🇹🇭 Discover northern Thailand - incl. 3 days in a Buddhist monastery, the megacity of Bangkok & the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai 🍻🏯🌿🐘

Pack your backpack and let's travel through Central & Northern Thailand together! 🇹🇭 In 12 days, we will visit completely different places that form a stark contrast to the overcrowded islands and tourist bustle in the south of Thailand. The highlight of this trip will be the 3-day retreat in a Buddhist silent monastery on the border with Myanmar. Our route to northern Thailand: Bangkok 🏙️ -> Old Sukhothai 🏯 -> Chiang Mai 🍜 -> Pai ⛰️ -> Buddhist monastery -> Pai ⛰️ -> Chiang Mai ✈️ ________________________________________ ℹ️ OVERVIEW: Day 1-2: Our journey begins in the vibrant megacity of Bangkok. If it's your first time in Bangkok, I'll show you some of the typical (but worth seeing) highlights of the Thai capital. But we also like to visit the less touristy corners of my adopted hometown. 🍻🏙️ 🏯 Day 2-3: From Bangkok, we take the train via Phitsanulok (a typical Thai provincial town) to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the ancient kingdom of Sukhothai. The former kingdom of Sukhothai forms the origin of the country and is considered the cradle of Thai culture. Here we will explore the ancient ruins, nestled between palm trees, lakes and canals, by bike. 🛤️🏯 Day 3-5: After exploring the historic temple ruins, our journey continues by bus in the evening to the capital of northern Thailand, Chiang Mai. Here we spend the next few days exploring the really charming and pleasant city. The local cuisine here is really excellent (also veggie & vegan friendly) and the vibe is very different to Bangkok. 🍜 🍍 Day 5-7: From Chiang Mai, we continue to the far north, almost to the border with Myanmar. We will stay here for 3 days in a Buddhist silent monastery and learn a lot more about Buddhism, meditation and ourselves than a classic online course for mental health and meditation can even begin to promise. This is because the retreat in the silent monastery requires strict adherence to daily routines, rituals and rules. If you would prefer to forego this experience, there is also the option of disembarking in Pai en route and spending two more nights here. Day 7-10: After 3 days of inner peace, the picturesque mountain village of Pai now awaits us. The village, which is very popular with backpackers and hippies, has something for everyone. There is plenty of party & action here, but also relaxation in hot springs, beautiful rice terraces and bizarre natural wonders such as the "Pai Canyon". We will explore the very scenic and relaxed landscape on our own by scooter. 🛵 ⛰️ Day 10-12: For our last stop, we head back to Chiang Mai. Here we have more time to explore the surroundings of Chiang Mai. Alternatively, we can split the days up flexibly, for example to stay longer in Pai or to spend additional days at the monastery. Chiang Mai also offers the ideal starting point to fly back to Bangkok or to the south (Surat Thani, Phuket, Krabi) or to Malaysia. Alternatively, you can take the (night) train back to Bangkok or travel on to Laos via Chiang Rai. If you are traveling further through Thailand or Southeast Asia, I have a few more hot tips for you. ✈️🏙️ ________________________________________ What can you expect on this trip? ➕ A real backpacking feeling 🎒 ➕ A cool travel group, with a maximum of 6 people 🤗 ➕ Meet other backpackers from all over the world in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pai 🍺🌏 ➕ Switch off your cell phone and immerse yourself in the world of a Buddhist monastery ➕ Perfect mix of party, culture and nature. 🥳🏛️🌿 ➕ Genuine Thai culture and hospitality 🙏 What is included in the tour price? ✅ All transfers (bus, train, cab, boat, minivan) ✅ Accommodation (11 nights in shared double rooms) ✅ Entrance fee Wat Arun - Bangkok ✅ Entrance fee Wat Saket - Bangkok ✅ Entrance fee Sukhothai Historical Park (UNESCO) - Sukhothai ✅ Bike rental - Sukhothai ✅ Entrance fee Wat Chedi Luang - Chiang Mai ✅ Donation Wat Phan Tao - Chiang Mai 1x lunch (authentic Khao Soi soup) - Chiang Mai ✅ 1-day scooter rental in Pai (1 scooter for 2 people, including fuel) ✅ 3 days stay in buddhism forest monastery incl. accommodation & food ✅ 24/7 Customer Service and Support. ✅ Travel Insurance for Trip Mates coming from Austria and Germany. What is not included in the trip price? ❌ (International) Flights to/from Bangkok/Chiang Mai ❌ Daily Meals, Snacks & Drinks (approx. 7€-15€ per day) ❌ If needed, single room upgrade (approx. 10-15€ per day) ❌ Entrance fees for additional attractions (depends on what you want to do) ❌ Tours for additional attractions (depends on what you want to do) ❌ Everything else which is not listed or marked with ❌ ________________________________________ ℹ️ TIME OF TRAVEL: Dry season ☀️ We are still traveling in Thailand at a pleasant time, especially in the center and north it is not yet so hot in January and February and monsoon rain showers are rather rare. However, by mid-February at the latest, farmers start to burn their dry fields and forest fires can also occur between February and April. Air quality can therefore be impaired during the so-called "burning season". However, due to this year's weather phenomenon "La Niña", Thailand is expecting a cooler and rainier winter than in previous years. This could delay the burning season by a few weeks so that we can enjoy the beauty of northern Thailand without major restrictions. ________________________________________