Itinerary

Meals included: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Day 1 Cultural Exchange (L, D)

• 09.30 Transfer to Ban Talae Nok village. We will then meet your host family, and be welcomed into their way of life. Along the way, we will pick up some gifts for our host family and wax for the artisans we will meet later today.
• 10.00 Take a walking tour of the community with your local guide to learn about the history and lives of these villagers. See an area of the village that was destroyed by the 2004 tsunami and learn how this event affected the community.
• 11.30 For lunch, enjoy authentic southern Thai food with your homestay family. We will also invite some ladies from the workshop later to enjoy our lunch together.
• 13.00 Take part in a handicraft workshop and learn the art of Batik, a technique of hand-dyeing fabrics by using designs drawn in wax. You can create your own design or have your hosts draw one for you, then color in the beautiful designs, and keep your creation as a souvenir.
• 15.00 Take a short walk to the beach where you can relax and bask in the spectacular colors of an Andaman Sea sunset.
• 16.30 For dinner, enjoy a barbeque dinner on the beach with your hosts and feast on freshly caught seafood, garden-fresh vegetables, and Thai curries (weather permitting, alternative is dinner in the homestay). The rest of the evening is free to spend at your leisure.

Overnight: Ban Talae Nok Homestay, comfortable bedding and mosquito net provided.

Day 2  Cultural Exchange (B,L,D)

• 8:00 breakfast at your host family.
• 8:30 Learn to weave leaves of the nypa palm with the villagers and help make traditional roofing from a local mangrove plant. Afterwards, we will take some time to collect some mangrove seeds and plant them behind the village (only available in June-August).
• 11:30 Lunch with your homestay family.
• In the afternoon, take some time to help with daily activities in the vegetable garden of your homestay and help to pick fresh produce. With the ingredients, you can help prepare dinner together with your homestay host.
• 18.00 Participate in a cultural activity where you can share stories and experiences with the family and local villagers. Pictures from home are always appreciated!

Overnight: Ban Talae Nok Homestay, comfortable bedding and mosquito net provided

Day 3  Natural Wonders (B, L, D)

• 08.00 Breakfast at your host’s house
• 09.00 Head into nature, and explore the mangrove forest in a long-tail boat, where you have the chance to spot various birds, monitor lizards and monkeys. Take a fascinating journey through the tidal canals and learn how the villagers are active in protecting this amazing ecosystem. We will also take some time to help pick up any trash from the beach.
• 11.00 Continue your journey out to the hidden paradise of the undeveloped Gam Islands, only 10 km from the coast of the village. Arrive to the white sand bays and explore the surrounding nature, then go for a swim and snorkel in the clear blue waters**. Here, as well, we will see if there is any trash that we might pick up to help keep the islands clean.
• 12.00 Have a picnic lunch on the beach with your hosts**
• 13.00 Depart the island and take part in a local fishing activity with your hosts. If you get a good catch, your hosts will create a tasty net to table meal.
• 14.00 Handicraft workshop - the women's group, established after the tsunami, makes beautifully hand-crafted soap, using only the finest natural ingredients. Watch an informative demonstration and then make soap for yourself with the expert guidance of the soap ladies. Keep your creation as a souvenir. You will also pick the flowers and leaves that are used to decorate the soaps and will bring some nice scents to the workshop that we have purchased before.
• 16.00 Learn to cook local Thai food with your host family.
• 17:00 Have dinner on the beach together with your host family and the family of one of the women from the handicraft workshop. For every group, a different family will be invited.
• 18:00 Enjoy more cultural exchange by trying on traditional Muslim clothing to learn more about your hosts’ religion and how it is connected to their culture and daily lives.

Overnight: Ban Talae Nok Homestay, comfortable bedding and mosquito net provided
** Gam Islands are only available during the dry season, November - April. During the rainy season, have an extended mangrove tour and go fishing with your homestay family. Depending on tides and expertise, fish in the canals with nets or poles, spearing shrimp or catching crabs with traps.
** Lunch in the rainy season is held at the homestay.

