58 independent reviews for Thailand tailor made holiday, elephants, jungle & beach
Reviews for Thailand tailor made holiday, elephants, jungle & beach
Paulina Mashnik-Myung review 19 Aug 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Everything about our trip to Thailand was wonderful. Dave, the organizer of our trip spent a lot of time putting a custom itinerary together for me and my son and it was absolutely spot on for the things that we love - art, nature, cultural immersion and cooking. It's hard to put into one review all the amazing things that we got to experience in Thailand, from riding tuk tuks, to visiting local art communities, to giving a bath to elephants, to learning to cook many Thai dishes from expert chefs, to visiting a holy site with a self-mummified monk, to tie-dying our own scarves using local plants, and so much more. Every day was a great adventure and we still talk about it every week now that we are back home. Every step of the way, we felt taken care of. There were drivers to pick us up, guides to accompany us, take pictures and tell us about historical and cultural significance of the places we visited; every hotel and airline and train station knew of our arrival in advance. The coordination was impeccable. Dave gets an additional thank you for helping us handle a difficult situation with a local tailor that was not even part of the trip or part of his responsibility. I strongly recommend this company to anyone planning a trip to Thailand. We will forever cherish our memories of the trip and a lot of it thanks to the operator and Dave specifically.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you are doing a custom trip, know your limits. We had a lot of fun but also found that we overbooked our activities a little. Book only as much as you know you will be able to handle, particularly when it's very hot outside.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We interacted with a lot of local people and establishments, which makes think that the trip benefited the local economy and Thai people who supported our trip.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Our holiday was outstanding. It was a great adventure and we felt safe, welcome and taken care of every step of the way.Joanne Scott review 11 Aug 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were so many memorable moments; epic cycling around the temples in Cambodia, jungle treks and seeing the wild life, scuba diving in Koh Tao.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure you have lots of energy before you go. We booked extra trips and wouldn't change a thing.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes it was very sensitive to the needs of the local people. The guides were amazing.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Amazing!Annie Gale review 4 Aug 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
White water rafting, bamboo cooking, scuba diving, elephant sanctuary, street food2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go for it! Thailand is so beautiful. Take booties for the sea (some sharp rocks/ coral). Maybe travel in Oct/Nov for slightly better weather. But honestly we had some fantastic weather as well as some rain.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely benefited local people. Too many plastic bottles (we were given plastic bottles, numerous, everywhere we went... not many chances to fill a water bottle). Or jungle camp supported conservation. We liked that.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Couldn't fault it really. Would recommend to anyone who doesn't mind the heat.Danielle Morel review 23 Jul 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole trip was fabulous. Could not fault it!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take plenty of mosquito spray and stuff for bites.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, the elephant sanctuary in particular was amazing, animal welfare at the front and no tourist allowed to touch or pet.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Felt treated like royalty, such good service. Knowledgeable tour guides who made the holiday so special.Karen Maynard review 15 Aug 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We had an overnight stay with a family in a Karen village north of Chiang Mai (De’Kashor) and were able to spend time with a beautiful elephant that lives around the village but roams freely. So lovely to enjoy this experience and the family were really lovely.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
There’s a lot of travelling around and we had an extra free day in Chiang Mai which helped us recharge.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. We met lots of lovely Thai people and understand more about their way of life. I hope that our visit helped support their tourism industry.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
This was a great trip and we really enjoyed it. We were a family of four and there was lots of activities which we all liked that were included in the tour price.Tricia Cody review 9 Aug 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There are so many things that I could choose to share but the white water rafting was amazing. This was something completely new for us. The guides/instructors made it great fun but never compromised on safety. My 2 teenage boys both fell overboard at one point and immediately there was a rope available for them to grab hold of and staff to help (they were never frightened and enjoyed this as part of the experience) . As well as the rafting itself, we were able to swim in the river, jump off a rock and also saw elephants both on the banks and in the river itself... unforgettable!!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If going to the lake on the long tail boats, wear a poncho or similar... the spray will absolutely soak you!! Pack decent shoes for the night safari/treks, especially in rainy season, it's very slippery underfoot.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I hope so. The local guides were amazing - passionate and knowledgeable about their country and locality and really wanted us to get the best out of our time in Thailand. One example of going above and beyond was our guide in Chiang Mai who even took us himself to a tailor's when I asked him who he might recommend! I think that choosing activities which took into consideration the impact on the environment e.g. the elephant sanctuary where you can be quite close to the animals but not physically encroach on their lives, worked well for everyone. We definitely benefited from the guides and others in all our activities and I feel that they were very happy to have us there.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was fantastic. For us, definitely a holiday of a lifetime!Egle Rymkiene review 12 Mar 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Chang Chill elephant sanctuary where elephants live in freedom, develop their wild skills and do not have contact with people. We loved the initiative and ambition to become role models for the rest of the country.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Try to fit all you need in a backpack. There are lots of activities and constant move, which makes it much more fun to travel light.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
In some places - yes, but there is still room for improvement to call it sustainable travelling (compared to other businesses in same area).4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We enjoyed all the activities, the route and the attention for only two of us in most of the places. We think it was rather ok value for the price ratio (btw, price should be adjusted in the web as right after the first contact I was informed it will be higher). We love the ambition to make travelling more sustainable - best of luck to the team!Read the operator's response here:
Thankyou for your review Egle and we’re happy to hear you enjoyed the “no-touch” elephant sanctuary so much. Thanks to years of campaigning and travellers demanding better welfare, the industry in Thailand is starting to move towards elephant experiences that are as natural as possible and we’re proud to be part of this change.
