Ancient Jungle and Tropical Beaches

1-Join tour Bangkok. Optional boat trips along the canals
Arrive Bangkok and check-in at the hotel. The rest of the day is free. You may choose to take an optional cruise along the city’s Klongs (canals) in a traditional longtail boat. This is the ideal way to explore Bangkok’s network of meandering waterways that branch off from the main channel of the Chao Phraya River. The excursion will also include visits to the Royal Barge Museum and the iconic Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, which was built to represent the towering slopes of Mount Meru, the home to the gods of Khmer mythology.
Overnight: Comfortable Hotel

2-Visit Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha and Wat Po. PM free
Travelling by tuk tuk this morning we head for the magnificent splendour of the Grand Palace, where we enjoy a tour of the site in the company of a local guide. Dating from the latter years of the 18th century, this huge edifice represents the emergence of the Thai nation once more, from under the yolk of Burmese oppression. It is opulence on the grandest scale and is almost certainly the most impressive site in the city, with its unrivalled collection of palaces, golden stupas, wats (temples) and ornately decorative statues. The most impressive of the wats within the palace grounds is Wat Phra Kaeo (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha), where we find the small jade statue of Buddha, believed to have been created in Sri Lanka and reputedly discovered when a lightening storm split open an ancient chedi in the northern town of Chiang Rai during the early years of the 15th century. Reputed to contain fabulous powers it is still worshipped by Thais, from the king down, to this day. After our visit we continue by foot to the rambling complex of Wat Po, older even than the city itself and home to the fabulous reclining Buddha, a 46 metre golden plated statue depicting Lord Buddha as he enters Nirvana. From here we return to the hotel by tuk tuk, after which the rest of the day is free to relax, or explore further at your leisure.
Overnight: Comfortable Hotel

3-Free day, overnight train to Surat Thani
With a free day in the capital before we catch our overnight train to Surat Thani you may like to make the most of the many sights that dot the landscape of this enigmatic city. Bangkok abounds with museums and palaces, temples and markets, but one of its more unusual attractions is the house of the American adventurer and entrepreneur Jim Thompson, who mysteriously disappeared into the jungles of Malaysia in the late 1960s. Eccentric to a fault and almost single-handedly responsible for saving the Thai silk weaving industry, he went on to fill his graceful residence with all manner of traditional artefacts, arts and crafts, to present a fascinating insight into a man and a culture that is sadly lost to today’s more modern world. You may also like to visit the aquarium at Siam Paragon, or perhaps just wander Bangkok’s myriad of shops and markets in search of a bargain or two. Late this afternoon we will transfer to the train station to begin our overnight journey south, towards the coastal town of Surat Thani, our gateway to the spectacular jungles and islands of the Gulf of Thailand.
Overnight: Basic Overnight Train

4-Arrive Surat Thani, drive to Khao Sok N.P. PM elephant riding.
Arriving early this morning there should be time for you to purchase breakfast at one of the small cafes near the station, before we transfer to our jungle lodge in Khao Sok National Park. Covering an area of some 65,000sq km the park is one of the oldest and most bio-diverse jungles in Southeast Asia, boasting a lush rainforest that is older than those of either the Amazon or Central Africa. Set against a spectacular backdrop of towering limestone mountains, the park is home to a rich diversity of wildlife including elephant, tiger and Malaysian sun bear and, with some 180 species of birds in residence, it is a delight for both keen birdwatchers and novices alike. This afternoon we will enjoy an elephant ride following one of the trails that snake through this natural wonderland, where the sounds of gibbon calls mingle with the gentle cascades of tumbling waterfalls. Keep your eyes peeled for mischievous monkeys playing in the canopy above and watch out for colourful hornbills and kingfishers as they dart amongst the trees. The park is also a haven for a wide variety of exotic plants, including bamboo, fig, palms and the carnivorous pitcher plant, which gruesomely consumes its prey in its specially adapted ‘bag’. Then we return to our lodge for a night amidst the sounds of the jungle, an altogether unforgettable experience, especially when it is punctuated with the sight of monkeys descending from the surrounding canopy to drink at the waters edge.
Overnight: Standard Lodge

5-Included guided jungle walk
Our second day in the jungle sees us enjoying a guided walk through the dense jungle. The rest of the day is then free to indulge, explore or relax as you see fit. Our lodge is set close to the river, so a swim amidst this idyllic and unique area is a welcome possibility.
Overnight: Standard Lodge

