Day 1, Tuesday          
Relax and prepare yourself for your adventure on world-class Singapore Airlines. Meet other students, watch on-demand movies and unwind. A Rustic Pathways Flight Leader will accompany each of our escorted group flights from JFK, LAX, and SFO. Our staff and flight leaders will make sure that your journey is easy and enjoyable!

Day 2, Wednesday
Day is lost, you are traveling over the International Date Line.

Day 3, Thursday
Arrive in Bangkok at the new and stylish Suvarnabhumi Airport. Waiting for you at the airport are your two guides for this program, Jamie Spates and Jay Slangen. Meet the other students in your program, gather your things and let’s head for the islands. Wasting no time, we catch the first flight down to Phuket, Thailand’s biggest island located on the Andaman Coast. Tonight, take some time to relax from your long flight by getting a massage or by getting to know the other students in the program more.

Day 4, Friday
This morning we start the island hopping part of our adventure by jumping on the ferry to Phi Phi Island, where the 1999 movie, “The Beach” was filmed starring Leonardo Decaprio. This island is known for its magnificent beauty and white sand beaches. After checking into the hotel and settling in, the students who are getting their Scuba certifications will head to their first class while those who aren’t will head to the beach. Each night we’ll meet up for dinner and some evening activities, which can include sunset hikes, beach soccer, Frisbee, volleyball, relaxing on the beach, night swims, shopping and more.

Day 5 - 7, Saturday - Monday
The next few days are spent finishing off our Scuba certifications. For those not getting their cert., don’t worry, there will be plenty of activities for you to enjoy on Koh PhiPhi such as snorkeling, island tours, caves, hikes or just relaxing on the beach.

Day 8, Tuesday
This morning after breakfast, the whole group will take a tour to Phi Phi Le Island. This is a small island off of its bigger brother island Phi Phi Don which we stay on. This island has no bungalows or shops and is kept clean and pristine. Here we will visit the hidden beach in a cove that was made famous by the movie the Beach. Bask in the sun and swim in the crystal clear waters as you take in all the beauties of this magical place. Next, say goodbye to Koh Phi Phi as we board a ferry back to the mainland to Railay Beach, known as one of the world’s top rock climbing destinations for its massive limestone cliffs jutting out of the emerald waters. Check into your room and then join us as we explore the jungles and beaches in our search for monkeys. Tonight, enjoy some sumptuous seafood for dinner – just point at the freshly caught fish and jumbo shrimp and they’ll barbecue it up for you at the restaurant. It’s a nice end to a great day.

Day 9-10, Wednesday & Thursday
The next two days we will start our two-day rock climbing instruction. Our climbing guides are some of the best climbers on the beach. Learn about the equipment, how to belay and tune in your rock climbing skills. Climb right on the beach and next to the clear water. Once you’ve reached the top, take a break, look back and enjoy the spectacular view that you’ve earned. This is world-class rock climbing at its best and this two-day course is sure to bring you to new heights.

Day 11, Friday
This morning we’ll jump onto some longtail boats and explore the surrounding waters of the Laem Phra Nang area. Enjoy the views of the limestone karsts that explode out of the crystal clear waters and the jungles that cling on to their steep cliffs. We’ll pass by spectacular bays and beautiful beaches along the way. After our morning tour, it’s off to Krabi and then a drive north to Phang Nga Bay. We’ll arrive at the hotel just in time for dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 12, Saturday
Our day today starts off early. We’ll pack up our things, grab a longtail boat and navigate our way through the maze of mangrove forests. In the morning we will visit and explore several caves before having a picnic lunch on a small beach with great views of the surrounding limestone cliffs. Next, we’ll hop onto some kayaks, where we paddle through the surrounding islands, small coves and mangrove forests. Our next destination is a small floating fishing village where we will spend the night. Walk around the village and talk to locals, play a small game of futsol, laugh with the children, do some shopping and then catch the sunset behind the rows of boats and cliffs.

Day 13, Sunday
Say goodbye to your fishing friends and let’s catch another longtail boat back to the mainland. Our next destination is Kao Sok National Park, which is just a few hours drive away from Phang Nga Bay. After checking into our Guest House, which has a commanding view of the surrounding mountains and valley, we’ll throw on our swimsuits, grab a tube and hit the river. Our tubing adventure will have us winding down the river alongside the jagged mountains and through the thick tropical jungle. Tonight after dinner, don’t forget your flashlight because we’re going on a night safari. Look for nocturnal creatures on our guided tour through the jungle.

Day 14, Monday
Start off the day with a morning tour to a serene lake in the jungle. We’ll then board longtail boats for a beautiful cruise around the lake. After, it’s time to get our things and head to Suratthani to catch our ferry to Koh Samui, Thailand’s third largest island. We’ll arrive to Koh Samui in the evening where we’ll check into our guesthouse by the beach. Tonight, cruise around and shop for souvenirs in the many shops around town.

