Southern Thailand Family Holiday

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Phuket, Thailand’s largest and most popular island, full of sun-soaked coastal views. It has excellent beaches, a huge array of restaurants serving local flavours, comfortable hotels and shopping options – so you might want to consider arriving with the family a couple of days early. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 5 pm today. After, why not head out for a dinner to get to know your leader and fellow travellers a bit better?

This morning, say farewell to Phuket and hop on a private transfer to Khao Sok National Park. Along the way, you’ll stop in at the Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Center in Phang Nga. Learn about how the Navy rescues eggs from surrounding beaches and their environmental efforts to ensure the conservation of turtles and to preserve the environment with local communities, schools, universities, government organisations and other NGOs. Arrive at Khao Sok National Park and enjoy a free afternoon to get settled into your surroundings. The national park is one of the most unique locations in Thailand with some of the oldest jungles in the world. Surrounded by amazing limestone rock faces and monkeys hiding in the trees, kids will love swimming in the resort pool.

In the evening, you might like to take an evening safari with your group, where you’ll head deep into the jungle, looking (and listening) out for more animals. (B)

Start the day by hopping on a private vehicle and travelling through pristine jungle to the stunning Cheow Lan Lake. There, you’ll hop in a traditional longtail boat for a calm sail to one of its many islands. With limestone karst hills rising almost 1000 metres into the air and surrounded by beautiful green waters, the area is incredibly picturesque. With the family you’ll trek to an island cave, with its eerie stalactites, bats hanging from the ceiling and subterranean streams at your feet. Enjoy lunch in a local raft-house before having free time to relax, swim or kayak around the lake to search for wildlife. The water is clear and full of aquatic life, and you might spot hornbills, langurs, macaques or gibbons above water. After, return to your accommodation for the night and fall asleep to the relaxing sound of the jungle outside. (B/L)

Take a private transfer to the Phrom Lok District this morning, where you’ll get to spend a night during a unique homestay experience. Once you arrive, meet the locals and immerse yourself in everyday life as you take on their daily activities and gain an insight into their culture. Enjoy a home-cooked lunch together, then hop on two wheels for a cycling adventure around the community. Cycle to Phrom Lok Waterfall and cool off with a swim (depending on the season), then discover Phrom Khiri District, passing the locals and their leafy surrounds.

Tonight, you’ll tuck into an authentic home-cooked dinner of southern Thai food, then you’ll try your hand at the art of Batik painting (a textile technique that uses wax and dye to create patterns on pieces of fabric). (B/L/D)

Start the day with breakfast with the locals, then head out on the bike again to visit a local mushroom farm and rubber plantation, and see a grass broom-making demonstration. After, refuel with lunch back at the village, then say goodbye to your hosts and head to Ao Nang. This resort town is known for its gorgeous beaches, colourful sunsets and limestone islands that jut out from the still seas. After checking in to your accommodation, you may like to take a long tail boat a short distance to the stunning Railay Beach for an afternoon of swimming, relaxing and exploring with your family. (B/L)

Today is a free day for you and the family to do as you like. Sun-seekers will fall in love with Krabi's unspoilt beaches, the spectacular cliffs will tempt avid rock climbers, while snorkelling fans can embark on a Krabi diving adventure. If you love getting out on the water and exploring islands, then consider taking a trip by boat to explore Phi Phi Island, Hong Island or the famous 4 Island tour, all surrounded by white sandy beaches perfect for swimming and snorkelling. (B)

After breakfast, say goodbye to Krabi and hit the road headed back to Phuket, stopping for lunch along the way. Once you’ve checked into your accommodation, head out for a leader-led walk around Phuket’s Old Town, learning about the city’s history as a tin mining hub, wandering past the colourful shop fronts and following the smells of the many incredible restaurants in the area. For dinner tonight, you might like to try one of them out for a final group dinner together. (B)

There are no activities planned for the final day and you are free to depart any time following check-out. If you’d like to stay in Thailand for longer (we wouldn’t blame you), just speak to your booking agent and be sure to your leader for their recommendations on the best family-friendly activities. (B)