Singapore & Bangkok Adventure
Discover the history, culture & cuisine of Singapore & Bangkok; futuristic cities blend with garden landscapes; ancient temples & remarkable buddhas; optional extension to Phuket Island
Overview
| Style | Independent PackageThese un-escorted packages have no set schedule or guides, so you have the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own from your centrally-located hotel. More of these packages
Freedom to explore at your own pace; unescorted |
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| Departures | July 2024 – December 2025 | ||
| Themes | Active, History & Culture, City Stays | ||
| Activity Level | Moderate | ||
| What to Expect | This moderately-paced, escorted tour includes a reasonable amount of walking or hiking over uneven surfaces and requires an average level of physical fitness. Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols. Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols. | ||
| Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. | ||
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Join us in discovering the history, sites, cuisine, and culture of two of Asia's best cities: Singapore and Bangkok. Start your adventure in Singapore and learn how this city-state warmly embraces the kaleidoscope of people that call this small country home. Awe-inspiring, futuristic attractions like Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands blend seamlessly with its traditional neighborhoods brimming with art and enticing aromas.Nicknamed the "City in a Garden", Singapore is covered in greenery and impressive gardens, including the world's largest orchid display.
Then, continue your adventure in Bangkok, Thailand. The bustling capital city is known for its ornate shrines, lively street life, and magnificent temples, including the country's most important landmark, the Royal Grand Palace. Admire the countless Buddhas throughout the city, including the glittering Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most revered, and the impressive Reclining Buddha. End your fascinating journey with an optional extension to Phuket Island, Thailand's most famous resort.
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Package includes
- Flights
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Round trip flights from LAX via Singapore Airlines including taxes & fees
- 7 nights Deluxe and Superior First Class accommodations
- 9 meals: 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner
- Arrival and departure transfers
- City tour of Singapore & Bangkok
- Professional, English-speaking tour guides
Optional add-ons
- Singapore optional excursions Half Day Past and Present Singapore tour & Michelin Guide Street Food
- Bangkok optional excursions Chinatown Walk, Evening Twilight Culinary Journey by Tuk Tuk and Ancient City of Ayutthaya & Bang Pa-In
- Optional extension to Phuket
Why you'll love it
- For each traveler visiting, Friendly Planet contributes to a carbon-neutral program which supports reforestation, clean water, replenishing mangroves, and seeding coral reefs.
- Tour Singapore's highlights, including the Civic District, Merlion Park, and Hock Keng Temple.
- Visit the National Orchid Garden, home to 60,000 orchid plants.
- Marvel at the indoor waterfall and over 1 million plants at Gardens by the Bay.
- Admire panoramic city views at the Sands SkyPark.
- Discover Thai culture and history in Bangkok including the Royal Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Reclining Buddha, and a long-tail boat ride along the Klong Bang Luang.
- Take advantage of your already-included international airfare and enjoy a luxurious and relaxing stay on Phuket Island, Thailand's most famous resort.
Itinerary at a Glance
- 1 Depart USA
- 2 En route
- 3 Arrive Singapore
- 4 Singapore
- Optional Excursion: Half-day Past and Present Singapore, $205
- 5 Singapore
- Optional Excursion: Half-day Walking Tour: Michelin Guide Street Food, $250
- 6 Singapore & Bangkok, Thailand
- 7 Bangkok
- Optional Excursion: Chinatown Walk, $52
- Optional Excursion: Evening Twilight Culinary Journey by Tuk Tuk, $160
- 8 Bangkok
- 9 Bangkok
- Optional Excursion: Ancient City of Ayutthaya & Bang Pa-In with Lunch, $190
- 10 Depart Bangkok/Arrive USA
Phuket Extension
- 10 Bangkok & Phuket
- 11 Phuket
- Optional Excursion: Day Tour of Phi Phi Island by Speedboat (purchased locally), $135
- 12 Phuket
- Optional Excursion: Half-day Southern Community and Cultural Experience (purchased locally), $121
- 13 Depart Phuket/Arrive USA
Dates & Prices
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Depart USA
- Your journey begins this evening as you check in for your flight to Singapore
Day 2 En route
- Cross the International Dateline and lose a day. (You will recover this day on the return leg of your trip.)
Day 3 Arrive Singapore
- Upon arrival in Singapore, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel
- Enjoy a lavish buffet dinner at your hotel
- Optional Guaranteed Early Check-in
Full Day ItineraryWelcome to Singapore. After completing customs and immigration formalities, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.
Join your fellow travelers for a lavish buffet dinner at Paradox Singapore Merchant Court at Clark Quay.
