Thailand: Phuket, Khao Sok & The Islands with Seraphine

Sawasdee สวัสดี  and welcome to Thailand!

Phuket greets you with warm salt air and the promise of adventure ahead. As Thailand’s largest island and a paradise of sun, sand, and endless turquoise coastline, it’s the perfect launchpad for the two weeks ahead. Make your way to the hotel, settle in, and let the holiday properly begin.

With check-in sorted, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace: wander down to Kalim Beach for a first look at the Andaman Sea, grab a plate of pad thai from a beachside stall, or simply relax by the pool and get to know your fellow travellers before the adventure kicks into gear tomorrow.

🏨 Accommodation

• Patong Lodge (Premium Room) or Similar, Phuket

🍽️ Included Meals

• No meals included

✅ Included Activities

• Afternoon and Evening Free Time in Phuket

🛬 Arrival & Group Welcome Note

• Many international flights arrive into Phuket in the evening, and so the official group welcome activities will be on day 2. If you would like to have your first day to settle in and relax, we recommend arriving a day early.

💸 Local City/Tourist Taxes

• Some destinations charge a local city or tourist tax or entry fee that is not included in your trip payment. Whether this applies, how it’s collected, and the amount can vary by destination and is subject to change. Please check the destination guide(s) linked in the Important Notes section to confirm whether this applies to your trip and how to prepare for it.

This morning after a welcome meeting in the hotel lobby, head out for one of Phuket’s most rewarding experiences: a half-day visit to an ethical elephant sanctuary, where rescued elephants roam free from the tourism industry that once exploited them. Walk alongside these gentle giants through the jungle, feed them by hand, and hear their individual stories from your guide, before rounding out the morning with a hands-on Thai cooking class and lunch.

As the sun dips low, gather with the group for a Welcome Dinner of authentic Thai cuisine, the first proper chance to swap stories, share what drew everyone to this trip, and toast to the two weeks of adventure now underway.

🏨 Accommodation

• Patong Lodge (Premium Room) or Similar, Phuket

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

✅ Included Activities

• Welcome Meeting
• Half Day Ethical Elephant Sanctuary Visit, Phuket
• Thai Cooking Session and Lunch, Phuket
• Welcome Dinner, Phuket

Today belongs to the Phi Phi Islands, one of Thailand’s most photographed corners of coastline. Board a speedboat bound for Maya Bay, made famous by the film The Beach, for swimming and snorkelling in achingly clear water, then continue to Pileh Lagoon for a swim inside its natural limestone amphitheatre.

The day continues with a visit to Viking Cave’s ancient rock paintings, a stop at Monkey Beach, and a buffet lunch on Phi Phi Don before the group heads to Bamboo Island for more swimming, snorkelling, and a hands-on lesson in making som tum (papaya salad). Today’s tour is a join-in experience alongside travellers outside the group, part of the fun of island-hopping in this part of the world.

🏨 Accommodation

• Patong Lodge (Premium Room) or Similar, Phuket

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch

✅ Included Activities

• Full Day Phi Phi Island Speedboat Tour, Phuket
• Maya Bay Visit, Phi Phi Islands
• Pileh Lagoon Swim, Phi Phi Islands
• Viking Cave Visit, Phi Phi Islands
• Monkey Beach Visit, Phi Phi Islands
• Bamboo Island Visit, Phi Phi Islands

Say goodbye to the coast and check out this morning for the journey inland to Khao Sok National Park, home to one of the oldest rainforests on Earth. After a private transfer, ease into the wild with 1.5 to 2 hours of bamboo rafting along the Khao Sok River, once a vital transport route linking the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand, including a short walk through a rubber tree plantation to a cave where you’ll learn to boil water Khao Sok-style, over an open fire in bamboo stems.

After lunch, lace up for a half-day jungle hike through ancient rainforest trails, keeping eyes and ears open for monkeys, birdlife, and the tell-tale tracks of the jungle’s larger residents. Round out the day with dinner at a local restaurant before settling into your rainforest lodging for the night.

