Swimming with Elephants and Snorkeling in Phuket, Thailand: Island Paradise, Majestic Elephants, Spectacular Snorkeling, and Local Cuisine

Hosted by

Xolile

17 Jun 23 → 22 Jun 23

Guided trip

6 days

6 stops

1 - 2 Mates

Thailand

Phuket province is located in southern Thailand. It is the biggest Island of Thailand and sits on the Andaman sea. Being a big Island, Phuket is surrounded by many magnificent Beaches such as Rawai, Patong, Karon, Kamala, Kata Yai, Kata Noi, and Mai Khao. In this trip we will be staying in Rawai. Consider it a trip to connect with nature, meet new friends, play and be mesmerized by the beauty of Thailand. WHAT TO EXPECT: 🌍 Deep blue sea snorkeling 🌍 Jacuzzi nights drinking wine with your Tripmates 🌍 Seeing breathtaking ocean views 🌍 Doing a food tour and eating local cuisine 🌍 My favorite part ... Bathing with Elephants 🌍 Riding in a tuk-tuk like a local 🌍 Visit the sacred grounds of The Big Buddha ABOUT ME: Hi! My name is Xolile, I'm 31 years old and from South Africa. I have been an Airbnb host for half a decade, I have a lot of experience accommodating travelers, finding cool local spots and just creating a warm welcoming space for guests. I excelled in Travel & Tourism at school. That was the window opening to my travel career and life. What makes me passionate about traveling is my love for seeing the world, connecting with new people, and having great food. In my free time, you can catch me at home meditating, practicing Yoga, at the gym, reading a book, or creating travel content for my Instagram travel page. I'm fun, reliable, and easy to be with. I want to visit Phuket because it's got world-class beaches and unique nature. Join me let's enjoy some time out from our busy lives and enrich our souls. ACCOMMODATION: You will be sleeping in a beautiful LUXURY 2 Bedroom apartment with a large Balcony, a Jacuzzi with a charming Seaview, and a greenery view. 1 Bedroom has 1 King bed which a couple/friends/family can share or 1 Tripmate can occupy. (Check duplicate trip to book this particular room). 1 Bedroom has 1 King bed and 2 single bunk beds. This room is spacious enough to occupy 3 Tripmates. The accommodation is located very close to Rawai beach with multitudes of shops, restaurants, banks, and a boat pier to all nearby islands and beaches. ABOUT YOU: You're open-minded about new experiences and different people from different backgrounds. Flexible to participate in our group activities and make group decisions when necessary. (Tripmates that would like to cook dinner for us are welcome.) The price includes: ✅ Planning of the Trip ✅ Accommodation for the entire trip (Shared rooms) ✅ Groceries: Yoghurt, fruits, vegetables, juice, noodles, meat, bottled water, cereal, milk, coffee, etc. NB. Trip mates might need a little extra cash for drinks and food at particular stops (please find details on the itinerary) ✅ Transportation to all the stops during the whole duration of the trip (please find details on the itinerary) ✅ All Activities: Snorkelling, Bathing with Elephants, a Street food tour, and sightseeing. ✅ Wi-Fi ✅ Lifelong memories and connections ✅ Travel insurance for people from Germany or Austria ✅ Sim card with data A vacation in Thailand, not to miss. No Required Trip Leader Fee! Looking forward to seeing you with us! Do you have a question? Let me know in the Q&A section!

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Xolile

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TripLeader & IG content creator from SA. I travel to eat great food🍝, see beautiful places and create memories with lovely people. 🏝️🏔️

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Phuket

Day 1-2

DAY 1: Thailand trip ACCOMMODATION 🛌 Our accommodation is a beautiful luxury 2 bedroom apartment with a large terrace with a charming view. We will arrive at the accommodation on our first day and wait for all trip mates to arrive while unwinding on the breathtaking balcony with some drinks. On the first day, I will take a walk to the local supermarket to buy our 5-day grocery supplies for everybody. (Preferred foods will be discussed on the group chat before travel.) I hope you like wine 🍷. We will spend our first night relaxing, cooking 🧑‍🍳 , getting to know each other, using the Jacuzzi in the apartment, and drinking good wine. There is a large, beautiful swimming pool in the complex that we can use anytime we like.

