Travelers exploring Southeast Asia are hard-pressed to avoid Bangkok, Thailand, the region’s most important transportation hub. Fortunately, this city happens to be one of Asia’s most exciting and intriguing places, with an array of exquisite hotels which rank among the best in the world.
An ideal itinerary would include three or four nights in Bangkok, exploring its grand temples, colorful markets, sybaritic spas and extraordinarily rich culinary heritage. But as Mr. Harper writes, one of the city’s greatest pleasures is simply “watching the endlessly fascinating life” on the Chao Phraya River, where “stately rice barges make their way down to the Gulf of Thailand alongside purple rafts of water hyacinth, while brightly painted ‘long tail’ water taxis forge upstream in a welter of spray.”
From Bangkok, whether you head north, south, east or west, a wealth of cultural treasures and stupendous landscapes await exploration. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai make perfect bases for touring Thailand’s green and picturesque hill country. Exceptional white-sand beaches in tranquil Koh Samui, Phuket and Krabi tempt travelers south, and to the east, the awe-inspiring temples of Cambodia retain their mysterious allure. But perhaps none of these places has captured travelers’ imaginations lately like Burma (Myanmar), an astoundingly beautiful country which has finally started to address human rights concerns and take some tentative steps toward democracy.
After having arrived the evening before, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and meet your guide. Begin your explorations by boat, gliding past glittering skyscrapers, monumental wats, venerable mansions and traditional wooden houses, until you reach the Royal Grand Palace. This mini-city comprises formal gardens, ornate halls and elaborate temples, including Wat Phra Kaew, the famed Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Nearby, the immense Wat Pho contains an enormous golden statue of the Reclining Buddha, as well as Thailand’s most famous massage school. After lunch, climb the Golden Mount for some excellent views of Bangkok, and meander through the Monk’s Bowl Village, where craftsmen beat out metal alms bowls in a traditional Khmer technique. The lightweight, lacquered bowls make ideal souvenirs. Late this afternoon, return to your hotel, where you might indulge in a relaxing spa treatment.
Spend today touring the opposite side of the river, beginning with the spectacular Royal Barge Museum. Here it’s easy to understand why Bangkok was once known as the Venice of the East. Majestic Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, rises about a mile downriver, its towering spires encrusted with colorful ceramics.
Board a private long-tail boat and embark on a tour of Bangkok’s khlongs, or canals, which flow throughout the city. Over the years, many khlongs were filled in to make way for roads, but numerous canals remain intact, inviting leisurely exploration. You might like to stop at a floating market, where traditional boats laden with flowers and produce vie for prime water real estate.
Consider starting today with a Thai cooking lesson in a traditional wooden house on the river. Learn how to prepare dishes such as grilled pumpkin with curry sauce, northeastern-style herbed soup with chicken or black sticky rice with taro in scented coconut syrup, and dine on your creations for lunch.
In the afternoon, head inland to the exquisite house of Jim Thompson, who almost singlehandedly revived the Thai silk industry. The six teak wood houses he assembled and converted into a modern home stand on Khlong Saen. Some of Bangkok’s most upscale and interesting shops are nearby in the Siam Square neighborhood.
Transfer to the airport and fly north to Chiang Rai, the capital of a region still inhabited by traditional hill tribes. Mr. Harper recommends staying a bit farther north, close to the Mekong River and the ancient Lanna city of Chiang Saen. Spend the rest of the day settling in and enjoying the amenities of your resort.
Visit an elephant training camp, a remarkable and moving experience and a real highlight of any visit to northern Thailand. Observe how mahouts (trainers) can communicate commands to the elephants, and even learn to drive and bathe elephants yourself. You can also embark on an elephant trek through the surrounding forests, bamboo groves and floodplains.
Spend today continuing to explore the area, perhaps taking a long-tail boat ride on the Mekong River to a peaceful island in Laos, or visiting some of the villages of the local hill tribes, many members of which still dress in colorful hand-woven attire.
Transfer four hours through the green hill country to the city of Chiang Mai, home to some particularly enchanting resorts. After this long drive, take the rest of the afternoon to relax. (Enjoying a Thai massage would be an ideal way to unwind.)
Take a day to explore old Chiang Mai, a walled city of about 150,000 renowned for its artisans. Silver jewelry and intricate woodcarvings are local specialties.
Make a day trip to the mountainside Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of Thailand’s most dramatic temples, and Phuping Palace, the royal family’s summer residence. Return to your resort in the afternoon for some additional relaxation among the landscaped grounds and rice paddies.
One of Thailand’s most impressive temples can be found just to the south in Lamphun, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the country. In addition to its temples and museums, the town is known for its high-quality hand-woven cottons and silks.
Fly back to Bangkok, or extend your trip with a journey south.
To add to the glorious three days in Bangkok (above), fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia, the city closest to the dramatic temple of Angkor Wat and home to several exceedingly pleasant hotels.
Arise early for a tour of Angkor Wat at dawn, entering just before the crowds of tourists arrive. The sight of the rising sun illuminating its intricately carved towers is simply breathtaking. Refresh yourself with tea and sweet dumplings in a private lakeside tea house, such as the one at Amansara, before continuing on to the Bayon, located at the center of Angkor Thom. It’s hard to believe that this remarkable temple, famous for the huge stone faces adorning its towers, stood in the center of a city. Now, it’s surrounded only by jungle and crumbling defensive walls. Return to your hotel in the early afternoon to relax, nap and perhaps visit the fun, low-key market in Siem Reap.
Today, start with a dawn visit of Ta Prohm, some of the most atmospheric ruins anywhere in the world. Here, giant tree roots and strangler figs have taken hold of many of the temple’s buildings, at once cracking the masonry and providing structural support. As before, an early visit avoids the crowds and provides ideal light for photography. Take the rest of the day to explore Lake Tonle Sap by private boat, passing by mangroves and picturesque “floating” villages.
After a leisurely breakfast, make a day trip out of Siem Reap to relatively undiscovered Beng Mealea, a mostly unrestored temple with a true “Indiana Jones” sensibility. Half engulfed in the jungle, this temple offers a very different experience from well-tended Angkor Wat. Return to your hotel for some time to enjoy the spa and relax.
Fly back to Bangkok, or extend your trip by flying north to Luang Prabang, Laos, a country Mr. Harper calls “the last secret of Southeast Asia.”
Fly from Bangkok to Yangon, the former capital of Burma, and make your home in one of its grand colonial hotels.
Explore Yangon. Marvel at the Shwedagon Pagoda, with its immense gilded tower rising hundreds of feet in the air, and shop for crafts and jewelry at the bustling Bogyoke Market.
Fly from Yangon to Mandalay and board The Road To Mandalay, a luxury river cruiser operated by Orient-Express.
Over the course of the river cruise, dig deep into Burma, visiting storied places such as Bagan, Mount Popa and Ava (the ancient capital of Mandalay). The Road To Mandalay affords access to many sites difficult to reach by other means.
Disembark and fly back to Yangon, staying one more evening or connecting to Bangkok.
If traveling between November and March, fly from Bangkok to the island of Koh Samui, set in the Gulf of Thailand. Otherwise, fly to Krabi or the island of Phuket, where the March to October period offers the most pleasant weather.
As Mr. Harper wrote in the August 2009 Hideaway Report, “Southern Thailand offers an enchanting combination of powdery white sand, turquoise water, dramatic scenery, delicious local food, reliably sunny weather and delightful people who are instinctively polite and hospitable. It would be hard to conceive of a more idyllic place in which to relax at the end of a Southeast Asian tour.”
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