Thailand (Winter 11 Days)

The group leader on this Thailand tour will be a local Thai! His/her job is to ensure the safety and well being of everyone on the trip and to show everyone the most amazing time ever! Since there is a strong cultural component for this trip your local Thai group leader will also be educating you on the culture, history and customs of Thailand. Best of both worlds!

A passport is required for this Thailand tour. Your passport must have at least 6 months validity (from the time you leave Thailand) for entry. If you hold a U.S. passport you will not need a visa for entry to Thailand as long as you are not staying more than 30 days.

You will be staying in boutique, independently owned 3 star hotels (9 nights) and a floating hotel (1 night) for the duration of this Thailand group tour. The hotels are all modern, clean, safe, and in central locations. All the hotels have pools. In Chiang Mai you are a 3 minute walk to the Old City, in Bangkok you will stay in the Sukhumvit neighborhood, and in Krabi you still stay in Ao Nang just off the main road. The floating hotel is modern and it’s a surreal experience spending the night surrounded by nature, turquoise water and staggering limestone rocks. Please note that the floating hotel has shared bathroom facilities and has fans (no A/C due to power restrictions) though it is cool at night (in the National Park).

In order to budget properly please consider the following items which are not included in this Thailand group tour:

• Meals: You are responsible for 5 lunches and 4 dinners. Budget around 4500 THB for meals not included.
• Tipping
  • Local drivers, guides and restaurant staff: Tipping is not compulsory but can make a big difference to individuals in the local hospitality industry in Thailand. Therefore, we recommend budgeting around 1500 THB for these services.
  • Group leader: Tipping your group leader is completely discretionary. For outstanding service you may consider tipping your group leader ~$10/day.
• Travel insurance: Travel insurance covering our minimum requirements ($100k+ in medical coverage including emergency evacuation) is compulsory for all participants. Budget anywhere from $50 to $130 for travel insurance (from a 3rd party) depending on your specific coverage inclusions.

The single room supplement on this Thailand group tour is $549. You will be able to select your preference for a single room supplement when filling out the application. If you are applying for this trip within 3 months of the departure please contact us for single room availability before applying.

Upon arrival in Chiang Mai you will take the included transfer directly to the hotel where your group leader will be waiting for you! After getting checked-in you will have free time until around 6pm upon which you will meet the group in the lobby of the hotel. Then you will walk to a nearby spot for drinks/dinner as you begin to get to know one another!

While you will not physically meet your group mates until the evening of the first day you will be in contact with everyone well ahead of time in the group WhatsApp chat and, in addition, we will provide you with everyone’s traveler bios so you’ll already know each other a little before physically meeting!

On day 4 (in Chiang Mai) you will have the opportunity to tailor the trip to your style by selecting an optional excursion. You will be able to select the optional excursion during the application process and, after, you’ll be sent an invoice to pay.

• Muay Thai Class: 400 THB
• Yoga: 250 THB
• Sticky Waterfall Day Trip: 1500 THB

You can read more about the optional excursions here.

We recommend bringing cash for this trip. Much of everyday Thai life is handled using cash which makes it easiest to use. Credit cards (Visa or Mastercard) are accepted at Western restaurants and indoor shops (i.e. malls) but note surcharges using a credit card are not uncommon. You can also bring an ATM card but withdrawal limits and transaction fees could occur.

You may bring any size luggage that you wish though we recommend packing as lite as possible! Please keep in mind that you will be traveling a lot (staying in 4 different hotels during the trip) and, further, you can purchase clothes rather inexpensively while in Thailand.

Yes, you will have WiFi access in all the city hotels and many restaurants during this Thailand group tour. Please note there is no WiFi at the floating hotel (1 night) due to its remote location.

In Chiang Mai and Bangkok you will have your choice of nightlife options: bars, dives, lounges, rooftops, and clubs. Krabi (where you’ll spend 1 night) is a beach town and, as such, has a much more laid back vibe at night with the majority of the nightlife being chill beach bars and dives. The decision to go out at night or not is completely up to you!

Yes, our Thailand group tour visits the Baanchang Elephant Sanctuary which is an ethical, no-riding elephant reserve. You will visit the elephants, prepare their food, and even give them a bath but you will not be allowed to ride any of them.

The first 6 days of the summer and winter Thailand tours are the exact same – things differ beginning on day 7. On day 7 the summer tour goes to the eastern side of Thailand (to the island of Koh Samui) while the winter tour travels south (to Khao Sok National Park and then Krabi). We run the different itineraries due to weather conditions in Thailand during that specific time of the year; Southern Thailand can be very rainy with monsoons during the summer hence why we transition to an island off the east coast during that time of the year.