You noted that there is room for improvement to be sustainable and we totally agree – there will always be more that can be done. Except perhaps at the luxury end, Thailand is still some way behind in terms of sustainability and responsible travel is still relatively niche there. Responsible principles and practices are filtering down to the mid range and more locally owned suppliers we work with, we will continue to push them wherever we can and support these changes in the years ahead.
Lizzy Steer review 15 Feb 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The night hike was really memorable and we were able to see so many different insect, birds and animals. Feeding the elephants and walking with them to the river was also a huge highlight. Plus white water rafting was brilliant fun.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Lots of insect repellent needed! Make sure you have plenty of loose clothes to cover from the sun and protect from insects. Make sure you enjoy the moment and savour the amazing scenery and friendly people.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All of our guides lived locally and really seemed to enjoy their jobs. the elephant sanctuary we went to was small and family own and they really did seems to care for their 3 elephants and it provided income without the elephants being harmed.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had such a wonderful holiday and with treasure the experience forever.Stephen Powell review 3 Jan 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Water based activities to cool off and have fun - tubing, rafting, swimming in fresh and salt water and staying nights in jungle houses beside a river.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Use the ability to tailor the schedule and hotel options to suit your family. We had 2 families with kids aged from 6 and some days were quite tiring for them. On reflection we should have planned more free time and rest time, including an extra day in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Local people: yes, but mostly by supporting tourism accommodation and guiding jobs, which most other tourists seemed to be doing anyway. Environment: not sure. We were in many beautiful natural environments, but to get there we had to use a lot of pretty polluting forms of transport and everywhere forced us to use disposable water bottles. The environmental credentials of most of our hosts were a bit of a mystery to us. Supporting conservation: not directly. Overall, we would be interested to know how the organisers assess the sustainability of the accommodation, transport and activity options - is there a global or Thai standard? On reflection it would have been nice to have known, e.g. if a particular place was 5-star rated for environmental impacts or for giving back to the local community etc. but this was not immediately visible to us.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Nearly perfect. Great to travel as a private 2-family group. Adults and kids really enjoyed the variety of accommodation and activities across Thailand. We learned a lot with great sights and food. It was welcoming and relaxed. So helpful to have been greeted by friendly people who knew we were coming and could adjust plans if required. We haven’t travelled in this format before but we will again!Read the operator's response here:
Hi Stephen,
I’m glad that everything ran smoothly and you liked the hotels so much and your comments about the guides and activities are exactly what we like to hear. We strive for excellence in our holidays and as a founder of our company it means a lot when our customers are so positive about what we do.
You asked about the how we assess the sustainability of the holiday and the short answer is that there unfortunately is no global, or even regional set of standards for Asia. Some national schemes exist like Green Leaf in Thailand, but the criteria are opaque and it’s hard to know if they are reliable or rigorous. The closest thing there is to a globally-recognised standard is Travelife, which we and our local partner are members of. This includes assessing the impact of multiple environmental and social aspects of their holidays as well as audits.
Therefore lots goes on behind the scenes, for example in the way the guides are employed and how hotels are assessed when they are regularly visited by our partners, which wouldn’t be immediately obvious. I also often use hotels that we have personally visited and assessed by talking at length with the managers about sustainability.
I agree that this could be communicated better across the industry but sadly it’s still not a priority for most hotels especially in developing countries. Without a strong commercial imperative as demonstrated by customer demand (which is where we try to push as much as possible), there isn’t much incentive to do the considerable amount of work on developing sustainability and monitoring and communicating it – where it does exist it’s really about reducing costs for hotels like how much water and detergent they use for cleaning, how long the lights are on etc. This is ad hoc and used internally, so it’s very hard to present a single set of ratings that mean something to customers.
Ultimately there are so many complexities in a service-based industry with complicated supply chains, with specificities across global locations, that any certifications are focused on helping tourism businesses along a sustainability journey and improvement in their own particular situation, rather than a consumer-facing set of ratings. Not that lots of people haven’t tried and are still trying to bring it together!
Regarding water, it would be great if there were a network of refilling spots but as you’ve seen habits have been slow to change and in the absence of clean piped water most Thais use bottled water. Our partners did look at having water in the vehicles but it hasn’t worked out yet because it actually ends up wasting a lot of water, so they are working on other solutions. We are also sourcing refillable bottles to give to each of our customers as well as advising to bring your own, for when it is possible to find places to refill.
Due to the nature of the experiences in our holidays we do work with local transport providers who often use polluting vehicles like the longtails and tuktuks. However our partner’s vans that you travelled in should meet high standards for efficiency as part of the Travelife certification. You may also like to know that they offset all the emissions generated by the tour automatically.
