Thailand is one of those countries that works for almost every kind of traveller. You can spend the morning walking through a gold-covered temple, eat lunch from a plastic stool at a street stall for less than the price of a coffee back home, and be on a boat to a limestone island two days later. Most first trips follow the same satisfying route: a few busy days in Bangkok, a flight south to Phuket, and then slow island time around Phi Phi and Krabi.
Bangkok: Temples, Canals and Street Food
Give Bangkok at least three days. The city is hot, loud and sprawling, but the old town packs most of what you came for into one walkable area.
The Grand Palace and Wat Pho
The Grand Palace is the one sight nobody should skip. Inside the complex, Wat Phra Kaew holds the Emerald Buddha, a small statue with an outsized place in Thai life. Arrive before 9 a.m. to beat both the heat and the tour groups, and dress properly: shoulders covered, trousers or a skirt below the knee. Entry costs around 500 THB. A ten-minute walk away, Wat Pho is calmer and, for many people, better. Its reclining Buddha stretches 46 metres, and the grounds are full of quiet courtyards and traditional massage pavilions. Entry is about 300 THB, and a foot massage at the temple massage school costs roughly 300 THB for half an hour.
Canals and Floating Markets
Bangkok was once crossed by canals, and the Thonburi side still shows that older rhythm. A longtail boat ride through the khlongs costs around 1,000 THB per boat for an hour if you negotiate at the pier. For a floating market, Damnoen Saduak is the famous one but also the most touristy; Amphawa, held on weekends, feels more local. Expect to pay about 800-1,000 THB for a taxi or a join-in tour from the city.
Eating Your Way Through the City
Street food is where Bangkok really shines. A plate of pad thai or basil rice from a busy stall costs 50-80 THB, mango sticky rice around 60-100 THB, and a bowl of boat noodles sometimes just 20 THB. Chinatown’s Yaowarat Road after dark is the easiest place to graze: grilled seafood, roast pork, and Chinese-style desserts within a few hundred metres.
Phuket: More Than Just Beaches
From Bangkok, a one-hour flight south (usually 800-1,500 THB booked early with a budget airline) lands you in Phuket. Many visitors head straight to Patong and never leave, which is a shame, because the island has two very different sides.
Phuket Old Town
The Old Town is the surprise highlight. Sino-Portuguese shophouses on Thalang and Dibuk roads are painted in pastel colours and filled with cafés, small museums and noodle shops. On Sunday evenings, Thalang Road becomes the Lard Yai walking street market, with food stalls and buskers until about 10 p.m.
Big Buddha and the Beaches
The Big Buddha sits 400 metres up Nakkerd Hill, visible from half the island. The 45-metre white marble statue is free to enter, the views run across both coasts, and the drive up winds through rubber plantations. Go early for clear skies. For beaches, Kata and Kamala are the balanced choices: good sand, swimmable water, and restaurants without Patong’s noise.
Island Hopping: Phi Phi and Krabi
Phi Phi Islands
The ferry from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi takes about two hours and costs 350-600 THB one way. Maya Bay, made famous by the film The Beach, reopened after a long closure to let its ecosystem recover; visits are now controlled, swimming is not allowed, but blacktip reef sharks are often visible in the shallows. Book a sunrise boat tour (around 1,200-1,800 THB) to reach the viewpoints and Pileh Lagoon before the crowds. Phi Phi itself is car-free, so pack light enough to carry your bag from the pier.
Krabi and Railay
Krabi is the quieter mainland alternative. Ao Nang works as a practical base with plenty of hotels, while Railay Beach, reachable only by longtail boat (100 THB each way), is the postcard shot: cliffs rising straight out of turquoise water. From Krabi, the four-island tour by longtail or speedboat (700-1,500 THB) links small islands with sandbars that appear at low tide. Ferries between Phuket, Phi Phi and Krabi make it easy to string all three together without backtracking.
A Note on Chiang Mai
If you have ten days or more, add the north before heading south. Chiang Mai is an hour’s flight from Bangkok and feels like a different country: moated old town, hundreds of temples, and cool mountain air in winter. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, up the mountain west of the city, is the essential sight.
Getting Around Thailand
Domestic flights are cheap and save whole days; book two to four weeks ahead on the budget carriers. Trains are slower but scenic: the overnight sleeper from Bangkok to Chiang Mai costs roughly 800-1,400 THB for a second-class air-con berth and saves a hotel night. In Bangkok, the BTS Skytrain and MRT beat traffic entirely.
Practical Tips
- Visit between November and February for cooler, drier weather. March to May is very hot, and June to October brings rain, especially on the Andaman coast.
- Carry cash for markets, ferries and small eateries; cards work in malls and larger hotels. ATMs charge a flat fee of about 220 THB per withdrawal, so take out larger amounts less often.
- Dress modestly at temples and remove your shoes before entering. A light scarf in your daypack solves most cover-up problems.
- Negotiate tuk-tuk fares before you get in, or use the Grab app for a fixed price.
- Budget travellers can manage on 1,200-1,800 THB a day; a comfortable mid-range trip runs 3,000-5,000 THB a day including hotels and tours.
FAQ
How many days do I need for Thailand?
Eight to ten days covers Bangkok, Phuket and one or two islands without rushing. Add Chiang Mai only if you have two weeks.
Is Thailand expensive to travel in?
Not particularly. Street meals cost under 100 THB, clean mid-range hotels 1,000-1,800 THB a night, and domestic flights often under 1,500 THB. Tours and island transfers are where costs add up.
When should I avoid going?
The Andaman coast (Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi) is wettest from May to October, and some island services stop entirely. If you must travel then, the Gulf islands like Koh Samui usually get better weather.