Thailand: Forest Treks & Full Moon Party — Self-Launched

Arrive at Suvarnabhumi and get into town cheaply: the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai (~60 THB/£1.40) then BTS/MRT, or a metered taxi with expressway tolls for roughly 350–500 THB (£8–11). Check into a hostel around Khao San or Banglamphu. In the evening walk Khao San Road, grab a pad thai from a street cart (£1.50) and a big Chang beer (£2), and suss out your onward train tickets at the TAT or any travel agent. If you only have 30 days or fewer in Thailand, most nationalities enter visa-free.

🚌Airport Rail Link + BTS/MRT ~£1.50 or taxi ~£9

🛏Hostel dorm, Banglamphu/Khao San area (£7–10)

• →Khao San Road evening wander
• →Street food dinner
• →Book sleeper train tickets

Full day in Bangkok. Visit Wat Pho (200 THB) and the Grand Palace (500 THB — dress respectfully, cover shoulders and knees), or Jim Thompson's House (250 THB). In the afternoon take a longtail boat through the Thonburi klongs — charter a boat for around 1,000–1,500 THB per boat (£23–35) and split it with people from your hostel, or use the Chao Phraya orange-flag commuter boat for 16 THB. Board the overnight sleeper train from Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue) to Chiang Mai — second-class sleeper berth roughly 800–1,000 THB (£18–23), about 12–13 hours. Book via the State Railway of Thailand app or at the station 1–2 days ahead.

🚌Longtail boat + SRT sleeper train to Chiang Mai ~£22

🛏Overnight sleeper train, 2nd class berth

• →Wat Pho
• →Grand Palace or Jim Thompson's House
• →Thonburi klong boat trip
• →Overnight sleeper train

Arrive mid-morning and check into a guesthouse inside the old city moat. Sleep off the train, then hit the food: khao soi at Khao Soi Khun Yai or Khao Soi Mae Sai (~60 THB), sai oua sausage at the Warorot Market, mango sticky rice for dessert. In the afternoon take a red songthaew up to Doi Suthep temple (50 THB entry, ~100 THB transport return) for views over the city. Evening at the Sunday Walking Street or the Night Bazaar, then a cheap foot massage (£5).

🚌Songthaew around town, ~£4

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Mai old city (£8–12)

• →Khao soi lunch
• →Doi Suthep temple
• →Night Bazaar / Sunday Walking Street
• →Thai massage

Book a 2-night/3-day hilltribe trek with a local operator (many guesthouses arrange this; otherwise check GetYourGuide or the responsible-tourism operators around Tha Phae Gate) — expect around 3,500–4,500 THB (£80–105) including transport, guide, meals and village homestays. Drive to Mae Malai village, then set off on foot through forest towards the first hilltribe village. Expect a few hours of walking with luggage carried in a day pack (big bags stay at the guesthouse or go in the van). Nights are in basic thatch bungalows, multi-share, with blankets provided. Carry water, a light rain layer and warm clothes for the hills.

🚌Songthaew/van to Mae Malai (included in trek price)

🛏Basic hilltribe thatch bungalow, multi-share (included in trek)

• →Forest trek to hilltribe village
• →Village homestay evening

A 2–3 hour morning walk to lunch, then into a Karen village to see traditional blanket and scarf weaving. Carry on a few more hours through forest and farmland to the next village where you sleep tonight. If the route passes the Mae Tang River, your guide may teach you local fishing techniques or how to lash together a bamboo raft — a great chance to learn something genuinely local. Food is included in the trek price; expect simple rice and curry cooked over fire.

🚌On foot; all transport included in trek price

🛏Village hut, multi-share (included in trek)

• →Karen village visit and weaving demo
• →Bamboo raft building / river fishing

Breakfast in the village, then float out by bamboo raft past riverside villages — the most scenic way to leave the jungle. Meet the van after lunch and return to Chiang Mai. Tonight: another khao soi, then a night out on Loi Kroh Road or the Zoe in Yellow area to toast finishing the trek. If you want the northern Khantoke dinner with traditional dance, book it yourself for around 600–900 THB (£15–20).

🚌Bamboo raft + van back to Chiang Mai (included in trek price)

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Mai old city (£8–12)

• →Bamboo rafting
• →Chiang Mai night out
• →Optional Khantoke dinner and show

Half-day cooking class — book direct with a school like Thai Farm Cooking School or Pantawan (around 1,200–1,500 THB / £28–35 including market visit and 4–5 dishes you eat for lunch). Afternoon free: temple-hop Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man, shop the Warorot Market, or take a Thai massage. Evening: overnight sleeper back to Bangkok — book the night train from Chiang Mai around 5pm/6pm arrivals at ~1,000 THB (£23) in a second-class sleeper berth.

🚌SRT sleeper train Chiang Mai → Bangkok ~£23

🛏Overnight sleeper train, 2nd class berth

• →Thai cooking class with market visit
• →Temple hopping
• →Warorot Market

Arrive in Bangkok in the morning and check back into a hostel. Pick up anything you skipped on day 2 — the National Museum (200 THB), Wat Arun across the river (100 THB), or Chinatown's Yaowarat food stalls at night (a couple of pounds per plate). If it's a weekend, Chatuchak Weekend Market is a must. Cheap and cheerful evening: BTS to Saphan Taksin and a wander along the river.

