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Adventure, refined
Wild Days, Seriously Good Stays
Real people, real adventures.
Hike through lush jungles, explore the temples of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and savour authentic Northern Thai cuisine along the way
Adventure off-grid in Mae Taeng, trekking forested ridges, paddling tropical rivers, and soaking up the peaceful charm of Lahu village life
Head south for an island escape, hopping between secluded coves and kayaking among towering limestone karsts in dreamy Phang Nga Bay
Unwind in handpicked boutique stays that offer a touch of luxury among epic landscapes – from serene jungle retreats to secluded island hideaways
Get instant answers about this adventure
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To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Yes, a domestic flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket is included in the trip price and will be booked by your host once the trip departure is guaranteed to run. Flights are usually with airlines such as AirAsia or VietJet, typically scheduled for late morning or around noon.
Because these flights are booked early to secure group travel, a portion of your deposit becomes non-refundable after booking (unless the trip is cancelled by us or your host, due to unforeseen circumstances). We recommend booking early to ensure you fly on the allocated group flight. If the group flight is full at the time of your booking, your host will inform you of alternative travel options. In such cases, you may travel on a different flight and arrive at the island earlier or later than the main group.
Tap water in Thailand is not safe to drink. Clean drinking water will be provided throughout, so please pack your own reusable bottle – it will be well used. There will be a large drinking water container provided on the vehicles for you to refill your bottle with.
Yes – burning season in northern Thailand typically occurs between February and April each year. During this time, agricultural burning in the region can cause haze and reduced air quality. The intensity varies each year depending on weather conditions, wind, and government controls. We understand this might be a concern, so here’s what you need to know:
We remain hopeful that air quality will continue to improve in the coming years, thanks to local and government efforts. Most importantly, previous travellers have continued to enjoy their trips during this season without issues.
This trip is scheduled to run from October to April to make the most of Thailand’s drier, cooler months – avoiding the peak of the monsoon season and extreme summer heat. However, due to the effects of climate change, weather patterns can occasionally be unpredictable, so it’s always best to come prepared for a mix of conditions. Minor changes to the route, order or timing of the activities may be necessary once you’re on the trip. Your host will ensure any changes, if necessary, are kept to a minimum, and your guide will keep you in the loop as the trip progresses to ensure that you have an awesome time.
Due to the point-to-point nature of this trip, your luggage will travel with you throughout the journey. Please note that for the included domestic flight, a checked baggage allowance of 20kg applies. Be sure to pack accordingly to avoid excess baggage fees.
The kayaks used will be sit-on-top kayaks, all of which will be doubles. Sit-on-top kayaks are very stable and easy to paddle for everyone, from new paddlers through to experienced paddlers. Sit-on-top kayaks can be used on the sea, estuaries, rivers, lakes and canals.
In both Mae Taeng and Phang Nga Bay, you’ll be using a mix of tandem inflatable and polyester canoes or kayaks, with an average maximum weight limit of 250kg.
Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamt of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.
Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 60 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures and challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.
What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community and the environment.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
This trip runs between October and May, offering ideal conditions to explore both northern and southern Thailand.
In Northern Thailand (Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Taeng, and surrounding areas), you can expect mostly dry weather during these months. Daytime temperatures typically range from 25–33°C (77–91°F) with cooler evenings; great for trekking, cycling, and cultural exploration. October marks the end of the rainy season, so the landscapes are lush and vibrant. By March and April, temperatures can rise significantly – sometimes peaking above 35°C (95°F) – so be prepared for very hot conditions toward the end of the season.
In the south (Phang Nga Bay and Koh Yao Noi), the dry season runs from November to April, bringing sunny skies, warm seas, and gentle breezes. Temperatures typically sit between 26–32°C (79–90°F), ideal for kayaking, island hopping, and beach time. Occasional short showers may occur in May or October, but they’re usually brief and won’t disrupt activities.
Please note: Between February and April, northern Thailand may experience periods of haze or reduced air quality due to agricultural burning. While our trips have not been affected in the past, conditions can vary year to year. Our local team monitors the situation closely and will adjust plans if needed to ensure a smooth experience. We recommend packing a mask for outdoor activities, particularly if you have asthma, allergies, or other respiratory sensitivities. If you’re concerned, you may prefer to book outside this window.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 752kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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All trips are led by certified expert guides, unlocking life experiences in places most never see.
Choose from 250+ award-winning active outdoor adventures in wild places, whatever your mood.
75% join our trips as solo travellers, with most in their 30s-50s. 95% give our group dynamic 5 stars.
We've sorted the logistics, so you can just rock up and have a blast in the wild.
To protect our world's wild places, one adventure at a time.
