The 9-day route at a glance
This is the actual nine-day route LeapAway put together for an active family with kids around 6–8 who are strong swimmers, travelling to southern Thailand in December. LeapAway is a free family trip planner for Asia-Pacific, and this is the kind of trip it plans every day.
The route covers 3 nights in Khao Lak, 3 nights in Khao Sok, and 3 nights in Krabi, flying into Phuket and out of Krabi. It combines beach time, jungle and lake days, and island hopping, with two overland transfers between bases.
| Day | Base | Main focus | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khao Lak | Arrival, Bang Niang Beach, market dinner | Khao Lak |
| 2 | Khao Lak | Ton Chong Fa Waterfall trail, Tsunami Museum | Khao Lak |
| 3 | Khao Lak | Bamboo rafting, turtle sanctuary | Khao Lak |
| 4 | Khao Sok | Transfer, river tubing and canoeing | Khao Sok |
| 5 | Khao Sok | Cheow Lan Lake safari, floating raft house | Khao Sok |
| 6 | Khao Sok | Guided nature hike, monkey temple | Khao Sok |
| 7 | Krabi | Transfer, Railay Bay by longtail boat | Krabi (Ao Nang) |
| 8 | Krabi | Hong Island, Ao Thalane mangrove kayaking | Krabi (Ao Nang) |
| 9 | Krabi | Tiger Cave Temple, transfer to airport | Departure |
Why LeapAway chose this route for December
Seasonal notes
December is the Andaman coast's dry season — calm seas, lower humidity, daily highs typically around 31°C. It's also peak visitor season at the coast and national parks, so early starts are worth planning for.
Two bases or three — the real trade-off. Khao Lak and Khao Sok alone already make a complete, varied 9 days — beach, jungle river rafting, the turtle sanctuary, the floating raft houses and karst lake safari — without a third relocation. Adding Krabi means one more transfer and pack-up, in exchange for the Andaman's karst-island scenery. If two bases feels like enough range for this trip, dropping Krabi is a straightforward way to simplify it, not a downgrade — and with direct flights from Singapore, Krabi holds up well as its own short trip another time.
Three days from the generated itinerary, in more detail
1. Khao Lak: Coastal Beaches & Tsunami Heritage
Khao Lak, Phang Nga, Thailand • 3 days
Spend your first 3 days relaxing along Khao Lak's wide golden beaches, exploring local fishing heritage, and discovering waterfalls on the edge of the jungle.
🗺️ Tap "View route & activities on map" and each module's activities are plotted together, not just the base itself — this one shows most of Khao Lak's stops clustered near the coast, with the turtle sanctuary (Day 3) sitting apart to the south.
Day 2
Start at Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park headquarters to hike the shaded coastal nature trail (park entry typically 200 THB per adult, 100 THB per child, covers both sections on the same day). Note that Ton Chong Fa Waterfall is an inland sub-unit located a separate 15–20 minute drive inland from the coastal headquarters. Take a quick local songthaew or taxi to the Ton Chong Fa ranger station, where an easy 1km forested walking trail leads straight to natural freshwater swimming pools beneath the multi-tier falls. For lunch afterwards, head back to Chom Talay Restaurant overlooking the sea for massaman curry and mild fried rice.
Travel time: 20min transfer between park sections
International Tsunami Museum & Police Boat 813
2:30pm–4:30pm
Visit the open-air memorial grounds of the International Tsunami Museum to view Navy Patrol Boat 813, which was carried nearly two kilometres inland by the 2004 tsunami. The site offers an educational and factual look at the coastline's recovery, early warning systems, and local history. Spend 45 minutes walking through the small indoor photo exhibition and memorial garden. Afterwards, cool down with homemade gelato at Gelateria Pungitopo just across the road.
Seafood Dinner at Krua Thai Restaurant
6:00pm–8:00pm
Enjoy a relaxed beachfront dinner at Krua Thai Restaurant, known for its freshly caught sea bass with lime and garlic, stir-fried morning glory, and mild pineapple fried rice served in a pineapple bowl. Tables sit right on the sand facing west for clear views of the Andaman sunset. It is advisable to reserve an outdoor table by 5:30pm during peak December evenings.
2. Khao Sok: Rainforest Wildlife & Cheow Lan Lake
Khao Sok, Surat Thani, Thailand • 3 days
You will travel inland to explore ancient rainforests, cruise past towering limestone karsts on Cheow Lan Lake, and swim in emerald freshwater reservoirs.
Our Jungle Camp - Eco Resort
~USD 200–300/room/night (family treehouse, sleeps 4)Set on the Sok River with two-storey bamboo treehouses and family bungalows that sleep four, offering direct access to jungle nature trails.
Khao Sok Riverfront Resort
~USD 180–250/room/night (family river villa, sleeps 4)Spacious riverside bungalows with private balconies overlooking limestone cliffs, offering easy walking access to park headquarters.
Prices are estimates based on typical rates — check online for current availability, exact pricing, and room occupancy options.
Day 4
Transfer from Khao Lak to Khao Sok & Check-in
9:00am–11:30am
Take a private transfer from Khao Lak to Khao Sok travelling northeast into the jungle-covered mountains (approximately 1.5 hours). Check into your eco-lodge accommodation nestled alongside the Sok River. Spend time settling in and listening to the cicadas and hornbills from your balcony. Have lunch at the resort open-air dining pavilion or head to Pawn's Restaurant for mild chicken noodle soup and pad see ew.
