Itinerary - Thailand Expedition Summer

lights to and from the UK are not included in the package, so you can decide from where and when you want to leave!

What better way to get to know each other than over tasty Thai food? Let's all raise a glass together to the start of this adventure! We continue the evening in the Khao San area. This is one of the best streets to enjoy Bangkok's nightlife, when the sun goes down everything comes alive!

Just over an hour from Bangkok we visit the UNESCO World Heritage archaeological park of Ayutthaya. We rent bicycles and start by seeing Wat Pra Si Sanphet, an important temple complex covered in 250kg of gold, that once housed the Buddha. We can't miss Wat Phra Mahathat either, where we admire the Buddha's head inserted between the roots of a tree - probably one of Thailand's most famous and iconic images. After cycling all day we have earnt a delicious dinner: we have to taste something typical and so we start looking for the restaurant that tantalizes the tastebuds. We expect exotic dishes such as rice in pineapple or mango salads.... but watch out for the spicy ones!

We set off very early because we have a 6-hour drive ahead of us to reach the ancient capital of the kingdom, Sukhothai. The journey will certainly not be boring: outside the window the magical Thai landscapes will keep us company, or it will be the perfect opportunity to take a nap. As soon as we arrive, we stretch our legs after many hours of sitting, we take a relaxed tour of the city... again by bicycle, which is the best way to see it. Sukhothai is one of the most spectacular places in the whole country: a vast complex of temples, monasteries and statues so well preserved that they will leave you speechless! Sukhothai means "Dawn of Happiness"... and happiness and wonder are what we will feel in front of the mysterious Wat Sangkhawat, a group of ruins surrounded by vegetation. We’ll also be left hypnotised by the majesty of the Buddha statue in Wat Si Chum, which will make us feel tiny.

After a 5 hour transfer (the scenery will take our breath away again today), we arrive in Chiang Mai, a city on the banks of the Ping River. Full of beautiful temples and sculptures, it will amaze us with its architectural beauty and its markets in the city centre, where traders and craftsmen try to sell practically everything! Once we get here, we can't miss the Doi Suthep Temple: there are 300 steps to conquer, but we won't be alone - stone dragons decorate the steps and show us the way. After our exertion, we can treat ourselves to a traditional Thai massage and recharge our batteries. How to end the evening? If we arrive here on a Sunday, we can't miss out on a bit of shopping at the colourful and immense Sunday Market, where you can enjoy real Thai street food - AKA dinner tonight! Oh, and we also stay at homestay!

A 100% nature day.

Today we say goodbye to the chaos of Chiang Mai and immerse ourselves in the jungle! Surrounded by greenery, we will be able to admire the local fauna in a cool and relaxing environment. Elephants will become our friends as we feed them, roll around in the mud with their babies and bathe in the river together. It is an experience that will remain in our hearts forever, with full respect for the elephants' health. We continue with a river adventure that will leave us wet but certainly happy! Tonight we will have the opportunity to live a very wild experience. After dinner, we will sleep in a typical homestay surrounded by nature and its sounds.

In the morning we finish enjoying the peace of Chiang Mai and in the afternoon we prepare to fly to Surat Thani, where we will spend the night. We cannot miss a nice dinner at one of the stalls in the city's night market. We can try one of the many curry or fresh fish dishes, a classic khao pad or a plate of pad thai. Either way, it will be an explosion of aromas and flavours!

In the morning we hop on a quick transfer to the harbour and embark for our final destination: Ko Phangan. The ferry ride is perhaps a little slow, but it will allow us to relax and enjoy the scenery as we reach one of Thailand's most beautiful islands. Ko Phangan is huge, rural, with very few paved roads and a very special atmosphere. In the afternoon we can dedicate ourselves to visiting the hinterland: the waterfalls are definitely worth a visit, there are no less than 6 of them! We recommend seeing that of Than Sadet, which features boulders engraved with the royal effigies of the Rama rulers. This evening we will experience the famous Thai movida: Ko Phangan is famous for its numerous discos and beach clubs, so let's put on our flip-flops (the dress code is not so strict) and get ready for sunrise!

After the busy evening, we keep the pace of this day a little more relaxed, so we go and enjoy the sea. We have two options: we can explore the various beaches by sea, by boat, or by land, by classic tuk tuk. Obligatory stops: Ko Ma, a small island joined to the mainland by a tongue of beach; Haad Son, where the water is very shallow for tens of metres and the swings on the sea invite us to swing while waiting for the sunset - with a cocktail in hand, of course.

Fairytale excursion: Today we visit the Ang Thong Marine National Park on a boat. The park consists of 42 islets surrounded by nature, dotted with small lakes, emerald lagoons and heights with perfect vantage points for spectacular photos. This is a protected area, far from mass tourism and therefore one of WeRoad's most popular days in Thailand. We will have the chance to do some snorkelling in the calm, crystal-clear waters, full of fish; or to relax on the white sandy strips, sunbathing. Dolphin sightings are not infrequent in these parts, so keep your eyes open! Tonight we sleep in a tent directly on the beach, so we can immerse ourselves fully in nature. Have you ever fallen asleep lulled by the murmur of the sea waves in the background?

Have you ever been woken up by the sun filtering through a tent window? Some probably have. But how many times, upon opening the tent, have you found yourself facing the white beaches and crystal-clear sea of an unspoilt tropical paradise?! After a magical awakening, we have the whole morning to continue exploring and enjoying the island. Snorkelling is highly recommended: in this archipelago you only need to move a few hundred metres to find completely different and always wonderful fish. In the afternoon we take the ferry back to Ko Phangan, to enjoy the last night of island-hopping!

We take a ferry to Surat Thani and then a flight to Bangkok and use these last 2 days to visit the capital of this wonderful country. We arrive late in the afternoon, so we spend these hours... buying some souvenirs! Khaosan Road is the shopping street par excellence, Camden-style in London. Here the stalls are more punk, with massage parlours on every corner, small shops and restaurants - and it's always crowded with people.

There are always places in a city that one should not miss. That's why in the morning we will take a stroll through the temples of Bangkok, starting with the Royal Palace and continuing on to Wat Pho, with its gigantic reclining golden Buddha, and Wat Arun, on the other side of the river - to reach it we will take a small boat trip. Known as the 'Temple of Dawn', it has a timeless atmosphere that instils deep peace. In the afternoon we have some free time for the last shopping and then the date is for our last dinner together! We have experienced so many emotions that going through all the adventures together it will seem impossible that we have only known each other for 12 days!

Until next time!