Asian Food Tours:
Thailand Food Tour
A picture of our happy tag-alongers sipping wine at sunset in front of temple ruins at Ayuddhaya
Our signature tour to one of the world's most popular destinations.
- Feb. 24 -27 2010 FULL
- Mar. 2 - 5 2010 FULL
- Mar. 9 - 12 2010 FULL
As the tours are restricted to 8 people, remember to book early as they fill fast. Phone our office on (07)5446 8977 to ensure spaces are still available.
The Tag-along concept is simple - book your own flights and accommodation (use frequent flyer miles or hotel discount cards) and meet our chefs for four days exploring the sights, sounds and tastes of Thailand.
On each tour you will be accompanied by a Spirit House chef and our resident guide, Acland, who will help unravel the mysteries and complexities of Thai food and culture.
Where to stay:
Because we meet at the Patumwan Princess Hotel each day, this is the best place to stay for the tour AND shopping. The room rates are great value and the accomodation and facilities are 5 star.
The Novotel Siam Square is the next choice and is just a short walk from the Patumwan Princess hotel. It is also in a central location with plenty of great shops close by. Advantage plus card holders will obviously get a great deal with the Novotel.
Siam at Siam is a funky hotel one street down from Jim Thompson's House. This boutique hotel has great architecture, fantastic pool overlooking the city and easy walking distance to MBK, Siam Square, Patumwan Princess etc. If your agent can't book the hotel check www.planetholiday.com and book online for a cheap deal.
Day 1:
Morning
Meet in the lobby of the Patumwan Princess Hotel (here's a map) which is behind Mah Boon Krong (MBK) shopping centre.
We jump into our air-conditioned van and head over to Klong Toey Fruit and Vegetable Market. The biggest market in Bangkok it features countless vendors of the most exotic ingredients imaginable. There is also an open air fish and meat market which is not for the weak stomachs!
Definitely not on any tourist map, we will be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a traditional Thai market in action. Fresh coconut milk is made next to vendors of freshly pounded curry pastes. Dazzling arrays of the freshest fish and seafood, fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices are the perfect way to gain an understanding of Thai ingredients.
But the best way to understand Thai food is to eat it - and with a myriad of freshly cooked Thai delicacies to choose from in and around this market, lunch is a walking buffet of unique Thai flavours.
Afternoon
We return back to Patumwan Princess hotel around 1.30pm. Acland is happy to take you on a small walking tour later that afternoon if you wish, visiting places like Jim Thompson's House which is only a few hundred metres from Mah Boon Krong. This traditional Thai house is a calm oasis in the heart of Bangkok. You can take a tour of the house or chill out in the downstairs coffee shop... comfortable sofas await and this is perfect to just relax and unwind for an hour or so.
We then do a quick tour of Siam Square which is full of boutique fashion stores. Acland will show you how to use the BTS (sky train) and take a quick trip to the Erawan Shrine.
Night
Night time is at your leisure but you will probably find yourself joining other group members for dinner in one of Bangkok's stunning restaurants. A good choice is the Lemongrass restaurant... one of Bangkok's most consistant dining experiences. Acland will help you get there by BTS (skytrain) and there is a stunning shopping center with an amazing book store 100 metres from the restaurant which is open until late.
Day 2:
Morning
Meet again in the lobby of the Patumwan Princess Hotel. Today we visit the 'old city', the original city of Bangkok surrounded by fortified walls which are still preserved in places. We're exploring specialty food stalls and restaurants that have been selling from old shop houses for generations.
Along the way we'll discover streets filled with stores selling huge Buddhas, temple bells and other items for local temples. This morning is a real highlight and something most tourists never see. Over the years we've made friends with many vendors such as the crazy lady who makes traditional candy from recipes hundreds of years old... amazing blends of flavours and textures.
Lunch is at a small 70 year-old restaurant that specialises in duck, or at Chote Chitr (if it's open), a tiny 12 seat restaurant that is world famous for Royal Thai cuisine as generations of the owner's family were chefs in the royal palaces.
Night
At your leisure but Acland's can book you into a great restaurant should you wish to dine out. Perhaps Laotion food for an ant-egg salad or the opulence of Maha Naga - Thai fusion food in exotic Persian setting.
Day 3
For the next two days we will leave Bangkok and head one hour north to Ayuddhaya and explore the incredible ruins of this old trading city that dates back 600 years or more. At its peak, Ayuudhaya was larger than London and was a major trading port (even though it is up a river) with England, Japan, China, Japan and Arab nations all having settlements there. The city was destroyed by the Burmese in the 1700s and the ruins are fascinating to explore.That's the culture stuff out of the way... let's talk food! Ayuddhaya still has food traditions that date back to the influences of the foreign trading nations from 400 years ago. Our objective is to learn how to make Persian fairy floss - by hand. Snacking on fairy floss we visit one of the better preserved temple/palace complexes with the possibility of an elephant ride before returning to our hotel (included in your tour price) for an afternoon nap or massage.
Drinks! A highlight of the tour is watching the sun set in the grounds of a beautiful 500 year old temple ruin on the banks of a river as the rice barges go by. Dinner is in an open-air night market where we get to watch the food being cooked and sample a huge range of Thai desserts... a fantastic end to the day.
Day 4
Breakfast, then one more temple ruin with some amazing Buddha statues before we take a long tail boat down river to Bang Pa In to the King's Summer Palace. An interesting mix of East-meets-West architecture and a delightful Buddhist Monastry on a small island in the river which you access by a monk-driven cable car (it will make sense when you get there).
A quick snack in the local market with some delicious Thai iced coffee or iced tea and we head back to Bangkok arriving around 2.00pm.
Summary
These four days are a great orientational experience for first-time travellers to Thailand. Afterwards you will feel confident in exploring different parts of Thailand with all its diversity. So if you're planning a Thai holiday why not join us for four days?
Here are the essential ingredients for our food trip: You must bring a sense of adventure and be flexible. This is a tag-along tour and you might find we alter the itinerary as we find interesting food or places to explore... this is part of the fun!
Understand we can NOT cater to vegetarians, vegans or people with food allergies or other dietary requirements... this tour is all about adventuring in new foods.
How to Book:
The four day tour costs $800 which includes:
- All tag-along related daily transport (we have our own airconditioned van)
- All street/market food, lunch and snacks (excluding alchohol and Bangkok evening meals)
- Overnight stay and meals in Ayuddhaya
Book and pay in advance by calling our office on (07) 5446 8977 or .
