Before we left the UK back in January, we researched the places we wanted to see most. It was important to us not to be stuck to a plan which would inhibit us from spontaneous travelling. At the same time, we didn’t want to leave Thailand and find out we missed the best bits. We came up with this route in the UK and we followed it (without time constraints) throughout Thailand. We found it to be completely efficient. When we were telling fellow travellers our route we were met with a few ‘doh’ moments – from those who hadn’t planned and ended up going back on themselves. Sometimes more than once.
Our starting point was Phuket which was more or less the furthest South we would be travelling. This route could work backwards if you were starting North and could get a flight to somewhere like Chang Mai. Starting South made sense to us as we could work our way North and cross into Laos.
Perfect if you have 30 days in Thailand & are intending to land cross to Laos
NB: I have given the total amount of days we spent in each area but this should be adapted to suit you.
TD;LR: Phuket & Surrounding Islands > Bangkok > Pattaya > Bangkok > Kanchanaburi > Chang Mai > Pai > Chang Mai > Chang Rai > Laos
Phuket & Surrounding Islands – 10 days
We flew from the UK to Phuket with a connecting at Bangkok. We didn’t want to make our way from Bangkok, South only to go North again. Plus, we wanted our first week to really feel like a holiday. Screw the January blues, we wanted to be on a beach enjoying the sun!
From Phuket, there are a number of islands you can explore, sometimes more than one in one day. We stayed on Phi Phi and Koh Lanta before making our way to Krabi.
NB: It doesn’t matter what order you decide, but ending in Krabi will see you efficiently back on the mainland.
Don’t Miss: Maya Bay, Phi Phi (if nightlife is your thing) and Railay Beach
Bangkok – 2days
From Krabi, you can grab an overnight bus to Bangkok. There’s plenty to keep everyone in Bangkok occupied. Floating markets, The Grand Palace, many more temples, shopping, restaurants, street food and outrageous nightlife. Stay longer if you’re feeling it. We always find we’re ready to GTFO after 48 hours here. Especially after a night out out.
Don’t Miss: The Grand Palace for your culture & Koh San Road to get your drink on
Pattaya – 1 day
We really deliberated over whether to visit Pattaya or not. I read that it was seedy AF and was renowned as the go-to area for men with a certain taste in certain *cough cough* ‘ladies’. I use the term ladies loosely. Do you get what I’m trying to insinuate here? Anyway, we decided to go and see it as at the very least it would be an experience. We had the most fun!
Firstly, I was surprised by the area. The beaches were nice and there were a lot of resorts. I hadn’t anticipated anything that close to Bangkok being a holiday destination. But, we were only here for the nightlife – boy did that deliver.
Walking Street
Walking Street was everything I thought it would be and more. GoGo bars, strip clubs and ping pong shows line the streets. Occasionally you’ll find a regular old bar playing music too. If you’re not a big drinker & strip clubs aren’t really your thing, the people watching here is exceptional.
Alternative: Can’t stomach this description? You could skip this step or try going further East to Koh Chang for a few days
Bangkok – 1 day
You’ll likely have to return to Bangkok to go anywhere – unless you leave Pattaya super early. But, if you went out last night I doubt you’ll be looking to do that. Now is the time to check some stuff off the list you might not have done the first time around. For us, that entailed the unicorn café. Lucky Toby.
Kanchanaburi – 2 days
Kanchanaburi is a historical part of Thailand. Life here seems slow compared to Bangkok and the crazy parties in Phi Phi. The famous ‘Bridge Over the River Kwai’ is the biggest draw to the area. I would recommend an organised tour of this. You will be taken to some of the Commonwealth POW cemeteries, museums and ride the train over the bridge itself. Some tours will also offer a walk around part of the train route where part of the original train tracks still lies. You can also walk through ‘Hellfire Pass’.
Bridge Over The River Kwai
If you’ve never heard of this bridge and consider missing it out for that reason, it really is an interesting trip. Especially if you score a decent tour guide. During WW11, the Japanese were constructing a train route from Burma all the way through to Thailand. They used Prisoners Of War (POW’s) to construct the bridge and as you will see from the well looked after cemeteries, there were many British & Irish POW’s who lost their lives on the other side of the world.
Sai Yok Waterfalls
After a morning of history, go cool down at the Sai Yok Waterfalls. Then, get yourself to a floating house for the evening. Our tour included a raft down the river where we enjoyed a beer. We got to take in our first glimpse of real rural living. The hospitality is unbeatable and it was our first experience of having language barriers and no WIFI. An experience I don’t think either of us will forget.
