Thailand In Your Eyes - 7 days / 6 nights

TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival in Bangkok (G)
Upon arrival, meet & greet our tour guide before transfer to the hotel. Free at leisure after check in. Overnight in Bangkok

Day 2: City temples tour – Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha Temple (B, L) (G)
The tour takes you through some of the most interesting parts of Bangkok, including stops at the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), famous as the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok; the Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Trimit), the home of a 5.5 ton Buddha image, found when the port of Bangkok was being expanded and dating back more than 200 years. Visit to the Grand Palac, Coronation Hall and the holiest of all Thai Temples “The Emerald Buddha Temple” (Wat Phra Kaew) where the replica of Angkor Wat and the late Ayutthaya-style murals on the surrounding walls illustrate scenes from the Ramayana are included in the temple's compound. Overnight in Bangkok    

Day 3: Bangkok – Ayutthaya (Return by Cruise) (B, L) (G)
By air-conditioned car/van/coach to Ayutthaya. Visit Bang-Pa-In - in early times it was the summer palace of the late King Rama V. This has some exquisite art works and temples. Return on the comfortable Motor cruiser down stream to Bangkok, enjoy the sights of the rural Thailand . Buffet lunch served onboard (excluded all beverages). In the evening, arrive in Bangkok and transfer from pier to the hotel.Overnight in Bangkok

Day 4: Bangkok – Chiang Mai by flight – Khantok Dinner (B, D) (G)
Breakfast at hotel and free at leisure till time transfer to the Airport for the flight to Chiang Mai. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel, check in and free on your own. In the evening we are going to enjoy a superb dinner called Khantok (incl. hill tribe performance). After that, free on own at Chiang Mai Night Bazaar before return to the hotel. Overnight in Chiang Mai

Day 5: Doi Suthep Temple – Meo Doi Pui – Local Handicraft Village (B, L) (G)
The journey begins with a visit to a Meo Hill tribe village. Since they originally migrated from South China, the physical features of the tribe are similar to Chinese. They prefer large families. The average is about 8 persons in a family. They practice shifting agriculture. Mostly planting upland rice, corn and soybeans. Generally you will find that the womenfolk's works harder than the men. A traits similar with most hill tribes. Their houses are not built on stilt rather directly on the ground. Due to its proximity to Doi Suthep this particular village is slightly more commercial and less traditional. Doi Pui was once famous for opium cultivation. It is 1500 metre above the sea level. Trip continues on to Wat Doi Suthep Temple. Driving up offers a panoramic view of Chiang Mai city. Later on, embark to the San Kamphaeng district, heart of the silk and cotton home industries, to witness the fascinating process of making and weaving these popular fabrics. Continue on the Bor Sang, the umbrella village, where the delicate Thai paper umbrellas are produced and hand-painted. From here, onwards to Thai Celadon, about 6kms north of Chiang Mai, where exquisite ceramics are produced. These are modeled on the Sawankhalok pottery that used to be made hundreds of years ago at Sukhothai and exported all over the region. With its deep, cracked glazed finish the style is very distinctive and some pieces are exceptionally beautiful. Last but not least, are stops to observe the intricacies of both lacquerware and silverware craftsmen. Overnight in Chiang Mai

Day 6: Elephant Safari – Oxcart Ridding – Orchid farm (B, L) (G)
Breakfast at hotel, embark to the Elephants Camp to see the elephants at work in a jungle area. See how the elephants are trained for working with human and the elephant shows. Then, you will be on an exciting ride on the elephant ride along the trails and followed by Ox-Cart ride back to the camp. Lunch at the elephant camp. Afternoon, enjoy with local handicraft bamboo rafting along Mae Taeng river. Return to Chiang Mai and a stop will be at Orchid Nursery. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Chiang Mai

Day 7: Chiang Mai – Bangkok by flight (B) (G)
After breakfast, free at your leisure till the time transfer to the airport for your flight back to Bangkok. Holidaytoindochina.com would like to thank you so much for your using our services. We wish you all the best and hope to arrange your next Thailand holiday. Goodbye and see you again!

