Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
Our first visit to Thailand and this tour was a wonderful introduction! We had an outstanding, very experienced tour leader in Worasak Paiboon (Pok) - he was one of the best (we have taken many trips with Explore). A great group which worked well. The start of the tour was rather full-on with the overnight rail journey - but well worth it. Hard to pick a highlight, but the Elephant Sanctuary stands out, as well as the homestay and raft hotel. Thoroughly recommend!
Active and outdoorWildlife
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The north of Thailand was my FAVOURITE. I loved the diverse range of 'stays' which kept it exciting and much like an adventure and showed what Thailand had to offer. The Jungle Raft on the second night was an essential bonding experience for the group and allowed us to build friendships and enjoy the trip way more than if we hadn't had that crucial opportunity to connect. The included experiences, free time add ons, and even trip manager suggestions were all top tier! I didn't regret a single experience. 2 night stays were also a relief as travelling can get quite tiring and found that their timing was essential.
AdventureChill out
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort, Hut, Villa
Age Range
18-35 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Chiang Mai, Khao Sok, Bangkok, S
Chiang Mai, Khao Sok, Bangkok, Singapore, Krabi, Langkawi, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Kanchanaburi, Pai, Surat Thani
The itinerary was nicely balanced. It included the main sights in the places visited along with down time to rest and refresh. If keeping busy was more to your liking, there were many excellent optional tours.
The coach was comfortable and kept clean.
Loved the hotels. The Galleria 10 in Bangkok was in an excellent location, within walking distance to restaurants, convenience stores, and the sky train. Their 2 for 1 daily Happy Hour was a nice way to unwind after a busy day of sightseeing. Thoroughly enjoyed the other hotels which also offered pools for relaxation - in Kanchanaburi, Sukhothai, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. The hotel in Kanchanaburi was within walking distance of the famous Bridge over the river Kwai which was a bonus. The hotel in Chiang Rai was within walking distance to additonal sights not included in the tour as well as to excellent restaurants. All the hotels offered a good selection of options for daily breakfast as well as for the included dinners.
Adventure
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
5-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Khao Sok, Andaman, Bangkok, Chia
Khao Sok, Andaman, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Sukhothai, Chiang Rai
The hotels were fantastic — central, comfortable, and beautifully presented. It made such a difference to be close to everything while still feeling relaxed and at ease. The coach was also very comfortable and reliable, and guided us through heavy traffic safely and on time.
This trip was honestly everything we hoped for and more. Every place we visited felt special in its own way, and the whole itinerary just flowed so smoothly. We got to see the famous sights, but also had moments that felt really personal—like sitting with Mr. Duoc in Ba Vi, hearing his stories from the war. It was something we’ll never forget.
Mrs. Chin's cooking class in her garden kitchen was another favorite—she made us feel so welcome, and the food was amazing.
We also found some great little restaurants along the way (shoutout to the grilled eggplant in Hoi An—wow).
Thank you, Ellie, for planning everything so perfectly. You really took the stress out of it and helped make this such a memorable trip. We already miss Vietnam… and we’re already talking about coming back.
Adventure
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Eco Lodge, Home-stay, Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
1-79 yrs
Operated in
english, french, german, spanish
Destinations
Hanoi, Mekong Delta, Mai Chau, H
Hanoi, Mekong Delta, Mai Chau, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Halong Bay
Brilliant! Lots of different activities and locations to suit all travellers as it was a real mix of island life, cultural town and major city. Trip managers and local guides are very knowledgeable and genuinely care about your trip experience. Highly recommend.
This tour hit all the right notes for us. We wanted something that showed us different parts of Thailand without being too intense or expensive. The days were full but never overwhelming. We saw big landmarks like the Grand Palace and White Temple but also had time for small experiences, like sipping coffee at a local cafe in Chiang Mai or watching the sunset from the beach in Phuket.
The flights between cities made travel easy and we were always met on time. Having a guide in each place helped us understand the history and customs better and they answered every question we had.
We’re not “tour people,” usually, but this one made things simple. It was structured but with enough flexibility. If you’re thinking about Thailand and want a little adventure without the stress of planning I’d definitely recommend this tour.
Adventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This was an excellent trip both from the activities organised and the cultural insights, mainly from our guides. We were very well looked after and enjoyed a reasonable standard of accommodation and some very good food. I would suggest a change from the catfish curry at the floating village of Mechrey. Most of our group declined to try it given its provenance from a fairly contaminated river source.
We all enjoyed our bike ride around the temples of Angkor Wat - a real highlight.
I’d also like to make special mention of our first Laotian guide - Souk - who excelled in his role keeping us safe, informed and entertained.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers