This tour is outstanding value as it covers all of the following:

• Air fares from Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane to Bangkok return with Thai Airlines plus a flight within Thailand.  

• Four days in Chiang Mai for the spectacular floral festival. 

• Two days touring the River Kwai area, staying overnight on the floating jungle rafts hotel on the river. 

• A four day coach tour of Northern Thailand. 

• A two night stay at a beautiful resort hotel in the Hua Hin area - The Royal Beach Resort on the Gulf of Siam.  

• Quality hotel accommodation, mainly 3.5 to 4.5 star.

• Full breakfast daily, plus many other meals as per the itinerary. 

• Visits to an outstanding orchid nursery in Chiang Mai and the Bangkok flower market. 

• Entrance fees to many attractions and historical parks. 

• All transport and transfers.

• Wonderful bargain price shopping, including a tour to Chiang Mai's famous handicraft factories to see the manufacture of lacquer ware, weaving of Thai silk, wood carving and furniture, silverware and jewellery manufacture. 

• Full time service of an Australian tour leader and an experienced Thai guide. 

If you would like to travel twin share, we will try and match you up with someone else in the same situation, but this is not guaranteed. For persons requiring a single room, there is an extra charge of $645.

Tour Itinerary

Terms and Conditions

Booking Form

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	Itinerary for Chiang Mai Floral Festival Tour
	Included meals are indicated as B = Breakfast, L =Lunch, D = Dinner
03.02.10	Depart Brisbane at 2:20pm on TG 474, arriving in Bangkok at 8:30pm.  Depart Melbourne at 4:00pm on TG 466, arriving in Bangkok at 9:10pm. Depart Sydney at 4:30pm on TG 458, arriving into Bangkok at 3:20pm. All flights will be met at the airport and transferred to the Amari Don Muang Hotel .
04.02.10 B,L	Today we head north with our first stop at Ayuttaya, Thailand's second capital, where we inspect its world heritage historical park.  Next we travel to Lopburi.  Here we visit a Hindu temple where hundreds of monkeys run wild over the temple and surrounding city. This is followed by a visit to an interesting museum situated in a former palace. We then have lunch at a lovely garden restaurant, before heading further north to Phitsanalook where we visit a large local market. Overnight in Phitsanalook.
05.02.10 B,L	First to Sukothai, the ancient capital with its UNESCO sponsored historic park of ancient ruins dating back to the 14th century. Next we visit some ancient pottery kilns, which have been left in the same condition as they were when they were discovered and excavated by archaeologists. Then we have lunch at rustic restaurant beside the river Si Sachinal. We then visit a modern temple known as "The Soldiers Temple" which is so breathtakingly beautiful that many regard if as the most beautiful in the world. We then drive wonderful Chiang Mai for a three night stay, staying in the centre of Chiang Mai's famous night market.
06.02.10 B	This morning we witness the spectacular procession of floral floats interspersed with great marching bands.  In the afternoon we inspect the floral displays associated with the Floral Festival.
07.02.10 B,L,D	In the morning we travel into the rural areas to see a display of elephants at work. Then we inspect a beautiful orchid nursey, followed by lunch. In the evening we will have traditional Thai Kantoke dinner with a wonderful display of traditional Thai dacing, followed by a short display of hill-tribe folk dancing.
08.02.10 B,L	In the morning we visit Chiang Mai's famous handicraft factories, seeing such things as the manufacturing of jewelery, Thai silk, paper umbrellas, etc. The included lunch is at a beautiful teakwood restaurant. We then travel to the spectacular Krista Doi Garden Resort, which has about 100 acres of gardens and would be one of the best gardens in the world.  After inspecting these we move onto the beautiful Bella-Vista Garden Resort for an overnight stay.
09.02.10 B,L	This morning we head north to Thanton, near the Burmese border. Here we have lunch. We then take long-tailed boats for a three hour boat trip down the Kok river to Chiang Rai. On the way we stop at some hot springs and also visit a hill-tribe village. We have a two night stay at a resort hotel with lovely grounds.
10.02.10 B,L	Today we visit the Queen Mother's beautiful mountain-top gardens. Then we travel to the Golden Triangle area where we have lunch included and inspect the Opium Museum before returning to Chiang Rai.  We then inspect Wat Rong Khun.  This white temple is unlike any of the temples of Thailand.  It is a modern masterpiece built by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a popular artist who dedicated 10 years of his life to this grand project, in the name of Buddha.  It is a modern project built almost entirely out of  white materials and decorated with small pieces of mirrored glass.
11.02.10 B,L	Transfer to Chiang Rai Airport, departing at 10.35am on TG 131 and arriving in Bangkok at 11.50am.  Transfer to Narai Hotel in central Bangkok.  After lunch you will have free time in this great shopping city.
12.02.10 B,L	This morning there will be a tour of Bangkok's beautiful flower market, followed by a boat tourof Bangkok's klongs (canals) and the busy Chao Phrya river. You will see the Royal Barges and the spectacular Temple of Dawn. Next we visit the factory and showroom of a jewelery manufacturer.
13.02.10 B,D	Morning departure to the River Kwai. First of all we visit the beautifully kept allied war cemetery at Kanchanburi. Then onto the infamous bridge itself. We then travel out to near the Burmese border and visit the famous 'Tiger Temple' where you can get a photograph of yourself patting these magnificent animals. We then travel by long-tailed boat along the River Kwai for overnight accommodation at the Jungle Rafts hotel floating on the River Kwai. This accommodation is quite unique and beautiful and most people consider it to be one of the highlights of the tour. However it is rather basic without electricity. Tonight there is an included dinner and display of traditional mon dancing.
14.02.10 B,L	Morning departure for Cha'am. En route we inspect an interesting temple set in a huge Natural cave in Petchaburi. We then have lunch at a beach front restaurant. We then travel on to the near new beach front 4 1/2 star Grand Pacific Sovereign Resort for a 2 night stay.
15.02.10 B,D	Morning free to enjoy the facilities of our lovely hotel. We leave the hotel at 2.30pm and travel to inspect the interesting teakwood palace of King Rama VI. We then travel to Hua Hin for a short stop at their central shopping area. Then we travel Hua Hin's historic railway station with its interesting Royal Box. Next we travel to the night market, where we spend some time before traveling to a harbour side restaurant for a lovely seafood and chicken dinner.
16.02.10 B,D	Morning free at our beautiful hotel.  Early afternoon departure for Bangkok.  En route we inspect King Rama IV's Summer palace.  Also inspect King Rama VI's European style palace. We then have dinner in Bangkok beforing transferring to Bangkok Airport. Sydney passengers depart Bangkok at 11.59 pm on TG 457, arriving in sydney at 1.20pm (17.02.10). Brisbane passengers depart Bangkok at 11.59pm on TG 473, arriving in Brisbane at 12.05pm (17.02.10).
17.02.10	Melbourne passengers depart Bangkok at 12.15am on TG 465, arriving in Melbourne at 1.25pm.

