Thailand Wildlife & Islands Honeymoon Itinerary

Two ways to reach the south. The standard is a short morning flight to Surat Thani, then the drive into the jungle. The other is the adventure: a private first-class sleeper cabin on the overnight train, a locked two-berth room with a washbasin and a window, dinner as the city thins into countryside, and a slow arrival in the south by morning, in time for a massage before anything else.

The ancient rainforest around Khao Sok runs on two settings, jungle and water. You'll split four nights in Khao Sok between the two, and how you divide them is up to you.

The forest days fill easily, whatever base you choose: a guided trek into the trees, a bamboo raft down the river, an open-fire cooking session using what grows nearby, and a Thai massage to work the travel out. Where you sleep is its own decision. A treehouse under limestone cliffs, the river running below, no air conditioning and no need for it under the canopy, is often recommended for couples who want to be fully in the jungle; it asks for two nights. Couples who would rather have air conditioning have their pick of other places nearby, with the same days on offer.

Then the lake. A boat runs out across Cheow Lan, limestone towers rising straight from green water, to a floating bungalow moored to the shore. This is where the pace drops. Kayak off the deck, swim when the heat climbs, or watch the cliffs change color and do nothing at all. The raft house is full board, so every meal arrives without a decision. However the nights split, forest then lake or straight to the water, out early, before the heat, is when the forest is loudest and the wildlife comes down to drink.

Before turning south, some couples add Khao Yai, a few hours northeast of Bangkok by private van and one of the best places in the country to see wildlife. The days run on the animals' terms: safari drives and guided walks after gibbons, hornbills, macaques, and, with luck, wild elephants at the forest edge, a waterfall in the heat of the day, and at dusk a great river of bats pouring from a cave mouth. Sightings aren't guaranteed, so early starts give you the best chance. Nights are a tented camp in the forest, or a converted railway-carriage suite for couples who would rather not sleep under canvas. Two nights is the usual, stretching to three for keen birders or dropping to one.

Couples drawn to the north instead can swap Khao Yai for a few days in Chiang Mai, which pairs just as easily before the south.

The route above is one version of this trip. The Khao Sok nights split however you want between jungle and lake, Khao Yai or Chiang Mai can be added at the start, and the whole route is adjusted to fit your dates. Tell Brandon what appeals and where you'd rather spend the time, and he'll build it from there.