Unique Experience Intrepid | Thailand Real Food Adventure

Indulge in the complex flavours, fresh aromas and heavenly spices that make Thai food so addictive. Explore bustling markets and taste tropical fruits and aromatic dishes whipped up in front of your eyes. Learn the trick behind making palm sugar, experience the thrill of cruising through Tha Kha Floating Market by paddleboat, slurp noodles alongside locals in Bangkok, enjoy some home-cooking with a family in Chiang Mai, sit down to a khan tok feast and tour all the must-see sights of Thailand. This is an incredible culinary journey through one of South East Asia’s most addictive food cultures.

Theme

Food

  • Highlights

    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, World Animal Protection. Donations support them to promote better living conditions for elephants in captivity and help rescue elephants from inhumane conditions. Intrepid will double your impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
    • Cruise Bangkok’s floating market on a paddleboat and sail aboard a longtail boat to an island Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya
    • Dine on a plant-based meal at a Chiang Mai restaurant that sources organic, local vegetables for their daily array of delicious meals.
    • Learn how to prepare and present the traditional 11-dish Northern Thai speciality khan tok and experience Thai life from a local's perspective at a village homestay.
    • See dishes whipped up before your eyes, like kaeng som, spicy fish cakes at a community farm and roti sai mai at a market food stall in Ayutthaya.
    • Tuck into your favourite iconic Thai dishes and discover new ones along the way: guay-tieo-ruea (boat noodles), roti sai mai, khao soi, som tum, larb and more.
  • What's Included

    Meals

    6 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners

    Transport

    Private Vehicle , Boat , Overnight Train , Songthaew

    Accommodation

    Hotel (5 nights), Overnight Sleeper Train (1 night), Homestay (1 nightt)

    Included Activities

    • Ayutthaya - Chao Phraya Long Tail Boat Cruise
    • Ayutthaya - Homemade Dessert Making Lesson
    • Ayutthaya - Regional Specialties Cooking Class
    • Ayutthaya - Roti Sai Mai demonstration & tasting
    • Ayutthaya - Temple Ruins entrance & guided tour
    • Ayutthaya - Wat Niwet Thamma Prawat Visit
    • Bangkok - Chinatown walking tour
    • Bangkok - Palm Sugar Demonstration
    • Bangkok - Tha Kha Floating Market tour
    • Bangkok - Welcome Dinner
    • Chiang Mai - Coffee stop
    • Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple Visit
    • Chiang Mai - Leader-led Old Quarter orientation walk
    • Chiang Mai - Wat Chedi Luang entrance
    • Homestay - Khan Tok Cooking Class
  • Pricing

      • Start Date
      • End Date
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      • Availability
      • Start Date:19 Oct 24
      • End Date:26 Oct 24
      • Price:$2,250
      • Availability:On Request
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      • Book now and receive a discount. Was $2,500. Now only $2,250 for this departure

      • Start Date:9 Nov 24
      • End Date:16 Nov 24
      • Price:$2,780
      • Availability:2 spaces
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      • Start Date:23 Nov 24
      • End Date:30 Nov 24
      • Price:$2,006
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Book now and receive a discount. Was $2,675. Now only $2,006 for this departure

      • Start Date:14 Dec 24
      • End Date:21 Dec 24
      • Price:$2,675
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:28 Dec 24
      • End Date:4 Jan 25
      • Price:$2,675
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      • Start Date:4 Jan 25
      • End Date:11 Jan 25
      • Price:$2,275
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      • Start Date:8 Feb 25
      • End Date:15 Feb 25
      • Price:$2,275
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      • Start Date:8 Mar 25
      • End Date:15 Mar 25
      • Price:$2,080
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      • Book now and receive a discount. Was $2,190. Now only $2,080 for this departure

