- How to plan a route
- 7 days: northern mountains
- 10 days: rock and reef on the Andaman coast
- 14 days: north to south
- 10 days: the Gulf islands in summer
- Short add-ons from Bangkok
How to plan a route
Thailand is bigger than it looks on a map: Chiang Mai is 700 km north of Bangkok, and Krabi 800 km south. The routes below follow three rules. Stay at least two or three nights in each base, because the best days start early. Fly the long legs — domestic flights of about an hour are frequent and inexpensive — and keep trains and ferries for the journeys that are experiences in themselves. And choose your coast by season: the Andaman side from November to April, the Gulf islands from February to September (see when to go).
Every stop links to a destination guide with tours, transport and a sample plan for that place.
7 days: northern mountains
Best for: trekking, elephants, rafting and cool-season scenery. Best months: November to February, or July to October for green hills.
| Day | Base | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangkok | Arrive. Evening bike tour or street food in Chinatown. |
| 2 | Bangkok → Chiang Mai | Morning at the Grand Palace and Wat Arun; afternoon flight or overnight train north. |
| 3 | Chiang Mai | Monk’s Trail to Wat Pha Lat and Doi Suthep; Old City temples; night market. |
| 4 | Chiang Mai | Full day at a no-riding elephant sanctuary with bamboo rafting. |
| 5 | Chiang Mai | Doi Inthanon National Park, or white-water rafting on the Mae Taeng. |
| 6 | Chiang Mai or Pai | Day trek to a Karen village — or minivan to Pai for the canyon at sunset. |
| 7 | Chiang Mai → Bangkok | Sticky Waterfalls or a cooking class, then fly out. |
Guides: Bangkok · Chiang Mai · Pai & Mae Hong Son. With two extra days, add Chiang Rai for the White Temple and the Golden Triangle.
10 days: rock and reef on the Andaman coast
Best for: climbing, sea kayaking, island-hopping and rainforest. Best months: November to April.
| Day | Base | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Bangkok | Bike tour, temples, muay thai night. Fly to Surat Thani or Phuket on day 3. |
| 3 | Khao Sok | Transfer to Khlong Sok; canoe the Sok River; night walk. |
| 4 | Khao Sok (lake) | Longtail across Cheow Lan Lake; night in a floating raft house. |
| 5 | Khao Sok → Krabi | Dawn kayak safari, then minivan to Ao Nang or Railay. |
| 6 | Krabi & Railay | Half-day climbing course; Phra Nang Cave Beach; sunset on Railay West. |
| 7 | Krabi | Four Islands or Hong Islands by longtail. |
| 8 | Krabi → Koh Phi Phi or Koh Lanta | Morning mangrove kayaking at Ao Thalane; afternoon ferry. |
| 9 | Phi Phi or Lanta | Sunrise longtail to Maya Bay and Pileh — or snorkel Koh Rok. |
| 10 | → Krabi or Phuket | Ferry back and fly out. |
Guides: Khao Sok · Krabi & Railay · Koh Phi Phi & Koh Lanta · Phuket & Phang Nga Bay.
14 days: north to south
Best for: a first trip that samples everything. Best months: November to March.
| Day | Base | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Bangkok | City by bike and boat; Grand Palace; street food. |
| 3 | Kanchanaburi or Ayutthaya | Day trip to Erawan Falls and the River Kwai, or cycle Ayutthaya’s ruins. Overnight train north. |
| 4–6 | Chiang Mai | Doi Suthep, an elephant sanctuary, Doi Inthanon or a two-day village trek. |
| 7–8 | Pai | Canyon, hot springs and Tham Lod cave. Return to Chiang Mai. |
| 9 | Chiang Mai → Krabi | Direct flight south; evening in Ao Nang. |
| 10–11 | Krabi & Railay | Climbing, island-hopping and kayaking. |
| 12–13 | Koh Lanta or Koh Phi Phi | Snorkelling, diving and beach time. |
| 14 | → Bangkok | Ferry to Krabi and fly home. |
Short of time? Drop Pai. Prefer jungle to islands? Swap the last four days for Khao Sok and Phang Nga Bay.
10 days: the Gulf islands in summer
Best for: learning to dive, marine-park kayaking and beaches when the Andaman coast is in monsoon. Best months: February to September.
| Day | Base | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Bangkok | Bike tour, temples and a muay thai class. Fly to Koh Samui or Surat Thani. |
| 3 | Koh Samui | Big Buddha, Fisherman’s Village, beach. |
| 4 | Koh Samui | Ang Thong National Marine Park by boat and kayak. |
| 5 | Koh Samui → Koh Phangan | Na Muang waterfalls in the morning; catamaran to Phangan. |
| 6 | Koh Phangan | Hike or longtail to Bottle Beach; Thong Nai Pan. |
| 7–9 | Koh Tao | Open Water dive course, or a try-dive plus a snorkelling trip to Koh Nang Yuan and Shark Bay. |
| 10 | → Bangkok | Catamaran to Chumphon and train, bus or flight back. |
Guides: Koh Samui & Koh Phangan · Koh Tao. With more time, cross to Khao Sok on the way in or out.
Short add-ons from Bangkok
- 2 days, Kanchanaburi: Erawan Falls, the Death Railway and a night in a raft house. Guide.
- 2 days, Khao Yai: wildlife trekking, waterfalls and a night safari. Guide.
- 1 day, Ayutthaya: the ruined capital by bicycle. See Bangkok: things to see.
