Southern Thailand holiday, reefs & rainforests
| country: | Thailand |
| location: | Southern Thailand |
| departures: | 2008: 1 Dec, 24 Dec 2009: 2 Jan, 20 Jan, 14 Feb, 11 Mar, 4 Apr, 2 May, 30 May, 23 Jun |
| price: | From £1335 - £1550 (12 days) including flights from the UK, from £675 excluding flights. Price includes all transport, accommodation & activities specified in itinerary, all meals (except lunch and dinner on day 9) |
| offers: | 5% off 24 Dec & 20 Jan departures |
read 6 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
An off-the-beaten-track Southern Thailand holiday: jungle trekking and camping, canoeing in mangrove swamps, snorkelling on coral reefs, deserted beaches, Thai food.
Our Southern Thailand holiday begins with a visit to the little known Khao Luang National Park and spectacular Kharom Falls of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
This is followed by an exploration of the mountains, jungle and caves of Trang before finishing the tour on the unspoilt tropical island of Koh Muk in the Andaman Sea.
Take the family on a Southern Thailand holiday: Although our holidays are usually unavailable to persons under the age of 18 we do offer selected tours to accompanied young people. Please note that our itineraries are suitable, or can be readily adapted, for children of all ages and we are happy to provide tailored tours to family groups of four or more persons. Thailand in particular lends its self to family tours with its convenient, efficient transport system, friendly helpful people and high levels of food hygiene.
No more "Mummy I'm bored" - pack them off elephant riding, canoeing, making friends with the locals, or learning about the flora and fauna of the jungle ecosystem. We have successfully provided tours for families with children from ages 5 to 18.
Southern Thailand holiday extensions: There are several extension options, please see example below:
Cambodia & Angkor Wat: An unforgettable 4 day, 3 night trip to fabulous Angkor - ruined palaces and jungle clad temples – a comprehensive tour of the major sites, with sunrise and sunset visits. Includes 45 minute return flight to Bangkok, accommodation in Siem Reap town, guide and transport. Overland option also available. Minimum 2 persons - available all year. Please contact us for price details.
Our Southern Thailand holiday begins with a visit to the little known Khao Luang National Park and spectacular Kharom Falls of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
This is followed by an exploration of the mountains, jungle and caves of Trang before finishing the tour on the unspoilt tropical island of Koh Muk in the Andaman Sea.
Take the family on a Southern Thailand holiday: Although our holidays are usually unavailable to persons under the age of 18 we do offer selected tours to accompanied young people. Please note that our itineraries are suitable, or can be readily adapted, for children of all ages and we are happy to provide tailored tours to family groups of four or more persons. Thailand in particular lends its self to family tours with its convenient, efficient transport system, friendly helpful people and high levels of food hygiene.
No more "Mummy I'm bored" - pack them off elephant riding, canoeing, making friends with the locals, or learning about the flora and fauna of the jungle ecosystem. We have successfully provided tours for families with children from ages 5 to 18.
Southern Thailand holiday extensions: There are several extension options, please see example below:
Cambodia & Angkor Wat: An unforgettable 4 day, 3 night trip to fabulous Angkor - ruined palaces and jungle clad temples – a comprehensive tour of the major sites, with sunrise and sunset visits. Includes 45 minute return flight to Bangkok, accommodation in Siem Reap town, guide and transport. Overland option also available. Minimum 2 persons - available all year. Please contact us for price details.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Departure from London. |
| Day 2: | Morning arrival in Bangkok - meet your tour leader and transfer to a downtown hotel in the City’s lively Banglamphu district. Afternoon to relax, recover from your jet-lag by the pool or explore the area and the local markets. |
| Day 3: | City tour with a difference! Central Bangkok by riverboat, skytrain, tuk-tuk and canal boat. Stop-offs include the Grand Palace and fabulous Wat Phra Keow - “Temple of the Emerald Buddha”. In the evening we’ll board the night sleeper train to Nakorn Si Thammarat in South Thailand. |
| Day 4: | Afternoon tour to discover this friendly southern town’s bustling markets and temples and check out some of the local handicrafts. |
| Day 5: | Excursion to Khao Luang National Park, site of the dramatic Kharom Waterfall – one of the highest and most spectacular in SE Asia. Bathing, nature hike and scrambling up the falls! |
| Day 6: | On to Thale Noi Bird Sanctuary in Phattalung Province – one of the region’s most important water-bird sites – where we’ll travel by boat through the atmospheric marshes and lily-covered lakes. Afternoon visit to the Wat Tham Sumano cave temple complex and an evening arrival in Trang Town on the Andaman Coast. |
| Day 7: | One day jungle expedition to Ban-Traat Mountain. Trek through the rainforest, bathe in mountain streams and visit a Sakai settlement – a former hunter-gatherer, jungle dwelling people. |
| Day 8: | Head for the coast to Ban Chao Mai National Park where we’ll canoe through mangrove swamps and along underground streams to visit the spectacular and mysterious sacred sea caves. Afternoon transfer to Koh Libong Island for accommodation at a secluded beach resort. |
| Day 9: | Leisurely day on this tranquil island; make the most of the turquoise waters and sandy beaches, sling a hammock between a couple of palm trees or visit the local fishing village. |
| Day 10: | Boat tour through the spectacular scenery of Chao Mai National Marine Park; snorkel and swim on the archipelago’s vibrant coral reefs. |
| Day 11: | Morning at leisure to explore the island or top up your suntan, before returning to Trang for an evening flight* to London via Bangkok. (*From Trang or Krabi depending upon schedules) |
| Day 12: | Morning arrival in London. |
travellers' tales
The highlight was swimming through a cave under a mountain and emerging on a beautiful tropical beach inside the crater! Hard to believe, I know, but true. (more)
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - you will be sharing your experiences with like minded people. Group sizes are limited to a maximum of 9 persons, a genuinely small group. Experience has taught us that smaller groups are less intrusive to local cultures and environments whilst allowing more interaction with local people. Furthermore it means greater flexibility on a day to day basis and on a social level it proves to be fun. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends/family its good value, and a great way to meet new people! The intention is to travel as a group of friends rather than a typical tour group, so don't expect stick-on name badges or any following the umbrella. how this holiday makes a difference
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On this Southern Thailand holiday we quite deliberately chose Koh Muk as our island stop off on this trip because of its relative smallness and un-developed nature. This island is not riddled with multinational chain stores, its bays are not polluted with jet skis and topless bathers like some of the other islands and beaches in the country.
On this Southern Thailand holiday we provide extra income to the local fishermen by hiring them and their traditional 'Long tail boats' (as opposed to high powered, gas-guzzling speedboats) to make the transfer between the island and the mainland, and to take us on a one day snorkelling trip. We are proud to have been somewhat instrumental in discouraging these fishermen from dropping anchor on the coral, a once common practice that is now, thankfully, becoming less so. On Koh Muk, we stay in a self-proclaimed 'zero emission resort' that, among other eco-friendly practices, has its own water treatment plant so that the resort's wastewater can be recycled. This island also give our Southern Thailand holiday travellers the ideal opportunity to set good examples to other, less enlightened travellers, and show their sensitivity to the local people by adopting modest beach wear practices as outlined in our 'What to Wear in Southeast Asia' leaflet. |
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. |