Trip highlights
- 1Wat Pho at 8am before the tours
- 2Ethical elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai
- 3Floating market by longtail boat
- 4Koh Lanta or Krabi beach days
- 5Night market food crawl every evening
Daily spend
Where you're going
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival Bangkok & Khao San Area
Tuesday, January 5
Est. spend
$60
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok
Take the Airport Rail Link express train to Phaya Thai station (30 minutes, THB 45 = $1.30), then a taxi to your hotel. Do not take taxis from inside the arrivals hall — use the official queue outside.
Buy a Thai SIM at the airport — AIS or DTAC, 30GB for THB 299 ($9). Essential for Grab (Thai Uber) which is dramatically cheaper than tuk-tuks or metered taxis.
☀️ Afternoon
Khao San Road area exploration
Khao San Road, Banglamphu, Bangkok
Bangkok's backpacker hub has cleaned up considerably — the surrounding streets (Phra Athit Road, Samsen Road) are genuinely pleasant for cafés, street food, and river views.
Phra Athit Road along the Chao Phraya river is the nicest stretch — local cafés, no touts, beautiful afternoon light on the water.
🌙 Evening
Pad thai and street food on Phra Athit Road
Phra Athit Road, Bangkok
The riverside street food scene around Banglamphu is excellent and local — pad thai, tom yum soup, mango sticky rice. Eat at small plastic-table restaurants, not the tourist-oriented places on Khao San itself.
The rule in Thailand: if a restaurant has a picture menu in English, the prices are 2–3x local rates. Find somewhere with only Thai script and point.
🍽️ Meals
Airport khao tom (rice porridge)
Thai · $4 · Khao tom is the Thai breakfast — rice porridge with ginger and a soft-boiled egg. Under $3 at any airport food court.
Street pad thai
Thai street food · $5 · Look for the street-side wok stalls — THB 60–80 ($2) per plate.
Riverside restaurant
Thai · $20 · Err Riverside on Maha Rat Road — good Thai classics with river views, not expensive.
Bangkok Temples & Grand Palace
Wednesday, January 6
Est. spend
$70
per person
🌅 Morning
Wat Pho — Reclining Buddha
2 Sanam Chai Rd, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
Thailand's oldest and largest temple — the 46-metre gold reclining Buddha and the surrounding courtyard of 394 Buddha images. Go at 8am when it opens, before tour groups.
Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered. Sarongs are rented at the entrance (THB 20 deposit). The traditional Thai massage school here is the most famous in Bangkok — worth 1 hour afterward.
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
Na Phra Lan Rd, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
The former royal palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha — the holiest site in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha is small but the surrounding gilded buildings are extraordinary.
The only place in Bangkok where the dress code is strictly enforced — no exposed shoulders, no short trousers, no flip-flops. Free sarong loaners at the entrance. Closed on some public holidays — check ahead.
☀️ Afternoon
Chao Phraya river express boat
Tha Chang Pier, Phra Nakhon
The orange-flag express boats run the river for THB 15 ($0.45) — take it north to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) for the view of its prang (spire) from the water.
Buy tickets on the boat — the orange-flag boats are THB 15 regardless of distance. Do not use the tourist boats which charge THB 50–100 per stop.
Wat Arun — Temple of Dawn
158 Thanon Wang Doem, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok
The temple on the west bank of the Chao Phraya — its central prang is decorated with Chinese porcelain fragments and stands 70 metres above the river. Spectacular at sunset when it glows orange.
Climb the steep central tower for the river view. The steps are almost vertical — hold the rope.
🌙 Evening
Chinatown (Yaowarat Road) night food
Yaowarat Road, Samphanthawong, Bangkok
Bangkok's Chinatown is extraordinary at night — roast duck, oyster omelettes, shark fin soup alternatives, and stalls that have been cooking the same dish for three generations.
T&K Seafood (49-51 Pad Thai Road) for the best oyster omelette and garlic prawns. Nai Ek Roll Noodles for duck noodle soup. Eat both.