Day 4 Singapore
- Morning tour of Singapore
- Afternoon at leisure for independent sightseeing or join an optional excursion
Full Day ItineraryYour morning tour of Singapore features a drive around the Civic District, passing by the Padang, Cricket Club, historic Parliament House, Supreme Court, and City Hall. Next, stop at Merlion Park and enjoy the impressive views of Marina Bay. Then visit Thian Hock Keng Temple, one of the oldest Buddhist-Taoist temples in Singapore. Afterward, make a stop at a local handicraft market. Finally, proceed to the National Orchid Garden within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which boasts 60,000 orchid plants.
The balance of the day is at leisure, where you can taste your way through Singapore’s Hawker Food Centers, explore Singapore on your own, or join an optional tour.
Optional Excursion: Half-day Past and Present Singapore, $205Walk to Bugis Street and discover local markets, the iconic dry goods warehouse, and the famous Chinese Kwan Im Thong Temple. Travel to Little India and take in the many colors and exotic scents of spices while riding past the streets to learn about this unique community. Enjoy a light snack or drink and savor the local favorite roti prata, a south Indian flatbread made by frying stretched dough flavored with ghee.
Next, head to Kampong Glam, Singapore’s traditional Malay enclave, and home to the iconic Sultan Mosque, the famed Arab Street, and traditional eateries. Stroll along the site and visit the different shops while learning about the Malay culture in Singapore. Stop for a taste of the local teh tarik, a sweetened tea drink made with condensed or evaporated milk.
2025: $240 per person
Note: This private tour requires a minimum of 4 passengers to operate.
Day 5 Singapore
- Half-day at leisure to explore Singapore or join an optional excursion
- In the late afternoon, visit Sands SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands hotel
- Explore Gardens by the Bay
Full Day ItinerarySpend the morning at leisure or join an optional morning tour.
Later this afternoon, visit the Sands SkyPark, an awe-inspiring engineering wonder. This unique structural masterpiece floats atop the three soaring Marina Bay Sands hotel towers, over 650 ft. in the sky. Enjoy the unforgettable panorama views of the city’s impressive skyline from this vantage point.
In the early evening, visit Gardens by the Bay. Featuring more than 1 million plants from over 5,000 species, marvel at the indoor waterfall over 100 feet tall and stroll above the jungle canopy via aerial walkways at Cloud Forest. The Flower Dome showcases exotic plants from 5 continents in 9 different gardens by replicating the cool and dry Mediterranean climate. Watch as the Supertrees come alive with special effects at night.
Optional Excursion: Half-day Walking Tour: Michelin Guide Street Food, $250Meet with your local guide at the hotel and set out to discover Singapore’s popular hawker centers as you indulge in a Michelin Guide street food walking tour. Start at Chinatown Food Complex, a multi-story wet and dry market popular among locals and foreigners. Sip on kopi tarik or teh tarik, the famous pulled coffee or tea, and thick kaya toast. While learning about hawker culture in Singapore, work up an appetite and taste famous local snacks: popiah and kueh pie tee. Next, walk past the famous Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and towards the Singapore City Gallery. Walk to Ann Siang Hill through Ann Siang Hill Park and arrive at Amoy Street Food Centre. A slightly more modest food center, it is situated among office buildings. Later, head over to Little India and try out the Bismillah Briyani, Dum Briyani, and their authentic Indian cuisine. Return to your hotel with your guide. Alternatively, you can choose to explore on your own and return to your hotel independently.
2025: $295 per person
Note: This tour requires extensive walking. This private tour requires a minimum of 4 passengers to operate.
Day 6 Singapore & Bangkok, Thailand
- Transfer to the airport for your flight to Thailand
- Upon arrival in Bangkok, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel
- Balance of the day at leisure
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok Breakfast
Day 7 Bangkok
- Visit the Flower Market and learn how to create your own Thai garland
- Tour The Royal Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha
- See the mysterious Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho
- Balance of the day at leisure or enjoy one (or both!) of our optional excursions
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryStart your day with a visit to Bangkok's vibrant and colorful Flower Market. Meet with a local vendor and create a traditional Thai flower garland that you can later share as an offering at any one of Bangkok's magnificent temples. Next, head to The Royal Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. For 150 years, the Grand Palace served as the home of the King and his court and the entire administrative seat of government. Within its grounds, you'll also visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew), a structure built to house a large Buddha image carved from a solid piece of green jadeite (jasper). Continue to Wat Pho, founded in the 17th century and the oldest temple in Bangkok. This temple is also home to the remarkable Reclining Buddha, one of the largest in the world, whose face depicts the attainment of Nirvana and whose feet are inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
The afternoon is leisurely to explore Bangkok on your own or join other locally available optional excursions.
