| Gulf Coast and National Parks of the South |
6 Days/ 5 Nights
Bangkok – Kanchanaburi – Hua Hin – Chumphon – Surat Thani – Khao Sok National Park - Phuket
Tour Code: RTS004 |
| |
| This round trip follows the Gulf coast to the south and then crosses the Malay Peninsula to the Andaman Sea with the focus on the national parks, nature and local way of life. From the Erawan National Park in Kanchanaburi province to Sam Roi Yot on the Gulf coats and Khao Sok in the south, the tour offers a great variety of fascinating and unparallel scenery. This tour leads to Phuket but can be combined with practically any beach destination on Thailand’s West coast like Krabi and Khao Lak. |
| |
|
|
Day 1 Bangkok – Kanchanaburi (L/D)
In the early morning pick up at the hotel in Bangkok and drive westwards along the gulf cast. Stop at the salt fields in Samut Sakhon Province. Visit the floating market. Explore the colorful market and see the traditional way of trading wares along a labyrinth of narrow water canals. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit Erawan National Park and the impressive seven tier high waterfall. Explore the waterfall’s many levels and limestone rocks or swim in the natural pools filled with crystal clear waters. Afterwards, drive to the Hellfire Pass. The pass and its railway were built by allied prisoners and Asian workers during the Second World War and used as a supply route between Thailand and the Japanese front in Burma. The Hellfire Memorial Museum provides detailed information and is starting point to explore the pass. Continue the tour by long tail boat along the Kwai River to the hotel. Overnight at a floating hotel surrounded by dense jungles. After arrival time at your leisure to enjoy the surrounding nature and explore a nearby local Mon Village. Swimming and canoeing (optional). Dinner on the rafts and afterwards watch a performance of traditional Mon dances.
Note: the River Kwai Jungle Raft Resort offers private rooms with private bathrooms in an extraordinary setting but no Air-condition. Optional overnight stay at River Kwai Resotel*** with air conditioned rooms and pool possible at no surcharge.
Day 2 Kanchanaburi – Hua Hin (B/L)
After breakfast return by boat downstream to the waiting car. Drive to a nearby elephant camp. Enjoy trekking on the back of an elephant surrounded by the picturesque panorama of the mountains and the banks of the River Kwai. Drive to Namtok train station and journey by train along the famous death railway back to Kanchanaburi town. After arrival visit the historical bridge over the River Kwai. Lunch at a riverside restaurant. Visit the JEATH War Museum (Optional). Drive south to Phetchaburi province. Visit Khao Wang Mountain and the former summer residence of King Rama 4 on its peak. Enjoy the view from the top of the mountain overlooking the town and mountain ranges along the Burmese border. Afterwards, visit the nearby Khao Luang cave and its reclining Buddha image. The surrounding area is inhabited by numerous small monkeys which come to greet the visitors. Continue along the coast to Hua Hin. Visit the old train station in the city center which was constructed to connect this first beach destination of Thailand and Royal Summer Residence with Bangkok. Check in at the hotel for overnight stay.
Day 3 Hua Hin – Chumphon (B/L)
After breakfast in the hotel drive southwards along the coast and visit Sam Roi Yot National Park. The Park is Thailand’s first coastal nature reserve with over 600 meter high limestone mountains, shrimp farms, mangrove forests, beaches, islands and caves. On the way chance to stop at a shrimp farm. Continue the tour by boat to a nearby secluded beach inside the National Park. Walk up a rocky mountain surrounded by dense jungles. On the way stop at a view point overlooking the neighboring bays and islands. Arrive at the hidden Phraya Nakhon Cave and its Royal Pavilion. The cave has two very large chambers which are both open towards the sky. Large trees grow in the main chamber and a small temple honoring King Chulalongkorn who visited this cave in 1890 was build in its center. The sunlight falling through the opening in the cave’s ceiling, the dark limestone walls and the huge trees together with the golden temple in its middle create very unique, mesmerizing and mystical atmosphere. Continue back to the beach and return by boat to the waiting car. Enjoy lunch of fresh seafood at a local restaurant while overlooking the bay and the surrounding islands. Continue along the west coast to Prachuap Khiri Khan Province and visit Khao Chong Krajok known as the mirror mountain (Optional). On the way to Chumphon stop over at Ban Krut Temple with its huge Golden Buddha located on the top of a hill near the beach. Time to visit the temple and enjoy the panoramic view. Drive to the hotel in Chumphon for check in and overnight stay.