🍽️ Meals
Tha Maharaj market breakfast
Thai · $6 · The riverside market near the Grand Palace — excellent khao niao mamuang (mango sticky rice) from 8am.
Som tam street lunch
Thai Isaan · $5 · Find a som tam stall — spicy green papaya salad with sticky rice and grilled chicken. Under THB 100.
Yaowarat night market
Chinese-Thai · $20
Floating Market & Jim Thompson House
Thursday, January 7
Est. spend
$130
per person
🌅 Morning
Damnoen Saduak or Amphawa Floating Market
Amphawa Floating Market, Samut Songkhram
The floating markets are 90 minutes south of Bangkok — vendors on longtail boats selling food, fruit, and flowers. Amphawa (weekends only) is more local and less touristy than Damnoen Saduak.
Take a minivan from Victory Monument (THB 80 each way, 90 minutes) rather than a tour. The boat ride through the canals (THB 60 per person) is the best part.
☀️ Afternoon
Jim Thompson House
6 Ram Buttri Rd, Khlong Maha Nak, Bangkok
The preserved home of American silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson — six traditional Thai houses joined together, filled with Asian antiques. He disappeared in Malaysia in 1967. A Bangkok mystery.
Guided tours only — the 30-minute English tour runs every 30 minutes. The garden café serves the best afternoon tea in Bangkok.
🌙 Evening
Silom area — rooftop bar and dinner
Silom Road, Bangkok
Silom is Bangkok's financial and nightlife district — the rooftop bar at Vertigo (Banyan Tree Hotel, 61st floor) for sunset drinks, then dinner in the neighbourhood.
Vertigo's drinks are expensive (THB 450–600 = $13–18) but the 360° panorama is the best in Bangkok. Go for one drink then eat dinner elsewhere.
🍽️ Meals
Floating market breakfast
Thai · $8 · Boat noodles and fresh coconut — eat from the market boats.
Jim Thompson House café
Thai/Western · $18 · Peaceful garden setting, good pad see ew and Thai iced tea.
Eat Me Restaurant, Silom
Modern Asian · $55 · Bangkok's best contemporary restaurant — Australian chef, excellent wine list, open until 1am.
Bangkok → Chiang Mai by overnight train
Friday, January 8
Est. spend
$80
per person
🌅 Morning
Chatuchak Weekend Market (if Saturday or Sunday)
Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok
The world's largest weekend market — 15,000 stalls spread across 35 acres. Everything from antiques and Thai ceramics to live animals and vintage clothing. Open Saturday and Sunday only.
Sections 2–6 have the best antiques and ceramics. Section 26 has the best vintage clothing. Take water and go before noon — it gets very hot.
☀️ Afternoon
Prepare for overnight train
Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Bangkok
The overnight train from Hua Lamphong Station to Chiang Mai takes 12–13 hours. Book a sleeper berth (2nd class AC, upper or lower) — clean, air-conditioned, and a genuinely enjoyable way to travel.
Book train tickets at 12go.asia or Thailand Railways website — second class sleeper costs THB 641–881 ($18–25). Lower berth is worth the extra THB 60.
🌙 Evening
Overnight Train No. 9 to Chiang Mai (departs 6pm)
Departures: Hua Lamphong Station, Bangkok
The sleeper train departs at 6pm and arrives in Chiang Mai at 7am. Dinner is served in the dining car — basic but charming. The countryside visible at dusk before the sun sets is beautiful.
Bring earplugs and a light layer — trains are cold. The dining car serves Thai food for THB 80–150. Wake up at 6am for mist over rice fields as the train enters Chiang Mai province.
🍽️ Meals
Chatuchak food court
Thai · $6 · Section 26 has excellent khao man gai (poached chicken rice) for THB 60.
Light lunch before train
Thai · $8 · Eat near Hua Lamphong — plenty of street stalls.
Train dining car
Thai · $6 · Basic but fine — pad see ew and a Chang beer.
