Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Incredible Siam…waiting to be experienced

“Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before” - Dalai Lama

Asia sticks to you. Wrapped in rainforests, edged by golden sands, crowned by volcanoes, studded with ruins of lost civilisations: this is Southeast Asia as you’ve always imagined it. From the nomadic steppes of Kazakhstan to the frenetic streets of Hanoi, Asia is a continent so full of intrigue, adventure, solace & spirituality that it has fixated and confounded travellers for centuries.

Friendly & food-obsessed, hedonistic & historic, cultured & curious, Thailand tempts visitors with a smile as golden as the country's glittering ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins & tropical beaches. The joss sticks lit for the household shrines in Thailand impart a sweet perfume to the thick air. Come…..experience Siam with us……

The soul of Southeast Asia has been forged by the elements. Mighty volcanoes have thrust the land up, and raging rivers have carved it down. Coral reefs have formed islands & sea spray has sculpted them into surreal karst outcrops. Immense expanses of desert flow down from inhospitable mountains, which in turn give way to seemingly impenetrable forests.

From sublime coastlines to snow-capped mountains, from the majestic Mekong River to wildlife infested jungle, from rolling landscapes fed by the monsoon rains & frenetic cities fizzling with energy, the diversity of Asia’s landscapes is mind-boggling with a vibrancy that captivates & enchants. In this region of rivers, oceans & islands, you are as likely to travel by boat as by road, following trade routes that have been carved out across millennia.

This continent has contributed a cast of villains & heroes to global history. Most of the significant achievements of the modern world had their infancy in Asia. Historic trading routes sliced across epic terrain as expanding empires competed to trade goods & ideas throughout the continent & beyond. Asia’s ambitious civilisations ultimately gave rise to some of the world’s most revolutionary ideas & important technology.

In a land where tigers still roam free (though far from noisy tourists), nature continues to be the driving force in many peoples’ lives. Virtually every climate on the globe is represented here; take a trek over the Gobi’s arching dunes or sun yourself on the sand-fringed tropical islands of the South China Sea.

Spirituality swirls around Southeast Asia like the smoke from incense sticks swirls around its myriad temples. At dawn in Buddhist nations, monks flood into the streets to gather alms in endless monochrome chains. In Muslim countries, the call to prayer rises in a multi-throated chorus above rooftops. In Taoist temples, devotees fill the morning air with thick incense smoke, while tribal people in remote villages mark the new day's arrival with arcane animist rituals. Every aspect of life here has a spiritual dimension, from the food people eat to the religious geometry that dictates the layout of centuries-old mosques & temples.

A spiritual place infused with the gods of past & present: the ancient spirits of the land & the family, the deities of Buddhism & Hinduism and the rules of Islam. Architectural wonders & sacred spaces abound from the Great Wall of China & the Temples of Angkor to lesser known marvels in Myanmar, Nepal & Afghanistan.

Southeast Asia's mighty megacities are stepping boldly towards the future with one foot planted firmly in the past. Skyscrapers rise above the roads like crystal gardens, while at street level, traders hustle, food-hawkers hawk, and temples bustle with devotees toting their offerings. Gleaming skyscrapers, whooshing magnetic trains, shiny smartphones: in Asia, the future is now. China is charging its way into the 21^st century with its economy developing at a head-spinning pace, while South Korea boasts some of the fastest internet speeds in the world & India is a hub of growing technology.

For many travelers, the first taste of the region is the urban energy of Bangkok, or the organised modernity of Singapore, but each of Southeast Asia's capitals has its own unique character, defined by religion, culture, geography and, in most cases, by centuries of colonialism and feuding dynasties. Learning the rhythms of each is part of the magic here.

As are their highlights from trekking Malaysia’s’s steamy jungles & wildlife spotting in southern India to riding horses through the Mongolian steppes, skiing Japan’s’s Alps & dodging falling coconuts on of the continents many remote islands.

A frenetic buzz surrounds urban Asia: the fashion, culture & business in the continent’s metropolises easily challenge the biggest European & American cities for their status as global hubs. This ever-evolving modernity can make for some incredibly special travel experiences: watch rice paddies flash by from a high-speed train, pick up a shiny new laptop in a Hong Kong electronics market or go to a robot cabaret show in Japan.

And then, there is the food. Is there any greater place to eat than Asia? The continent has exported its cuisines the world over: India’s red hot curries, China’s juicy dumplings, Vietnam’s steaming bowls of pho soup & Thailand’s heaping plates of pat tai (pad Thai) noodles are known & loved across the globe.

Eating here can be both a joyous & chaotic affair: forks are forsaken in favour of fingers or chopsticks & food is enjoyed with unrivalled gusto. Whether settling down for a Michelin-starred meal in one of Singapore’s finest restaurants or pulling up a plastic stool on a Bangkok street, hungry travellers will never be bored by the diversity of Asia’s cuisines. Or tuck into fiery Indian curries, get adventurous with a local dish from a road side stall & gulp down a hearty bowl of Japanese ramen. With its colours, smells, flavours & personalities, you will find Asia is deliciously rewarding.

Let us talk about Thailand now & leave your preconceptions at home. Friendly & food-obsessed, hedonistic & historic, cultured & curious, tempting visitors with a smile as golden as the country's glittering temples & tropical beaches.

Ancient Civilisation | Sacred Spaces| Sumptuous Food | Land of Contrasts

Friendly & fun loving, exotic & tropical, cultured & historic, Thailand radiates a golden hue from its glittering temples & tropical beaches through to the ever-comforting Thai smile.  

