Northern Thailand & Beaches - 21 Day Trip

Our first full day on tour and we're headed to the River Kwai! Before we head off to the river, we’ll do some shopping and not at just any old regular market, but a FLOATING one! Crazy right? We’re shopping via a long-tail boat. Grab a snack from a local vendor, or grab a fresh juice. Next, we’re off to Kanchanaburi! When we arrive, we'll get another boat and cruise down the River Kwai enjoying the sight of its iconic bridge (an insta-worthy moment for sure). It’s sunset o’clock and what better place to watch the sunset than the bridge over River Kwai - can you tell this spot is one of our favourites? Get those poses ready for all the 10/10 shots you’re going to get. You’re welcome.

City - tick, floating markets - tick...now it's time to visit some waterfalls! Erawan Falls are just an hour away from Kanchanaburi is pretty much paradise. Imagine a 7-tier, crystal clear blue waterfall surrounded by lush greenery, sounds unreal right? We know TLC said don’t go chasing waterfalls but ya know, I think we can be excused with this once. Make sure you have your swimmers as you’ll want to take a dip. Don’t say we don’t spoil ya! We’ll have some lunch at the waterfalls then we head back to Kanchanaburi, where you can either chill by the pool or explore the town before we meet for dinner and maybe a few drinks...

Today you have the morning free before we hit the road again! So choose to spend this morning how you please, whether that’s by the pool or exploring the town. Next, we are off to Ayutthaya, an ancient capital city, if you’re looking to see culture & history, then you’re in the right place! We’ll hop on some bikes and cycle around the world heritage site, 10/10 views, we’ll also learn about the fascinating history of Ayutthaya and of course, the kingdom of Siam which is what Thailand used to be called! Then it's time to grab a bite to eat and board the night train to Chiang Mai! The train is comfortable, you get your own bed with pillows and covers, comfort is key! So it shouldn’t be too hard to get a decent night's sleep ready to take on a new place in the morning! Chiang Mai, we’re coming for you.

Want to know what an overnight train is really like? Here's how TruTraveller Josh found it!🌴

We check into our guesthouse which is ideally situated between the old & new areas of Chiang Mai (winning), you’ll have some time to relax by the pool or do some exploring and check out the oldest temple in Chiang Mai which is right opposite our accommodation (winning x2!) Now it’s time to visit the most famous and possibly the most beautiful temple in Chiang Mai, Wat Pra Maha Doi Suthep. The views are incredible, situated high up on the mountain, you’ll get a panoramic view of the city. Trust us, you’ll feel on top of the world, literally. Once you’ve taken your snaps of the insane views and got some for the gram (it’s gotta be done), you have the afternoon free to do whatever you'd like before we meet later on for dinner!

After a night of blissful dreaming, we head back to Chiang Mai...via bamboo raft (how cool!) Sail with the wind in your hair before we stop off for a dip at a local waterfall. Freshen up in the clear waters after an insightful evening with the hill tribe, dry off and then we’re on our way back to Chiang Mai! Today's also the day we will get to see some Elephants! Animal welfare is extremely close to our hearts, and that's why we visit a dedicated elephant rehabilitation sanctuary. The elephants here are free to roam and not here for the entertainment of tourists. We visit to educate ourselves on one of Thailand’s most popular native animals but to also redistribute funds to programmes that do good. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a memory you’ll cherish forever, no doubt!

It’s time to get your adrenaline pumping as we head to the jungle to spend the morning zip-lining! Fly from platform to platform through the canopy of the jungle up to 50m above the ground, throw in some rope bridges and a few abseils. You’ll experience the jungle in an entirely different (and much faster) way than walking through it at ground level. This is truly an unforgettable experience! *Just don’t look down!*

After an exciting few days, this morning, you'll have the chance to chill, read a book, grab a cocktail, and do whatever floats your boat! In the afternoon, grab your bags because we are hopping on a bus to the hippie town of Pai! Just 3 hours outside of Chiang Mai, a very popular backpacker destination, and we can see why! Filled with cool retro bars, market stalls, excellent food and wonderful people from all walks of life. Ahh, the life of Pai (sorry we had to!)

 Day trippin’ time! Today we’ll head out to see some of Pai’s highlights and its surrounding areas! Starting at the biggest cave in Thailand, Lod Cave, we’ll hike through the main chambers and then take a bamboo raft along the river which runs through the cave (depending on season and accessibility). It’s like something out of a movie, incredible stuff! It’s now time to give your muscles a break, as we head to the hot springs which are situated in the jungle and are heated by geothermal activity. Take a dip in the crystal clear water, treat yourself to a clay mask and just have the ultimate relaxation session in the warm temperatures. We’ll then head to the waterfall nearby with an amazing view! Who needs a waterpark when we have one better, a waterfall with a natural slide? We’ll finish this incredible day at Pai Canyon which means even more amazing views of the surrounding mountains and jungle, and even better, we’ll be there at sunset! So get your pics and take in the insane view before heading back to Pai town. In the evening we’ll head to a nice restaurant and a few chilled bars where we can mingle with other backpackers too. After all, we deserve it after the day of sightseeing we’ve done!

Have a look at the epic views of Pai Canyon here!

Chill day let's go! After a bit of a lie-in, relax by the pool, spend your day lounging around, or play mermaids with your new besties! The choice is yours. Once we’ve had our relaxation fill, we'll head for dinner and drinks and see where the night takes us.

