10 Days in Thailand Itinerary

Yes. Ten days is the first trip length that covers all three of Thailand's regions without a day lost to transit. Bangkok's Old City and Chinatown, Chiang Mai's temples, Doi Suthep and an elephant afternoon, and the Andaman coast from Railay to two nights on Koh Phi Phi and a last night on Phuket. It moves in one direction with one train, one flight and two ferries. What it doesn't cover is a second island group or Chiang Rai. The 2 Weeks in Thailand guide adds those.

Bangkok (1 night) → the sleeper train → Chiang Mai (2) → fly direct to Krabi (2, Ao Nang for Railay and the Hong Islands) → ferry to Koh Phi Phi (2, with Maya Bay at 07:30) → ferry to Phuket (1) → fly home. From May to September swap the beach leg to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. From mid-February to April swap Chiang Mai for the Gulf islands because of the burning season.

Not on this route. The three southern stops are joined by two-hour ferries with no airport days, so they feel like one beach leg, and the sleeper train turns a transit into a night's sleep. If you'd rather unpack less, use the fewer-stops variant (Bangkok (2) → Chiang Mai (3) → Phuket (4) with Phi Phi as a speedboat day), which has three hotels, two flights and no boats to catch.

About ฿21,000–31,000 per person ($625–925) as a backpacker, covering hostels, markets, the sleeper berth, the Krabi flight, ferries, the elephants and both boat trips. It's ฿45,000–78,000 ($1,340–2,330) mid-range with 3–4★ hotels, restaurants, a cooking class and a dive, and ฿145,000+ ($4,350+) in five-star resorts with private boats. International flights add $100–1,700 round-trip depending on origin ($700–1,700 from the US).

Yes for a backpacker, excluding international flights. $1,000 is about ฿33,500, which covers this route with guesthouses and hostels, the sleeper train, the Chiang Mai–Krabi flight, both ferries, the elephant afternoon, the Hong Islands and Phi Phi Leh boats, park fees and a couple of massages, with about ฿2,500 to spare. A comfortable mid-range version is $1,340–2,330.

On ten days, I'd take the train. Special express #9 leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat at 18:40 and arrives at 07:15 for ฿941–1,041 in a 2nd-class berth, saves a hotel night, and is one of the great rides in Asia. Fly (฿900–1,500, 1h15) if lower berths are sold out, if you have young children, or if you want a second Bangkok evening. Book berths weeks ahead for November–February.

Stay, two nights. Day boats from Phuket and Krabi reach Maya Bay between 09:30 and 11:00 alongside forty other boats. Sleeping on Phi Phi Don puts you on a 07:00 longtail into an empty Maya Bay and Pileh Lagoon, and gives you Long Beach and the viewpoint at sunset once the day-trippers have left at 15:00. The island is 25–40% pricier than the mainland and runs on cash.

November to February is dry and cool in the north, with calm Andaman seas for Railay and Phi Phi and reliable ferries. December and January are peak, so book the train and the Krabi flight early. Mid-February to April is Chiang Mai's burning season and May to October is the Andaman monsoon. The variants section swaps each of those legs for the Gulf coast.

Bangkok. Virtually all long-haul flights land there, the sleeper train leaves from there, and the route then runs one way southwest to Phuket's long-haul departures. Starting in Chiang Mai would mean a domestic connection on arrival and a backtrack at the end.

No. Sixty countries and territories, including the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia and India, enter visa-free. Since 15 September 2026 that grants 30 days rather than 60, which still covers ten days comfortably. Everyone must file the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online up to three days before you arrive.