Transport

OVERNIGHT TRAINS: Overnight sleeper trains in Thailand are air-conditioned and have sleeping berths down both sides of the carriage. The carriage is multishare, with are curtains that close over the beds. A sleeping sheet and a pillow are provided, and our luggage travels in the carriage with us. There is a western and Asian-style toilet located at the end of the carriage, but no showers. Carriage lights staying on during the night, so an eye mask is a good thing to bring with you, as is warm clothes as the air conditioning can be cold. For more on overnight trains in Thailand and around the world: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/overnight-train-travel-around-the-world/ Ferry , Overnight sleeper train , Private mini bus , Songtheaw , Longtail boat , Taxi

Accommodation

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on a different Intrepid trip than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you’ve purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. Homestay (1 night), Hotel (1 nights), Overnight sleeper train (1 night), Resort (6 nights)

Meals

7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner

Others

Bangkok - Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) Chumphon - Snorkelling tour Ko Tao - Day tour & snorkelling

Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

Others

Other activities and services not included

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Flights

International flights not included.

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Day 1 Day 1: Bangkok
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Bangkok

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand. Bangkok mixes ancient traditions and modernity, where the bazaars and world-class cuisine are only the beginning. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, why not acquaint yourself with the city of tuk tuks, street food and traditional khlong boats winding down the Chao Phraya River. Tonight, you might want to experience the unique tourist haven of Khao San Road.
Day 2 Day 2: Bangkok / Overnight Train
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Bangkok / Overnight Train

You’ll start today with a visit to Wat Arun – the Temple of the Dawn. Named after the Indian God of Dawn, Aruna, this impressive landmark sits on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The rest of the afternoon is free for optional activities – maybe head next door to the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha or visit Wat Pho, home to the country’s largest reclining Buddha and keeper of the magic behind Thai massage. Maybe take a riverboat to Chinatown and explore the crowded streets, or travel by longtail boat down the Chao Phraya River to explore the famous ’khlongs’ (canals) of Bangkok. Tonight, you’ll board an overnight train southbound for Langsuan. Notes: Sleeper trains are clean and air-conditioned, and beds are multi-share compartments with bunk bed padded berths with sheets, pillow and blanket provided (although some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet). Please note that you may be sharing compartments with locals of the same or opposite gender. Your baggage will travel in the carriage with you. There’s also a food and drink service available on board. Some may find the air conditioning on the train quite cold overnight so best to pack a jumper and some long pants.
Day 3 Day 3: Ko Pitak
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Ko Pitak

After disembarking early this morning, try a local-style breakfast in Luangsuan market before heading to the pier for your ferry to Ko Pitak – a small island and tonight’s homestay. Head out for an orientation walk around the village with your leader when you arrive. Your homestay tonight will include lunch, dinner and breakfast tomorrow morning. Most meals will be typical local southern fare with fresh local seafood.
Day 4 Day 4: Chumphon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Chumphon

Say goodbye to your hosts and travel back to the mainland on a short boat trip. Then make the journey to Chumphon by private minivan (approximately 1.5 hours) and check into your resort. Your accommodation is beautifully located, right on the beachfront at Thung Wua Lan Beach (located about 16 kilometres away from the main town). You’ll join the rest of the group to travel to a local lookout point, Khao Matsee, to take in some nice views and perhaps grab a cup of coffee. Back at the beach, spend free time stolling along the white sands of this pristine, uncrowded strip of coast.
Day 5 Day 5: Chumphon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Chumphon

Embark on a full-day snorkelling adventure. You’ll start at around 9 am and finish up at around 3 pm. The trip covers three different snorkelling spots, which gives you a nice variety of underwater scenery. See how many different kinds of tropical fish you can spot. The snorkelling will take place in the open water, so there will be no beach stops. Lunch is included, and you will arrive back at base at around 5 pm for a free evening to watch the sunset.
Day 6 Day 6: Ko Tao
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Ko Tao

Hop from one beach paradise to another, travelling to Ko Tao – famous for its spectacular coral reefs, the little island of Ko Tao is popular not only among divers but also those looking for palm-fringed beaches like Sairee. Here, you can relax or take up some optional diving. Cooking classes, aromatherapy sessions or local spa visits are also great options. Ko Tao also has a small but lively nightlife for those looking for some dancing on the beach or kicking back a cocktail in one of the local bars.
Day 7 Day 7: Ko Tao
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Ko Tao

Today you’ll experience the underwater world that surrounds Ko Tao with an exploratory snorkelling trip. With coral and fish aplenty and the chance of seeing timid reef sharks among the coral formations, Ko Tao is undeniably one of the jewels in southern Thailand. Sail south from Mae Haad Pier, navigating around the southern tip of the island until you reach Shark Island. You might see the occasional leopard shark! Drop by Luek Bay for one of the best swimming beaches on the island with fish-filled reefs on either side, then stop at Hin Wong Bay for lunch aboard the boat. Then, head to Nang Yuan Island – you can pay the small entrance fee to this privately owned island and take a short hike up to a viewpoint, relax on the beach, snorkel through schools of parrotfish or chill out on the boat.
Day 8 Day 8: Ko Samui
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Ko Samui

Jump on another boat today and cruise over to Ko Samui. The island is more vibrant compared to its sister islands. Known simply as Samui by locals, Thailand’s third largest island is rich with white sandy beaches, coral reefs and coconut trees. There’s also the Big Buddha, waterfalls, markets, temples, a mummified monk, shopping opportunities, Michelin star restaurants, luxury spas and a lively nightlife. Today, you can take an optional sightseeing tour around the island or brush up on your cooking techniques with a Thai cooking class.
Day 9 Day 9: Ko Samui
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Ko Samui

It’s up to you what you want to do today! If you feel like getting active, take an optional day trip to Ang Thong Marine National Park – an archipelago of around 40 islands (many uninhabited). If you choose this option, you’ll take a speedboat to the Marine Park with the island of Ko Wao or Ko Tai Plow as your first stop. There, you can snorkel in the turquoise waters filled with ever changing colours of coral and fish. Sail around the steep limestone cliffs to an inland saltwater lagoon called Emerald Lake (Talay Nai), which is fed by an underground cave. Take a short walk up pathways and a wooden staircase to reach a hilltop lake viewpoint, then have lunch on the island that houses the park headquarters. Chill out on the beach, climb up for a panorama of the Marine Park or get out on to the bay for some kayaking. You’ll head back to Ko Samui mid-afternoon. If you prefer to stay on land today, maybe check out the Samui Elephant Sanctuary and see the gentle giants as they roam, socialise and bathe.
Day 10 Day 10: Ko Samui
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Ko Samui

With no further activities planned after breakfast, your beach adventure comes to an end and you can depart the accommodation at any time. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

10 days tour

Thailand Beaches: Bangkok To Ko Samui

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Thailand Beaches: Bangkok To Ko Samui

Day 1: Bangkok

Day 2: Bangkok / Overnight Train

Day 3: Ko Pitak

Day 4: Chumphon

Day 5: Chumphon

Day 6: Ko Tao

Day 7: Ko Tao

Day 8: Ko Samui

Day 9: Ko Samui

Day 10: Ko Samui

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