Itinerary

Day 1

Bangkok When you arrive in Thailand you'll be collected from the airport and taken to your charming hotel in central Bangkok, around 10min walk (or 5 minutes by tuk-tuk) from Khao San Road. After you have settlesd in at your hotel, you can explore your fascinating neighbourhood. Those craving an instant culture fix can head straight to the Royal Palace, the number 1 place of interest for Bangkok visitors. The palace is only 10mins by taxi or tuk-tuk and the doors are open until 3:30pm.

Day 2

Bangkok You'll spend the second day of your holiday getting to know Bangkok - the City of Angels. The most important places of interest are easily reached by boat along the Chao Praya River. There is so much to see in Bangkok that it can difficult to know where to start. Here are a few top tips to set you on your way...

You could begin your sight-seeing tour at the Buddhist temple of Wat Arun on the Chao Praya River and then visit the narrow streets of Chinatown. Buy a 15 Baht pot of noodles from a street vendor and watch the world go by. Go shopping for silk, jewellery and clothing in the many shops and markets. If you're still a little stiff from the flight, you can drop in at the School of Massage, near Wat Po (the lying Buddha).

Day 3

Bangkok - Surat Thani Today begins with some more free time in Bangkok. After a tasty breakfast, you could take the boat to Tha Ratchawong and walk into the heart of Chinatown, getting a little lost among the temples, alleyways, and houses with curly roofs. The shopping possibilities here extend from fish stalls to supermarkets. If retail is not your idea of therapy, you can watch the world go by from peaceful Lumpini Park or lounge around the pool with a book. In early evening you'll follow the instructions given by our local agent and take a taxi to Hualamphong railway station. Here, you'll board your comfortable overnight train for Surat Thani in southern Thailand. We'll reserve a seat for you which can be folded out into a bed. In the evening, you can enjoy a bite to eat in the restaurant car before the motion of the train lulls you to sleep. You'll be woken an hour or so before the train arrives in Surat Thani.

Day 4

Surat Thani - Khao Sok National Park When you arrive in Surat Thani you'll be met at the railway station and driven to the Racha Praba Lake. You'll need only an overnight pack for your floating cabin stay, and any extra luggage that you don't need will be taken to the lodge where you'll stay tomorrow night. Your Khao Sok trip includes all meals and you'll have an English-speaking guide to lead you through the park. From the lakeside, a longtail boat will take you past spectacular rock formations that thrust up from the lake and an hour later, you'll arrive at your floating bamboo cabins in a comlpetely isolated and idyllic location. Sleeping mats, sheets, blankets, and towels will be provided. After lunch, you'll take a walk through the thick jungle, alongside bamboo shoots and giant trees. Then, you can sit back and enjoy the sunset from the jetty by your floating bungalow. A tasty dinner will be waiting for you.

Day 5

Khao Sok - Jungle Huts This morning you'll wake up to the exotic sounds of the Khao Sok jungle. Each bungalow has its own canoe, and after breakfast you'll paddle along the forest shores in search of monkeys and other exotic animals. Lunch will be served after your canoe trip. After lunch, you'll either take a walk further into the rainforest or head for a hidden lagoon. From the dense greenery you'll hear the calls of monkeys and toucans. Later in the afternoon you'll be taken deeper into the Khao Sok National Park by longtail boat, travelling along for about an hour. You'll be met on the shore and taken even further into the tropical wilderness where you'll soon come across the jungle bungalows. Later you'll have dinner by the river.

Day 6

Khao Sok After breakfast you'll set off with your guide on a jungle walk. You'll explore the tropical rainforest, while your guide tells you all about the surrounding vegetation and wildlife. On the way, you'll enjoy a hearty lunch (included), served in a beautiful spot next to a river and a waterfall. In the early evening you'll return to your hut, weary but happy. On your peaceful veranda, you can mull over the day against a background of jungle murmurs. Find a good place to watch the sunset and make sure you have your camera to hand.

Day 7

Khao Sok - Phuket The next morning you'll leave this spellbinding jungle and return to civilisation. Our local agent will help you to arrange the easy transfer from Khao Sok to Phuket. In Phuket you'll stay in a comfortable hotel on the lively Kata Beach. You can spend the rest of the day stretched out on the beach or by the hotel pool. In the evening, you can walk through the popular shopping streets, where you'll find a vast selection of good restaurants, bars, beauty parlours and souvenirs shops.

Day 8

Phuket - Ko Yao Yai Today you'll be whisked of to the wonderful Phang Nga Bay for three full days. In this enchanting protected area, more than 100 limestone rock formations rise dramatically from the turquoise sea. You'll be taken to Phuket pier, and hop into a local boat to the island of Yao Yai. On the way, you'll pass strange shaped rocks and caves with huge overhanging stalactites. You'll be met on Yao Yai Island by our local agent and within 40mins you'll find yourself on a deserted ivory beach. You'll be staying in a wooden bungalow with a fan and private bathroom. The bungalows stand romantically on their own private beach. In the evening, you can enjoy a meal of freshly caught fish on the sandy beach while watching the sun set between the palm trees.

Day 9

Ko Yao Yai After breakfast, you'll hop on a boat across Phang Nga Bay to the nearby uninhabited islands and beaches with your English-speaking guide. You'll stop at Ko Hong, an abandoned island with idyllic white beaches and a breathtaking lagoon.
There's also time to take a swim in the deep turquoise waters of the lagoon. The coral here is in pristine condition and snorkelling gear comes free with the boat. Around 3pm you'll be taken back to Yao Yai, in plenty of time to enjoy the sunset from the beach.

Day 10

Ko Yao Yai - Krabi - Railey Bay After breakfast you'll be taken to the pier for the ferry across to Krabi, which leaves at 7:30am. The ferry will take you past the vast towering rocks back to the mainland, and you'll be met on arrival for the next section of your journey. You'll now be driven southwest for approximately 30mins until you reach the beach at Ao Nang. Your driver will drop you off at a quiet inlet where boatmen will be waiting to take you to Railay Bay. Railay is technically part of the mainland, but it is surrounded by monolithic limestone towers, making it accessible only by boat. As a result, it feels like an isolated island. After a 15 minute boat ride you'll arrive at the breathtaking Railay, where you'll stay a mere 20m from the beach amid beautiful tropical gardens. As you will arrive at your hotel in the morning, you'll have almost the whole day to do exactly as you wish.

Day 11

Railey Bay Today is the perfect day to leave all thoughts of reality behind you. You can either head to the beach or lounge around the hotel swimming pool which looks out over the bay. Sip a freshly made cocktail while you finish the last few chapters of your book. A blissful end to a blissful trip.

Day 12

Railey Bay - Bangkok - UK Today you'll make your own way to the airport at Krabi for a domestic flight back to Bangkok, allowing you to connect on to your international flight home.

If you'd like to break up this journey, you could spend a further night in Bangkok for some last minute shopping. We'll be happy to book this for you.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Breakfast and some other meals

Exclusions -

International flights to Thailand

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.