Chiang Mai — Old City & Temples
Saturday, January 9
Est. spend
$75
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive Chiang Mai, check in
Chiang Mai Train Station
The train arrives at 7am. Check into a guesthouse in the Old City — the moat-enclosed historic centre is the best base.
Grab or songthaew (shared red truck taxi, THB 40–60) from the station. Old City guesthouses cost THB 500–1,000 ($15–30) per night.
Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang
Samlan Road, Old City, Chiang Mai
Two of the most important temples in Chiang Mai within walking distance — Wat Phra Singh has the most revered Buddha image in the north, Wat Chedi Luang has a partially ruined 15th-century chedi 60 metres tall.
Chiang Mai has over 300 temples — don't try to see them all. These two are within easy walk of each other and represent the two finest in the city.
☀️ Afternoon
Thai cooking class — half day
Various — Thai Farm Cooking School or Asia Scenic Thai Cooking
Chiang Mai is the best city in Thailand for cooking classes — the morning or afternoon class covers 4–5 dishes with a market tour first. Learn pad thai, green curry, and mango sticky rice.
Asia Scenic Thai Cooking (THB 1,000 = $29) includes a market visit. Take the morning class (9am) which ends in time for afternoon sightseeing — you eat everything you cook.
🌙 Evening
Sunday Walking Street (Sunday only) / Night Bazaar (all week)
Wualai Walking Street, Chiang Mai (Sundays) / Night Bazaar (daily)
The Sunday Walking Street on Wualai Road is the best night market in Chiang Mai — 1km of handicrafts, silk, and street food. The Night Bazaar on Chang Klan Road runs every night.
Khao soi — the Northern Thai curry noodle soup — is Chiang Mai's signature dish. Khao Soi Khun Yai on Faham Road is the most famous. THB 60 ($1.75).
🍽️ Meals
Train breakfast arrival
Thai · $4 · Eat near the station — excellent khao tom (rice porridge) stalls open from 6am.
Cooking class meal
Thai · $0 · Included in cooking class — you cook and eat green curry, tom yum, pad thai.
Khao soi, Chiang Mai
Northern Thai · $5 · Khao Soi Khun Yai — best khao soi in Chiang Mai. Order the chicken, add all the condiments.
Elephant Sanctuary & Doi Suthep
Sunday, January 10
Est. spend
$150
per person
🌅 Morning
Ethical elephant sanctuary — full morning
Elephant Nature Park, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai
The most important activity in Chiang Mai. Choose an ethical sanctuary (no riding, no shows, no chains) — Elephant Nature Park and Elephant Jungle Sanctuary are the two reputable options. Feed, bathe, and walk with rescued elephants.
Book at least 1 week ahead — Elephant Nature Park is often fully booked. The $80 includes transport from Chiang Mai, lunch, and the full morning program. Wear clothes you don't mind getting muddy.
☀️ Afternoon
Doi Suthep Temple
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai
The golden temple on the mountain above Chiang Mai — 309 steps up from the car park (or take the funicular), views over the city and valley. Thailand's most sacred temple in the north.
Songthaew from Old City ring road costs THB 50 each way (they wait and bring you back). Take the 2pm visit to arrive before sunset — the city view from the temple at dusk is spectacular.
🌙 Evening
Nimman Road craft beer and dinner
Nimmanhaemin Road, Chiang Mai
Nimman Road is Chiang Mai's trendy neighbourhood — excellent coffee shops, craft beer bars, and some of the city's best restaurants. Woo Café and Ristr8to are the coffee destinations.
Buy 1 Get 1 Free cocktails run at most Nimman bars from 5–8pm. The area around Nimmanhaemin Soi 9 has the most concentrated good dining.
🍽️ Meals
Elephant sanctuary lunch
Thai · $0 · Included in sanctuary package — usually a good vegetarian Thai spread.
Temple snacks
Thai street food · $5 · Vendors outside Doi Suthep sell fried insects, corn, and sticky rice — try the bamboo tube rice.