END OF SERVICE

Inclusion:
•    All transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
•    Domestic air ticket Bangkok – Chiang Mai – Bangkok included taxes
•    Accommodations as mentioned based on twinble/dou sharing
•    English speaking guide (Other languages on request)
•    Entrance fees to indicated sights and activities as indicated
•    Meals as indicated in the itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
•    Bottled mineral water during touring days

Exclusion:
•    Drinks
•    Other meals
•    Insurance
•    Personal expenses
•    Expenses for any optional tours or activities during free time

Remarks:
•    Confirmation of room & price are subject to space availability at the time of booking only.
•    All above itinerary is flexible, depending on arrival or departure flights of passengers
•    Ground operator reserved the right to amend or adjust itinerary to match with real situation
•    Due to the nature of the activity, the weather, road condition, local circumstance, prevailing safety factors, the route & itinerary may vary to those published but the content of the activity will remain similar. The final decision of the actual itinerary will be made by the tour operator’s staff on the day of the tour.

If you do not know how to plan your Thailand tour and Indochina holiday, please read our FAQ's below to get some information or send us an email at info@holidaytoindochina.com and one of our experienced travel consultants will be ready and happy to answer your questions as well as organise your amazing holiday in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and combination.

How to plan my Thailand tour/Indochina holiday with you?
1. Send us an inquiry by submiting one of our online forms (Click). Tell us as much information as possible. For example;

• Please tell us how many people will be traveling with you, date of birth, if you have children, please tell us how old is/are the kid(s).
• Please tell us your preferred hotels, level of hotel (3, 4 or 5 stars), type of hotel, type of room...
• Please tell us your type of travel, length of travel and activities that you are interested in. For example; Family with kids, Couple's vacation, Honeymoon, Friends, Shopping, Sightseeing, Leisure and Relaxing, Cuisine & Cooking, Kayaking, Caves & Grottoes, Fishing, Swimming, Hiking, Minority, Adventure & Discovery...
• Please tell us where and what you want to visit, if you do not know much about Vietnam, just give us your travel plan and ideas.
• Most of our tour guide are English speaking tour guides, but if you want another language like French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese... we can always arrange. Please tell us what you do you expect from your guides, for example; you want a guide with sense of humor? Good knowledge in history & culture? Male/Female guide? Talkative/Untalkative? Young/Old guide?
• Please advise if you want breakfast included only or also Lunch and Dinner, and please let us know if you are a Vegetarian, the food you can eat or cant not, if you want local food in local restautants or western food in tourist restantant...?
• Actually, you do not have to send us all information, but the more we know, the better we plan your Thailand tour.

2. After we receive your enquiry, one of our professional Thailand travel consultants will reply and send you the suggested tour itinerary as soon as possible.

3. If you accept the suggested tour itinerary (you may modify it till you are satisfied with), we will calculate the tour cost and send you the tour price. If you accept it, please confirm that you would like to book it.

How to proceed to book Thailand tour/Indochina holiday with you?

• When you decide to book your Thailand tour/Indochina holiday with us, please send us your full name (name on passport) for hotel and domestic flight reservations, and your international flight details (in and out) for airport transfers.

How to pay the deposit and the balance?

• Deposit: When the booking is completely confirmed, we will send you confirmation details including confirmed itinerary, invoice, voucher. Then you are required to send the deposit which is about 30% of the total tour cost (can be less). You can pay by credit cards (via onepay gateway, pay online), wire/bank transfer, western union. The deposit is used to pay the flight tickets, hotels, train tickets in advance.
• Balance: You can pay the outstanding balance 2 weeks before your arrival, or you can pay us on your arrival in Vietnam by credit cards, cash (AUD, USD, EUROS, VND...)
• More about credit card payment via OnePay: ONEPAY - ONLINE PAYMENT GATEWAY (VISA, MASTERCARD, AMEX & JCB ACCEPTED)
  Like PayPal, OnePAY is a payment gateway but specialized in Vietnam where the PayPal has not yet reached. This is a perfect and the first payment processor which gains reputation among clients about its efficiency and timely friendly support.