Joe Wait review 27 Dec 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The stay on Khao Sok Lake2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Chat through the activities with the agent, and think about the balance of activities and rest that would suit you.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
As holiday goes there were lots of signs of sustainability and a positive impact to the local environment and communities4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
An absolutely brilliant holiday. We’ve pricked much more detailed feedback to the operator so please get in touch with them if you would like more detail.Julian Ashley review 21 Nov 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Elephant sanctuary experience; Lantern festival; Staying on the River Kwai in a floating hotel; The Reclining Buddha and Temple in Bangkok plus various other temples; Muay Thai Boxing; the food; Learning about Buddhism from knowledgeable guides; River Kwai train trip and visit to bridge construction centre and Hellfire Pass centre; Mon village visit2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Ask for hotels nearer the centre of Chiang Mai; ask for female guides where possible as they appeared to speak English better and be more friendly3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we contributed to the Elephant Sanctuary funds and saving the elephants4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Superb holiday despite the last day's aggravation as the internal flight was cancelled causing us to miss our connection to the UK, resulting in an extra unwanted day in Bangkok.Kevin Robson review 13 Nov 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The beautiful walks through paddy fields and jungle to reach magnificent waterfalls passing villages along the way together with the walk along the Death Railway, Hell Fire Pass and visit to the War Cemetery, so moving. Also the superb food, very friendly people and hotel staff we encountered on our travels.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Thailand is a beautiful country and well worth visiting. If your visiting Elephant Hills, be aware not everything is close by and your exposure/interaction with the elephants is wonderful, however very limited. Do your research.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes we think it did. Local guides and drivers were used and the employment in the tourist industry as a whole is immense. The use of re usable glass bottles for drinking water was excellent.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday. The scenery in the country is beautiful, excellent hotels with very considerate and friendly staff.John Robinson review 11 Nov 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The food and people.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Avoid Chianf Rai if you intend to travel back south as its a long way with little to commend it.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
we mixed with a lot of local people and it was good to see how many people benefitted from the fact that tourism was back and helping local communities.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had a super time in Thailand and would recommend this tour operator to help.Vivienne Avery review 26 Aug 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Time in the jungle and with elephants.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for it to be full-on to get the most out of it. You can relax on the beach at the end.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Supported conservation and local businesses.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was amazing. Exactly what we hoped for.Sarah Owens review 22 Jul 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The lodgings were all so unique and you really felt immersed in your location- very exotic.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Do it! Amazing value for your money! An itinerary that I would never have been able to come up with or figure out the logistics. We had the nicest tour guides and drivers so you don't have to worry about a thing. Just relax and prepare yourself for a great deal of planes, trains and automobiles, but with the right mind set it is not bad.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes I felt that our tour guides were amazing ambassadors for their country. It was obvious they were proud of where they were from and wanted to share it with others. Also it was obvious Covid has impacted the travel guide business and the economy of Thailand. Everything was still amazing but hope our coming is getting them back on the road to tourism recovery.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
10 out of 10. Fabulous itinerary. Unique destinations and lodgings. Taken care of every step of the way.Tom Goggin review 21 Dec 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Elephant sanctuary. To get up close with these majestic animals was truly memorable!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book with Responsible Travel. Think long and hard about including the tree & raft house accommodation. It was basic but we survived the experience!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. However, private transfers which we benefitted from would be greener if it was a group tour.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
9 out of 10. Truly a memorable trip.Dee Forrest review 27 Mar 2020
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Spending a day at the Elephant sanctuary, feeding walking and washing these amazing animals who have suffered previously on their lives and now being given dedicated care at this sanctuary.. Also waking up looking out of our raft house on the beautiful Chiao Lan Lake, Suratthani and going out on a longboat to see the sunrise.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take all the advice given by Dave Tucker at the operator as he will design you a perfect holiday taking attention to your specific wants and needs alongside his expert knowledge of Thailand.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, all excursions recommended seemed to support and benefitted the local people and most were with private guides4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic, memorable, above expectations and brilliantly organised by the operatorJudy Harp review 23 Feb 2020
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The day spent with the elephants, our visit to the Death Railway Museum and Cemetery and Hellfire Pass and visiting Wat Phrathad Doi Suthep at sunset on Makha Puja Day2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared to do a lot of walking!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Using local guides and drivers, visiting local markets and eating at small local restaurants. Elephant Nature Park rescuing elephants being mistreated4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic!John Kimmance review 12 Jan 2020
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved the scenery and set-up at Khaosok National Park and of course the elephants at De Kashor2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The toilets overnight at the Hill Tribe village were very primitive. Fine for us, but people should know.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely helped local people. But probably not environmental or conservation.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant. we all loved it!Sophie Mumford review 29 Dec 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All of it! Loved the activities around Chiang Mai.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take hand luggage only and use laundry services as and when. We did, and it was more manageable as we moved around a lot.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
