Thailand Culinary Tour
$0
per person
10 or 11 Days
Embark on a flavorful journey through Thailand, where every day blends cultural treasures, scenic landscapes, and the irresistible aromas of Thai cuisine. From the bustling markets and golden temples of Bangkok to the tranquil rice paddies and hill tribe villages of Chiang Mai, this 10-day adventure is designed for travelers who want to experience Thailand with all five senses. Learn the art of Thai cooking in authentic, open-air kitchens. Stroll through fragrant flower markets and vibrant Chinatown alleys. Share meals with local families, discover centuries-old temples, and trek alongside gentle elephants. Whether cruising past the illuminated Grand Palace at sunset or preparing a spicy green curry with fresh-picked herbs, you’ll savor the heart and soul of Thailand — one unforgettable bite at a time.
Highlights:
- Explore Bangkok’s Grand Palace and the sacred Emerald Buddha Temple
- Wander through Pak Klong Talad Flower Market and vibrant Chinatown
- Cruise the Chao Phraya River aboard a traditional rice barge at sunset
- Master Thai cooking in Bangkok and Chiang Mai with hands-on classes
- Visit Jim Thompson’s House and learn about Thai silk heritage
- Stroll the UNESCO-recognized old city of Chiang Mai and climb to Doi Suthep Temple
- Shop and sample flavors at local country markets with expert chefs
- Dine in historic Lanna-style wooden houses filled with antiques
- Spend a day in Mae Kampong mountain village, cooking with a local family
- Witness elephant conservation and trek to a Lisu hill tribe village
- Relax in a riverside resort near the Burmese border with herb gardens and mountain views
Excerpt:
Discover Thailand in 10 days: Bangkok river markets, Jim Thompson House, Chao Phraya dinner cruise, two Thai cooking classes, Chinatown food walk, Chiang Mai old city, Doi Suthep sunset, Mae Kampong village cooking, elephant trek, and Lisu hill tribe visit.
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Reviews
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Departure/Return Location
Bangkok (start) – Bangkok (finish) -
Departure Time
Flexible, depending on your flight schedule -
Return Time
Flexible, depending on your flight schedule
Tour Plan
1
PROGRAM I: BANGKOK TO CHIANG MAI
Day 1: Welcome to Bangkok
Upon arrival we’ll be met and transferred to hotel for check-in and tour briefing. Enjoy free time till the welcome, an excellent introduction of Thai Cuisine.
Day 2: Bangkok City Tour
We’ll begin our Thai tour with a visit to Pakklong Talad vegetable and flower market for a stroll past the vast displays of orchids and other exotic blooms of the East. After that, we’ll take a short ride on a Tuk Tuk (a three wheel, open-air taxi) to tour the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple. The palace and temple are an architectural wonder of golden stupas, walls and pillars encrusted in shining and colorful mosaics, all gleaming under the tropical sun. We will enjoy lunch in a gracious old Thai home on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, with spectacular views of the Grand Palace and Wat Arun. After lunch we will visit Jim Thompson’s magnificent Thai-style house which contains a collection of art objects and antiques.
Day 3: Bangkok Cooking Class
Get ready for your first Thai cooking class. We will leave the hotel at approximately 8:30am and head up the Chao Phraya River by long-tail boat to our Thai cooking school, which is located beside a klong (canal), amidst beautiful gardens and an orchard. We’ll begin our class with a short tour of the farm and then head for the open-air kitchen where we will learn to cook a Thai feast. You’ll have plenty of time for questions, and an opportunity to try everything you’ve cooked. We will return to Bangkok by van, arriving back at the hotel at approximately 5:00pm.
Day 4: Bangkok Cooking Class
One of the best ways to experience the true flavor of a city is to walk its streets. A walk in Bangkok’s Chinatown, one of the most densely populated, richly ethnic neighborhoods in the city, will captivate you. While walking along narrow lanes, peer into the doorways of Chinese pharmacies with their medicinal herbs and natural cures, or watch fresh Chinese delicacies being prepared and served, savoring the aromatic fragrance of spice and herbs that saturate the air. Pay special attention to the “funeral shops” where paper models of worldly items are sold, ensuring the deceased will have the comforts of home on their journey to the afterworld. After lunch it will be your independent time. Tonight we’ll enjoy our last dinner in Bangkok aboard a converted rice barge while slowly cruising along the Chao Phraya River, past the Temple of Dawn and the Grand Palace.
