2-Week Thailand Itinerary
Capital, sleeper train, mountains, then down the Andaman coast island by island — thirteen nights, one direction.
Two weeks in Thailand, in one direction: Bangkok (Days 1–3), the sleeper train north, Chiang Mai and a night in Pai's mountain valley (4–7), then a direct flight to the Andaman coast and down it island by island. Railay and the Hong Islands from Krabi (7–8), two nights on Koh Phi Phi with Maya Bay at 07:30 (9–10), two slow nights on Koh Lanta (11–12), and Phuket for the flight home (13–14). One train, one flight, three ferries, and you don't cross the same coast twice. Budget ฿27,000–40,000 per person as a backpacker, ฿60,000–105,000 mid-range, before international flights.
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Key Facts (2026)
Route: Bangkok 2 → sleeper train → Chiang Mai 2 → Pai 1 → Krabi 2 → Phi Phi 2 → Koh Lanta 2 → Phuket 1 night
One train (18:40 → 07:15), one flight (Chiang Mai–Krabi direct, 1h55, ฿2,200+), three short ferries and a fly-home from Phuket. The whole southern leg stays on the Andaman side, so there's no doubling back across the peninsula.
This is the November–April route; May–October runs the Gulf version
The Andaman monsoon (May–October) thins the island ferries and closes Maya Bay 1 August–30 September. Chiang Mai's burning season is mid-February–April. The variants section swaps each leg to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao when your dates demand it.
14-day cost: ฿27,000–40,000 backpacker, ฿60,000–105,000 mid-range (per person)
About $760–1,120 and $1,680–2,940, including the train, the flight, the ferries, the elephants and every boat trip. That's roughly ฿12,000–16,000 of any budget. Line-by-line table further down.
Book three things before you fly: the sleeper berth, the Krabi flight, the elephants
Lower berths on train #9 sell out weeks ahead November–February (SRT D-Ticket or 12Go). The Chiang Mai–Krabi direct doubles in the last week, and the good sanctuaries fill 2–4 weeks out in season. Ferries and vans need only a day.
Visa: 60 days free for 93 nationalities as of August 2026 — a cut to 30 days is approved but not yet in force
Either way, two weeks is covered. The 30-day rule starts 15 days after Royal Gazette publication, which hadn't happened at the time of writing. Everyone files the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 72 hours of landing.
Pack for 5–7 days and launder twice
Every stop on this route has ฿40–60/kg next-day laundry. One carry-on survives the train rack, the ferry gangways and Phi Phi's porter-only lanes. A checked bag costs ฿300–500 on the flight, and your patience everywhere else.
Suvarnabhumi / Don Mueang → Bangkok hotel
Sort the first airport run before you land
The Airport Rail Link is ฿45 to Phaya Thai in 26 minutes; a metered taxi ฿400–600 with tolls and the ฿50 airport fee. A pre-booked Kiwitaxi (around ฿900 with code THAILAND5) tracks a late flight and waits with a name board, and this trip has seven more transfers where the habit pays.
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How This 2-Week Thailand Itinerary Is Sequenced
The old shape of a two-week trip, north, then one island on each coast, crosses the peninsula twice and burns two days in transit doing it. This route doesn't: it runs Bangkok → north → Andaman coast, and then works down that one coast island by island, because Krabi, Phi Phi, Lanta and Phuket are all joined by short ferries. You'll unpack seven times in fourteen days, but only one hop is longer than three hours, and the flight home leaves from Phuket's long-haul runway.
Two weeks buys the things shorter trips cut: the sleeper train instead of a second flight, a night in Pai rather than a drive-by, Maya Bay at 07:30 from a Phi Phi bed instead of 11:00 from a Phuket speedboat, and two genuinely slow days on Koh Lanta, the island this route saves for when you need it, twelve days in.
Calendar checks worth making before you book: be in Chiang Mai on a Sunday if you can (the Walking Street falls on Days 4–5 here), avoid landing on Phi Phi the day before a full moon, and remember the Phi Phi–Lanta ferry runs reliably only November–April. In the low season that leg reroutes through Krabi, or you run the Gulf variant instead.
The sleeper leaves from Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue Grand) on the MRT Blue Line, not the old Hua Lamphong station, and if you swap the train for a flight, the budget carriers use Don Mueang, an hour from Suvarnabhumi. Misreading Bangkok's stations and airports is how two-week trips lose their first morning.
Day 1
Arrive in Bangkok — Settle In, Then Chinatown After Dark
An arrival day with one job: get to a hotel near the MRT, get a SIM, and eat on the busiest street-food road in Asia. Sukhumvit (Asok) or Silom put both of tomorrow's directions, the Old City and, on Day 3, the railway station, on one line.
- 1
Land at Suvarnabhumi and get into the city
Cost: Airport Rail Link ฿45 · taxi ฿400–600 · Grab ฿450–600Allow: 45–75 minutes
Buy a SIM in the arrivals hall first. AIS and TrueMove sell 15-day tourist packages from ฿299 in five minutes, and it powers Grab, the ferry timetables and the MRT map for the fortnight. Then the Airport Rail Link (level B) to Phaya Thai, or the official taxi rank on level 1 with a queue ticket and the meter on.
Next: Check in, shower, and hold out until at least 21:00 tonight. Jet lag is beaten in the first two days or not at all.
- 2
Check in near the MRT — Sukhumvit (Asok) or Silom
Cost: IncludedAllow: 1.5 hours
Ask reception two things: to hold bags after Day 3's check-out (you collect them on the way to the train), and whether your Day 3 morning falls on a weekend. That decides between Chatuchak and Jim Thompson. The Where to Stay in Bangkok guide has the neighbourhood trade-offs.
Next: MRT to Wat Mangkon (Blue Line, ฿30–45), or a Grab (฿120–180) to Yaowarat Road.
- 3
Yaowarat Road — Chinatown street food
Cost: ฿200–400 for a full crawlAllow: 2 hours
Out of Wat Mangkon MRT exit 1 and the neon starts. Walk east and eat in order: kuay jab at Nai Ek Roll Noodle, grilled seafood at T&K on the corner of Phadung Dao, kanom buang crêpes and Yaowarat toast for dessert. One dish per stall, ฿60–150 each. Monday nights are thin here (the weekly stall holiday), so walk 10 minutes to Talat Noi's riverside cafés instead if so.
Next: MRT back from Wat Mangkon. Taxis on Yaowarat Road itself refuse the meter after dark.
- 4
Optional nightcap on a rooftop
Cost: ฿350–700 a cocktailAllow: 1 hour
Octave in Thonglor (three tiers, ฿350–450 drinks, relaxed dress) or Sky Bar at lebua (63rd floor, ฿700+, no shorts or sandals). One drink, tomorrow starts at 08:30.
Next: BTS until midnight; Grab home ฿100–200.
Landing after 21:00? Eat at the hotel and start Day 2 as written. The Grand Palace's 08:30 opening is the one appointment of the week that can't slip.
More options for Day 16 places · Hotels & Resorts, Restaurants & Food
Hotels & Resorts·Bangkok
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Millennium Hilton Bangkok
River-view rooms and a rooftop infinity pool, a short walk from ICONSIAM on the quieter bank.
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok
A garden of saltwater pools behind Siam Paragon, two minutes from the busiest BTS interchange in the city.
The Peninsula Bangkok
Every room faces the Chao Phraya, and the teak shuttle boat to the BTS is half the pleasure.
Restaurants & Food·Bangkok
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Thipsamai Padthai Pratoopee
One dish, done obsessively: pad thai wrapped in a thin omelette, worth the queue at least once.
KUANG Seafood
Big shared seafood plates on Ratchada, open till 1:30am, but the bill climbs fast if you order freely.
T & K Seafood
Chinatown's loudest seafood corner: green shirts, wok smoke, grilled river prawns, and a queue by seven.
Day 2
Bangkok's Old City — Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun & a Rooftop Sunset
The three most important buildings in Thailand sit within two kilometres on the Chao Phraya, and this morning takes all three before the heat, then an air-conditioned afternoon and the city from 300 metres at sunset. The 3 Days in Bangkok guide runs this day at a slower pace with a Golden Mount sunset if you'd rather trade the tower for a temple.
- 1
The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
Cost: ฿500 (cash)Allow: 2 hours
At the Na Phra Lan Road gate for opening; the coaches arrive at 09:30. Wat Phra Kaew first, the jade Emerald Buddha and the two kilometres of Ramakien murals, then the palace halls. Trousers and sleeves are checked at the gate and the palace no longer lends cover-ups. Anyone outside saying it's closed for a ceremony is running Bangkok's oldest scam.
Next: Walk 10 minutes south along Maha Rat Road to Wat Pho.