🏨 Accommodation

• Khaosok Rainforest Resort (Deluxe Room) or Similar, Khao Sok National Park

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

✅ Included Activities

• Private Transfer, Phuket to Khao Sok National Park
• Bamboo Rafting, Khao Sok River
• Half Day Jungle Hike, Khao Sok National Park

This morning, transfer onward to Cheow Lan Lake, often called Khao Sok Lake, a hauntingly beautiful reservoir hemmed in by dramatic limestone cliffs. Explore its labyrinth of coves and karst towers by traditional long-tail boat or kayak, keeping watch for gibbons, hornbills, and elephants that call this national park home.

Cool off with a swim in the lake’s emerald waters, or simply stretch out on the deck of your floating bungalow and watch the light change on the water.

As evening settles over the lake, Seraphine leads a small-group team building question session, working through a set of thoughtful, meaningful questions designed to spark real reflection and help everyone in the group get to know each other beyond the small talk. It’s a quiet, grounding way to mark the halfway point of the trip, deepening the connections that have been building since Day 1, before the lake and the stars take over for the night.

🏨 Accommodation

• Phutawan Floating Bungalow or Similar, Cheow Lan Lake

🛖 Accommodation Notes

• Single supplements are not available for this night’s accommodation due to rooming considerations.
• Rooms have electricity for lights and fans only, with no power outlets; charge devices at the restaurant.
• Swimming is not permitted after 6:00pm.

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

✅ Included Activities

• Cheow Lan Lake Boat and Kayak Exploration
• Evening Team Building Question Session with Seraphine

There’s nowhere to be and nothing to do today beyond soaking up the stillness of Cheow Lan Lake. With a second night in your floating bungalow, the schedule opens right up, a rare chance on a trip this packed to simply slow down.

Spend the day however you like: a lazy swim off the deck, a paddle around the nearest cove, or just watching the limestone cliffs change colour as the sun moves across the sky. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all included, so the only real decision today is where to sit and take it all in.

🏨 Accommodation

• Phutawan Floating Bungalow or Similar, Cheow Lan Lake

🛖 Accommodation Notes

• Single supplements are not available for this night’s accommodation due to rooming considerations.
• Rooms have electricity for lights and fans only, with no power outlets; charge devices at the restaurant.
• Swimming is not permitted after 6:00pm.

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

✅ Included Activities

• Full-Day Free Time at Cheow Lan Lake

Set the alarm early for a sunrise boat safari across Cheow Lan Lake, chasing the chance to spot wild bulls drinking at the water’s edge before breakfast (weather dependent, but worth the early start). Afterward, board the boat to begin the journey onward, continuing by minivan toward Surat Thani.

Along the way, stop at Wat Don Sak, a Buddhist temple dating back to the late Ayutthaya period, known for its hand-carved wooden sermon hall (lunch today is at your own expense, giving you the freedom to pick whatever catches your eye). From there, it’s on to Donsak Pier for the ferry crossing to Koh Samui, arriving by late afternoon to settle into your beachside accommodation.

🏨 Accommodation

• Nora Beach Resort & Spa (Deluxe Room) or Similar, Koh Samui

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Included Activities

• Sunrise Boat Safari, Cheow Lan Lake
• Private Transfer, Cheow Lan Lake to Surat Thani
• Wat Don Sak Temple Visit, Surat Thani
• Ferry Transfer, Donsak Pier to Koh Samui

Ease into island life with a morning of beach yoga and meditation, guided by a professional instructor with the sand between your toes and the Gulf of Thailand as your backdrop. It’s the perfect reset after days on the move.

The afternoon is yours, free time to swim, sunbathe, or explore Koh Samui at your own pace. As evening falls, step aboard a sunset dinner cruise along the coastline, watching the sky shift through gold and crimson over a leisurely buffet dinner at sea.

🏨 Accommodation

• Nora Beach Resort & Spa (Deluxe Room) or Similar, Koh Samui

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Dinner

✅ Included Activities

• Beach Yoga and Meditation, Koh Samui
• Afternoon Free Time in Koh Samui
• Sunset Dinner Cruise, Koh Samui

Check out and board the ferry across the Gulf of Thailand to Koh Pha Ngan, the laid-back island famed for full moon parties and an even more laid-back daytime pace.

