13-21, thailand itinerary. itinerary: Travel Programs Presented by. thailand: the flavors of bangkok and chiang mai

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1 thailand: the flavors of bangkok and chiang mai THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA Travel Programs Presented by thailand itinerary Culinary Educator: Chef Ian Chalermkittichai itinerary: NOVEMBER 13-21, 2009 Thailand is the land of smiles, spicy air, and tranquil countryside. A complex and historic past is reflected in their food, balanced by sweet, sour, spicy, and salty flavors. Join us for a mouth-watering journey where you will discover Ian s favorite places, meet local cooks, taste fragrant street food, visit magnificent temples, and enjoy the boisterous river life and buzzing tuk-tuk s. We will begin our tour at the best time of the year in the cultural center of Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai, at one of the most beautiful resorts and cooking schools in the world, the Four Seasons. The tour will come to an end in the bustling city of Bangkok, where we ll stay at the luxurious Peninsula hotel. This is the ultimate journey for food lovers. Day 1: Friday, November 13 (Chiang Mai) You will arrive in Chiang Mai and transfer to the hotel. We will meet poolside for introductions and an overview of our culinary adventure. Dinner will follow at the hotel s restaurant overlooking the Ping River. There we will savor delicious Thai cuisine against the riverside backdrop. Hotel: The Chedi, D Day 2: Saturday, November 14 (Chiang Mai) After breakfast we will tour Chiang Mai with Ian, stopping at the local market for an in-depth tour. There we will taste freshly made soy milk and hot donuts, and view some of the freshest produce in Asia. Lunch will follow at Huen Pen, a favorite local restaurant. You will have free time to shop or relax at the hotel. In the late afternoon we will go to Buan Suan restaurant, where Ian will give us his first cooking class, followed by dinner. Hotel: The Chedi, B, L, D Day 3: Sunday, November 15 (Chiang Mai) We will get an early start and go to a local cooking school, Baan Hong Nual, to help with the preparation of lunch. This is a traditional Thai ceremony of making merit by preparing lunch and offering food and alms to the monks at the Ton Kwien Lanna Temple. After the monks last meal of the day (which has to be taken by 11:00 a.m.), we will picnic on the grounds of the temple before enjoying a lecture on Buddhism from the head monk. We will return to the hotel for some free time before heading out for another delicious meal at another one of Ian s favorite haunts. Hotel: The Chedi, B, L, D Day 4: Monday, November 16 (Chiang Mai) We will check out of The Chedi and make our way to the Mae Rim area of Chiang Mai, stopping along the way at a local restaurant to try a dish of khao soi (Thai curry noodles). Next we will visit a noodle-making factory in the lush, mountainous countryside. After we check into our hotel, the award-winning Four Seasons Resort, you will have the rest of the afternoon to relax. You can take advantage of the spa, which was chosen as the World s Best Spa by Conde Nast Traveler (UK) in the 2007 Reader s Award. It features seven spacious treatment suites offering total privacy for individuals or couples. Dinner will be on your own, and you will receive a voucher to use in the restaurant or for room service. Hotel: Four Seasons, B, L, D 1

2 Day 5: Tuesday, November 17 (Chiang Mai) After breakfast we will visit the Maesa Elephant Camp (www. maesaelephantcamp.com). There the elephants will entertain us as they paint, play soccer, and show off their special skills. We ll take a 30-minute ride on the elephants to Baan Tong Luang. This is a traditional village where four different ethnic tribes coexist, including the Padong (the long-necked women). We will explore the village with its many family gardens filled with herbs and vegetables, and watch a short demonstration before eating a traditional lunch. The evening will really heat up with a hands-on class in the fabulous Lanna teaching kitchen at the Four Seasons Cooking School, which Chef Ian helped open. Hotel: Four Seasons, B, L, D Day 6: Wednesday, November 18 (Chiang Mai Bangkok) After breakfast we will head to the airport for our domestic flight to Bangkok. We ll arrive mid-morning in the warmer climate of the south, and head directly to the famous Chatuchak weekend market and then to the Or-Tor-Kor (locally called the rich ) market, where we will sample some street-style food for lunch. We will then check into the Peninsula and have a few hours of free time. An optional visit to the Patpong night market will be offered after dinner at one of Ian s favorite new restaurants. Hotel: The Peninsula, B, L, D Day 7: Thursday, November 19 (Bangkok) We will rise early and walk to the market with Ian for a tour, sample the sweet juicy fruits, and enjoy the local shops before we return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast we will board a private longneck boat, tour the canals (klongs), and visit Wat Arun and Grand Palace. We will continue by boat to a great local spot for lunch. Then we ll go to the Suan Dusit International Culinary School for an afternoon of cooking classes and hands-on cooking, followed by dinner. You will finish the day with a better understanding of the hot, sour, salty, and sweet combinations in classic Thai food. Hotel: The Peninsula B, L, D Day 8: Friday, November 20 (Bangkok) In the morning we will visit the famous Damnoen Saduak floating market. Chaotic but fun, small canals are filled with small flat boats jockeying for position, expertly paddled by ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment s notice. We will eat some of the local market foods in our boat before heading to a fish sauce factory to learn more about the production of this very important ingredient. Lunch will be seaside at one of our favorite local restaurants. After our drive back to Bangkok, the afternoon will be free for you to explore on your own. Dinner will be at one of Bangkok s most authentic Thai food restaurants. Hotel: The Peninsula, B, L, D Day 9: Saturday, November 21 (Bangkok) You will depart from Bangkok, or take advantage of our optional post-tour to Laos. NOTE: For the main tour, you need to book your international flight direct to Chiang Mai on November 13 and departing flight from Bangkok on November 21. 2

