Tour overview

This 8-day trip explores Thailand through its food, from Bangkok's street stalls to northern villages. A local leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than twelve. You stay seven nights in hotels, a sleeper train and a village homestay, with breakfast most days and many lunches and dinners.

You eat your way through Bangkok, visit the Tha Kha floating market and explore the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, then take the overnight train north to Chiang Mai.

Read more

In Chiang Mai you explore markets and enjoy a plant-based lunch, then stay with a family in a Thai village, sharing a traditional khan tok dinner, before a northern Thai breakfast to finish.

The physical rating is low. This trip suits food lovers who want a short, flavour-packed trip.

Trip highlights

  • Bangkok street food (Day 1)
  • Tha Kha floating market (Day 2)
  • Ayutthaya (Day 4)
  • A sleeper train north (Day 4)
  • Chiang Mai markets (Day 5)
  • A khan tok dinner in a village homestay (Day 6)

Your route

4 stops from Bangkok to Chiang Mai

8-day route: Bangkok – Tha Kha – Ayutthaya – Chiang Mai – village homestay – Chiang Mai
  1. Bangkok Days 1–2
  2. Tha Kha Floating Market Day 2
  3. Ayutthaya Days 3–4
  4. Chiang Mai Days 5–8

Why choose this tour

Thailand through its food. A village homestay in the north.

Best suited to

  • Food lovers
  • First-time visitors to Thailand
  • Solo travellers
  • Travellers short on time
A woman selling produce from her boat at a floating market

Day-by-day itinerary

8 days from Bangkok, Thailand to Chiang Mai, Thailand

  1. Day 1 · Bangkok Bangkok

    Street food.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  2. Day 2 · Tha Kha floating market Bangkok

    A floating market.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Ayutthaya Ayutthaya

    The old capital.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  4. Day 4 · Ayutthaya Ayutthaya

    Temples and a night train.

    Hotel
    Overnight sleeper train
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Chiang Mai Chiang Mai

    Northern flavours.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Lunch, Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Village homestay Village

    A khan tok dinner.

    Hotel
    Homestay
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Chiang Mai Chiang Mai

    A northern breakfast.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  8. Day 8 · Chiang Mai Chiang Mai

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
A Buddha head entwined in tree roots at Ayutthaya

Where you stay

  • Bangkok (2 nights) Hotel
  • Ayutthaya (1 night) Hotel
  • Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai (1 night) Overnight sleeper train
  • Chiang Mai (1 night) Hotel
  • Village (1 night) Homestay
  • Chiang Mai (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 5 hotel nights, a sleeper train and a homestay
  • Meals 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners
  • Sleeper train and private transport
  • Tha Kha floating market
  • Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai food tours
  • Village homestay with a khan tok dinner
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 1 breakfast, 1 lunch and 3 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
Street food at a Chiang Mai night market

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You dislike spicy food
  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want beach time
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–4 and 6–8 · Lunch: Days 3–7 · Dinner: Days 1 and 4–6
Wat Phra Singh in Chiang Mai

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £912 per person, twin share, tour only. 23 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Do I need a visa for Thailand?

No, UK citizens can visit Thailand visa-free for short tourist stays.

Is the food very spicy?

Dishes range from mild to hot, and you can ask for milder versions.

What is the homestay like?

A night with a village family, with shared facilities and a traditional dinner.

Which meals are included?

Breakfast most days, 5 lunches and 4 dinners.

Can I have my own room?

A single supplement may be available; otherwise solo travellers share with someone of the same gender.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a local leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary