Thailand is yours to explore!
Thailand is a Southeast Asian country. It’s known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins, and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha. The capital is Bangkok and the currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht. The most important places to visit while on a trip to Thailand are Phuket, Bangkok, Krabi, and the Similan Islands. Thailand travel is full of adventure, delicious food, and unique shopping. There are so many things to do which is why here’s the ultimate travel itinerary for your trip to Thailand so that you can easily get to know this beautiful country!
Day 1 – Bangkok
Chao Phraya River temples & historic sites
After breakfast (at your hotel or a street stall) take the Bangkok SkyTrain to Saphan Taksin BTS Station. Jump on a northbound ferry from the Central Pier on the Chao Phraya River. You can take either the public ferry, which has an orange flag or the more expensive tourist ferry with a blue flag. To experience the “real” Bangkok, we recommend the public ferry. The rivers and canals are the heart of Bangkok, and the cross-river ferries are still the main transportation for the locals. Jump off the ferry at pier 9 and start exploring several landmarks.
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
The grounds contain more than 100 buildings, all beautifully decorated with gold and diamonds in different colors in old-Bangkok style.
- Opening hours: Everyday 8:30 – 15:30
- Ticket price: 500 Baht
- Estimated time: 2-3 hours
Temple Wat Pho
From Grand Palace, walk (about 10 minutes) or take the ferry one stop to No. 8 Tha Tien Pier. The impressively reclining Buddha is amazingly beautiful, covered in gold leaf and mother-of-pearl ornaments inlaid in his feet. It is remarkable 46 m long and 15 m high (!) and illustrates Buddha entering nirvana (Buddha’s death).
- Opening hours: Every day 08:30 – 18:30 (Thai massage is available till 18:00)
- Ticket price: 100 Baht
- Estimated time: 1-2 hour (extra time if you want a Thai massage)
Temple Wat Arun
Now it is time to cross the river, so jump on a cross-river ferry from No. 8 Tha Tien to Arun pier (only 3 Baht).
- Opening hours: Every day 08:00 – 18:00
- Ticket price: 100 Baht
- Estimated time: 1-2 hours
Chinatown
Time to head onto the famous and vibrant Chinatown that is located on the opposite side of the river from Wat Arun Temple. So jump back on the ferry that takes you across the river, and jump off at the no. 5 Ratchawong Pier.
Kao San road
Kao San Road is a crazy street packed with partying people, and street stalls selling clothes and souvenirs.
Day 2 – Bangkok
Go shopping bonanza at Siam or Chatuchak Weekend Market
Chatuchak Weekend Market is the biggest open-air market in the world. It consists of about 15 000 stalls covering more than one km, and it has been in Bangkok for decades. Here you will find just about anything you can imagine, both useful and not so useful stuff.
Jim Thompson house
The Jim Thompson House, which is kind of like a museum, is located close to Siam Square and is just a short walk away from the shopping malls.
- Ticket price: 200 Baht
- Opening hours: Every day 09:00 to 18:00
Night markets
If you are keen on some more shopping, Bangkok has several nice night markets. Talat Rot Fai Ratchada is one of the largest in Bangkok.
- Opening hours of Talat Rot Fai Market: 18:00 – 01:00
- Address of Talat Rot Fai Market: Th Ratchadaphisek
- How to get to Talat Rot Fai Market: Take the MRT to Thailand Cultural Centre, and walk through the Esplanade mall
Day 3 – Bangkok
Slow morning by the pool or floating market
Alternatively, if you want some morning action, one of the most interesting things to do in Thailand is visiting one of the popular floating markets of Bangkok. The most famous of them all is Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, which is over 100 years old. Nowadays, it is a bit touristy with boats selling souvenirs between exotic fruits, vegetables, and snacks, but it’s still a fun experience.
Lumphini park
After this laid-back start of the day, hop on the SkyTrain to Sala Daeng BTS Station or take a subway to Silom MRT Station. Lumphini Park, Bangkok’s “green lung” and the biggest park is across the street from Silom station.
