Thailand Family Adventure — Self-Launched
13 days · Thailand
Exodus charges £2,100
No-markup version: ~£935 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY, self-launched version of Exodus's 13-day Thailand Family Adventure — Bangkok's jungle oasis and street food, the Damnoen Saduak floating market, Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai, wild elephant trekking near Erawan, rural village life at Baan Nong Khao, kayaking and lake days in Khao Sok National Park, and beach time plus island-hopping in Ang Thong Marine National Park from Koh Samui. Everything is booked direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook, using public buses, trains and ferries instead of a private minibus and tour leader. Costs are approximate per person and assume budget-to-midrange guesthouses, street food and a mix of local and tourist transport.
Day-by-day
Arrive Bangkok — old town wander
Bangkok
Land at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang and take the Airport Rail Link (45 THB, ~£1) or a metered taxi (~400 THB, ~£9) to the Banglamphu/Rambuttri area near Khao San Road, a 20-minute walk from the Grand Palace. Check into a guesthouse with a small pool. Spend the late afternoon on foot around Sanam Luang and Wat Pho's exterior, then grab your first pad thai and mango sticky rice from a street cart on Soi Rambuttri for about £3.
🚌Airport Rail Link + walking (~£1)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel near Khao San / Rambuttri (e.g. New Siam Riverside-style, ~£22/night)
- →Airport Rail Link into the city
- →Old town orientation walk
- →Street food dinner on Soi Rambuttri
Bang Krachao by bike + Chinatown street food
Bangkok
Take the BTS Skytrain to Bang Na and the small ferry across to Bang Krachao, the 'green lung' of Bangkok (£0.50). Rent a bike at the pier for ~£1.50/hour and cycle the flat elevated concrete paths through Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park, stopping at fish ponds and the birdwatching tower. Return to the city in the afternoon, rest, then join a self-booked evening street food walk (GetYourGuide 'Bangkok Street Food Tour', ~£25) through Chinatown's Yaowarat or the old town, sampling crispy pork noodles, dumplings and grilled skewers.
🚌BTS Skytrain + river ferry (~£3)
🛏Guesthouse near Khao San / Rambuttri (~£22/night)
- →Bang Krachao bike rental
- →Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park
- →Self-booked Bangkok street food walking tour
Damnoen Saduak floating market to Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi
Book a shared minibus or take a public bus from Sai Tai Mai terminal to Damnoen Saduak (~2hrs, ~£4). A shared paddle boat through the floating market costs ~£6 — go early to beat the tour buses. Continue by public bus from Damnoen Saduak to Kanchanaburi (~3hrs, ~£3), stopping at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre museum (~£3 entry). Check into a riverside guesthouse near the Bridge on the River Kwai and eat dinner at one of the floating raft restaurants (~£6) with a view of the illuminated bridge.
🚌Shared minibus / public bus Bangkok–Damnoen Saduak–Kanchanaburi (~£7)
🛏Riverside guesthouse near River Kwai Bridge (~£20/night)
- →Damnoen Saduak floating market boat
- →Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and Death Railway museum
- →Floating restaurant dinner on the River Kwai
Wild elephant trail + Erawan waterfalls
Kanchanaburi
Book a half-day wild elephant observation trek at a responsible reserve such as OurLand (direct booking or GetYourGuide, ~£55-70 including an ethical, no-riding jungle hike with a guide). Have the guesthouse or a songthaew drop you at Erawan National Park in the afternoon (~£4 return by local bus). Entry is 300 THB (~£7); climb the seven tiers of the Erawan Falls, swimming in the blue-green pools at levels 1-4 and walking the 2km trail to the top (allow two hours round trip).
🚌Songthaew / local bus from Kanchanaburi to Erawan (~£4)
🛏Riverside guesthouse near River Kwai Bridge (~£20/night)
- →OurLand wild elephant trail experience
- →Erawan National Park entry
- →Erawan Falls swim and 2km upper trail
Baan Nong Khao village + overnight train south
Baan Nong Khao / overnight train
Cycle or take a songthaew 30 minutes to Baan Nong Khao agricultural village (~£2). A local guide (arrange via your guesthouse) shows you the palm sugar production process and you make khanom tan, the traditional palm-fruit muffin (~£5-8). Continue by train or shared van to Nakhon Pathom (~1hr, ~£2), visit Phra Pathom Chedi, and eat at the night market. Board the overnight sleeper train from Nakhon Pathom (or Bangkok) to Surat Thani — book on 12Go Asia in advance; lower berth sleeper is roughly £18-25. If you need to freshen up, day rooms near the station run about £8.
🚌Songthaew + local train to Nakhon Pathom + overnight sleeper train (~£25)
🛏Overnight sleeper train (2nd class berth)
- →Baan Nong Khao village visit and khanom tan dessert making
- →Phra Pathom Chedi and night market
- →Overnight sleeper train
Khao Sok — kayaking the Klong Sok River
Khao Sok National Park
Arrive at Surat Thani early morning, get a rot thong/songthaew to the bus station and a minivan to Khao Sok village (~1.5hrs, ~£5). Eat local breakfast near the station (~£2). Check into a riverside bungalow resort outside the park. In the afternoon rent kayaks from your resort or a riverside operator and paddle the Klong Sok River (~4km, ~£8), with a swim stop and chances to spot kingfishers and macaques. Dinner at your resort or in the village (~£4).