- 2
Wat Pho & the Reclining Buddha
Cost: ฿300, includes a bottle of waterAllow: 1 hour
The 46-metre gilded Reclining Buddha, ฿20 in coins for the 108 bronze bowls, and 91 chedis in Thailand's first university. The massage school on the east side does an hour of Thai massage for around ฿480 if the flight's still in your shoulders.
Next: Exit onto Maha Rat Road. Tha Tien pier is 3 minutes away.
- 3
Lunch at Tha Tien, then the ฿5 ferry
Cost: ฿80–250; ferry ฿5Allow: 1 hour
The lane behind the pier serves temple traffic honestly: ฿80–120 a plate, more for a riverside table facing Wat Arun. The cross-river ferry is a separate boat from the orange-flag express and runs every few minutes.
Next: 3 minutes across the river to Wat Arun's pier.
- 4
Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn
Cost: ฿200Allow: 1 hour
The 70-metre prang encrusted with broken Chinese porcelain, climbable to the second terrace, with the classic view back across the water. Sarongs ฿20 at the gate. It's quieter now than in the morning, when every river tour docks at once.
Next: Ferry back (฿5); Sanam Chai MRT is 5 minutes on foot, or head straight to the hotel pool.
- 5
Afternoon break — the pool or Museum Siam
Cost: Free–฿200Allow: 2 hours
Six kilometres walked in 35°C earns air-conditioning. Museum Siam (฿200), beside Sanam Chai MRT, is the best modern museum on what it means to be Thai and takes an hour. The hotel pool is the other correct answer.
Next: MRT Sanam Chai → Si Lom, BTS one stop to Chong Nonsi (30 minutes, ฿45).
- 6
Sunset from 300 metres — Mahanakhon SkyWalk or a rooftop bar
Cost: ฿1,080 sunset slot (฿880 daytime); or a ฿350–700 cocktailAllow: 1.5 hours
Thailand's tallest observation deck, with a glass floor on the 78th-floor roof. Sunset slots sell out, so book the day before, or pay for a drink instead of a ticket at Vertigo or Sky Bar nearby in Silom. Sunset is 18:00–18:30, and my advice is to be up by 17:45.
Next: Walk into Silom's restaurant sois, or BTS to Thong Lo for Sukhumvit.
- 7
Dinner in Silom or Sukhumvit
Cost: ฿300–1,200 per personAllow: 2 hours
Silom for the old school (Somboon Seafood's curry crab, the Convent Road stalls) or Thonglor and Ekkamai for the modern city, ฿300 Isan grills up to tasting menus. If the trip gets one Bangkok splurge, tonight's it: tomorrow ends on a train.
Next: BTS until midnight. Grab ฿100–200.
Everything outdoors before 11:00, everything air-conditioned after. That's the one rule for Bangkok in any month.
More options for Day 29 places · Temples & Culture, Nightlife & Bars, Restaurants & Food
Temples & Culture·Bangkok
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Wat Trai Mit Witthayaram Worawihan
A 5.5-tonne solid gold Buddha with a better backstory than most, at the edge of Chinatown.
Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchaworamahawihan
A royal temple with a giant bronze Buddha, big murals and none of the crowds you'd expect this central.
Wat Saket Ratchawora Mahawihan
Climb 344 steps past bells and shrines for a golden chedi and the widest view of old Bangkok.
Nightlife & Bars·Bangkok
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Sato San Rooftop Bar
Open-air drinks above Ratchadamri, best caught early before the crowd builds towards midnight.
Red Sky
Come for sunset, stay for the city lights, and book direct rather than through a deals app.
The Speakeasy Rooftop Bar Bangkok
Come for sunset over Lang Suan, stay for cocktails once the skyline lights up.
Restaurants & Food·Bangkok
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RONGROS
Book a month ahead for a riverside table, or don't bother, because the Wat Arun view is the whole point.
Somboon Seafood Surawong
Come for the curry crab, order it without hesitation, and let the rest of the menu play backup.
Kodtalay The Riverfront Seafood Buffet
Open-air seafood buffet on the Chao Phraya from 599 baht, and the river seats are worth asking for.
Day 3
Chatuchak or Jim Thompson, Then the 18:40 Sleeper Train North
A last Bangkok morning that flexes with the calendar: the world's biggest weekend market, or the silk king's teak house on a weekday. Then the trip's best transit, dinner from a station 7-Eleven, a bunk with a curtain, and the mountains at breakfast.
- 1
Chatuchak Weekend Market — or Jim Thompson House on a weekday
Cost: Free entry; Jim Thompson ฿250Allow: 3 hours
On a Saturday or Sunday, take the MRT to Kamphaeng Phet (exit 2 opens into the market) and navigate Chatuchak's 27 sections by number: clothes and design in 2–4, vintage at the back, coconut ice cream ฿40–60 as the reward. On a weekday, the Jim Thompson House Museum (BTS National Stadium) tells the best disappearance story in Asia through six teak houses on a canal, tour included, then Or Tor Kor market feeds you either way.
Next: Back to the hotel by 14:30 for bags and a shower. The MRT Blue Line runs direct to Bang Sue, which connects into Krung Thep Aphiwat.
- 2
Collect bags, shop for the train, ride the MRT to Krung Thep Aphiwat
Cost: MRT ฿30–45Allow: 2 hours incl. the hotel stop
Krung Thep Aphiwat has been Bangkok's main terminal since 2023: vast, with a long walk to the platform, a food court and a 7-Eleven. Be there by 17:45 and buy dinner, breakfast, water and a beer before boarding. The dining car exists, but the station picnic is better and a third of the price. Bring a fleece, because the carriages are air-conditioned hard.
Next: The Chiang Mai special express #9 boards from about 18:15, and carriage numbers are on the ticket.
- 3
Special express #9 to Chiang Mai — the sleeper
Cost: ฿940–1,200 2nd-class berth; ฿1,700–2,300 1st-class cabin (per person)Allow: 12h35 (arrives ~07:15)
Second class is an open carriage of curtained bunks (lowers are wider and worth the extra ฿100), made up by an attendant around 20:30 as the train clears the suburbs. First class is a lockable two-berth cabin. Most people sleep by 22:00, and the reward is waking at Lampang with rice paddies and mist outside and the mountains ahead. It replaces a hotel night, and it's one of the great rides in Asia.
Next: Chiang Mai station ~07:15. Songthaews and Grab outside, the Old City 10 minutes and ฿60–100 away.
Berths sold out? Fly on Day 4's morning instead (฿900–1,500, 1h15, budget carriers from Don Mueang) and spend tonight's saved fare on the Bangkok dinner. The route works either way, but the train is here because two weeks has room for it.
More options for Day 36 places · Markets & Shopping, Temples & Culture
Markets & Shopping·Bangkok
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ICONSIAM
Come for SookSiam and the river balconies, not the luxury brands you can find anywhere.
Or Tor Kor Market
Bangkok's tidiest fresh market, at its best before the morning heat sets in.
Jodd Fairs Ratchada
Come for the food stalls and the seafood restaurants, not for crafts, and don't count on getting a seat.
Temples & Culture·Bangkok
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Bangkok Art & Culture Centre
Free contemporary art in the middle of Siam, and the spiral building is half the reason to go.
Jim Thompson House Museum
Six teak houses, a shaded garden and a 40-minute guided tour that actually earns your attention.
Wat Phra Kaew
Go at 08:30 or don't bother, the Emerald Buddha's courtyards fill up fast and stay full until closing.
Where to stay in Bangkok
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Day 4
Chiang Mai — Off the Train, Old City Temples, Khao Soi & the Sunday Walking Street
You arrive at breakfast with the whole day ahead: coffee by Tha Phae Gate while the hotel holds your bags, the two great temples inside the moat, the best-value massage in the country, and a market or a jazz bar after dark. Everything today sits inside a 1.5 km walled square.
- 1
Arrive Chiang Mai station; bags to the hotel, breakfast by Tha Phae Gate
Cost: Songthaew ฿60–100 or Grab ฿80–120Allow: 1.5 hours
Most Old City hotels store bags at 08:00 and some let you shower, so ask when booking. Tha Phae Gate is the reference point for the whole stop: Walking Street from here, Night Bazaar 10 minutes east, temples 10 minutes west. Book Day 5's elephant afternoon and Day 6's 09:30 Pai minivan now if you haven't.
Next: Walk 10 minutes west along Ratchadamnoen Road.
- 2
Wat Chedi Luang and a monk chat
Cost: ฿40Allow: 1 hour
A 600-year-old brick chedi, still 60 metres tall after the 1545 earthquake, that once held the Emerald Buddha now in Bangkok. The ‘monk chat’ tables under the trees, with novices practising English from 09:00, are the most interesting half hour at any temple in Thailand. Bring questions.
