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We invite you to join Cultural Crossroads as we explore the beauty and culture of Thailand. Nestled between Laos, Burma, Cambodia
and Malaysia, Thailand’s people are warm, friendly and happy to share all their country has to offer. The cuisine
is excellent, and the arts and crafts are a rich tapestry of workmanship and traditions. It is a country of extraordinary
contrasts from the bustling city of Bangkok to jungles, forests, small villages and beautiful beaches.
On our cultural
tour we will visit temples, bazaars, enjoy elephant rides, take a boat ride along canals, visit Bangkok, Khao Yai National
Park (A UNESCO World Heritage Site), Chiang Mai, and the Golden Triangle.
We spend the day with an organization which
enables travelers to watch and experience Thai culture and its traditional living arts through: Thai Etiquette, (walking sitting,
social interactions, hand movements) Thai Dance (both movement and gestures), Traditional Flower arranging and Lai Thai or
Thai Design. These living arts are taught by master local teachers and show the common traditions that run through all
of the arts.
Participants spend an evening tracking wild elephants with local rangers and discuss how they find them,
trek into the jungle to enjoy the amazing ecosystem and animals, which includes Macaques, Hornbills and Gibbons.
Travelers
spend a morning learning about traditional Lanna style textile weaving, visiting the house of an author and ceramics expert,
and see his outstanding collection of ceramics he amassed over many years. Enjoy a Thai Cooking Class. We begin by visiting
a local fresh market, where with the chef we will purchase ingredients for a 4 course Thai meal. We then return to the
kitchen where we will cook the meal and enjoy the dishes.
We spend a day at Voluntourism. Travelers have the
opportunity to “give back” to the communities. We provide three options: The Elephant Conservation Center
(TECC), Teaching English in the Chiang Mai District, or working with villagers to maintain multi purpose hiking trails.
Travelers
contribute monetarily through two programs listed above (donations to The Elephant Conservation Center and the village where
travelers do forestry work (paying villagers). Cultural Crossroads also donates a portion of our profits to communities
through cultural sustainability projects. On this trip the donation will be to help the local children gain skills to
independently manage their village’s tourism services in the schools of the Chiang Mai District.
The tour is
for 8-16 travelers only, so you can enjoy the company of others, or fill the trip with your friends and/or family. Our small
group size provides you with special opportunities and private access for unique cultural experiences.
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