TopTropicals in Thailand
TTTT: Top Tropicals Tour to Thailand - March 9-18, 2006
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Updated detailed information about this tour - see at the end of this page. During the tour you will:
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Plant Shopping
We provide all necessary import paperwork and the plants will be shipped to our facility in the US. This way you will be able to chose particlular plants you like and need, and to save some money, too. You can buy plants from Chatuchak market and nurseries. (Extra charge will be added for shipping cost, customs, etc.)
Besides, the tour will be unbelievable! It will include, besides general
sightseeng (historical or romantic, whichever you prefer), visits to the best
nurseries, botanical gardens, and shows.
You will go to Rose Garden Resort with thousands of rose bushes and hundreds
of exotic birds, and beautiful cultural show. You will see with your own eyes
Adenium and Plumeria
Fields, Euphorbias, Heliconia
collections, and of course thousands of beautiful orchids.
You will visit our suppliers and pick up the plants you like to be shipped
for you. For further information and details, please contact
us.
You can bring seeds back with you. We will provide free import paperwork for all Tour members.
Restrictions: imported plants must conform to USDA regulation (no soil, size restrictions, age restrictions). CItrus and other fruit trees are prohibited. Contact us for full list of prohibited plants.
Seeds: must be clean. Some species (citrus) are prohibited.
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Tour program includes (detailed program see below)
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Tour Schedule (see also tour program)
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Departure: Arrival |
Accommodation:
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PATTAYA : Asia
Pattaya Hotel - Seaview room - located about 3 kilometers south of
Pattaya overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, the Asia Pattaya Beach Hotel
is perfect for those looking for a glorious vacation in their own private
paradise. Pattaya's liveliness and non-stop action has earned it a reputation
as one of the world's most exciting resorts, and the city is just a short
drive away. The hotel is set amidst 22 acres of exotic gardens and
has its own long beach front. Other amenities include a pool,
tennis courts, snooker room and a private 9-hole par 3 golf course. The
hotel offers several restaurants and snack bars, a pool bar and dancing
at the Neptune Discotheque. 352 Moo 12 Pratamnak Road. Nongprue, Pattaya City, Cholburi 20150, Thailand Tel:+66 38 250401-11 Fax : +662-215-2642 |
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BANGKOK : Royal
Princess Hotel (Larnluang) - Superior room - conveniently located
in what has remained an old-fashioned charming district of Bangkok, experience
traditional Thai hospitality at this hotel. Caters to businessmen and
tourists alike, and features superbly furnished guestrooms and exquisite
dining. High Speed Internet Service available everywhere in the hotel
– a necessity for today’s business traveler. Pool, spa, nice restaurants. 269 Larn Luang Road, Pomprab, Bangkok 10100, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2281 3088 Fax: +66 (0) 2280 1314 |
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Tour cost:
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Tour total cost depends on airfare (departure city) and is based on
current ticket prices. Cost of tour (not including airticket): $800 VISA is not required for the US citizens. |
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Price includes:
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Price does not include:
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| Date |
Program |
| March 9 | Departure - Thursday, March 9, 2006 |
| Day-1 Friday March 10 |
Arrival in Bangkok - 8:45 pm (if using flight Korean Air 12 / 651) Upon arrival Bangkok airport, meet / assist and transfer to Pattaya. Arrive Pattaya, check-in at hotel and rest of the day free at own leisure. Beach, ocean, etc. |
| Day-2 Saturday March 11 |
Breakfast at hotel. Depart hotel for Nong Nooch Botanical Garden and enjoy the Thai cultural show at Nong Nooch. Option : Lunch at Nong Nooch Botanical Garden. Afternoon, visit the Elephant Village with show in Pattaya. Rest of the day, free at own leisure for beach and shopping. Option : Seafood dinner at Nang Nual Restaurant. Late evening entertainment for Cabaret Show at Alcazar. |
| Day-3 Sunday March 12 |
Breakfast at hotel. Check-out and depart hotel for Rayong to visit the Lipstick palm garden, Ornamental plants garden and Fragrant flower garden. Option : Lunch at Tamnanpa Restaurant. Return to Bangkok, check-in at Royal Princess Larnluang Hotel. |
| Day-4 Monday March 13 |
Breakfast at hotel. Leave hotel for Damnernsaduak Floating Market, on the way visit the local sugar palm houses. Then continue trip to experience the long-tailed boat along the canal to the floating market. Option : Lunch at the Rose Garden. After lunch, continue trip to Sampran crocodile farm for the crocodile shows. Return to hotel and rest of the day free at own leisure. |
| Day-5 Tuesday March 14 |
Breakfast at hotel. Depart hotel for all day visiting the Fruit Garden, Indoor plants Garden at Ban Paew. Return to hotel and rest of the day free at own leisure. |
| Day-6 Wednesday March 15 |
Breakfast at hotel. Depart hotel for Chatuchak Plants Market, the near by Fruit Market and continue trip to WANAPLUK GARDEN. Return to hotel and rest of the day free at own leisure. |
| Day-7 Thursday March 16 |
Breakfast at hotel. Depart hotel for all day visiting the Fragrant flower nursery around Bangkok and the adenium and plumeria nursery. Return to hotel and rest of the day free at own leisure. |
| Day-8 Friday March 17 |
Breakfast at hotel. Depart hotel to visit Bangkok's most important landmark, the spectacular Royal Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple with its Emerald Buddha Image, is the most sacred object in theKingdom, the Golden Chedi, Pantheon of Kings and Towers of Nine Planets and visit Wat benchamabopit, constructed from the imported Carrera marble from Italy built in 1899. Option : Lunch at the Riverside Restaurant After tour, free for local products and souvenir shopping. Return to hotel for refreshment and check-out at hotel and then transfer to Bangkok airport for departure flight. |
| March 18 | Arrival back to the USA |
This tour is organized and guided by:
Tatiana & Mike (Top Tropicals, USA) and Nok & Woraphan
(Wanapluk Garden, Thailand)
For all questions and requests please contact
us
Reservation form
Detailed information: questions and answers
(detailed tour information and program - see above)
What is it all about?
