Bangkok, Krabi and Khao Sok: Islands and Rainforest in 10 Days

Your guide meets you at Bangkok airport and takes you by private vehicle to your hotel in the Silom area. The rest of the day is at leisure. Rest after your flight, try a street-food dinner nearby or take a short walk to Lumphini Park, the green heart of downtown Bangkok, as the evening cools.Overnight: Bangkok

Spend the morning at the Grand Palace, founded in 1782, with its throne halls and Wat Phra Kaew, home of the Emerald Buddha. Then take the local ferry across the Chao Phraya to Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, and ride back to Wat Pho to see the giant Reclining Buddha. Finish at Wat Traimit, where a solid gold Buddha sits in a gleaming hall. The afternoon is free to rest, shop or take a Thai massage.Overnight: Bangkok · Meals: B

Drive to Samut Songkhram to watch the train roll right through the Maeklong railway market as vendors pull back their stalls. Continue to Damnoen Saduak and ride a long-tail boat for about 30 minutes past plantations and stilt houses, then switch to a paddle boat in the floating market. After lunch, visit the Ban Bang Phlap community: cycle through quiet lanes, walk in an organic pomelo farm, learn how local women make preserved fruit and try your hand at a colorful Thai kite. Finish with fresh coconut and pomelo.Overnight: Bangkok · Meals: B, L

Your guide takes you to the airport for the short flight to Krabi. On arrival, a private driver brings you to your resort near Ao Nang Beach. Spend the afternoon by the pool or walk down to the beach to watch the sun set behind the limestone islands offshore. The seafront has plenty of easy restaurants for dinner.Overnight: Krabi · Meals: B

Join a half-day speedboat trip to four of Krabi's best-known spots, shared with other travelers. Start at Phra Nang Beach, reachable only by boat, with its small cave shrine at the foot of the cliffs. At Tup Island, walk across the sandbar to the next island when the tide is low. Snorkel among coral at Chicken Island, named after its rock shape, then enjoy a picnic lunch on the long beach of Poda Island. You are back at your hotel by mid-afternoon.Overnight: Krabi · Meals: B, L

A day to slow down. Swim, read by the pool or book a massage. If you want to stay active, you can take a long-tail boat from Ao Nang to Railay, a peninsula of beaches and limestone cliffs, or walk the shady paths around the bay. Your guide can help you plan anything you would like to arrange.Overnight: Krabi · Meals: B

Board a shared speedboat for a full day around the Phi Phi Islands, about 45 minutes from Krabi. Snorkel off Bamboo Island and stop at Monkey Beach, then enjoy a Thai buffet lunch at Ton Sai Bay. In the afternoon, pass Viking Cave, cruise into the emerald waters of Pileh Lagoon, snorkel at Loh Samah Bay and visit Maya Bay, the beach made famous by the film The Beach. The route can change with the weather and tides. Back in Krabi by late afternoon.Overnight: Krabi · Meals: B, L

A private driver takes you north to Khao Sok, arriving at your riverside cottages around 14:00. In the afternoon, choose between a guided canoe trip on the river or a lazy float downstream on a rubber ring, both with the rainforest close on each side. After dinner, join a guided night walk in the park to look for frogs, insects, birds and, with luck, larger animals.Overnight: Khao Sok · Meals: B, D

Spend a full day on Cheow Lan Lake with a local guide. A long-tail boat carries you between sheer limestone peaks rising out of the water to a floating bungalow, where you have lunch over the lake. In the afternoon, swim in the clear water, join a jungle walk or simply relax on the raft. Return to your cottages as the sun sets for dinner by the river.Overnight: Khao Sok · Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, choose a half-day guided walk in Khao Sok National Park or skip the walk for a relaxing Thai massage. Check out by midday, then a private driver takes you to Surat Thani airport for your onward flight, or to the pier if you would like to continue to Koh Samui. The drive to the airport takes about two hours through rubber and palm plantations.Meals: B