Amy learns from the pro how to wrap and fold chicken in a pandan leaf at the Four Seasons cooking school in Chiang Mai. (Pam Davies/QMI Agency)

THAILAND - For the ultimate foodie experience, the combination of exotic market stroll, informative cooking demonstration and food preparation on the deck of a relaxing cruise boat is heavenly.

The smells and bustle of Bangkok's morning markets sharpen and excite the senses. Our chef from Marriott Manohra Cruises escorted the group, informing and answering questions. It was a unique introduction to a cooking class that started even before we boarded the beautifully restored former rice teak barge that would become our open air kitchen.

After the welcome formalities -- a chilled lemongrass tea and a cool cleansing wet cloth -- we were ready to cook as the vessel started its glide along Bangkok's revered river of kings, the Chao Phraya river.

Stirring, chopping and passing countless temples and landmarks, I took a moment to take in the revered Temple of the Dawn, then ... chop, chop, chop. By the end of the cruise, we had created five marvellous dishes -- one per student.

From Bangkok to eternity

We leave the hubbub of downtown Bangkok. The tuktuks' staccato fades as we board a river-taxi headed for Amita Cookery School in the old part of the city. The silent ride along the Bangkok Yai Canal -- interrupted by the occasional long-tailed speed boat -- brings us to the hidden waterside utopia.

We are welcomed by Tam (Piyawadi Jantrupon) with the ubiquitous Thai gesture -- praying hands and slightly bowed head.

Tam's ancestral home (Amita means eternity) is enhanced by an idyllic outdoor sheltered cooking setup for 10-20 students. It's very intimate and you feel like you're receiving special treatment, sharing family recipes handed down from Tam's grandmother and mother. It feels like home.

With a cool lemongrass drink, we sample a tasty appetizer -- a pretty assortment of edible flowers (cowslip creeper, ixora flower, butterfly pea, beetle leaves, sesbania bean), all deep fried in a light batter. The versatile purple butterfly pea flower also serves as a tea, and when squeezed and pressed, Thai women use it to colour their eyebrows we learn.

A delicious effort in Gai hor bai toey (deep fried marinated chicken wrapped in a pandan leaf} at the Four Seasons cooking school in Chiang Mai. (Pam Davies/QMI Agency)

The highlight is when Tam serenely walks us through her delightful, organic herb and spice garden introducing us to a world of fascinating and exotic ingredients. Some will be used in the four-hour morning course of demonstration cooking and hands-on preparation.

Another day in paradise

A cooking class at the Four Seasons in Chiang Mai proved to be another day in paradise.

Guided by Chef-instructor Srichan Pitak, we watched demonstrations and prepared four dishes in a palatial open-air pagoda surrounded by a tropical slice of exotic Thailand.

All the while, Pitak offered tips. The chef explained that the mortar and pestle are staples for preparing Thai cuisine (he prefers wooden ones). And a handy trick when grinding hot chili peppers is to place a piece of paper towel across the mortar with the pestle poked through. That prevents juice from the chilies from splashing into the eyes, which can sting. Pitak said he also prefers a cutting board made from tamarind because wood helps to cut bacteria.

To market, to market -- for beautiful displays and extreme cuisine

Thailand's markets provide a fascinating glimpse of local life.

During an intriguing tour of Bangkok's Chinatown Night Market, there was a photograph I didn't take.

At a Chinese food shop, camera poised, I suddenly stopped. Sensing a hovering shopkeeper, I read the "DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH" sign, and didn't want to risk his wrath.

The item on offer -- for 32,000 baht (about $1,000) -- was a "bird's nest," a delicacy that consists of bird spit. Only a few species of swifts build these saliva nests, which can be dangerous to harvest. The nests are believed to have powerful medicinal properties and are the main ingredient in Bird's Nest Soup.

About 60 km from Bangkok, Dom Wai Market is a spectacular scene and a mainstay of local life and entertainment. While there I watched as a young man skilfully and quickly created multicoloured, 7.5-cm candy birds and animals like a magician conjuring magic.

The place was packed, but never once was I bumped. The gracious Thais remarkably manage these crowded markets, perhaps an influence of their faith, Theravada Buddhism.

At a Chiang Mai market in the north, we were overwhelmed by endless novelties -- bizarre spices, flat 30-cm-round packages of daisy-like flowers for tea, containers of worms, exotic and unknown produce. Then I spotted something recognizable. It looked like saffron, which is like gold at home, but cost next to nothing there.

En route from an elephant camp, we ate at a restaurant hideaway fit for Shangri-La called Pongyang Angdoi. Beside a postcard-pretty waterfall we ate pineapple-seafood curry, banana-flower salad, and more marvellous delights, all ridiculously cheap. There is also accommodation overlooking the lush, soporific setting.

It seems all your senses are tantalized in Thailand from market life to relaxing body massage to having your feet nibbled at a "fish spa."

If you go to Thailand

COOKING SCHOOLS

-- Marriott Manohra Luxury Cruises also provides dining cruises and overnight accommodation. See bangkok.com/thai-cooking-class/marriott.htm.

-- Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. You don't need to be a guest to take the class. See fourseasons.com/chiangmai/cooking_school.

-- Amita Thai Cooking Class. See amitathaicooking.com.

GETTING THERE

Cathay Pacific Airways has flights to Thailand with one stopover in Hong Kong. See cathaypacific.com/ca for details on discounted fares and the airline's new contest -- Travel the World in 80 Days with Cathay Pacific.

MORE INFORMATION

-- For information on all aspects of travel to Thailand, contact Tourism Thailand at tourismthailand.org.

-- For information on accommodations, contact Grande Centre Point Hotel at bangkok.com/grande-centre-point-ratchadamri; Le Bua, lebua.com/en/lebua-at-state-tower; and Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai.