Thinking about booking the Thai Intro 18 Day Trip with Intro Travel? I just wrapped up this epic group tour through Thailand, and it was honestly one of the most incredible adventures of my life. Over 18 days, I traveled from buzzing Bangkok to tropical islands, swam in jungle waterfalls, spent a night in a floating bungalow, and made friendships that felt like family.
This is my complete Intro Travel Thailand review covering what the trip includes, accommodations, costs, pros and cons, and whether I think it’s worth the money.
Table of Contents
Why I Chose Intro Travel for Thailand
There are many ways to explore Thailand from solo backpacking to friend trips, but my favorite way to explore South East Asia is with a group tour. When it was time to tackle Thailand, I knew the only choice for me was to go on my third tour with Intro Travel.
Southeast Asia can often be overwhelming, since you’re not hopping on a 14+ hour flight to spend just a few days in Bangkok. For long journeys, you want to cram in as much as the country has to offer. Group tours take care of all the not-so-fun logistics like figuring out how to get from point A to point B. Plus, you get to meet amazing people from all over the world to share the experience with.
What Makes Intro Travel Different
As far as which tour company to go with, I naturally gravitate towards Intro Travel. My first and second back-to-back tours with Intro Travel were to Vietnam and Cambodia two years ago, and it was a life-changing experience. Intro Travel offers the perfect balance of party, culture immersion, adventure, and culinary components for a memorable travel experience. Although the majority of travelers tend to be in their twenties and early thirties, there is no age cap unlike other tour companies.
The best part of Intro Travel is that it attracts travellers from all over the world! This last trip I did with them had group members from Germany, Austria, England, Australia, Romania, and of course me, the American. I much perfer the international experience over just an American tour group.
Intro Travel Thailand Tour Options
I’ve wanted to take the Thai Intro 18 Day Tour ever since I did their Vietnam and Cambodia tour two years ago. Before diving into my review, here are all the other Thailand tour options available:
- Thai Island Explorer (14 Days)
- Thai Intro (9 Days)
- Thai Intro (12 Days)
- Thai Experience (13 Days)
- Thai Intro + Dive (13 Days)
- Thailand + Vietnam Intro (29 Days)
- Thailand + Vietnam Experience (27 Days)
- Epic Asia (38 Days)
Which Intro Thailand Tour Should You Choose?
The 9 Day, 12 Day, 18 Day, Intro + Dive, Thailand + Vietnam, and Epic Asia all start off together. Intro tours are designed to be modular, which means you’ll have several sad goodbyes to new friends throughout the tour if you booked the longer ones.
My recommendation: Always do the longest tour for that specific country. Those on our tour who only did the 9 and 12 days admitted to feeling FOMO. On the other hand, those who have done Epic Asia seemed burnt out by the time we reached Cambodia on my last Intro Trip.
Learning from my previous tours, I decided to go with the Thai Intro 18 Day tour with a pre-night and ended up extending my trip four more days to spend time with my new friends.
What’s Included in the Thai Intro 18 Day Tour
Included in Your Tour Price:
- All accommodations (shared rooms, unless you pay for private)
- Airport pickup and all transportation between cities
- Group leader and local guides throughout
- Certain meals (Some breakfasts, several lunches and dinners)
- Specific activities: temple visits, cooking class, Muay Thai training, elephant sanctuary, jungle trek, beach hopping, plankton boat party
- Overnight train and ferry tickets
NOT Included (Budget Extra For):
- Many meals (budget $3-15 USD per meal)
- Optional activities like scuba diving ($85+ USD)
- Full moon party and other nightlife expenses
- Personal shopping and souvenirs
- Travel insurance (required)
- Spontaneous activities like the Waterfall Festival ($37 USD)
Budget tip: Most meals in Thailand are very affordable, but nightlife, optional activities, beauty treatments and shopping can add up. I’d recommend budgeting an extra $500-800 USD for the 18 days beyond the tour cost. Of course, these extra costs heavily vary depending on factors like alcohol consumption and souvenir shopping.
Thai Intro 18 Day Tour Accommodations Review
All accommodations on Intro Travel tours are clean and safe, though comfort levels vary significantly. Unless you pay extra for a private room, you’ll bunk with one or more roommates.
Bangkok: Rambutrri Village Hotel (2.5/5)
Very basic hotel in a prime location for nightlife near Khao San Road. Wet-room style bathrooms (i.e. just a shower head in the corner of the bathroom with no divider), but comfortable beds. The room I was staying in was very dim because our “window” was facing a wall, but I guess that wasn’t as bad as some others’ rooms which were facing the street and heard music from below all night long. Great location is the main selling point.
Khao Sok: Klong Ka Lakehouse (2/5)
The most unique stay—floating bungalows in Khao Sok National Park . It’s such a unique and cool experience, but the bungalows are extremely barebones with only very stiff beds inside, no lock, and no electricity until after 6pm. The bathrooms are all the way down the floating pathway and you share them with the other lakehouse guests.
Despite all of this, it’s a very memorable part of the Thai Intro tour. You won’t be getting much sleep because of the rock-hard beds, but at least you’ll get to see more stars than you’ve ever seen before looking up at the night sky while you walk to the bathroom. This is definitely more glamping than a true hotel. Luckily, it’s only for one night.
