thailand itinerary itinerary: Travel Programs Presented by NOVEMBER 8-16, THAILAND: THE FLAVORS OF BANGKOK AND CHIANG MAI

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1 THAILAND: THE FLAVORS OF BANGKOK AND CHIANG MAI THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA Travel Programs Presented by thailand itinerary Culinary Educator: Chef Ian Chalermkittichai itinerary: NOVEMBER 8-16, 2008 Thailand is the land of smiles, spicy air, and tranquil countryside. A complex and historic past is reflected in their food, balanced by sweet, sour, spicy, and salty flavors. Join us for a mouth-watering journey where you will discover Ian s favorite places, meet local cooks, taste fragrant street food, visit magnificent temples, and enjoy the boisterous river life and buzzing tuk-tuk s. We will begin our tour at the best time of the year in the bustling city of Bangkok. The tour will come to an end in the cultural center of Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai, at one of the most beautiful resorts and cooking schools in the world. This is the ultimate journey for food lovers. Day 1: Saturday, November 8 (Bangkok) You will arrive in Bangkok and transfer to the hotel. We will meet for introductions and an overview of our culinary adventure. Dinner will follow at the hotel s Salathip Restaurant, which overlooks the Chao Phraya River. There we will savor delicious royal Thai cuisine amid riverside pavilions as graceful Thai dancers glide by our table. Hotel: Shangri La, D Day 2: Sunday, November 9 (Bangkok) We will rise early and walk to the market with Ian for a tour, taste the sweet juicy fruit, and enjoy the local shops before we return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast we will board a private longneck boat, tour the canals (klongs), and visit the Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha, and Wat Arun. We will continue by boat to a great local spot for lunch. In the afternoon we will take the skytrain to the Or-Tor-Kor (locally called the rich ) market and the famous Chatuchak weekend market. Dinner will be a tasty Thai meal at a private home. Hotel: Shangri La, B, L, D Day 3: Monday, November 10 (Bangkok) After an early breakfast, we will depart for the Suan Dusit International Culinary School for a day of cooking classes and hands-on cooking. ( You will finish the day with a better understanding of the hot, sour, salty, and sweet combinations in classic Thai cooking. For dinner we will sample some street foods, followed by an optional visit to the Patpong night market afterwards. Hotel: Shangri La, B, L, D Day 4: Tuesday, November 11 (Bangkok) In the morning we will visit the famous Damnoen Saduak floating market. Chaotic, but fun, small canals are filled with small flat boats jockeying for position, expertly paddled by ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment s notice. The afternoon will be free for you to explore on your own. Dinner will be at one of Bangkok s most celebrated restaurants, which was named Best Restaurant in Bangkok by Travel + Leisure magazine. There we will taste a selection of some of the finest dishes from all over Thailand. Hotel: Shangri La, B, L, D 1

2 Day 5: Wednesday, November 12 (Bangkok Chiang Mai) After breakfast we will go to the airport for the flight to Chiang Mai. We ll arrive mid-morning in the cooler climate of the north, and head directly to the local market. We will tour the old city temples by trishaw, and enjoy a local lunch of tasty sausages. We will then make our way out of the city and into the lush, mountainous countryside. After we check into our hotel, the award-winning Four Seasons Resort, you will have the rest of the afternoon to relax. You can take advantage of the spa, which was chosen as the World s Best Spa by Conde Nast Traveler (UK) in the 2007 Reader s Award. It features seven spacious treatment suites offering total privacy for individuals or couples. Dinner will be on your own at the restaurant in the hotel, Sala Mae Rim, which is renowned for its sumptuous Thai cuisine. Hotel: Four Seasons, B, L, D Day 6: Thursday, November 13 (Chiang Mai) We will begin the morning late and stop at a local restaurant to try a dish of khao soi (Thai curry noodles). Next we will visit a noodle-making factory and have lunch. You will have the afternoon free to enjoy the resort or visit some of the cottage industries, such as woodcarving and silk, or celadon and silver (tableware). Dinner will be in a bamboo shack on a lake, where the specialty of the house is jumping shrimp at sunset. The night will end with a private Kantoke dinner and a visit to the famous night bazaar. Hotel: Four Seasons, B, L, D Day 7: Friday, November 14 (Chiang Mai) After breakfast we will visit the Maesa Elephant Camp ( There we will witness elephants painting, and take a 30-minute ride on the animals to Baan Tong Luang. This is a traditional village where four different ethnic tribes coexist, including the Padong (the long-necked women). We will explore the village with its many family gardens filled with herbs and vegetables, and watch a short demonstration before eating a traditional lunch. If time permits, we will visit the orchid gardens before returning to the hotel. The evening will really heat up with a hands-on class in the fabulous Lanna teaching kitchen at the Four Seasons Cooking School, which Chef Ian helped open. Each group will be assigned to cook a portion of the meal, which will later be enjoyed at dinner. Hotel: Four Seasons, B, L, D Day 8: Saturday, November 15 (Chiang Mai) We will get an early start and go to the local cooking school, Baan Hong Nual, to help with the preparation of lunch. This is a traditional Thai ceremony of making merit by preparing lunch and offering food and alms to the monks at the Ton Kwien Lanna Temple. After the monks last meal of the day (which has to be taken by 11:00 a.m.), we will picnic on the grounds of the temple before enjoying a lecture on Buddhism from the head monk. We will return to the hotel for some free time before our farewell dinner. Hotel: Four Seasons, B, L, D Day 9: Sunday, November 16 You will depart for Bangkok. There is an early flight with an optional extension to Laos. 2