Next: Walk 10 minutes west to the end of Ratchadamnoen.
- 3
Wat Phra Singh
Cost: ฿20–40Allow: 45 minutes
The city's most revered temple: the Phra Singh Buddha in the Viharn Lai Kham, whose 19th-century murals of Lanna court life are the best in the north. Shoulders and knees covered, shoes off in the viharn.
Next: Walk 5 minutes to Ratchamanka Road.
- 4
Khao soi at Huen Phen, then check-in and a nap
Cost: ฿60–150 per dishAllow: 2.5 hours incl. the nap
Khao soi, coconut curry over egg noodles with a crown of crispy fried ones, at the Old City's 40-year reference kitchen, with sai ua sausage and nam prik ong. Then check in properly and sleep for an hour. The train catches up with everyone.
Next: The massage shops cluster on Ratchadamnoen and the lanes off it.
- 5
A massage at Fah Lanna or the Women's Massage Center
Cost: ฿300–500 an hour; ฿900–1,500 at Fah LannaAllow: 1.5 hours
Fah Lanna's Old City branch is a garden compound of treatment pavilions. The Women's Massage Center by Ex-Prisoners on Ratchaphakhinai Road trains and employs women leaving Chiang Mai's prison and does a very good hour for ฿250–350, and that's where I'd go.
Next: Walk east to Tha Phae Gate as the road closes to traffic.
- 6
Sunday Walking Street — or the Night Bazaar on other nights
Cost: Free; ฿200–400 to eat and shopAllow: 3 hours
Every Sunday 16:00–22:30, Ratchadamnoen closes from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh: a kilometre of hill-tribe textiles, ceramics and the city's design graduates, with food courts in the temple courtyards (Wat Phantao's is the good one). Come at 17:00 for the light. Other nights: the Night Bazaar on Chang Klan Road (daily 18:00–23:00), or Saturday's own Walking Street on Wua Lai Road.
Next: Walk 10 minutes north inside the moat to Chang Phuak Gate.
- 7
The North Gate Jazz Co-Op
Cost: Free; beers ฿80–120Allow: 1 hour
A garage-sized jazz bar by the north gate whose nightly jam spills onto the pavement. Finish early, because tomorrow starts at 06:00.
Next: Everything in the Old City is within 15 minutes on foot.
Mid-February–April is burning season: the valley fills with crop smoke and AQI regularly passes 150 (the March 2026 peak was among the worst on earth). If your dates land then, give the northern nights to the Gulf islands instead. The variants section has the swap.
More options for Day 49 places · Hotels & Resorts, Temples & Culture, Markets & Shopping
Hotels & Resorts·Chiang Mai
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Anantara Chiang Mai Resort
A calm riverside address where the gardens and the old colonial building do most of the talking.
U Chiang Mai Hotel
Right on Rachadamnoen, so Sunday Walking Street starts at the front door and you never need a songthaew.
Meliá Chiang Mai
Polished international-brand comfort by the Night Bazaar, with a rooftop bar that earns its keep at sunset.
Temples & Culture·Chiang Mai
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Wat Lok Moli
Come twice, once in daylight and once after the lights come on, and you'll see two different temples.
Wat Chiang Man
Chiang Mai's oldest temple, and still one of the calmest places inside the old city walls.
Wat Sri Suphan - Silver Temple
Silver-clad ordination hall with astonishing metalwork, but women can only view it from outside.
Markets & Shopping·Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Get there around 7pm, before the crowds land, and browse the whole stretch before you buy anything.
Wua Lai Walking Street Saturday Market
Come for the food, not the shopping, and get there before the crowd makes walking impossible.
Waroros Market
A working daily market where Chiang Mai actually shops, not a night bazaar dressed up for tourists.
Day 5
Chiang Mai — Doi Suthep at Dawn, the Monk's Trail & an Afternoon With Elephants
The mountain first, while it's cool and empty. The elephants after lunch, when the ethical afternoon programmes run. Doi Suthep opens at 06:00 and the coaches arrive at 09:00, and the two hours between are the best of the trip in the north.
- 1
Red songthaew up the mountain
Cost: ฿40–50 per person shared (฿300–500 charter); temple ฿30Allow: 45 minutes up
Red songthaews wait at Chang Phuak Gate and by the zoo on Huay Kaew Road. They leave when full, or charter one for the round trip. Grab runs it for ฿250–350 each way. Bring a layer, it's 8–10°C cooler at the top before sunrise.
Next: The songthaew stops at the 306-step naga staircase, and the cable car alongside is ฿20–50.
- 2
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Cost: ฿30Allow: 1.25 hours
The north's holiest temple, 1,000 metres above the city: a gilded chedi ringed by bells, the morning chant, and the whole Chiang Mai plain below with the mist still in it. Walk the chedi clockwise three times as the pilgrims do, and be heading down as the coaches arrive.
Next: Songthaew down to the Wat Pha Lat turn-off, or walk the Monk's Trail down from the temple in ~90 minutes.
- 3
Wat Pha Lat and the Monk's Trail
Cost: Free (donations)Allow: 1.5 hours
A forest temple beside a waterfall halfway down the mountain: moss, stone nagas, a stream, almost no one. From here the Monk's Trail, marked with strips of orange robe tied to the trees, drops 2 km to the back of Chiang Mai University in 45 minutes. Walk it down, not up, and get coffee at the trailhead cafés.
Next: Grab (฿100–150) back to the Old City for a shower before the 12:30 pickup.
- 4
Afternoon at an ethical elephant sanctuary
Cost: ฿1,900–2,800 half day; Elephant Nature Park full day ฿2,500Allow: 5–6 hours incl. transfers
No riding, no shows, no hooks, small groups. That's the whole test. Maerim Elephant Sanctuary and Elephant Jungle Sanctuary run afternoon half-days (pickup ~12:30, back 18:30) with feeding, a forest walk and a river. Elephant Nature Park, the original rescue project, is the full-day alternative if you'd rather trade this morning's mountain for it.
Next: Drop-off ~18:30. Grab to Nimman ฿100–150.
- 5
Northern Thai dinner in Nimman
Cost: ฿250–500 per personAllow: 1.5 hours
Tong Tem Toh on Nimman Soi 13, a teak house with a queue, so put your name down and have a drink on the soi. The northern starter platter (sai ua, nam prik noom, pork crackling), hang lay curry, laab kua. Pack tonight for an early van.
Next: Grab back to the Old City ฿100–150.
Want the cooking class this route skips? Zabb E Lee and Asia Scenic run morning classes (฿1,000–1,500, market visit included), so take one here by dropping Pai and giving Day 6 to a class plus a slow Old City afternoon. Pai-versus-cooking-class is the honest trade at this point in the trip.
More options for Day 59 places · Activities & Tours, Restaurants & Food, Wellness & Spas
Activities & Tours·Chiang Mai
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Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Chiang Mai
No riding, no tricks: a day of feeding and mud with rescued elephants in the Mae Wang hills.
Zabb E Lee Thai Cooking School
A market walk, a garden kitchen outside the city, and four courses you actually cook yourself.
Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School
Market trip, farm tour and five or six dishes you cook yourself, and 4.5 hours goes faster than you'd think.
Restaurants & Food·Chiang Mai
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Khoei Chiang Mai - Northern Food (Chiang Mai Restaurant)
Proper northern Thai cooking with no concessions to nervous palates, and the jackfruit curry proves the point.
Khao Soi Maesai
The locals' khao soi champion in Chang Phueak — Michelin-listed bowls that sell out by early afternoon, worth planning a morning around.
It’s Good Kitchen
Expect a queue on Rachadamnoen Road, but the tom kha with tender coconut meat earns the wait.
Wellness & Spas·Chiang Mai
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Zira Spa
Old town spa at the polished, pricier end, and worth booking days ahead if you want a decent slot.
Makkha Health & Spa Chiang Mai (Colonial Gardens)
A calm colonial-garden spa in the old city that takes late bookings right up to 11pm.
Oasis Spa (Lanna, Wat Prasing)
A polished Lanna-heritage spa near Wat Phra Singh, offering private cabin packages and traditional Thai treatments.
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
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Day 6
The 762 Curves to Pai — Canyon Sunset & the Walking Street
Three hours and 762 numbered curves north-west into the Mae Hong Son hills is Thailand's backpacker valley: rice paddies, hot springs, a bar street the size of a village, and a canyon that turns gold at sunset. One night is right on a two-week trip, enough to feel the pace change, not enough to get stuck.