To a certain extent, but as we didn’t know how much each activity costed as a stand alone, we couldn’t work out how much of the costs we had paid went where.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant - superbly organized and totally memorable. Probably the best holiday we’ve ever had, and certainly as a family.Alice Brindley review 27 Nov 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Khao Sok National Park, staying in the treehouse and in the rafthouse on the lake. It was so picturesque.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for the humidity in Thailand!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely, our stay at the Time for Lime in Ko Lanta, benefitted local people and reinvested into local community (Lanta Animal Welfare).4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Booking with this operator via Responsible Travel, the whole trip was so well organised, and all parts of the trip were so memorable. Would definitely recommend!Stuart Mathieson review 23 Nov 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Spending time away from the busier areas with local guides who were full of information about the local area and environment.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Relax and enjoy yourself, but make sure you connect with your guides - the more you engage, the better the experience.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Certain elements benefited local communities and helped bring income and opportunity into some communities.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great - although it was pretty full on for the first 10 days, we had a great time and managed to do lot more than we’d think possible had we been trying to organise a schedule on a day to day basis. Having everything lined up before we started the trip was a definite benefit. The few lazy beach days at the end of the trip were nice before we headed home.Robin Bone review 6 Jul 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting Boonsee the elephant in the wild a truly magical experience. The zip lining was amazing as was staying at Praiwan Raft House in Khao Sok National Park. ALL the Thai people we met were genuinely friendly and could not do enough for us, they are great hosts.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The Wifi around the Thailand is awesome, we did not feel the need to buy the Thai SIM cards. In fact it was refreshing not be in permanent phone contact! We did hear of a Danish lady from one of our guides who was scammed when buying a SIM as a gang managed to get hold of enough personal details to apply for fraudulent credit cards, so just be careful. I was also slightly caught out by a cash machine on arriving at the airport that would only give me cash if I accepted the Banks exchange rate which is considerably lower than the mastercard spot rate, it also added an extra fee, so just be careful using cash machines. All the other machines I used would allow me to use the mastercard baht exchange rate, they all charge 220 baht fee for a withdrawal. So using cash machines worked for me.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, there was definitely a feeling we were supporting local people through our guided tours.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It exceeded my expectations. For a Dad and Daughter trip (my daughter is 18) it had the perfect blend of adventure, nature, swish and interesting hotels and superb local guides. With many airport, hotel and boat transfers the logistics were faultless. Overall Fantastic!!!!!hayley tait review 11 Jun 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting Punoi the large bull elephant close up and also watching him stroll through the natural habitat, grazing, pulling down trees to access his lunch while Eddie, his Karon tribe Mahout, made us a gourmet lunch over an open fire with pans/ spoons / cups all from bamboo.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Just do it, we had a wonderful time! Dave from the tour operator was very knowledgeable and the whole trip was seamless with wonderful sights/ activities. He'd gone all out to accommodate our vegan food choice. The guides were all very good and my 13 year old thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. Look out for the Songkran festival times if you're there in April. Chiang Mai was perfect timing to celebrate.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All local guides seemed well paid, transfers were all local and efficient. Staying with the Karon village people was an amazing experience and definitely brings income into this region with the least impact on their natural surroundings and way of life. We visited the school and local women weaving. Home comforts were not in abundance ( no electricity) but what an experience for us! The money from the elephant experience all supports the villagers.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. I normally trawl the internet and arrange everything independently. I reckon Dave did this cheaper and sooooo much more efficient than I could have imagined. Wonderful week in Bangkok/ Chiang Mai/ Khao Sok Ntional Park/ our stay on the reservoir in a floating pod and visit to the caves and finally the beach. Fabulous.Lynne Humphrey review 3 May 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Visiting the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take loose fitting cotton clothes as it's very hot and sticky. Bug spray is essential!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The guides and drivers were all local people, the accommodation was run by locals in the main, and the places visited were well cared for. We felt we were helping local people by booking this holiday.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The holiday was well planned, the transfers worked like clockwork, and the locations were stunning. We would not hesitate in recommending this tour to anyone.Kate Leslie review 13 Feb 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The sunset dinner on the rice barge at Ayuthaya.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We found that we did not sleep very well on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chaing Mai, mainly because of the motion of the train (the sleeping berths were fine) but also it was a bit chilly, in spite of closing the air-conditioning vents. In addition, the whole trip was in darkness, so we didn't see much of the countryside on the way. The hotel at Chiang Mai (Bohdi Serene) was excellent in terms of rooms, swimming pool, location and food, especially breakfast. Cheow Lan lake was spectacular, and thanks to an excellent guide the visit to Khao Sok National Park was also very good, we saw a lot of wildlife even though it was only a half-day visit. We found Khao Sok and Chiang Mai (especially) better in terms of temperature because it cooled down in the evening, Khao Lak was humid and seemed to keep the heat more. The air quality in Bangkok was quite poor, although as we were only there for two days it didn't bother us much. The traffic is very congested, two days there was enough, although there is lots to see and the Grand Palace was truly spectacular and the canals (little Venice) were charming. The snorkelling trip to Surin island was also very special, lots of colourful fish and coral.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I hope that the trip to the Elephant Nature Park helped their funding. We bought hand made scarves and coffee during the visit to the Karen Hill Tribe at Doi Inthanon, as well as a few things at the local market nearby. Otherwise I suspect most of our budget was on hotels, guides and drivers, I'm not sure if they count as "local people" (perhaps the drivers are). Not sure about reducing environmental impact or supporting conservation.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was excellent. The quality of the hotels and guides was very good and the itinerary was well thought out, it was a fascinating trip (our first to Thailand).Maria Powell review 21 Jan 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Wow, so many: loved CoCo Cottage, the Raft Houses, and Tree houses, Relax Bay, Zip lining, elephant sanctuary, hikes, etc. it was all so good.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If rafting bring a change of cothes, you will get wet. Zip lining ask your guy to hold your phone to take photos.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All the places we stayed were environmentally friendly.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
On a scale of 1-10 I’d give it a 15Leaticia Kossligk review 21 Feb 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The overnight stay at Pa Kao Lam village and the interaction with the elephants there!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you're staying at the Phutawan rafthouse, be aware that there is a set menu for lunch and dinner which included chicken and fish. If you have any dietary restrictions, you should check this with them before your stay so that they can provide vegetarian options etc. if necessary.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, especially at the hill tribe village but also in Khaosok national park and at the raft house. Not so much in Bangkok or at the beach resort though.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
