117171004 vegvoyages terrific tastes of thailand adventure

7/29/2019 117171004 VegVoyages Terrific Tastes of Thailand Adventure

1/6

VegVoyages TerrificTastes of Thailand

Adventure

A 14-day journey into the heart and soul of Thailands tasty vegan cuisines as we explorethe Land of Smiles during the countrys annual Vegetarian Festival!

Adventure Details

Whats Included

DURATION: 14 days

GROUP SIZE: 16 people (maximum)

GROUP MINIMUM: 1 person

(all our trips are guaranteed departures)

STARTS IN: Bangkok

ENDS IN: Bangkok

Since the ai Vegetarian Festival dates are

based on the Chinese calendar from year to

year, our start day and adventure itinerary will

be adjusted to adapt to the current Vegetarian

Festival dates and activities

ACCOMMODATION: 13 nights accommodations (3 nights at a boutique bed & breakfast in Bangkok, 3 nights at Heritage

Hotel in MaeKlong, 1 air-conditioned overnight train, 1 night at a ai style cottage near the beach, 3 nights at a Boutique Inn in

old-town Phuket, 2 nights at a beachside resort)

MEALS: 38 meals (13 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 13 dinners)

TRANSPORT: Private air-conditioned van, air-conditioned overnight train, private local boat, ferry, airplane (domestic

ight to Bangkok on day 14)

STAFF: VegVoyages Adventure Leaders and local guides

INCLUDED: Tai Chi lessons, yoga lessons, fruit tasting, 90 minute Thai massage and foot reflexology, 2-hour

traditional Thai massage treatment, Bangkok city tour, entry fee to Grand Palace, entry fee to Wat Pho, all guide

fees, 2 vegan cooking classes, 1 Thai salad cooking class, dinner with local family, being a guest at an all-

vegetarian community, being a guest at an all-women monastery, introduction to Thai musical instruments, local

market explorations, donation to animal sanctuary, donation to childrens home, daily bottled water, boat trip

in the Andaman Sea, snorkeling equipment, island hopping, Phuket Heritage walking tour, participation in Thai

Vegetarian Festival ceremonies, live music and folk dance, festivity night with food, local alcoholic drinks, juices

and sodas, all activities and entertainments as per itinerary, airport arrival transfer (Bangkok)

WHATS NOT INCLUDED: International flight, excess baggage, gratuities, laundry, departure transfer, departure

tax (if any), personal travel insurance, items of personal nature, any additional food, drinks and transport outside ofthose listed on the itinerary

52 THAILAND: Terrific Tastes of Thailand


2/6

Please see attachment or visit us online at www.vegvoyages.com for a current listing of dates for this adventure.

Adventure Dates

THAILAND: Terrific Tastes of Thailand 53Photo: iStock


3/6

Bangkok

Mae Klong

Surat Thani

Baan Naam Khem

Andaman Sea Island

Phuket

Nakhon Pathom

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

CAMBODIA

VIETNAM

MYANMAR

Thailand has been well on the travelers map ever since

Sean Connery as James Bond was filmed on this countrys

strikingly beautiful beaches in Dr. No and there is good

reason for it! Siam (as Thailand was called before) has it

all: friendly people, an ancient culture rooted in Buddhist

traditions, amazing geography and absolutely delicious

food! Experience it all on VegVoyages Terrific Tastes

of Thailand Adventure. Where youll see the highlights,

explore places off the beaten path and get a real insight

into the people, country, culture and customs of this

legendary South East Asian kingdom.

Youll get to experience all this during one of the

countrys most interesting and tasty festivals

Thailands Vegetarian Festival, or Tesagarn Kin Jae (or

Tesagarn Jae) as it is locally called. Although the roots

of this festival can be traced back to China and came

to Thailand with early Chinese traders, miners and

merchants, the festivities here have taken on their own

very unique form.

The religious observances around this truly fascinating

(as well as delicious) festival begin on the 1st day of the

9th lunar month of the year when Thai-Chinese forego

meat and animal by-products, along with observing

other rituals, for at least 9 days, with ceremonies and

celebrations surrounding the festival lasting up to 11 days.

For vegetarians, this is a festival not to be missed!

Although Thailand is known for its food all year round, the

Kin Jae Festival offers vegans something really special.

Noodles, curries, spicy salads, tropical fruits and Asian

style sweets are found everywhere. Food stalls, local

eateries and specially set up markets and restaurants

dish out a bounty of Thai and Chinese culinary vegan

delicacies all while flying the yellow veggie flag with

Jae, or vegetarian, written boldly on its face in red.

And its not just about the food though well eat plenty

of it! Its also about learning, exploring and discovering.