- 1
Minivan Chiang Mai → Pai
Cost: ฿150–250 at the Arcade terminal counter (฿260–360 online)Allow: 3 hours
Prempracha and Aya vans leave Chiang Mai's Arcade terminal roughly hourly from 06:30, and the 09:30 lands you in Pai for lunch. The road's 762 curves are real, so take a travel-sickness tablet 30 minutes before boarding and sit up front. Booked the day before, the van collects from Old City hotels.
Next: Pai's bus stand is in the town centre. Everything is within 10 minutes on foot, and scooter shops line the walking street.
- 2
Lunch, check in, and rent a scooter
Cost: Scooter ฿150–250/day + ฿40 fuel; lunch ฿80–200Allow: 1.5 hours
Pai is a valley you explore by scooter. The sights sit 5–10 km out of town in three directions and the roads are quiet and flat once you're off the mountain highway. Helmets on (police check at the bridge), licence and deposit at any shop on the walking street. Not riding? Yellow songthaews and tour desks cover the same loop for ฿300–500.
Next: Ride 9 km south-east on Route 1095 towards the Memorial Bridge.
- 3
Tha Pai Memorial Bridge and the hot springs
Cost: Bridge free; hot springs ฿200 (national park fee)Allow: 1.5 hours
The steel bridge is a WWII relic rebuilt after the wooden Japanese original burned, a five-minute photo stop. Two kilometres on, Tha Pai Hot Spring is a cascade of forest pools between 34°C and 80°C. Soak in the lower ones (the top pool literally boils eggs). Towel and water, and there are changing huts.
Next: Ride back past town 8 km west to Pai Canyon, signposted Kong Lan.
- 4
Sunset at Pai Canyon
Cost: FreeAllow: 1.25 hours
Narrow red-earth ridges above the valley, walkable as far as your nerve allows. The paths are a metre wide with real drops, so good shoes and no selfie-walking. The western rim faces the sunset, which is why half the town is here at 18:00. The white Big Buddha on the opposite hill catches the last light on the ride home.
Next: Ride 10 minutes back into town and park anywhere off the walking street.
- 5
Pai Walking Street and the night market
Cost: ฿150–350 for dinnerAllow: 2.5 hours
The whole town funnels into one pedestrian street after dark: grilled meats, khao soi, banana rotis, craft stalls, and travellers from everywhere sitting on floor cushions. Eat progressively rather than at one table. The bars (Jikko, Spirit, Sunset) go late, but the van back tomorrow argues for moderation.
Next: Walk. Nothing in Pai town is more than 10 minutes away.
Tempted to ride a scooter from Chiang Mai instead? The 1095 is a genuine mountain highway with trucks on the curves, and most travel insurance excludes motorbikes. The Chiang Mai to Pai guide covers the honest version of that choice. My advice: take the van and rent the scooter in the valley.
More options for Day 69 places · Hotels & Resorts, Temples & Culture, Restaurants & Food
Hotels & Resorts·Pai
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Pai Village Boutique Resort
Charming boutique resort in the heart of Pai, offering rustic huts, lush gardens, and free breakfast.
Reverie Siam Resort
A colonial-style resort in Pai with chic villas, saltwater pools, and refined dining amid mountain surroundings.
The Oia Pai Resort
A well-regarded mountain resort in Pai offering a relaxing base for exploring northern Thailand's scenic Mae Hong Son region.
Temples & Culture·Pai
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Kho Ku So Bamboo Bridge
About 815 metres of bamboo walkway over rice fields, and the 30 baht buys you a whole afternoon.
Wat Nam Hu
A peaceful Buddhist temple in Pai with a fish pond, resident chickens, and a genuinely local atmosphere.
Big Buddha Pai
A hilltop Buddhist temple with sweeping valley views, reached via 353 steps above Pai town.
Restaurants & Food·Pai
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Centrico Pai Mexican Restaurant
Proper Mexican on Pai's main road, open ten in the morning till nearly midnight every day.
Two Sisters Restaurant
Budget-friendly Pai restaurant with mountain views, regional Thai-Myanmar dishes, and no MSG.
Om Garden Cafe
A shaded garden spot for a slow breakfast in the middle of Pai, closed Mondays and shut by five.
Day 7
Pai Morning, the Van Back, and the Direct Flight to the Andaman Coast
A valley morning: the viewpoint, the bamboo bridge or just a long café breakfast. Then the trip pivots. Three hours back over the curves and a 1h55 flight from mountains to limestone sea. You watch the sunset from Ao Nang's beach with the whole southern half ahead.
- 1
Yun Lai Viewpoint and the Santichon village
Cost: ฿20–40Allow: 1.5 hours
Ten minutes west of town by scooter, above the Chinese-Yunnanese village of Santichon: the whole Pai valley under morning mist, tea for sale at the top, and almost nobody before 09:00. The Kho Ku So bamboo bridge across the rice paddies is the alternative if you'd rather walk than ride. Return the scooter by 10:30.
Next: The 11:00 or 11:30 van back to Chiang Mai (book it on arrival yesterday); you'll arrive Arcade terminal ~14:30, Grab to the airport 20 minutes.
- 2
Fly Chiang Mai → Krabi direct
Cost: ฿2,200–3,000 booked aheadAllow: 1h55 in the air
AirAsia, VietJet and Thai Lion fly the route non-stop. Book the direct, never a Bangkok connection, and book it early: this is the fare that doubles in the last week. A late-afternoon departure absorbs any van delay from Pai. You land at Krabi around 18:00.
Next: Shared airport van ฿150–200 per person to Ao Nang (35–45 minutes, hotel drop); fixed taxi ฿700–1,000 per car.
- 3
Check in at Ao Nang, dinner at the Landmark night market
Cost: ฿150–400 per personAllow: 2 hours
Ao Nang is the mainland base the boats leave from, a beach promenade under limestone cliffs with Railay 15 minutes away by longtail. The Landmark night market on the main road does grilled seafood, pad thai and roti for ฿60–150 a plate. Book tomorrow afternoon's Hong Islands speedboat (฿900–1,250 + ฿300 park fee) at any tour desk tonight.
Next: Walk; every Ao Nang hotel is within 10 minutes of the beach road. Make it an early night, because the longtail queue starts at 08:00.
From here the route is the same Andaman run as our 10 Days in Thailand guide, one island richer: Railay and the Hong Islands, two Phi Phi nights, then Koh Lanta before Phuket. If boats aren't your fortnight, I'd trade the Lanta nights for a third Krabi day (Four Islands, Tiger Cave Temple) and a second Phuket day.
More options for Day 79 places · Activities & Tours, Hotels & Resorts, Restaurants & Food
Activities & Tours·Pai
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Doi Kiew Lom Viewpoint
A proper coffee-and-mountains pause on the Mae Hong Son Loop, and the views are best right by the car park.
Love Strawberry Pai
A working strawberry farm and roadside café stop on the Mae Hong Son loop, with mountain views.
Pai Zipline
A zipline adventure through Pai's jungle canopy, run by a safety-focused team with a reputation for fun.
Hotels & Resorts·Krabi
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Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort
A stay-put beach resort where the service is the thing people remember, not just the pools.
Sea Seeker Krabi Resort
A big family-friendly base a short walk from Ao Nang beach, close to the bars without sitting on top of them.
Anana Ecological Resort Krabi
Quiet green resort off the Ao Nang strip, with an hourly shuttle doing the heavy lifting on location.
Restaurants & Food·Krabi
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Tong Talay Seafood Buffet
All-you-can-eat seafood you grill or boil yourself, about 3.5km inland from Ao Nang beach.
Tandoori Night's Restaurant
North Indian curries and naan that people rave about, with a Thai menu that isn't an afterthought.
Khaothong Hill
Come for the view over Phang Nga Bay, order simply, and don't expect the food to match the scenery.
Where to stay in Pai
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Day 8
Railay & Phra Nang Cave Beach in the Morning, the Hong Islands in the Afternoon
Krabi's limestone on both scales: the road-free peninsula with the most photographed beach in Thailand at its tip, then a speedboat to a ring of karst islands with a lagoon inside one. Back by 18:00 for the beach bars.
- 1
Longtail from Ao Nang to Railay West
Cost: ฿100 per person each way (boats leave with 8; charter ฿800–1,200)Allow: 15 minutes
Buy the ticket at the Ao Nang Longtail Boat Service kiosk at the eastern end of the beach, not from a boatman, and wade aboard. Railay is cut off by cliffs, so the boat is the only way in. You land on Railay West, a curve of sand between two limestone walls.
Next: Walk 10 minutes across the peninsula to Railay East, then take the cliff-foot boardwalk south.
- 2
Phra Nang Cave Beach
Cost: FreeAllow: 1.5 hours
Four hundred metres of white sand between cliffs at the peninsula's tip, the Princess Cave and its shrine of carved offerings at one end, a swim out to the karst stack at the other. It's the best swimming in Krabi, and empty-ish at this hour, since the day boats land from 10:30. Floating vendors sell coffee and pad thai from longtails.
Next: Back along the boardwalk. The viewpoint trail starts by the Diamond Cave sign.
- 3
Railay Viewpoint — or a beginner climb
Cost: Free; climbing courses ฿1,200–1,500Allow: 1.25 hours
A steep, roped mud-and-root scramble of 15–20 minutes to the view over both Railay bays. Sandals fine, flip-flops not, it's genuinely slippery after rain. Railay is also Thailand's climbing capital: half-day beginner courses on the East side's walls run from the shops by the boardwalk. Lunch on Railay East's walking street after either.
Next: The 13:30 Hong Islands boat picks up from Railay's floating pier or back at Ao Nang, as booked last night.
- 4
Half-day speedboat to the Hong Islands
Cost: ฿900–1,250 + ฿300 national park feeAllow: 4.5 hours
Koh Hong is a ring of limestone 25 minutes north with a beach outside and a lagoon inside (hong means ‘room’), entered through a cleft in the cliff. The 360-degree viewpoint platform (400 steps) is the best in the province, and the afternoon boat has the light for it while the morning fleet is elsewhere. Snorkel stops at Koh Lao Lading and Koh Pakbia on the way.
Next: Back at Ao Nang around 18:00.
- 5
Dinner at Kodam Kitchen
Cost: ฿250–600 per personAllow: 2 hours
The local institution: a garden restaurant with a queue at 19:00 and southern Thai seafood curries at ฿120–250 a dish. On the way home, book tomorrow's 09:30 Phi Phi ferry from Nopparat Thara pier (or the 09:00 from Klong Jilad in low season) at any tour desk.
Next: Walk. The boat leaves mid-morning tomorrow.
Four Islands instead? The classic Krabi day (฿750–1,200 + ฿400 park, 09:00–16:00 by longtail: Phra Nang, Tup, Chicken and Poda) suits families and non-climbers better. If that's you, I'd run it as the whole day and see Railay from the water.
More options for Day 89 places · Beaches, Activities & Tours, Nightlife & Bars
Beaches·Krabi
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Railay Beach
Boat-only limestone drama and clean water, best before the longtails arrive and again at low tide.
Ko Poda Beach
Go early, walk away from the drop-off point, and you'll have proper white sand almost to yourself.
Ao Nam Mao Beach
Mostly a pier for Railay boats, with a quiet bay attached and none of the Ao Nang crowds.
Activities & Tours·Krabi
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Emerald Pool
Spring-fed jungle swimming in green water, best hit at 8:30am before the heat and the tour buses land.
Thale Waek
Time it with the tide and get there before ten, or you'll be sharing a sandbar with a hundred boats.
Dragon's Crest (Ngon Nak Nature Trail)
A sweaty jungle climb that pays off with limestone karsts and coastline from the top.
Nightlife & Bars·Krabi
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Bamboo Beach Club Krabi
Come for the drinks and the infinity pool by day, stay for the fire show and the DJ after dark.
The Beach Club Krabi
Book a cabana, order pizza, float on a bean bag and stay until the sun drops behind the water.
Boogie Bar
A no-fuss Ao Nang drinking spot that runs from mid-afternoon to half past one, every day.
Day 9
Ferry to Koh Phi Phi — Long Beach and the Viewpoint at Sunset
Two hours across the Andaman to an island with no cars and one village. You're staying two nights, which is the point: the day boats leave at 15:00 and what's left behind is a different, slower island.
- 1
Ferry from Nopparat Thara pier to Phi Phi
Cost: ฿450–650; ฿20 pier fee at Tonsai in cashAllow: 2 hours
In season the 09:30 ferry leaves from Nopparat Thara, a ฿100 songthaew from Ao Nang. In monsoon, use the 09:00 from Klong Jilad south of Krabi Town. Take the top deck for the karsts on the way out. Speedboats halve the time for double the fare and none of the view.
Next: At Tonsai pier: pay the ฿20, ignore the touts, and walk. Porters take bags to the far beaches for ฿100–200.
- 2
Check in and lunch in Tonsai village
Cost: Meals ฿150–400Allow: 1.5 hours
Phi Phi Don is a two-bay isthmus: Loh Dalum the calm swimming bay, Tonsai the harbour, the village between. Stay in the village or on Loh Dalum for the bars, Long Beach for quiet. Prices run 25–40% above the mainland and the island is cash-first. Book tomorrow's 07:00 longtail at the pier or through the hotel now.
Next: Longtail to Long Beach is ฿150 per person, 10 minutes, or a 30-minute coast-path walk at low tide.
- 3
Long Beach
Cost: Free; longtail ฿150 each wayAllow: 2.5 hours
It's the island's best swimming beach, facing Phi Phi Leh across the strait, with a snorkel reef at the eastern end where blacktip reef sharks patrol the drop-off in the mornings. Two resorts, a dive shop, a beach bar, and far fewer people than the village. This is the afternoon to do nothing at all.
Next: Back to Tonsai by 16:15. The viewpoint trail starts behind the village on the Loh Dalum side.
- 4
Phi Phi Viewpoints 1 and 2 at sunset
Cost: ฿50Allow: 1.5 hours
Twenty minutes of steps to Viewpoint 1, ten more to Viewpoint 2 and the classic picture: the twin bays, the isthmus and its village, Phi Phi Leh on the horizon. Be up by 17:15 for the light change, and a stall at the top sells cold drinks. Viewpoint 3 (฿20) faces the sunset itself and gets a tenth of the crowd.
Next: Down to Loh Dalum, 15 minutes.
- 5
Seafood barbecue and fire shows on Loh Dalum
Cost: ฿250–500 per personAllow: 2 hours
The village lanes grill fish by weight (฿300–600) and the Loh Dalum bars run fire shows from 20:00. It becomes a party beach by 22:00. The Tonsai Bay side stays quieter, and that 07:00 boat is a good excuse for it.
Next: Nowhere on the isthmus is more than 10 minutes from anywhere else.
Check the full-moon date before you lock in these two nights: the Phuket party crowd lands the evening before, rooms double, and the 07:00 boats fill with the hungover. Two nights either side is the same island at half the price.
More options for Day 99 places · Hotels & Resorts, Beaches, Restaurants & Food
Hotels & Resorts·Krabi
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Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
An intimate Ritz-Carlton Reserve on Krabi's coastline, offering private villas, personal butlers, and direct beach access.
Tup Kaek Sunset Beach Resort
Beachfront bungalow resort on Tup Kaek Beach, named for its westward Andaman Sea sunsets.
Krabi Cha-Da Resort
A poolside resort in Ao Nang offering sea views, spa facilities, and rooftop and poolside bars.
Beaches·Krabi
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Klong Muang Beach
Quiet, long and shaded, with a sunset that turns the whole sky pink on a full moon.
Ao Nang beach
Come for sunset, longtail boats and the fire shows, not for a day of swimming and sunbathing.
Tonsai Beach (Railay)
A sheltered Krabi beach framed by limestone cliffs, popular with rock climbers, snorkellers, and island-hoppers.
Restaurants & Food·Krabi
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Ali Baba Restaurant
Halal Indian and Pakistani cooking in Ao Nang that people end up returning to night after night.
THAI ME UP PANG Restaurant and Bar
Beach Road cheap eats where the staff, not the setting, are the reason people come back daily.
Kanabnam View Seafood
A floating seafood place you can only reach by long-tail, five minutes from Chao Fah pier and worth the faff.
Day 10
Koh Phi Phi — Maya Bay at 07:30, Pileh Lagoon & Monkey Beach, Then a Dive or Nothing
The morning the southern half is built around: a 07:00 longtail from Tonsai has you in Maya Bay before the Phuket and Krabi fleets, and alone in Pileh Lagoon after it. The boat's done by noon, so the afternoon is a first dive, or a beach and a book.
- 1
Longtail from Tonsai around Phi Phi Leh
Cost: Group longtail ฿1,200–1,500; private ฿2,500–3,500 (up to 6); ฿400 park feeAllow: 5 hours
Every dive shop and hotel sells the same circuit, and the 07:00 departure is the whole difference. A private longtail split four ways costs what the group boat does. The ฿400 national-park fee is cash at the pontoon and valid all day. Mask and snorkel on the boat, reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag on you.
Next: 25 minutes across the strait to Phi Phi Leh's back pontoon.
- 2
Maya Bay
Cost: Included in the park feeAllow: 1 hour
A 300-metre forest walk from the pontoon to the beach from The Beach: white sand walled by cliffs on three sides. No swimming past knee depth (the blacktip reef sharks breed here) and an hourly visitor cap that's empty air at 07:30 and fully met by 11:00. Closed to landings 1 August–30 September, when boats view it from the bay mouth instead.
