An Archaeological Study Tour
Thailand and Singapore
18 Days Feb 16 – March 5, 2011
Led by Prof. Richard Cooler
Northern Illinois University


Bustling Singapore has become not only the economic and banking capital of Southeast Asia but also its “museum capital,” where state-of-the-art museums display the varied arts unique to the region. From the explosive energy of cosmopolitan Bangkok to the simple serenity of its rice fields, Thailand offers an exotic blend of cultivated civility and natural beauty. For nearly two thousand years its countryside has seen rulers and cities rise and fall, and for the last thousand it has been the heartland of Theravada Buddhism. Much of this legacy remains in the art and architecture of temples and towns and the still-honored customs of earlier court-centered civilizations. Our tour will explore this past and base it in the religious cultural present. We will travel to three culturally distinct regions to visit prehistoric settlements, major Khmer ruins and the ancient royal capitals of Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai. Throughout our journey we will encounter the ethnic diversity that marks the region, ranging from Chinese merchants in the towns to hill-tribe villages in the mountains.

Wednesday, Thursday, February 16 & 17: SINGAPORE: Depart from our home cities on Wednesday, arriving into Singapore on Thursday. We will transfer to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, wonderfully situated in Marine Bay.

Friday, February 18: SINGAPORE: After an opening lecture, touring begins at the Museum of Asian Civilizations, which displays collections from Dong Son through the great religions to fabulous collections of textiles and gold jewelry. We will spend the morning in the galleries dedicated to Southeast Asian arts from the courts to hill-tribe villages, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and jewelry. After a break for lunch we return to the museum to visit the galleries of Indian and Chinese art. This evening we will meet for our opening dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Saturday, February 19: SINGAPORE: Today will be spent visiting Sentosa Island, reached by cable car. We begin with a fabulous walk through an open “aviary” in the Butterfly Museum. We will be surrounded by the hundreds of butterflies that hatch out daily in this museu/research facility. Then a short walk takes us to the Singapore History Museum, with vast panoramas of the major events of Singaporean history. Our last stop will be the bunkers of Fort Siloso, where the Singaporeans made a valiant attempt to repulse the Japanese. We return to Singapore via the new bridge. Touring continues in Chinatown as we explore Temple Street, visiting several historic buildings, including the Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple, and Thian Hock Keng Temple, started by Hokkien seamen in thanks for safe passage to Singapore. We will also stop for tea at a traditional Chinese teahouse and visit a Chinese medicine shop, where herbal remedies are prepared on the premises. This evening we will have our dinner in a lovely setting with views over the city.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sunday, February 20: SINGAPORE: Our last morning will be spent visiting the second part of the Museum of Asian Civilizations housed in a 19th century private girls school. This is the only museum in the world dedicated to the arts of the Peranakan or Baba people, overseas Chinese who intermarried with local Southeast Asians, creating a distinct culture. We will also see a wonderfully restored Peranakan House Museum. This afternoon we will transfer to the airport for our flight to Bangkok. Royal Orchid Sheraton.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Monday, February 21: BANGKOK: Touring will begin at the Suan Pakkad Palace, which houses the art collection of Prince and Princess Chumbhot of Nagara Svarga. The palace consists of five traditional teak houses, the most striking being the Lacquer Pavilion. Touring continues to Vimanmek Mansion, built entirely in teak without nails, and the Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Tuesday, February 22: BANGKOK: Our day begins with a walk through Bangkok’s thriving amulet market en route to the spectacular Grand Palace, built in 1782 as the residence for the king. Our last stop this morning will be Wat Phra Kaeo, Thailand’s holiest temple. The afternoon will be at leisure with time to visit the National Museum, Jim Thompson’s House or explore the River City antique emporium.
Meals: Breakfast & dinner

