7-Nights Short Escape: Thailand - Luxury Tailor Made Travel from $7,340

Abercrombie & Kent: Short Escape: Thailand

Day 1 BANGKOK, THAILAND

Arrive in Bangkok, where you are met, and enjoy VIP arrival assistance before being transferred to your luxury hotel.

Head off on your private boat to discover the spiritual and regal aspects of Thai culture. Arrive at the glittering Grand Palace just when it opens to beat the crowds. See the highly revered Emerald Buddha statue located on site. Continue to visit the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, where you can admire the Queen Mother’s elegant collection of ball gowns and fashionable clothing. Then, zip over on a tuk-tuk to see the impressive 150-foot-long reclining Buddha at Wat Pho before taking a break to enjoy an hour-long massage. Enjoy home-style Thai cuisine for lunch at a hip local restaurant, and then return to your hotel.

Explore the life of Bangkok’s meandering rivers and sleepy canals in some of the oldest parts of the city. Travelling on your private boat, cross the river into a quieter, lesser-seen part of town and alight at a local Buddhist temple for a stroll through an old residential district. Wander down a series of backstreets and alleyways to explore a 200-year-old Thai-Portuguese community that still holds onto the cultural heritage of their European trader ancestors. Then, hop back on your riverboat to visit a centuries-old wooden house on stilts, which has a vintage gallery and plenty of Old World charm.

Fly to tranquil Chiang Rai. Check in to your camp, which is set on a ridge overlooking the hills of Myanmar and Laos. Relax at leisure, spending your time here as you choose.

You may opt to venture via longtail boat onto one of Asia’s most famous waterways, the mighty Mekong River. Or, partake in a hands-on culinary experience at Spice Spoons, where you learn the art of Northern Thai cooking. Alternately, opt to book a 60-minute spa treatment or a 60-minute private yoga or Pilates class at your hotel.

After a morning at leisure, enjoy lunch at your hotel before driving overland to Chiang Mai, stopping at the Blue and White Temples en route. Check in to your elegant hotel, tucked amid a working rice farm in the lovely Mae Rim Valley.

Head out for an excursion to uncover the hidden life of the city, both past and present. Pass through the 13th-century city gate and explore the old part of town. See the Three Kings Monument and visit the Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Center. Later, learn about Northern Thai design at the Lanna Architecture Center. Next, discover Northern Thai specialties at Warorot Market. Afterward, taste Northern Thailand’s signature noodle dish, khao soi, for lunch.

Transfer to the airport and fly to Bangkok, where you connect with your international departure flight.