  OnePAY in cooperation with biggest bank in Vietnam - Vietcombank which has been implemented this service among many tour operators in Vietnam.

  OnePAY is approved by MasterCard for this payment collection on the behalf of us. OnePAY uses SSL Verisign® over internet transaction under 3D-Secure program by respective creditcard companies so you are free from worries your card information disclosed. OnePAY payment portal also meets standards of international financial system such as PCI DSS of PCI Security Standards Council, 3D-Secure of Visa, MasterCard and JCB.

Note: Before coming, please make sure you have all travel documents such as; confirmed tour, invoice, flight tickets..., especially the visa to Thailand and Indochina is done.

What about tipping?

• The tour guides and drivers expect tips, but it is not mandatory. You can tip more or less, or nothing that depends on the serviced provided. We recommend that you trip the tour guides; US$ 10 - 15  per day anddrivers: US$ 7-10 per day. Tipping at restaurants, tuk tuk, cyclo, taxi..., our tour guides will give you the advice.

Do you offer any discounts?
Yes, we offer discounts for;

•  Family with kids and children < 12 years old
•  Disable people
•  People of old ages (> 65 years old)
•  Repeated clients who have the second trip with us
•  Travel in big group of friends, families (the more people, the cheaper the price is)
•  We offer big discounts in low season (May - September)

Is there any charge if i change my travel dates, tour itinerary, hotels...?

• We are happy to work on your requests, and will not charge you any money for all extra work. However, if it is too urgent and the date is too close, the hotels or airlines may charge you some money, in this case we will let you know.

What is the latest time that I can make my reservation?

• We suggest you make reservations at least one month before the departure date. Late reservations can not be guaranteed for the availability of domestic flights, hotel rooms, etc. However, we still accept urgent booking, just 1-2 days before arrival because things are possible at Holiday to Indochina.

What about Cancellation policy?

• In case of cancellation, we will not impose any charges if we are not being charged and possible to get refund from our suppliers but if our suppliers apply charges for cancellation, you will have to pay those charges that apply. Cancellation policies vary, depending upon the type of service, the time of year, and the reason for cancellation. We will pass on to you all details of any cancellation policy with our transparent reply upon demand.

General cancellation charges that applied by travel services in Thailand and Indochina.

• Domestic flights: 25% of the fares
• 3 star hotels, train tickets, no charge if you cancel 3-5 days before your arrival. (FIT)
• 4 star hotels, 7 - 10 days before your arrival (FIT)
• 5 stars hotels, 10 - 15 days before your arrival (FIT)

However, in peak season, we may have to pay the hotels one month before your arrival to secure the booking, and in this case, the cancellation policy will be based on the hotels' cancellation plolicies.

Can we get refund?

• For the unused services, Holiday to Indochina will refund you.

How do I get a visa?

•  According to the Interior Ministerial Announcements, passport holders from 22 countries and territories may apply for visas at the immigration checkpoints for the purpose of tourism for the period of not exceeding 15 days.
•  The applicant must possess means of living expenses at the amount of 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family accordingly.
•  The applicant must possess a passport with at least six-month validity and must present full paid ticket which is usable within 15 days since the date of entry
•  Visa on arrival is provided at 24 designated international checkpoints and applicants should submit the application form duly filled out and to which his/her recent photograph (4 x 6 cm) is attached. The application fee is 1,000 Baht. - Visitors who enter the Kingdom with Visa on Arrival generally cannot file an application for extension of stay except in special cases such as illness which prevents them from travelling, etc. They can submit an application at the Office of Immigration Bureau , Immigration Division 1, Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120. Tel. 02 287-3127, http://www.immigration.go.th
• Transit Visa: 40 SGD per entry. Tourist Visa: 50 SGD per entry

Do our tour guides and drivers have meals with us?