In Thai society there is a concept known as sanuk, or

enjoyment/fun. This is a concept well take to heart

during our journey together, whether its vegan cooking

classes, yoga, tai chi, island hopping, exploring vibrant

bazaars, or enjoying delicious home cooked meals,

stories, music and dance with local families well enjoy

it all in the tradition of sanuk. New cultures, religions,

customs, traditions, new friends and having fun is what

the VegVoyages Terrific Tastes of Thailand Adventure

is all about!

54 THAILAND: Terrific Tastes of Thailand


4/6

Itinerary

DAY 1 BangkokSawasdee!Welcome to Bangkok or Krung ep as the

locals call it! Krung ep is the shortened version of Krung

epMahaNakhon, which is actua lly the shortened version of a

much longer title that would take up too much space to include here

(its the longest name of a city in the world). Krung ep roughly

means

e City of Angels and for those of you familiar withanother City of Angels Los Angeles, California, you probably

noticed on the way in from the airport that like LA, Bangkok

shares many of the same attributes such as loads of buildings and

skyscrapers, freeways, concrete structures, congestion and trac!

However, once you get past all that wandering its backstreets,

byways and historical lanes youll nd a rich and vibrant city full

of history and culture and loads of great vegan cuisine, which

well be enjoying plenty of! Your adventure start at early morning

on Day 1. Aer our meet and greet, well depar t for a special

lunch with the member ofai Vegetarian Society. Following

our wonderful lunch, well stroll through some of the citys oldest

neighborhoods visiting serene historical temples, bustling street-

side markets and local parks. As the sun begins to set over Krung

ep, well settle down for our orientation meeting and get to know

more about each other, discuss ai customs and heritage, cultural

dos & donts and the adventure ahead while we enjoy tasty vegan

snacks and dinner. (Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 2 Bangkoke 10-day Kin Jay Festival in ailand, the events where the gods

are said to descend to the earth. e majority ofais love their

meats and surprisingly, given their Buddhist heritage, are not vegan

or even vegetarian. In fact, this celebration, which falls dur ing the

9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, is actually Chinese in

origin. When the Chinese traders came to Siam, as ailand was

then called, they brought their traditions and festivals with them.

Over the centuries, the ais have adapted and adopted, as they

do so well, this Chinese festival into one of their own. Although

it is still the ai Chinese (ais who have Chinese ancestry) who

celebrate the festival with the most fervor, many other ais also

join in as ais love festivals! On one level, it is a very spiritual

festival ful l of auspicious ceremonies and rituals. On another

level, it is great time to be a vegetarian in ailand as the massive

(and we do mean massive) variety of vegetarian food available is

astonishing if not downright overwhelming! Today, traveling by

river taxis, canal boats, trains, subway and foot, well spend our

time exploring Krung eps historical sites, temples, side streets,

markets and back al leys. In the evening, well head to the epicenter

of the veggie festival Chinatown where the celebrations kick o.

ough not common in Bangkok, its important to note that during

the festival, especially in Phuket, there are acts that people maynd

disturbing. ese include heavy body piercing and other acts of

self-mortication.ese acts are believed to rid one of bad karma,

illness and of future troubles. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 3 BangkokAer our morning Tai Chi lessons, well head out to explore

historical Bangkok. Krung ep was originally just a scattering

of small vil lages and trading communities along the banks of

the Chao Phraya River. e river, a lifeline and one of the most

important waterways for the people of central ailand, has always

played an important role in ai history. In 1767 when Burmese

invaders burned the old capital of Ayutthaya (also located a long

the banks of Chao Phraya River), the ai royal court decided to

move their capital to onburi, now part of greater Bangkok, which

was located on the west banks of the Chao Phraya River. In 1782,

when King Rama I (previously a powerful general) came to power

he moved the capital across the river to the eastern banks of the

Chao Phraya, which was previously settled by Chinese traders and

merchants. King Rama I gave the area a new name and the roots

of modern day Bangkok, as well as the current ruling dynasty, the

Chakri Dynasty, were born. Aer we take in the citys rich past

history, youll have free time to explore on your own, or just relax in

one of the many cafes around. Well meet in late aernoon for our

Cultural Culinary Experience i.e. learn how to make some reallydarn good vegan food! (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 4 Mae Klong Traditional Thai Homee Kin Jay Festival, though it became famous for its celebrations