4/5 stars. At the Phutawan rafthouse and Khaosok Nature Resort staff's English was often not very good, and especially at the rafthouse food choices were (understandably, but still) very limited. Overall it was an amazing experience and perfect balance of excitement/activity and relaxation though.Noa Tal review 11 Dec 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
A two day trek to a remote village of the Karen tribe.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
A good guide is a game changer! One that can put what you see in context and enrich our experience.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It definitely benefited local people by creating many jobs. As for environmental impact - we transported by vans/motor boats/4*4, all of which polluted the air since it seems there is no regulations on pollutant emissions in Thailand.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great!Sharon Crook review 17 Jun 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting elephants2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take less & informal clothes3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
One of the very best holidays we’ve ever hadGlenda Bregazzi review 4 May 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The variety of activities. The whole holiday was memorable. A fabulous adventure.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Learn some Thai words as it is much appreciated and you always get a big smile when you attempt a few words. Go with the flow and be open to new experiences Travel light and live out of your suitcase (makes it easier when moving on to the next location). Make sure you have lots of Thai massages. The foot massages are very rejuvenating.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. I believe it benefited local people.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. I would highly recommend it. One of the best holidays I have ever had. Extremely well looked after and all the pick ups on time.Jenny Adcock review 30 Apr 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Difficult to pick one thing as it was all good. Tour of Bangkok was great with excellent guide, same with jungle trek near Chiang Mai, loved the White water rafting in kayaks, and day with elephants. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the lake trip and my son liked Chiang Mai and jet skiing at beach.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take plenty of mosquito protection, be respectful to locals and their customs, tour guides often go the extra mile and are flexible, give tips, they really appreciate, small amounts are fine.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Only thing is would have been useful to know which number stand our guide was meeting us at Bangkok Airport as we couldn't find ours and spent half an hour looking and had to call to find out where they were.Tony Allen review 25 Feb 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Watching the dance show put on by the children at joys House in Chiang Mai.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book in a free day at the start to acclimatise to heat.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I would hope so.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Even with issues about smilies lake house I would rate it 10 out of 10. A really great holiday.Rose Barling review 9 Feb 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Such memorable experiences. A million bats streaming put at Dusk in Khao Yai, the elephant rescue nature park, the night in a raft house on Khao Sok Lake and the final three days on the beach... we needed it by then!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book it! We are a 'mature' couple from a time when there were no gap years in SE Asia so it was good together a flavour of this. The holiday was customised for us to include specialist birdwatching etc.. tell them what you want and they will try to do it for you. You will pack a lot more into your time using the company's specialist knowledge.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We were delighted to be staying in entirely Thai run establishments and everywhere we went our hosts and guides had an awareness of environment and conservation4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The holiday exceeded our expectations. Everything was organised so we didn't have to worry and it all worked like clockwork. I would recommend the company most highly.Sophie Horner review 6 Feb 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The zip lining and white water rafting were pretty exciting! The zip lining was very safe and well run. The white water rafting guides just want to make sure you get as wet as possible!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don’t sit by the side in the middle of long tail boats out on Chaaw Lan lake if you don’t want to look like you swam across it! Incognito mosquito spray worked really well. We got through three bottles. Bring good zip lock bags and then you can just enjoy whatever comes your way.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, definitely. The ethical credentials of the hotels we stayed in were pretty obvious, especially Fairtrade on Koh Samui, they planted trees and coral. And the elephant sanctuary had won awards for being most ethical amongst sanctuaries. All the staff and guides seemed happy to be doing their jobs.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was excellent. I’ve never been on a holiday like this before, planned out by someone else, but it was our honeymoon so we had a bit more money than normal to spend. All the connections and arrangements worked perfectly, and it was great to know that the responsibility for the planning was on someone else, and there was someone to contact if we had needed to.Michal Stein review 31 Aug 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The cooking class, white water rafting and zip wires2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
To minimise the very touristic experiences and go for the off the beaten track ones3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
9/10Keith Scarfe review 26 Aug 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Our week volunteering at the Elephant Nature Park.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Check your itinerary before each different activity as we realised after that some gave less than we should have had. Don't expect too much luxury as this is a basic holiday but that allows you to get a better idea of local life.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Overall, yes. Maybe could have done more locally as we had a British "go between" which we felt was unnecessary and that money could have gone to locals or reduced the overall cost of our holiday. Definately supported local conservation due to the volunteer work.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Overall, a great experience. We got to do the things we had hoped to do. Met and enjoyed the company of locals and people from all around the world which is always nice on holiday. The company who was looking after us in Thailand ensured everything ran smoothly, therefore leaving us with a stress free experience which we loved.Jo Loughran review 24 Apr 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There are lots. The markets & wandering the streets to all the amazing sights & smells. The elephant sanctuary, ziplinging, ATV & white water rafting. The cave trek on chiaan lake. Chiang mai was great. Khao lak & further south, was the only part we found very touristy, expensive & not typically Thai.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for the heat. 40 degrees everyday!!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Only at the elephant sanctuary! Otherwise no.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Amazing!Read the operator's response here:
Thankyou for your comments are we're happy to hear you enjoyed the trip so much, especially Elephant Nature Park and Chiaw Laan lake. These 2 places - the most ethical elephant sanctuary in the country and one of the best wildlife habitats in Thailand - illustrate that conservation, low environmental impact and enjoying nature are integral to how we develop all our tours. We always try to ensure our activities, such as the zipline, rafting, nature walks, canoeing with a community guide etc. are ecofriendly and choose suppliers that go above and beyond this, for example by their engagement with the local community. The ATV tour was a rare exception caused by last minute staff changes by our supplier, due to Thai new year.
