The 12th Biennial Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society - IGCS 2008

Arrival in Bangkok, where the group will be met by the local agency team and transferred to the hotel. Accomodation at Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel (*****) in Bangkok.

After beakfast, attend the ICGS 2008 Congress. At noon, lunch will be served at Riverside Restaurant. In the afternoon, we will depart by coach with an English speaking guide through the center of Bangkok to visit The Grand Palace, built in traditional Thai architecture mixed with European designs. The Grand Palace complex, once the official home for the Kings of Siam, is unquestionably one of the Thailand’s major tourist highlights. The King still uses The Grand Palace for certain ceremonial occasions and the regal flavor within its enormous royal grounds is still evident. During the tour you will visit the Royal Funeral Hall and the Royal Coronation Hall. The main centerpiece of the complex however is the 45 cm Emerald Buddha. Carved from just one piece of Jade it is the holiest and most revered religious object in Thailand. The complex also houses the most gorgeous Buddhist temples in Bangkok: Wat Traimit, with its impressive three-meter tall, 5 tons, solid gold Buddha image which gleams like no other gold artifact, Wat Pho (Bangkok's oldest and largest temple) which features the largest reclining Buddha and Wat Benchamabophit or the Marble Temple with a prime example of modern Thai architecture. Accomodation at Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel (*****) in Bangkok.

Day 4 (Sunday, October 26):

After breakfast, attend the ICGS 2008 Congress. At noon, we will depart from our hotel by coach with an English speaking guide to visit Thailand’s former ancient capital, Ayuthaya - known for its spectacular ruins and temples, with many still intact, such as Wat Phra Sanphet and Wat Mongkhon Bophit as well as the bronze statues at Wat Chai Mongkol, known for its large statue of the reclining Buddha, and Wat Panangcherng. We will see the Summer Palace of King Rama IV with its mixture of Thai, Chinese and Gothic architecture. The Palace is a well preserved 'museum' providing you with a glimpse into a time when the country was known as Siam. During the boat cruise to / from Ayuthaya you will also get close-up views of the many temples and historical sites that sit along the Chao Phraya River, such as Wat Arun. Accomodation at Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel (*****) in Bangkok.

Day 5 (Monday, October 27):

After beakfast, attend the ICGS 2008 Congress. At noon, we depart by coach and English speaking guide to see the protected green landscapes of Khao Yai, one of Thailand’s most beautiful National Parks. Khao Yai National Park lies about 108 miles (175 km) northeast of Bangkok and it is Thailand’s most visited reserve for good reason. The reserve is home to over 153 different species of animals, including 200-300 wild elephants, as well as other rarely seen mammals such as Asiatic black bear, tigers, leopards, barking deers to name a few. Exotic birds such as the Great Hornbill and the Himalayan ribbed bats also live inside the park and are protected by law. En-route to the park your tour will stop at a local fruit market in the province of Nakhon Nayok so you can enjoy exotic fruits such as mango & rambutans. Once at Khao Yai National Park you can take a walk along one of the well marked trails that wind their way through the mountains, forests, streams and waterfalls. On your way back to Bangkok from Khao Yai we will stop at Pakchong Creek to experience a 45-minute elephant ride with a trusted mahout (elephant caretaker) through the lush forest. Accomodation at Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel (*****) in Bangkok.

Day 6 (Tuesday, October 28):

After breakfast, free time for leisure, shopping or city panoramic tour. At noon, transfer by coach to Suvanaphumi Airport for the flight to Phuket. Arrive in Phuket and transfer  by coach and English speaking guide to Phi Phi Island, the most famous island of Thailand. A tropical paradise located just 45 minutes away from Phuket.  We shall take a privat speedboat to get to the Island. Phi Phi consists of six small islands south of Phuket which overflow with fine sandy beaches that give way to soaring limestone cliffs to form spectacular scenery.  The Island is also famous for its incredible underwater Coral Gardens and year round calm, clear blue water. The stunningly beautiful Phi Phi Islands are a tiny group of islands blessed with soft powdery sand beaches set against a back drop of soaring limestone cliffs and hills covered with lush tropical growth. After arrival, free day for sun bath, dive or enjoy the most beautiful sights of the Island. Accomodation at Island Village Hotel (*****) in Phi Phi.

Day 7 (Wednesday, October 29):

After breakfast, depart by coach and English speaking guide to visit Phanga Bay, located between Phuket and the province of Krabi. Pha Nga Bay is part of a 400 square km national park that was created in 1981. The geological features are an incredible site, formed by fault movements (the same fault which was responsible for the Tsunami) which pushed massive limestone blocks up into patterns. The result is over 40 islands of towering karst that create this unique and breathtaking scenery. Sheer cliffs, overhangs and caves typify the topography and after millions of years they were covered in verdant vegetation. There are a number of tidal canals and channels that penetrate the mainland and can be explored by boat, creating a scene of utter confusion and manifold massifs. In the upper reaches you’ll discover some magnificent mangrove which supports a range of aquatic and wild life. In fact Pha Nga is a province of its own, most notable for the awesome karst pillars that come out of the ocean and landscape across this region.

The best way to see Pha Nga Bay is by boat and numerous tours leave Phuket and Krabi on day trips to this incredible natural wonderland that provides a feast for the camera lens, so we will arrive there by speed boat. So exotic is this location that it was famously featured in the James Bond movie “The Man with the Golden Gun and is one of the must see destinations on any tourist’s itinerary in the area. Also, Pha Nga Bay is the place  where Leonardo Di Caprio’ movie “ The Beach “ was shot. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. The most intriguing sight in Pha Nga Bay is the Muslim fishing village of Koh Phan Yee which is entirely stilted and clustered beneath a karst cliff entirely surrounded by water. This village has been here for two centuries, deliberately placed here for defensive purposes and its proximity to the sea. The 200 families living here supposedly descended from just two families that migrated here from Java. As you approach the island the turrets of the island’s mosque add to the impression of this remarkable village. In the afternoon transfer by coach back to hotel. Accomodation at Island Village Hotel (*****) in Phi Phi.

Day 8 (Thursday, October 30):

After breakfast, free time for leisure, sun bath, walk on the Island’s beaches or visiting and shopping. Accomodation at Island Village Hotel (*****) in Phi Phi.

Day 9 (Friday, October 31):

After breakfast, free time for leisure, sun bath, diving, snorkeling, fishing shopping or individual visit of the Island. Accomodation at Island Village Hotel (*****) in Phi Phi.

Day 10(Saturday, November 1):

After breakfast, transfer to Phuket, Suvanaphumi airport for the flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival, transfer to the gate for the departure to London. Arrival in London.