Today is the day you set off from your selected airport and head to Thailand with connecting flight(s) on the way.

You land at the airport at Thailand’s beach holiday destination No. 1: Phuket.

You pick up your luggage and pass through immigration. Your guide and driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall to drive you to the hotel.

After check-in, you’ll probably need to relax after your long flight, so the rest of the day for you to spend as you please. Perhaps you fancy a dip in the waves? Or how about a stroll along the beach where you can enjoy the sun’s rays, the soft sounds of quiet waves and a relaxing holiday atmosphere?

Kata Beach is on the south-western coast of Phuket and is one of the most famous beaches on the whole island. Kata Beach actually consists of two beaches: Kata Yai, the “big” beach, and Kata Noi, the “small” beach. Both beaches have fine, golden sand and shade from greenery and palm trees. The water is clear, calm and relatively shallow – ideal beach for children and adults alike. Kata Beach is a bit more relaxed compared to the lively and vibrant Patong Beach, but it still offers a good selection of nice restaurants, pleasant pubs, and shops.

A good 20 km north of Kata Beach is Kamala Beach, which consists of a nearly 2 km sandy beach with fine sand and calm waters for bathing. Kamala Beach is all about pure relaxation, and time passes slowly here. The area isn’t overrun by tourists, which gives it a unique sense of calm, particularly at the northern end, which features only a few hotels and lots of space on the beach. On the southern end of the beach is the city of Kamala itself. There are no neon lights here, nor noisy city life, but you will find good restaurants and pleasant cafés that, as one of few places in Phuket, are situated right next to the beach.

A welcome meeting will be held today for anyone who wishes to come along. You’ll be notified of the time of the meeting the day before. A representative from our partner will meet you at the hotel, where they welcome you and give local tips about good restaurants, attractions, and beaches. The representative will also answer any questions you may have.

In the afternoon, it’s time for an exciting island tour. Phuket has been nicknamed the “Pearl of the Andeman”, and for good reason. The large island boasts scenic and versatile nature and has so much more than beautiful beaches to offer.

You will be picked up from the hotel by a driver and guide. The first stop is Phuket’s trademark, the 45-metre-tall white Buddha statue that watches from the peak of the Nakkerd Hills, from which you’ll have an amazing view of Kata, Karon, and Chalong Bay. The statue depicts Gautama in a sitting position. It is made of concrete and clad in Burmese white marble. Its enormous size makes it the third largest statue in all of Thailand. It’s really impressive! There are small temples below the Buddha statue, and you will be met by the notes of the monks’ prayers and chants, a truly unique sensory experience. You can even be blessed by one of the monks and receive an armband, known as a sai sin, which is said to provide protection and good health.

From here, you are driven to the cosy and charming Phuket Old Town, located north-east of the Big Buddha. In the early days, the town was an important hub for trade between China, India and Europe, and the Chinese and Portuguese in particular have left their mark on the town. Discover the fascinating architecture with its colourful Sino-Portuguese houses and learn more about the town and the exciting history of the island. Phuket Old Town also offers trendy shops and art galleries alongside cosy cafés and restaurants.

Dinner is served at the hip market, Chillva, located a short drive away. Here, you can taste the market’s delightful local specialities, such as juicy satay skewers, grilled lobster, delicious sushi, and the dessert sticky rice with mango. Have a seat on a plastic stool and enjoy the atmosphere as live music often completes the mood.

From here, you are driven back to your hotel after an exciting day full of experiences.

There are no excursions planned for today, so you can enjoy Phuket at your own pace.

Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, boasting more than 30 magnificent beaches, making it tempting to spend the days lazing on the golden sand and swimming in the warm water. But if you feel like heading out in search of adventure, Phuket actually has a lot to offer in the way of nature and cultural experiences.

We certainly also recommend a snorkelling trip to one of the beautiful coral reefs off the coast of Phuket, where you’ll see the most beautiful colourful fish?

East of Phuket is Phang Nga Bay, which is famous for its many islands and impressive limestone cliffs. Among other things, this is the bay where you can find the legendary “James Bond Island”, where sections of The Man with the Golden Gun were filmed in 1974.

Even further east are the heavenly Phi Phi Islands, which can be experienced on a full-day excursion, giving you time to bathe, go snorkelling, and relax on the alabaster sandy beaches.

You must not miss spending at least one evening on a sunset excursion to Khao Rang Hill, one of Phuket’s most famous lookout points. It offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city, nearby islands, and the undulating landscape.

Below, you can see a selection of the optional tours we offer:

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to Phuket. You are picked up at the hotel and driven north, towards the 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 gibbons, langurs and macaques. 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 trip from Phuket to Khao Sok takes approx. 3 hours, and 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 tours below.

Another adventure awaits you today.

Part of Khao Sok National Park is made up of the 165-km², emerald green island of Cheow Lan. 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, and the tall limestone rocks, which used to extend high between the treetops, were transformed into small rainforest islands, and today they protrude from the clear, 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. Wave goodbye to the rainforest as you set course for Cheow Lan Lake, where more than 100 limestone karsts jut up out of the emerald-green water.

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 8, they’ll bring your luggage.

First, you’ll be driven to the small local town of Ban Ta Khun, where you 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, you’ll be served a traditional lunch, which is enjoyed overlooking the beautiful nature.

The rest of the day is yours to do as you please. You might like to participate in one 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. Of course, you can also choose to stay at the hotel with a good book on the porch, or hop in the lake for a swim when you need a refreshing dip.

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, as well as the sambar deer. As you travel back to the hotel, the sun will have just started setting 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 Lake Cheow Lan. Open your curtains and the door to your porch. Watch the mist slowly disperse over the perfectly smooth lake and enjoy a silence only interrupted by the Asian koel.

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

After the boat ride, breakfast is served. Afterwards, there is enough time for a dip in the lake, a canoe trip or simply to enjoy the view and the silence.

You check out late morning and travel by boat back to the mainland. Along the way, you can enjoy a last look at the fairy-tale limestone cliffs that rise vertically from this magnificent lake.

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 will then be driven to Khao Lak, a good hour away. After checking into the hotel, you have the day at your disposal to enjoy this quiet holiday paradise with no interruptions. So get your swimwear on and find your favourite spot on the honey-coloured beach.

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

Khao Lak is all about peace and adventure. This beach paradise is located around 100 km north of Phuket, but the atmosphere and life in Khao Lak are of a completely different world. It is serene here, and more authentic, 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.

Aside from lazy days on the honey-coloured beaches, we also warmly recommend a snorkelling excursion to one of the world’s very best snorkelling and diving spots, the Similan Islands, just 1 hour and 15 minutes away by speedboat. The 9 Similan Islands have been named a national park, and are home to an impressive marine life with vividly colourful fish, whale sharks, sea turtles and rays, as well as untouched nature, alabaster beaches and crystal-clear water. Read more about the tour below.

The time has come to say goodbye to Thailand. You will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the airport, from which you will fly to the UK, with connecting flight(s) along the way.

You land in the UK after a wonderful holiday with both relaxation and amazing nature experiences.