Let’s discover the Bangkok of old, when life took place on the rivers and waterways. We’ll travel approximately 100km outside Bangkok to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. An exhilarating and scenic ride on a longtail speedboat will take us past riverside villages and fruit plantations, before entering the vibrant market. Here, vendors sell tropical fruits, exotic vegetables and aromatic snacks from small wooden sampans on the water, while stalls on the dockside are laden with local handicrafts, wood carvings, assorted silks and other trinkets. It’s a great place to buy souvenirs and get an insight into Thailand’s rural culture.

After the market, we’ll set off to Kanchanaburi with a stop for lunch at a local restaurant. On arrival we’ll take a long-tail boat trip along the legendary River Kwai to see the beautiful riverside scenery. A walk through the JEATH War Museum will give us an insight into the history of the area and the role it played during World War II.

A visit to the serene and incredibly well-kept Chung Kai War Cemetery is a moving experience. It is the final resting place of thousands of allied POWs who died during the construction of the ‘Death Railway’.

We’ll continue to Kao Poon Cave to see the temple, big Buddha and beautiful views of the river.

And of course, the day wouldn’t be complete without seeing the world-famous River Kwai Bridge – a great place to take photos and enjoy the riverside scenery.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kanchanaburi.

After breakfast, we’ll head out to the Erawan Waterfall, a beautiful waterfall with seven separate tiers and emerald pools. We’ll take a trek along the trails in the national park to appreciate the beauty of the natural surroundings. After our trek, we can enjoy a refreshing swim in the crystal clear water. After lunch in a local restaurant we’ll depart for Tham Krasae train station. Then it’s all aboard the train for a 30-minute ride along the historic ‘Death Railway’, passing over the original wooden viaduct constructed by allied POWs.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kanchanaburi.

Today we’re going to join in a Thai cooking class so you can take a taste of Thailand home with you. After breakfast we’ll drive by vehicle to the meeting point. From here we’ll travel in local style to the market – on a saleng, a type of taxi consisting of a motorbike and a side car! A walk around the market will reveal scenes of local life and give us a chance to see the type of produce on sale.

At the cooking class, the chef will show us how to cook four famous Thai dishes – full of freshness, flavor and plenty of spice. We’ll be using traditional utensils and cooking techniques that have been passed down through the generations. After the class, we get to sit down and sample our own delicious cuisine.

We then transfer back to Bangkok by road.