Optional Excursion: Chinatown Walk, $52This afternoon, drive to Bangkok's Chinatown, where you'll head out on an exciting walk through one of the city's oldest parts. Walk along Yaowarat Road, filled with exciting shops filled with unique treasures. Continue to an old tea shop to enjoy a cup of Chinese tea with the locals before heading to Talad Kao, a busy local market offering a variety of fresh food, fruits, and Chinese herbs. End the walk at Wat Leng Nei Yi to visit the Taoist temple. Then proceed to Wat Traimit on the edge of Chinatown, which houses the world's most giant solid gold Buddha.
Note: This private tour requires a minimum of 2 passengers to operate.
Optional Excursion: Evening Twilight Culinary Journey by Tuk Tuk, $160Explore iconic sites and unforgettable flavors by Tuk Tuk, as you adventure after dark! Visit Wat Suthat, one of the famous iconic sights of Bangkok, for a nighttime perspective. The night ends with a final stop at a hidden bar. Sip on a chilled Thai beer or a non-alcoholic drink with some local snacks while enjoying fantastic night views of the Giant Swing and the glittering temple. Return to the hotel by tuk-tuk.
Note: This private tour requires a minimum of 2 passengers to operate.
Day 8 Bangkok
- Journey to the Samut Songkhram province to experience a rural railway market
- Visit the Damnoen Saduak or Tha Kha markets, full of floating vendor stalls
- Hop aboard a paddle boar and explore the canals
- Explore King Rama II Memorial Park and learn about the former King
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, experience a more traditional side of Thailand with an insightful excursion to Samut Songkhram province. Venture to a rural railway market, where vendors set up stalls along the train tracks. Watch as they quickly pack up as trains arrive and then unload and carry on business after the trains have departed.
Continue to Damnoen Saduak or Tha Kha markets, where you will have a unique chance to experience a traditional marketplace style. See boats full of fresh fruit, and traditional snacks, all sold on the canals. For a closer look, hop aboard a paddle boat and explore the labyrinth of canals. Return to the floating market for lunch.
Cruise the waterways by long-tail boat, visiting a local Buddhist temple not on the tourist trail and continuing to the King Rama II Memorial Park. Explore the ornate Thai-style pavilions of the park and learn about the former beloved King.
Day 9 Bangkok
- Spend the day at leisure, or join an optional tour.
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok Breakfast
Optional Excursion: Ancient City of Ayutthaya & Bang Pa-In with Lunch, $190This morning, drive to the ancient city of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. King U-Thong founded the city of Ayutthaya in 1350 as the capital of his kingdom of Siam. By 1700, Ayutthaya had as many as a million inhabitants, making it one of the largest cities in the world at the time. But in 1767, the city was invaded and destroyed by the Burmese army. Nevertheless, magnificent ruins of the old city remain, some having been restored. Exciting archaeological excavations are still proceeding at many sites in the area.
Upon arrival, visit some of Ayutthaya's historical sites. Among the ruins, you will see the most significant monument, Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, Wat Mahathat to discover a Buddha head entwined in tree roots, and Wat Yai Chaimongkhol to view the reclining Buddha statue. Continue to a vibrant market and the Muslim Quarter to sample Roti Sai Mai, a Thai dessert similar to cotton candy and sometimes served in a sweet, colorful crepe.
After an included lunch of local Thai dishes, continue exploring with a leisurely one-hour long-tail boat ride down the Chao Phraya River. See riverside villages and Wat Niwet Thammaprawat, a Gothic-style Buddhist temple on a small river island. Continue to Bang Pa to view King Rama IV's summer palace, used occasionally by the king and queen to host receptions and banquets. The palace and surrounding temples represent an appealing fusion of Thai, Chinese, and European architectural styles. Return to Bangkok this evening.
Note: This private tour requires a minimum of 2 passengers to operate.
Day 10 Depart Bangkok/Arrive USA
- Bid farewell to Thailand as you transfer to the airport to board your flight to Bangkok, and then your return flight to the USA
- Or, take advantage of your already-included international airfare and join our optional extensions to Phuket Island
Breakfast
Phuket Extension
Take advantage of your already-included international airfare and enjoy a luxurious and relaxing stay on Phuket Island, Thailand's most famous resort.
