Real Thailand
17 days
from Maenam Chao Phraya to Ao Nang
From
$ 1352
Duration17 days
From the hills to the beaches, experience authentic Thailand on this 17-day trip. Leave behind the hordes of backpackers in crowded Bangkok and head into parts of Thailand that lots of travellers never see. By the time they’re up and ready to shake off last night’s hangover, you’ll be on your way to Sukhothai, a tiny city also known as the Dawn of Happiness. From there, it just keeps getting better. Sure, you’ll see the vaunted beaches of Koh Samui and the Golden Triangle, but you’ll also meet gorgeous elephants in Chiang Mai and sip tea with locals who live in the hills of Doi Mae Salong. Now THIS is Thailand.
This tour is operated by
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Duration: 17 daysService level: Basic
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Starts in: Maenam Chao PhrayaPhysical Grading: Light
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Ends in: Ao NangAges: 18+
Tour Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1: Bangkok
Start place: Maenam Chao Phraya
Welcome to Bangkok, Thailand. Once you’ve hit Khao San Road, you’re officially on holiday. There’s a welcome meeting at around 6 pm tonight. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. If you're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). If you arrive early perhaps take a riverboat to Chinatown and explore the crowded streets, or head to the magnificent Grand Palace. Our pick for cocktails is Bed Supper Club or Vertigo. Ask your guide for directions or grab your new travel mates and attempt to navigate the Skytrain.
Day 2: Sukhothai
Take a six-hour local bus to Sukhothai, AKA the ‘dawn of happiness’. That sounds like a pretty swell place to spend a day, right? Pick yourself up a pushy, and head out on a guided cycle tour of Sukhothai’s Historical Park and World Heritage-listed ancient city. Roll your bike around the temples and other archaeological relics within the area. Apparently riding a bike helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus – the bit of your brain responsible for memory. This is great, 'cause now you won’t forget all the gorgeous temples you cycle past today.
Meals: B
Day 3: Chiang Mai
Rise and shine for a five-hour private minivan drive to hillside Chiang Mai. Stop in at the Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital in Lampang to meet some big-footed friends being nursed back to good health. Arrive in Chiang Mai in the late afternoon. With over 120 temples in the city centre alone, you can easily while away a few hours doing a temple run. On the other hand, if you’re all templed out, perhaps indulge in a thai massage or hit up the Night Bazaar and get haggling.
Day 4: Chiang Mai
Today you're free as a bird, maybe get flying on the Flight of the Gibbon and negotiate the zipline and canopy course within the treetops. Or take an optional excursion to the temple at the top of Doi Suthep, which offers fantastic views over the city. Perhaps spoil yourself with a traditional Thai massage or try your hand at a local cooking class. It's totally up to you.
Day 5: Doi Mae Salong
Doi Mae Salong is a seriously good-looking tea plantation way up in the hills of the Golden Triangle. Not only are the views incredible, you’ll also get to meet some seriously lovely hill-tribe villagers as you wander. Today travel by public bus and minivan to Doi Mae Salong via Mae Chan (approximately five hours in total). It's the perfect place to relax and kick back for the day. Make sure you enjoy a cup of tea in a traditional Chinese teahouse overlooking the mountains. Check out the interesting market, which is full of produce and crafts made by hill tribe people. For something a little more adventurous, why not climb up the 719 steps to see the town’s Buddhist temple.
Day 6: Chiang Rai
While the Golden Triangle may have gained a little unwanted notoriety in the 1920s for its opium trade, today it remains a lush, mountainous, traditional intersection of Northern Thailand, Laos and Burma. In the morning take a three-hour ride in a minivan to this famous border. Pay a visit to the House of Opium Museum for a deeper insight into this area's problematic past. Continue your travels for around two hours to Chiang Rai, where you’ll stay the night. Perhaps head to Chiang Rai's night market, which is a great place to pick up some hill tribe handicrafts.
Day 7: Chiang Mai/Overnight sleeper train
Like your temples creepy and kooky and quirky and weird? Good thing we’re stopping in at the White Temple this morning. Although it can be crowded with tourists, this temple is a modern wonder. In the afternoon, take a three-and-a-half-hour public bus back to Chiang Mai and board an overnight train for Bangkok (approximately 13 hours). Soft sleeper class trains are used for the overnight journey. The compartments are multi-share with air-conditioning and bunk beds that come with sheets and a pillow. Baggage travels in the carriage with you, and there's a food and drink service available on-board.
Meals: B
Day 8: Bangkok
Your train is scheduled to arrive into Bangkok in the early morning on Day 8 of the trip. The rest of the day is free to explore. As this is a combination trip, your group leader and the composition of your group may change at this location. There will be a group meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary. You're welcome to attend, as this is a great chance to meet your new fellow travellers.
