Ten Days in Thailand: Your Guide to the Land of a Thousand Smiles

You'll likely arrive in Suvarnabhumi Airport mid-day, where your Welcome Pick-Ups driver will be ready to whisk you to your hotel on the Chao Phraya River. After you've settled into your stunning new surroundings and changed into your best sweat-wicking attire, you'll be ready to knead the travel out of your system. Take a leisurely stroll through the Silom district to orient yourself to the sights and sounds of Bangkok, before settling into the Infinity Spa. Fresh butterfly tea and a chilled watermelon salad will await you in advance of a 90-minute Infinity Aroma Massage -- their signature massage blending traditional Thai techniques with aromatherapy.

Once you're sufficiently relaxed, catch a tuktuk across the river for an early dinner at Rongros, an authentic Thai cafe whose name translates to "House of Flavors". Catch your first glimpse of Wat Arun at sunset, while feasting on their garlicky prawns and green curry. Then, end your first evening in Bangkok with drinks at the posh, Buenos Aires-inspired BKK Social Club. This lounge has been named on The World's Best 50 Bars list and Asia's Best 50 Bars list for the past several years running. After a few sips of the Evita, you'll understand why.

Tuck into bed for a jet lag fighting night of sleep, tomorrow you'll dive into the city headfirst!

Enjoy a big breakfast at your hotel's expansive buffet before meeting your private guide from BKK Tours. On their highly reviewed Bangkok Highlights Tour by Local Transit, you'll catch longtail boats, ferry boats, the SkyTrain, tuktuks and taxis as you take in every inch of the historical city center. You'll be awakened by the sounds and smells of Bangkok's 24-hour flower market; captivated by the sleepy villages lining the Chao Phraya river's klongs (Thai for canals); awestruck by the reclining Buddha of Wat Pho; dazzled by the jewel-encrusted Grand Palace; and blessed by the monks of Wat Arun. And, more importantly, you'll begin to understand the history and Buddhist religion that makes Thailand so unique. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll get a foot massage at Wat Pho's historic massage school midway through to make sure you remain swift on your feet. A word to the wise, though: Make sure your entire party is appropriately dressed for this day of the itinerary, meaning that shoulders must be covered, and long pants must be worn. Otherwise, you'll end up like my husband and sporting "elephant pants" from a nearby shop catering to uninformed tourists!

After your guide returns you to the hotel, enjoy a late afternoon dip and a fresh coconut water poolside. Later on, dinner awaits at another local favorite, Charmgang. This artsy eatery serves traditional Thai cuisine with a distinctively modern flare. Their stir fried Waygu beef and crispy pork (do yourself a favor and order it mild) were some of my favorite dishes of our entire trip -- and, as you'll see, we ate a TON of Thai food. Finally, end the night at Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar. This up-and-coming spot specializes in "Resourceful Cocktails", which use the selected ingredient in every way possible. Think the "Orange", a delicious drink that includes orange vermouth, orange hydrosol and orange peel chips. After a couple of these, you'll be ready to fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillows of your hotel room.

Bangkok is famous for its floating markets, large establishments along the klongs in which Thai delicacies and local goods are sold from longtail boats. Most of these markets are only open from Friday to Sunday, but if you station yourself in Bangkok over the weekend, I highly recommend visiting Khlong Lad Mayom Floating Market (sometimes referred to as Taling Chan floating market). This particular market is less than 10 miles from Bangkok city center and can be easily accessed by taxi. Even better, it tends to be far more authentic and less frequented by tourists than other nearby floating markets. Depart from your hotel early to beat the local crowds and arrive to the sounds of traditional Thai musicians and the smells of fresh seafood BBQ being prepared directly on the boats. Or, if it's too early in the day for seafood, taste test your way through each stall's fresh papaya salad or mango sticky rice instead!

