• 11 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 4 dinners
• 10 nights 3 - 4 star & Special Class hotels, 1 night floating hotel in the jungle, 1 night overnight sleeper train from Ayuthaya to Chiang Mai
• Economy class flights from Chiang Mai Bangkok, Bangkok - Koh Samui and Koh Samui - Bangkok
• Airport arrival transfer day 1 (Bangkok) & departure transfer day 13 (Koh Samui)
• Escorted by an English-speaking Thai tour guide
• Guided sightseeing - Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Erawan National Park, Ayuthaya, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
• Train ride over the River Kwai and visit to Hellfire Pass
• Chiang Mai trishaw ride and cooking class
• L ongtail boat cruise on the canals of Bangkok and on the Kok River
• Free time by the beach in Koh Samui
• All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned vehicles

Saturday. Welcome to Thailand and the start of your holiday! Upon arrival to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, after attending to immigration, please proceed to the Arrivals Hall, EXITING VIA DOOR B, where you will be met by an On The Go Tours representative, carrying an On The Go Tours sign. Note: our representative will be waiting for you outside Door B, should you happen to exit via Door A or Door C, please walk to the Door B exit – 100m away where our representative will be waiting for you. Please show this tour voucher to our representatives upon arrival and ensure it is returned to you as you may need it later on your travels. If, for any reason you are unable to commence your trip as scheduled, or on arrival, you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the emergency contact persons as listed on your tour voucher. Please do not exit the airport and make your own way to the start hotel, please follow the advice given by our emergency contact persons.

If arriving to Bangkok via Don Mueang International Airport, our arrival procedure is the same as above with the exception that after attending to immigration and entering the Arrivals Hall, please proceed to the 'Information' counter near Door No 5 where our representative will be waiting for you.

Once you have met our representative you will be escorted to our awaiting transportation and a driver will transfer you to our hotel. Upon arrival please give your name to the hotel receptionist and check into your room. Now, the adventure begins!

For those arriving a day or two earlier than Day One of the tour, you can spend your time exploring and getting acquainted with the city. Nana BTS Station (Sky Train) is located approx 500m from our hotel. The Sky Train is inexpensive and a great way to travel around the city and connects into the underground rail network truly making all main sites easy to reach.

Day One is designed to be an arrival day for all passengers. Spend the day at leisure discovering the city your way before heading back to the hotel this evening for our welcome meeting hosted by your tour guide, scheduled to commence at 6pm. Following this its just a short walk along the bustling streets of Bangkok to the famous 'Cabbages and Condoms' restaurant where you get to sample some of the best Thai dishes that you will encounter during your tour.

This morning we set off to explore this sprawling metropolis. The first stop is at the 24 hour flower market where you get to view stunning orchids and roses on sale to the local restaurants and florists. Then we visit the spiritual and religious heart of the city - the striking Grand Palace. Topped by golden stupas, the complex has been the site of royal coronations and is home to the legendary Emerald Buddha. From the Grand Palace we take an exhilarating ride on a tuk tuk to Wat Pho, home of the reclining Buddha.

After a break for lunch we board a longtail boat and set off on an exploration of the labrynth of klongs (canals) that criss cross the city. On our journey we’ll glide by stilted houses and gleaming temples whilst old men fish and children play about on the waters edge. Our boat drops us off within walking distance of Khao San Road, popular with backpackers and hippies. The evening is free for you to explore the many bars, restaurants, market stalls and tailors that line this vibrant road. Overnight Bangkok (B)

Bangkok - Kanchanaburi. Departing at approx 7am, it’s an early start today as we drive 2.5hrs west of the capital to the small town of Kanchanaburi. Here we pay our respects to the

thousands of Allied POWs who perished in the area under the hand of the Imperial Japanese Army. After pausing at the Allied War Cemetery we continue to the infamous ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’, immortalised by the film of the same name. You have a chance to take pictures before you board a train for a 2 hour journey that crosses the bridge before following the tracks dug by the POWs and locals some 75 years earlier.

Disembarking at Nam Tok we have a short drive to ‘Hellfire Pass’ where the POWs dug through a mountain often using only their bare hands. A fascinating museum at the entrance details the region’s history.

After our day’s sightseeing a leisurely longtail boat ride leads us to our fabulous floating jungle raft hotel. To the beauty of a hundred softly glowing lanterns and the sounds of the tropical forest and cool water flowing by we enjoy dinner and a relaxing evening on the deck. Overnight - Kanchanaburi (B, D)

Kanchanaburi - Erawan NP - Ayuthaya - Chiang Mai. This morning we take longtail boats back to our waiting vehicles and travel to beautiful Erawan National Park, to explore the rivers, waterfalls and trails on foot. The park boasts a stunning tiered waterfall and there’s time to take a quick dip in the crystalline waters before driving on to Ayuthaya - the former capital of Thailand. Ayuthaya was sacked by the Burmese, leading them to abandon the site and relocate the capital to Bangkok. All that remains are the stone and brick temples from the era. Today we explore Ayuthaya’s famous ruins, visiting the magnificent stupas at Wat Phri Sanphet and iconic Wat Mahatat where the head of a damaged Buddha statue has slowly been embraced and lifted by a nearby tree. This is one of Thailand’s most religiously significant places. We drive to a local hotel to freshen up and have dinner before heading to the station this evening to board our sleeper train to Chiang Mai (2nd class A/C sleeper cabins).

