Let’s travel to Thailand together! I’ve planned a group trip to Bangkok, Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands from March 8-14, 2024 and can’t wait for you to join me. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as you’ll not only get to explore Thailand with me but with a group of fellow food lovers! If you’ve never been on a trip like this, I recommend reading my post on reasons why you should book a group trip with me since this is a more fulfilling experience than your average vacation.

I’m hosting it with TrovaTrip, a company that allows content creators like myself to host group trips run by vetted local tour operators. I worked with them to design an itinerary that has everything I could want in it:

• Dining at both local and upscale restaurants
• Exploring street food stalls and night markets
• Learning how to cook at a farm
• Island hopping through paradise
• Relaxing at a beach club
• Letting loose at drag shows, cocktail bars and night clubs

Jump ahead to the itinerary or book the trip here

But first I wanted to answer what I think is probably a common question:

How did you come up with the itinerary and pricing?

The first 8 people to book will get US$200 off their trip and pay $1975 per person—after that it’s $2175 per person. This covers hotels, included activities and meals (everything noted as “breakfast” “lunch” or “dinner” on the booking page), the flight from Bangkok to Phuket and all airport transfers within the specified times, and our local guide throughout the trip. It does not include international flights, any of the optional activities, or alcohol. You can see everything that’s included here.

I got tons of survey responses which showed me critical information like the destinations you wanted to travel to and budget. It was actually very close between Thailand and Bali, but due to the rainy season in Bali, I decided to go with Thailand this coming March since it will be dry and warm. That way those of you in the US can escape the winter season for Thai island life! If this trip goes well perhaps I can explore a Bali trip in the future too.

I took all of this into account to find the best itinerary based on what TrovaTrip had available from their tour operators—in this case I actually combined two Thailand itineraries into one so that we could tour the food and nightlife scene in Bangkok, as well as the beaches of Phuket and Phi Phi. What’s great about TrovaTrip is that they do all the vetting and logistics, so since I’m super busy running both Indulgent Eats and my restaurant Barkada, I don’t have to spend time or hold the financial risk of handling payments and booking hotel rooms for a large group. TrovaTrip has run these itineraries before so they already know what works/doesn’t, and have a solid 4-5 star rating on past Asia trips to prove it.

I then set a trip price that includes a small markup that goes directly to me to cover all the time I’ve put into designing the itinerary, working on all the content and most importantly the time I’m spending with all of you! I want to be transparent about this because I value all of you as my followers, and sincerely appreciate the support. Plus as the trip host, l’ll basically be your second tour guide alongside our actual local Thai guide, ensuring that everyone is having a great time while helping you take fire pics for the ‘gram along the way. And I’ll definitely cover a couple rounds of drinks to thank you all for your support!

I hope you’ll find the value in this trip and truly see it as a unique and memorable experience. Plus, the first 8 people to book will get US$200 off their trip, so definitely make sure to book the trip soon!

Indulgent Eats Thailand Group Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in Bangkok

Welcome to Thailand! Everyone will get an airport transfer from Bangkok’s international airport before checking into The Theatre Residence or a similar hotel.

We will have a welcome dinner at a local restaurant at night where we can meet everyone in person. I’m personally quite excited that I don’t know where we’re going for some of these meals. There’s so much great food in Bangkok that not every list or blogger can capture, so I look forward to discovering these hidden gems!

If you aren’t too jet lagged, there will be the option to join me after dinner to visit a rooftop bar in Bangkok. Not only will it help get your body onto Asia time, but you’ll be able to take in the views before we explore the city together the next day.

All optional activities in this itinerary are out of your own pocket, but I promise I’ll make them worth it! I would budget around $100-$400 to account for additional food, alcohol, and activity expenses that are not included in the group trip, depending on how much you drink and how many optional activities you plan to join. You can see exactly what’s included/excluded in the trip in the official booking page.

Day 2 – Bangkok Street Food Adventures

The first full day of the trip is all about diving deep into the local Thai food culture and experiencing what’s unique to Bangkok. I absolutely love the street food and night market scene here, and I’m excited to visit places I’ve never been to before. First we’ll go to Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market on the outskirts of Bangkok. It’s supposed to be less crowded than the other more touristy floating market, which I always prefer since you’re more likely to get better quality food without having to rub elbows with strangers as often. We will try local dishes that might be difficult to find at your average Thai restaurant. The day portion also includes a journey on a traditional Thai long tail boat along a river that cuts through Bangkok.

At night, we will go on a Tuk Tuk Street Eats Tour, trying everything from Michelin-starred pad thai to grilled meats and coconut pudding at a night market. There are a few breaks for photos, including a stroll through a flower market since we obviously need to walk off all the food to be able to eat even more 😉 The tour will end at a riverside rooftop bar to take in the views of the city. You can see details on the tour in the official itinerary.