Phi Phi Islands

Day 2-3

DAY 2: trip to Thailand Phi Phi Island Tour/ Transfer/Lunch/ Snorkeling Program Itinerary 1. In the morning. The driver will pick us up from the accommodation by air-con minibus at the specified time. 🚌 2. Arrive at Longue and enjoy a light breakfast. Tea ☕️ (Highly recommended to have breakfast at the accommodation before we leave.) 3. Introduction of tour program by experienced guides who will be assisting us at every stage of the tour. 4. Depart by speedboat to Phi Phi Island 🚤 5. Sightseeing at Phi Phi Don, Monkey Beach, and snorkeling at Tonsai Bay 🐒 6. Buffet Lunch: Thai, Western, Vegetarian, and Halaal food at a private beachside restaurant. (Food costs are covered in the trip price) 7. Exploring: sightseeing around the Emerald Sea and its stunning bays, coves, and caves at Phi Phi Lae Island 'where we stop over the famous Viking Cave, Pi Leh Cove, and Loh Samah Bay. 8. The Famous: arrive at Maya Bay (where the movie "The Beach" by Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed) and enjoy a relaxing white sandy beach and crystal-clear waters. 9. Leisure: relax on Khai Island and enjoy snorkeling, sun tanning, and swimming with numerous corals and colorful fishes.🐠🐠🐠🐠🐡 10. 17:30 arrive at the private pier and transfer back to accommodation. NOTE: There will be 25 to 38 people (travel groups) on the speed boat. Do expect large groups of people joining us on this boat, it will be a perfect opportunity to meet new friends and socialize. If you would prefer buying something nice for yourself on this tour, I recommend you bring a decent amount of cash maybe 3, 000Thb (80euros) or more because things are pricey on the Island. Otherwise, if you're just looking to enjoy the experience and not buy anything you'll be fine. Snorkeling masks and life jackets will be provided. See you on the Island!!!

Bathing with Elephants

Day 3-4

DAY 3: all inclusive trip to Thailand BATHING WITH ELEPHANTS 🐘🐘🐘 I cannot imagine visiting Thailand and not experiencing some fun times with these gentle giants. At "Elephant Swims" they believe Elephants are part of their family and treat them with the respect that they deserve. We will start our morning with some breakfast in the apartment and then take a local taxi to Pa Tong, Khathu. This is where we will enjoy our time with elephants, either in the water or on the beach or both. It’s a wonderful experience making memories and just like elephants, you’ll never forget it. We will have a minimum of 20 minutes with at least one elephant. We'll get the chance to play and interact with the elephants who will most definitely entertain you throughout for an unforgettable experience you will cherish forever. After swimming with the elephants, we will enjoy some lunch and the beautiful view of Tri Trang Beach. This will be a great opportunity to take beautiful eye capturing photos. You are welcome to bring your camera with. (If you prefer to hire a Photographer: A photographer will be available to capture your fantastic moments with the elephants, and these will be available to purchase afterwards. Not included on the package costs) Otherwise, your phone can also do the magic! Please note the following: There may be breaks where the elephants require feeding which may delay our session. I do apologize in advance if this happens. This program is not suitable for pregnant women. This booking may have to be re-scheduled according to the weather and sea conditions that are beyond our control. Insurance is included with our booking in the case of accident or injury. We will return back to Rawai after this beautiful session with a taxi. This will be a chance for the Tripmates that are looking to walk around the breathtaking neighborhood and explore the shops, people, and atmosphere, to do so.

