https://www.smartours.com/tour/amazing-thailand/?utm_source=Amazing+Thailand+-+October+2017&utm_campaign=Thailand+-+October+2017&utm_medium=email We did this tour last year. IMO its more for the "young folks" but still interesting and a great value. Half the group was 30ish. The flight is an ordeal. For us old timers their China deal is much better / less flight time / and vastly more history covered. IMO everyone has to see China.
ahhhh Thailand. Lived there for a couple years. Travel there about two times each year. I don't know anything about this company. Prices seem reasonable. Never been on a tour with anyone. It seems you go to Bangkok and do some of the major sites, then the old capital, and then up north near Burma/Myanmar. There are other things you can do in Thailand that you will miss with this tour, like the beaches, but this seems like a good for 14 (15) days. They have 2 other itineraries with one going to Cambodia (Angkor Wat) and the other to Phuket. I'd pick one of these. Note for the major temple and palaces they have a dress code. Women should wear nothing revealing, shoulders, cleavage, and knees covered. Men should wear something like a polo and jeans/pants. You can get away with long shorts at some sites but not all. flip flops are ok as you have to take them off anyway. I wear super comfy tennis/running shoes for these adventures. Mid November through Mid January is good to travel as it's the dry/cool (not really cool) season. Last two weeks of December is busy time. If you have a US passport you just need more than 6 months left before it expires and a couple of fully blank pages (1 for just Thailand). You need a separate fully blank page and about $20 for the Cambodian entry/visa permit if you do that. The Thai baht is 33:1 with is good/ok. Don't worry about exchanging any before you get there. Also don't worry about your phone, if you have one with a SIM and it is unlocked you can get a SIM, with internet and a small amount of talk time (Thailand) for about $15 at the airport. Do this if you are traveling with friends or want data over there. Some US carriers also work but then that's US dollars and carrier prices but if you want to continue to take calls to/from your US phone number then just keep that SIM and see what your carrier can do (charge for) you. Bring an extra bag for crap you'll bring back for friends and relatives that don't really care about trinkets. If you have questions about traveling there, feel free to PM me. Again, I don't know anything about this particular tour and am not endorsing anyone. Just saying, get out there and travel, on your own, with friends, on a tour, whatever... I'll be traveling there in December for a couple weeks. My normal April trip isn't going to happen as I am going to Italy instead. Maybe you've hear of it.
One other thing.. if you are flying from LAX, SFO, SEA, fly EVA air. Fastest and good prices. about 19 hours door to door there and 17 back depending on time of year. This includes layover (short 1-3 hour) in Taiwan.... they have a Starbucks if you like that sort of thing.