Day 5: Bangkok – Chiang Mai
After breakfast at our hotel we’ll bid farewell to Bangkok and board a flight to the charming northern city of Chiang Mai. We’ll enjoy lunch at our boutique hotel in Chiang Mai and then head out for a city tour. Chiang Mai has remained the principal religious center in northern Thailand and the focal point of temples and monasteries. The moat bounding the historic old city is still intact, but the walls were largely destroyed during World War II. We’ll tour the old city area by trishaw, passing markets and getting a glimpse of how the locals live and work. We’ll stop at Wat Pra Singh (Monastery of the Lion Lord) founded in the 14th Century to house the ashes of King Kham Fu and to serve as the principal religious center of the Lanna Kingdom. We’ll then head out of town to Wat Pra That Doi Suthep. Built some 600 years ago, this temple is Chiang Mai’s most important and visible landmark, located near the summit of Doi Suthep, at 3,520 feet above sea level. After a drive up the mountain's winding road, the final climb to the site is via a magnificent Naga (dragon-headed serpent) staircase of 306 steps. Enjoy the sunset from the summit of Doi Suthep before returning to our cozy hotel for a well-earned rest. Our accommodation in Chiang Mai is at a small boutique hotel whose architectural style is inspired by traditional wooden homes found in Chiang Mai. Our hotel is located in a heritage zone that is home to the city’s greatest concentration of antique wooden buildings, yet is within walking distance of the commercial center of Chiang Mai and the famous Night Bazaar.
Day 6: Chiang Mai Cooking Class
After breakfast we’ll head to our Chiang Mai cooking school for a full day of Thai cooking lessons. Our class begins with a visit to the local country market, guided by our experienced teacher, who will instruct you in the selection of fresh Thai ingredients that you will need for today’s cooking course. Returning to the tranquil, semi-rural setting of our Thai culinary school, you will learn every stage of the cooking process, until you finally get to dine on the feast you have just created. Our Thai cooking school is located just outside of Chiang Mai, in an ideal home-style learning environment. You will cook in a charming, open-air, Thai style kitchen, surrounded by aromatic herb gardens and overlooking rice paddies. Dinner this evening will be at a restaurant housed in a cluster of renovated wooden Lanna buildings, each one with its own special history. The restaurant is lavishly decorated with priceless antiques and treasures from the region. After dinner we will explore Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, a great place to pick up gifts, hill tribe crafts, leather goods and clothing. Be ready to bargain!
Day 7: Chiang Mai
Today we’ll get a chance to see the beautiful Northern Thailand countryside. We’ll drive about an hour to Mae Kampong, a rustic little village set along a stream in the mountains. We’ll take a walk through the forest with locals and learn about their conservation efforts. After lunch and a relaxing massage we’ll explore the village, and in the early evening we’ll cook dinner with a local family in their home before returning to Chiang Mai.
Day 8: Chiang Mai Cooking Class
Today we’ll enjoy another visit to the local market, followed by a full-day cooking class at our Thai culinary school. The late afternoon is yours to explore the backstreets of Chiang Mai, get a massage, or do a little shopping.
Day 9: Chiang Mai
After breakfast we’ll head out of Chiang Mai for a visit to an elephant camp. We’ll see how the elephants take their morning bath, as well as some of their skills, and explore the camp to learn how it contributes to elephant conservation. Then we’ll climb aboard for an elephant trek through the lovely forest to a nearby Lisu hill tribe village. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then drive to our riverside resort in Ban Thaton, near the Burmese border. Our resort is an exquisitely relaxing place to wind down at the end of our tour, with a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, herb and fruit gardens.
Day 10: Departure from Chiang Mai
Transfer to the airport for a flight back to Bangkok for your flight home, or fly to Phuket or Ko Samui for a few days in the island sun.
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PROGRAM II: THAI CUISINE FROM THE CAPITOL TO THE FOREST TO THE BEACH
Day 1: Bangkok
You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 2: Bangkok
Thailand is famous for its markets and today your senses will come alive as you explore Bangkok’s best markets. Spend the morning taking in Pak Klong Talad, the city’s biggest flower market. Continue to Chinatown to weave through the tiny networks of streets before lunch. If you catch Bangkok at the weekend you will visit Chatuchak Weekend Market that boasts over 9,000 booths selling everything under the sun and a great place to try some weird and wonderful food. Afterwards, we head over the road to Aw Taw Kaw Market which is famous for seafood and fruits.
Day 3: Bangkok Cooking Class
Today is the first day of your three-day gastronomic cooking class at the famous Blue Elephant Cooking School, housed in a charming neo-colonial building in the heart of the city. Begin the day by visiting Bang Rak morning market where you will learn about the use of Thai fruits, vegetables and spices. The rest of the morning is spent in the classroom and the kitchen with hands on instruction from their top chefs. For lunch enjoy the fruits of your labor. The afternoon is free for you to relax at your own leisure.