Day 10 Bangkok & Phuket
- Fly to Phuket and transfer to your hotel upon arrival
- Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure
Amari Phuket Breakfast
Day 11 Phuket
- Full day at leisure on the island or enjoy an optional excursion
Amari Phuket Breakfast
Full Day ItinerarySpend two full days at leisure to relax, shop, or tour this scenic island, Thailand's largest. Phuket and the 39 smaller islands to the southeast are studded with tropical forests, mountains, gravity-defying limestone formations, and pristine beaches, surrounded by coral reefs and the aquamarine water of the balmy Andaman Sea. The west coast of Phuket was hit severely by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Still, the resilient people have quickly rebuilt it, and almost no evidence of the damage now remains. Phuket is a melting pot of Buddhists, Thai-Chinese, Muslims, and even sea gypsies, whom you'll find warm and welcoming.
With warm, humid weather year-round, you'll enjoy plenty of sun-drenched days lounging on the beach and all types of water sports, including jet-skiing, parasailing, surfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling. Most of the dive locations are suitable for all skill levels. The waters abound with colorful coral forests, tropical fish, and other marine life, including leopard sharks, moray eels, octopus, and turtles.
Phuket is also the sailing and yachting center of Thailand and adjacent countries, with several races and regattas happening throughout the year. And in the unlikely event that you can pull yourself away from the beach, you'll find opportunities to ride horses, hike, mountain bike, and even golf. Afterward, unwind at one of the many spas or one of the excellent acrobatic, theatrical, or cultural shows.
Optional Excursion: Day Tour of Phi Phi Island by Speedboat (purchased locally), $135Escape to a quieter and more natural side of southern Thailand on a day trip from Phuket. This morning, board a speedboat for a 45-minute trip to the six scenic Phi Phi Islands. As you cruise toward paradise, see spectacular limestone karsts that jut out from the blue seas. Pass by Maya Bay, arguably one of Thailand’s most beautiful places, as well as Phi Phi Lay Cove and Monkey Beach--featuring stunning white sands lined with swaying palm trees.
Enjoy lunch at Tonsai Bay, the southern stretch of Phi Phi Ley Island, surrounded by sweeping sea views. In the afternoon, cruise to the Bamboo Islands for snorkeling and swimming in the Andaman Sea.
After a spectacular day cruising the Phi Phi Islands, it is time to return to Phuket in the early evening.
Note:
This is a shared tour
Thru April 30, 2024: Sold locally at approximately 4,010 THB
May 1 to October 31, 2024: Sold locally at approximately 4,210 THB
Day 12 Phuket
- Full day at leisure on the island or enjoy an optional excursion
Amari Phuket Breakfast
Optional Excursion: Half-day Southern Community and Cultural Experience (purchased locally), $121Discover the enchanting cultural village of Baan Kamala in Phuket, where tradition meets tropical paradise. Immerse yourself in Thai heritage as you explore this vibrant Muslim community, known for its warm hospitality and captivating local customs. From traditional performances to authentic cuisine, Baan Kamala is a must-visit destination for a truly immersive and enriching experience in Southern Thailand.
Meet with locals when you arrive, and throughout the half-day tour, participate in hands-on activities, allowing you to be a part of the tapestry of local life. Learn how to make khanom duen, a local dessert, and kaeng som--a famous (and spicy!) Southern Thai dish made of buffalo oranges. Or, enjoy painting sarong or batik with a personal design.
Note:
Thur April 30, 2024: Sold locally at approximately 3,350 THB
May 1 to October 31, 2024: Sold locally at approximately 3,880 THB
Day 13 Depart Phuket/Arrive USA
- Transfer to the airport for the short flight to Bangkok, Thailand then continue to the USA via Singapore
Breakfast
Hotels
Paradox Singapore Merchant Court at Clarke Quay, Singapore offers the best of both worlds: a central-city location and resort-style ambiance. The hotel is ideally located on the banks of the Singapore River, next to Clarke Quay Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, and close to major places of interest including Chinatown, and the numerous bars and restaurants on the famous Clarke Quay and Boat Quay.
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok is a contemporary and stylish hotel located in the central district of Sathorn. The hotel is located 10 minutes away from Silom’s vibrant nightlife scene with close access to train stations, including the Skytrain Station. COMO Metropolitan is a mixture of relaxation and excitement, quietly removed from Bangkok’s traffic, yet steps away from the areas nightlife, shopping and restaurants.
Hidden on a secluded beach, Amari Phuket offers a prime location in Patong’s southernmost corner surrounded by the Andaman Sea. Less than an hour’s drive from Phuket International Airport, Amari Phuket is conveniently set within a 5-minute walk to Patong Beach while Phuket Town and the island’s popular attractions are also easily accessible from the resort.
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
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What should I know before I go?
Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements?
Can I make changes to my trip?
Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions?
Should I purchase travel insurance?
What's the fine print?
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What should I know about Thailand?
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