Bangkok Cultural Extension Program

Citizen Ambassador Program

(04 Days/03 Nights)

Please use the Optional Cultural Extension Program Application form to enroll for the extension.

Extension Program Fee:$1850

Single Supplement charge:$440

 

The Program fee is based on double occupancy, a single supplement is charged for those wishing a single room.  The program includes transfer from the Siem Reap Hotel to the airport, flight to Bangkok, accommodations at the Amara Bangkok Hotel, breakfast daily,  an authentic Thai lunch at the Bubble & Rum Restaurant, admission fees for included program activities, Bangkok airport arrival and departure transfers, all ground transportation, a local guide daily and your flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok.

 

Please Note: We suggest you book your flight home directly from Bangkok, as the return flight to Siem Reap is not included in the program cost.

Day 1/   Arrival in Bangkok

Transfer from Siem Reap to Bangkok. Upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. After check-in at hotel (normal check in time is 15:00 hrs.), the balance of the day is yours.

Well known as the City of Angels, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) is the present capital city and the focal point for Thailand.  It was made the capital of Thailand in 1782, by the first monarch of the present Chakri Dynasty.  It is a vibrant city, a national treasure house and Thailand’s spiritual, cultural, political, commercial, educational, and diplomatic enter with endless choice of sightseeing and entertainment opportunities.  In addition to the many temples and historic buildings, such as The Grand Palace and Wat Arun, the list of interesting places to visit is endless. There are numerous canal (klong) networks, the Chao Phraya River, giving it the name of “Venice of the East”. 

Day 2/  Bangkok: After breakfast, start it off to explore The Bangkok Highlights. (Approximate time: 08:00 – 16:00 hrs.)

Your first stop will be at Wat Po. Wat Po, the most extensive temple in Bangkok, is also the oldest, which houses the 3rd biggest colossal reclining Buddha in Thailand.  The gigantic gold plated reclining Buddha with inlaid mother-of-pearl soles of 108 good lucks is highly revered among Buddhists.  Also regarded as the first center of public education, sometimes also called “Thailand’s first university”, the temple houses hundreds of chedis, the most important among all being the Chedis of the Kings, mural paintings, inscriptions, and statues that educated people on varied subjects; for example, literature, warfare, archaeology, astronomy, geology, meditation, medicine, and the original of Thai traditional massage.  Being there at the right time, you will have an opportunity to witness the solemn atmosphere of monks’ chanting in its marvelous main chapel which is not commonly seen by tourists.

Your visit to Bangkok will never be complete without paying a visit to the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple.

The Temple of Emerald Buddha, commonly known as Wat Phra Kaew, is part of the Grand Palace.  It was built according to traditional Thai belief from Sukhothai reign, the first capital of Thailand, in order to have a temple for royal ceremonies in the compound of the grand palace and house the most revered Buddha statue of each era.  It’s where Phra Kaew or the Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha image of Thai people, is housed.  No monks thus reside in the temple.  The temple comprises an architectural wonder of golden stupas, walls and pillars encrusted in shining and colorful mosaics, all gleaming under the tropical sun.  You will have a chance to admire Phra Kaew or the Emerald Buddha statue, carved from a single piece of jade, the most revered and precious image of the Lord Buddha. 

The magnificent buildings of the Grand Palace yield a feeling of the grandeur Thai architectural style.  It was constructed some 220 years ago by the command of King Rama I, the founder of Bangkok capital.  It was once the residence of the Royal Family before Chitra Lada Summer Palace was turned into the permanent home and the Grand Palace is used for ceremonial purposes and to accommodate royal visits.

Continue to Bubble & Rum Restaurant for your first authentic Thai dishes in Thailand.

Then it’s time to experience the hidden face of Bangkok.  You will board a typical long-tailed boat that will take you through Bangkok’s waterway into complex network of Thonburi canals.

You will enjoy picturesque sights and scenes of traditional Thai canal life with houses on stilts, hidden temples, floating groceries, and water taxi.  At a local community, dated back to some 240 years ago when Thonburi was still a capital of Siam, you can still experience untouched traditional way of living in a peaceful atmosphere with houses on stilts, beauty salons, herbal stores.  If you like, try traditionally Thai-styled brewed coffee and tea with ice from a floating coffee shop and ice cream boats will pass by the village every day for those who like cut ice-cream on a stick.  A look of Bangkok that you may never have imagined! 

On the return journey, you can admire and photograph the imposing sight of the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), whose 259 feet spire with magnificent multicolored porcelain-studded towers has become the most remarkable visual identity of Bangkok, with the Chao Praya River in the foreground. 

Day 3/   Bangkok: Morning Tour Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. (Approximate time: 06:30 – 14:00 hrs.)

Take a boat ride through the canals to visit the floating market at Damnoen Saduak where merchants paddle along canals in the boat laden with fresh fruit and other foodstuff to sell to shoppers on the canal banks. A short visit to coconut farm and Railway Market, witness the train running through the heart of the market while vendors begin to move their goods away from tracks.

Start an early morning with a visit to the Railway Market, witness the train running through the heart of the market while vendors begin to move their goods away from tracks. On the way stop for a short visit to a local coconut farm, see how they produce different products, try for example freshly cooked coconut palm sugar.

There are countless floating markets throughout Thailand, but the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is the most famous. Situated 110 km from Bangkok in Ratchaburi province, you will take a long tail boat ride through the canals and witness the local communities along the riverbank, before visit the floating market at Damnoen Saduak. At the market, you can walk around and see colorful clad merchants paddle along congested canals in sturdy canoes laden with fresh fruit, vegetables, local foods and tourist souvenirs to sell to shoppers on the canal banks. Buy some local snacks, enjoy the view of the many boats find their way along the canals and locals interact with tourists. There is lots of activity and bargaining is part of the fun of the sale.

After the tour, you will return to hotel and enjoy an afternoon free at leisure.

Day 4/  Bangkok – Departure

This morning, you will be checked out and transferred to Bangkok Airport to board on your flight home.  Please note, we suggest you book your flight home directly from Bangkok, as the return flight to Siem Reap is not included in the program cost.