Carefree as Buddha...

This is our Thailand Comfort Itinerary - an individual trip with private guided excursions and private transport. It's perfect if you’re looking for a little more luxury and flexibility. You’ll cover the longer distances by internal flights, and travel the shorter stretches by private car. During this Thailand Comfort Itinerary, you'll stay in comfortable hotels with local character, in some of the best locations that Thailand has to offer.

In Bangkok, you'll experience fascinating street life and see the many imposing temples of the city. You'll then travel up to the cultural capital Chiang Mai in the north, where you’ll spend four days travelling through the jungle to Pai and Mae Hong in your chauffeur-driven car. On the way, you’ll visit hot springs, waterfalls, mountain villages and meet ethnic mountain tribes. After your mountain adventure, you'll fly south to the tropical island of Ko Samui where you'll let your Thailand comfort itinerary sink in as you relax in the soft white sands under the waving palm trees.

Duration	15 days / 14 nights Departure Sunday and Tuesday from Bangkok	Accommodation	14 nights in a double room in traditional hotels. Comfort Level 3 and 4 (see accommodation)
Price	£1445 per person - based on 2 people sharing (Supplements apply in high season)	Includes	Transport, accommodation with breakfast, excursions as described and English-speaking guide
Transport	All transfers as described with private car and driver, 3 domestic flights	Excludes	Other meals, excursions and admission fees

Day 1: Arrival in Bangkok - Transfer to Hua Hin beach

On arrival at the airport your driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall to take you to your hotel in Hua Hin. Depending on traffic, it's roughly a 3 hour drive. Arriving at the resort after a long trip you can finally settle into your comfortable room. The small-scale resort is located right on the wide, golden beach and within walking distance of the shops and restaurants. You'll be staying in a bungalow built in traditional Thai style with a pointed roof and curled ornaments. There's a pool in the middle of the large garden lined with palm trees. Enjoy the rest of the day relaxing on your patio of head to the beach to see your first Thai sunset. Hua Hin is a popular weekend resort for the Thai, even for their king Bhumibol who has a summer palace here. We also met a lot of foreigners here so these days Hua Hin is a friendly mix of Thai and foreign tourists. This is what sets Hua Hin apart from other beach resorts near Bangkok such as Pattaya and Jomtien which are frequented mainly by foreigners.

Thailand comfort itinerary - warm welcome

Day 2: Hua Hin

You can spend today doing absolutely nothing. Just wile away the hours on the beach in the shade of the parasols, the waves softly lapping in the background. This is the perfect time to start that book you've been meaning to read for ages. Just enjoy the low-key atmosphere in this small fishing village. Alternatively you can go horse-riding; you don't need to be an experienced rider, the wide beach is a great place to give it a go. If you want to be a bit more active today, then head to Khao Sam Roi Yot national park, approx. 50km south of Hua Hin. The park is by the sea and is home to several species of birds and other wildlife. Go hiking through the park or take a boat trip through the mangrove forest. There are three very interesting caves in the area, just ask at reception for directions.

In the evening market, besides souvenirs you can find lots of food stalls selling Thai dishes such as chicken satay, fish cakes and mango with sticky rice.

Day 3: Hua Hin - Bangkok

After breakfast you will be picked up by your driver and taken to your hotel in Bangkok. You will be staying in a charming boutique hotel on the Chao Praya river in the heart of Bangkok. Your room has a wonderful view across the river and the city, and when the sun goes down the city looks like a fairy tale with all the lights glistening in the dark. In the afternoon visit the temple complexes like the Grand Palace, Wat Po and Wat Arun. They're very close to each other and equally beautiful. To get there, take an express boat from your hotel. It's a fun and easy way to get around and that way you also avoid the manic traffic jams. Remember to wear suitable clothing when you visit the temples; knees and shoulders should be covered.

Day 4: Bangkok - Khlong Tour

Start the day with a swim in the rooftop pool. You can spend the rest of the morning as you wish, so perhaps you'd like to visit Chinatown with its many shops, food stalls and beautiful lanterns.

In the afternoon escape the noise of the city with a relaxing boat trip through the khlongs of Bangkok. In a traditional Thai longtail-boat you'll sail through the narrow canals, passing several glistening temples. You'll see areas of the city which can only be reached by boat, and you'll notice the daily life is a lot more relaxed here. Late afternoon is a particularly good time to do the boat trip, the setting sun really adds to the atmosphere. You'll find plenty of good restaurants along the Chao Prao river, and the Banglamphu district is a good place for shops and restaurants. This is also where you'll find the lively Khao San Road, which is a great place for souvenirs...

Day 5: Bangkok - Chiang Mai

You'll be flying from Bangkok to Chiang Mai today. From the air you'll notice the landscape becoming more hilly the further north you go. On arrival in Chiang Mai make your own way by taxi to your hotel. You'll be staying in a small but charming boutique hotel in the city centre, close to all the sights. The old centre is surrounded by an old wall and moat, which makes it easy to find your way around. If you walk out of the walled town in the evening you'll find several small restaurants along the moat and after dinner it's wonderful walking back to your hotel in the balmy evening air. Inside the town walls you'll soon find yourself in the evening market where you can spend hours browsing and haggling, but as always beware for fake goods. In our experience haggling here was a lot easier than in Bangkok.

Indrukwekkend uitzicht vanuit het vliegtuig

Day 6: Chiang Mai

There's nothing on the itinerary today so you can spend the day as you wish. Our local agent has an office in Chiang Mai so pop in if you want to go on an excursion, they'll be more than happy to help you out. Visit an orchid farm, a crocodile farm or the small village of Bo Sang where you can buy brightly coloured parasols.

Always wondered how to make thoses delicious Thai dishes? Then try a Thai cookery lesson so you can wow your friends and family back home with your newly discovered Thai culinary skills. Together with a guide you'll visit the local market to wander among the brightly coloured, aromatic food stalls to buy all the ingredients. Not quite the dull fruit & veg section of your local supermarket... Back at the cookery school you'll prepare a number of Thai dishes such as Tom Yum soup with prawns and our favourite, little spring rolls. Your mouth will begin to water while you're cooking but luckily you get to eat it all at the end. Let us know if you're interested in taking a lesson and we'll reserve a place for you.

Day 7: Chiang Mai - Pai

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel for your trip to Pai. You'll be travelling by minibus through the mountains of northern Thailand and your guide will be able to tell you all about the ethnic mountain tribes that live in the area; besides the 'long-neck' Padaung, there's the Hmong, Karen, Lisu and Akha.

During the drive along winding, and sometimes bumpy, roads you can stop off for a break whenever you want. The guide and driver will definitely want to stop at the Mork Fah waterfalls, where true daredevils can take a swim in the water below. You'll stop off for lunch (own expense) in a Hmong mountain village. In the late afternoon you'll arrive in Pai where you will be staying just outside the centre in an eco-lodge surrounded by tropical gardens. The lodge has its own hot spring: a hot bath in the moonlight perhaps?

Day 8: Pai, you'll never want to leave...

Enjoy your breakfast in the peaceful surroundings and spend the rest of the day as you wish. The lodge offers massage therapy by the pool or in the spa, or you can rent a bike or go rafting.
We started the day with a short 15-minute walk to the tiny village of Pai. There's not much to do here, there's a couple of small farms along the river and the backpackers that come here as the starting point of their trekkings have usually left in the morning. But there must be something in the water that makes you just enjoy the place. It's so relaxed here. But if you want to stretch your legs, just head out of the village for a comfortable walk through the green hills; we thought the drive to Pai and the surrounding area was the most beautiful scenery we've seen in Thailand. At the end of the day you can enjoy a therapeutic mineral bath back at the resort.

Day 9: Pai - Mae Hong Son

Today you'll continue on through the mountains to Mae Hong Son. The driver will stop off at most beautiful spots so keep your camera ready. You'll also visit the Tham Lot caves (admission 3 euros) and after lunch you can get ready for your hot springs mud bath. You don't have to of course, but it's very relaxing. In the afternoon youll meet the Padaung tribe, also known as the long-neck tribe. The women of the tribe wear brass coils around their necks. Admission to the village is 5 euros which you can pay locally. Once you've freshened up at the hotel your guide will take you on a walk to Wat Doi Kong Mu, a temple set on top of a mountain. It's a steep climb but once you reach the top you're rewarded with a beautiful view across the city. You can also spend the afternoon relaxing at the resort if you prefer. It's in a peaceful location on the edge of Mae Surin National Park.

Day 10: Mae Hong Son - Chiang Mai

You'll be returning to Chiang Mai today, but this time it's a short flight instead of a long drive by car. From the plane you can look down on the green tree-covered mountains. On arrival in Chiang Mai make your own way from the airport to the hotel. In the afternoon you'll have plenty of time left to explore the city and you can visit nearby Doi Suthep, a beautiful temple built on top of a mountain with great views across the entire city. On the way there we stopped off at the Huat Kaeo waterfall.

Day 11: Chiang Mai - Ko Samui

After breakfast it's time to pack your things and make your own way to Chiang Mai airport. After a 2.5hour flight you'll touch down on the tropical island Ko Samui and as soon as you step off the plane you'll be greeted by waving palm trees. You'll spend the next few days in a comfortable resort on the pearly white beaches of Lamai Beach. Your room is kitted out with jacuzzi, plasma tv, DVD player and internet. In the afternoon recover from the flight with a fresh fruitshake or take a dip in the sea, a stone's throw from the resort.

Days 12 - 14: Ko Samui

Ko Samui with its paradise beaches is the ideal place to just chill out but there's plenty to do for the more active traveller as well. There are snorkelling and diving trips available or head inland to explore the jungle perched atop an elephant. You'll find beautiful waterfalls, rubber plantations and coconut palms here.

Day 15: Ko Samui - Bangkok - departure

The last day already. Because most flights to the UK leave early evening you'll have enough time to pack your things and spend some time relaxing. Your room is available until midday but ask us about booking a room for the whole day. You can arrange your own transfer to the airport at reception. At the airport check-in, ask for your bags to be labelled for your final destination so you won't need to worry about it when you change flights in Bangkok.

Uitzicht over Angthong National Marine park

Best time to travel:
The best time of year to do this trip is December - May, although there's always a small chance of rain. June - September is the short rainy season in the islands and the north of Thailand, which means you can expect the occasional refreshing shower. October and November are less ideal for travelling to the south-east coast as the sea can be choppy and there's a big chance of rain.

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