Southern Thailand Family Holiday

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Phuket, Thailand’s largest and most popular island, full of sun-soaked coastal views. With excellent beaches and heaps of restaurants serving delicious local food, 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, stop in at the Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Center in Phang Nga. Learn about how the Navy rescues eggs from surrounding beaches, see some of the turtles in action and hear about how the centre is helping to support turtles and their habitat. When you arrive at Khao Sok National Park, enjoy a free afternoon to get settled into your surroundings. The national park is home to some of the oldest jungles in the world, surrounded by amazing limestone rock faces and monkeys hiding in the trees. Maybe hit the resort pool with the kids, then later, you might like to take an evening safari with your group, where you’ll head deep into the jungle, looking (and listening) out for animals.

Start the day by jumping in a private vehicle and travelling through the jungle to island-dotted Cheow Lan Lake. Then, it’s into a traditional longtail boat for a calm sail to one of its islands. This scenery looks straight out of a postcard, with limestone karsts rising almost 1000 m (3281 ft) into the air and surrounding blue-green waters. Trek with the family to an island cave, which will delight the kids with its eerie stalactites, bats hanging above and subterranean streams below. Enjoy lunch in a local rafthouse 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 on land, you might spot hornbills, langurs, macaques or gibbons. After, return to your accommodation for the night and fall asleep to the relaxing sound of the jungle outside.

Take a private transfer to the Phrom Lok District this morning, where you’ll get to spend a night on a unique homestay experience. When you arrive, meet the locals and immerse yourself in everyday life as you take on their daily activities and gain insight into their culture. Enjoy a homecooked lunch together, then hop on two wheels for a cycling adventure around the community. Cycle to Phrom Lok Waterfall and maybe cool off with a swim (depending on the season), then discover the leafy Phrom Khiri District. Tonight, you’ll tuck into an authentic homecooked dinner of southern Thai food before trying your hand at the art of batik painting.

Start the day with breakfast at your homestay, then head out by bike again to visit a nearby mushroom farm and rubber plantation – you'll also get to see how everyday household items are made from native grasses. 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 longtail boat a short distance to the stunning Railay Beach for an afternoon of swimming, relaxing and exploring with your family.

Today is a free day for you and the family to do as you like. Maybe find a shady spot beneath the palms, take an ocean dip on one of Krabi's beaches, climb the spectacular cliffs or go snorkelling. You might also like to get out by boat and explore the islands, like Phi Phi Island, Hong Island or the famous four-island tour – every one is more beautiful than the next and home to white-sand beaches perfect for swimming and snorkelling.

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, join your leader for a 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 scents of the many incredible restaurants in the area. For dinner tonight, you might like to try one of them for your final group dinner together.