Each year Thailand is discovered by millions of visitors, drawn to its pristine beaches & aquamarine seas, as well as its rich culture, glitzy shopping malls, chic boutiques & colorful markets crammed with bargains.

Thailand is an independent country neighbouring Burma, Laos, Malaysia & Cambodia. Siam is what it was known for before 1939 when it was changed to Thailand as the word "Thai" means freedom & as it is a country who has never been colonized by any intruder country or power it is said to "the land of free". Thailand is an amazing country which has all sweet, sour, salty, bitter & spicy flavors blending in its cooking. As soon as you hear the name of Thailand you immediately have this picture of world that is like in your fantasy the architecture, culture & the ever green beautiful land that takes you to makes you feel that your dreams have come true & there can be a place that could be this beautiful.

The celestial world is a close confidante in this Buddhist nation & religious devotion is colourful & ubiquitous. Gleaming temples with golden Buddhas frame both the rural & the urban landscape. Ancient banyan trees are ceremoniously wrapped in sacred cloth to honour the resident spirits, fortune-bringing shrines decorate humble homes as well as monumental malls, while garland-festooned dashboards ward off traffic accidents. Visitors can join the conversation through meditation retreats in Chiang Mai, hilltop temples & religious festivals in northeastern Thailand, underground cave shrines in Kanchanaburi & Phetchaburi.

Early morning is when the saffron-robed monks leave the sanctuary of their wats (temples) to receive alms from the people, be it in a dusty village or on crowded city streets. Buddhism is a way of life here. Ancient banyan trees are ceremoniously wrapped in sacred cloth to honour the resident spirits, fortune-bringing shrines decorate humble homes as well as monumental malls, while garland-festooned dashboards ward off traffic accidents.

Thailand is often referred to as a golden land, not because there is precious metal buried underground but because the country gives off a certain lustre, be it the fertile rice fields of the central plains, white sandy beaches or the warm hospitality of its citizenry.

Thai's are also strong supporters of their Monarchy. In fact, His Majesty King Bhumibol was the longest reigning Monarch in the world, since coming to power in 1946 & was accorded the status of a demi-god.

In between the cluttered cities & towns is the rural heartland, a mix of rice paddies, tropical forests & squat villages where life is dominated by the rhythms of the agricultural clock. In the north, the forests & fields bump up against toothy blue mountains decorated with silvery waterfalls honeycombed by deep caves. In the south, scraggy limestone cliffs poke out of the cultivated landscape like prehistoric skyscrapers or emerge dramatically out of the turquoise sea. The usually arid northeast emits an emerald hue during the rainy season when tender green rice shoots carpet the landscape.

Adored around the world, Thai cuisine expresses fundamental aspects of Thai culture: it is generous, warm, refreshing & relaxed. Thai dishes rely on fresh, local ingredients - pungent lemongrass, searing chillies & plump seafood. A varied national menu is built around the 4 fundamental flavours: spicy, sweet, salty & sour. Cooking classes can reveal the simplicity behind the seemingly complicated dishes & mastering the market is an important survival skill.

With a long coastline (actually, two coastlines) & over 1400 jungle-topped islands anchored in azure waters, Thailand is a tropical getaway for the hedonist & the hermit, the prince & the pauper. This paradise offers a varied menu: snorkeling or playing in the gentle surf of Ko Lipe, diving with whale sharks off Ko Tao, scaling the sea cliffs of Krabi, kiteboarding in Hua Hin, partying on Ko Phi Phi filled with tall palms angling over pearlescent sand, recuperating at a health resort on Ko Samui & feasting on the beach wherever sand meets sea.

First introductions are made in Bangkok, a modern behemoth of screaming traffic, gleaming shopping centres and international sensibilities interwoven with devout Buddhism. Chiang Mai, the country's bohemian centre, is where the unique & precise elements of Thai culture become a classroom, for cooking courses & language lessons; while climbing into the mountain ranges around Mase Hong Son you will find stupa-studded peaks & villages of post-Stone Age cultures.

With its enticing mixture of established destinations such as Phuket & Hua Hin, & out-of-the-way palm-fringed islands, Thailand appeals to the most varied of travelers, whether they are craving barefoot luxury or hippy chic. From staying on a converted rice barge, clambering into a jungle tree house or bedding down in a hill tribe village, Thailand offers a wealth of choice for every taste & budget. Pampering is an art form in Thailand, and throughout the country spas offer authentic treatments whether it's in a 5-star luxury resort or a beach-side hut. If it is pulse-raising excitement you are after, head to the hectic sprawl of Bangkok's futuristic high-rise buildings.

People come here as miners: first perhaps for the uniquely Western concept of R&R. And while they toast themselves to a bronze hue on the sandy beaches, they find in the daily rhythm of Thailand a tranquillity that isn't confined to vacation time. The northeast is a region better suited for homestays & teaching gigs than quick souvenir snapshots: here, you can dive deep into the Thai psyche, emerging with a tolerance for searingly spicy food & a mastery of this strange tonal language. Welcome to a life-altering experience disguised as a holiday.

Come, take the plunge now & discover the mystical land that presents the guests with an array of unforgettable experiences. Encounters with history & culture, the new & the old, at just about every turn. And did we mention the near-by white-sand beaches, jungles, ancient ruins & Buddhist temples ?. Indeed, the food satisfies - mystical Siam awaits & The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

 Come…be inspired & discover the World with us

We are in the process of updating our Offerings of experiential journeys to Siam. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore more options & we will be happy to customise & offer suggestions based on your personal preferences…