Once you’ve settled into your accommodation, the rest of the day is free to explore the island’s beaches and easy island rhythm at your own speed, no schedule, no itinerary, just sand and time.

🏨 Accommodation

• Maehaad Resort (Standard Room) or Similar, Koh Pha Ngan

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Included Activities

• Ferry Transfer, Koh Samui to Koh Pha Ngan
• Afternoon and Evening Free Time in Koh Pha Ngan

A full day awaits on Koh Phangan, entirely at your own pace and without a guide escort or transfers. Sleep in, wander the beaches, or arrange your own snorkelling or kayaking session locally.

If your timing lines up, guests can also choose to independently experience the island’s famous Halfmoon Festival at their own arrangement and expense, one of Koh Phangan’s signature nights out, and entirely optional.

🏨 Accommodation

• Maehaad Resort (Standard Room) or Similar, Koh Pha Ngan

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Included Activities

• Full-Day Free Time in Koh Pha Ngan

💡 Suggested Activities

• Snorkelling, Self-Guided
• Kayaking, Self-Guided
• Halfmoon Festival, Self-Guided (Own Arrangement)

Bid farewell to Koh Phangan with a relaxing ferry crossing back to Koh Samui, retracing yesterday’s route across the Gulf of Thailand.

Once settled back into your Koh Samui accommodation, the rest of the day is free to relax. For those keen to see a little more of the island, a locally booked excursion to Koh Samui’s iconic pig island is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

🏨 Accommodation

• Nora Beach Resort & Spa (Deluxe Room) or Similar, Koh Samui

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Included Activities

• Ferry Transfer, Koh Pha Ngan to Koh Samui
• Afternoon and Evening Free Time in Koh Samui

💡 Suggested Activities

• Pig Island Excursion, Self-Guided (Booked Locally)

Get the adrenaline pumping with a morning zipline adventure through Koh Samui’s jungle canopy, soaring above the treeline for sweeping views across the island.

In the afternoon, trade the zipline for the ring with a hands-on Muay Thai session, learning the basics of Thailand’s national sport from experienced trainers, a proper taste of the discipline behind the country’s most famous martial art.

🏨 Accommodation

• Nora Beach Resort & Spa (Deluxe Room) or Similar, Koh Samui

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Included Activities

• Zipline Adventure, Koh Samui
• Muay Thai Session, Koh Samui

Today is all about Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park, an archipelago of 42 protected islands. After an early pickup and a light breakfast at the pier, board a speedboat for Koh Wao, where vibrant coral reefs make for excellent snorkelling, before cruising past Monkey Island to the Emerald Green Lagoon (Talay Nai), a saltwater lake framed by towering limestone cliffs.

After a Thai buffet lunch, kayak through sea caves and along the coastline before arriving at Koh Wua Ta Lap, where you can hike to the panoramic viewpoint or simply relax and swim on the white sand beach. Back on Koh Samui by late afternoon, round out the day with a Farewell Dinner to celebrate the journey together.

🏨 Accommodation

• Nora Beach Resort & Spa (Deluxe Room) or Similar, Koh Samui

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

✅ Included Activities

• Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park Excursion by Big Boat and Kayak
• Emerald Green Lagoon Visit, Ang Thong National Marine Park
• Farewell Dinner, Koh Samui

💡 Suggested Activities

• Hike to the Koh Wua Ta Lap Viewpoint, Self-Guided

Your Thai adventure comes to a close this morning with a final, leisurely Thai breakfast at the hotel, plenty of time to reflect on two weeks that took you from elephant sanctuaries and rainforest hikes to floating bungalows and emerald lagoons.

From Phuket’s hills to the shores of Koh Samui, this trip has covered some of southern Thailand’s most striking landscapes. When you’re ready, join the group for a transfer to Koh Samui Airport for your onward journey home.

🍽️ Included Meals

• Breakfast

✅ Included Activities

• Group Transfer to Koh Samui Airport