Our ethos is to create holidays that have positive impacts, without those being the defining feature. We do a lot of behind the scene work to build in environmental benefits throughout your holiday in ways you might not notice, especially the hotels. We chose ones that actively reduce their impact by (amongst others) recycling rubbish, reusing kitchen and garden waste, reducing energy and water usage and sourcing food locally. The others at Khao Sok are small accommodations owned by local families, helping to keep money in the local economy. Thanks again for your comments and we hope we can help again in future.
Ashley Woodford review 8 Sep 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I think there were 2 things... meeting the elephants and white water rafting.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
In the rainy season, don't leave your hotel without a kagool!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
More apparent in some places than others. The elephant sanctuary was clearly there for the elephants, not the tourist, and we were aware that the money raised from our visit was going to good use. Joyes House in Chiang Mai was also helping children with work experience, learning English (which guests were able to help with) and schooling.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Though there was much to do and see and visiting different areas enabled that, we felt that too much time was wasted packing and travelling. Maybe OK if you can travel light which is something we are not good at. With hindsight we would probably skip the tree house (it was very basic) although it was a base for the forest walk and the trip to the raft house, which was the bast part of that leg of our holiday. We all thought that we would like to have spent more time in Chiang Mai. Perhaps the answer is to go for longer, rather than take things out!Wendy Mason review 23 Apr 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
all of it!!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
dont think about it , book it!! Was the best holiday we have ever had.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes and that was one of the lovely things about the whole experience. We never felt part of mass tourism and believed we were meeting the real face of Thailand.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I can't recommend our tour operator enough. They deserve all the credit.Jenny Thornhill review 19 Apr 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Everything! Khao Sok National Park, our Jungle House really stood out as being a spectacular part of our holiday! Having our own private tour guide (Bum) to show us the rainforest was special- he was very hospitable and went out of his way to add personal touches- he cut the bamboo to enable us to drink directly from the bamboo, made us bamboo cups whilst we were bathing in the waterfall, we spotted gibbons, a tarantula and a snake! Ok route back to the Jungle House, he found pomelo and carved it for us to eat. CoCo cottages in Ko Ngai were paradise!! The guide at Phutawan rafthouses couldn't have been any sweeter and more welcoming. The private boat trip to arrive to our rafthouse was brilliant and the morning tour of the lake was simply stunning! Our tour of Bangkok was amazing, thanks to Snakie who was very knowledgable and again added little touches such as finding us special drinks and food to try along the way. The kayak experience in Khao Sok was great fun, the boys who took us out on the kayaks spotted snakes in the trees and stopped us halfway to have a swing from the branches whilst they made us coffee on an open fire!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Having an itinerary was really beneficial to us (planned by the operator) when trying to see many different parts of a country in a really short space of time. It was no hassle and we could just enjoy the holiday :)3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We felt it supported individuals and the accommodation definitely supported Reducing environmental impacts.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was amazing!!Paul Grout review 20 Mar 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It was all memorable, we couldn't have planned it better if we'd tried, highlights included the visit to the elephant sanctuary, the stay in the jungle treehouse, the stay on the lake and the relaxing days had at Koh Tao Cabana. Perfect.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take earplugs if the sound of the jungle might keep you awake. Don't pack too many clothes and take advantage of laundry services. Take footwear that can take punishment, you'll need it!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All three, we felt very comfortable with all the responsibilities taken to ensure all these factors were taken into consideration.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Pretty much perfect from start to finish, we'll be using Responsible Travel again and recommending them to others without a doubt. Thank you so much!Steve Martin review 30 Jan 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The best part of our whole trip was our 3 night stay in Chaing Mai at Joy's house. The white water rafting, zip lining and elephant Park were all such incredible fun but the best part was Joy's house; what a place. It's so welcoming there, it's like staying with family. All the trips were organised to perfection as was the whole holiday.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
My tip is to chill out and relax because I wound myself up a little worrying about the transfers all over Thailand to and from the airports and to the various activities. We didn't have to worry at all, everything was in hand. Every transfer was ready and waiting for us.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We learnt a lot about Elephant welfare at the sanctuary and how riding elephants is extremely bad for them. Since returning were actively spreading the word.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely incredible holiday, could not have been better. The places we visited were perfect and not on your normal tourist routes so they were quiet and unspoiled. We didn't want crazy over populated Thailand, we steered clear of the crowds and our experience was all the better for it.Deborah Ives review 3 Apr 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
My day tour of Bangkok was fantastic. My guide was so interesting and made it all fun - from the flower market to China town, the temples to the Palace - it was fantastic. As an added bonus the hotel organised an evening bike tour of the old city - which was real icing on the cake!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Joy's House is a great place to stay but it is a long way out of the centre of Chiang Mai - if you like get around on foot and have easy access to the city centre then it's not the best location for that.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes - my excursion to the Elephant Sanctuary supported the work there, plus the stay at Joy's House supported their programme.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I loved Bangkok, not so sure about Chiang Mai and really enjoyed the beaches of Koh Lanta!Gabriella Calini review 10 Jan 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Everything was special.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
