(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 Bangkok for 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.
The tour concludes with a stay in 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
Itinerary Overview
Day 1
Arrive Tokyo, JAPAN
Arrival transfer to hotel for two nights
Day 2
Tokyo
Morning private city touring. Afternoon at leisure
Day 3
Tokyo - Hakone
Transfer by bullet train to Hakone and Mt. Fuji region for overnight at Gora Kadan ryokan (traditional inn). Afternoon private tour of Hakone
Day 4
Hakone - Kyoto Bullet train to Kyoto for two-night stay. Afternoon private city touring
Day 5
Kyoto
Private touring in Kyoto
Day 6
Kyoto - Bangkok, THAILAND
Transfer and flight (not included in cost) from Kansai Airport to Bangkok for two-night stay
Day 7
Bangkok
Full-day private city tour
Day 8
Bangkok - Chiang Mai
Private transfer to airport for flight to Chiang Mai. Private transfer to resort for 3 nights. Private afternoon city tour and night market visit
Day 9
Chiang Mai
Elephant camp excursion
Day 10
Chiang Mai
At leisure at resort. Optional cooking class, golf, spa time or private touring or shopping
Day 11
Depart Chiang Mai
Private airport transfer
Hotels
Tokyo:
Peninsula Tokyo
Hakone:
Gora Kadan Ryokan
Kyoto:
Hyatt Regency Kyoto
Bangkok:
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Chiang Mai:
Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai
Cost
$15,430
Per person (double occupancy)
Optional surcharge for regional business class flights: $120 per person
All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.
Call us at (800) 214-8144 for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.
