*Enjoy Bangkok sightseeing and nightlife * See Phuket's dazzling Gay Festival Parade * Enjoy a picnic on idyllic Khai Island * Watch a volleyball tournament in the gay section of Patong Beach * Ride an elephant in Chiang Mai * Cruise through a forest on a bamboo raft * Learn to cook Thai food * Visit a temple in the clouds * Shop 'till you drop in the world's largest outdoor market * Three- and four-star hotels throughout * Domestic flights in Thailand included*

This fantastic tour is a great experience and with our group, a great value at just $1699 per person or $2199 single.

Thursday, 02 February 2006
Arrive in Bangkok. Private transfers by car or van to the Tarntawan Place  Hotel, where you stay three nights. For those who want to explore Bangkok's nightlife, we will have a guide available to take you around the Silom/Surawong night bazaar area near your hotel.

Friday, 03 February 2006
Jetlag-friendly sightseeing today begins after a leisurely morning. First, we whisk you off to the Chao Praya, Bangkok's "River of Kings" for a quick to the other side for the Oriental Hotel's Sala Rim Nam restaurant, where
you enjoy the endlessly intriguing activity on the river and a lunch of Classical Thai palace cooking. Afterwards, tour the canals of the "Venice of  the East" in a zippy long-tail boat. Visit the awesome spire of Wat Arun,  Temple of the Dawn, one of Asia's most memorable sacred sites. Return to  your hotel in late afternoon to freshen up, or pamper yourself with a  luxurious, traditional Thai massage. At 9:00 pm, our guides will join you  for a colorful safari through the famously frenetic Silom night bazaar and  then visits to nearby gay pubs and discos.

 Saturday, 04 February 2006
At 10:00 am our guides take you upriver to the reclining golden Buddha of Wat Po, the spirit-possessed Lak Muang Shrine, and the pinnacle of Thai arts, culture and worship - The Grand Palace. In the afternoon the island paradise of Phuket is only a short flight away. You will have four nights at the Salathai Hotel, a short distance from Patong Beach's legendary nightlife. Look for special Phuket Gay Festival activities in the famed Paradise Complex.

Sunday, 05 February 2006
 Phuket celebrates its seventh annual Phuket Gay Festival with one of the world's most colorful parades, and you are there to enjoy it. This evening you are on your own to recover, enjoy the nightlife, or sample one of Patong's  world-class restaurants.

Monday, 06 February 2006
 Morning departure with our guide for a speedboat trip to idyllic Khai  Island, a tropical jewel in the Andaman Sea. Stretch out under an umbrella in the eggshell-white sand, swim in the sapphire ocean or snorkel among the coral beds. Back to Patong Beach in time for a sunset. This evening you enjoy the stunning high-tech stage spectacular of Phuket Fantasea. Thai legends are enacted in a multi-media theatrical extravaganza, including bunjee-jumping spirits and a herd of elephants!

 Tuesday, 07 February 2006
Today, the beach beckons and you are free to do your own thing. Our local staff can help you arrange such things as an afternoon of pampering at a local spa, or a day of diving in the Andaman's tropical waters. (It's best to let us know in advance if you have special interests or requirements).

 Wednesday, 08 February 2006
You have the morning to yourself. Later, it's off to Chiang Mai, once thecapital of the Kingdom of Lana. Chiang Mai is one of Thailand's most beautiful cities as well the kingdom's spiritual and cultural heart. This evening our guides escort you to Chiang Mai's famed Night Bazaar, followed by a sampling of local nightlife if you like. You will have four nights at the ultra-charming Tamarind Village.

Thursday, 09 February 2006
This morning your guides will transport you into misty mountains overlooking Chiang Mai, past elephant training camps, to the mountain summit of Doi Suthep. Climb the undulating dragon stairway to Chiang Mai's golden temple-in-the-clouds for a sweeping view of the gorgeous countryside. Next, journey to the sacred shrines and ancient temples that dot the city below.  In the evening you are free to dine at an historic teakwood mansion, a riverside beer garden, or a street-side food stall.

Friday, 10 February 2006
Leave the city early this morning for a journey 50 kilometers into the lush wilderness of Maetaman river valley. Arrive at an elephant sanctuary in a tiny rural village in time to see some of the 40+ mighty animals taking
 their morning baths. (At night, the elephants cover themselves in mud and dirt to deter pesky insects). Then, climb on board the back of an elephant and trek through the jungle on an unforgettable safari. Visit the village of  the Lisu Hilltribe and ride a traditional oxcart deeper into the forest.

 Following a Thai buffet lunch featuring local fruit, we board bamboo rafts for a relaxing afternoon cruise with views of the verdant countryside as you  return to Chiang Mai by the Mae Taeng River. You'll be back at your hotel  around 5:00 pm.

Thailand is famous for its lavish trans-gender shows. The best of them is Simon Cabaret. At tonight's show will dazzle you with incredible costumes and sets, ships sailing across the stage, and a volcanic eruption.

Saturday, 11 February 2006
Food is one of the many great reasons to visit Thailand. If you have longed to unravel the mysteries of Thai cooking, you are in luck today! Following breakfast and an early check-out we're off to the Chiang Mai Thai Cookery school for a fun day of Thai cuisine. You will learn to prepare five or six using ingredients and alternatives you can substitute back home. Best of all, you get to eat your homework! Late in the afternoon we return to Bangkok for three more nights at the Tarntawan Place Hotel. This evening you  are on your own.

Sunday, 12 February 2006
Shopaholics get their turn today. Following an early breakfast our guides whisk you off to Chatuck, Bangkok's famed "weekend market. You can find virtually everything under the sun in Chatuchak, from saddles to snakes, and from violins to vases. It's a great place to shop for antiques, clothing, and a lot of fun gifts for friends back home. Our guides will be along to help you find your way and negotiate for bargains. Feel free to explore on your own. It's easy to find your way back to the hotel on Skytrain, Bangkok's  elevated rail system.

Monday, 13 February 2006
Embark this morning through the countryside north of Bangkok to Ayuttaya, the former capital of the Kingdom of Siam. Along the way you visit the Victorian-era palaces and grounds of beautiful Bang Pa-In, an historical summer retreat of the Chakri, Thailand's ruling dynasty. Arrive inside the perimeter of the ancient capital following a lunch break. There are dozens of unique archeological wonders scattered inside this river-ringed metropolis. Your guide knows many rarely-visited sites which have fascinated discerning travelers through the centuries. Later, we enjoy a
boat ride to  view some of the major monuments as they were designed to be seen - from the  waterways of the three rivers which converge on this fabled jewel of Siamese history. Return to Bangkok early evening. You are on your own tonight.

Tuesday, 14 February 2006
 Enjoy breakfast with your favorite valentine. Later, we deliver you to the  airport for your departure flight. If you have more time to explore Southeast Asia, we can help you plan an adventure in Cambodia, Vietnam,  Laos, Myanmar or China. Post-tour arrangements are customized and include private English-speaking guides.