Luxuries of Thailand & Japan

(11 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Bangkok, Chiang Mai

This is one of Asia's greatest luxury journeys and an ideal itinerary for anyone seeking a combination of East and Southeast Asian culture, cuisine, and lifestyle. Begin in Japan, first visiting Tokyo's fashionable neighborhoods and important cultural sights, including the Meiji Shrine, the Imperial Palace’s gardens, Harajuku and Aoyama, Roppongi Hills and Ginza.

Continue to Hakone National Park for a stay at the Gora Kadan, Japan's most exclusive ryokan (traditional inn). Take a ropeway ride past Mt. Fuji, walk along the Old Tokaido Road, see caves filled with ancient Buddhas, enjoy a cruise on the lake at the base of Mt. Fuji, see bubbling mud pools and geysers, and visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum. After a night enjoying gourmet kaiseki cuisine and natural outdoor hot springs, continue by bullet train to the ancient city of Kyoto. Tour the classic stroll garden of Katsura Rikyu Imperial Villa, a revered model of Japanese architecture and garden design. Eat a Zen lunch and sip green tea in Arashiyama’s vast bamboo forest. Visit major gardens, temples and shrines, including Ryoanji, Ginkakuji and Kiyomizudera. Stroll charming back streets and browse exquisite craft shops and food markets. Sample tofu, noodles, and Kyoto’s other culinary specialties.

Next, fly to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Spend several days at the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai—one of the world's most luxurious spa resorts, with Thai villas spread among terraced rice fields. Here you'll visit a mountaintop temple, ride elephants, visit local hill tribe villages, and explore Chiang Mai's renowned craft districts. Perhaps also enjoy a Thai cooking class or a spa treatment at the resort before concluding your tour in Bangkok with several days of comprehensive touring in this colorful city. With your own private guide, enjoy a fascinating, private long-tail boat tour through Bangkok's canals. Visit the most important temples. Learn about Buddhist practices and influences on daily life. Hear monks chanting at a morning ceremony. Explore colorful markets selling textiles, flowers, food and crafts. Visit small museums and interesting local neighborhoods. When not sightseeing, enjoy time at the world’s leading spa, swim, play tennis, shop for exquisite Thai silks and art work, and dine on some of Southeast Asia’s best cuisine.