Compare Thailand & Laos & Cambodia Discovered by vs Angkor Wat & Thailand Essential by Odynovo

Day 1: Arrival - Siem Reap

Overnight: Siem Reap

Welcome to Siem Reap, also known as "Temple Town"! On arrival, you will be greeted by a local tour guide and escorted to your hotel. Have the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 2: Siem Reap

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight: Siem Reap

Begin your exploration with a visit to Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire. Enter through the South Gate, where there is a bridge with dozens of stone figures depicting the mythic story of the Churning of the Ocean. The Bayon Temple in the city center is notable for its numerous smiling stone faces on the towers. Nearby is Elephants Terrace, where the ancient King of Angkor stood for inspection and held various public ceremonies.

Lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a tour of UNESCO-listed Angkor Wat, the main attraction in Siem Reap. It is indescribably beautiful until you stand in front of the temple complex, built in the 12th century with five lotus-like towers rising 65 meters into the sky. Finish the day with a stunning sunset from Bakheng Hill or the less-crowded Pre Rup Temple.

Day 3: Siem Reap

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight: Siem Reap

Early risers have the bonus of watching the stunning sunrise over Angkor Wat if the weather is nice.

After breakfast, depart for Banteay Srei, about 30 kilometers from Siem Reap's center. This tiny temple, built in vermilion sandstone and filled with exquisite reliefs, is widely regarded by tourists as the "jewel of Khmer art." After lunch, proceed to Ta Prohm Temple - the shooting location of the movie Tomb Raider- and then end with Ta Keo Temple.

Day 4: Siem Reap – Bangkok

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight: Bangkok

Passing through the countryside, you will arrive at Tonle Sap Lake. It is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, where people without a homeland built their houses on the water, forming some small floating villages. You will witness this unique lifestyle through a local boat ride around the lake. After lunch, proceed to the airport for your flight to Bangkok. Upon touchdown, meet your guide and transfer to your hotel for some rest.

Day 5: Bangkok

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight: Bangkok

Begin with a colorful flower and vegetable market, where tons of colorful fresh flowers for sale fill the air with an intoxicating scent. Following that, visit the glittering Grand Palace, which has many fascinating buildings to explore, including the sacred Wat Phra Kaew.

After lunch, take a long-tail boat ride through the canals, known locally as khlongs, to observe the rural life along the waterways. On the boat, you can see the photogenic Wat Arun on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. Disembark and spend the rest of the day at Wat Po, the home of the massive Reclining Buddha.

Day 6: Bangkok - Chiang Mai

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Chiang Mai

Get to the airport in the morning for a flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand's "Rose of the North." On arrival, you will be greeted by a local guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

After a short break, pay a visit to Doi Pui Hmong Tribal Village. Where villagers still wear traditional Hmong clothes, sell traditional Hmong handcrafts, and live in typical Hmong-style homes, you will gain an insight into Hmong culture and customs. End the tour with a panoramic view of Chiang Mai and the surrounding area at Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, about 4 kilometers from the village.

Day 7: Chiang Mai

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight: Chiang Mai

Join Elephant's Day Care at Baan Chang Elephant Park and get close to these gentle giants. The park, located about 50 min from Chiang Mai, seems like a typical small, rural Thai village, where people live and work with elephants. Once there, you can cook herbal food to feed them, roam with them in the natural fields, and enjoy bathing with them. In the Nursery Zone, you can even play with their baby elephants.

Day 8: Chiang Mai – Phuket

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Phuket

Enjoy a leisurely morning until flying to Phuket, the gateway to the southern beaches. On arrival, take a private transfer to your hotel for check-in and relaxation.

Day 9: Phuket

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Phuket

Day at leisure. Blessed with many activities and attractions, Phuket is more than beaches. You can take a walking tour around Old Phuket Town to see Sino-Portuguese-style shophouses and try Thai food while exploring its open markets and bustling streets. Or enjoy island hopping to take in the stunning natural beauty around Phuket.

Day 10: Phuket

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Phuket

Another day of relaxation. After a big day exploring this fascinating island, you might want to lounge on a beach chair with cold coconut juice, enjoying the open seascape.

Day 11: Phuket - Bangkok – Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Your vacation to Cambodia and Thailand comes to an end. Fly to Bangkok to connect to your international flight home.