in Phuket (which well be seeing soon), is actual ly celebrated

throughout the country. One of the most auspicious ofai-

Chinese holidays, and ai-Chinese making up 14% of the

population (the percentage of those with mixed ai and Chinese

ancestry is much higher), and the fact that manyais also

participate in the festival, means that throughoutailand the

festival is also celebrated. So be on the lookout for the yellowags

with red letters as we get othe beaten track to celebrate the Kin

Jay Festival! From the Chao Phraya River we head south to Mae

Klong. Located along the banks of the river that bears its name and

a short distance from the Gulf ofailand, this wi ll be our home

for the next three days where well focus on learning aboutai

culture and the local way of life a long the canals and delta and of

course enjoy plenty of great ai food! Mae K longs surrounding

areas are not just home to canals and rivers, but also vast expanses

of mangrove swamps that local conservation societies are eorts

to preserve. ese mangroves are a vital habitat for not only a large

variety ofsh and crab species, but also other wildlife including

water monitors, birds and monkeys that have literally adapted to

their environment and survive othe sea. In the late aernoon,

well set out on local village boats to explore this vital eco-system

as we make our way to the gulf, where well join a local fami ly

for delicious vegan snacks and refreshing sundowners. Here,

well learn about dierentai classical instruments and how to

use them as well as listen in on a jam session before joining the

musicians for drinks and a delicious home-cooked vegan ai

meal. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 5 Mae Klong Traditional Thai HomeToday well be guests of a local orphanage. Well be serv ing up a

tasty vegan lunch for the kids a nd join them in some games where

theyll have a chance to practice their English and share with us

their home. Saying goodbye to the kids, wel l make our way to the

local rai lway market where well explore the bazaars maze-like

aisles before the train arrives. Since it truly is a railway market in

every sense of the words, well watch the arriving train pass thru

the market. From this angle, its quite a sight to behold. Seeing the

ritual of awnings and umbrellas give ways to the train that comes

inches from the stalls and then return as if nothing has happened is

quite a sight! From the market, well cross the river returning to our

traditional ai home where youll have time to relax and freshen

up. In the evening, well put together our am Bun Baskets for

our visit to an all women Buddhist monastery and one of a very

few vegetarian monasteries in ailand. Aer preparing our

baskets, be ready for our cultural culinary experience where well

learn to make ailands famous fresh spring roll and spicy salads.

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 6 Mae Klong Traditional Thai HomeToday we will join a wildlife rescue center where we will have the

chance to lend a helping hand toward their daily activ ities and

THAILAND: Terrific Tastes of Thailand 55


5/6

spend time with their lovely animals residents. An important

sanctuary, shelter and rehab program for abused and exploited

animals; this center oers a clinic, refugee and home for previously

exploited animals throughout the country.e centers patients,

residents and f riends, include everything from gibbons to

macaques, Sun & Asiatic Black Bears and civets, to langurs,

hornbills, a tiger and even elephants. Basically, whoever is in need

gets the help. Returning home in the late aernoon, well have time

to freshen up and relax. In the evening as the sun sets over the

canals, wel l enjoy a tasty riverside BBQ complete with drinks andtraditional ai classical dance! (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 7 Nakhon Pathom Surat Thani

Meeting in the banks of the mighty Mae Klong, we board our boat

and head up river. Arriving in Nakhon Pathom, our rst stop will

be at a very unique community that strives to follow and live by

the original percepts of Buddhism so the vi llage is happily 100%

vegetarian! As guests of this self-sustaining vegetarian community,

well learn about their way of life and join them for lunch. From the

vil lage, wel l make our way to a very special temple, an a ll women

Buddhist monastery. At this peaceful monastery, well meet with

the resident Bhikkhunis who will share with us their journey to

becomingeravada Buddhist monastic. In addition to an al l

women monastery, it is also one of the very very few vegetarian

monasteries in ailand. Contrary to what many believe in the

west, Buddhist monks are rarely vegetarians and the clergy in

eravada Buddhism on a whole does not promote vegetarianism.

In the evening, well enjoy a tasty vegan dinner at local restaurant

before boarding our southbound overnight train for Surat ani!


DAY 8 Beachside Resort Baan Naam Khem

Waking up onboard the train in Southernailand, well meet

our vans and make our way through some stunning scenery of

limestone clis, lush rainforests and rubber plantation on our

way to the tranquil picturesque coast of the Andaman Sea.

Today, well be staying just outside a quaint village in traditional

ai bungalows set around a serene garden a short walk from the

beach. Aer seven busy days on our adventures, its time to relax

and rejuvenate and enjoy life in the tropics and what a better

way to do that than with a traditional ai massage and foot

care treatment and refreshing sundowners. Weather permitting;

tonight well have a candlelight dinner by the sea. (Breakfast,

Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 9 PhuketToday, well journey to the epicenter of the Kin Jay Festival in

ailand the island of Phuket! Well explore the historical lanes

and back al leys of old-town-Phuket taking in its history and

learning about the rich cultural heritage of the community from

which the Kin Jay Festival took its roots. roughout its history,

Phuket has been a port of call for ships from China, India, Persia

and Arabia as well as points beyond. Initially using the island as

a safe harbor to wait out a monsoon storm and gather fresh water,

wood and food these ships would later come for the islands

rich resources and trade as it was located strategical ly along the

important trading routes between China and India. One of the

islands resources that caught the eye of merchants (and invaders)from near and afa r was tin. Tin would become one of the most

instrumental factors in Phukets development in the 19th century.