Talat Nuea

Day 4-5

DAY 4 BABA TASTES EVENING PHUKET FOOD TOUR TRANSPORT : We will travel by a Phuket "Songthaew" Bus. Songthaew is the local bus service used by both Thai locals and tourists. Songthaew means two rows, which refers to the two wooden benches that run down either side of the bus, which have been converted from pickup trucks. There are no actual bus stops, to get on a songthaew, we will just wait along the roadside until one approaches and we will wave it down. This will be a fun group experience as we will all be involved in the stopping of the bus as locals do. When you want to get off the bus you need to press a buzzer to signal the driver to stop. Do expect a little short walk from where the bus drops us to the destination where we will start our Local cuisine food tour. What We'll Do: Phuket has been crowned UNESCO gastronomy status, and the capital, Phuket Town, is ground zero for foodies. We will join our host Nam and her team to discover the historic trading post whose complex cuisine has absorbed influences far and wide. We'll meet our hosts at the Jui Tui Shrine near the Central Market and discover the local gems of Phuket Old Town. Along the way, we will try 14+ food tastings that give a true reflection of Phuket's cuisine. This sun-kissed island is known for its street food of Hokkien noodles & fresh spring rolls, wok-fried mee hoon, and leaf-wrapped miang kham bites. 🍱 This Phuket food tour starts at 3.00pm, finishing at approx 7.00pm. All your food and drinks costs are covered for you. Your job on this tour is to get there hungry. NOTE: Please let me know about any special dietary requirement before begining of the tour. This tour isnt recommended for vegetarian or no pork diets, sorry! Street food does have alternatives. They'll try to accommodate some like gluten free(only if soy sauce is okay), but you may skip a few dishes along the way if you like. Lactose intolerances are ok. This tour is not advised for severe food allergies, due to risk of cross-contamination. For Tripmates who cant join us on this tour! Not to worry there is plenty of things to do in Phuket like getting a Thai massage or having dinner at a vegan friendly restaurant nearby. But this is all about you. You can do the picking. 😊

The Big Buddha, Phuket

Day 5-6

DAY 5: PART I The Big Buddha 🧘‍♀️ The Big Buddha in Phuket is the most iconic feature of Thailand’s most popular island! This 45-metre-tall white marble statue is located high in the mountains, we will be renting a tuk tuk to take us up to the Big Buddha Phuket. When we arrive at the destination, we will have a moment to walk around the entire Big Buddha for amazing views, meditate 🧘‍♂️ and take in all the peace these fascinating holy grounds have to give. After spending 2-3 hours here we will take a tuk tuk back to the accommodation where we will change into our street wear and walk to Rawai beach which is a 10-minute walk from our accommodation. NOTE: ✨Open 8am-6pm daily ✨ For this stop we won't be having any guides; it'll just be us exploring every dimension of the monument as we'd like. ✨Kindly respectful at all times as this is a sacred place to many. It’s an active temple and monks can be seen on the grounds. ✨Alcohol is prohibited at the Big Buddha Phuket. ✨Women should cover their shoulders and no beachwear.

Rawai Beach

Day 6

DAY 5: PART II WALK TO RAWAI BEACH 🌊 What other best way to end our trip but to walk like a local to the nearby beach and just chill? Rawai Beach offers beautiful views, great restaurants, rousing bars, and relaxing massages. This is a truly great place to visit, even if you’re just here to sit and watch the people go by. Here we will buy some sea food and find ourselves a chilling spot where we can eat and have drinks while reminiscing about our whole trip experience over the past few days. Can you swim in Rawai Beach? Rawai Beach, at the south end of Phuket Island, is not a beach suitable for swimming, but it offers beautiful views of the nearby islands and has a peaceful local atmosphere. It’s a great place to enjoy some excellent seafood by the ocean. However, if you walk to the east end, passed the large Rawai Seafood Market, you will find a reasonable swimming spot. NOTE: This is the only stop where each Tripmate will buy their own lunch and drinks. Lunch or dinner for two with drinks costs about 400-500 Baht (it's about 15 Euros). Don't worry I will personally go and exchange any currency for Tripmates at the bank and return slips. You also have an option of visiting the bank by yourself or ask any Tripmate to accompany you. Depending on what makes you feel most comfortable. Everybody is welcomed to join us. - Travel buddy Thailand - Singles travel groups - Friends traveling - Solo traveler

Accommodation

Apartments

6 days trip

Phuket, Phi Phi Islands & 4 more

Transportation

Boat, Car, Trekking

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