• The guide and the driver in each destination will dine at the same restaurant as yours. But, they will not join you unless you invite them.

Where can I change our money into Thai currency (Thai Baht)?

• We advise you to stop in any Thai bank during the tour (Our tour guides will take you to the bank), you can exchange money at your hotel, but the exchange rate is a bit lower than the bank's exchange rate.

Can I use credit cards in Thailand?

• Major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa, Diner's Card, American Express and JCB can be used to purchase goods in large shopping malls and stores in the big and medium cities, to pay for hotel rooms and for meals in some of the fancier restaurants, and to buy plane tickets with them.

Note: If you are to travel to those small cities or remote rural areas, only cash (Thai Baht) can be used.

Do I need to bring my medical record with me?

• Yes, we suggest you take your medical record with you in case that you need it in the event of an emergency, and please also take with you your doctor's name, address and phone number, emergency contact name and phone number, and your insurance company's name, address and phone number.

When I finish my tour in Thailand, if I still have some local money, what can I do?

• Upon leaving Thailand, if you still have some local money, you can change them back to foreign currency with your passport and the exchange memos given by the banks or money exchange counters. So please keep those exchange memos well whenever you change money.

Holidaytoindochina offers private tour packages across Thailand and Indochina; During the tour, you will have a private tour guide, private driver, and an air-conditioned vehicle escorting you at every destination you travel in Indochina. This will provide you with maximized personal care, security, and flexibility.a

Tour Guide:
Holidaytoindochina does understand that a good tour guide will make your Indochina holiday a beautiful time and tour guides who work with us are well-paid, experienced with a university background, eager to exchange our culture, lifestyle, knowledge...with travelers, and have a great passion for their country and understand the personal touch. At every departure, you’ll be escorted & assisted until you have checked in and passed through the security checkpoint. All of our tour guides in Thailand and other Indochina area are locals. Knowing the area well, they are good at guiding you around and telling background stories of the tour sites, as well as showing you the secret spots for best photos. If any change of itinerary is needed for unexpected reasons, your private tour guides will be more than accommodating in suggesting alternatives to ensure that you always have a wonderful experience

Holidaytoindochina's requirements for a good tour guide:

•  5 years of experience working as a tour guide
•  Guiding does require more than just hanging out in the sun. Guides must be friendly and good with people, organized enough to keep groups or people on schedule, quick on their feet and ready for the inevitable snafus that arises.
•  Must be an honest broker of their services and able to take criticism.
• Should be qualified at some level in health, health care or first aid.
•  Able to relate to people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds.
• Clear speech and good hearing.
• Must not be a alcoholic or No-alcohol during working time or anytime when on tour.
• Tour guide is a nurse to take care of visitors, a boss to keep the right itinerary, a teacher to give information, an ambassador to introduce our country, an entertainer
• Must be on time every time. Being late or delay is unacceptable.
• Check flight tickets, train tickets, meals, weather... to make sure things are in order and inform local office if any changes that might effect the tour.
• Solve problems with care when there is dissatisfy. Argument should be averted by courtesy.
• If any change of itinerary is needed for unexpected reasons, your private tour guides will be more than accommodating in suggesting alternatives to ensure that you always have a wonderful experience.

Transportation:
Holidaytoindochina guarantees to offer the best means of transport during your holiday in Thailand and Indochina. The safety, comfort and security of our customers come first. We use only the latest modern cars, vans, coaches and all our drivers are full time workers, government licensed in the tourism industry with at least 5 years driving experience.

Note: We sometimes use local transportation (short trip) to make the tour more impressive and interesting.

Holidaytoindochina's requirements for a driver:

• Our drivers must have good driving skills with at least 5 years of experience
• Our drivers must keep the vehicles clean,
• Our drivers are not allowed to hear cell-phone or smoke, chat, drink when driving.
• Our drivers must be friendly, helpful.
• Our drivers are not allowed to take you to shops unless you ask for.
• Your vehicle in each destination is air conditioned, insured, clean, and regularly maintained.