Itinerary

Day 1

Bangkok Upon your arrival into Bangkok, you'll be collected from the airport and taken to your hotel in a quiet street, tucked away from other tourists. You'll stay amongst the locals in a charming spot with a plush garden and shady outside seating. You can take a riverboat express to the most important sightseeing locations. The pier, down on the River Chao Praya, is a scenic 10min walk from the hotel. On the way, you'll pass the local flowermarket, thick with heady fragrances and bursting with vivid colours

Day 2

BangkokToday you can explore Bangkok at your own pace. We can recommend a visit to the Buddhist temple of Wat Phra Kaew and the awe-inspiring Royal Palace. These are both easily accessible by boat, and popular attractions for every Bangkok visitor. Remember to dress modestly- your knees and shoulders must be covered in the temples. After this, you can head for hectic Chinatown via the Golden Reclining Buddha at Wat Po. This is the perfect moment to grab a tasty bowl of noodles and watch the world go by.

Day 3

Bangkok - Phuket This morning you'll make your way to the airport for an internal flight to the beaches of Phuket, your gateway to southern Thailand. When you arrive in Phuket, you'll be collected from the airport and taken to a comfortable resort with a swimming pool on the shores of Kata Beach. The airport transfer will take roughly 45 mins. For the rest of the day you can go as you please. Relax on the beach or by pool that has a wonderful view of the bay.

Day 4

Phuket - Ko Raya After breakfast you'll be collected from your hotel and taken to the pier. You'll then travel by speedboat to the picturesque shores of Ko Raya. The crossing takes about 45 minutes. After this you have the rest of the day to settle into your charming wooden beach bungalow with air conditioning and a fantastic seaview.

Ko Raya is a snorkelling and diving paradise, considered one the best places in Thailand for underwater exploration. You don't have to stray far from the beach to find countless tropical fish, starfish, sea cucumbers and even turtles.

Day 5

Ko Raya Your hotel has its own diving school, run by very competent and friendly Finnish staff. For those who don't dive there is snorkel gear for hire, enabling you to discover the underwater world without taking a deeper plunge. The visibility in the waters around Ko Raya can stretch up to an amazing 25m. The water temperature is about 27°C, so wetsuits are unnecessary. If would like to learn how to dive and obtain your PADI Open Water certificate, you can extend your stay on the island.

Day 6

Ko Raya There are another two beautiful beaches on Ko Raya with soft powdery sand and swaying palm trees. If you feel like exploring, you can reach these beaches on foot, passing through the inland coconut groves to the other side of the island.

Day 7

Ko Raya - Phuket When you wake up in the morning make the most of your last few hours on Ko Raya. Take one last snorkel through the dazzling coral gardens and enjoy a final lunch and fruit cocktail at the beach bar. In the afternoon, you'll return to Phuket by speedboat. A transfer will meet you at the ferry port to take you back to your hotel. Kata Beach is a great place, packed with good shops and a variety of restaurants. Enjoy the cosmopolitan high life while you can as tomorrow you'll wave goodbye to the civilised world.

Day 8

Phuket - Ko Yao Yai Today you'll be collected from your hotel in Phuket and taken to the pier for the trip to Ko Yao Yai. An hour and a half later you'll arrive at Ko Yao Yai. This idyllic island is nestled in Phang Nga Bay, with fantastic views of neighbouring islands. Throughout the journey you'll pass the sheer limestone rockfaces for which the bay is famous, and watch seabirds soaring lazily in the cloudless sky.

You'll be met at the pier on Yao Yai by your friendly hosts. From here it's a 30min drive to the beach where you'll stay for the next two nights. Take enough cash and a credit card with you, as there's no ATM. You will eat in the fantastic open-air restaurant, and there's bound to be fresh fish on the menu.

Day 9

Ko Yao Yai Today you are free to relax on the stunning beaches of Ko Yao Yai. Around 9.00am you will set off in a longtail boat for Ko Hong, an island with two shimmering white beaches and a breathtakingly beautiful lagoon. The lagoon was formed by the collapse of a huge cave in the middle of the island. It is surrounded by sheer limestone walls dotted with caves, and inhabited by creatures like bats and swallows. If you like, take a dip into the deep turquoise water.

In the afternoon you'll visit another beautiful beach. Here, the water is so clear that you can see every marking on the tropical fish from the boat. You can snorkel amongst the coral and shoals of rainbow fish. You'll arrive back in Ko Yao Yai at around 3pm, giving you a few hours to soak up the sun before it begins to set.

Day 10

Ko Yao Yai - Krabi - Ko Lanta Today you'll have an early start. You'll get up at 6am, grab a quick breakfast, and taken to the pier. The local boat sets out towards Krabi at about 7:30am. When you reach Krabi you'll be met at the pier and taken to another jetty a little further south. From here, you'll travel to the island of Ko Lanta, only half an hour away.
On Ko Lanta you'll stay in a comfortable resort on a secluded part of the island in a sheltered inlet. This is the perfect setting for a island retreat. Wile away the hours sunbathing, snoozing, reading, and sipping tropical juices.

Day 11

Ko Lanta On the eastern side of Ko Lanta there are several mangrove forests, small limestone formations rising from the water, and sea caves that open into beautiful lagoons. This is a perfect location for kayaking and canoeing. It is also possible to take a Thai cookery course on Ko Lanta, so you can whip up some tasty Thai dishes when you get home. Alternatively, you can take a Thai massage course. Much of the island is overgrown with tropical rainfirest and its also possible to trek through this wild landscape on an elephant. You'll also find small bars, clothing shops, internet cafes, massage salons and restaurants on Ko Lanta. There are plenty of options, and all of your time is your own. You can choose to do exactly as you please.

Day 12

Ko Lanta - Ko Hai After breakfast you'll board a boat at 8.30am bound for the next island on the agenda - Ko Hai. This journey will take around 2 hours, a perfect opportunity to enjoy feeling the sun on your face and the seabreeze running through your hair. Ko Hai is further south of Ko Lanta, in the spellbinding Trang Archipelago. Tourists very rarely reach Ko Hai, giving it a very serene and local atmosphere. You'll stay in luxurious bungalows directly on a long golden stretch of beach. These bungalows, constructed in Thai style, each have their own patio, where you can stretch out in the sun and enjoy the peace. Only a few short swimming strokes from shore, you'll find yourself in an underwater wonderland of vivid coral gardens alive with tropical fish.

Day 13

Ko Hai The next couple of days are dedicated to pure relaxation and total self-indulgence. In your desert island paradise you can do as much, or as little, as you wish.

Between snacks and sunbathing, you can grab a snorkel and discover the amazing underwater world.

Day 14

Ko Hai As the islands of the Trang archipelago are far from the tourist trail, the coral here is totally unspoilt. If you've never snorkelled before, you'll be amazed at the beauty that lies just beneath the surface of the azure waters. The water temperature is around 27°C. Remember to wear plenty of sunscreen, especially when you are snorkelling.

Day 15

Ko Hai - Bangkok Today you'll head to the pier for the return crossing to Trang on the mainland. From here you can hop in a taxi to nearby Trang airport for your flight back to Bangkok. You'll then check in for your international flight home to the UK.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Breakfast and some other meals

Exclusions -

International flights to Vietnam

Extras -

This is not a group tour and can be tailor made to create your perfect trip. We can play around with your itinerary until we get it just right.