Blaine & Michael

To get our honeymoon started off right, we're going to explore a bit of Thailand's fascinating history! This excursion includes a 1.5 hour drive through Bangkok’s rural outskirts to Ayutthaya History Park. We'll first visit the Bang-Pa-In Summer Palace, located to the north of Bangkok. This marvelous structure is an excellent architectural blend of the East and the West with beautiful gardens dating back to the 17th century. We'll continue to Ayutthaya, which was the capital of the Thai Kingdom for 417 years. The city was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong and in 1767 it was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom. Nowadays the ruins of the former city are part of the UNESCO World Heritage list! We'll stroll around the ruins of Wat Prasrisanphet, a former royal temple during Ayutthaya's days of glory; Wat Mahathat, where the roots of a tree surround the head of Buddha.

What better way to see Bangkok than zip-zagging through the city's canals! Klong means canal in Thai and this tour takes us on an interesting boat trip through the city’s canals. We'll transfer to the Chao Phraya River and visit the Bangkok riverside. We'll make a stop at Wat Arun, also known as the "Temple of Dawn", which is one of the city’s earliest temples and an icon of Thai culture. We'll continue by boat over the river until we reach the Grand Palace. One of the most spectacular palaces in Southeast Asia. Its construction began in 1782 by King Rama I after he moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok. From the 18th century onwards it has served as the residence of the early Chakri Dynasty Kings. The complex houses not only the Royal residence and throne halls, but also government offices and the renowned Wat Phra Kaew, containing the Emerald Buddha, the symbol of the country.

In the evening, we'll head to the Bangrak neighborhood for a chance to really become a Thai food insider as we go on a behind-the-scene adventure to experience local sights and flavors! We'll meet local restaurant owners and taste delicious samples from their kitchens, in addition to famous street vendors, local eateries, and fine dining restaurants.

Khao Yai Winery sits amidst a lush 320- Hectare plantation, of which 80 hectares (500 Rai) is dedicated to growing grapes. Now with two decades of operation, the winery has become the birthplace of Thailand’s premium wines. Today, the PB Valley Khao Yai Winery employs 2 fully accredited Thai winemakers. With its professional, large-scale wine Operation featuring state-of-the-art technology, it strives to produce worldclass wines for Thais, as well as for export, and is the leading winery in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

On the 6th, we leave Bangkok for Chiang Mai! We'll start with Wat Suan Dok, just outside the ancient city walls of Chiang Mai. The temple was built in the 14th century by King Keu Na of Lanna to accommodate important priests visiting from Sukhothai, as well as a place for local monks to shelter from the rain. We'll continue to Wat Chedi Luang where the Emerald Buddha was once enshrined. This impressive temple was built between the 14th and 15th centuries and nowadays houses a replica of Thailand’s most important Buddha relic. Wat Phra Singh, with its impressive prayer hall, is the next stop. Built in the 14th century, it was carefully restored in 2006 and now houses a very sacred 1,500 year old Buddha image. We'll end the trip with a visit to Wat Phrathat on Doi Suthep Mountain, where we'll climb the 309 steps to the top. The climb up is rewarded with a superb panoramic view over the city!

We'll first visit the local Ruamchook market with a well known, local chef. At the chef’s farm home, we'll visit his organic garden, pick some fresh herbs, and continue with a hands-on cooking experience where we will learn how to pound curry paste and how to make authentic Thai curry!

We are super excited to spend a day with elephants, Thailand’s most loved animal! We'll journey to the Chiang Dao Elephant Training Camp, which is through the mountainous areas that surround Chiang Mai. When we arrive at the camp, we'll watch a herd of elephants taking their morning bath in a mountain stream. We'll also see how elephants work in the jungle nearby and what kind of tasks they undertake. The tour concludes with an elephant ride through the jungle that surrounds the camp!

After lunch, we'll go on a bamboo raft trip and take in the tranquillity and beauty of the area. The raft is powered by a driver using a pole!

The Baan Mae Kampong Village is the perfect destination to experience the unspoiled beauty of nature. The village is simple in many ways and will apparently welcome us like royalty. We'll get a glimpse of its unique way of life while taking in the beautiful scenery. The mountainous village is located 4,000 feet above sea level. Our host will acquaint us with the local traditions before it is time to enjoy preparing lunch with the local people. After lunch, we'll take a relaxing walk through the community forest where the villagers grow tea and coffee.

