Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

Hosts Nu and Yo were great. Nu probably more personal and knowledgeable. Chiang Rai (two days), Chiang Mai ( four days), Bangkok (three days). All flights were fine. Met each airport, transfers and all drivers on time and very good. CHIANG RAI- Stayed at The Legend. Old, tired, pretty grounds, staff unfriendly, food OK , would not recommend. Went to two temples WHITE and BLUE. (Both recent 20 years), tourist traps. Would not recommend. Black House was OK. Wood incredible. Artist-Sa-Ngiam Yarangsee was wonderful. Bought piece. Trip needed more of these authentic kinds of stops, less tourist traps. Our fault in explanation.

Chiang Mai- Stayed at Rachamankha Hotel- Absolutely wonderful. Great large room, great staff, good food, great service, lovely architecture, interior design and furnishings. Pamela loved the textile experience and the interaction with its unique owner. Elephant Farm was great as was the run around town-especially the coconut pancakes (street food) We should have done more street food. Our fault. Pamela worries! Everyone do more street food. Very good, different, safe AND fun.

Trip to border and water trip very enlightening. You need different vendor for water trip. Steps to boat very dangerous not only for me, anyone else. No railing on lower multiple steps BANGKOK- Stayed at Siam- Also absolutely wonderful, Incredibly large room, layout almost confusing but still great, staff very accomadating, almost too so. Good food, restaurant and dock, a little too far. Could use one more elevator. Great lobby bar. Front desk very helpful. Manager very welcoming. Pamela enjoyed Thompson tour. Mark enjoyed Siam’s free water taxi to different spots.

Overall it was a very good experience. I should note my I have some difficulty in walking which did limit some of the experience. Hosts and drivers were incredibly accomodating. Overall as I understood local costs, I thought the pricing was too high. I might try again with a greater understanding of the individual costs by item. Thanks for great experience.

WOW! This trip was beyond incredible. While the food, scenery, and activities were outstanding, the biggest takeaway for us was a deep sense of gratitude. Seeing different ways of life was eye-opening, and I wouldn’t change that experience for anything. Learning Thai was also a highlight—I had so much fun practicing with the kind and welcoming locals!

Bangkok was the perfect start. Our guide, Ann, was fantastic—flexible, intuitive, and always adjusting to our pace. The foodie tour was a highlight, and our longtail boat day felt wonderfully off the beaten path.

The elephant experiences at Anantara were unforgettable, and upgrading to the Jungle Bubble was the best decision we made—it’s a must for elephant lovers! I also deeply appreciated the transparent, nuanced discussion with veterinarian Nissa about ethical elephant tourism. It was truly a bucket list moment to hang out with the elephants and feed them.

The road trip to Chiang Mai was stunning, with breathtaking temples and an unforgettable visit to a hill tribe in Fang. Our driver, Wat, was a little wild on the road, but that seemed to be the norm! Chiang Mai itself was a wonderful surprise—clean, vibrant, and not at all what we expected. Skipping Lampang for Chiang Mai Life & Legends was the right call after a long drive, and we loved Pedal Lanna and Doi Inthanon for the mix of adventure and culture.

Skipping Phuket for Koh Yao Noi was hands-down the best decision. The island felt authentic, unspoiled, and full of natural beauty. Riding scooters around felt safe and fun, and our GEM Must took excellent care of us. John Gray’s sea canoe tour was another highlight—paddling into a secluded, deserted cove felt magical! The only downside was seeing food waste on the boat, which was disappointing given how many in Thailand go hungry.

Everything about this trip was seamless—transportation, logistics, and the level of care we received. We barely touched our own luggage and felt like celebrities the entire time. Thank you for the incredible planning and patience with our itinerary changes. This truly was the trip of a lifetime!

Ted and Kathie Embacher | March 15, 2025
Ted and Kathie Embacher surprised by a baby elephant.

Travelers Ted and Kathie Embacher, surprised by a wandering trunk.

We just returned on March 9 from a wonderful adventure in Thailand and Cambodia planned by Raphael and Dan. Everything was executed flawlessly with fabulous guides who were always prompt and greeted us with a smile. The adventures that we decided on did not disappoint. Although our schedule was jam packed, there is not one thing that we wish we had left out. All of our hotels were wonderful as were our flights within the countries.

Raphael communicated with us throughout our planning process and made suggestions and adjustments to our plans. He always answered our e-mails promptly and listened carefully to what we needed.

Perhaps the fact that we took over 1,500 photos of our trip says more than our words ever could. We had one amazing experience after another as we viewed the beautiful Wats, drifted through floating markets, visited old towns, ate local foods, played with elephants, walked through the large local markets and kayaked through caves into surreal lagoons.

We made a few local friends who we are now Facebook friends with.

Our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and prompt. Mr. Yo saved Kathie’s life in Bangkok when her long skirt got caught in an escalator and he was well prepared with a pair of scissors in his backpack to cut her out. Tiger executed our WOW moment in Cambodia and made it so special. I’m not easily overwhelmed, but our special dinner on a beautiful wooden boat while cruising slowly through the floating villages on Ton Le Sap created a life long warm memory. Sanee in Chiang Mai became a good friend, as well as our guide. She was truly special. And NaNa in Phuket took us to the best small food places where we ate Thai food that we never knew existed and tasted fantastic, including a small stall that had a Michelin mention!

Thailand and Cambodia are beautiful countries and the people are among the kindest we’ve encountered. They are definitely places to see before you die and Raphael and Dan’s group are the folks to take you there. Our trip created lifelong memories (not that we’ll need memories with the 1,500 photos that I took).

Ted and Kathie Embacher
Thailand and Cambodia
February 21-March 9

Liane Macmillan and family near a sculpted-face structure of Angor Wat, Cambodia.

Liane and her family cycled near the sculpted-face structures of Angor Wat.

This is our 3rd Wendy Perrin trip and it was nothing short of remarkable. Four cities in 12 days was an ambitious request and Daniel’s colleague Raphael delivered an itinerary that fun, exciting and luxurious. The travel coordination between cities was top notch and made transitions seamless and stress free.

Our guides in each city went above and beyond to curate experiences tailored to our interests. Our trip through Bangkok with Ki, bike ride in Cambodia around Angor Wat with Camera, walking with the elephants in Anantara Resort, and our snorkel tour of the Phi Phi islands are just a few examples of this. The service and value of our trip truly exceeded our expectations. Can’t wait for our next adventure with Wendy!

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