Southern Thailand Rainforest and Beach Escape -11 Days

Sawasdee ka! Welcome to Thailand!

Upon clearing customs at Bangkok’s airport, your guide will greet you and escort you to the hotel in the heart of Bangkok.

The vibrant capital city Bangkok is renowned for its ornate shrines and lively street life. The boat-filled Chao Phraya River runs through the city, adorned with landmark temple spires, bustling ferry piers, glitzy high-rise hotels and malls, and charming restaurants. Once settled in at your hotel, the day is free for you to spend as you wish. 


After breakfast, you will have a full-day tour to explore the highlights of the capital city Bangkok. First visit the Wat Traimit, known as the Temple of the Golden Buddha. It is the home to a gold Maravijaya Attitude seated Buddharupa statue, with a weight of 5.5 tons. Next, move on to the Wat Pho, it is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok. Wat Pho houses the world’s largest reclining Buddha statue. Then comes the focus of today’s visit the Grand Palace complex, one of the must-sees in Bangkok. It was established in 1782 and consists of not only royal and throne halls, but also a number of government offices as well as the renowned Temple Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand.

Later in the afternoon, board a long-tail boat for a scenic cruise tour along the Chao Phraya River and the vibrant inner canals of Thonburi, providing wonderful views of local life. Along the way, stop at Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, in the middle of the temple, an 82m high beautifully decorated Khmer-style tower stands, where you can walk up the steep stairs and admire the view of Bangkok and the rivers. Evening free at leisure. Perhaps you could indulge yourself with a traditional Thai Massage, surprise your taste buds with the amazing local flavors and cap off the day by enjoying the sunset in any of the stylish rooftop bars which have blossomed in the city’s skyscrapers in recent year, the options are limitless.  Overnight in Bangkok.

Today embark on an excursion tour to visit Maeklong Railway and Floating Markets for a unique Thailand experience. You will be picked up from your hotel and drive about 1½-hour from Bangkok to the unique Maeklong Railway Market, also known as Talad Rom Hub, where stalls are set on the railway track. Witness merchants swiftly folding covers as trains approach, seamlessly resuming business afterward. Then, proceed to the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Countless floating markets dot the country, with colorfully clad merchants paddling along congested canals in sturdy canoes laden with fresh fruits and vegetables to sell to shoppers on the banks. This is an exciting and fun way to experience local life and go bargain hunting (You need negotiate aggressively or no buy). If it's the weekend, you will also be arranged to visit Tha Kha Floating Market (only open on weekends), an authentic market serving the local community for 30 years. It is one of the hidden gems around Bangkok, and you'll enjoy a rowing boat tour around the market for beautiful countryside views. Pass by salt farms, with a potential stop, noting that salt harvesting is best seen from February to May.
After the markets tour, you will be transferred to Bangkok airport for the flight to Phuket. Upon your arrival at Phuket Airport, your private driver will welcome you in the airport and then transfer you to your selected hotel in Surin.

Today you will start your 4 day exclusive Nature Safari package offered by The Elephant Hills Camp at Khao Sok National park, during these 4 days you will enjoy an incredible rainforest and elephant experience.
In the morning, the staff from Elephant Hills will meet you in your hotel lobby in Phuket, and then transfer you and other guests to Khao Sok. It takes about 3 hours' drive and you will enjoy the tropical rural life in the southern Thailand on the way.
Upon your arrival at Elephant Hills Camp, a Thai-style buffet served as lunch. Following you will take a jungle river canoe trip down the Sok river, sit back and enjoy the breathtaking limestone karsts mountains and cliffs with your experienced river guide in a small group. From the canoe you can experience some of the last areas of primary rainforest, a world that has changed little in thousands of years. Afterwards get out of the canoe and head over to the elephant park, here you'll meet these magnificent creatures and learn more about them. You'll also get the chance to participate in a small group session to help feed them. Return to Elephant Hills for dinner and overnight in your luxury tent. There are movie presentations, dance performances, and cooking demonstrations that you can choose to join in the evening.