Travel time: 1.5h private transfer
Khao Sok River Tubing & Canoeing Expedition
2:00pm–5:00pm
Embark on a guided canoe and river tubing trip down the calm Khao Sok River (guided canoe trips typically 600–800 THB per boat, including lifejackets and local paddler). Float past tall limestone cliffs draped in jungle vines, stopping at shallow pebbled river bends where strong swimmers can jump in and drift along with the gentle current. Guides help point out long-tailed macaques feeding in fig trees along the riverbank. Bring water sandals or secure water shoes.
Nynke's note: We did this with our own kids — our son had his own tube while our daughter, who was only 18 months at the time, rode along with one of us in her own little swim vest, since she was too small to manage on her own. The water was shallow enough that it never felt like a big deal. Partway through, our son suddenly shouted "Ouch!", convinced a fish had bitten his finger — there was no actual evidence of this, but he still brings it up years later.
Dinner at Jungle Music Restaurant
6:30pm–8:30pm
Eat dinner at Jungle Music Restaurant, a relaxed open-sided spot in Khao Sok village serving fresh vegetable stir-fries, crispy spring rolls, and mild yellow curries. The owner frequently shares tips on upcoming trail conditions and wildlife sightings in the park. After dinner, take a brief torch-lit stroll around the resort grounds to look for nocturnal tree frogs before turning in early.
3. Krabi: Karst Islands, Kayaking & Coastal Heritage
Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand • 3 days
Complete your southern Thailand trip in Krabi, exploring offshore coral reefs at Hong Island, kayaking through mangrove canyons at Ao Thalane, and taking in coastal temples.
Day 8
Hong Islands Island Hopping & Lagoon Snorkelling
8:30am–12:30pm
Board a chartered speedboat or private longtail boat to Koh Hong within Than Bok Khorani National Park (national park fee typically 300 THB per adult, 150 THB per child). Enter the enclosed emerald lagoon through a narrow cliff gap for calm, chest-deep swimming over fine sand. Stop at Hong Beach for snorkelling among sergeant majors and parrotfish right off the shore. Climb the metal staircase to the 360° Hong Island Viewpoint (419 steps; suitable for energetic 6 and 8 year olds with handrails throughout).
Travel time: 45min speedboat each way
Ao Thalane Mangrove Sea Kayaking
2:30pm–5:30pm
Head north to Ao Thalane for a guided sea kayaking expedition through narrow mangrove canyons and towering sea caves (kayak hire and guide typically 600–900 THB per double kayak). Double kayaks allow each parent to pair with a child. Paddle along calm waterways past sleeping fruit bats and fiddler crabs on exposed mudbanks. If afternoon tides are too low for deep canyon paddling, guides navigate open coastal sandbars where kids can swim in clean tidal water.
Travel time: 30min transfer
Farewell Sunset Dinner at The Last Fisherman
6:30pm–8:30pm
Celebrate the final evening of your trip with dinner at The Last Fisherman, situated directly on the sand at the southern end of Ao Nang Beach under overhanging limestone cliffs. Choose from grilled red snapper, chicken satay, garlic butter prawns, and fresh tropical fruit shakes with feet in the sand. Tables directly face the Andaman Sea for views of longtail boats and the sunset.
Nynke's note: We ended up coming back to The Last Fisherman more than once during our trip. Calm, shallow water that's easy for kids, and there are hermit crabs all along the shoreline that ours spent ages chasing. Grab roasted corn from the cart just outside before you sit down. Probably the easiest, least-planned evening of the whole trip.
💬 Every day has a real "Ask questions about this day" chat — restaurants, timing, local tips, and more — and it knows where you are and what's already planned. Ask something like "any pharmacies nearby, we need something for a cough" or "what's within walking distance of our hotel", and it answers with real, live data instead of a guess.
Practical notes for this Southern Thailand route
Information checked September 2026
- Skip the summit at Tiger Cave Temple with kids — the 1,237-step climb isn't worth it; the lower hermitage trail covers the temple itself.
- Pack water shoes, a dry bag, and a headlamp before you go — between the rafting, tubing, and the cave trek, you'll want all three more than once. We learned this the hard way on our own trip through this same region.
- Watch for leeches on jungle trail detours, especially if it's been raining — this happened to us on exactly this kind of walk in Khao Sok. More gross than dangerous.
- Carry small cash — many vendors along the way are cash-only, and national park fees and songthaew rides are paid in cash too. Worth confirming current card acceptance closer to the date.
Tweak My Trip: adjusting this route is easy
The route above has three bases and two overland transfers, with Krabi last. That suits an active family, which is why it's planned this way. But if you'd like to take it easier with a 6- and 8-year-old, you can change it. Here is the same trip after one tweak, typed in exactly like this:
Skip Krabi, that's too much travel. Only Khao Lak and Khao Sok. With some more beach time in Khao Lak.
LeapAway rebuilt the trip as two bases instead of three: five days in Khao Lak and four in Khao Sok, still nine days in total. It's still the same trip at its core, with the same bases and the same Cheow Lan Lake day, just reworked with more time in each place. And it didn't just delete Krabi and add a beach day: the island hopping and snorkelling that used to live in Krabi now has a home in Khao Lak as a Similan Islands snorkelling trip, so the trip keeps what mattered about it.
Open the complete LeapAway itinerary
How this page was made
Generated by LeapAway from a real family brief: nine days, December, children aged 6 and 8, active pace and confident swimmers. Nynke Kinderman picked this route, reviewed it, and added her own notes from her own family trip to the same region. Last reviewed: September 2026.
About the author
Nynke Kinderman
Founder of LeapAway · Dutch, based in Singapore for 12+ years · mum of two