A journey along the East Coast of Thailand with some good old-fashioned island-hopping is an excellent option if you are travelling from the UK in the summer months. This side of the country has a different rainy season to the west coast and stays dry from around February through to August (the dry season on the west runs from November to May).
The proposed itinerary includes visits to some lesser-known gems that are often overlooked by tourists, such as Songkhla Lake and the coastal areas near Chumphon. These off-the-beaten-track locations are intertwined with more popular Thai islands like Koh Samui and Koh Phangan or Koh Tao. The itinerary is designed to provide ample time for community-based tourism, immersing in the local culture and indulging in activities like snorkelling, swimming, and relaxing on the beach.
Highlights include:
- Cycling through mangrove forests in Bangkok and sampling delicious homegrown food from an organic garden
- Bird watching at Thailand’s largest lake
- Relaxing on pristine tropical islands and snorkelling in crystal clear oceans