Travel to Thailand
Days 1-2
Air travel from the U.S. to Bangkok takes about 25-30 hours total. Add 12 hours for time zone changes and it is a 2-day trip.
Bangkok
(Central Capital Region)
Days 3-5
During our time in Bangkok, we will become acclimated to our "new" Thai surroundings, enjoying the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this international city. We will visit many of Bangkok's best known shrines, sites, and cultural activities, from the mysterious ancient 13th century ruins of Ayutthaya to the glitter of Bangkok's off-beat contemporary nightlife. [OPTION: To help us understand the Thai cultural context, we will attend an entertaining cross-cultural educational seminar delivered by one of Thailand's leading authorities on the subject.] We will travel from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on the celebrated overnight express train -- a unique and truly enjoyable experience!
Chiang Mai
(Northwest Region)
Days 6-7
Chiang Mai, the major commercial hub of northern Thailand, is a spiritual and cultural center. The sites we will see here are steeped in the folk traditions of the Hill Tribes of this region. We will visit the revered mountaintop temple of Wat Doi Suthep founded in the 14th century, and visit a number of other spiritual shrines and cultural sites in the region. Be prepared to spend some of your gift money at the Jade factory where after a tour of the operations there, we will visit the factory store which sells authentic high quality jade jewelry and accessories (not inexpensive!); and at the fascinating Chiang Mai Night Market where hundreds of vendors noisily hawk their items in booths that line the crowded streets and pavilions. At the ancient temple of Wat Suan Dok (originally built in 1383) we will meet in a learning program with Phra Dr. Saneh Dhammavaro ("Phra" is the title given to monks) who is the Academic Director of the Buddhist University in Chiang Mai. Phra Dr. Saneh will introduce us to the fundamentals of Buddhism, and we will chat with the Monks of the temple so they can practice their English.
Village Agri-tour/Home-stay Project
(Northwest Region)
Days 8 -10
We will spend 3 days (2 nights) in the rural agricultural village of Phrao, located in a garden-of-eden mountain valley about 90 km north of Chiang Mai. The focus of commerce in Phrao is organic farming, and during our visit we will explore organic farming techniques and strategies, including a demonstration of folk-farming traditions that are being reinstated as modern-day sources for sustainability and sufficiency at the local level. We'll be asked to help out in the fields, processing facilities, or nurseries. In the evenings, we will celebrate village life, including a special "Khantoke" cultural dinner hosted by local residents and featuring traditional Thai dancing by students and traditional Thai music performed by some of the village elders. In the mornings, we will join with the villagers in offering alms to area monks. All home-stay hosts have been trained to care for foreign guests, and their homes have been "certified" by local authorities for comfort, cleanliness, and safety. We'll travel by van to the Elephant Nature Park
Elephant Nature Park
(Northwest Mountain Jungle Valley)
Days 11-12
Our 2-day overnight at the Elephant Nature Park (60 km north of Chiang Mai and very near our home stay village) will be an unforgettable experience. We'll meet the herd (30 or so rescued elephants) and get to know them up close by offering them favorite foods fresh from the market. At several points during our stay, the park staff will provide elephant education talks about the habits and rituals of the elephants, their groups and family life, health issues, behaviors, and emotions. We'll help bathe the elephants in the river that runs through the park. We'll meet their mahouts (caretakers) as we walk with the elephants on their daily foraging for food in their natural habitat. In the evenings, we'll relax and enjoy the company of the park staff and other volunteers and guests at the park who visit there from around the world. Accommodations in the park are rustic (beds in raised huts), clean and safe (shared western-style toilets and running water). The food is fabulous (you really won't believe how they prepare such feasts in the remote mountain jungle). We'll return to Bangkok via the overnight train.
Ban Krut
(Mid-South Beachside Region)
Days 13-16
On arrival in Bangkok, we will transfer from the overnight train to buses for the 5-hour ride to the village of Ban Krut on the Bay of Thailand, about 250 km south of Bangkok. Our schedule over the three days in Ban Krut includes: half-day program with Phra Denduang ("Den") Nakaton at his beach-side temple, monastery and meditation learning center; a half-day of community service for a local school to be selected by Phra Den; tour of Wat Thang Sai to see the magnificent outdoor golden Buddha and mountain temple overlooking the Bay; a visit to the local Saturday night Market; and plenty of R&R time at the pristine beach and local restaurants of Ban Krut. Many meals will be included during our day-time activities; meals not included will be very inexpensive -- less than $5.00 for a complete Thai meal at most local open air restaurants right on the beach just steps from the warm clear water of the Gulf of Thailand. Our accommodations in Ban Krut are in clean and air-conditioned beach-side bungalows, each with its own bathroom.
Bangkok
Days 17-18
Our schedule for the last days in Thailand is pretty much wide open. This is the time for you to do your final shopping and to see any of the attractions, or do any of the things in Bangkok that you may have missed the first time around (e.g. river boat tour, stroll through Chinatown; more Thai massage, etc.). Our closing program starts with dinner on Wednesday evening followed by an evening "completion ceremony".
Travel Home
Day 19
Many people will have flights after midnight on Day 18 and will not stay over in Bangkok. Transfers to the Bangkok airport are included in the land package for those travelers departing on that day. Those staying after will be responsible for their own airport transfers.
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