Wake up to the sounds of nature and birds calling from the bushes next to the tent. Today, after breakfast at the camp, you will be transferred to board a speedboat to explore the mysterious maze of channels in the mangrove forest. It really feels like some primeval swamp. Your well-trained guides keep an eye out for wildlife that might be spotted along the way. Afterward, board a traditional Burmese junk boat where you will have lunch on board. Additionally, you'll have the chance to canoe through the nearby mangrove creek in a self-paddled canoe – a silent journey into this dense, green world, full of natural wonders waiting to be appreciated by you. Very few people live in this area, so little has changed here in hundreds of years. Being out here gives you the feeling of traveling back in time when nature was still untouched and mobile phones didn’t exist. After lunch, return to the main camp where you can enjoy a cooking demonstration or a dance performance.

Another beautiful morning begins in Khao Sok. After breakfast, you will explore Cheow Larn Lake on a local long-tail boat. This man-made lake is surrounded by limestone mountains and cliffs covered in tropical rainforest that rise up from the shore of the lake and disappear somewhere in the far distance. The scenery has been compared to Guilin in China and Halong Bay in Vietnam. There are more than one hundred islands in the lake, and it stretches over 60 km from North to South. You can enjoy the spectacular scenery from the boat and will have time to dip into the lake’s emerald water. Please bring your swimwear; towels are provided at the local raft house, where you will stop over for lunch and relaxation.
Dinner will be served at 8 pm as usual. Enjoy an overnight stay in a luxury tent, surrounded by the rainforest.

Start your day with a wholesome breakfast before you have the jungle safari on foot. It is another excellent way to explore the ecology of one of the world’s oldest rainforests and see a great variety of exotic plants, tropical hardwood trees with huge roots, orchids, palms, ferns, bamboos, mosses. Birds such as the hornbill live high up above, gibbons can often be heard calling to their mates, a macaque or a leaf monkey may be swinging through the branches, beautiful butterflies buzz around.
Return to Elephant Hills and have a delicious Thai buffet as lunch. After a refreshing shower, transfer to your hotel in Khao Lak. Located just an hour's drive north of Phuket Island on the gorgeous Andaman seaboard, Khao Lak is one of Thailand's most peaceful resort destinations. Check-in at your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

You will have 3 days free to relax or enjoy water sports in Khao Lak on your own.
Apart from savoring the beautiful beaches, there is plenty to do in Khao Lak.
* The nearby Similan Islands are one of the world's top dive sites and there are great snorkeling trips out to the Surin Islands which can be arranged from your hotel.
* Consider a day trip to Pung Chang Cave with its fascinating rock formations, accessible via a bamboo raft, or head out on a long-tail boat to visit the famous James Bond Island! These excursions are available for booking locally, or your specialist can arrange them in advance for you.
* Travel to explore Khao Lak town to indulge in some fresh local seafood.

Today is your last day in Khao Lak. You can choose to continue relaxing on the sunny beach or do one of the things listed on Day 8. Alternatively, you may opt for a relaxing day by having a spa experience and enjoying an authentic Thai massage.

Today, you will fly back to Bangkok. Please pack your luggage after breakfast. Our driver will transfer you from the hotel to Khao Lak Airport according to your flight time. After a 1.5-hour flight, you will arrive at either Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport or Don Mueang International Airport. This marks the end of our service, and we hope you enjoyed the trip!

► Please note that if you need a connecting flight from Bangkok to reach your home or your next destination, be sure to confirm which airport your flight departs from. The two airports are 40 to 50 minutes away by car, and you should allow at least an hour for the transfer. It's advisable to book a flight departing from Bangkok in the evening to ensure sufficient time for the connection.
► If you desire an extension trip to neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar, and Laos, or destinations on other continents, feel free to contact our travel consultants anytime.