Vacation Review, Luxury Thailand Tour, Krabi Province, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Lanta, Food & Culture, City & Countryside

The Thai people were wonderful. Everyone we came into contact with was very friendly and helpful. If you made attempts to use their language (fairly complex for English speaking people), they were always appreciative and would take the time to help you with pronunciation’s and meanings.

We enjoyed several destinations and activities. The most notable of these was the elephant encounter at the Elephant Sanctuary near Chiang Mai, and Ziplining - also near Chiang Mai. In each case, we were transported to and from our hotel to the site. The guides and experts at each destination were very knowledgeable and personable. They provided good explanations and guidance, and also made the activity fun and enjoyable. In both instances, we were treated to a tasty Thai lunch after the activity.

We also enjoyed a half day of kayaking along the coast near Krabi. Krabi is a southern tropical destination in Thailand located on the Andaman Sea due east of Phuket. We were in a small group of six (3 couples). Each couple had their own kayak. The guides were very personable and provided a lot of information and education. While on the excursion, we observed beautiful limestone cliffs, majestic jungle-canyon areas, deep mangrove growth, various sea life and monkeys.

in the Krabi area, we also enjoyed staying at the Beach Resort. Although we had wonderful accommodations at most destinations, this resort was top notch – a beautiful beach, exquisite ocean view room, excellent food, and exceptional staff. In Chiang Mai, the Hotel was– upscale, excellent staff and very nice accommodations. The same can be said for the hotel in Bangkok – excellent location, very classy, excellent cuisine and outstanding staff. Our only disappointment was our stay at the Resort on Koh Lanta. Although the resort is quite nice and sits on the coast, it lacks adequate beaches (only rock formations and cliffs) and the staff service was average. In addition, the location is quite hilly making it difficult to get around the complex easily. They provide shuttles for this, but that requires a lot of wait time, etc. The hotel also has no elevators even though rooms are located on multiple levels. In short, a nice resort that simply didn’t suit us.

In Bangkok, we enjoyed the sky bar atop a skyscraper building. At 314 meters (1036 feet) high, the 360 -degree view of the Bangkok region is exhilarating. It also boasts a glass walkway that extends into space…a bit spine-tingling, but very cool. We also enjoyed a wonderful (and very affordable) dinner at a local restaurant near our hotel. They served authentic upscale Thai cuisine. Located on an unimpressive street in an older remodeled house, we highly recommend this spot for those that want a local experience and enjoy excellent Thai food.