Wednesday, February 23: LOPBURI: Travel by bus to Bang Pa-In, formerly the summer residence of the kings of Ayutthaya. We then sail on a long-tail boat to Ayutthaya, capital of Siam from1350 to 1767. The remainder of the day will be devoted to visiting the fabulous Gold Collection in the National Museum and the remains of the temples and palaces of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will overnight in a picturesque mountain valley at the Lopburi Inn Resort. 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Thursday, February 24: KORAT: One of Thailand’s oldest cities, Lopburi’s historical importance is seen in its variety of Khmer and Ayuttayan art and architecture. We will visit its palaces and temples as well as its superb collection of Dvaravati, Khmer and Ayuttayan art in the Somdet Phra Narai National Museum. We then drive north to Korat, stopping en route to see the sacred and beautiful Wat Phra Buddha Badh with its magnificent Naga staircase and the giant Buddha at Wat Theppithak. The day ends at the Royal Princess Dusit Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Friday, February 25: KORAT: Touring today will be to the ancient Khmer-style ruins of Prasat Phnom Rung and Muang Tam. Apart from Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Khmer sites of this region are the best representatives of this period. Prasat Phnom Rung is a spectacular hilltop temple overlooking the Thai-Cambodia border. This sanctuary with its monumental stairway is situated on the ancient road between Angkor and Phimai. Touring continues at the smaller Muang Tam, which dates from the 10th to 11th centuries. Beautiful nagas, stylistically different from those at Phnom Rung, decorate the internal ponds.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Saturday, February 26: KHON KAEN: We will spend the morning at Phimai. Built between 986 and 1001 CE, Phimai is one of the oldest and best-preserved temples of this area. We then continue to Khon Kaen, where we will visit the National Museum, which houses a good collection of Ban Chiang artifacts and beautiful Dvaravati boundary stones. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Ban Chiang area may have been one of the earliest centers for bronze production.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sunday, February 27: SUKHOTHAI: Our drive to Sukhothai takes us through Phitsanulok, where we will visit Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat, which houses the Phra Buddha Chinnarat, one of the most revered images in the country. It is said to have wept tears of blood when the city was captured by the Ayutthayan army. This serene figure is an outstanding example of late Sukhothai art. Legendha Sukhothai Resort Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Monday, February 28: SUKHOTHAI: Ancient Sukhothai consists of over 40 temple complexes spread out over 28 square miles, with the walled Royal City at its center. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is slowly being rescued and restored, giving us a wonderful view of Thai art and city planning at its peak. We will visit the most important monuments as well as the museum to see the wonderful bronze walking Buddha and one of the best collections of Sawankhalok ceramics one can see anywhere. This evening we will attend a performance of Sukhothai dance. This dance resembles those found on stone relief in the region. The middle dancer wears a Khmer-style crown, and the black velvet collars are stylized necklaces, which may have originally been made of silver.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Tuesday, March 1: LAMPANG: Our destination today is Lampang with an intermediate stop at the evocative ruins of 13th-century Si Satchanalai, a perfect example of Thai city planning. This important satellite city was laid out along fixed cosmological lines with temples as its center, surrounded by city walls, rivers and forest. A center for teak production since the 19th century, Lampang retains its charming teak houses and brightly painted horse-drawn carriages. The afternoon will be spent exploring the town, including Ban Sao Nak, a wonderful teak house built with 116 teak pillars that is now a museum furnished with Thai and Burmese antiques. Lampang River Lodge. 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Wednesday, March 2: CHIANG MAI: After visiting the Elephant Conservation Center, where elephants between the ages of three and five are trained to work in the logging industry until retirement at 60, we continue to the luxurious Tamarind Village Hotel in Chiang Mai. This afternoon we will visit the shrine and gardens at the summit of Doi Suthep mountain.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Thursday, March 3: CHIANG MAI: This day will be spent visiting the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens and then we will travel by 4x4 to the Mae Rim area to visit Baan Mae Khi, a traditional Hmong village, and Ban Nong Hoi, where a Royal Project has been initiated to teach the hill tribes new cultivation techniques. Our farewell dinner at our hotel will be accompanied by a performance of Kam Koke dances.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Friday, March 4: CHIANG MAI: We have planned a very special morning that will involve leaving early for Wat Srisoda where monks gather daily for the traditional Buddhist food offering followed by their morning prayers. We then transfer to the Chiang Mai Gate to visit the morning market. After visiting the Chaing Mai Museum, the afternoon is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast

Saturday, March 5: Transfer to the airport for our flights home.