We consider this tour more as a group of friends trip, not as a travel agency organized vacation. If you like tropical plants, then you have opportunity to see where they grow, meet people who grow them and buy thee plantsWhere do we meet? Do I have different travelling options?
We can meet either in the US or in Bangkok.
If you want to fly with us, then most likely it'll be Atlanta or New Yourk
If you want to fly on your own, then we meet in Bangkok airport. We
meet on Fri evening (we're leaving on Thu). It's kind of
confusing, so please check twice, so you don't spend extra day in the
airport or arrive late. We're leaving on Thu, 03/09 and arrive in
Bangkok on Fri, 03/10, evening LOCAL time. We discuss later where and
when we meet. Of course, you will be provided phone numbers, so you can
always get help from local travel agent.
There is a very nice non-stop flight from New York to Bangkok on Thai Airlines, right now on Expedia it's around $1150 round trip. It's 17 hrs of eating, sleeping and doing nothing. When did last time you had such fun?
There many flight from the West Coast, for example ff you're leaving from LAX, then there is a Korean Air flight arriving at 8.45 pm
| 12:10 am Depart Los Angeles (LAX) Arrive Bangkok (BKK) 8:45 pm +1 day |
Thu 9-Mar Duration: 29hr 35mn |
Korean Air 12 / 651 Connect in Seoul (ICN) |
| 12:05 am Depart Bangkok (BKK) Arrive Los Angeles (LAX) 8:50 am |
Sat 18-Mar Duration: 23hr 45mn |
Korean Air 652 / 17 Connect in Seoul (ICN) |
And of course there are flights from Dallas, Chicago, etc.
Can I use other flight than the one you are suggesting? I have free miles of Super-Global-Airline.
Of course, there are other flights. You can search the Internet, we can help
you, or you can go to the travel agent, who will search the Internet for you.
If you decide to meet us anywhere else in Bangkok, then please let us know.
Are you providing group rates for airline tickets?
Unfortunately, we won't be able to get group rates for air tickets, since people are flying from different places in the country. If we have more than certain number of people flying from one major airport, then we can try. Otherwise, it doesn't matter to get cheap ticket from New York if you have to fly from San-Diego to New York
Can I stay longer/less than the planned trip?
Iterniary is pretty flexible, so you can stay more, stay less. You don't have to follow us. For example, we're thinking about also visiting Northen Thailand, which is one of the centers of plant industry. We've never been there, so if anybody has crave for an adventure, then he/she is welcomed to join us (we don't yet how much will it costs).
What plants or seeds can I bring with me? Are there any restrictions?
You can buy plants in Thailand and we'll bring them in for
you later. Of course, some plants are prohibited. We can supply you with USDA manual,
which is very-very long.
Cost of plants will be:
- Whatever you pay at the market (it's cheap)
- Handling by our agent and shipping (if they add them to the regular shipping, then it's minimal)
- Broker charges in the US (not bad for large shipments)
- If you want, then we'll Fedex plant to you (it'll be bare-rooted) or, because it's not that easy to adjust bare-rooted plant, we can establish the plant for you - 4-6 weeks (we'll charge you nominal fee).
Seeds will be brought with us under our import permit.
What kind of hotel are we staying in? How nice is it?
Stay in Bangkok will be in Royal Princess Hotel, which is very nice and high quality, Western standard (price included in the tour cost), and, the most important, has REAL hi-speed Internet connection (you'd have to pay extra, but the cost is minimal). For example, it's vital for us.
Can I have other activities besides the tour program?
We'll have English speaking guide. If you want to entertain yourself, then there are people who speak English and they'll be happy to help you.
What is the tour payment schedule?
For standard iterniary, the cost is $800 (plus, airfare). We need to collect a $100 deposit NOW, since we have to know exactly how many people are going. We couldn't make it in November, thanks to the hurricane season, so we have to know how many people will join us. You may either send us a check (email us for reservation first) or call us for credit card payment at 1-866-897-7957 from 10 am to 6 pm Eastern Time.
The rest is payable by the end of February.
Please contact us if any questions!
