The Lemon Grass Trail What better way of really getting to know a country than through its food? This perfect two week itinerary will see you come back with expert skills to brighten up your winter meals and spice up your parties! You'll savour dishes from all over Thailand and learn to cook them for yourself. You'll pick your own freshest ingredients on organic farms and jostle with the the locals for the best vegetables at morning markets. And what better way of ensuring your seafood dishes have the freshest fish than catching your own in the Andaman sea? You'll be have plenty of time on your own for relexation too, you'll be able to cycle along rice fields, swim in majestic waterfalls and relax on beautiful beaches. You'll start off your tour with a couple of days in Bangkok. After your direct overnight flight from the UK, you'll be picked up at Bangkok airport a driver to a charming boutique hotel in the old town which will act as your base as you take in the sights and the shopping. Then it's time to kick off your culinary adventures - you'll have an introductory course to Thai cooking at the world-famous Blue Elephant cooking school. Then, it's time to pack your apron and expand on your newfound skills and learn from the real experts in Thai cooking! First you're off to the agricultural heart of the Thailand, the Central Plains. You'll arrive in a picturesque canal-side village where the pace of life is incredibly relaxed. Here you'll visit the vibrant market, learn to fish in the canals and the village headman's wife herself will show you the tricks of making traditional rural Thai dishes and desserts. Next, you'll go to Isan in the north east, well away from the tourist trail. You'll get a gourmet tour of the region's strongly-flavoured dishes and learn to make the best sticky rice and Som-Tam, the famous spicy fiery papaya based salad. You'll also visit organic farms to pick the freshest vegetables from crops as varied as aubergines to Shiitake mushrooms. You'll notice that some of the food in this region is influenced by bordering countries and you'll also see architectural influences when you take in some culture by visiting Khmer ruins which are related to Angkor Wat. Finally, you're off the Andaman coast to savour and master the fiery cuisine inspired by Malaysia to the south. You can make sure you have the freshest catch of the day by catching it yourself! There's plenty of time to relax on Thailand's beautiful beaches or drift along in a long-tail boat before you return home to try out your new-found skills. Day 1 Depart London Heathrow (regional departures are available). Day 2 You'll arrive in Bangkok and be picked up by your driver. Rest of the day free to relax in your private courtyard at charming boutique hotel. Dinner in riverside restaurant set in beautiful gardens, frequented by Bangkok society and the Royal family. Day 3 Morning free to stroll around the nearby Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha before an afternoon lesson at the world-famous Blue Elephant cookery school. Day 4 Transfer to the rural Central Plains, afternoon cookery lesson in traditional Thai desserts before you have a tour of the canal, by wooden boat. Day 5 Morning visit with the village headman's wife to the local market, followed by freshwater fishing. Then it's time for traditional Thai cooking lessons. Day 6 Morning cycling along the fields and canals to watch the farmers at work. In the afternoon, your driver will take you just outside Nakorn Ratchasima in the north east where you can settle into your private villa and walk around the lush grounds and pick herbs for dinner. Day 7 Day at leisure to stroll in surrounding forests and swim in spectacular waterfalls. Day 8 Visit local farms to discover how organic and sustainable ways of farming are being developed. Choose your own vegetables and fruit to take back for cooking lessons. Day 9 Culture day - visit to Khmer temple complex from the 11th century, a UNESCO world heritage site. Evening cooking lesson. Day 10 Sleep in. Your driver will then take you to Bangkok where you will catch a short flight to Krabi in the south. Afternoon free. Evening introduction to southern cooking. Day 11 Day at leisure to relax on the beautiful beaches. Day 12 You'll go fishing at dawn in the Andaman sea with local fishermen. Then it's time to cook up a fiery storm! Day 13 Day at leisure to relax on the beautiful beaches. Alternatively, you can do more cooking today. Day 14 Transfer to Krabi airport and fly home to the UK via Bangkok. This private tour costs from £1,575 per person, based on two people sharing. This includes scheduled flights from London, accommodation, activities, transport and most meals. Regional departures are available. For full details or to customise this itinerary, call us on 0800 011 2571 between 9am and 9pm, 7 days a week or email us at contact@telltaletravel.co.uk
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