10-Day Thailand Full Moon Experience — Bangkok to Koh Phangan
10 days · Thailand
Tru Travels charges £1,020
No-markup version: ~£380 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Bangkok temples and street food → floating bungalows in Khao Sok jungle → the world-famous Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan. A perfect slice of Thailand done independently — no group van, no overpriced tour leader.
Day-by-day
Arrive Bangkok
Bangkok
Land at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang, grab a taxi or Airport Rail Link into the city. Check in near Khao San Road — beds from £6/night at places like NapPark Hostel. Grab pad thai from a street cart, recover from the flight.
🛏NapPark Hostel or similar, Khao San area — ~£6–10/night
- →Street food wander on Khao San Road
- →Night market browsing
Bangkok: Temples & River
Bangkok
Take the Chao Phraya Express Boat (£0.60) to the temple district. Wat Pho (£5), then cross the river by ferry (£0.20) to Wat Arun. Tuk-tuk back through Chinatown for dinner. No tour guide needed — Google Maps is your friend.
🚌Chao Phraya Express Boat — £0.60. River ferry — £0.20.
🛏Khao San area hostel
- →Wat Pho — reclining Buddha (£5 entry)
- →Wat Arun — river views from the spire
- →Chinatown street food dinner
- →Optional: traditional Thai massage £7
Overnight Train to Khao Sok
Bangkok → Surat Thani
Morning Thai massage (~£7). Afternoon free. Board the overnight train from Hua Lamphong station to Surat Thani — book second-class sleeper on 12go.asia, ~£18. Sleep on the train, arrive at dawn.
🚌Overnight train Bangkok → Surat Thani, 2nd class sleeper — ~£18 via 12go.asia
- →Thai massage morning session
- →Train station street food before departure
Khao Sok: Floating Bungalows
Khao Sok National Park
Minivan from Surat Thani to Khao Sok (~£4). Book floating bungalows directly on Cheow Lan Lake — Raft House or similar, ~£18–25/night per person. Kayak, swim, and watch limestone karsts reflected in the water. Worth every baht.
🚌Minivan Surat Thani → Khao Sok — ~£4
🛏Floating bungalows on Cheow Lan Lake — ~£18–25/person/night (book direct)
- →Kayaking on Cheow Lan Lake
- →Swimming in the reservoir
- →Jungle walk around the lake edge
- →Sunset from the bungalow deck
Koh Phangan: Bottle Beach
Koh Phangan
Ferry to Koh Phangan (~£8 from Surat Thani pier). Head straight to Bottle Beach on the north of the island — accessible only by longtail boat (£2.50 each way) or a 30-min trek. Stay at Smile Bungalows or Haad Khom Resort — beach huts from £12/night.
🚌Ferry Surat Thani → Koh Phangan — ~£8. Longtail to Bottle Beach — £2.50.
🛏Smile Bungalows, Bottle Beach — ~£12–18/night
- →Longtail boat arrival at Bottle Beach
- →Beach swim and hammock time
- →Fire show on the beach at sunset
Muay Thai & Viewpoint Trek
Koh Phangan
Morning hike to the Bottle Beach viewpoint — 30 min, incredible island views. Afternoon: book a 2-hour Muay Thai intro class at one of the island's gyms (~£10–15). Evening: explore Had Rin's nightlife.
- →Bottle Beach viewpoint hike
- →Muay Thai intro class — ~£10–15
- →Had Rin nightlife exploration
Island Boat Trip & Snorkelling
Koh Phangan
Book a shared boat day trip around the island's best snorkelling spots — operators on Had Rin beach, ~£18–22 including lunch. Ang Thong Marine Park is nearby if you want to push further (£30 day trip).
- →Snorkelling boat trip — ~£18–22 with lunch
- →Shark Point and other coral sites
- →Beach BBQ dinner in the evening
Full Moon Party 🌕
Had Rin, Koh Phangan
THE night. Spend the day doing UV body paint (£5, dozens of stalls on Had Rin), grab cheap buckets, and get to Had Rin Nok beach before dark to get a good spot. The party runs all night — pick a chill zone if you want to pace yourself, or go full beast mode. No ticket needed — just walk in.
- →UV body paint session
- →Pre-party at beach bars
- →Full Moon Party — Had Rin Nok Beach (free entry)
- →Optional: sunrise after-party
Recovery Day
Koh Phangan
You earned this one. Sleep in, find a smoothie bowl, locate a pool. Optional: book a Thai massage (£8–12). Final group dinner at sunset. The island is absurdly beautiful when you're not running on a bucket.
- →Thai massage — £8–12
- →Sunset dinner at a beach restaurant
- →Optional: explore Thong Sala market
Checkout & Onwards
Koh Phangan
Ferry back to Surat Thani or direct to Koh Samui for flights. Most Bangkok flights connect via Bangkok — book your ferry + bus combo on 12go.asia. Some people head to Koh Tao for diving. Your call.
🚌Ferry Koh Phangan → Surat Thani — ~£8. Or ferry direct to Koh Samui — ~£5.
- →Final beach swim
- →Onward ferry booking
Self-launched vs. Tru Travels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Tru Travels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£380 | £1,020 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £640 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Tru Travels-style trips? Check them out here.~£380
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
Created by
Travel Crew
12 trips · ★ 4.8
Open departures using this itinerary
Frequently asked questions
How much does 10-Day Thailand Full Moon Experience — Bangkok to Koh Phangan cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £380 per person for 10 days in Thailand. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Tru Travels?+
Yes — Tru Travels charges around £1,020 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £380 — a saving of roughly £640 (63%) per person.
How long is the Thailand trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Thailand.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a beaches, adventure, culture trip through Thailand, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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