If you aren't able to swing Bangkok on a weekend, don't fret. You can always visit Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, the most famous of the Bangkok area floating markets located approximately a one and a half-hour drive from the city center. This market is open daily but does tend to be filled with many tourists. If you'd rather avoid tourist hubs, an alternative week-day activity is taking in Bangkok's vast mall culture. Most hotels located on the Chao Phraya River offer a ferry directly to IconSiam, an architectural marvel that was also recently named World's Best Shopping Center. Even if you're not a shopper, you'll be amazed by everything you find in IconSiam. Up in the 6th floor dining pavilion, sample Thipsamai's legendary Pad Thai; this restaurant actually created the original recipe for Pad Thai at the height of World War II. Down on the ground floor, explore Sook Siam, a stall-filled space designed to mimic a floating market. See, even if you don't make it to Khlong Lad Mayom, you'll still get an excellent feel for the floating market culture!

By mid-afternoon, you'll be ready to ride the river back to your hotel. Give your belly a break while you prepare for Expique Bangkok's Evening Food and Tuktuk Adventure tour. On your own personal tuktuk, your local guide will navigate you through the streets of the Plung Market, Flower Market, and Chinatown. Among the amazing street food you'll sample are fried chive cakes, Laotian hotpot, coconut pancakes, crickets, custard apples, chicken fried noodles, Chinese donuts, banana roti, and more. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to interact with local vendors (see my Instagram account for footage of me making coconut pancakes at my favorite stall!) and learn much more about Bangkok's large "eat out" culture. This will serve as the perfect farewell to Bangkok, as you'll begin the journey north tomorrow morning!

From Suvarnabhumi Airport on the outskirts of Bangkok, the flight to Chiang Mai is barely an hour. After your final breakfast in Bangkok, your Welcome Pick-Ups driver will whisk you away to an early morning flight so that you can arrive in northern Thailand by mid-day. Once you've landed along the lush hillsides, another driver will be waiting to transport you to a riverside retreat along the Ping River. Although there are a number of wonderful accommodations in Old City Chiang Mai, I recommend staying in the artsy suburb of Mae Rim to enhance your relaxation and get a better understanding of the local culture.

Speaking of local culture, one of my favorite ways to deepen my understanding of a new city or country is a cooking class -- and Chiang Mai has some of Thailand's best options. Both Grandma's Home Cooking School and Thai Farm Cooking School offer excellent half-day courses on their organic farms. Your private instructor will pick you up from your hotel at approximately 3 p.m. and take you to your first stop at the Ruamchook market, a produce market on the outskirts of the city center. Here, you'll have the opportunity to learn about products unique to northern Thailand and to purchase ingredients that you might need to replicate your soon-to-be-learned dishes at home. We purchased a variety of curry powders, mushroom sauce, soy sauces, sesame oils, palm sugar and dried butterfly flowers, all for under $10 US dollars! From there, you'll be shuttled to the farm, where you'll be given a tour of the flourishing rice paddies, fruit orchards and herb gardens; don't be scared to ask for a taste, I snacked on long beans the entire way. Finally, you'll settle at your cooking station to prepare at least four Thai dishes of your choosing. Most Chiang Mai-based cooking classes will have you select a soup, noodle dish, curry and dessert according to your preferences. Under the tutelage of our instructor, I can safely say our Tom Yum soup was some of my favorite of the trip! After feasting on your creations, you'll be sufficiently stuffed and taken back to your hotel, ready to roll into bed for some restful sleep.

Hopefully you've woken up refreshed and tucked into a good breakfast because you'll need plenty of energy for today's adventure! Take the hotel shuttle into Old City Chiang Mai, where you'll catch a songthaew (a red truck taxi popular for transit in Chiang Mai) to the entrance of the Monks' Trail up Doi Suthep. You'll find the trail head just past the entrance to Chiang Mai University. This roughly four and a half mile roundtrip hike through Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is moderate in difficulty, but is definitely worth the exertion. Approximately half way up the trail you'll encounter temple number one: Wat Pha La. Plan to spend at least 30 minutes here resting and taking in the scenic grounds before continuing upwards to temple number two: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Once you've reached this deservedly beloved temple, you'll be treated to glistening golden domes and unobstructed views of the city below. Now, if you are eager to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep but are less excited about the hiking component, you can hire a songthaew to take you all the way from Old City Chiang Mai to the temple itself. Or, if you're interested in a shorter hike, hike the first part of the Monks' Trail to Wat Pha La as previously described, and then take a songthaew the remainder of the way to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Whatever you chose, make sure to pack plenty of water and mosquito repellent!