David's Kitchen or The Rustic & Blue
European/Thai fusion · $35 · Chiang Mai's best value fine dining. Set menus from THB 800 ($23).
Chiang Mai → Koh Lanta (fly + ferry)
Monday, January 11
Est. spend
$130
per person
🌅 Morning
Chiang Mai Morning Market, Warorot Market
Warorot Market, Chang Moi, Chiang Mai
The covered market near the river — fresh tropical fruit, local handicrafts, and dried goods at local prices. The flower market outside opens at 4am but is still beautiful by 9am.
Longan, mangosteen, and rambutan are cheapest here. Buy a bag for the flight.
Fly Chiang Mai → Krabi or Phuket
Chiang Mai International Airport
AirAsia and Bangkok Airways fly from Chiang Mai to Krabi (1.5 hours) and Phuket (1 hour) multiple times daily. From Krabi, a ferry connects to Koh Lanta.
Book the Chiang Mai → Krabi flight at least 2 weeks ahead on AirAsia. High season (November–March) flights sell out. The Krabi → Koh Lanta ferry costs THB 250 and takes 2 hours.
☀️ Afternoon
Arrive Koh Lanta — settle in
Koh Lanta, Krabi Province
Koh Lanta is less developed and more peaceful than Koh Samui or Koh Phi Phi — long beaches, great diving, and a genuine fishing village atmosphere at the old town. Lanta Old Town is worth an hour.
Stay on Long Beach (Hat Khlong Dao) — the best beach on the island, calmer than the south end.
🌙 Evening
Sunset at Kantiang Bay and seafood dinner
Kantiang Bay, Koh Lanta
Kantiang Bay on the south of the island has the most beautiful sunset on Koh Lanta — rent a motorbike and ride down at 5pm. The seafood restaurants on the beach cook whatever came off the boat that morning.
Grilled barramundi, tiger prawns with garlic and pepper, and tom yum seafood soup. Point at the fish display outside the restaurant and specify how you want it cooked.
🍽️ Meals
Warorot Market breakfast
Thai · $5 · Khao niao mamuang (mango sticky rice) and fresh coconut for THB 60.
Airport sandwich
Thai · $8
Beachfront seafood, Kantiang Bay
Thai seafood · $30
Koh Lanta Beach & Snorkelling
Tuesday, January 12
Est. spend
$85
per person
🌅 Morning
4-island snorkelling tour
Lanta Old Town Pier, Koh Lanta
Day trip to the surrounding islands — Koh Rok (world-class snorkelling, crystal clear water), Koh Ngai, and Koh Muk (Emerald Cave, entered by swimming through a 200m dark tunnel). Includes lunch.
The Emerald Cave at Koh Muk is the highlight — you swim through a dark tunnel and emerge in a hidden lagoon surrounded by cliffs. Available only at low tide.
☀️ Afternoon
Included in the island tour
Koh Rok, Krabi Province
The afternoon includes snorkelling at Koh Rok's coral gardens — visibility is often 20–30 metres. Sea turtles are commonly spotted here.
🌙 Evening
Long Beach sunset dinner
Hat Khlong Dao (Long Beach), Koh Lanta
The main Long Beach has excellent restaurants right on the sand — tables lit with candles, feet in the sand, fresh catch of the day.
Mango House or The Balcony Beach Bar for the best sunset view on Long Beach.
🍽️ Meals
Included in tour
Thai · $0 · Buffet breakfast at guesthouse.
Included in island tour
Thai · $0 · Lunch stop at a beach restaurant — usually simple but fresh.
Beachfront dinner
Thai seafood · $25
Rest Day — Beach, Massage & Motorbike
Wednesday, January 13
Est. spend
$90
per person
🌅 Morning
Long Beach morning swim
Hat Khlong Dao, Koh Lanta
The clearest, most relaxed morning on the trip — swim, read on a sun lounger, and do nothing with intention.
