Thailand family tour
| country: | Thailand |
| departures: | This trip operates throughout the year at a time to suit you and can be adapted to suit your budget and requirements as necessary |
| price: | From £850 (14 days) excluding flights. We can offer advice on flights from the UK. Child prices on request. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
It's probably one of our most popular requests... a 2 week trip to include a few days sightseeing, some wildlife, some culture, maybe a bit of adventure and finishing it all off with a few days on the beach.
This itinerary has it ALL (and will also take you well away from the usual tourist routes for an unforgettable and unique experience). It's also easily customisable so if this isn't quite what you're looking for, just let us know! We invite you to spend a couple of days exploring Bangkok before heading off to an adventure surrounded by the stunningly beautiful scenery and breathtaking wildlife of Khao Sok National Park.
Then experience untouched Thailand on a customized community-based tour just off the beaten track in Southern Thailand. The region remains remarkably undeveloped and communities still survive by their traditional livelihoods.
You’ll be visiting a small village, located on a beautiful island, only accessible by boat through mangrove forests. Here you’ll engage in a variety of activities including snorkelling, light hiking and even try your hand at Thai cooking with your host family. Round off your trip with 6 nights relaxing on the stunning beaches of Ko Yao Noi island…
This itinerary has it ALL (and will also take you well away from the usual tourist routes for an unforgettable and unique experience). It's also easily customisable so if this isn't quite what you're looking for, just let us know! We invite you to spend a couple of days exploring Bangkok before heading off to an adventure surrounded by the stunningly beautiful scenery and breathtaking wildlife of Khao Sok National Park.
Then experience untouched Thailand on a customized community-based tour just off the beaten track in Southern Thailand. The region remains remarkably undeveloped and communities still survive by their traditional livelihoods.
You’ll be visiting a small village, located on a beautiful island, only accessible by boat through mangrove forests. Here you’ll engage in a variety of activities including snorkelling, light hiking and even try your hand at Thai cooking with your host family. Round off your trip with 6 nights relaxing on the stunning beaches of Ko Yao Noi island…
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival in Bangkok. Arrival in Bangkok and make your way to your hotel in central Bangkok. We regularly use a comfortable, 3 star hotel with its own swimming pool, centrally located very close to the (in)famous Khao San Road - an ideal location if you only have limited time available and want to get a feel for the wonderful chaos that is Bangkok whilst also having a clean, safe, efficiently run base to which you can escape! Chill out and relax or head out to get your first taste of this crazy, noisy, bustling, fascinating city. |
| Day 2: | Exploring Bangkok. Today is free for you to explore on your own or we can book you an organised tour/guide if you prefer. Don’t miss the Grand Palace and maybe take a long-tail boat ride to explore the backwaters (klongs) of the Chao Phraya river. |
| Day 3: | Bangkok to Phuket - Khao Sok National Park. Head to the airport and catch a short (one hour) flight to Phuket where you will be met and escorted to a tiny resort deep in the heart of the jungle. The journey takes about two hours but the scenery, especially once you enter the park itself, is quite breathtaking. Upon arrival, settle into your little jungle house and start to acclimatise to the sights and sounds of the jungle – if it’s your first time in an area of such abundant wildlife, you may be quite surprised at how noisy it is, especially at night, but you quickly get used to it! Start to relax into jungle life… sit on your balcony and enjoy the sounds, watch the river gliding by or, if you feel like a mini-adventure, for a small extra charge, grab an inner tube and enjoy an hour floating downstream – trust us, it’s great fun and an ideal way to pass the late afternoon hours before dinner... otherwise, why not just chill out over a cold beer and soak up the atmosphere... |
| Day 4: | Khao Sok - Elephant Trek - Canoe Trip. Enjoy an early breakfast before setting off at 08.00 for a two-hour elephant trek through the jungle. Return for lunch and time to relax before taking a canoe trip down the river at 15.00. Your guide will point out some of the birds and wildlife you see along the way but this is just a taste of what’s to come tomorrow… |
| Day 5: | Full Day Lake Adventure. Set off on a full day lake trip adventure. Khao Soke National Park is one of South East Asia’s best-preserved habitats for tropical flora and fauna. The park covers an area of about 645 km, with evergreen virgin jungle, waterfalls, massive limestone cliffs and crystal clear rivers and streams. Many species of protected wildlife live in the park including elephants, gibbons, monkeys, tapir, birds of prey and wild gaur. Strikingly beautiful Chio Larn Lake features spectacular limestone karst rising out of the sparkling waters, it’s a part of the park that you won’t want to miss. |