Wat Saket and Golden Mount
The Golden Mount is a beautiful temple located on top of a small hill. The walk up the 344 steps may not be easy and takes about 25 minutes but the reward when you reach the top is well worth it when you get an awesome view of Bangkok.
Now we have almost explored a lot of Bangkok and now we head towards our next destination Phuket!
Day 4 – Phuket
Phuket is the name of a province and a town. Your travel itinerary will take you around the region and the city.
Kata Noi Beach
Kata Noi Beach is on a small bay that’s just a short drive from Kata Beach. This small beach has breathtaking scenery, so take some time to relax, walk along the beautiful sands or maybe go for a swim.
Big Buddha
This huge Buddha is one of the most famous landmarks in all of Phuket, sitting at the top of the Nakkerd Hills and standing at forty-five meters tall it is very difficult to miss. From the top of the hill, you are able to get a panoramic view of the island. When you are at the Buddha you will notice that it is very quiet apart from the sound of dharma music and some little bells. The Buddha is made from white Burmese marble and sparkles elegantly in the sun.
Nai Harn Beach
Situated in the south of the island is Nai Harn Beach, it is a popular beach with thousands of visitors every year but it is still relatively untouched and maintains a lot of its originality. With beautifully soft sand and crystal clear water, you will immediately see why the beach is so popular.
Naka Night Market
Known by the locals as Naka Market and sitting just a little way from Phuket Town is a night market like no other. There are all sorts of things to buy such as fruits, old curiosities, animals and clothes.
Day 5 – Phuket
Tiger Kingdom
If you have ever wanted to get up close to a tiger this is the place to do it, the Phuket Tiger Kingdom hand raises Indochinese tigers in captivity from birth. The tigers are typically fed at around 7 p.m. but consider visiting when the park opens to avoid the crowds. It is one of the most popular things to do in Thailand.
Surin Beach
Commonly known as ‘Millionaires Row’ Surin Beach is surrounded by houses for the rich and famous as well as luxury resorts. One look at the beach and you can see why the place is so popular with both the Thai’s and foreigners.
Phuket Trickeye Museum
The Phuket Trickeye Museum is the first of its kind in Southern Thailand, The museum is an interactive museum set up with the purpose of stimulating your imagination and creativity.
Phuket Old Town
Phuket Old Town is the provincial capital of Phuket, it is a historically rich part of town where you will see an abundance of temples (Chinese and Buddhist), beautiful ‘shophouses’, small printing shops, and a disused red light district.
Patong Beach
Patong Beach is known as the heart of Phuket, tourists swarm here in thousands and parking is often impossible but it is worth the experience at least once on any trip to Phuket. There are two things people come to Patong Beach for, its beach and the wild nightlife.
Day 6 – Phuket
Jui Tui Shrine
Following a series of renovations the Jui Tui Shrine house three large statues, each of a different Chinese god, the most prominent of these is Tean Hu Huan Soy, the god of performing arts and dancing, Next to his statue are a dog and a chicken as they were said to be his favorite childhood pets.
Elephant Sanctuary
Visit the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary instead and you’ll learn why you should never ride an elephant. You’ll meet the elephants, learn all about them and support ethical elephant tourism.
Khao Rang viewpoint
Located in the northwest of the city center, the Khao Rang viewpoint offers an excellent place to look out over the town, neighboring islands, and hills that make up the ‘spine’ of the island.
Phuket Fantasea Park
Offering entertainment on a grand scale the Phuket Fantasea Show is a 140-acre complex that is filled with a range of entertainment and activities for all. There is a 4000 seat restaurant serving up a humongous buffet of both Thai and international food, a Las-Vegas style theater show that showcases the best of Thailand’s myths and mysteries.
Day 7 – Krabi
Krabi, on southern Thailand’s west coast, is a province characterized by craggy, sheer limestone cliffs, dense mangrove forests, and more than a hundred offshore islands. According to us, 2 days are enough for exploring this entire location. The best time to visit is between November and April as the weather in the South of Thailand can be unpredictable but with many places now opening all year you will always find something to do.
Railay Beach
Railay beach is potentially the most attractive beach in Thailand, accessible only by boat due to the large cliffs on each side cutting it off from the mainland. Here you will find stunning white sand, breathtaking views, and fantastic limestone cliffs.
Rent a boat
There are roughly 200 islands sitting just off the Krabi coastline, some are small rocks jutting out of the sea, some are quite a lot larger but still remain uninhabited and some are large islands with many inhabitants living a normal life. You can rent a boat from Krabi town or Ao Nang and explore the islands on your own if you are a keen sailor. Alternatively, you can rent a boat that comes with a guide so that you can relax whilst everything is taken care of.
Temple at Wat Tham Sua
One of Thailand’s natural wonders and certainly worth a visit is this warren of caves that sit within the jungle and house many monks that live and worship here, legend has it that a tiger once lived in the cave which is where the name of the temple originated. The caves can be explored and you will find many icons and relics to take a look at.
Phi Phi Islands
After being used as the film location for the movie ‘The Beach’ The Phi Phi islands shot to fame and the tourists have never stopped coming, you can get there by speedboat which takes about forty-five minutes from Krabi mainland. There are two islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh, Phi Phi Don is inhabited and is the one where all the tourists flock. Known for its turquoise water and stunning beaches the island really is a tropical paradise.
Klong Thom Hot Springs
They have been cut into the smooth rocks and the water is provided from deep-rooted thermal springs that are located inside volcanic chambers. The water gets up to temperatures of forty degrees Celsius and contains natural mineral salts that have many healing properties.
Day 8 – Krabi
Krabi Town
Unlike many places that you visit on holiday Krabi Town is different, it still receives many tourists but it has not changed itself to pamper to the tourist’s needs. It has still managed to retain its ‘local’ feel.
Phra Nang Beach
Having been voted as one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world this is a place you will not want to miss. Only twenty minutes by longboat from Ao Nang it has amazing scenery and is a beautiful place to swim. The beach has perfect white sand and huge cliffs at each end of the beach.
Wat Kaew Temple
Wat Kaew is a temple sitting in the middle of Krabi Town, It is not the biggest of temples but has beautiful decorations on the inside walls, they are painted blue and have various Buddhist drawings on them.
White Water Rafting
Fairly new to Krabi is the opportunity to go white water rafting. The rapids are on the Songprak River where a seven-kilometer stretch of the river is used. Full training is provided when you arrive as well as a full safety talk, making sure you are as prepared as you can be when you start.
Kayaking
Those looking to do something a little less exhilarating than white water rafting but still wanting to get out on the water might like the option of kayaking.
Night Market
Krabi Town like so many other big owns in Thailand has a night market. This market is open every Friday to Sunday in the evening and is not to be missed. There are over seventy food stalls here as well as lots of local sellers selling souvenirs.
Day 9-10 – Similan Islands
It will take approximately 10- 13 hours to reach the Similan Islands. You can take a bus to reach there. With their colorful reefs and soft-sand beaches, the Similan Islands are a dreamy place for travelers to explore. Though this nine-island archipelago is fairly remote, Thailand’s tourist infrastructure has developed into a well-oiled machine that makes traveling to the Simians a simple matter of shopping for a trip that best suits your budget and needs.
most visitors join one of the many speedboat day-trip packages that depart from Thap Lamu pier near Khao Lak. Land and sea transfers, lunch, water, snacks, and snorkel masks are all included – all you really need to bring along is your swimsuit and sunscreen. Bungalows and rooms should be booked well in advance if you are planning to visit here.
Day 11 – Koh Yao Yai
Ko Yao Yai is a Thai island in the Andaman Sea, halfway between Phuket and Krabi. It’s characterized by sandy shores, mangroves, rubber plantations, and fishing villages.
You should visit:
Koh Khai Nok is one of the three islands part of Khai Islands recognized as a great destination for snorkeling. Due to its idyllic scenery, Koh Khai Nok provides loads of opportunities to take pictures and make your friends green with envy back home.
Here we come to the end of our trip to Thailand. Hope you will enjoy your trip and make endless memories!
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