Koh Phangan: Sarana Bungalows (4/5)
One of the best hotels on tour! This is an Intro Travel base where you’ll spend four nights–the most in a single location on the tour.
The one caveat is that depending on your group size, you will most likely be three in a room. The casitas each have their own little patio with hammock and drying rack for towels and swimsuits. Inside there are four twin beds. The bathroom is huge with a large shower area (again no door or curtain, but at least it’s in its own corner so the whole bathroom doesn’t get wet). There is also plenty of counter space by the sink.
Sarana Bungalows is right on the beach with a private infinity pool, bean bags, a volley ball net, paddleboards, bar and restaurant. The bar and restaurant work on a tab system, which you pay at the end of your stay, so you don’t have to have your wallet on you. At one point, one of my roommates had the key and I left my wallet, phone, and shoes in the room while drinking a strawberry daiquiri. It felt like total freedom that I haven’t felt since I was a kid.
Koh Phi Phi: Phi Phi Adaman Legacy (3.5/5)
In Koh Phi Phi, the Phi Phi Adaman Legacy will be your home for three nights. It’s a lovely hotel next to a mosque. While not right on the beach, the beach is just a two minutes away. All of Phi Phi is walkable within 20 minutes, which is nice since there are no cars on the island.
The rooms had two comfortable twin beds with a whole wall of counter space on one side and outlets on that same side. The other bed by the sliding glass door had no outlets, so if you want to snag the better bed, aim for the one next to the bathroom. The bathroom, sadly, was similar to the hotel in Bangkok where the shower gets everything wet, including the toilet.
Phuket: Sawaddi Patong Resort (4.5/5)
Phuket was my least favorite city out of the tour, but had by far the nicest hotel.—a proper western-style resort with elevators, pool, spa, and finally a real shower with a divider! Best sleep of the tour. Great place to re-pack and refresh.
Chiang Mai: Eurana Boutique Hotel (4/5)
The Eurana Boutique Hotel in Chiang Mai is another very comfortable stay during the tour. The rooms were fairly spacious with comfortable beds and a western style bathroom with shower/tub combo. We got robes and slippers too and there were plenty of outlets for charging electronics.
Breakfast is included at this stay and, although it was nothing too fancy, it was nice and convenient with a decent selection of food items.
The location is unbeatable—even after the tour ended, I kept coming back to this area.
Jungle Waterfall Camp (3/5)
With the Thai Into 18 Day Tour, you get to experience a night in the jungle at a waterfall camp. I, as someone who loves the outdoors, enjoyed this unique experience. According to our group leader, some groups complain about this stay unaware of what it entails.
You will be sleeping in a thatched roof hut with your entire group on mats under mosquito netting. There is a bathroom just a thirty second walk away from the sleeping hut and dining hall, but it’s a manual flush toilet, meaning you’ll be dumping water from a barrel to flush it.
It is the middle of the jungle, but if you haven’t caught on yet, there is no electricity. There are gas lamps used during dinner and a solar light to show the path from the sleeping hut to the bathroom.
The sounds of the waterfall are loud, but I found it relaxing as it drowns out any snoring or other unpleasant sounds. The mats weren’t too bad– if you survived the rock hard beds in Khao Sok, you’ll survive a night in the jungle.
That being said, our group leader did mention that people are welcomed to skip the night in the jungle and stay in Chiang Mai, providing they pay for their own accommodation. If you really want to do the Thai Intro 18 Day Tour, but are not a fan of the outdoors at all, you have this option.
I personally think it was such a memorable and impactful part of the tour and wouldn’t skip it even if you paid me to. Going out of your comfort zone is what makes travel so great!
Accommodation tips: Most hotels don’t have reliable hair dryers. Bring a travel one if that’s important to you. Also, key cards control electricity, so you can’t charge devices while out exploring–bring a plug that can charge multiple devices at once while you sleep.
Essential Pre-Tour Information
Should You Book a Pre-Night?
Yes, absolutely. This is my strongest recommendation. Arriving a day early allows you to:
- Battle jet lag and culture shock
- Avoid missing the welcome dinner if your flight is delayed
- Explore Bangkok since the tour only includes two nights
- Have a private room your first night before your roommate arrives
The biggest critique I have of all Intro Tours is that it never feels like they have enough nights in the start city. As the start city for Thai Intro is Bangkok, I found it ridiculous that we only have two nights in one of the most famous and largest cities in the world. Doing a pre-night allowed me to check out some sights and do some extra shopping that were not included in the itinerary like the Grand Palace and Wat Arun.
Plus, if you arrange a pre-night with Intro Travel, you will still be picked up by Intro Travel at the airport and get to stay at the starting hotel.
The Intro Travel App and Facebook Group
You can download the Intro Travel app with visa info, packing lists, arrival instructions, and more, as well as to see if a particular tour is right for you, even before you book!
You’ll also gain access to a private Facebook group where you can ask questions, get packing advice, and meet group members before the tour starts. Post your travel dates to find who else is going! This is a great asset for trying to find others who are arriving early to the tour so you can plan things together.