| Day 6: | Khao Sok - Andaman Homestay Adventure. Enjoy your last breakfast in the jungle before your taxi driver arrives to take you to Kuraburi, Phang Nga. (Journey time about 90 minutes.) Here you will meet with your English-speaking guide for a pre-trip briefing and then head to Kuraburi pier. You will take a long-tail boat deep into the mangrove forests to get to the island of Tung Nang Dam. Then walk through cashew orchards and rubber plantations to get to your homestay and meet your host family over a traditional Thai lunch of Southern curries and fresh seafood. After lunch, your adventures really begin as you head out to sea with local fishermen to see how they catch fish, crabs and shrimp. You will learn about traditional fishing techniques and can even have a go at catching your dinner! A short boat ride away is the beautiful island of Koh Kai (Egg Island), an ideal place to experience Thailand’s famous underwater eco-diversity. You will spend a few hours exploring the warm tropical waters. Early evening, you will head down to Tung Nang Dam beach which boasts a beautiful coastline, lined with palm trees and soft, soft sand, the perfect place to chill out and watch the island’s famous sunsets. |
| Day 7: | Andaman Homestay. After a breakfast of sweet coffee and traditional pancakes, you will hike up to Eagle Mountain, for sweeping panoramic views of the Andaman coast and the lush mangroves below. An expert English-speaking guide will be on hand to point out exotic plants, often used in cooking and in traditional remedies. The hike (you determine the pace!) will end up on the beach, where you’ll enjoy another feast of Thai favourites for lunch. You will need all the energy you can get, as after lunch you will be going rowing in a handcrafted wooden rowboat. The silent motion of the boat encourages wildlife, including monkeys and small cats, to come to the water’s edge to feed on crabs lurking in the mud. Alternatively, you can stay back at the homestay with your family and help prepare the evening’s meal. It will be a great chance to learn how to cook Thai food so that you can return home and impress your friends with a Thai dinner party! You can then head to the beach in the early evening to hang out with the villages or chill out while watching the sky come alive with colours as the sun sets over the Andaman Sea. |
| Day 8: | Andaman Homestay - Ko yao. A scenic boat trip, passing rickety floating fish farms will bring you back to Kuraburi ready to set off on the next stage of your adventure. Take either a taxi or a bus from Kuraburi to Phuket. Journey time is about 3 hours but it’s a comfortable, air-conditioned bus and the scenery along the way is sure to keep you occupied. Arrive at Phuket bus station where you will be met by the taxi driver who will escort you to the harbour for a magnificent scenic boat ride to Ko Yao Island Resort. |
| Day 9-13: | Ko Yao Island. Relax in the stunning surroundings of Ko Yao Island resort. |
| Day 14: | Return Bangkok. Enjoy your last breakfast on this beautiful island before getting the boat and then a taxi to the airport in order to catch your flight back to Bangkok. |
independent family adventure holiday
These family trips are designed for those of you who prefer to travel just with your family, and not in a group with other families. The itineraries are set but you can typically depart at a time to suit you.how this holiday makes a difference
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We try to ensure that all our trips not only minimise the negative effects of tourism but actually have a positive impact on the communities who welcome us into their villages and often their homes. Using local guides, local transport and local accommodation and paying fair wages, ensures that not only do our clients gain a unique insight into the culture they are visiting but also that as much of their money as possible stays in the local community.
Wherever possible we also contribute to community projects (helping to preserve traditional ways of life, providing education and supporting environmental initiatives) and encourage our clients to visit or even lend a helping hand. Our pre-trip information and local guides will help you to understand and respect the cultural differences which in turn help to ensure that you will be greeted as welcomed guests rather than intruding foreigners. The itinerary is set at a fairly leisurely pace to allow you and your family the time to fully appreciate the charm and varied scenery of this fascinating country. Southern Thailand suffered greatly from the tsunami in December 2004 and although any remaining visible signs of this are only discernible to those who know what to look for, there are many ways in which your presence will help in the ongoing recovery process… You’ll be visiting the fascinating jungles and lakes of Khao Soke National Park, which, although well inland from the tsunami affected regions, suffered greatly from the reduction in visitors to the southern area. You’ll then head to a fascinating homestay project set up by the Andaman villagers in order to provide an alternative means of income in the aftermath of the disaster. You can be assured of a warm and enthusiastic welcome, which, if nothing else, should be proof enough that your visit really is helping to make a difference! |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |