Pha Taem National Park , covers an area of 140 square kilometers, where plateaus and hills dominate the parks landscape. There are sheer cliffs, which resulted from earthquakes. Most trees are of the deciduous dipterocarp forest. Irregular shaped sandstone is found scattered throughout the area. Beautiful flowering plants grow among the rocky ground. Pha Taem and Pha Kham are located near the national park headquarters. On the cliffs surface are numerous prehistoric cave paintings dating back 3,000-4,000 years ago that offer insight into the way of life that existed during the pre- historic days and reflect the ancient lifestyle of the people who once lived in the area. These painting depict scenes of fishing, rice farming, figures of people, animals, hands and geometric designs.

12h00

Lunch at restaurant.

p.m.

Road to Srisaket, a quiet province on the border of Cambodia and continue to Khao Phra Wihan National Park, covers an area along the Thai-Cambodian border. The attractions in the park include viewpoints on a cliff and a Khmer bas-relief. Visit Prasat Khao Phra Wihan or the Preah Vihear Sanctuary is a grand historical site and the centre of a Khmer community on the highlands of Cambodia . The site was built during the 16th-17th Buddhist century and is more than 600 metres above level ground. Though physically in Cambodia , the sanctuary is easier to reach from the Thai side. From Pha Mo I Daeng, there is a 2-kilometre footpath with historical sites lined all the way to the mountaintop. The sanctuary offers a spectacular view of the Cambodian lowlands. Road to Surin. Arrive at Surin, dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 09 SURIN / WANG NAM KHIAO

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Visit in the morning Silverware and Silk village at Baan Khawao Sinnarin, Ban Chok and Ban Sado, all nearby one another. The beautiful silverware and silk products made here are sold to shops and tourists. Then stop at Ban Buthom Basketry Village , when villagers are not harvesting, they make basketry from rattan to sell as household items and souvenirs. Road to Wang Nam Khiao passing very nice panoramic on the both sizes. Arrive at Wang Nam Khiao, check in resort.

12h00

Lunch at resort.

p.m.

Free at your own leisure. Enjoy the activities in and nearby resort. In the afternoon, enjoy BBQ. Dinner and overnight at resort.

Day 10 WANG NAM KHIAO / PRACHIN BURI / BANGKOK

a.m.

American Breakfast at hotel. Free at your own leisure. Lunch and Dinner free at your own leisure. Overnight.

Day 10 PHUKET / BANGKOK

a.m.

American Breakfast at resort. Depart to Prachinburi, visit Wat KaewPhichit, an old and major temple, the place was built in 1879 by a Prachin Buri millionaire. In 1918, Chao Phraya Abhaibhubate (Chum Aphaiwong) constructed a new chapel (ubosoth) which had an architectural design of mixed arts styles of Thai, Chinese, European, and Cambodian. Visit Chao Phraya Abhaibhubate Building , located in Chao Phraya Abhai bhubate Hospital constructed by the budget of Chao Phraya Abphaibhubate in 1909 as a residence for King Rama V on his royal visit to Prachin Buri. Its architecture is a 2-storey Renaissance building with the front porch featuring a central dome. Floral design ornated the outside walls, doors and windows. The inside is decorated in a western style.

12h00

Lunch at restaurant.

p.m.

Road to Bangkok via Nakorn Nayok. Arrive at Bangkok . End of services.