Day 15, Tuesday
This morning we’ll hit the open sea and explore the Ang Thong National Marine Park. Our fun filled day tour will include snorkeling and sea kayaking opportunities around these pristine islands. Tonight, we’ll set up camp on the beach and have a beach barbecue under the stars to celebrate our last night in the islands.

Day 16, Wednesday
Our tour of Ang Thong National Marine Park continues. We’ll pack up camp and tour some more of the many hidden coves, beaches and caves in the area. There will also be more opportunities for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking today. Tonight we’ll take a ferry to the mainland and catch the overnight train to Bangkok.

Day 17, Thursday
Arrive to the airport in the early morning and say goodbye. Hope you have a good tan and some great pictures to go home with.

In addition to the items listed on the Thailand general packing list (www.rusticpathways.com/packinglist, then click on Thailand), the items listed here are things you should think about bringing.

Obviously, Island Hopping and Diving will be spending a lot of time in and around the water. You may bring several pairs of bathing suits, but the first island we go to has great markets for all things "beachy". Here, you can buy nice bathing suits, sarongs, sandals, hats, sunglasses, etc.

- Bathing suits (2 or 3 suits will be good).

- SCUBA equipment - you will not need to bring any SCUBA gear. All gear will be provided by our outfitter and is also pretty high quality as well. This stuff is big, bulky and heavy, you will not want to be lugging this gear around as we travel.

- Mask, Fins and Snorkel - This stuff you can bring your own if you'd like. Although you will be provided with good equipment, you may feel more comfortable using your own. Just make sure you have room to carry this and it will not be a burden for you to carry.

- Sunblock - Can be purchased anywhere we go, but if you want to bring your own that's fine. Waterproof sunblock will work best.

- Towel or Sarong - used to relax on the beach, boat, etc. Our hotels will have towels that we can use, and Sarongs can be purchased at the markets.

- Frisbee - Good idea to bring if you like throwing around a frisbee on the beach.

- Sun Hat / Sunglasses - Important for protecting yourself from the sun (can be bought in the markets).

- Sandals - you will live in these.

- Sneakers - Sturdy sneakers you won't mind getting dirty. There are several hikes that we may do during our program.

- Climbing Equipment - If you are into rock climbing, it may be a good idea to bring some gear, but not necessary. I would recommend you definetly bring your climbing shoes. You can also bring your harness if you like and have the space. No need to bring heavy caribeaners or big hardware.

If you have any questions on what to pack, you can email us at thailand@rusticpathways.com.

1. Where will kids be staying on this program?
This program stays in small hotels and guesthouses. Students will be put in double rooms or triple rooms depending on the number of boys and girls.

2. What is the ratio of staff / guides to students?
This program is limited to 20 students and will have 2 western staff (male and female, mostly from the USA) as well as 1 local Thai staff.

3. What kind of food will the kids be eating? What if my child has certain diet retrictions?
During this trip we will be eating at local restaurants, sandwich shops and also at the hotels. We will be eating a variety of Thai food as well as some western food as well. We will be able to cater for almost all diets (vegetarian, vegan, lactose intolerant, etc.)

4. Will kids be able to do laundry?
Yes. Laundry services are offered at our hotels and guest houses. Students must pay for this by themselves.

5. Will kids have a place to store their bags if they do another program? How will they pick these up?
Yes. We usually pick up their extra bags when they arrive in BKK and deliver them to the students when they connect to their next program.

6. How much spending money do you recommend?
$150 / week. There will be plenty of shopping opportunities on this trip in local markets. Many students will buy bathing suits, sarongs and other souvenirs. They will also need money for internet, laundry, phone calls home, massEdad and snacks for road trips.

7. Where is the closest hospital?
The closets major hospital with western style facilities is located on the island of Phuket. If we are on another island, we would visit the local clinic first, but if we had to evacuate someone, boats leave every hour.

8. Will kids have access to internet / phones?
Yes. There are internet cafes at each place we go to. Although students are allowed to have cell phones, they are not encouraged to use them. Staff will all have cell phones which students can use to call home at reasonable rates.

9. How will the weather be?
Although it is rainy season in Thailand during the whole summer, the weather is still very nice. If it rains, it will usually rain hard in the late afternoon for 30-45 minutes and then stop and be sunny again. The weather in Thailand is also very hot and can be humid at times too.

10. Are there a lot of bugs?
No. This trip does not have a noticeably large amount of bugs, but students should always bring some bug repellent just in case.

11. Do I need any SCUBA certifications before going on this trip? What if I already have my SCUBA certification, can I do an advance dive course? What if I don’t want to SCUBA dive at all?
Students joining this trip do not need any kind of SCUBA certification or experience prior to joining. Students will have the opportunity to get their open water SCUBA certification. If students already have SCUBA certs, then they will have the chance to participate in fun dives or even do their advance SCUBA cert if they’d like. Students who not want to dive, can do snorkeling or many other beach activities (kayaking, sunbathing, hikes, etc).