Believe it or not, Phukets tin mining roots played a key role in the

Kin Jay Festivals existence in ailand. What has been referred to

as the tin boom in Southeast Asia in the 1800-1900s attracted

literally thousands of Chinese, both laborers and merchants alike,

who set up shop and worked the mines. Many immigrated from the

southern provinces of China. Other Chinese came to Phuket from

Penang, Melaka and Singapore. So what does tin have to do with

the festival? ese early Chinese immigrants brought with them

their traditions, culture and beliefs including the Nine Emperor

Gods Festival that would later lead to what is commonly referred

to as the Vegetarian Festival. Meeting up in the late evening, well

head out to the epicenter of the vegetarian festival for the festivals

closing ceremonies where the gods are bid farewell to as they return

to the heaven. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 10 Phuket

In addition to experiencing the celebrations that take place with

all their fervor in old-town Phuket, well a lso get a chance to visit

one of Phuket many beautiful beach for some sun, sea and o

course food. Aer a relaxing swim and a leisurely walk along the

beach and lunch, well head back to the hotel to where youll have

time to settle in and freshen up before we meet up for our cultural

culinar y experience in the late aernoon, where well learn how

to make Southern ai vegan meals complete with recipes and

dishes unique to the region and more specically the island of

Phuket. Phukets unique cuisine owes its great taste to the mix

of dierent cultures that have called the area home for centuries.

Southernailand in general has a diverse ethnic and religious

make-up. e fusion of the ai, Malay and Chinese (as well as

other ethnic groups who have settled in the area) cuisines is what

makes Southern ai cuisine not only unique, but downright tasty!


DAY 11 PhuketAer our morning yoga and a delicious vegan breakfast, youll have

time to explore Phuket at your leisure. ere are plenty of things to

56 THAILAND: Terrific Tastes of Thailand Photos, left to right: Zac Lovas, Sofna Yusi


6/6

do, whether exploring the many beaches this island has

to oer, or nishing up your souvenir list at the old-town-

boutique shops, or head to the mall for convenient shopping,

this is your chance to do any shopping before we travel to

the less visited Island tomorrow. We meet in the early

aernoon to enjoy a relaxing two hours ai massage. Like

Traditionalai Medicine, ai massage generally, is a

combination of inuences from Indian, Chinese, Southeast

Asian cultural spheres and traditions of medicine; it involves

stretching and deep massage. Youll have time to freshen upbefore we head out to one of Phuket nest restaurant to enjoy

a delicious dinner. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 12 The Andaman Sea Islandis morning we bid farewell to Phuket and head further

south passing through truly stunning scenery to the

beautiful o-the beaten-track island nestled in the calm

azure blue water of the Andaman Sea for some snorkel, sun,

sands and serenity. e Andaman Coast has long providing

a stunning landscape with islands seems to erupt vertically

out of the sea and secluded beaches that are only accessible

by boat. For the next 2 days, well be experiencing, taking

in and exploring the palm-fringed beaches, limestone cli,

small vil lages, and the beautiful underwater life, as we

switch our watches to island time and kick back, relax and

explore! (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 13 The Andaman Sea IslandWaking up to the sound of the nature, its time to explore the

beach, the island and its reefs, coves and bays. Hopping on to our

boat, well be spending the day exploring the stunning underwater

world and the surrounding islands. Home to a wide, vibrant variety

of beautiful tropical shes, from parrotsh to clown sh, stingrays

to eels, sea turtle to reef sharks, and an abundance of colorful coral

reefs, snorkeling in the warm waters of the Andaman Sea is truly

an experience not to be missed. Aer spending plenty of time on

our local wooden boat and being in the ocean, well bid farewellto the reefs and head back to the hotel. Meeting up on the sandy

shores in the evening for our farewell party, well enjoy refreshing

sundowners and tasty vegan snacks while watching sunset. Aer

refreshing drinks and snacks, well sit down for a tastyai feast

for dinner. Tonight, make sure you bring your party shirt, dancing

shoes (ip-ops are okay) and denitely a great appetite and thirst!


DAY 14 The Andaman Sea Island BangkokAer a hearty vegan breakfast, well head to the airport to catch our

ight back to the big city. Our adventure ends this early aernoon

upon arrival at the airport in Bangkok. If you would like to extend

your stay in Bangkok or for any further travel assistance, please talk

to your Adventure Leaders who will be more than happy to help

you. ank you for joining a VegVoyages Adventure, we hope to see

you again soon! (Breakfast)

THAILAND: Terrific Tastes of Thailand 57Photo: Sofna Yusi

117171004 vegvoyages terrific tastes of thailand adventure

Documents