2018 Primetime Emmy
& James Beard Award Winner

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  • The Rose of the North

    Chiang Mai and the Kingdom of Lanna

    Nov 11-18, 2025

    ?

    Cool mornings and verdant mountains make this the very best moment of the year in Thailand’s cultural capital. Our host is Andy Ricker, longtime resident of Chiang Mai who popularized this region’s cuisine in the U.S. with his Pok Pok restaurants and is ready to show you what makes this place amazing. He will be joined by Mapeng Commak, an avowed environmentalist and “culinary connector” with an extraordinary network of farmers and chefs in the region.

    Inquire Now
    Andy Ricker

    R&K Host

    Chef, Writer, Raconteur
    Andy Ricker

    Mapeng Commak

    Local Guide

    Culinary Connector, Environmentalist
    Mapeng Commak

Overview

Chiang Mai and the Kingdom of Lanna

  • Thailand
  • Nov 11-18, 2025
  • from $10,400
Map
  • Thailand
  • Nov 11-18, 2025
  • from $10,400
Chiang Mai and the Kingdom of Lanna Inquire Now

DISCOVER CHIANG MAI:
DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

Day
1

Arrival

  • Chiang Mai
  • Private transfer from CNX airport
  • Welcome drinks with Andy and Mapeng
  • Dinner at local Northern Thai Restaurant for an introduction to the flavors of the region
Day
2

Rice Forever

  • Chiang Mai
  • Visit to local rice field to meet our main ingredient
  • Tasting and talking with the country’s best Lao Khao rice spirits maker
  • Khanom Jin rice noodle lunch at a local noodle producer
  • Relax over coffees at Thingamajiggy, a beautiful open-air cafe on the edge of the rice fields
  • Private dinner by Chef Goo Goo, the region’s premier proponent of Burmese cuisine, in a renovated shophouse in Old Town
Day
3

The Yao of Cooking

  • Chiang Mai
  • Travel to Phrao for a day at Yaowadee “Yao” Chookong’s rammed earth house for a hands-on cooking experience and lunch in the country
  • Relax at the hotel
  • Dinner at Rasik Kitchen with Chef Waii, one of Chiang Mai’s most talented young chefs
  • Nightcap at North Country, the city’s most debonair and handsome cocktail bar
Day
4

To Market, To Market

  • Chiang Mai
  • Early morning fresh market walk and breakfast of regional dishes at Talaat Jin Haw, the best indigenous and Yunnan Muslim food market in the country
  • Lunch at Laap Khuang Singh, the best in the city for Northern Thailand’s most iconic dish
  • Optional shopping crawl through local markets for some of the region’s best spices, textiles, knives, etc.
  • Private dinner at Navan Navan with Chef Van, one of the most prominent chefs in Northern Thailand
Day
5

Akha Country, Akha Culture

  • Last breakfast in Chiang Mai
  • Road trip! Scenic drive through the beautiful Chiang Rai mountains into the Akha highlands for a once-in-a-lifetime meal of Akha cuisine with the family of Lee Ayu, proprietor of Akha Ama Coffee and ambassador for the rich culture of his people
  • Road transfer to Riva Vista Resort on the banks of the River Kok
  • Dinner at Locus Native Food Lab: extraordinary Northern Thai fine dining with wine pairing by chef-sommelier Kong Chaiwongkachon
Day
6

Into Chiang Rai

  • Travel into the hills of Doi Mae Salong for Yunnan culture, big-flavor cuisine, and Kuomintang history (think: tea, sausage, noodles, vistas)
  • Head back down the mountain to visit a Khao Ram Fuen maker for a demonstration and sampling of the different forms of this “Shan Tofu”
  • Light dinner of Khao Tom Kuay, a traditional Thai rice soup, followed by after-dinner wander through the streets of Chiang Rai
Day
7

To Bangkok and Beyond

  • Last breakfast in the North at the hotel
  • Private transfer to Lampang Airport, fly to Bangkok
  • Check into Como Metropolitan Bangkok, a contemporary hotel in Sathorn’s Central Business District
  • Free time the explore the great city of Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit (aka Bangkok)
  • Last-night dinner with legendary chef Prin Polsuk at Samrub Samrub
  • Head to the great Vesper Cocktail Bar for drinks stretching into the night
Day
8

Goodbye for Now

  • Wake slowly, gingerly
  • Last breakfast and goodbyes
  • Private transfer to BKK for flight home (or elsewhere in Bangkok if your journey continues)

What’s Included

  • All breakfasts, lunches, dinners, as well as snacks and beverages between meals
  • Expertise and services of our experienced trip leaders: at least one guide and one host per trip
  • Additional guides and experts from the region
  • Transfers to and from the airport or wherever you are on the day the trip starts and ends
  • Daily Roads & Kingdoms gifts related to the themes, activities and narratives of each trip
  • All gratuities for accommodations, meals, guiding or transport

What’s Not Included

  • International airfare to and from the journey (note: some trips begin and end at different airports)
  • Personal bar tabs (when not with the group)
  • Personal laundry or spa services
  • Personal travel insurance

Meet Our Hosts

Andy Ricker

R&K Host

Andy Ricker

Chef, Writer, Raconteur

Andy Ricker is an award-winning chef and best-selling author widely credited with introducing Northern Thai cuisine to the United States through his Pok Pok Restaurants. Formed in Portland in 2005, Pok Pok later operated in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York, where it earned a Michelin Star. The two-time James Beard Award winner has worked as a pumpkin picker, DJ, house painter and construction contractor, ship’s cook, busboy, waiter, bartender, musician, commercial fisherman, outdoor store salesperson, maintenance man and short order cook. He first visited Thailand as a backpacker in 1987 and now lives full time with his wife and six cats in Chiang Mai city.