This morning it’s time to head back to Chiang Mai! We hope you’re ready to become the new Thai Masterchef as we are off to a cooking school to learn about some of Thailand's traditional dishes and then have a go at making them ourselves! Most of Thailand's delicious food comes from the North, so there’s no better way than to learn from the masters themselves, right? First, we’ll head to the market where our guides and teachers will show us how to select the freshest & tastiest ingredients. Now it’s time for us to turn those ingredients we picked into some tasty meals! Don’t fret, you’ll be shown how to cook the recipes step by step! Now for the best bit, tasting what you’ve cooked, so make sure you’re paying attention when cooking! An amazing experience, and you’ll get to go home with new recipes and new skills! Winner winner chicken dinner (of tofu if you're veggie of course.)

Here's a sneak peek into what you'll be getting up to!🧑🏼‍🍳

 So we all know the Grand Canyon but do you know of Chiang Mai’s very own Grand Canyon? Well, if not, don’t worry as you’ll get to know! This is an old excavation site, where they would dig out sand for buildings etc. However, now it is a man-made lagoon which has turned into an adult playground, we LOVE to see it! There are countless slides, floating chairs to lay in, tubes and then for the brave-hearted...have a go at cliff jumping, deep water soloing or climbing on their climbing wall. Take your pick! There’s a restaurant there on-site, so we can grab lunch, refresh and energise ourselves! In the evening, we'll head out to Chiang Mai for more dinner and drinks!

Want a sneak peek of today's activities...? 👀

After checking out of our hotel in Chiang Mai, you’ll have some free time to explore Chiang Mai, hit up the markets one last time or spend time relaxing by the pool. It’s now time to head onto the overnight train, cos we’re going back to Bangkok baby!

We are back in Bangkok, and it’s time to explore the capital further! We’ll hop into a tuk-tuk and head to Bangkok’s most prestigious temples, Wat Arun and Wat Pho, which is home to the infamous gold reclining Buddha. We will then ditch the tuks tuks for long-tail boats, as we admire the views of the city from the Chao Praya River, a different way of seeing Bangkok. Take a look into the water and try to see if you can spot the fish, they aren’t normally shy! You’ll have the rest of the afternoon to explore at your own pace, you can grab a bit from the street vendors, do a bit of shopping at the market and try your best at bartering (our TruNinjas can give you some tips don’t fret). In the evening, we will meet for dinner and then head out for drinks on Khao San Road which full of backpackers, some may say it’s backpacker heaven. We’ll let you decide that for yourself. Either way, it’s a good time, you can’t go to Bangkok and not go to Khao San Road.

Alexa, play Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. Yes, you are taking the midnight train but not just to anywhere! Goodbye Bangkok and hello Khao Sok national park. So we arrive into Surat Thani, but we are off to the floating bungalows and serene lakes which are situated in the national park. Get those sleeping masks on as it’s time to catch some Zzzz’s.

Okay, so we know everyone says this, but we actually mean it because this place is PARADISE (Coldplay were right). It’s like something out of a movie, but it’s all real! Imagine clear turquoise lakes, unreal surrounding landscapes and then the best bit, floating bungalows! This is where we will be spending the night, so you can go back home and say you have actually stayed on a floating bungalow. How sick, a real once in a lifetime experience! When in Khao Sok National park, you can take part in some kayaking and explore the lakes more, lounge in a doughnut but make sure you lather up suncream because it can get hot hot hot and no burnt TruFam allowed, sorry we don’t make the rules (even though we kinda do!) or you can just lounge in the sunshine with a beer in hand! Not sure about you but that all sounds perfect to us! You’ll soon see why this place has always been one of our favourites, absolutely unreal.

Ahh, wake up to the sound of the waves and an unreal view, chilled vibes only. You’ll have some free time before we leave Bottle Beach in the afternoon, so you can choose how you would like to spend this time. Whether it be some kayaking, topping up your tan and lounging on the beach or trekking to the viewpoint to see the incredible view. We recommend seeing that view if you can! It is now time to try your hand at Thailand’s national sport, Muay Thai boxing! Do you think you have the moves to be the next Muay Thai champion? We can’t guarantee that you will be the next Muay Thai champion but hey, don’t quit your daydream! You’ll leave with new moves that you can show off to your pals and fam at least. Workout completed, we head to our accommodation for the last few nights (which is awesome, by the way).

You are in for a treat today because we are going on a boat trip around Koh Phangan! We will be stopping off at the best snorkelling spots around the island, so dive in (if you can dive, if not jumping is fine too) and see what exotic sea life you can find. The day is spent sailing the day away with the wind in your hair, snorkel at the ready and the factor 50 suncream on! Snorkel amongst the diverse marinelife, make your TruFam member take those all important insta pics or just cool off in the aqua blue waters. Whatever you fancy, it's a 10/10 day. After our fun in the sun, we head back to our accommodation, have a dip in the pool before heading out for our last night *sad reacts*. Enjoy the nightlife in Koh Phangan, because it’s only good vibes TruFam!

Today we say goodbye to Northern Thailand and Beaches, but don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened! You’ll be leaving with some amazing memories, to cherish forever, and also a pretty amazing bunch of friends you’ve just made or shall we say, an amazing TruFamily. If you are continuing your adventure, then our TruNinjas will be more than happy to help. Until then, stay epic Trufam.