🚌BTS/MRT and river boat, ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm, Bangkok (£7–10)

• →Wat Arun
• →Yaowarat street food crawl
• →Chatuchak Market (weekends)

Morning cycle tour of Bangkok's hidden Thonburi lanes with a local operator (around 1,000–1,300 THB / £23–30 via Klook or GetYourGuide), or DIY: rent a bike and ferry across the river. Afternoon for a last Thai massage and a street food crawl. In the evening board the overnight sleeper from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Surat Thani — second-class sleeper around 800–1,100 THB (£19–25), arriving early morning.

🚌Bicycle hire + SRT sleeper train to Surat Thani ~£25

🛏Overnight sleeper train, 2nd class berth

• →Bangkok bicycle tour
• →Thai massage
• →Overnight sleeper train south

From Surat Thani take a local bus or shared minivan to Ban Ta Khun (~150–250 THB, about 1.5 hours) and stop at the Khao Thep Pitak community-owned farm and restaurant — the same community project the group tour visits, open to independent travellers. Breakfast there and tour the organic gardens and rubber plantation. Then head into Khao Sok National Park and onto Cheow Lan Lake: join a day trip or longtail boat tour (around 1,500–2,000 THB / £35–47 including boat, guide and lunch; book through your guesthouse in Khao Sok village or Klook). Swim, hike and photograph the limestone karsts. Sleep in a jungle guesthouse in Khao Sok village or a raft house on the lake (raft houses from ~600 THB dorm / ~1,500 THB private).

🚌Local bus/minivan Surat Thani → Ban Ta Khun → Khao Sok, ~£8

🛏Jungle guesthouse in Khao Sok village or lake raft house (£10–20)

• →Khao Thep Pitak community farm visit
• →Cheow Lan Lake boat trip
• →Swimming and jungle hike
• →Optional tubing on the river (400 THB)

Get to Surat Thani pier (bus/minivan ~100–200 THB) and take the ferry or catamaran to Koh Pha Ngan — around 450–700 THB (£10–16) for the 2.5–3.5 hour crossing; book with Lomprayah, Seatran or Raja Ferry. Check into a beach bungalow or hostel on Haad Rin, Sunrise or Coral Bay. Afternoon beach time, then a sunset beer. If it's Full Moon night, grab a bucket from a 7-Eleven and head to Haad Rin beach — the party officially runs from dusk till dawn.

🚌Minivan + ferry to Koh Pha Ngan, ~£16

🛏Beach bungalow or hostel, Koh Pha Ngan (£8–15)

• →Island ferry crossing
• →Beach time
• →Full Moon Party on Haad Rin (on the full moon date)

A classic day: catch a longtail boat from Thong Sala or Chaloklum to Bottle Beach (around 300–500 THB per person return, or join a shared boat trip) or hike the jungle trail over from Haad Khom (about 2 hours, steep but gorgeous). Lunch on grilled fish and som tam at a beach shack, swim, and hang out in the hammocks. Back in the evening for the Full Moon Party if your dates line up — otherwise sunset drinks at a beach bar and a beach bonfire.

🚌Shared longtail boat ~£8

🛏Beach bungalow or hostel, Koh Pha Ngan (£8–15)

• →Bottle Beach longtail boat trip
• →Jungle hike to Bottle Beach
• →Beach lunch and swimming
• →Full Moon Party / beach night

Hire a scooter (~250–300 THB / £6–7 a day, bring your licence and be careful on the hills) or use songthaews to loop the island: Than Sadet waterfall, the Khao Ra viewpoint hike (the island's highest peak, 2–3 hours return free), and snorkelling off Ko Ma or Haad Salad. Or take a boat trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park if you want the big day out (~1,200–1,500 THB / £28–35).

🚌Scooter hire ~£7

🛏Beach bungalow or hostel, Koh Pha Ngan (£8–15)

• →Scooter island loop
• →Than Sadet waterfall
• →Khao Ra viewpoint hike
• →Optional Ang Thong Marine Park trip

Nothing scheduled — that's the point. Sleep in, swim, read in a hammock, get a beach massage (£6–8). Eat your way around the island: massaman roti, fresh coconut, grilled seafood at Thong Sala night market where a full dinner costs £3–4. Optional yoga class (~300–500 THB) or a Muay Thai session. Sort your onward travel tonight — ferry + bus combo back to Bangkok takes around 12 hours, or fly from Koh Samui.

🚌Walking / songthaew ~£2

🛏Beach bungalow or hostel, Koh Pha Ngan (£8–15)

• →Beach day
• →Thong Sala night market
• →Yoga or Muay Thai

Morning swim, then travel out: ferry to Koh Samui plus a short flight to Bangkok, or the Lomprayah ferry–bus combo all the way to Bangkok (around 1,000–1,400 THB / £23–32 for the combined ticket). If you're flying out of Bangkok, allow a full day for the journey. Visa-free entry and departure taxes are included in your ticket.

🚌Ferry + bus to Bangkok ~£28, or ferry + flight

🛏None (departure day)

• →Last beach morning
• →Onward travel