Sunday 20th November
Bangkok. Our first day is a get together day, designed for you to meet all the other tour guests who will have come from different destinations around the world.
Monday 21st November
Bangkok. Today we start with a long-tail boat ride on the Chao Phraya river, which has been the lifeline of Thailand’s ancient kingdoms and agricultural sustainability. A local guide will be with us to show us this and many other stunning buildings in the 61-acre site. Afterwards we visit Wat Pho - the oldest temple in Bangkok, older than the city itself where Buddhist monks live. Wat Pho houses the incredible reclining gilt Buddha, which is nearly 50 feet high and 151 feet long with ornately inlayed mother-of-pearl feet. And here’s a bonus: the compound houses the Traditional Massage School offering Thai Massage and Foot Reflexology –a good way to end the day. For lunch we head to the Khao San Road, also known as backpacker central in Bangkok and afterwards you are free to shop and explore the area before the next leg of the trip - an overnight train journey to Surat Thani in the south of the country.
Tuesday 22nd to Wednesday 23rd November
Khao Sok National Park. On arrival in Surat Thani in the southern part of the country, we are transported to Khao Sok National Park, where we shall stay for the next two nights in jungle lodges, located by a lovely stream. After the bustle of Bangkok you can relax and enjoy the beauty of this rich, rainforest environment. Khao Sok was established in 1980 and is believed to be older rainforest than that found in the Amazon or Africa. It is a terrain thick with trees and features many clear waterfalls, lots of streams, limestone cliffs and a lake studded with little islands. After lunch at the lodge, we travel like the locals, on elephants, to see still more of the rainforest. Dinner is with an orchestra of jungle life. After breakfast, we set off on a trek through the rainforest to take a look at the abundant wildlife and plant life. Our trek finishes at one of the spectacular waterfalls in the park complete with a relaxing swimming hole. We return to the guesthouse for lunch and then spend the afternoon in either canoes or inner tubes for the next adventure, a guided trip down the river.
Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th November
Beach Escape Krabi. After breakfast we travel further south to Krabi Province on the wonderful western Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. The Krabi area offers the beaches you have always dreamt of - white sand as far as the eye can see, beautiful blue iridescent water against a backdrop of stunning limestone cliffs. On the first day you are free to do what you like – rest and relax on the beach in the sun or, if you feel a bit more active, do some snorkelling, diving, sea kayaking, or island tours. On the second day we offer an optional trip in a traditional long tailed boat for a trip out to four pretty islands that are dotted off the coast. On the last day in Krabi, you are free again to explore more of the islands off the coast such as James Bond Island, relax on the beach, get a Thai massage, or maybe take a Thai cooking course.
Sunday 27th to Monday 28th November
Malaysia – Penang. Today we set off early to cross the border into Malaysia, travelling by bus. Our destination is Georgetown on Pulau Penang.
After breakfast the next day we set off in search of Penang’s colourful past and to get an up-close-and-personal feel for the place we take a trishaw ride through the streets. We visit Fort Cornwallis, Victoria Tower, a Chinese Fishing Village, Khoo Kongsi Clan House, and Sri Mariamman – exemplifying the various cultures still thriving in the city. After lunch south Indian style on a banana leaf, we finish the tour with a stop at Penang Museum, which is a wonderful overview of the island’s diverse history.
In the afternoon, there’s a change of pace and temperature when we take a funicular ride to the top of Penang Hill. After dinner you can spend the evening wandering around the busy night bazaars and do a bit of bargaining for those all-important souvenirs or have a drink on the waterfront as in colonial days at the famous Eastern & Oriental Hotel.
Tuesday 29th November
Cameron Highlands. Leaving our hotel early we drive to the Cameron Highlands, with an optional stop at a tea estate. On arrival, the remainder of the day is free. You may wish to opt for a relaxing afternoon, maybe wandering around the hotel area or taking a trek in the forest to Parit Falls.
Wednesday 30th November
Kuala Lumpur. Today we make our way towards Kuala Lumpur. On arrival we check in to our hotel, and then have a brief walking orientation tour to see Central Market, Jamek Mosque and Independence Square.
Thursday 1st December
Kuala Lumpur - Overnight train to Singapore. This morning after breakfast, we take the monorail to Chow Kit wet market, and then continue on to KL Tower for the best city views. The remainder of the day is free, until we transfer to the station for the overnight train to Singapore.
Friday 2nd December
Singapore. On arrival, there is time to freshen up and for breakfast, before our city tour, which takes in the diversity of the Singapore streets starting along Arab Street, the Muslim centre. We continue on into Little India.
Saturday 3rd December
Day 14: Singapore. The tour finishes after breakfast in Singapore.
Lucy, Lee and myself then go back to Kuala Lumpur where we fly back to England from on Sunday. We all arrive home on the 5th of December.
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