SHORTLIST

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.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 4 (Overnight Train) and Day 6 (Village Homestay) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. Please note that some room configurations have two single beds, although a double bed will always be requested.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
3. This trip starts with a welcome meeting at 5pm on Day 1 in Bangkok. This trip ends on Day 8 in Chiang Mai and you are free to leave at any time.

Tour details
Tour Provider Intrepid Travel
Price From
$2,300
Number of Days
8
Start Location
Bangkok, Thailand
End Location
Chaing Mai, Thailand
Age Range
Avg. 30+
Group Size
1 to 12
Tour Style
Standard
Tour Themes
Food
Physical Rating
Easy to Moderate
Itinerary Open all
Day 1: 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 a welcome meeting at 5 pm. If you arrive early, maybe check out the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, wander down Khao San Road or indulge in a Thai massage. After the meeting, head out with your group for dinner at popular restaurant Krua Apsorn and get to know the delicious Thai cuisine this region is famous for. After, explore the area and sample some Thai sweets with your leader and fellow travellers.
Day 2: Bangkok
After an early breakfast, visit Tha Kha Floating Market. Walk past canals filled with sellers hawking their fruits and wares, 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’s made. After, travel back to Bangkok, where you’ll have a free afternoon to shop, sightsee or simply relax. 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: Ayutthaya
After breakfast, leave Bangkok and travel by private vehicle to a local village and community farm for a day of cooking Central Thai specialities. Learn about the age-old agricultural traditions still being practised today and enjoy the freshest ingredients straight from the garden. You’ll help to prepare a home-cooked lunch of local delicacies, like 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 on a small, remote island. Head to Ayutthaya city for a free evening to explore.
Day 4: Ayutthaya / Overnight Train
Today, you’ll 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 (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 the 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 of Ayutthaya’s golden age with a guided tour of the ruins and temples spread across the town, including the rows of headless Buddhas at Wat Phra Mahathat and a Buddha head surrounded by Banyan tree roots. Grab a bite to eat before boarding your overnight train to Chiang Mai.
Day 5: 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. After lunch, 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 a dinner at a local restaurant. If you’re keen to explore further, the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is full of local handicrafts and Northern street food dishes.
Day 6: Village Homestay
Travel to a small Thai village where you’ll meet Aoi, your gracious host for your 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, then tuck into dishes like nam prik ong (chilli paste with tomats), 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: Chiang Mai
Breakfast this morning is a 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 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 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, 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 and pick up some snacks unique to the region. Taste your way through the stalls and be sure to try sai ua (Chiang Mai sausage) or bamboo worms.
Day 8: Chiang Mai
There are no activities planned for today and your adventure comes to an end after breakfast. You’re free to leave at any time, but this dsn’t mean your adventure has to end! If you would like to spend more time in Chiang Mai, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time to book additional accommodation.
Inclusions
  • Meals: 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners.
  • Transport: Private Vehicle, Boat, Overnight Train, Songthaew.
  • Accommodation: Hotel (5 nights), Overnight Sleeper Train (1 night), Homestay (1 nightt).
  • Bangkok - Welcome Dinner.
  • Bangkok - Thai sweets tasting.
  • Bangkok - Tha Kha Floating Market tour.
  • Bangkok - Palm Sugar Demonstration.
  • Bangkok - Chinatown walking tour.
  • Ayutthaya - Regional Specialties Cooking Class.
  • Ayutthaya - Homemade Dessert Making Lesson.
  • Ayutthaya - Chao Phraya Long Tail Boat Cruise.
  • Ayutthaya - Wat Niwet Thamma Prawat Visit.
  • Ayutthaya - Temple Ruins entrance & guided tour.
  • Ayutthaya - Roti Sai Mai demonstration & tasting.
  • Chiang Mai - Wat Chedi Luang entrance.
  • Chiang Mai - Leader-led Old Quarter orientation walk.
  • Chiang Mai - Coffee stop.
  • Homestay - Khan Tok Cooking Class.
  • Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple Visit.
Departure dates
All pp pricing is based on twin share occupancy. Single supplements will apply
Start End Availability Price NZD
25 Oct 2025 01 Nov 2025 5 $2,410
15 Nov 2025 22 Nov 2025 5 $2,505
27 Dec 2025 03 Jan 2026 12 $2,505
03 Jan 2026 10 Jan 2026 6 $2,500
07 Feb 2026 14 Feb 2026 12 $2,600
04 Apr 2026 11 Apr 2026 12 $2,410
09 May 2026 16 May 2026 12 $2,410
18 Jul 2026 25 Jul 2026 12 $2,500
12 Sep 2026 19 Sep 2026 12 $2,410
03 Oct 2026 10 Oct 2026 12 $2,410
24 Oct 2026 31 Oct 2026 12 $2,410
14 Nov 2026 21 Nov 2026 12 $2,500
28 Nov 2026 05 Dec 2026 12 $2,600
12 Dec 2026 19 Dec 2026 12 $2,600
26 Dec 2026 02 Jan 2027 12 $2,500
02 Jan 2027 09 Jan 2027 12 $2,300
06 Feb 2027 13 Feb 2027 12 $2,300
06 Mar 2027 13 Mar 2027 12 $2,300
03 Apr 2027 10 Apr 2027 12 $2,300
10 Apr 2027 17 Apr 2027 12 $2,300
08 May 2027 15 May 2027 12 $2,300
17 Jul 2027 24 Jul 2027 12 $2,300
11 Sep 2027 18 Sep 2027 12 $2,300
02 Oct 2027 09 Oct 2027 12 $2,300
23 Oct 2027 30 Oct 2027 12 $2,300
13 Nov 2027 20 Nov 2027 12 $2,300
27 Nov 2027 04 Dec 2027 12 $2,300
11 Dec 2027 18 Dec 2027 12 $2,300
25 Dec 2027 01 Jan 2028 12 $2,300