Thailand Family Holiday

About this trip

Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.

1. 1
   Day 1 · BangkokBangkok

   

   Arrive in Bangkok for a 5 pm welcome meeting. The city thrums with tuk tuks, khlong boats and street food vendors. Before the meeting, explore the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, ride a riverboat to Chinatown, walk Khao San Road, or get a Thai massage. Optional group dinner afterwards to meet your leader and other families.

2. 2
   Day 2 · BangkokKanchanaburi

   Visit Bangkok's flower market and learn to fold lotus petals. Take the underground to Chao Phraya River, then board an EV boat to explore the khlongs. Stop at an artist's house to make a keepsake, have lunch at a riverside restaurant, then transfer by minibus to Kanchanaburi for two nights in a floating rafthouse resort.

3. 3
   Day 3 · KanchanaburiErawan National Park

   

   Head to Erawan National Park in western Thailand to see the seven-level Erawan Falls with turquoise pools. Swim, relax or explore the lush surroundings—watch for eagles, pheasants and leafbirds overhead. Return to the rafthouse resort for an evening swim or river ride.

4. 4
   Day 4 · AyutthayaAyutthaya

   

   Minibus to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Siam. Guided tour of the World Heritage-listed ruins and temples, including Wat Phra Mahathat with its famous Buddha head cradled in Banyan tree roots. Use the day room at a local hotel to swim and freshen up before boarding the overnight train north.

5. 5
   Day 5 · Chiang MaiChiang Mai

   

   Wake in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand's vibrant hub of temples and welcoming locals. Explore the old town and have lunch, then drive a scenic mountain road to a 300-step Naga-guarded stairway leading to Doi Suthep temple. Panoramic city views and possible evening chants from Buddhist monks reward the climb.

6. 6
   Day 6 · Chiang MaiChiang Mai

   Visit Chang Chill elephant experience outside Chiang Mai. Learn how the organisation protects free-roaming elephants through expert local guides offering live lectures. Observe the animals grazing and socialising from a safe distance, grab refreshments by the mud pit, then return after lunch.

7. 7
   Day 7 · Chiang DaoChiang Dao village visit

   Travel early through Chiang Dao Valley to the rural village of Ban Hua Tung. Walk the village with local guides learning about agricultural practices and traditional basket weaving. Visit the forest managed by the community and protected through sacred Buddhist tree ordination by monks.

8. 8
   Day 8 · Chiang MaiChiang Mai

   Final breakfast with your group, then depart after check-out. Chiang Mai has more to explore, or venture south to Thailand's beaches and limestone cliffs.

What's included

• Guide: All Intrepid Family trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to assist your family to take the hassle out of your travels and help you have the best trip possible. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for fun things to do and see - for both kids and parents, recommend great local eating venues that will even get the kids trying new things, and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. Our leaders are not babysitters on this trip - we leave that to you (the experts), but they will make sure that group members of all ages are able to explore their destination safely and with as much fun as possible. Our group leaders are not responsible for looking after children at any time and children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times throughout this itinerary.
• Meals: 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches
• Activities: Bangkok - Khlong boat canal tour Bangkok - Flower Market Kanchanaburi - Erawan National Park Visit Ayutthaya - Temple Ruins entrance & guided tour Chiang Mai - Orientation Walk Chiang Mai - Doi Suthep Temple Complex Chiang Mai - ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary day trip Baan Hua Thung Community Visit
• Transport: OVERNIGHT TRAINS: Overnight sleeper trains in Thailand are air-conditioned and have sleeping berths down both sides of the carriage. The carriage is multishare, with are curtains that close over the beds. A sleeping sheet and a pillow are provided, and our luggage travels in the carriage with us. There is a western and Asian-style toilet located at the end of the carriage, but no showers. Carriage lights staying on during the night, so an eye mask is a good thing to bring with you, as is warm clothes as the air conditioning can be cold. For more on overnight trains in Thailand and around the world: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/overnight-train-travel-around-the-world/ Private Minivan, Public transport, EV boat, Overnight sleeper train
• Accommodation: GENERAL ROOMING CONFIGURATIONS: Family of two: All family groupings of two will be accommodated in a twin room. Family of three: Wherever possible we will put you in a triple room. Please be aware that in some places triple rooms are in short supply. This means that a triple room will often be a twin room with a rollaway bed or mattress on the floor. Where triple rooms aren’t available it will be at your discretion which of your family takes the single room. Family of four or more: You will most likely be accommodated in two twin rooms. Where possible, we will accommodate your family in a quadruple room. While we do our very best to ensure that family groups are roomed close together (in some cases, we can arrange adjoining rooms), we can’t guarantee this. Most family holidays occur during peak season and we sometimes have little to no control over the exact placement of rooms within a hotel. Please be understanding if we are unable to room your family in immediate proximity of one another. Hotel (4 nights), Floating Raft Resort (2 nights), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)

How travellers rate it

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