Next: 10 minutes round the island to the lagoon.
- 3
Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave and Loh Samah
Cost: IncludedAllow: 1.5 hours
Pileh is the enclosed jade lagoon inside sixty-metre cliffs, and at this hour the longtail is alone in it, so swim as long as the boatman allows. Viking Cave passes on the water (landing prohibited), and Loh Samah's coral in three metres of water is the snorkel of the morning.
Next: 20 minutes back across the strait to Monkey Beach.
- 4
Monkey Beach, then back to Tonsai by noon
Cost: IncludedAllow: 1.5 hours
A last snorkel over the shallow reef, macaques on the rocks (don't feed them, zip the bags), and the boat home as the first Phuket speedboats arrive at Maya Bay behind you.
Next: Lunch in the village. The dive shops are on the pier lane.
- 5
A first dive — or Loh Dalum and a massage
Cost: Discover Scuba ฿3,500–4,000; two fun dives ฿2,500–3,000; beach massage ฿300–400Allow: 3 hours
Phi Phi is one of the world's cheapest, easiest places to try diving: the Discover Scuba afternoon at DPM or The Adventure Club is a pool briefing and a shallow reef dive with leopard sharks and turtles more often than not. The alternative is right for plenty of people: flat water, a massage under the trees, and nothing on the schedule until the ferry.
Next: Sunset drinks on Loh Dalum. Book tomorrow's ~11:30 Lanta ferry tonight.
The 07:00 boat is why this route sleeps on Phi Phi. Day trips from Phuket, including the one in our 5 Days in Phuket guide, see the same bay four hours later with forty boats for company.
More options for Day 109 places · Activities & Tours, Beaches, Nightlife & Bars
Activities & Tours·Krabi
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Ao Phang Nga National Park
Skip the hotel tour desk, go to Dan Pier and negotiate with a longboat captain yourself.
Following Giants Krabi / Ao Nang Ethical Elephant Sanctuary
No rides, no shows, just elephants doing elephant things while you keep a respectful distance.
KhongThomNuea Hot Stream Waterfall Krabi
Hot mineral pools in the jungle, best on a cool or windy day, and 20 minutes from the Emerald Pool.
Beaches·Krabi
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East Railay Bay Beach
Dramatic limestone cliffs and a lively beach atmosphere, accessible only by longtail boat from Ao Nang.
Noppharat Thara Beach
A peaceful, shaded beach near Ao Nang offering scenic limestone views and a quieter alternative to busier Krabi shores.
Secret Beach - Poda Island
A secluded cove on Poda Island near Ao Nang, offering calm waters, limestone cliffs, and a quieter beach experience.
Nightlife & Bars·Krabi
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Reggae Town Bar and Restaurant
Lively reggae bar in Ao Nang with live music every night, friendly staff, and a relaxed crowd until 2am.
Jojo Reggae Bar
A laid-back reggae bar in Ao Nang offering a casual, welcoming vibe for travelers and locals alike.
Arty Momma Rasta Bar
A reggae-spirited budget bar in Krabi Town where locals and travellers connect over cold beers and live music.
Day 11
Ferry to Koh Lanta — Long Beach, and the Gear Shift
Thirty to sixty minutes south to the island that runs at half Phi Phi's speed: long west-coast beaches, family resorts, sunset bars with floor cushions, and a Muslim–Thai–sea-gypsy history you can still read in its Old Town. Two nights here are the fortnight's exhale.
- 1
Ferry from Tonsai to Koh Lanta's Saladan pier
Cost: ฿450–700 (high season 10–20% more)Allow: 30–60 minutes
The direct Phi Phi–Lanta ferries run reliably November–April, usually at ~09:30 and ~13:30 with an 11:30 in peak weeks. Check the day's board when you book. In low season the leg reroutes via Krabi (ferry + van, ~3 hours). Saladan, at Lanta's northern tip, is the island's one town of consequence.
Next: Hotel pickups meet the ferry, or a red tuk-tuk taxi runs the west coast: Long Beach ฿100–150, Kantiang ฿300–400.
- 2
Check in on Long Beach (Phra Ae) and rent a scooter
Cost: Scooter ฿200–300/day; lunch ฿100–250Allow: 2 hours
Long Beach is four kilometres of sand with the island's best spread of guesthouses and low-rise resorts behind it, the right base for two nights. Lanta is a 25 km-long island with one road down the west coast, and a scooter (flat, quiet riding, unlike Pai's highway or Phuket's traffic) or the tuk-tuk taxis will cover it.
Next: Swim, then ride 15 minutes south along the coast road as the light goes.
- 3
Beach-hop south: Klong Khong and Kantiang Bay
Cost: FreeAllow: 2 hours
Klong Khong is the driftwood-bar backpacker beach. Kantiang, further south between forested headlands, is the postcard: a deep crescent with a viewpoint café on the ridge above it. Pick one for sunset (18:15–18:45) and a fruit shake. The west coast faces it dead-on all year.
Next: Ride back to Long Beach for dinner, 15–20 minutes.
- 4
Dinner and a beach bar on Long Beach
Cost: ฿250–500 per personAllow: 2 hours
Lanta's beach restaurants grill the day's catch on driftwood tables (a whole fish, som tam and rice for ฿300–500) and the bars put cushions and lanterns on the sand rather than speakers. It's the anti-Bangla, and the reason families and repeat visitors end up here. Book tomorrow's kayak or leave it unplanned. Both are correct.
Next: Walk along the sand. Everything on Long Beach connects at beach level.
Lanta is also the ethical-elephant stop of the south. Following Giants (observation-focused, no bathing circus) runs half-days from ฿1,900, worth it if the Chiang Mai afternoon didn't fit or you want the quieter version.
More options for Day 119 places · Hotels & Resorts, Beaches, Activities & Tours
Hotels & Resorts·Krabi
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Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort
A sprawling family resort with a lagoon pool and swim-up bar, and a quiet public beach just across the road.
The Tubkaak Krabi Boutique Resort
A quiet end-of-the-road beach, limestone islands on the horizon, and staff who remember your name.
Rayavadee Resort
A splurge-tier beachfront base in Krabi that still puts you within reach of temples and fishing villages.
Beaches·Krabi
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Ao Nang LandMark Beach
A quieter alternative to main Ao Nang beach, ideal for peaceful walks, swimming, and watching sunsets.
Ko Rang Beach
A secluded island beach near Ao Nang offering clear waters and a peaceful escape from busier coastal spots.
Long Beach
A sweeping stretch of beach on Krabi's coastline, offering a relaxed escape with open views and easy access.
Activities & Tours·Krabi
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The Elephant Sanctuary Krabi Thailand
No riding, no shows, just feeding and bathing rescued elephants on their own patch of Nong Thale.
Krabi Elephant Shelter
No rides, no shows, just feeding and bathing elephants at their pace, with people who explain why.
Than Bok Khorani National Park
Gorgeous swimmable river and shaded boardwalks, but 300 baht for foreigners stings for a short trail.
Day 12
Koh Lanta — Old Town, the National Park Lighthouse & a Kantiang Sunset
The island's slow loop: a century-old stilt town on the east coast, the lighthouse at the wild southern tip, and back up the west side with time to swim wherever looks best. Forty kilometres of riding, no hurry in any of it.
- 1
Lanta Old Town
Cost: Free; coffee ฿60–120Allow: 2 hours
A single street of hundred-year-old teak pier houses on the east coast, built when Lanta was a Chinese–Malay trading stop. Now it's cafés, craft shops and seafood restaurants on stilts over the water, with the community museum in the old district office. Ride over the spine road from Long Beach in 25 minutes. Morning has the light on the water and none of the tour vans.
Next: Ride 30 minutes south down the east-coast road, then over to the island's southern tip.
- 2
Mu Ko Lanta National Park and the lighthouse
Cost: ฿200 (children ฿100); parking ฿20Allow: 2 hours
The southern cape is the last wild corner: a white lighthouse on the headland between two bays, a 2 km nature trail through monkey-patrolled forest, and the beach below the ranger station for a swim. Open 08:30–16:30, and keep food zipped away from the macaques, who have a system. The viewpoint café on the road back down to Kantiang serves lunch with the whole bay beneath it.
Next: Ride back north 20 minutes to Kantiang Bay.
- 3
Kantiang Bay afternoon — swim, snorkel trip, or a cooking class
Cost: Free; Koh Rok snorkel day ฿1,600–2,200 (Nov–Apr); cooking class ฿1,200–1,500Allow: 3 hours
The default is the right answer: swim, read, repeat. The upgrades: a Koh Rok speedboat (the clearest snorkelling water in the province, high season only, booked a day ahead), or an afternoon class at Lanta Thai Cookery School or Cooking with Mon, the fortnight's cooking-class slot if Pai displaced Chiang Mai's.