Since it will be Saturday night in Bangkok, there will also be the option to join me for a night out. We’ll visit one of Bangkok’s famous cocktail bars before heading to one of the best clubs in the city, Sing Sing Theater. I’ve been wanting to visit here for a long time, as I have DJ friends who have played here so I know the music is good! It’ll be a fun way to end a day of eating, dancing the night away in this uniquely styled club with instagram-worthy old Chinese interiors.

Day 3 – Farm to Table Lunch and Upscale Dinner

Unless you live on a farm or grow your own vegetables, it’s not often that you get to actually see the soil that your food came from, let alone eat your freshly picked produce. I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing these type of farm to table meals in Hawaii and Israel, where we toured the farms, worked on the crops, and gathered ingredients before learning how to make a traditional dish. So I’m excited to have a similar day tour to Patom Organic Farm in a province 1 hour outside of Bangkok. We will go through a few workshops before learning how to make Thai dishes from the raw ingredients straight from the riverside farm. The property also has a stunning, reflective cafe that has a second outpost in Bangkok.

There will be a bit of downtime in the afternoon. Depending on how much time is available, there’s the option to visit some of the temples near the hotel including Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the Grand Palace before we enjoy an included upscale Thai dinner at the famous Blue Elephant.

Day 4 – Travel to Phuket for a Beach Club and Drag Show

Today we will fly from Bangkok to the southern Thai island of Phuket. One thing to note is that breakfast at the hotel is included every day, but depending on what time we start activities, one day I may opt to try a local spot in Bangkok instead if you’d like to join! Maybe we’ll visit Jay Fai since the Netflix-famous, Michelin-starred restaurant opens at 9AM, or we can visit a local market. I won’t know if this is possible until I get the hourly itinerary closer to the trip, but wanted to put this out there that I’m always thinking of ways to fit in restaurants you might want to try!

When we arrive in Phuket, the afternoon will be free to do as you wish. If you’d like to join me, there will be the option to check out KUDO Beach Club, one of Phuket’s top beach clubs right on the famous Patong Beach. I love chilling at a beach club, where you can enjoy the sun and sand along with a swimming pool, all while having drinks and food served right to your cabana or daybed with a live DJ playing. KUDO serves Italian food, so this will also be a chance to have a momentary break from the Thai food for some pasta and pizza for dinner.

At night, we will check out the Simon Cabaret, a Vegas-style drag show with elaborate costumes and fun lip sync performances. I always have the best time at drag shows, and the caliber of Thai drag performers is truly top notch, so this is sure to be a super fun night out! Plus, we’ll be right near the nightlife areas around Patong if anyone wants to venture out.

Day 5 – Island Hopping around the Phi Phi Islands

It’s time to travel to island paradise! We will spend the day on a long-tail boat exploring Phi Phi’s lush bays and turquoise waters, with stops including Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Don for snorkeling and Bamboo Island. It will end at Pileh Lagoon, an emerald-green inlet surrounded by limestone cliffs and one of the most stunning views in all of Thailand. I’m excited for this since I’ve never been to Phi Phi, so we can all help each other get amazing photos and take in the beauty of this scenic landscape.

After we arrive back in Phuket, there will be the option to join me for dinner at one of Phuket’s many beachfront restaurants. I have a few on my shortlist, so we will pick one to dine at closer to the trip.

Day 6 – Final Full Day and Farewell Dinner

It’s our last day in Thailand! This is your day to rest or spend at your leisure. I personally am planning to visit an elephant sanctuary, so you can choose to join me or I can suggest some other activities to make the most of our last day in Phuket.

At night, we will go on a Phuket Local Treats Tour. We will explore the colorful Phuket Old Town, visit the Khao Rang Hill viewpoint, and taste southern Thai dishes at our farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 7/8 – Leave Thailand & Visit Hong Kong(?)

It’s time to part ways! Or maybe not…? After breakfast, you’ll get a final airport transfer for your flight back. Maybe that’s home, or maybe that’s Hong Kong to come visit me in the place I now call home. Depending on everyone’s flight schedules, I will plan a final meet-up in Hong Kong on either Day 7 or Day 8 where we will visit some of my favorite local spots, go for a sunset hike up to Victoria Peak for those epic views with my dog Crosby, and finish the night with a Filipino feast and drinks at my restaurant Barkada.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below! And remember, the first 8 people to book will get US$200 off their trip, so definitely take advantage of this and sign up to be notified when the trip launches so you can book the trip ASAP if you plan to come!