3 Accommodations Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok is set in beautiful tropical gardens and enjoys convenient access to the central business and shopping districts. Only 30 minutes from the international airport and adjacent to a skytrain station, the five-star deluxe hotel is a preferred choice for business and leisure travelers. Consistently voted one of the best hotels in the world, Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok boasts unrivaled business services in an elegant and exotic setting. The Four Seasons Chiang Mai has been featured on the top ten resort lists of the world. Spacious lanna-style pavilions overlook terraced rice fields and the mountains in the beautiful Mae Rim Valley, minutes from the artistic and cultural heritage of Thailand s northern capital. From the Thai cooking school to the acclaimed spa and flawless service, you will enjoy this signature Four Seasons experience. CULINARY EDUCATOR Ian Chalermkittichai, chef/partner of New York s influential Kittichai restaurant designed by David Rockwell, was previously executive chef of the Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok. His weekly television show, Chef Mue Thong, debuted on Thai television in TOUR COORDINATORS: Global Spectrum, a Washington, D.C. based company specializing in travel to Southeast Asia, together with The Viking Life Worlds of Flavor Travel Program. 3

4 THAILAND: THE FLAVORS OF BANGKOK AND CHIANG MAI THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA Travel Programs Presented by PRE-TOUR EXTENSION thailand tour extensions Culinary Educator: Chef Ian Chalermkittichai pre & post extensions: NOVEMBER 5-8 NOVEMBER Day 1: Wednesday, November 5 (Arrival into Siem Reap) You will arrive and transfer to the hotel for check in. Hotel: De La Paix Day 2: Thursday, November 6 (Siem Reap) After breakfast, we will visit the Great City of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. We will arrive via the South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side is a row of 54 gods or demons holding the sacred Naga snake. From here we will enter the city and view the Bayon Temple, the Baphuon, the terrace of the Elephants, and the Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon we will tour the biggest religious temple in the world, the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple. Built by Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat was constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing the Mount Merou, home of the gods. Considered as the masterpiece of the Khmer architecture, this Vishnuite temple is the King's funerary temple. Inside the temple the walls are covered by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting the Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II made during his reign. Hotel: De La Paix Day 3: Friday, November 7 (Siem Reap) In the morning we will explore Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, and the fabulous Ta Prohm Temple. In the afternoon, we will continue to the Big Circuit comprising Pre Rup, East Mebon, Neak Poan, and Preah Khan. Dinner will be at the Apsara dance show at the Apsara Theatre. Hotel: De La Paix Day 4: Saturday, November 8 (Siem Reap Bangkok) We will fly to Bangkok and join the main tour group. 1

5 POST-TOUR EXTENSION Day 1: Sunday, November 16 (Chiang Mai Luang Prabang) You will fly from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, via Bangkok, meet your tour guide, and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon there will be a brief orientation tour of the spiritual capital of Laos. Next you will climb the 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi and enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside. You ll also stop at the evening hill tribe market. Hotel: La Residence Phou Vao Day 2: Monday, November 17 (Luang Prabang) After breakfast, a city tour will begin at the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum. You will continue to Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-reliefs, and the Wat Sene, with its beautiful golden façade. The morning will finish with a visit to the most photographed temple, Wat Xieng Thong. In the afternoon, you will Wat Visoun, entirely rebuilt after being destroyed in 1887 by the invading Black Flags from southern China. In the courtyard of Wat Visun stands the Watermelon Stupa, which is shaped like the fruit from which it is named. Other visits will include the Wat Aham and the Pra Bat Thai at sunset. Dinner will be at the hotel. Hotel: La Residence Phou Vao (B, D) Day 3: Tuesday, November 18 (Luang Prabang) For early risers, there will be a very special 5:30 a.m. visit to witness the long lines of orange-robed monks leaving their pagodas to receive offerings of food from Luang Prabang residents. After breakfast, you will embark on a boat trip on the Mekong River to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. In Pak Ou, thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues are crammed into two caves carved out of a towering limestone cliff. They range in size from a few centimeters to the size of a human. You will return to Luang Prabang for lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, there will be a visit to Kuang Si Waterfall, with stops en-route to visit some ethnic minority villages. If the weather is good, you will be able to swim in the clear water at the foot of the falls. Hotel: La Residence Phou Vao (B, L) Day 4: Wednesday, November 19 (Departure) After breakfast, you will visit a weaving village, Xang Khong, where traditional Lao textiles are woven and Sa paper is made, and visit the Wat Xieng Lek. You will return to town and transfer to the airport for your departing flight. 2