What the Thai Intro Tour is Really Like
Group Dynamic
This is what makes or breaks a group tour, and Intro Travel delivers. Our group bonded quickly through shared experiences like the full moon party paint session, plankton boat cocktails, standing on chairs singing in Bangkok, and those heartfelt goodbye dinners.
Because the tours are modular, you’ll say goodbye to people at days 9, 12, and then finish with just the 18-day crew. Each goodbye gets harder, but it also makes the final days incredibly special with your core group.
Age range on my tour was 19-39. Everyone was adventurous, open-minded, and ready to party but also appreciate culture.
If you hold off on booking until closer to the trip start date, you can always reach out to Intro Travel to find out the demographics of a particular tour date to see if you’d fit in. I always do this to make sure the group isn’t too small or too large.
The Group Leader Makes All the Difference
Your group leader stays with you the entire 18 days and is like a travel agent, photographer, best friend, and parent rolled into one. They handle logistics, help with any issues, send restaurant recommendations in the group chat, organize optional activities, and even join you for safety at spontaneous events like the Waterfall Festival.
I’ve loved all the group leaders I’ve had on my Intro Tours. Not sure if I keep getting lucky, or if Intro Travel only hires the best in the business.
Party vs Culture Balance
Intro Travel gets the balance right. There are definitely party nights (Bangkok clubs, full moon party, Phi Phi bars), but also meaningful cultural experiences (temple blessings, monk visits, cooking classes, elephant sanctuary, Karen village).
If you’re not a partier, you can skip the late nights—but honestly, those nights are when the group bonds most.
Is the Intro Travel Thailand Tour Worth It? My Final Verdict
Yes, 100% worth it – especially if you’re in your twenties/thirties, want to meet people, and enjoy a mix of adventure and nightlife.
Top Highlights:
- Plankton Boat Party – Three-story boat with $3 cocktails, jumping off the top deck, snorkeling with reef sharks, and swimming in bioluminescent plankton
- Beach Hopping Day – Safari truck, photo competitions, cliff cafes, and that incredible viewpoint bar
- Jungle Trek – Sleeping next to a waterfall, eating lemon ants, jungle crowns, bamboo rafting past elephants
- Full Moon Party – Painting each other with glow paint, fire shows on the beach, karaoke standing on chairs
- Sticky Waterfall – Walking up a waterfall like Spiderman thanks to grippy limestone
- Muay Thai Training – Actually getting in the ring and feeling like a total badass
- North Gate Jazz Bar – Standing on benches dancing to live music in Chiang Mai
Pros:
- Incredible friendships and group bonding
- Perfect party/culture/adventure balance
- All logistics handled (huge stress relief!!!)
- Unique experiences you couldn’t easily arrange solo
- Great value for what’s included
- Excellent guides and group leaders
- Safe environment for solo travelers
What Could Be Better:
- Not enough time in Bangkok (only 2 nights!)
- Elephant sanctuary felt rushed for the 2-hour drive each way and wish we had more interaction with them
- Some redundant stops (Monkey Island twice)
- Phuket city was overwhelming after island life and only one night felt pointless.
If Intro Travel comes across this post– Please add a 25 day trip option with more days in Bangkok and the Phuket (or Krabi) islands 🙏
Who Should Skip This Tour:
- Luxury travelers who need five star hotels (The Intro Thai Experience trip offers better accomadations)
- People who prefer slow, relaxing travel
- Those who avoid alcohol/nightlife completely
- Anyone uncomfortable with group dynamics
- Travelers who prefer total independence
Tips for Booking Your Intro Travel Thailand Tour
- Book the 18-day tour – Don’t do shorter and regret it
- Add a pre-night (or several!) in Bangkok
- Book a changeable return flight – You’ll probably want to extend
- Get Travel Insurance (required)
- Download the Intro app before booking to preview
- Join the Facebook group early to meet people
- Budget extra for meals, activities, and spontaneous fun
- Pack light – leave room for shopping!
Post-Tour Extension Ideas
Do yourself a favor and extend at least a few days post-tour. It’s been a hectic 18 days and you’ll want time to decompress. Options:
- Stay longer in Chiang Mai (so much to explore!)
- Get spa treatments (3x cheaper than back home)
- Stay a night or two at Chai Lai Orchid elephant sanctuary
- Day trip to Chiang Rai
- Fly to Krabi or back to Phuket islands
- Return to Bangkok for proper exploration
Final Thoughts: This is my third Intro Travel tour, and I can’t recommend them enough for Southeast Asia. The Thai Intro 18 Day Tour is their most popular tour for good reason. While not every moment is perfect, the overall experience far outweighs any inconveniences. If you want stress-free Thailand exploration with amazing people, this tour is absolutely worth it.
Ready for the detailed day-by-day breakdown? Check out my complete Thai Intro 18 Day Itinerary Guide to see exactly what happens each day.
Need packing help? Read my Essential Packing List for Intro Travel Thailand for everything you need to bring.
Extending your stay in Chiang Mai? Check out Rendezvous Oldtown Chiangmai for $20 a night or less!