Day 4   Village Life (B,L,D)

• 08.00 Breakfast at the homestay house.
• You will then enjoy making a traditional dessert that we will bring with us to give as a surprise treat to a local school. Try your hand at grating the coconut and filling the palm leaf with the batter. Then grill and enjoy the delicious snack hot off the fire.
• Then walk up to the school for a panoramic view of the Andaman coast and we drop off the snacks as a surprise for the children.
• 12.00 Enjoy a personalized cooking class and help make your lunch with your host. Lunch with the host family.
• 13.00 Pack and say goodbye to your friendly hosts, then transfer back to Kuraburi.
• 16.00 Explore the evening market and enjoy an independent dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Local resort in Kuraburi with a/c and hot water.

Day 5  Moken Village (B,L,D)

• 08.00 Have a traditional Thai breakfast at the local market in Kuraburi with your translator. We will purchase some supplies, such as rice, cooking oil, salt, soy sauce or fruits to bring to our Moken hosts.
• 08.30 Transfer to Kuraburi pier for Moken experiences program. Head to Koh Surin.
• 10.00 Meet your Moken guide and head to the village. A tour around the village is an insight into the intricate relationship between the Moken and their surrounding environment. Learn about the brightly colored "Spirit Poles" and Moken homes, built on wooden stilts directly on the beach.
• 11.00 Participate in a handicraft workshop and learn the traditional art of Moken weaving. Use forest Pandanus leaves to weave a natural bracelet. Keep it as a souvenir and show off to your friends at home.
• 12.00 Have a packed lunch under the shade of a tree on a beach near the village.
• 13.00 Forest hike - your Moken guide will highlight useful plants, including medicinal herbs, edible species, and those used in construction of traditional houseboats.
• 14.00 Snorkeling - coral reef exploration with Moken guide. Your guide will take you to a wonderland of colorful tropical fish and allow you to witness the impressive Moken swimming techniques.
• 16.00 Back at the park headquarters enjoy free time to walk the beach, relax, and enjoy the sunset.
• 18:00 Dinner at National Park restaurant.

Overnight: Koh Surin, tents on the beach with bedding gear: electricity generated from 6pm-8am

Day 6   Life of the Sea Gypsies (B,L,D)

• 08.00 Breakfast at the National Park restaurant.
• 09.00 Meet your Moken guide and take a snorkel tour to see the underwater life of the sea gypsies. See how they have adapted to living in the water, and why they love it. Watch as your Moken guide spots sea turtles and sharks swimming in the waters.
• 12.00 Return to the park headquarters to have a Thai style lunch.
• 13.00 Hop back on the long tail boat to go visit special Moken places around the islands and learn how they have lived here for generations
• 16.00 Back at the park headquarters enjoy free time to walk the beach, relax, and enjoy the sunset.
• 18:00 Dinner at National Park restaurant.

Overnight: Koh Surin, tents on the beach with bedding gear: electricity generated from 6pm-8am

Day 7 Mythology of the Moken (B,L)

• 08.00 Breakfast at the park headquarter
• 09.30 Try your hand at rowing a Moken "row-boat" and re-enacting their method of spear fishing.
• 10.00 Reunite with you Moken guide for more snorkeling at a new site or another visit to the village
• 10.30 Snorkeling with your Moken guide if time permits
• 12.00 Return to the park headquarters to have a Thai style lunch
• 13.00 Pack your belongings and prepare for departure from the island. We will leave a nice gift for your Moken guide as a surprise.
• 14:00 Depart Koh Surin by speedboat to Kuraburi Pier, transfer back to Kurabury town. End of program.

Note - Moken Music Activity- Listen to beautiful songs that tell stories and the history of the Moken people. Day of Moken music will be decided by guide.

What's included?

• Transfer during the program
• Accommodation mentioned in program
• Meals as mentioned
• National Park fee
• Morning & afternoon snorkel sessions
• Life jacket in the program
• Local/English Speaking Guide
• Activities as mentioned in the program.
• Meals at Surin National Park restaurant (vegetarian option available)
• Tent, camping mat, sleeping bag & pillow.
• Travel Insurance
• TAX 7%

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