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Deposits and Payments - A non-refundable deposit of $200.00 per person is payable within 7 days of booking. This deposit is not refundable should you later cancel. The balance is payable in full 8 weeks prior to departure. 
Refunds and Cancellations - Cancellations after final payment will result in a refund limited to whatever we can recoup from the airline.
Insurance - Adequate travel insurance is essential. We can arrange this for you if desired.
Passports - All travellers require a current passport with at least 6 months left on it at the end of the tour. Non-Australian passport holders require a re-entry visa for Australia.
Visas are not required for Thailand if travelling on an Australian passport.
Basic Tour Price and Taxes. Air taxes and Fuel Levies are included in the basic tour price, therefore, as air taxes and fuel surcharges change regularly  the exact amount will be advised at time of final payment. Total tour cost may therefore change by a small amount.
Not  Included in the Cost - All items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, drinks, travel insurance, excess baggage, tips, meals,  (except those specified in the itinerary), etc.
Booking through other Agents - As we keep the cost of out tours as low as possible, there is insufficient margin for us to be able to pay commission to other travel agents, so some bookings can only be accepted if the client pays the other agent's commission. 
Macleay Valley Travel is a fully licensed travel agent and as such any monies paid to us are fully insured by the Travel Compensation Fund. We are happy for any prospective traveller with us to check us out with your local Consumer Affairs (fair trading) department.
Similarly, credit card payments can only be accepted if 2% is added to the price to help defray the heavy merchant fees charged to us by the credit card companies.
Health and Fitness
Macleay Valley Travel recommends that the passenger is reasonably healthy and/or fit to participate in this tour.  Persons with a disability requiring special assistance must be accompanied by a companion. Macleay Valley Travel and their representatives cannot provide this service.  Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to accept/decline or terminate a passenger's participation in the tour under certain circumstances.
Limitation of Liability - As Macleay Valley Travel acts only as agent for the Airlines, Hotels, Coach Companies etc., providing accommodation, transportation and other services, Macleay Valley Travel shall not be liable or responsible for death or injury to any person or loss or damage to any property including baggage arising out of or connection with any transportation, accommodation or other services, or resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, fire, breakdown in machinery or equipment, acts of Government or other authorities, de jure or defacto wars, whether declared or not, hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, epidemics, quarantines, medical or customs regulations, delays or cancellations caused by changes in schedules or itinerary, or over bookings or defaults or for any causes beyond Macleay Valley Travel's control or any loss or damage resulting from improper or insufficient passports, visas or other documents and neither Macleay Valley Travel, and its servants or employees shall be or become liable or responsible for any additional expenses or liability sustained or incurred by the tour member as a result of the foregoing causes.
Macleay Valley Travel reserves the right to modify the itinerary or the accommodation if circumstances make this necessary, provided that the amended itinerary is of equal value or greater value than that of the original program.
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