Chiang Mai - Mae Rim. Early this morning we arrive into the picturesque city of Chiang Mai, nestled in the foothills of northern Thailand. First up we visit the imposing Doi Suthep Temple that stands like a sentinel over the city. We take time to relax and enjoy the view before taking a short drive through the countryside to the Baan Tong Luang Hill Tribes village. Four separate Thai hill tribes live at Baan Tong Luang - the Lahu, Hmong, White Karen and the Long necked Karen and we'll have the opportunity to learn all about their lifestyle and customs, see their traditional dress and purchase handicrafts that they make.

We travel on to the Hmong Hill Tribe Lodge where we will stay this evening. Set within the spectacular mountains and rice fields of Mae Rim , the Hmong Lodge offers guests a unique opportunity to experience traditional Hmong culture amidst striking natural beauty. Here, you can take a walk into the surrounding countryside to visit the some of the nearby hill tribe villages and gain a wonderful insight into the lives of some of the smaller minority groups in the Kingdom. We'll enjoy a sumptuous BBQ this evening before being entertained by dancers from Mae Khi village who will give us the opportunity to witness key aspects of their culture through a colourful performance of music, songs, dancing and rituals. Overnight Mae Rim (D)

Mae Rim - Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai. Following an early breakfast we bid farewell to our hosts at Hmong Lodge and set off north towards Chiang Rai, travelling through stunning karst and jungle scenery. We take a break to stretch our legs and explore a local Hmong market before continuing to our journey to the famous White Temple of Wat Rong Khun which depicts scenes from movies including the Matrix, Star Wars and Superman! After exploring the temple, there's time for lunch before we board our longtail boats for a scenic hour long ride on the Kok River to Lahu Village in Chiang Rai. This enchanting and remote little village is inhabited by the Lahu people who make their living from farming the land. The village is surrounded by lush green mountains, with stilt houses and chickens, pigs and dogs roaming the streets. We’ll take a walk through the village and see the Lahu people go about their daily life. Back in the boat we’ll make a short stop at the Karen village of Ruammit on the banks of the Kok River, which has retained its traditional culture. From Ruammit we drive back to Chiang Mai. We check into our hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure. Overnight - Chiang Mai (B)

This morning you can join your tour guide in giving out Alms to the local monks before returning to your hotel for breakfast. We then take a traditional trishaw for a ride around the old city of Chiang Mai, visiting some of the key temples within the city walls. Then we head to a local cooking school to try our hand at preparing tasty local cuisine in a traditional Thai setting. This informative cooking class teaches us how to prepare three of Thailand’s most popular dishes that we’ll later get to enjoy for lunch.

Your class will be led by a friendly teacher who will share the secrets of Thai cuisine with us, starting with teaching us about local fruits and vegetables with a market visit. After purchasing our fresh ingredients we’ll head to the school for our cooking class. The emphasis is on doing rather than watching, so prepare to dive right in! You can take the recipes home with you to recreate at home and show off your newfound talent with your friends and family.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax and explore at leisure. In the evening we explore the Chiang Mai night market, a haven of souvenirs and works by local artisans.

Chiang Mai - Koh Samui. Today is free for you to enjoy some of the many optional activities in the city, from zip lining through the jungle canopy to riding a bike through the countryside. There is a street of cottage industries which is great to pick up those last minute silk, silver or jewellery souvenirs. In the late afternoon we meet in the lobby of the hotel (check out is at 12 noon) and transfer to the airport in time to catch our flight to Bangkok.

Upon return to Bangkok airport board an onward flight to the beautiful island of Koh Samui. Arriving very late in the evening you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Enjoy four days of sun, sea and relaxation in Koh Samui. Nestled in the Chumphon Archipelago, Koh Samui is one of Thailand’s most popular islands and with tropical sandy beaches, excellent scuba diving and beautiful Buddhist temples it's easy to see why.

Your hotel is located in Chaweng – the most popular part of the island. Situated just south of the airport on the east coast, the town offers a plethora of leisure activities including scuba diving, kayaking, elephant trekking and fishing, as well as a fantastic array of restaurants and bars, so you're free to do as much or as little as you'd like. Perhaps opt for a day trip to An Thong Marine Park which is famous for its incredible snorkelling and pristine beaches. Overnight Koh Samui (B:4)

 Thursday. Koh Samui - Bangkok. Today you will fly from Koh Samui to Bangkok. Upon arrival to Bangkok our holiday arrangements do come to an end. If we have your onward flight details from Bangkok well will aim to co-ordinate the included Koh Samui - Bangkok flight to suit.

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