Rent a motorbike and explore the island
Any guesthouse or shop, Koh Lanta
The entire island can be circumnavigated in 3 hours on a motorbike — the south is wilder and more beautiful, with viewpoints over the Andaman Sea.
THB 250/day ($8) for an automatic scooter. International driving license required technically — most places don't check. Drive on the left, wear a helmet, go slowly on gravel roads.
☀️ Afternoon
Traditional Thai oil massage
Any beach massage parlour, Long Beach
2-hour oil massage on the beach or in a spa — Koh Lanta has some of the best and cheapest Thai massage in the country.
THB 300–400 ($9–12) for 1 hour, THB 500–600 for 2 hours. The beach massages are a little less private but the sound of the sea makes it worth it.
🌙 Evening
Lanta Old Town evening
Lanta Old Town, Koh Lanta
The Chinese-Portuguese fishing village on the east coast — wooden houses on stilts over the water, excellent fresh fish restaurants, and a sunset over the mainland mountains.
The sunset from Lanta Old Town pier is one of the most photogenic in Thailand — east-facing, so the light hits differently. The seafood restaurants here are the best on the island.
🍽️ Meals
Guesthouse breakfast
Thai/Western · $8 · Most beachfront guesthouses offer fruit, toast, eggs, and local coffee for THB 150–250.
Beach shack lunch
Thai · $8 · Som tam and grilled chicken at any of the wooden beach shacks — THB 150 total.
Lanta Old Town seafood
Thai seafood · $30 · Mango House or Time for Lime — both have excellent fresh fish.
Departure Day
Thursday, January 14
Est. spend
$55
per person
🌅 Morning
Final sunrise swim
Koh Lanta
The west-facing Long Beach catches late afternoon and evening light — for sunrise, cross to the east coast at Lanta Old Town or simply watch the mist over the jungle from your guesthouse.
Ferry to Krabi, fly home
Saladan Pier, Koh Lanta
The ferry from Koh Lanta to Krabi takes 2 hours (THB 250). From Krabi Airport, flights to Bangkok and direct international flights depart throughout the day.
Book the earliest possible ferry if flying Krabi → Bangkok → international — allow 3 hours from Krabi pier to departure gate. Taxis to airport from Krabi pier cost THB 300–400.
🍽️ Meals
Final Thai breakfast
Thai · $6 · Khao tom at the pier market before boarding — the last bowl of rice porridge.
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
November to March is the dry season for both Bangkok and the south — clear skies, warm sea, low humidity. The north (Chiang Mai) is mildly cool in December–January (15–25°C), perfect for active days. April–June is dry in the north but transition to rainy in the south. July–October: monsoon season — islands can be rough.
🛂 Visas
Most Western nationalities receive a 30-day visa exemption on arrival. US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, NZ citizens: visa-free. Extended stays (60 days) require applying for a Tourist Visa (TR) at a Thai embassy before travel. Check the Royal Thai Embassy website for your nationality.
💱 Currency
Thai Baht (THB). 1 USD ≈ 35 THB. ATMs everywhere — Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank charge the lowest foreign card fees (THB 220 per withdrawal vs THB 250 at most others). Card acceptance is improving but cash is still essential for street food, tuk-tuks, and markets.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 191
ambulance: 1669
tourist-helpline: 1672
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Smile — it's not a cliché, it genuinely works. Thais respond warmly to a genuine smile and patience.
- The wai (hands together, slight bow) to monks and elder Thais is appreciated. Never touch a monk's robe.
- Remove shoes before entering any temple or Thai home. Always.
- Gain the Grab app before you leave home — it's the safest and cheapest transport in every Thai city.
- Tap water is not safe to drink anywhere in Thailand. Use refill stations (cheapest) or buy 1.5L bottles for THB 10.
- Sunscreen and insect repellent are much cheaper at Thai pharmacies (Boots, Watsons) than at your home airport.
One thing worth not skipping
A 10-day trip to Thailand without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
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