To be ready to get muddy in the jungle.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Dave was great in helping us making it the way we wanted.Terri Denton review 27 Nov 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Everything about this holiday was fantastic, we were treated like royalty. if we had to pick anything it would be... the elephant sanctuary is a must see with some sad stories told of the elephants, the zipwire was great and the whitewater rafting was amazing.. all the tours were great, all the accomodation was clean and welcoming, it was just a fabulous holiday.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take some plastic bags for wet clothes, ear plugs for the bug noises, insect repellant as there are are some mosquitoes.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, especially at lisu lodge and the floating bungalow as it was people native to the villages who were working and helping there.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Ten out of ten definitely, the best holiday we have had by far.Jane Pattenden review 27 Dec 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The long tail boat ride around the canals of Bangkok, the zip wire in the jungle, the elephant feeding, jumping in the river Kwai and hoping we could catch onto the the raft again in time! So many amazing memories.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Look at distances between hotels and the different activities as some of our long transfers could have been avoided. Take lots of insect repellant spray (incognito worked much better than the DEET ones)3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We certainly felt that the local people benefitted in places and all the tour guides and drivers were locals. The elephant sanctuary and Joy's Guest House were real highlights too4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Thailand is an amazing place - the country has very diverse regions each with their own flavours and challenges.Kimberly Schwiger review 28 Nov 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Elephant Nature Park and the Praiwan Rafthouse on Rachabrapha Lake (Chiew Laan) were amazing. We got to spend the whole day feeding, bathing, and walking with elephants. The owner (aka Elephant Whisperer) happened to be there, and it was wonderful to see her rapport with the elephants. The lake was one of the most beautiful places I've been, and our guide was wonderful at pointing out wildlife we would have missed on our own. We even got to kayak close to a group of monkeys and got to enjoy watching them in their natural habitat.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Maybe keep the number of wats you visit to a manageable size. They are beautiful, but after 8 or more they start to run together. Also, be prepared for geckos. They are abundant in Thailand.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All of our guides seemed to be local. I feel that at least a portion of our activities benefited local people. I'm not sure one way or another about impacts on the environment.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We enjoyed our trip!Read the operator's response here:
Thankyou for your comments are we're happy to hear you enjoyed the trip so much, especially Elephant Nature Park and Chiaw Laan lake. These 2 places - a top elephant sanctuary and one of the best wildlife habitats in Thailand - illustrate that conservation, low environmental impact and enjoying nature are integral to how we develop all our tours. For example, this trip also included walking nature trails on Doi Inthanon with a local community guide and swimming in waterfalls in Erawan national park.
We're also happy that this trip was able to cover all of central and northern Thailand by train and overland, cutting out several potential flights.
Most importantly, we do a lot of behind the scene work to build in environmental benefits throughout your holiday in ways you might not notice, especially the hotels. We chose ones that are either low impact (such as the forest cabins), encourage ecosystems in their properties (in Chiang Mai) or actively reduce their impact (in Bangkok and Khao Lak) by recycling materials, reusing kitchen and garden waste, reducing energy and water usage and sourcing food locally.
CIARA FOLEY review 5 Sep 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Where do I start - meeting the elephants, being suspended upside down on the zipwire, white water rafting, scuba diving in Koh Tao2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take a few days off work after you get back as you will need to rest and relax first as its so full on. I made the mistake of being back in work the day after I arrived back.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes - that's why I was happy I was booking a holiday where responsible tourism is priority.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very Good Indeed :)Wendy van Gool review 16 Aug 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The holiday was packed with diversity from the beaches to the cities to the jungle. Each part had its captivating, unique appeal. Family unanimously agree that we cannot identify a single moment that stood out from the rest as it was all total fun, yet different. Adrenalin highs certainly came from white water rafting and later zip lining across the same valley near Chaing Mai. The evening food tour of Chinatown, Bangkok is definitely worthy of guide and an eye opener.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
There are certain parts that I would highly recommend using an organised tour or guide to see the best in a limited time especially like in Bangkok where places can be over crowded. Chai our guide in Khao Sok National Park showed incredible knowledge of the area & its inhabitants. Our time with him was too limited & in the short while, he spotted an owl sleeping in a tree, a rare monkey, vipers & made us bamboo coffee while we cooled off in the river.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely! Appreciated the fact that the guides showed a personal commitment to promoting conservation & discouraging non ethical activities. We were horrified seeing the number of restaurants serving shark fin, selling & displaying fins in windows in Bangkok. Our guide inoffensively explained why it was wrong and I'm sure she would discourage anyone in her group from supporting the industry. Jacky, our guide in Chiang Mai, also diplomatically condemned the selling of captured wild birds & other wildlife for tourists to buy & release for good luck - sadly we saw many tourists thinking they were helping the animals by supporting it. Our driver & guide on the lake trip apologised for suddenly braking & swerving to avoid riding over a snake crossing the road. He showed a deep commitment & appreciation of nature throughout our 2 days with him. Great that only local guides and drivers are used to benefit the local communities. Hotels encouraged recycling & reduced water consumption. We feel that our environmental impact was lower than the average international holiday.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. We were well taken care of and small hiccups were efficiently resolved.Neville Isaacson review 25 Dec 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Most of the places we visited were great. The elephant farm, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, the Bridge over the River Kwai, (although it is really far and not everyone would appreciate it as we did), the war memorial, Koh Samui, Bangkok, a fascinating city, with some amazing buildings. Some of the Temples and Buddas were also stunning.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't take a tuk-tuk in Bangkok.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not really.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had a wonderful time, but you have to make the most of it. I had just been on a similar trip through Burma and found your people on the ground lacking slightly, not as polished as our guides in Burma.Read the operator's response here:
"Thankyou for your comments are we're happy to hear you enjoyed the holiday.