6-Ferry to Koh Phangan, transfer to Salad Beach. Free PM
Transferring back to Surat Thani this morning we board a ferry for the short crossing to Koh Phanghan Island, nestling like a jewel amongst the warm turquoise waters of the Gulf. On arrival we will be met by songthaews (a distinctive Thai version of the minibus), to Salad Beach on the northwestern side of the island. This afternoon is free to acquaint yourselves with this quiet and beautiful bay. Salad Beach is a perfect spot to base ourselves for the next few days, a ‘protected’ bay with no loud music permitted and reputedly one of the best swimming beaches on the island. White beaches, warm seas and an abundance of marine life, it is an ideal location for a tropical family adventure.
Overnight: Standard Hotel

7-On Koh Phangan
We have two full days here to enjoy this tropical paradise and our first day includes a boat trip around the island, stopping at many of the secluded bays and waterfalls, many of which are only possible to reach by boat. The waterfalls on the island were considered so beautiful that they attracted the attentions of the Thai kings of old and a number of them can be found with the carved insignia of these regal visitors etched into boulders and rocks.
Overnight: Standard Hotel

8-On Koh Phangan
On our second day here, you can spend your time exploring the area with mask and snorkel. The clear waters of this region, combined with the coral reefs that ring the island make for fabulous snorkelling, with all manner of colourful reef fish, rays, turtles and small reef sharks making these rich waters their home. Your Tour Leader can also arrange taxis to visit Fishermans’ villages, waterfalls, markets and Had Rin beach, home to the famous full moon beach parties.
Overnight: Standard Hotel

9-Ferry to Koh Samui
Our final tropical destination is the island of Koh Samui, the largest and most developed of the islands in the Sumai Archipelago, a distinctive mix of quiet palm fringed beaches, backpacker resorts and coconut plantations. Transferring again by fast ferry we arrive at our beachside destination later this morning. The rest of the day is again free for you to relax and explore at your leisure, perhaps taking to the waters with mask and snorkel again, or simply wandering the palm fringed beaches and trails around the island. Koh Samui is slightly different from many of the other islands in southern Thailand, owing in some part to the influence of the Hainan islanders who first settled the island some 150 years ago. The Chinese influence is still visible in some of the building in Na Thon and some descendants of the original settlers still live in the area.
Overnight: Standard Hotel

10-Visit Ang Thong National Marine Park by boat
Today we have the opportunity to visit the beautiful chain of islands that make up the Ang Thong National Marine Park, once renowned as a haven for pirates, but now a stunning archipelago of pristine beaches, remote bays and virginal rainforest. These limestone islands are home to sea otters and monitor lizards, dolphins and wild pigs, and offer the perfect setting for some aquatic exploration. There is plenty of time to stop off visit this beautiful national park.
Overnight: Standard Hotel

11-Free day. Optional cookery course
A final free day affords the opportunity for some more snorkelling or beachcombing trips around the island. For those with a more culinary bent there is the opportunity to partake in an optional Thai cookery course, where an expert cook will teach even the most inexperienced amongst you the fundamentals of Thai cookery so that this fabulous cuisine can be recreated on your return home. There are five basic flavours to Thai cuisine – sweet, sour, salty, creamy and spicy and these courses will show you the best way to combine the rich tastes with the freshest ingredients to conjure up a feast that will carry you back to these idyllic shores – until you have to do the washing up anyway!
Overnight: Standard Hotel

12-Free morning, then afternoon flight back to Bangkok
After a free morning we drive to Samui’s airport to catch a flight back to Bangkok. Leaving the islands of the south behind we head back to the capital later this afternoon and on arrival transfer to our hotel. This evening you have the opportunity once more to experience a vibrant city that is for many the very essence of the modern face of South East Asia.
Overnight: Comfortable Hotel

13-Tour ends Bangkok
Tour ends after breakfast. If you have time you may wish to wander through Chinatown for a different flavour of the city.

Tour includes:

11 Breakfast
2 Lunch
Minimum Age:
From 5 years
Transport:
Bus, Train, Boat, Flight
Accommodation:
3 nights Comfortable Hotel
1 night Basic Overnight Train
2 nights Standard Lodge
6 nights Standard Hotel
Tour Staff:
Driver(s), Explore Tour Leader, Local Guide(s), Boat Crew
Group Size:
Generally 14 – 20

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Our Opinion
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