DAY ONE

After a morning flight from Ho Chi Minh City, you'll connect through Bangkok airport to the enchanting northern city of Chiang Mai.  Following your late afternoon arrival, you'll proceed directly to your hotel to prepare for the rest of the day's activities.

This evening, over a traditional Khantoke dinner, you'll witness an enchanting display of Northern Thai dancing featuring performances from various hill tribes.  Overnight accommodations will be at the Westin Hotel, Chiang Mai, or similar.

DAY TWO

Today after breakfast, you'll proceed to a lushly-jungled northern area to witness elephants working in their natural surroundings.  Along the way, your guide will draw your attention to some of this region's more important temples

After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll venture out on a discovery of Chiang Mai's burgeoning Home Industries.  See delicate silk and cotton weaving at Sankampaeng before continuing on to Bosarng, which is renowned for its colorful silk and paper umbrellas.  This center is also recognized for its exquisite hand-made Thai celadon.

In the late afternoon, you leave Chiang Mai and fly directly to Chiang Rai.  Dinner and overnight accommodations will be at the Dusit Island Resort or similar, in Chiang Rai.

DAY THREE

This morning, after breakfast and check out from your hotel, you'll take an extended full-day look at Chiang Rai, Thailand's most northern province.

Firstly, you'll visit the authentic and colorful Yao and Akha hill tribe villages in Mae Chan district.  Then, proceed to Mae Sai, the most northerly settlement on the Tai-Burmese border, before continuing to the Golden Triangle.  It is here that the borders of Thailand, Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Laos meet.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before you adjourn to the 13th-century town of Chiang Saen, which lies opposite Laos on the Mae Khong River's steep banks.  There are magnificent ruins and ancient temples to be explored in this timeless settlement including the deserted Wat Pasak, (Teak Forest Temple), regarded as one of the most beautiful temples in the north of Thailand.  Its name was inspired by King Saen Phu's planting of 1,000 trees here in 1295.

Shortly afterwards you'll explore Wat Phrathat Chedi Luang, whose massive 260-foot brick pagoda is the tallest in Chiang Saen.  During the late afternoon you'll fly to Bangkok, where after a late dinner you'll retire for the night.  Your venue for dinner and overnight accommodations is the Shangri-La Hotel, or similar, in Bangkok.

DAY FOUR

There will be an early breakfast before your spectacular morning launch trip along Bangkok's bustling Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn.   Continue by motor coach to the Royal Palace Grounds to see the incomparable Wat Phra Keo with its Emerald Buddha, the Golden Chedi, the Pantheon of Kings and the Towers of Nine Planets.

Time permitting, you'll also visit Gem and Thai Silk Factories before returning to the Shangri-La for lunch.  There is a two and a half-hour journey back to Crystal Symphony at Laem Chabang.

Duration 3 nights.