On Day 2: Take a trip to the Erawan National Park in the morning. A waterfall that consists of 7 different tiers. This makes a great hike and some beautiful views.
Don’t Miss: The POW museums will give you a real sense of what it was like to be a POW during the war. Heart-breaking stuff. Erawan National Park is a must too. Bring your swimming gear and enjoy the falls – even if you don’t make it to the top.
Chang Mai – 4 or 5 days
Time it right & you can make it back to Bangkok in time for the sleeper train to Chang Mai. This is an experience in itself and was actually pretty enjoyable. Go to sleep in Bangkok and wake up in Chang Mai.
Elephant Sanctuary
Generically people flock to Chang Mai for the number of elephant ‘sanctuaries’ here. Again, I use the term loosely. We were sold an overnight stay at an elephant sanctuary as part of our package. We were promised the elephants were not ridden and well looked after. What we saw wasn’t what we expected. The elephants were still ridden by their Mahouts and the elephants were chained up… Though we were assured this was only seasonal to stop them from eating pesticides on farmer crop. [insert skeptical emoji here]. They seemed happy to be bathed in the river and of course being fed. We even saw a couple getting frisky with each other – which I take as a good sign!
Learning To Cook
Another popular experience in Chang Mai is to take part in a cooking class. Half a day will do. We struggled to stomach the 7 courses that came with the full day class! Go around the market with a local tour guide, learn about your ingredients. Then cook and eat your own delicious Thai food. Any decent class will give you a cookbook to take away detailing the recipes. So, you can replicate for all your friends when you get back home!
Cooking Class Chang Mai
Chang Mai (the old Capital of Thailand) is a nice city to set about exploring and eating. In terms of accommodation, we can’t rate Awana House enough. It is one of the most special places we have stayed.
Don’t Miss: An elephant sanctuary (but do your research first). Take part in a cooking class.
Pai – 4 or 5 days
Motorbike the journey from Chang Mai to Pai. With 762 bends, it’s a hell of a drive. Would you rather be in a minivan next to Pukey McPukerson? Or on a bike with the wind in your helmet? Rent a moped from Chang Mai for the trip. You’ll need to come back through Chang Mai anyway. If you’re taking it easy, the journey should take around 5 hours one way.
Pai is a backpacker hotspot. It was the first place we really felt a super hippy vibe. It’s exactly what we both expected the North of Thailand to be. The street food market in Pai was excellent. We spent most of our time exploring, chilling and eating.
Don’t Miss: Pai Canyon (pictured) and The Land Split, the former for sunsets and the latter for the hospitality alone. Have a bit of time to spare and weather on your side? Check out the outdoor pool.
Chang Mai – 1 day
If you hired bikes you’ll need to return them to Chang Mai. Otherwise, you can make it straight through to Chang Rai.
Chang Rai – 1 day
Sadly, we only stayed in Chang Rai for one night. Chang Rai is the ideal place to stay for a land transfer to Laos. Had we had time, we would have made sure to see the White Temple.
Don’t Miss: White Temple
Laos or Somewhere Else?
The land border in Laos sees you into the tiny town of Huay Xai. We stayed here for The Gibbon Experience. It seemed to be the only reason there were any tourists there. The slow boats through to Luang Prabang board here too. If the idea of travelling non-stop from Chang Mai to Luang Prabang doesn’t appeal, do the first bit of the journey yourself. Hop on the boat from Huay Xai when you’re ready. There really is nothing here, you’ve been warned.
If you’re flying, skip Chang Rai and get the sleeper train back to Bangkok where you’ll have more destination options at a cheaper price.
Thailand really is an amazing place. The above can be adapted to suit you depending on how much time you have. If you’re thinking of doing some long-term travel, Thailand is a fabulous place to start your journey. One of the things I enjoyed most about Thailand, was that there was something to go and see or do at every stop. It made for a crazy month. Constant excursions, lots of backpackers to meet and outstanding scenery. If I could do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Hang on… What about Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan
Oh yes… So with our time rich attitude (I try not to say that smugly), we decided we would come back to these. Sure enough, I am writing this post from Koh Tao whilst a thunderstorm ensues. If you wanted to incorporate these islands too, I would suggest starting here. Fly into Samui, instead of Phuket. An entire month could be spent alone between the West Coast Islands and the East Coast Islands. Of course, if you plan to come this way you’re not going to want to miss the famous full moon party. Check out this website for dates of the party. Koh Tao is renowned for its diving so if that’s up your street, you may prefer to come this way.