Next: Stay put for sunset, or ride 20 minutes back towards Long Beach and stop wherever the sky looks best.
- 4
Sunset and a last island dinner
Cost: ฿300–600 per personAllow: 2 hours
The west coast faces the sunset dead-on: Kantiang's ridge café for the elevated version, Klong Khong's driftwood bars for the barefoot one. Dinner is the day's catch again, and I'd order the whole fish. Book tomorrow's transfer to Phuket tonight: the morning ferry via Phi Phi, or the van-and-car-ferry combo if the sea is up.
Next: Ride home slowly. The island has no streetlights worth the name outside Saladan.
Divers: Lanta is the gateway to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, two of Thailand's best deep sites (manta season January–April). Phoenix Divers and Blue Planet run day boats at ฿4,500–5,500. That's the argument for a third Lanta night on a 16-day trip.
More options for Day 129 places · Activities & Tours, Temples & Culture, Wellness & Spas
Activities & Tours·Krabi
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Penny Thai Cookery School in Ao Nang, Krabi
A hands-on Thai cooking class in Ao Nang led by the charismatic Penny, with flexible dish selection.
Boat and Beyond
Private and group boat tours departing Ao Nang, exploring Krabi's islands, limestone cliffs, and snorkelling sites.
THAI'D UP ADVENTURES
Zip-lining and abseiling adventures in Krabi's jungle, run by a highly-rated team known for safety and fun.
Temples & Culture·Krabi
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Khao Khanab Nam
Dramatic limestone cave and cliffside landmark reached by longtail boat on the Krabi River.
HM Lanta War Ship Museum
A free decommissioned warship museum covering Krabi's naval, natural, and cultural history — far more than it appears.
Wat Tham Suea
Around 1,260 brutal steps to the summit Buddha, and the temple below is worth your time even if you skip them.
Wellness & Spas·Krabi
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Royal Palm Spa
Ao Nang's late-opening massage spot, where regulars book therapists by name and rarely get it wrong.
Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa Krabi
Beachfront calm at the quiet end of Ao Nang, with the bars and shops still an easy walk away.
Radarom Spa
Fill in the pressure form honestly, then let a therapist work out what your flight did to your shoulders.
Where to stay in Krabi
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Day 13
To Phuket — Old Town Afternoon, Promthep Sunset & Rawai Seafood
The last hop: north-west to Phuket by ferry (high season) or van and car-ferry, then the Sino-Portuguese Old Town, the island's southern tip at sunset, and seafood by the kilo. Base the final night in Kata or Rawai, 45–75 minutes from the airport.
- 1
Ferry or van from Saladan to Phuket
Cost: Ferry (via Phi Phi) ฿900–1,300 · van + car ferries ฿500–700Allow: Ferry ~2.5–3h · van ~4h
November–April, the morning ferry runs Saladan → Tonsai → Rassada and puts you in Phuket by late morning. The rest of the year (and on rough days), the minivan crosses Lanta's two short car ferries to the mainland and drives round the bay. Book whichever the sea allows the night before. Both drop within a taxi ride of the Old Town.
Next: From Rassada pier: Old Town ฿200–250 by Grab, 15 minutes. From the van drop, most services continue to Phuket Town.
- 2
Lunch at One Chun and a walk through Phuket Old Town
Cost: ฿150–350 per personAllow: 2.5 hours
A Michelin Bib Gourmand in a 19th-century shophouse (moo hong, crab curry, o-tao), then the six blocks of pastel Sino-Portuguese streets built on tin money: Thalang Road, Soi Romanee, and Chinpracha House (฿150), the one tin-baron mansion open to visitors. On a Sunday, the Lard Yai walking street takes over Thalang Road from 16:00 and it's worth rearranging the evening for.
One Chun Cafe & Restaurant4.4(6,643)$$$$Mon 10:00–22:00, Tue 10:00–21:00, Wed–Sun 10:00–22:00
Next: Grab 40 minutes (฿400–500) south to Kata to check in and drop bags.
- 3
Check in at Kata, swim at Kata Noi
Cost: Free; sunbed ฿150–200Allow: 1.5 hours
Eight hundred metres of sand in a bay closed by headlands. It's the calmest swim on this coast in season, and 15 minutes from tonight's sunset. Ask reception to book tomorrow's airport car while you're at the desk.
Next: Grab or scooter 20 minutes south, stopping at the Windmill Viewpoint on the way.
- 4
Sunset at Promthep Cape
Cost: FreeAllow: 1 hour
Phuket's southern tip and its famous sunset: 18:15 in December, 18:45 in June. Walk 10 minutes down the headland path from the upper terrace and you'll get the same sun with a tenth of the coach crowd. Car park full by 17:45 in high season.
Next: 10 minutes east along the coast to Rawai's seafront.
- 5
Seafood by the kilo at Rawai Seafood Market
Cost: Seafood ฿300–1,500/kg + ฿100/kg cooking feeAllow: 1.5 hours
The right last-proper-dinner of the trip: pick prawns, crab, squid or a whole fish from the stalls on the beach side, carry it across the road, and pay about ฿100 a kilo to have it grilled or steamed with lime. Two people eat very well for ฿800–1,200. Cash on the market side.
Next: Grab back to Kata, 20 minutes (฿150–200).
Never seen Wat Chalong or the Big Buddha? If tomorrow's flight is in the evening, they slot into Day 14's morning: 20 minutes from Kata, free, two hours between them, and the Big Buddha has been open again since 3 March 2026.
More options for Day 139 places · Hotels & Resorts, Temples & Culture, Markets & Shopping
Hotels & Resorts·Phuket
See all
Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket
A big Karon Beach resort where the staff, not the marble, is what guests keep talking about.
The Nai Harn, Phuket
Breakfast alone would get me out of bed here, and the terrace daybeds over the bay do the rest.
Paradox Resort Phuket
Big gardens, four restaurants and a plunge-pool villa if you want one, with Karon beach a street away.
Temples & Culture·Phuket
See all
Phuket Old Town
Late-afternoon light on the shophouses, a Sunday market, and food that costs less than the beach strips.
San Chao Jui Tui
A vibrant 1911 Chinese shrine at the heart of Phuket's famous annual Vegetarian Festival.
Chinpracha House
A historic Sino-Portuguese merchant house in Phuket Town offering guided tours of preserved interiors and tin-mining era history.
Markets & Shopping·Phuket
See all
Chillva Market
A proper weeknight night market in Phuket City, with live bands, container shops and 35-baht lemon tea.
Kata Night Market
Every-night street food in Kata, easier to navigate than the big Sunday market, but agree seafood prices first.
Lard Yai Sunday Night Market
One evening a week, Talang Road shuts to traffic and turns into the best-value dinner in Phuket Town.
Day 14
Last Morning — Nai Harn, a Long Massage, and the Flight Home
A departure day sized to the flight: the beach Phuket residents choose, the massage two weeks of trains, boats and temple steps have earned, and a transfer with margin in it.
- 1
Breakfast, then a last swim at Nai Harn
Cost: Free; sunbed ฿100–150Allow: 2 hours
A wide bay closed by headlands, casuarina shade, no jet-skis. It's the safest swim on the west coast outside monsoon, 15 minutes south of Kata. Red flag flying? The pool is the honest answer.
Next: Back to Kata; check out by 12:00 or leave bags at the desk.
- 2
A 90-minute massage at Sansabai
Cost: ฿500–800 for 90 minutesAllow: 1.5 hours
Kata's most-reviewed shop, with 40 therapists, air-conditioned rooms and walk-ins before noon. Ninety minutes of Thai massage, or an hour of oil and thirty of foot. ‘Bao bao’ for gentle; tip ฿50–100.
Next: Lunch on the beach road, change the last baht at the Kata booths (the airport rate is the island's worst), collect bags.
- 3
Transfer to Phuket Airport and fly home
Cost: Taxi ฿700–800 · Grab ฿750–950 · pre-booked ฿800–1,200Allow: 60–75 minutes
International departures want 2.5 hours; Bangkok connections check through on one ticket. The road north of Patong slows from 15:00, so allow 75 minutes in high season or rain.
Next: Still hungry for the country? The Thailand for First Timers guide is the planning layer under this route, and the Gulf islands are an untouched second trip.
Morning flight? Take the massage on Day 13 evening instead, swim at 07:00 when Kata Noi is empty, and leave 3.5 hours before departure all-in.
More options for Day 146 places · Wellness & Spas, Beaches
Wellness & Spas·Phuket
See all
Stay Wellbeing & Lifestyle Resort
A proper wellness stay in quiet Rawai, built for people committing to a routine rather than a one-off massage.