Day 4: Bangkok Cooking Class
Today you will learn how to prepare and cook the four most popular Thai dishes and enjoy your creations.
Day 5: Bangkok Cooking Class
The day will be spent learning how to cook more delicious cuisine and how to carve fruits.
Day 6: Bangkok - Khao Yai
Today we head north to the former capital of Thailand, Ayutthaya, stopping off at Bang Pa-In Summer Palace to wander around the beautiful gardens. In Ayutthaya, soak up the ruins of magnificent temples and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Continue east to Khao Yai National Park to visit Khao Yai Winery, one of Thailand’s largest vineyards. Enjoy a guided tour of the estate with a chance for some wine tasting. Late afternoon, transfer to the hotel nearby.
Day 7: Khao Yai
Spend the day in the beautiful National Park hiking on an easy trail observing macaques, gibbons, several subspecies of rare hornbills and many other birds, insects, reptiles, orchids and ferns. Cool off at a stunning waterfall and admire the magnificent views over Khao Yai. Continue to a bat cave before feasting on a delicious dinner. After dinner, set out on a night drive through the forest to try and spot elephants, deer, civets, porcupine and other wildlife.
Day 8: Khao Yai - Koh Samet
Leave the hills for the six-hour drive to the beach. On arrival at Rayong Pier take a short boat transfer to Samet Island.
Days 9-10: Koh Samet
Spend two days on this tropical paradise soaking up the sun, swimming in the clear waters and dining on mouthwatering seafood.
Day 11: Koh Samet – Bangkok –Departure
Transfer by boat and vehicle back to Bangkok to catch the departure flight
Tour Location
Bangkok – Chao Phraya River – Chinatown – Jim Thompson House – Chiang Mai – Doi Suthep – Mae Kampong – Lisu Village – Ban Thaton
The Thailand Culinary Tour – Program I (10 Days) blends food, culture, temples, craft, village life, and nature.
- Bangkok – Visit Pak Klong Talad Flower Market, Chinatown’s food alleys, the Grand Palace, Wat Arun views, and Jim Thompson’s House. Enjoy a welcome dinner and a sunset rice barge cruise.
- Bangkok Cooking Classes (2 Days) – Two immersive full-day classes at open-air farms and riverside kitchens. Boat ride along klongs, herb gardens, farm walk, market tour, and Thai cooking sessions with hands-on guidance.
- Chinatown Food Walk – Explore narrow alleys, Chinese pharmacies, street food stalls, spice aromas, and unique cultural shops.
- Fly to Chiang Mai – Rickshaw tour of temples (Wat Phra Singh & Old City), markets, and Doi Suthep sunset. Boutique hotel in traditional Lanna design.
- Chiang Mai Cooking Class (Full Day) – Market visit, herbs & spices learning, open-air kitchen surrounded by paddies, cook a full Thai menu.
- Mae Kampong Village – Forest walk with locals, conservation stories, village massage, cook dinner with a local family.
- Elephant Camp & Lisu Hill Tribe – Observe elephant bathing, elephant trek through forest, lunch in nature, visit Lisu hill tribe village, and overnight in a riverside resort near the Myanmar border.
A sensory-rich journey celebrating the flavors, people, nature, and spirit of Thailand.
The Thailand Culinary Tour – Program II (11 Days) connects vibrant markets, gourmet cooking classes, UNESCO heritage, vineyards, wildlife forests, and tropical beaches.
- Bangkok Markets – Pak Klong Talad (flowers), Chinatown (street food), Chatuchak Weekend Market, Aw Taw Kaw seafood & fruit market.
- Blue Elephant Cooking School (3 Days) –
• Market tour at Bang Rak
• Learn Thai fruits, vegetables & spices
• Hands-on cooking & fruit carving
• Neo-colonial cooking school ambience - Ayutthaya & Bang Pa-In Palace – River island ruins, ancient temples, royal gardens, and riverside lunch.
- Khao Yai Winery – Vineyard tour, wine tasting, estate visit.
- Khao Yai National Park – Wildlife hike, macaques, gibbons, hornbills, orchids, waterfalls; bat cave, and night safari searching for elephants, civets, deer & porcupines.
- Koh Samet (Beach Retreat) – Two full days of swimming, sunbathing, seafood dinners, and tropical relaxation.
A delicious and diverse journey combining culinary mastery, heritage exploration, nature encounters, and island leisure.