Thailand on a Shoestring

Bangkok

• Activities:

  Arrive in Bangkok, relax

• Meal:

  Dinner

• Included:

  Airport pickup with guide, hotel in Bangkok

You will be picked up at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Bangkok

• Activities:

  Explore the highlights of Bangkok

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Breakfast, guide, ground transportation, entrance fees, hotel in Bangkok

Discover three of Bangkok's finest temples: Wat Traimit houses a striking 3-metre tall Golden Buddha image - a gleaming, 5-ton figure of solid gold. Wat Pho houses the highly revered giant Reclining Buddha and traditional massage school, while Wat Benjabophit is famous for its elegant, white marble facade and Buddha images lining the cloister walls behind the main chapel. Alternatively, combine a tour to the three temples above with a visit to the Grand Palace. Inside its 61-acre complex, you'll encounter what is undoubtedly one of the wonders of the world, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew). Overnight in Bangkok

Bangkok - River Kwai

• Activities:

  Travel to the River Kwai by minibus, stop at 'train market', take a boat into jungle, arrive at floating bamboo bungalow

• Meal:

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Included:

  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, guide, ground transportation, boat trip, train ticket, bungalow on river

You'll be picked up early this morning for the next stage of your Thailand trip; travelling by air-conditioned minibus to the River Kwai accompanied by an english-speaking guide. First stop will be the Samut Sakhon 'train market' where you'll get to try your haggling skills. Afterwards you'll continue to the famous Bridge over the River Kwai, where you'll take a train ride along a stretch of the infamous Burma Death Railway. On arrival at the small station, a tasty lunch will be served and you'll step into a longtail boat. This boat will drift along the River Kwai, deep into the thick evergreen jungle. Just fourty minutes later, you'll arrive at your floating bamboo bungalow on the river. You'll have your own room with a swimming jetty and a hammock. There's no electricity, and you'll eat an ambient dinner by the light of flickering oil lamps. Seated at long tables, you'll share the meal with your fellow travelers with a background chorus of jungle sounds.

River Kwai – Kanchanaburi

• Activities:

  Ride to Erawan Waterfall, visit to the JEATH War Museum and the Memorial Cemetery

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Breakfast, guide, ground transportation, boat trip, entrance fees, hotel in Kanchanaburi

Waking up from a night in the jungle and sail along the river by boat for the hour long ride to the Erawan Waterfalls (400 Baht, approx £8 entrance fee paid locally). The waterfall has seven different levels, dropping a total height of 1500m. You can reach the top in about 1½ hours depending on your walking speed, but you'll be duly rewarded for your efforts. Sparkling water cascades down into bright turquoise pools against a backdrop of smooth limestone rocks. You'll have three hours here, so don't forget your swimsuit. At the end of the day the guide will drop you off at your friendly hotel in Kanchanburi. From here it's only a short walk to the JEATH War Museum and the Memorial Cemetery (option not included).

Kanchanaburi - Night train to Chiang Mai

• Activities:

  Take a train to Chiang Mai

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Breakfast, guide, ground transportation, train to Chiang Mai, overnight on train

After breakfast in the morning, you have free time before taking the bus back to Bankok for the night train to Chiang Mai Early in the evening you'll take the overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai. When you're ready for bed let the train gently rock you to sleep. If you're a light sleeper, don't forget to bring along your ear plugs. You'll be woken an hour before arrival in Chiang Mai to continue your trip.

Arrival in Chiang Mai - Free time

• Activities:

  Arrive in Chiang Mai and check in hotel

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Chiang Mai, breakfast

Arrive Chiang Mai in the morning, you'll be picked up and transfer to your hotel. Spent time at your leisure.

Arrival in Chiang Mai - Free time

• Activities:

  Arrive in Chiang Mai and check in hotel

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Chiang Mai, breakfast

Arrive Chiang Mai in the morning, you'll be picked up and transfer to your hotel. Spent time at your leisure.

Chaing Mai - Jungle trek, Elephant Ride and Hilltribe stay

• Activities:

  Have trekking in the mountains around Chiang Mai, reach the Palong village

• Meal:

  Breakfast, Lunch

• Included:

  Homestay in Chiang Mai, ground transportation, entrance fees, guide, breakfast, lunch

Today you'll begin your two day trek in the breathtaking mountains surrounding Chiang Mai - another great highlight of your Thailand holiday. You'll be collected from your hotel and travel by bus to a local market. From here you’ll continue to an elephant camp in Keng Keud for an elephant ride. Lunch will be served in the jungle and you’ll begin trekking once you’ve finished. The trail has a few steps hills but most of it is relatively easy if you have a good level of fitness. You’ll trek for about 2.5 – 3 hours until you reach the Palong village Pang Hoo. The Palong recently moved to Thailand from Burma and there are only a handful of Palong villages in Northern Thailand. They wear distinctive clothes, mostly in red, with rattan hoops worn around the waist. Your accommodation is simple - a small wooden hut, just like the villagers, with a mattress on the bamboo floor. A mosquito net is also provided.