A traditional Thai massage at the Village before bidding farewell to our host and heading back to Chiang Mai!

What is lounging at the beach without a tropical drink melting in your hand?

Pamper us with an afternoon at the spa with the special "Wow Vow" couples package! 30-minute Champagne Bath Scrub

Pamper us with an afternoon at the spa with the special "Wow Vow" couples package! 60-minute Away Spa Signature Facial

Pamper us with an afternoon at the spa with the special "Wow Vow" couples package! 60-minute Champagne Aromatic Massage

Pamper us with an afternoon at the spa with the special "Wow Vow" couples package! 30-mintue Champagne Bath Treatment

Help us kill some time while waiting for our flight!

The flight *is* 22 hours afterall...

Staying at Le Méridien Bangkok!

Staying at Le Méridien Chiang Mai!

We depart Chiang Mai for the last leg of our trip...5 days on the beautiful beaches of Koh Samui! The W Retreat will be secluded, romantic bliss.

There's really nothing quite like it...

Vertigo and Moon Bar

We'll dine al fresco at the stylish and sophisticated roof top open-air grill and bar - the first of its kind in Asia. We'll delight in a succulent seafood grill and premium steaks prepared by our chefs while you enjoy the breathtaking and panoramic views of the city.

Blue Elephant

Staying true to the culinary culture and influences of Thailand, Blue Elephant is housed in a century-old building, creating a feeling of time travel in addition to the exquisite dining experience that awaits us...

We would love to get lunch at the winery's restaurant and enjoy homemade Thai specialties! 

Latest Recipe

Located in Le Méridien Chiang Mai, this will be a convenient stop after a day of touring! Patrons play an active role in the process of culinary discovery, proceeding to various stations throughout the restaurant and placing their orders directly with a chef, who employs the latest global cooking styles to create tempting and original world cuisine.

Riverside Bar & Restaurant

This rambling set of wooden buildings has been the most consistently popular riverside place for over 20 years. The food – Thai, Western and vegetarian – is just a minor attraction compared to the good-times ambience. Outside dining is by the river and more tranquil.

We'll need a little food to help soak up the cocktails :)

Namu is the W Koh Samui's signature restaurant. Bold and decisive, bright dishes are presented with a daring blend of design and aesthetic. From Maine lobster stir-fried with udon noodles and chili to foie gras enticingly combined with prawns, each dish is given an unexpected twist.

The W Koh Samui's chic cocktail lounge, SIP, will definitely be our hangout each evening for pre-dinner (and probably post-dinner) cocktails! Buy us a round?

A special dining affair in the privacy of our room - the hotels chefs will come to our villa and prepare a traditional Thai barbeque!

Imagine a candlelit setting starting with Veuve Cliquot champagne, then a five-course Japanese-inspired menu with wine and sake artfully paired with each dish...

The villager's in Baan Mae Kampong create many beautiful handmade textiles, sculptures and ceramics from local resources. We'd love to support their town's economy and bring a little bit of Thailand back home!

It's a little daunting to think about a 22 hour flight! But we'll be rewarded with the honeymoon of our dreams...

A great way to get around Bangkok is hitch a ride on a Tuk Tuk! Basically a motorized rickshaw, we're sure to be in for a unique travel experience!

We're in Bangkok for four nights and plan on going out each evening on a culinary adventure! Bangkok can be very difficult to navigate so we'd love to be treated to a car service to bring us to/from our hotel to the restaurants of our choice.

We've been told biking is a great way to not only get around the small city of Chiang Mai, but also take in its sites.

Just like in Bangkok, we're going to explore the tastes of the city by evening and would love to have our transportation taken care of!

What better way to start off our trip of a lifetime then enjoying a glass of something sparkling! Cheers :-)

A toast to our future!

We couldn't leave Khao Yai Winery without buying some of their delicious wines! Enjoying a bottle (or two!) during lunch would be amazing... and maybe pick up another couple to bring to bring back to the hotel for later!

A glass of bubbly to get our first dinner in Chiang Mai off to a great start!

We'd love to sip some sparkles while overlooking the beautiful Ping River.

Help us toast to the end of our amazing Thailand adventure!

We'll certainly need to rejuvenate our bodies after spending hours basking in the sun and sipping on umbrella drinks. Buy us a much needed vitamin and mineral shake or fresh sushi! 

Koh Samui has a great nightlife downtown-- we need to check it out!