Economical Thailand

You'll spend today getting to know Bangkok - the City of Angels. The most important places of interest are easily reached by express boat, along the Chao Praya River. There is so much to see in Bangkok that it can difficult to know where to start. Here are a few handy hints to set you on your way...

You could begin your sight-seeing tour at the Buddhist temple of Wat Arun on the Chao Praya River and then visit the narrow streets of Chinatown. Buy a bowl of Chinese noodles and watch the world go by. You could then go shopping in Bangkok, which is abundant in silk, jewellery and clothing. If you're still a little stiff from the flight, you can drop in at the School of Massage, near Wat Po (the lying Buddha). If you take an herbal massage, you'll first be massaged and loosened up, and then gently rubbed with bundles of herbs. Bliss. This will certainly get your trip off to a very laid back start.

You'll make an early start this morning. After a bite of breakfast, you’ll be collected by air-conditioned minibus and head for the River Kwai with your English-speaking guide. On the way, you'll stop for an hour at the famous floating market to watch the rowdy traders in action. After this, you'll travel to the famous ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’. Here, you'll start your train journey over the remaining 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 40mins later, you'll arrive at your floating bamboo bungalows on the river. You'll have your own room with a swimming ladder and hammock. The river is safe for swimming, just be a little careful of the current. There is no electricity in these bungalows, 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 travellers and discuss your experiences so far, while the jungle around you breathes with life.

After a night in the midst of the jungle, you'll climb back into the boat. You'll then travel back along the river, reaching the fairytale Erawan Waterfalls an hour later (£6 entrance, paid locally). The waterfall cascades over seven different levels, with a staggering total height of 1500m. You'll reach the top of the falls, depending upon your walking speed, in about 1½ hours. Your efforts will be instantly rewarded, as you take in your enchanting location. You'll see sparkling waterpools in light blue basins against a backdrop of limestone rocks, in which the water has carved out a sort of cave. You'll have a few hours of free time by the waterfall, to wander around wide-eyed or take a plunge in the shimmering pool.

The guide will then leave you at your hotel in Kanchanburi, which has a swimming pool in case you fancy a dip. You'll have enough time to visit the JEATH War Museum and the moving memorial dedicated to the victims of the infamous Burma Death Railway.

At 8am this morning, you'll leave your hotel and travel to the starting point of your trek. This will take just over 3hrs. All of your meals meals are included for the duration of the hike, as is your English-speaking guide. As you'll be reeturning to the hotel in Chiang Mai, you can leave most of your baggage behind, taking only your essentials into the jungle. On the way, you'll stop at a local market for some last minute supplies. The drive will then take you to a shimmering waterfall for a quick refreshing dip. This is not the last dip of the day. After lunch, you'll visit some naturally hot springs where you can take an impromptu steam bath. You'll then continue into the mountains by road, until you reach the starting point of the hike. The first walk takes you steeply uphill, through overgrown jungle paths for roughly two hours. You'll stay overnight in a hut in a Karen village, far away from modernity as we know it. Your guide will cook you a tasty, well-earned dinner and sleep will come easily after your active day.

Today, you'll be woken by the cocks crowing and the sound of pigs foraging around the huts. After breakfast, you'll set off on the longest and hardest hike from the village to the elephant camp (roughly 4 hours). Initially, there is a gentle uphill walk, past termite hills and onto flat paddy fields surrounded by tropical vegetation. There are wild mushrooms and herbs in this area, but be sure not to try any without the guide's approval. Once you reach the bamboo and teak trees, you'll start the first stiff uphill climb. After a while, the jungle trail flattens out, finally descending into the elephant village. After your lunch, prepared by your guide, it's time to take it easy and let the elephants do the work! You'll be amazed by the way that these enormous beasts tackle the most difficult of paths. After 1½ hours of swaying about, you arrive at a mixed Lahu/Akha village on the riverbank, where you can cool off with a splash around. Your evening meal is prepared for you, and you'll spend the night in another simple village hut.

After breakfast this morning, you'll travel downstream for about 2 hours on a bamboo raft. The river meanders through overgrown mountainsides and bare rocks cliffs, and on the way you'll see hundreds of wild banana trees. Your rafting trip finishes in a Shan village (ethnic Thai people from the Burmese state of Shan) where you can refresh yourself and stroll around the village. After lunch you’ll be taken back to Chiang Mai by minibus, which will take about two hours. At the hotel, you'll be reunited with your luggage, and the rest of the day is free for you to wander around the cultural city or belt out a few ballads at karaoke.

This three day hike can be swapped for the shorter, lightweight one described in Culture and Elephants of the North. This is more of a walk than a hike, making it suitable for all levels of fitness. It features one overnight stop in a mountain village, an elephant ride, and bamboo rafting.

This morning, your train will pull into in the royal city of Ayutthaya, a World Heritage Site. You can take a taxi or tuk-tuk to Uncle Pan's Bungalows, where you'll stay in a quirky house on stilts. Your little bungalow will have its own veranda overlooking the spacious gardens.

In the 12th century, Ayuttaya was one of the most important kingdoms in Southeast Asia- a huge network of palaces, temples, spectacular junks and royal elephants eating from gold bowls. Eventually, the city lost its power and the temples were ransacked during the war with Burma. Today, you can visit some of the mystical Khmer temple complexes strewn around the city. Wat Phra Si Samphet, Wat Mahatat and Wat Mongkol Bophit are the best known ruins. These are draped in history and heavy with mystery.

When you arrive on Ko Pha Ngan, you'll be dropped off at Had Rin beach, famous for its Full Moon parties. Your accommodation is located on quiet Thong Nai Pan beach with a tropical rainforest backdrop, far from the backpacker throng. The resort is right on the beach, with a swimming pool of its own. If you like, you can coincide your visit to Ko Pha Ngan with the full moon, giving you the opportunity to join the legendary party. If you let us know in advance, we can book you a hotel on the beach at Had Rin. However, if you opt to stay on Had Rin over full moon, don't expect to get much sleep. The party really does last all night.

Ko Pha Ngan is an ideal spot to do absolutely nothing. Sway above ivory sands in a hammock slung between two palm trees and sip on a cold beer. Read quietly while you laze on the beach, taking refreshing dips in the azure waters whenever you need to cool off. Play some football with the locals on the beach as the sun goes down. In the evenings, lie on the beach after a tasty meal of freshly caught fish, counting the stars in the clear night sky. This is island life at its most laid back- enjoy it while you can.

There is a diving school next to your hotel where you can book an introductory scuba dive. Or if you are hesitant about taking a plunge, you can take a snorkelling trip out to a dazzling coral reef. This trip will take you to Nang Yuan, a tiny island off Ko Tao, which is made up of three rocks joined together by sparkling white beaches. Or you can just order a freshly made fruit cocktail and snooze in the sun, or a barefoot stroll along the beach to a candlelit restaurant for your evenings meal.