Oasis Spa (Tropical Retreat Spa, Laguna)
A tranquil tropical spa retreat in Laguna, northern Phuket, offering massages and wellness packages amid lush gardens.
Oasis Spa (Sky Breeze Spa, Kata)
A highly regarded massage spa in Kata offering aromatherapy, body scrubs, facials, and multi-hour packages with complimentary transfers.
Beaches·Phuket
See all
Freedom Beach
Crystal water and soft sand, but you pay 100 baht and earn it on a steep climb back up.
Kata Beach
Come for the sunset, not the solitude, and expect to pay for a lounger if you want front row.
Yanui Beach
A small southern cove with shade, calm water and kayaks for hire, best claimed before mid-morning.
Where to stay in Phuket
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Every Leg of the Route: Fares and Times (2026)
| Leg | Mode | Time | Fare (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suvarnabhumi → Bangkok hotel | Airport Rail Link / taxi | 26 / 45–75 min | ฿45 / ฿400–600 |
| Bangkok → Chiang Mai | Sleeper train #9, 18:40 → 07:15 | 12h35 | ฿940–1,200 (2nd-cl. berth); flight alternative ฿900–1,500 |
| Chiang Mai ↔ Pai | Minivan from Arcade terminal, ~hourly | 3h each way | ฿150–250 (฿260–360 online) |
| Chiang Mai → Krabi | Direct flight (AirAsia, VietJet, Lion) | 1h55 | ฿2,200–3,000 |
| Krabi airport → Ao Nang | Shared van / fixed taxi | 35–45 / 25–30 min | ฿150–200 / ฿700–1,000 per car |
| Ao Nang ↔ Railay | Longtail (8 to sail) | 15 min | ฿100 each way |
| Krabi → Koh Phi Phi | Ferry, Nopparat Thara 09:30 (season) or Klong Jilad 09:00 | 2h | ฿450–650 + ฿20 pier fee |
| Phi Phi Leh circuit | Longtail from Tonsai, 07:00 | 5h | ฿1,200–1,500 group + ฿400 park fee |
| Koh Phi Phi → Koh Lanta | Ferry to Saladan (Nov–Apr; via Krabi in low season) | 30–60 min | ฿450–700 |
| Koh Lanta → Phuket | Morning ferry via Phi Phi / van + car ferries | 2.5–3h / ~4h | ฿900–1,300 / ฿500–700 |
| Kata → Phuket airport | Taxi / Grab / Smart Bus | 60–75 min (bus 2h) | ฿700–800 / ฿750–950 / ฿100 |
Fares checked August 2026. Whole-route transport is ฿7,000–10,500 per person. Book the berth and the Krabi flight before leaving home; ferries and vans a day ahead. May–October thins every boat schedule on this coast.
When the Weather Works in Your Favour: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi & Phuket
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | ||||||||||||
| Chiang Mai | ||||||||||||
| Phuket | ||||||||||||
| Koh Samui | ||||||||||||
| Krabi | ||||||||||||
| Pai | ||||||||||||
| Kanchanaburi | ||||||||||||
| Hua Hin | ||||||||||||
| Chiang Rai | ||||||||||||
| Ayutthaya | ||||||||||||
| Pattaya | ||||||||||||
| Koh Chang | ||||||||||||
| Khao Lak | ||||||||||||
| Koh Lipe | ||||||||||||
| Koh Samet | ||||||||||||
| Sukhothai | ||||||||||||
| Khon Kaen | ||||||||||||
| Udon Thani | ||||||||||||
| Koh Phangan | ||||||||||||
| Koh Tao | ||||||||||||
| Koh Lanta | ||||||||||||
| Phi Phi Islands | ||||||||||||
| Korat | ||||||||||||
| Buriram | ||||||||||||
| Ubon Ratchathani |
Make the Fortnight Yours: Gulf Season Swap, Fewer Stops, Families, Luxury
Same skeleton, different priorities
This is the November–April, first-timer's route with an appetite for moving. The honest alternatives:
May–October: the Gulf swap
When the Andaman takes the monsoon, keep Days 1–7 and send the second week east instead: fly Chiang Mai → Koh Samui direct on Bangkok Airways (2 hours), three nights on Samui (Ang Thong Marine Park, Fisherman's Village), ferry 30 minutes to Koh Phangan for two nights at Thong Nai Pan, ferry on to Koh Tao for two nights of diving, and fly home from Samui via Bangkok. Same rhythm, drier sea, and Maya Bay is shut those months anyway.
Fewer stops: five beds instead of seven
Drop Pai (its night goes to Chiang Mai, whose cooking class returns) and drop Lanta (its two nights split between Phi Phi and Phuket, buying the dive day and the Big Buddha). Same coast, same boats, two fewer pack-ups. It's the version for anyone reading this route and feeling tired rather than excited.
Families
Fly instead of the sleeper, skip Pai (three winding hours each way), and consider reversing the islands: Lanta's calm four-kilometre beaches are the best kids' base on the coast, with Phi Phi as a day trip by chartered longtail from Saladan rather than two party-adjacent nights. Kata Noi and Nai Harn close the trip as written. The Thailand with Kids guide has the rest.
Luxury
The route upgrades cleanly: Capella or the Mandarin Oriental on the river, the first-class sleeper cabin, Four Seasons or 137 Pillars in Chiang Mai, Rayavadee on Railay, Zeavola on Phi Phi's northern tip with a private dawn longtail, Pimalai above Kantiang Bay on Lanta, and Trisara or Amanpuri for the last night. Budget ฿18,000–30,000 a day and book two to three months out for high season.
One-line seasons rule: November–April, run this page as written. May–October, keep the north and swap the islands to the Gulf. Mid-February–April, keep the islands and swap the north for the Gulf. The Best Time to Visit Thailand guide holds the month-by-month detail.
Essential Tips for 2 Weeks in Thailand
Book three things early; leave the rest loose
The sleeper berth (opens 90 days out, lowers sell out first), the Chiang Mai–Krabi direct (doubles in the last week) and the elephant sanctuary (2–4 weeks in season). Everything else on this route, vans, ferries, longtails, boats, books a day ahead at any tour desk, which is what keeps a fortnight flexible.
One carry-on, laundered twice
This route hands you your bag nine times: train racks, ferry gangways, Phi Phi's porter lanes. Pack 5–7 days of clothes and use the ฿40–60/kg next-day laundry in Chiang Mai (Day 5) and on Lanta (Day 11). A dry bag for the boats, slip-ons for the temples, a fleece for the train and Doi Suthep's dawn.
Cash planning beats cash machines
Thai ATMs charge ฿220 a withdrawal, island machines run dry, and the piers, parks, longtails and markets are cash-only. Draw ฿10,000 at a time in the cities, carry ฿3,000–4,000 onto each island, and change at SuperRich in Bangkok or the Kata booths rather than any airport.
Insurance that covers boats — and scooters, if you'll ride in Pai or Lanta
Two weeks of ferries, longtails and two scooter days is exactly what default policies exclude. Check medical evacuation (Phi Phi's clinic ships anything serious to Phuket by boat) and the motorbike clause before you buy. The Thailand Travel Insurance guide compares the ones that pass.
Protect the empty half-days
This itinerary schedules mornings hard and leaves afternoons soft on purpose. Long Beach on Day 9, Kantiang on Day 12 and Nai Harn on Day 14 have nothing planned because that's the plan. Two weeks that ends restful beats two weeks that saw one more temple.
2-Week Thailand Budget (per person, 13 nights, all-in except international flights)
| Item | Backpacker | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (12 hotel nights + the train) | ฿7,000–10,500 | ฿22,000–42,000 | ฿90,000+ |
| Food (14 days) | ฿5,500–9,500 | ฿14,000–25,000 | ฿42,000+ |
| Train, flight, vans, ferries, transfers | ฿7,000–10,500 | ฿10,000–14,000 | ฿24,000+ (1st class, private cars) |
| Elephants, boats, dives, parks, massage | ฿7,500–9,500 | ฿14,000–24,000 | ฿40,000+ (private boats) |
| 14-day total (per person) | ฿27,000–40,000 (≈ $760–1,120) | ฿60,000–105,000 (≈ $1,680–2,940) | ฿196,000+ (≈ $5,500+) |
Prices in Thai baht, checked August 2026. Excludes international flights and insurance. ฿1,000 ≈ $28 USD / £22 GBP / €26 EUR. Islands run 25–40% above the mainland; the sleeper replaces a hotel night. Region-by-region daily budgets: the Thailand Travel Cost Index.
Different trip length, or more depth on a stop?
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about 2-week thailand itinerary.
Where to stay during your trip
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