Your Thailand adventure begins today. You’ll fly to Koh Samui from your selected airport with connecting flight(s) along the way.

You land at Koh Samui’s exotic airport and pick up your luggage. Outside in the arrivals hall, you’ll meet your driver, who will be holding up a TourCompass sign, and he’ll drive you to your hotel.

After checking into the hotel, you’ll probably need to unwind after your long flight, and the rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

You’ll be staying as standard at Mae Nam Beach, which is located next to the quiet area of Bophut at the northern end of Koh Samui. Bophut is known for its beautiful bay with calm water and golden sandy beaches. This is also where you’ll find Fisherman’s Village with its well-preserved, rustic façades forming a beautiful backdrop to the cosy district. The area offers a multitude of small shops selling local arts and crafts, bars and, not least, fabulous restaurants where you can enjoy the fresh, spicy Thai cuisine. If you choose a waterside restaurant, you can enjoy the view over the bay, and when darkness falls, you may be lucky enough to see the “Fireboys” performing their impressive fire shows.

If a lively urban scene is more your thing, Chaweng, a mere 20 minutes away, is the place for you. There’s a larger choice and a faster pace here. The main street is lined with restaurants, cafés, shops and bars. And the lively atmosphere also makes itself felt on the beach front at Chaweng Beach in the evening, when restaurants serve dinner under the open sky. What could be better than lounging in big, squishy sofas in the light of torches and fairy lights, while the aroma from the barbecue wafts through the air and your thirst is quenched by an ice-cold drink?

The best part of it all is that your holiday has only just begun.

Today, you’ll be heading out to experience Koh Samui, which has so much more to offer than lovely sandy beaches alone.

After a gentle start to the morning, it’s time to explore the nooks and crannies of the island and learn about its history, culture and nature. You’ll be picked up from the hotel by your guide, who will ensure that you have an exciting day ahead of you.

First, you’ll visit Big Buddha temple, Koh Samui’s landmark. 72 steps lead up to the enormous Buddha statue which soars beautifully into the air, glistening with its gold-plated exterior. There is also a fantastic view of the sea from up here.

A hair-raising encounter with Buddhist and Thai culture then awaits you when you make a stop at the Buddhist temple, Wat Khunaram, where you’ll see the famous mummified monk who died in 1973.

The tour continues to the rock formations, Hin Yai and Hin Ta, or grandmother and grandfather in English – a nature experience that verges on the obscene, some might say. Large rocks in the water that resemble male and female genitalia! The story goes that the boat of a married couple tragically capsized, and they died right here, and were later reborn in nature.

Afterwards, you’ll visit one of Koh Samui’s picturesque Na Muang Waterfall No. 1, where you’ll be enveloped in the mist from the 18-metre-high, cascading waterfall while enjoying a nice break in the middle of the picturesque scenery.

The day rounds off in the main town of Nathon, where you have the opportunity to browse in the shops.

Finally, you’ll be driven back to the hotel, where there is ample opportunity for relaxation. On with your swimwear and down to the beach!

The days are yours to do as you please, and you get to decide on what you do and the pace at which you do it. Perhaps you’d like to laze by the hotel pool with a good book? Or how about exploring the island’s other beaches and waterfalls?
If more adventure is the order of the day, we highly recommend a boat trip to the picture-postcard Ang Thong Marine National Park, where uneven rows of beautiful, lush tropical islands shoot up in the landscape. Or how about a visit to the world-famous islands of Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, known for their incredible visibility and brightly coloured underwater wildlife?

Read more about the excursions below:

Today, you’ll be leaving Koh Samui and heading for the mainland. You’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven to the pier, from which you’ll sail to Surat Thani – a boat trip of around 1 hour.

Upon your arrival at the pier in Donsak, a driver will be ready to drive you to Khao Sok National Park, where a true jungle adventure awaits.

Khao Sok is one of Thailand’s largest national parks, covering an area of 739 km2 – and probably its most beautiful!
The national park is home to one of Thailand’s largest areas of native primeval forest – i.e. ancient, undisturbed rainforest. The lush surroundings and life-giving rivers are home to abundant wildlife including 48 species of mammals, 311 different species of birds, more than 30 species of bats and countless reptiles and insects. You may also see Malay bears, elephants and tapirs as well as macaques, gibbons and langurs. The little Chevrotain deer also lives here – alongside muntjacs and serows. If you’re really lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the beautiful, long-tailed marbled cat. Bird lovers certainly have a lot to look forward to as well, rhinoceros hornbills and red-naped trogons are among the denizens of this lush jungle.