After making your way back down Doi Suthep mountain, you'll have definitely earned some pampering. Back in the city, head to the oasis that is Fah Lanna Spa. You'll be greeted by fresh ginger tea before being taken to your personal treatment room. In the treatment room, you'll find a lovely shower in which you can rinse off the hike before hunkering down to luxuriate in a 60-minute traditional Thai or hot oil massage.

Feeling refreshed, you'll be ready to meander the streets of old city Chiang Mai. Take in the temples of Wat Chiang Man and Wat Prah Singh or sample northern Thai sausage among the stalls of the Warorot Market. As night falls, you'll finish the day at Kiti Panit, a famed restaurants housed in a gorgeous teak mansion that is still owned by the family that first opened a general store here 5 generations ago. It was at Kiti Panit that I first fell in love with Khao Soi, a sumptuous curry unique to the northern region of Thailand. Their chicken wings are a can't-miss item as well! Wash dinner down with a tangy tangerine soda, and you'll end the day feeling happy and satisfied.

If you've researched Thailand travel, chances are you've been intrigued by the idea of spending time with the Asian elephants native to this region. And, if you can only do one thing in Thailand, this once-in-a-lifetime experience is my top recommendation for you. Elephant Nature Park was the first elephant sanctuary and rehabilitation center opened in Thailand, and they have rescued over 200 elephants from harsh working conditions since they were established in 2003. They offer a number of half- and full-day visits to their reserve on the outskirts of Old City Chiang Mai -- each of which allows you to spend time with their magnificent elephant heard; however, I encourage you to use your final day in Chiang Mai to take part in their "Elephant Highlands" visit. This very small group elephant encounter will lead you to the jungles of the northern mountains, where you will spend the day preparing food for (just wait until you see an elephant devour a rice ball!), hiking the hillsides with and bathing alongside of at least 4 elephants. Nothing can prepare you for the feeling of an elephant's trunk on your shoulder for the first time, and you will leave the afternoon in pure disbelief over what you have just experienced. Note: If you opt to spend time with the elephants at another facility, please keep in mind the conditions in which the elephants are cared for and ensure that you are not being offered activities like elephant "rides".

Once back at your hotel, wash up and prepare for a casual evening dining in one of Chiang Mai's famous night markets. Tha Phae Walking Street (otherwise known as the Sunday Walking Steet Market) and Wualai Walking Street (otherwise known as the Saturday Walking Street Market) are easy choices if you're in the city on Sunday or Saturday, respectively. But Anusarn Night Market, Kalare Night Bazaar, Ploen Ruedee Night Market and Chang Puak Gate Food Night Market are excellent choices for any night of the week. At the Chang Puak Gate Food Night Market, you might lucky enough to find the "Cowboy Hat Lady", who has been featured on previous episodes of Anthony Bourdain for her legendary pork leg dish. A night in the night markets will no doubt leave you feeling grateful as you prepare to depart from Chiang Mai and the north!

As with your previous travel days, after breakfast, a Welcome Pick-Ups driver will be waiting to transfer you to Chiang Mai International Airport. From here, you'll jet off on a roughly two-hour flight to one of southern Thailand's most magical destinations, Krabi. After landing among the towering and tree-covered limestone rock formations, another driver will be waiting to transport you to the Banyan Tree Krabi on tranquil Tubkaek Beach. This is my favorite resort area in Krabi because it is one of the most untouched and tends to be most off-the-beaten path.

Since you've been on the move for an entire week, spend this afternoon relaxing in a private cabana overlooking the water or on a leisurely paddle board (you can borrow a paddle board or kayak from the property's beach rentals). Snack on waterfront Waygu Beach Burgers and sip on a Spicy Chalong Bay while you take in the stunning vistas of the Hong Island archipelago.