🚌Minivan Surat Thani–Khao Sok (~£5)
🛏Riverside bungalow resort, Khao Sok (e.g. Cliff & River style, ~£25/night)
- →Minivan transfer into Khao Sok
- →Klong Sok River kayaking
- →Riverside swimming
Chiew Larn Lake and Prakay Phet cave
Khao Sok National Park
Book a full-day Chiew Larn Lake tour locally in Khao Sok village or via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£35-45). The tour includes a longtail boat across the emerald lake, exploration of Prakay Phet cave with its coral and stalagmites, lunch at a floating raft house, and time to swim and kayak on the lake. Add the short ~1hr jungle walk to a nearby waterfall if you have energy left. National park entry is included in most tour prices.
🚌Hotel pickup included in day tour
🛏Riverside bungalow resort, Khao Sok (~£25/night)
- →Chiew Larn Lake longtail boat tour
- →Prakay Phet cave
- →Raft house lunch
- →Lake kayaking and waterfall hike
Khao Sok to Koh Samui beach time
Koh Samui
Minivan from Khao Sok to Don Sak Pier (~3hrs, ~£8), then the public Seatran or Raja catamaran ferry to Koh Samui (~45-90min, ~£6-9). Take a shared songthaew or taxi to Chaweng Beach (~£3) and settle into a beach guesthouse a street back from the sand. Spend the afternoon walking the length of Chaweng Beach, watching the sunset and picking a seafood grill or beach bar for dinner.
🚌Minivan + catamaran ferry + songthaew (~£18)
🛏Beach guesthouse / budget resort on Chaweng, Koh Samui (~£28/night)
- →Ferry crossing to Koh Samui
- →Chaweng Beach orientation walk
- →Beachside sunset
Free day on Koh Samui
Koh Samui
Use the day exactly as you like. Options: a snorkelling day trip to Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan (~£35-45 booked via GetYourGuide), a half-day island circuit to Hin Ta Hin Yai rocks, the Big Buddha and Na Muang waterfalls (~£20 by shared songthaew), or a Thai massage and beach reading day (~£10). Rent a scooter for ~£6/day if you're licensed and comfortable riding.
🚌Songthaew or scooter rental (~£6)
🛏Beach guesthouse / budget resort on Chaweng (~£28/night)
- →Optional Koh Tao / Koh Nang Yuan snorkelling trip
- →Optional island tour
- →Beach day
Ang Thong Marine National Park by speedboat
Ang Thong Marine National Park
Take a self-booked speedboat day trip to Ang Thong Marine National Park from Bangrak Pier (~£25-35 via GetYourGuide or any Chaweng agent; park fees sometimes charged separately at ~£8). Typical stops: snorkelling at Wao Yai, the Emerald Lake viewpoint on Koh Mae Koh, lunch on Koh Phaluai, and beach time or the steep 500m climb to Pha Chan Charat viewpoint on Koh Wua Ta Lap. Back on Samui by late afternoon.
🚌Shared minivan to Bangrak Pier + boat (included in tour)
🛏Beach guesthouse / budget resort on Chaweng (~£28/night)
- →Ang Thong speedboat island tour
- →Snorkelling at Wao Yai
- →Emerald Lake viewpoint on Koh Mae Koh
- →Pha Chan Charat viewpoint hike
Samui to Surat Thani — overnight train to Bangkok
Koh Samui / overnight train
Enjoy a slow beach breakfast and a last swim. Around midday take a songthaew to the pier (~£3) and the ferry back to Don Sak (~£9). Buses or shared vans run from Don Sak to Surat Thani station (~2hrs, ~£4). Have dinner near the station, then board the evening sleeper train to Bangkok (~£20-25, book ahead on 12Go Asia). Second-class sleeper berths are clean and comfortable.
🚌Songthaew + ferry + bus/van + sleeper train (~£36)
🛏Overnight sleeper train (2nd class berth)
- →Free beach morning
- →Ferry to mainland
- →Overnight sleeper train north
Arrive Bangkok — free day and optional cooking class
Bangkok
The train arrives into Krung Thep Aphiwat or Hua Lamphong early morning. Taxi or MRT to your guesthouse (~£2). Rooms may not be ready before 2pm but most places store bags and let you use the pool. Spend the day shopping at Chatuchak (weekends), MBK or Asiatique, or take a self-booked half-day Thai cooking class (~£30, GetYourGuide/Klook). Meet up for a final dinner of boat noodles or som tam in the old town (~£6).
🚌Public taxi / MRT (~£2)
🛏Guesthouse / budget hotel in old town (~£22/night)
- →Free day / last-minute shopping
- →Optional Thai cooking class
- →Farewell street food dinner
Departure from Bangkok
Bangkok
Breakfast near the guesthouse, then head to the airport by Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai (~£1) or metered taxi (~£9). Allow 3 hours before an international flight. If your flight is late, store luggage and spend the morning at the Grand Palace or Wat Arun before heading out.
🚌Airport Rail Link or taxi to airport (~£1-9)
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Transfer to Suvarnabhumi / Don Mueang airport
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£935 | £2,100 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,165 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£935
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.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Thailand Family Adventure — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £935 per person for 13 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 Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £2,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £935 — a saving of roughly £1,165 (55%) per person.
How long is the Thailand trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 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 adventure, culture, beaches 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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