3 Accommodations Strategically located on the banks of the renowned Mae Ping River in central Chiang Mai, The Chedi is an elegant retreat, offering all the pleasures of a luxurious resort. Chiang Mai is blessed with scenic mountains, ethnic hill tribes, diversified Asian cultures and ancient shrines, promising a distinctive travel experience. The Four Seasons Chiang Mai has been featured on the top ten resort lists of the world. Spacious lanna-style pavilions overlook terraced rice fields and the mountains in the beautiful Mae Rim Valley, minutes from the artistic and cultural heritage of Thailand s northern capital. From the Thai cooking school to the acclaimed spa and flawless service, you will enjoy this signature Four Seasons experience. In the few years since the hotel opened, the luxurious riverside Peninsula Bangkok has quickly established itself as one of Bangkok s finest hotels, winning many awards and accolades. Thanks to its unique waved-shape design and location on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, The Peninsula is a stunning 37-story hotel offering uninterrupted panoramic views of Bangkok from every one of its large, luxurious guest rooms and suites. CULINARY EDUCATOR: Ian Chalermkittichai, chef/partner of New York s influential Kittichai restaurant designed by David Rockwell, was previously executive chef of the Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok. His weekly television show, Chef Mue Thong, debuted on Thai television in TOUR COORDINATORS: Global Spectrum, a Washington, D.C. based company specializing in travel to Southeast Asia, together with The Viking Life Worlds of Flavor Travel Program. 3

4 thailand: the flavors of bangkok and chiang mai THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA Travel Programs Presented by thailand tour extensions Culinary Educator: Chef Ian Chalermkittichai pre & post extensions: NOVEMBER NOVEMBER PRE-TOUR EXTENSION Day 1: Tuesday, November 10 (Arrival into Siem Reap) You will arrive and transfer to the hotel for check in. Hotel: De La Paix Day 2: Wednesday, November 11 (Siem Reap) After breakfast, we will visit the Great City of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. We will arrive via the South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side is a row of 54 gods or demons holding the sacred Naga snake. From here we will enter the city and view the Bayon Temple, the Baphuon, the terrace of the Elephants, and the Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon we will tour the biggest religious temple in the world, the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple. Built by Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat was constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing the Mount Merou, home of the gods. Considered as the masterpiece of the Khmer architecture, this Vishnuite temple is the King s funerary temple. Inside the temple the walls are covered by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting the Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II made during his reign. Hotel: De La Paix, B Day 3: Thursday, November 12 (Siem Reap) In the morning we will explore Srah Srang, Banteay Kdei, and the fabulous Ta Prohm Temple. In the afternoon, we will continue to the Big Circuit comprising Pre Rup, East Mebon, Neak Poan, and Preah Khan. Dinner will be at the Apsara dance show at the Apsara Theatre. Hotel: De La Paix, B, D Day 4: Friday, November 13 (Siem Reap Bangkok) We will fly to Chiang Mai and join the main tour group. B PRE-TOUR PRICE Double occupancy $1,800 per person Single occupancy $2,400 per person 1

5 POST-TOUR EXTENSION Day 1: Saturday, November 21 (Bangkok Luang Prabang) You will fly from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, meet your tour guide, and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon there will be a brief orientation tour of the spiritual capital of Laos. Next you will climb the 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi and enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside. You ll also stop at the evening hill tribe market. Hotel: Three Nagas, B, D Day 2: Sunday, November 22 (Luang Prabang) After breakfast, a city tour will begin at the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum. You will continue to Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-reliefs, and the Wat Sene, with its beautiful golden façade. The morning will finish with a visit to the most photographed temple, Wat Xieng Thong. In the afternoon, you will Wat Visoun, entirely rebuilt after being destroyed in 1887 by the invading Black Flags from southern China. In the courtyard of Wat Visun stands the Watermelon Stupa, which is shaped like the fruit from which it is named. Other visits will include the Wat Aham and the Pra Bat Thai at sunset. Dinner will be at the hotel. Hotel: Three Nagas, B, D Day 3: Monday, November 23 (Luang Prabang) For early risers, there will be a very special 5:30 a.m. visit to witness the long lines of orange-robed monks leaving their pagodas to receive offerings of food from Luang Prabang residents. After breakfast, you will embark on a boat trip on the Mekong River to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. In Pak Ou, thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues are crammed into two caves carved out of a towering limestone cliff. They range in size from a few centimeters to the size of a human. You will return to Luang Prabang for lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, there will be a visit to Kuang Si Waterfall, with stops en-route to visit some ethnic minority villages. If the weather is good, you will be able to swim in the clear water at the foot of the falls. Hotel: Three Nagas, B, L Day 4: Tuesday, November 24 (Departure) After breakfast, you will visit a weaving village, Xang Khong, where traditional Lao textiles are woven and Sa paper is made, and visit the Wat Xieng Lek. You will return to town and transfer to the airport for your departing flight. B POST-TOUR PRICE Double occupancy $1,700 per person Single occupancy $2,000 per person 2