Day 9: Bangkok / overnight train
Today explore some of Bangkok's most famous sights, including the Grand Palace and the adjoining Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew). Please see important information in the 'Packing' section of the trip notes regarding strict dress code for the Grand Palace visit. There's nothing worse than being turned away from an attraction while all your buddies get to go ahead! Make an optional visit to the temple complex of Wat Pho, which houses the famous 46-metre-long statue of the Reclining Buddha. Enjoy a free afternoon to discover more of the city in your own time. This evening, head south to Surat Thani on a 13-hour overnight train.
Meals: B
Day 10: Ko Samui
Arrive into Surat Thani this morning, continuing by public bus and ferry to Koh Samui (approximately four hours). The island of Koh Samui has been a tourist hotspot for decades, and with good reason. Swim, snorkel or relax in the waterfalls at Na Muang. Take a trip with the group around the island, visiting the 15-metre-tall Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai). In the evening, perhaps feast on a delicious curry with the group and then join in the carnival that is Koh Samui's famous nightlife.
Day 11: Ko Samui
Spend a free day today swimming, lazing in the sun or exploring Koh Samui. You may like to take an optional day tour to Ang Thong Marine National Park by either slow boat or speedboat. The park is an archipelago of over 40 islands in the Gulf of Thailand, featuring pristine beaches, jungle, mangroves and limestone mountains rising out of the sea. Take a swim at popular Koh Mae island and check out the saltwater lagoon of Thale Nai (Emerald Lake). For a quieter experience and some great snorkelling opportunities, head to the nearby islands of Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan.If you prefer to stay on land perhaps check out the Samui Elephant Sanctuary and observe these gentle giants as they roam, socialise, bathe and enjoy a peaceful life that they so deserve.
Meals: B
Day 12: Khao Sok National Park
Today travel to Khao Sok National Park by songtaew, ferry and mini van. The journey will take a total of about five hours. The park is the wettest spot in Thailand with some of the oldest jungle in the world. See loads of amazing limestone rock faces and, if you're lucky, monkeys playing here and there. Stroll along trails past waterfalls and spend the night in a guesthouse in the jungle.
Meals: B
Day 13: Khao Sok National Park
Lucky you with all this time in the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world. Your awesome jungle guesthouse sits right outside the entrance to the park, so it's pretty easy to take a hike along any of the numerous dirt trails that snake their way through the park. This place is paradise, especially if you love nature – if you're super lucky there might be a glimpse of elephants, exotic Hornbills, water-loving Langur Monkeys and even the occasional tiger deep inside the park. Head for river and waterfalls and give yourself a cooling dip.
Day 14: Ao Nang Beach
Depart by public bus from Khao Sok to the beach town of Ao Nang (approximately three hours). On arrival, settle into your hotel and hit the local beach. Swim or snorkel in the clear water, relax on the sand with a book and sip a cocktail as the sun goes down. You have plenty of free time to do as you please.
Day 15: Ao Nang Beach
This morning head out on a half-day sea kayaking trip to Ao Thalane. Transfer from your hotel in Ao Nang to Thalane Bay in a van, passing through rural villages on the way. Paddle through mangrove forests, coves and narrow karst-walled canyons, keeping an eye out for kingfishers, herons and crab-eating macaque monkeys. Be careful with your belongings, as the cheeky monkeys can steal them. After some time on the water, return to the pier and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with a great view over the area. After lunch, transfer back to your hotel in Ao Nang. Enjoy free time for the rest of the afternoon.
Meals: L
Day 16: Ao Nang Beach
Enjoy a free day to relax on the beach or participate in a variety of optional activities. Perhaps unwind with a massage or cook up something delicious in a Thai cooking class. Take a tour out to some of Krabi's naturally-formed crystal pools and hot springs, swimming in the clear waters of the Emerald Lagoon while fish nibble at your toes. You might like to take a trip out to the quiet, pristine island of Koh Hong, where you can snorkel in the shallow reefs and kayak past cliffs to a hidden salt-water lagoon.
Day 17: Ao Nang Beach
Today your Thai adventure comes to an end. There are no activities planned and you are free to depart at any time.
End place: Ao Nang
Inclusions
Included
- Sukhothai - Historical Park bike tour
- Lampang - Friends of the Asian Elephant
- Chiang Rai - Wat Rong Kun (White Temple)
- Bangkok - Grand Palace
- Ko Samui - half day guided tour
- Ao Nang - Sea kayaking
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Transport
Public bus, Bicycle, Private vehicle, Taxi, Overnight sleeper train, Songthaew, Tuk-tuk, Boat, Ferry -
Accommodation
Guesthouse (8 nights), Hotel (4 nights), Overnight sleeper train (2 nights), Resort (2 nights)