      • Start Date:12 Apr 25
      • End Date:19 Apr 25
      • Price:$2,190
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      • Start Date:10 May 25
      • End Date:17 May 25
      • Price:$2,190
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      • Start Date:19 Jul 25
      • End Date:26 Jul 25
      • Price:$2,190
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      • Start Date:13 Sep 25
      • End Date:20 Sep 25
      • Price:$2,190
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      • Start Date:4 Oct 25
      • End Date:11 Oct 25
      • Price:$2,275
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      • Start Date:25 Oct 25
      • End Date:1 Nov 25
      • Price:$2,275
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      • Start Date:15 Nov 25
      • End Date:22 Nov 25
      • Price:$2,365
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      • Start Date:29 Nov 25
      • End Date:6 Dec 25
      • Price:$2,365
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      • Start Date:13 Dec 25
      • End Date:20 Dec 25
      • Price:$2,365
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      • Start Date:27 Dec 25
      • End Date:3 Jan 26
      • Price:$2,365
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      • Start Date:3 Jan 26
      • End Date:10 Jan 26
      • Price:$2,410
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      • Start Date:7 Feb 26
      • End Date:14 Feb 26
      • Price:$2,410
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      • Start Date:7 Mar 26
      • End Date:14 Mar 26
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:11 Apr 26
      • End Date:18 Apr 26
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:9 May 26
      • End Date:16 May 26
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:18 Jul 26
      • End Date:25 Jul 26
      • Price:$2,410
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      • Start Date:12 Sep 26
      • End Date:19 Sep 26
      • Price:$2,410
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      • Start Date:3 Oct 26
      • End Date:10 Oct 26
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:24 Oct 26
      • End Date:31 Oct 26
      • Price:$2,410
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      • Start Date:14 Nov 26
      • End Date:21 Nov 26
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:28 Nov 26
      • End Date:5 Dec 26
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:12 Dec 26
      • End Date:19 Dec 26
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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      • Start Date:26 Dec 26
      • End Date:2 Jan 27
      • Price:$2,410
      • Availability:7+ Available
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    Please note: while prices are accurate at time of loading they are subject to change due to currency fluctuations and currency surcharges may apply. Please check price at time of booking
  • Itinerary

    Day - 1

    Location: Bangkok - Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand's capital, Bangkok – famous for its tuk-tuks, khlong boats and street vendors serving up delicious Thai dishes. Your food adventure begins this evening with an important welcome meeting at 5pm, but Bangkok has so much on offer that you might like to arrive a day or so early to explore: perhaps uncover the magnificent Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, wander down the tourist mecca of Khao San Road, or indulge in a Thai massage. After the welcome meeting, head out with your group for dinner at popular restaurant Krua Apsorn. After dinner, explore the area and sample some Thai sweets with your leader and fellow travellers.

     

    Day - 2

    Location: Bangkok - After an early breakfast, visit Tha Kha Floating Market. Walk past canals filled with sellers hawking their colourful fruits and wares at this authentic local market, then board a paddleboat to explore the waterways further. The area is well known for coconut palm sugar production and you’ll stop in at a riverside operation to see how it is made. Afterwards, travel back to Bangkok, where you will have a free afternoon to shop, sightsee or simply relax at a cafe. Tonight, head to Chinatown for a walking tour. This is a great place to sample some local street food, so ask your leader for their insight and recommendations. You might also like to join other members of your group to enjoy live music at one of the lively bars in the area.

     

    Day - 3

    Location: Ayutthaya - After breakfast leave Bangkok and travel by private vehicle to a local village and community farm for an epic day of cooking Central Thai regional specialities and feasting with your hosts. Learn about the age-old agricultural traditions still being practised today and enjoy the freshest ingredients straight from the garden. You will help to prepare a home-cooked lunch of local delicacies, such as kaeng som (green papaya soup), spicy fish cakes and watercress salad with chicken, followed by multiple desserts using ingredients like coconut, rice milk and crispy noodles! Later this afternoon board a longtail boat and cruise the Chao Phraya River to visit a Buddhist temple located on a small, remote island. Head to Ayutthaya city for a free evening to explore and – of course – eat more!

     

    Day - 4

    Location: Ayutthaya / Overnight Train - Today we explore Ayutthaya, the second capital of Siam after Sukhothai, and once one of the most powerful cities in Asia. Stop by a street food stall for a demonstration and tasting of roti sai mai, a dish synonymous with the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. It consists of a thin pancake wrapped around delicious, fine strands of thin-spun cotton candy. Lunch today is a steaming bowl of guay-tieo-ruea, or boat noodles. The Ayutthaya take on this classic combo of fragrant pork broth, roasted slices of meat, Thai-style pork balls, sliced morning glory stalks, fresh green onion and a choice of rice noodles is considered the original and best. While the food is no longer served out of sampans on the river, the narrow rowboats are used as decoration at roadside eateries to indicate what's on the menu. See the remains and reminders of Ayutthaya’s golden age with a guided tour of the picturesque ruins and temples spread across the town. The rows of headless Buddhas at Wat Phra Mahathat, sacked by the Burmese in the 18th century, are very atmospheric, and a Buddha head surrounded by Banyan tree roots is perhaps the most photographed site in all of Ayutthaya. Freshen up at a hotel and grab a bite to eat before boarding your overnight train to Chiang Mai (approximately 13 hours).

     

    Day - 5

    Location: Chiang Mai - Arrive in Chiang Mai by mid-morning. The most vibrant city in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai has many famous temples and an interesting old city area. Most importantly, Chiang Mai is famous for its Northern Thai cuisine and may well be home to many of your favourite Thai dishes. Lunch today is a plant-based meal at a popular local restaurant that sources organic vegetables from nearby farms for their daily array of delicious meals. Afterwards, take an orientation walk around the streets of the city, stopping at Wat Chedi Luang and enjoying a pick me up at Akha Ama – a social enterprise created by a member of the Akha tribe who wanted to highlight the produce of his community and provide an income source to its coffee growers. Take time to relax and refresh before an included dinner at a local restaurant. If you’re keen to explore further, the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar beckons, full of local handicrafts and fabulous Northern street food dishes.

     

    Day - 6

    Location: Village Homestay - Today you’ll travel to a small Thai village where you’ll meet Aoi, your gracious host for an incredible overnight homestay experience. On the way to Aoi’s village, stop for lunch at a restaurant specialising in the local delicacy of fermented rice noodles. Next, visit some local producers – including a mushroom farm where you'll pick up ingredients for a Northern Thai cooking class. Over the years, a khan tok dinner has become the traditional way to welcome guests in Northern Thailand, with the term ‘khan tok’ meaning both the meal and the raised tray on which it’s served. Eleven dishes are featured on this delicious khan tok menu, so cut, chop and sizzle the day away, then tuck into dishes like nam prik ong (chilli paste with tomatoes), deep fried vegetables, hung leh (curry) and mushroom larb (spicy mushroom salad). Enjoy the fruits of your labour against a backdrop of local musicians singing and dancing.

     

    Day - 7

    Location: Chiang Mai - Wake up and enjoy a sumptuous Northern Thai breakfast of gai tod (fried chicken), fried rice, sweet sticky rice and egg custard. Bid farewell to your homestay hosts and take a scenic, winding drive (1.5 hours) to one of the country's most stunning temple complexes: Doi Suthep. A 300-step naga-guarded stairway leads you to the temples, and the climb is well worth the effort. The hypnotic chanting of Buddhist monks and the sweeping views of the city make for a memorable experience. Head back into town for a delicious lunch of khao soi: a curry noodle dish that is renowned in the region. This afternoon you might like to check out the bustling Warorot Market (Kad Luang). One of Chiang Mai’s largest markets and a thriving social hub, this is the perfect place to get a glimpse into daily life, as well as experience some of the ingredients and snacks unique to the regional cuisine. Taste your way through the stalls and be sure to try sai ua (Chiang Mai sausage) or bamboo worms.

     

    Day - 8

    Location: Chiang Mai - There are no activities planned for today, and your delicious Real Food Adventure comes to an end this morning. You are free to leave at any time, but this doesn’t mean your own adventure has to end! If you would like to spend more time in Chiang Mai, we’ll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

     

    Thailand Real Food Adventure
*Terms and Conditions
Offer subject to availability at time of booking. Prices are per person share twin based on best available tour price, inclusive of all discounts unless otherwise stated. Prices are subject to currency fluctuations and are based on cash or cheque. Tour deposit, amendment and cancellation conditions may apply. Travel agent service fees may apply. Special conditions apply - please ask for full details at time of enquiry.
HLO Ref# 7287
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