The Inspire Chiang Mai Study Trip 2009

The Trip:

At Inspire, Chiang Mai has been a major source of inspiration, knowledge and motivation for our work as therapists and tutors, but instead of just telling you about it, we thought we'd lead a study trip there and invite you along. Why don't you leave a cold wet London behind you for a week of heat, learning, great food and fun in the centre of Thai bodywork.

Staying in a super hotel in the centre Chiang Mai with a pool and gym, we've arranged for you have an exclusive course in Thai Massage at the renowned ITM school, which is certificated and accredited in the UK. There will be excursions to see the local sights and wildlife as well as have a cookery lesson in Thai food with a celeb chef. We'll show you the local markets and the amazing Sunday market as well as introduce you to the best of the best therapists in town. Return, refreshed and enlightened with your Certificate in Thai Massage and impress your friends by throwing a Thai dinner party.

Dates: Saturday 14th February to Friday 20th February 2009

Included: 6 nights at a super hotel in the centre of Chiang Mai. A Certificated Thai Massage Course, accredited in the UK (including transport to and from the school) and accompanied excursions in and around Chiang Mai to see the sights, the wildlife and to cook and eat some great Thai food.

The Itinerary:

February 2009
Saturday 14th
Meet for drinks in the hotel lobby and join us for dinner at the local restaurant overlooking the Mei Ping River. To arrive at the hotel by Saturday evening, you'll need to leave London on the Friday 13th night flight to Bangkok and get the first available internal flight up from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. See airline details below.

Sunday 15th
You'll have the choice of a relaxed morning and a day chilling by the hotel pool, or spend the day exploring the amazing sights and shops of Chiang Mai. In the evening we'll meet and visit the famous Sunday Market. There are hundreds of stalls, selling local crafts, classic Thai goods, wonderful local food and at every turn of your head there is massage to be had for less money than you thought possible.

Monday 16th to Thursday 19th
Days 1 to 4 of the course. We'll take you to ITM where you'll be taught Thai massage in English by experienced tutors. ITM's work is recognised and accredited in the UK.

In the evenings - we'll arrange for you to have an excursion, or take you to the best therapists in town, recommend somewhere for dinner and there'll still be time to hit the night bazaar.

Friday 20th
Day 5 of the course. Round off the course at ITM and return to the hotel with your new skills - the course and study trip will officially finish by 3pm

The Chiang Mai Hotel:

The Royal Princess, 112 Chang Clan Road, Chiang Mai 50100
www.dusit.com/hotels/thailand/chiang_mai/royal_princess/

The hotel is right on the night bazaar and is managed by the renowned Dusit Thani Group. It has a gym and an outdoor pool for chilling after a day's massage class. It has two restaurants and a cafe, but every night, the night bazaar is filled with stalls serving freshly-cooked traditional food. The area is the heart of Chiang Mai's night life and is surrounded by bars.

The Course:
ITM, The International Training Massage School, 17/6-7 Morakot Road, Chang Puek, Muang, Chiang Mai 50300

www.itmthaimassage.com

The school has been established since 1992 and is accredited by the Thai Education Ministry as well as Embody. It is regarded as one of the best schools in the region and we have arranged for you to have an exclusive course. It's in the city and the area it is in has plenty of cafes around it for lunch. The course is a widely recognised Certificate in Thai Massage, is accredited by CThA (Embody) and FHT and will qualify you to practise in the UK.

The Excursions:

1. Half day private COOKING CLASS - From 4 to 8.30pm
   The Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School, the first and original cookery school in Chiang Mai
   47/2 Moon Muang Road, Chiang Mai 50200
   www.thaicookeryschool.com
   The class starts with a guided tour of the local market. Then it's back to the kitchen to cook up
   a feast.