When you're feeling sufficiently unwound, take a taxi to the nearby seaside village of Klong Muang. Stop in for a neck and shoulder massage at Tanapon Massage on the Beach, where the artful technicians will have you feeling in tip-top shape for the final days of your Thai adventure. Then, take a short walk down the street to Bai Tong for dinner in a small, family-run restaurant. Order a few Chiang beers to beat the heat, and prepare for their Tom Yum Ga, fried chicken with hot basil, and fried bananas to have your mouth watering all night long. Finally, return to your waterfront villa to sink into the sumptuous sheets and take in the scents of the nightly essential oil and incense awaiting in the bedroom.

No trip to the tropics of Thailand is complete without a day of island hopping, and Krabi is the perfect launching point for exploration. Today, under the expert care of Boat and Beyond, you'll depart on a full-day voyage including stops at the famed Railay Beach and Hong Island. Your exquisite long-tail boat will be staffed by a knowledgeable concierge -- who will be prepared to document your entire day and make you feel like a complete celebrity -- and an experienced captain. You'll enjoy a brunch picnic on board the boat and a lunchtime picnic on a picturesque beachfront; and, come hungry, these picnics include fruit platters, fresh coconuts, traditional Thai meals, and sweet sticky rice desserts! In between indulging, snorkel in the emerald waters of the Andaman Sea or sip sparkling wine while basking in the sun on the bow of the boat. However you chose to spend your day on the water, you'll be continuously pinching yourself to see if it's all real! After taking in one of the world's most spectacular sunsets, you'll be shore bound again.

From the pier at Ao Nang Bay, coordinate for your Boat and Beyond-provided driver to shuttle you to Ruen Mai restaurant in nearby Krabi Town for dinner. Surrounded by rubber plantations and under a charming thatch roof, Ruen Mai is one of the most beautiful and most delicious restaurants in the region. There are no wrong choices on their menu, which features southern Thai dishes, but I'd especially encourage you to try the crab coconut curry and fried garlic pork. Hail a taxi or order a Grab back to the hotel and close out the night with a moonlit dip in your private pool or hot tub.

Today may be your last full day in Thailand, but that doesn't mean you'll be slowing down! After breakfast, Krabi Spesialisten -- a local eco tour operator -- will collect you from the hotel for a journey into the jungles. Your first stop will be the iconic Wat Tham Sua (or Tiger Cave Temple), an ethereal mountaintop monastery. Climb the over 1,260 steps to the Buddha perched on top of the temple to find breathtaking views of the lush forest, limestone karsts, and magnificent ocean below. Descending from the mountains, you'll make your way to the lowland rainforest of Khaopra – Bangkhram. A short hike through the mangroves will lead you to the Emerald Pool, where you can take a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear water and escape the mid-day heat. While walking, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the rare Gurney’s Pitta, Kingfishers, and Black Hornbills that inhabit the area. After lunch among the trees, you'll end the day at a private area in the Krabi Hot Springs. Here, you'll soak in the serenity of saline mineral waters heated by a naturally occurring volcanic spring.

Feeling rejuvenated, you'll return to your hotel and prepare for one of the trip's most unique dining experiences. One of three intimate tables perched among the treetops of Banyan Tree Krabi's Bird's Nest ill be waiting to welcome you for dinner. In the privacy of your own nest, you'll select from four delectable tasting menus, each of which is presented in a way that’s consistent with the theme of the venue (think a banana flower steamed bun appetizer served in a robin's egg dish!). Enjoy your last panoramic sunset, and don't forget to propose a toast to exceptional Thailand.

After a beautiful tour of Thailand, it’s time to say your goodbyes. Enjoy one last breakfast on the patio of the Naga Kitchen and, if you haven’t already, make sure to try the day’s rotating roti and an almond croissant. Then, get comfortable for the travel ahead with one last massage (have you sensed a theme here?!) at the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa Krabi. After their 90-minute Thai Essentials massage, you’ll grab your belongings and sip iced teas in the property’s living room, while waiting for your final Welcome Pick-Ups driver to return you to Krabi International Airport. From Krabi, you can fly to Bangkok or Singapore for a connecting flight home. Or, if you’re not quite ready to depart Southeast Asia, check-out my Singapore itinerary for ideas on how to spend an additional three days in the Lion City.