Our ethos is to create holidays that have positive impacts, without those being the defining feature. We do a lot of behind the scene work to build in environmental benefits throughout your holiday in ways you might not notice, especially the hotels. We chose ones that actively reduce their impact by (amongst others) recycling materials, reusing kitchen and garden waste, reducing energy and water usage and sourcing food locally.
The Elephant Nature Park is also a wonderful experience in itself and helps support ongoing work to improve the lives of Thailand's elephants. Social responsibility is equally important to us, for example we included the lodge because of its support for the Lisu culture and the jobs it has created in the local community.
Thanks again for your comments and we hope we can help again in future."
Neil Emmott review 19 Aug 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Elephant Nature Park, meeting the people at Lisu Lodge and staying at Chiaw Laan Lake really stand out. But all the activities were good, the guides were excellent and the food delicious.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It was always warm weather but expect a fair bit of rain. For some of the transport the air conditioning was pretty nippy so take a warm jacket. We weren't too attacked by mosquitoes but it was good to have some itch cream.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think there were some benefits to the Lisu people. I suppose we supported conservation at the Elephant Nature Park and Khao Sok. I guess I could say there were reduced environmental impacts compared to a more luxurious holiday, although we did quite a bit of travelling around. We made a point of trying to find vegetarian restaurants, although where we couldn't do that it was still always easy to get a normal restaurant to produce vegetarian food.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a really great holiday, very well organised, and enjoyed by everyone in the family.Jonathan Rajaram review 24 Dec 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable part was our stay at the Lisu Lodge, especially our meeting with the Lisu tribe and tha Aka also. It was surprised to see how these people (mainly the elder generation) are detached to this world and how the latter generation now are connected to the world trend. The food at Lisu Lodge was good and the service was world class. My wife (who looks like the Thai people) wore the traditional Lisu dress and this please the local people. The most exciting experience was the walk in the cave and jungle at Kao Lak. It was amazing to see bats suspended above our heads during all the walk. We had seen big spiders, frogs, fish and other insects in there. In the jungle (this one on a hiking during our stay at the Jungle tree house) we had the chance to see monkeys and 2 snakes suspended on a tree. I cannot close this paragraph without also mentioning our experience at the Elephant Nature park.There, our conception and the way we look at animals have changed.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I will advise the travellers to learn some basic Thai or bring a Thai translation dictionary with them. As I've seen that very little people there understands english; even taxi drivers. We were dropped at a wrong Hotel after a day doing shopping because the driver couldn't understand english. Also if you take taxi, always bring with you your hotel address written in Thai. You can show it to the driver.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes it benefited local people mainly at the Elephant Nature park. Our days spent there (as those of all other tourist) allow the Nature park to have a revenue to continue the good job they are doing as a sanctuary for the elephants. I think it is the same for the Lisu lodge. As the concept there is very interesting. All the staff of the Loges are local people.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
9/10 Everything was well organized.Tracey Cannon review 28 Nov 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All of the different activities eg. cooking school, elephant camp, lake stay, train ride to Chiang Mai, Koh Tao.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared to be on the move3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
For sure......4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great holiday..... I would probably skip the over night train to Chiang Mai and just fly next time. The night at the floating raft house might be better as a day trip and not stay over. Maybe just lunch etc. I would use this company again for a tour. I feel that I got my monies worth for sure. No complaints with accommodations or food.Neil Heritage review 24 Aug 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Floating bungalow2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
ExcellentSarah Stephenson review 12 Aug 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
For me, trekking through the jungle with an amazingly knowledgeable Guide was the highlight, despite the rain! And then there was the white water rafting, and the elephants, and the night noises, and the night markets...but let's not forget the unforgettable Thai people!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't feel you need to pack everything plus the kitchen sink! You can buy everything in Thailand, and much cheaper than in the UK!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I hope so!4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant!Helen Sanderson review 19 Jun 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Junge House. It was so remote, and felt really exclusive. They had set our room and stay up for a honeymoon, and prepared a private dining area for us.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Prepare for sleep deprivation, and it'll be hot hot hot!! Keep your eyes peeled for the wildlife!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, I felt the guides used were appropriate, and all the resorts were certainly eco-friendly.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
An exciting , exhausting time of a lifetime!Georgina Mackenzie review 23 Sep 2014
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Elephant Sanctury in Chaing Mai2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't bring many heavy clothes and buy light shorts and trousers while there. Bring good shoes for walking and always listen to what you are being advised like take a guide when in the National Park in Thailand.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely. Cambodia was very inspiring.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I would say break it down into areas where 10/10 or 9/10 is assigned. I loved the way in which I was with Elephants and then in a city.Holiday Reviews
You can trust Responsible Travel reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.