Jungle trek and Bamboo Rafting - Chaing Mai

• Activities:

  Hike to the Karen village of Thakilek, take a raft along the river, back to Chiang Mai

• Meal:

  Breakfast, Lunch

• Included:

  Hotel in Chiang Mai, ground transportation, trekking fees, bamboo raft, guide, breakfast, lunch

After breakfast you’ll begin today’s trek. You’ll hike for about an hour and a half to the Karen village of Thakilek. After a short rest you’ll travel by bus to a riverside camp where a bamboo raft will be prepared for you. You'll take your place on the raft and the helmsman, armed with a long pole, will float you peacefully down the river. On the way back to Chiang Mai you'll stop to visit an orchid farm, arriving back into Chiang Mai at about 5pm.

Chiang Mai – Ayutthaya

• Activities:

  Free time at your leisure, travel to Ayutthaya

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Overnight on train, ground transportation, train to Ayutthaya , breakfast

(Travel time approx: 10 hours) After breakfast, spend time at your leisure. Late afternoon, heading to the railway station. After stocking up on a few snacks for the trip, your tour continues south to Ayutthaya on the overnight sleeper train.

Arrival in Ayutthaya - Free Time

• Activities:

  Arrive in Ayutthaya, check in hotel

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Ayutthaya, hotel transfer, breakfast

Arrive in Ayutthaya early in the morning, transfer to your hotel. Free time, discover by yourself .

Ayutthaya - Bangkok - Night train to Surat Thani

• Activities:

  Explore Ayutthaya, travel to Bangkok

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Overnight on train, ground transportation, breakfast, night train to Surat Thani.

(Travel time approx: 11 hours) After breakfast, you will have a little more free time this morning to explore Ayutthaya. In the afternoon you'll continue with your Thailand trip as you collect your luggage from the hotel and travel to Bangkok. We'll arrange your comfortable second-class couchette aboard the air conditioned sleeper train down to Surat Thani, the gateway to the tropical islands of the south.

Surat Thani - Ko Phangan

• Activities:

  Arrive in Surat Thani, take a boat across the Gulf of Thailand to Ko Phangan

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Ko Phangan, ground transportation, boat riding

(Travel time approx: 2 hours) When you arrive in Surat Thani, you'll make your way to the ferry port where you'll take the 3-hour boat ride across the sunny Gulf of Thailand to Ko Phangan. Ko Phangan is known for its full moon parties. These parties are held on Haad Rin beach during the full moon and attract thousands of people from across the world. If you like, you can have your visit to Ko Pha Ngan coincide with the full moon, giving you the opportunity to join the legendary party.

Ko Phangan - Free Time

• Activities:

  Free time at your leisure

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Ko Phangan, breakfast

Spend time at your leisure.

Ko Phangan - Free Time

• Activities:

  Free time at your leisure

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Ko Phangan, breakfast

Spend time at your leisure.

Ko Phangan - Ko Samui

• Activities:

  Head to the Ko Pha Ngan pier, take ferry to Ko Samui island

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Ko Samui, breakfast

After breakfast you'll head over to the Ko Pha Ngan pier on your own and you'll buy a ticket for the ferry to the tropical island of Ko Samui; the end point of your Thailand trip from Bangkok to Ko Samui. The ferry ride will take about an hour and a half. Arrive in Ko Samui and make your way to the hotel. Free time in the afternoon.

Ko Samui - Free Time

• Activities:

  Free time at your leisure

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Ko Samui, breakfast

Spend time at your leisure, discover by yourself.

Ko Samui - Free Time

• Activities:

  Free time at your leisure

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Ko Samui, breakfast

Spend time at your leisure, discover by yourself.

Ko Samui - Bangkok

• Activities:

  Enjoy time at the island, fly to Bangkok

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Hotel in Bangkok, airport transportation, breakfast

After breakfast, enjoy your last time at the island. Transfer to the airport, take the flight to Bangkok. As you arrive in Bangkok, overnight in Bangkok

Bangkok

• Activities:

  Departure

• Meal:

  Breakfast

• Included:

  Airport transfer with drop-off guide, breakfast

Depending on what time your flight, you'll have plenty of time to do some last minute shopping in Bangkok. Transfer to Bangkok airport, take your flight home.