The drive from Surat Thani to Khao Sok takes around 3 hours. On your arrival, you can choose to relax and enjoy the nature outside your door, or you can opt to go on one of the optional excursions below.

Another adventure awaits you today.

Part of Khao Sok National Park is made up of the 165 km2 emerald green Cheow Lan Lake. The lake was formed when the Rajjaprabha Dam was built in 1987, flooding the area. 385 local families were relocated and compensated, and animals were both sailed out via the rivers and flown out by helicopter. As the area became more and more flooded by rain and river water, part of the rainforest was transformed into a lake. The high limestone rocks, which once stretched up between the treetops, were transformed into small rainforest islands that today stick up out of the emerald green water. It is for good reason that Cheow Lan is sometimes described as Thailand’s answer to Guilin, one of the most beautiful places in China.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from the hotel. You’ll wave goodbye to the rainforest as you set course for Cheow Lan Lake.
Please note that you cannot bring all your luggage out to the lake, so you can safely leave it at the hotel. We recommend that you instead bring a backpack with the essentials you’ll be using over the next few days at the lake. When you meet your driver again on day 9, they’ll bring your luggage.

First, you’ll be driven to the small local town of Ban Ta Khun, where you’ll visit the local market in the middle of the town, which is known for the excellent quality of its turmeric and papaya, among other things. You’ll then be driven to the Ratchaprapha pier, up close to the impressive dam. From here, you climb aboard a long-tailed boat and ride out onto Lake Cheow Lan, where you can enjoy majestic landscapes with iconic limestone karsts.

At lunchtime, you arrive at your overnight accommodation – a floating bungalow in the middle of the lake. After check-in, the staff are ready to serve you a traditional lunch, which is enjoyed overlooking the surrounding nature.

The rest of the day is yours to do as you please. You can choose to stay at the hotel with a good book on the veranda, or hop in the lake for a swim when you need a refreshing dip. Or how about participating in some of the hotel’s exciting excursions? There are various walks to some of the area’s beautiful dripstone caves and to a scenic vantage point. Or maybe you’d rather experience the rushing Bang Hoi waterfall? There are excursions for those who want a physical challenge and for those who would prefer to enjoy the beautiful nature.

In the late afternoon, you can join an incredible boat safari. This offers you the chance to spot some of the area’s wildlife, such as rhinoceros hornbills, wild elephants and oxen. On the way, the sun is beginning to set behind the limestone karsts – a truly magical sight!

A delicious dinner awaits you at the hotel, and afterwards, you can lean back after a day packed with new experiences and look up at the beautiful clear starry sky, which is not disturbed by artificial light.

It’s simply magical to wake up on Cheow Lan Lake. Pull back the curtains, open the door to your veranda and watch the mist lift slowly over the still lake, where the silence is only interrupted by the Asian koel.

Early this morning, you’ll be going on another exciting boat safari. Keep an eye out for the Indochinese Grey Langur, gibbons and macaques.

After the boat trip, breakfast is served and then there’s enough time for a dip in the lake, a spot of canoeing or simply to enjoy the view and the silence.

You check out late morning and travel by boat back to the mainland. On the way, you can enjoy the last view of the amazing limestone karsts.

Your driver will be waiting for you back at the pier, ready to drive you back to the rainforest, where you will be served a delicious Thai lunch.

You’ll then be driven to your hotel in Khao Lak, a good hour away. After checking into the hotel, you have the day to yourself to enjoy this quiet holiday paradise without interruptions. So get your swimwear on and find your favourite spot on the honey-coloured beach.

In the evening, you can head into the town of Khao Lak and check out the restaurants and shops.

Khao Lak is all about peace and adventure. It’s serene and authentic here, yet you have everything you need – from stunning scenery to good restaurants.

Khao Lak consists of several connected beach areas that together comprise this gorgeous, soothing holiday paradise, with sea green waters on one side and lush, unspoilt rainforest on the other.

Your days in Khao Lak are at your disposal, and you are free to choose how to spend these days. Besides spending lazy days on the honey-coloured beaches, we also highly recommend a snorkelling trip to either the Surin Islands or the Similan Islands, which are some of Thailand’s best snorkelling and diving spots. Both groups of islands have been named a national park, and are home to impressive marine life with vividly colourful fish, whale sharks, sea turtles and rays, as well as untouched nature, alabaster beaches and crystal-clear waters. Read more about the excursions below.

Today it’s time to wave goodbye to Thailand. You’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven to Phuket airport, from which you will fly home to Europe, with connecting flight(s) on the way.

You land at the airport of your choice after a wonderful holiday with both relaxation and amazing nature experiences.