Day 4 Chumphon – Surat Thani (B/D)
After breakfast in the hotel drive to the scenic Hat Sai Ri Beach 20km south of Chumphon. The long white sandy beach is shaded by pine trees facing smaller islands. Visit the nearby Prince of Chumphon Shrine located on top of a mountain. Enjoy the panoramic view overlooking the beach and surrounding islands. Afterwards, drive to Lang Suan and stop at a local fruit market. Drive to Chaiya one of Thailand’s oldest cities located on the western gulf coast. Visit the temple complex of Phra Borom That Chaiya with its ancient chedi and Buddha relicts. Continue to Surat Thani. Trip by boat along the Tapi River and through small side arms passing mangrove forests, traditional wooden stilt houses and local fishermen. Check in at the hotel. At night dinner on the banks of the river.
Day 5 Surat Thani – Khao Sok (B/L)
After breakfast visit a monkey school where a local farmer teaches monkeys to climb up coconut trees and collect only the ripe nuts.Afterwards, drive along a local road towards Khao Sok National Park. Stop over at Ratchaprabha Dam and boat trip over the lake. The lake is surrounded by limestone mountains and cliffs covered in tropical rainforest that rise up from the shore of the lake and disappear into the far distance. The scenery has been compared to Qualin in China or Halong Bay in Vietnam. Few people know of the lake and even less have visited it. There are over one hundred islands in the lake and it is over 60 km from north to south. Lunch at a local restaurant on the lake. Continue to the hotel for check in. After check in opportunity to explore the ecology of the rainforest, to see a great variety of exotic plants, tropical hardwood trees with huge roots, orchids, palms, ferns and bamboos. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 6 Khao Sok – Phuket (B/L)
After breakfast in the hotel river tour over the Sok River through dense jungle passing impressive limestone mountains and cliffs. Afterwards, leave Khao Sok National Park and drive towards Phang Nga. Boat trip through the large mangrove forests of the bay. Lunch Ko Phanhee a local fishing village built on wooden stilts above the water. After lunch visit the nearby James Bond Island and its famous mushroom rock. Return by boat to the waiting car. Continue along the scenic coast to Phuket.
Drop of at your hotel in Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi.
End of service. |
|
| |
Price |
2-3 persons |
4-6 persons |
SGL Surcharge |
|
01.05.2009 - 31.10.2010
|
€ 898 |
€ 649 |
€ 148 |
|
|
|
| |
| Hotels |
| Kanchanaburi: 1x River Kwai Jungle Rafts** Raft /or: River Kwai Resotel*** Standard |
| Hua Hin: 1x Thipurai City Hotel*** Standard |
| Chumphon: 1x Chumphon Cabana Resort*** Superior Bungalow |
| Surat Thani: 1x Diamond Plaza Hotel*** Deluxe |
| Khao Sok: 1x Elephant Hills***+ Luxury Tent |
|
| We reserve the right to exchange hotels/categories according to availability. |
| |
| Note: We offer a wide range of hotels in all categories. If you would like to upgrade the hotel or room category please inform us accordingly and we will try to accommodate your request. |
| |
| Services included |
- Air-conditioned car /van and driver
- English speaking guide (French and German speaking guides available upon request)
- Rates include all entrance fees as per program.
- Accommodation as listed on twin sharing basis
- Daily breakfast in the hotel (B)
- Other meals as per itinerary (L/D) |
| |
| Services excluded |
- Personal expenses
- Tips |
| |
| Remarks |
Children under 12 years sharing room with 2 adults with extra bed 50% of adult rate.
Children under 12 years sharing room with 2 adults without extra bed 70% of adult rate. |
| |
| Questions and inquires about this tour: info@thailandholidays24.com |
| Book this tour >>> |
 |