Mapeng Commak

Local Guide

Mapeng Commak

Culinary Connector, Environmental Researcher

An avowed environmentalist and “culinary connector,” Mapeng Commak was born and raised in Bangkok but went to Chiang Mai 12 years ago to escape flooding and never left. He founded a nonprofit that connects local farmers with chefs in the region and helps them to transform endemic ingredients into artisanal products. We met him through Lee Ayu, proprietor of the extraordinary Akha Ama Coffee in the Akha highlands and soon realized there was no one better to join chef Andy Ricker in guiding the League through the country’s north.

Where You’ll Stay

Riva Vista Resort

Riva Vista Resort

CHIANG RAI VIEWS

Situated on the banks of the Kok River, Riva Vista features some of the largest guest rooms in Chiang Rai, with high-end amenities and private balconies offering breathtaking views of the surrounding misty mountains and rolling green landscape.

Como Metropolitan Bangkok

Como Metropolitan Bangkok

Urban Oasis

Designed by Singaporean interior architect Kathryn Kng, COMO Metropolitan Bangkok offers expansive, light-filled rooms and suites with a blend of eastern and western influences. Conveniently located minutes from major shopping hubs like Siam Centre, MBK, and Central Silom Complex, the hotel provides a peaceful retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle.

  • You will learn more about the region than you ever thought possible… amazing, truly authentic food experiences.

    Annabel G.
    Chiang Mai and the Festival of Lights 2024

  • It did not feel like a tour. it felt more like a group of new friends traveling together.

    Sjawn W.
    Chiang Mai and the Festival of Lights 2024

  • Really appreciated traveling alongside Andy. The history and context provided by him at the table helped me pull together so much more understanding.

    Anonymous
    Chiang Mai and the Festival of Lights 2023

DISCOVER NORTHERN THAILAND:
PAST TRIPS GALLERY

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Chiang Mai and the Kingdom of Lanna Inquire Now
R&K League of Travelers

Ready for a new adventure?

Inquire Now.

    Fill out the form to join the waitlist. We’ll reach out if space opens up.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How large are your groups?

    We have a maximum of 12 travelers for each trip. Our guiding light: how many people could cram into a perfectly-sized bar in Ginza? That’s how many we want to travel with, that’s how we came up with that number. Each trip has at least two members from the R&K team.

    Do I really have to do an interview?

    Yes! We don’t offer a way to book online, because we want the chance to talk to each of you about how you like to travel, and about what we do on our trips. That includes spouses and partners! Don’t sweat it, we have an appropriately high acceptance rate, but it is a requirement, whether by Zoom or by WhatsApp.

    Is there a solo traveler supplement?

    Yes, we have an $1800 solo traveler supplement ($1000 for four-night trips).

    Should I get travel insurance?

    Roads & Kingdoms is a fully insured travel provider but we recommend you purchase travel insurance for yourself to cover costs you might incur through change of plans, flights, etc. We do not have a recommended provider, but there are many reputable providers available online and the signup process is not onerous.

    What is included in the price?

    Our journeys are meant to free you from any financial decision-making whatsoever during the week, if you choose. You’re responsible for your own international airfare to our starting city. But then we take care of everything else, from tipping to transportation to hotels and meals and drinks along the way. You’re only responsible for personal bar tabs (when not with the group), personal laundry, or personal spa services.

    What happens if R&K cancels a journey?

    This has not happened in the post-acute-COVID period—nor do we anticipate it happening—but we do reserve the right to cancel or postpone a trip up to 100 days before departure. In that case, you would receive a full refund, including the $1500 deposit.

    CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE VEGETARIANS?

    The short answer is yes! Any trip can be adapted, but some work better than others. Salamanca and the World of Jamón, for instance, would probably not make sense for a vegetarian, whereas Tbilisi and the Western Winelands works well. Animal products do feature heavily throughout our journeys, and many include whole-animal barbecues, ceremonial slaughter, or other traditional culinary methods that might be off-putting to those who abstain.

    Traveler Rights And Responsibilities

    The League of Travelers is meant to be that: an intimate group of travelers who accompany us to some of our favorite places to spend time with some of our favorite people. That is why we interview all potential travelers. These trips are not for everyone, and we just want to be sure the vibe matches. Mostly, for you, that means treating the people who make these trips possible, from drivers to somms to waiters to hotel staff, with decency. We will do our best to accommodate special requests, but we don’t have fulltime concierge or waitstaff on these trips, we have chefs and writers and storytellers. Our groups are a diverse bunch, so please also come with an open mind and heart for your fellow travelers. And in exchange, we pledge to open all doors we can to you. We promise we will have poured our whole selves into these journeys, and we will do everything in our power to make it a wondrous experience.

    Refund And Deposit Policy

    We require 50% downpayment to secure a spot. Second payment due 60 days after first payment. If you cancel up to 60 days before the start of the trip, the trips are fully refundable except for a nonrefundable $1500 deposit. Within 60 days we will refund everything except the $1500 deposit if we are able to replace your seat, otherwise you must contact us to see if a transfer to a later journey is possible. If we cancel a trip for any reason, the entire trip, including the $1500 deposit, is fully refundable.

    Dates

    2025

    Destinations

    Europe

    Asia-Pacific

    Latin America

    Africa