   MENU:
   Thai hot and sour prawn soup: Tom yam goong
   Green curry with chicken: Gaeng khiew waan gai
   Thai fried noodles: Phad thai
   Steamed banana cake: Kha nom gluay

   The chef is Sompon Nabnian, who is a Thai TV chef and has featured on the BBC Holiday Programme
   and ITV among others. He is working on his second series for UK TV called Thai Way II. Having
   created this feast with Sompon, naturally you get to eat the fruits of your labours.

2. Visit to the ELEPHANT FARM
    The Thai elephants are protected and are still used for traditional logging in the forest. They are also
    used for jungle trekking. This visit would entail contact with the elephants in their 'home' and an
    opportunity to pet and feed them and just to be in the company of these majestic and very peaceful
    beasts.

3. Visit to DOI SUTHEP TEMPLE and Meo Village
    This temple is the Buddhist centrepiece of the region and sits on top of the mountain overlooking the
    city. It is regarded as a 'must do' visit. The surrounding land is flat and the views tremendous.
    Towards the end of the day, you can see the city light up. The Meo village is a preserved
    traditional village and gives an insight into hundreds of years of rural Thai living.

There will be time to experience Thai Massage treatments at renowned centres in the city, such as Lek Chaiya, where 'Mama Lek' stills rules, teaches and treats. There is also the Blind School. This very famous treatment centre provides employment for blind therapists and provides traditional massage by some of the region's most talented and experienced therapists. Inspire have contacts with the best of the best therapists in Chiang Mai and here you'll have the opportunity to have great massage for a tenth of the UK price.

There will be an opportunity to visit the Sunday Market. This is an extraordinary experience. It is right in the centre of town and is not only vast, but combines opportunities to buy traditional and locally made goods, eat wonderful local food, have more massages on every corner than you thought were possible and take in a Buddhist evening service at the same time on the same street. How many of those do you get to visit?

We'll have recommendations for restaurants, some super smart, some fun and overlooking the river and some very basic but with great food. For those with the time, resources and energy, we'll have recommendations for the full blown exclusive spa experience. The night bazaar is open every night right on the doorstep of the hotel and is famous in the region.

The study trip will finish on the afternoon of Friday 20th when the Thai massage course finishes.

After that, some of you may want to stay on in Chiang Mai and make your own arrangements to take in some serious trekking, elephant safaris or just more chilling by the pool.

The Inspire trip leader will be travelling to Bangkok after the course and for anyone interested in taking in Bangkok city, the arrangements will be as follows;

Stay the night of Friday 20th at a smart city centre hotel, entrance on Saturday to the Royal Palace complex and a treatment at the famous Wat Pho temple school.

The hotel will be the Bel-Aire Princess Hotel (www.bel-aireprincess.com)

On Friday night, we'll aim to have dinner at the famous Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant, which supports a great charity , www.cabbagesandcondoms.co.th On Saturday 21st, we'll take you to the famous Wat Pho Temple and massage school at the Royal Palace complex. It is regarded as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.

Then depending on your flight arrangements, we'll part and head for the airport to catch the flight back to London.

Flights from London to Bangkok

British Airways - www.britishairways.com
Thai Airways - www.thaiair.com to Chiang Mai via Bangkok
Eva Air - www.evaair.com

Internal Flights

Three airlines fly between Bangkok and Chiang Mai:
Thai Airways www.thaiair.com
Bangkok Airways www.bangkokair.com
Air Asia. www.airasia.com

These internal flights do get booked up, so these need to be booked in advance.

For flights, we recommend Andy at Flight Centre, Guildford 01483 888 822

Not included: Flights, Bangkok expenses, food, local transport, treatments (other than one treatment at Wat Pho for those in Bangkok) and travel insurance.

The price:

Chiang Mai only, including hotel, course and excursions: £695.00 plus VAT

Chiang Mai and Bangkok, including hotels, course and excursions: £780.00 plus VAT

Booking process:

Places are strictly limited so contact us on 0870 4460614 or or reserve your place by filling in the request form. A deposit of £200 is required at time of booking with the balance due 30 days prior to trip

Terms and Conditions:
Please view the Terms & Conditions