A Two Week Itinerary of Thailand from the Mountains to the Coast -

I actually enjoyed Thailand far more than I thought I would. The juxtaposition between the giant, claustrophobic cities and the small rural villages, the giant, gleaming shopping malls and the thousand year old temples, and the vast mountain ranges and the white sand beaches means you’ll always find something to your liking.

Since Thailand is close to the size of Texas and is considerably harder to navigate, it’ll be hard to see all these iconic sites. So here’s a two week itinerary for those who are limited in time so you can maximize that vacation.

Bangkok – 3 Days

It seems like Bangkok is one of those love it or hate it cities. Anything you’re looking for, Bangkok has it somewhere. Whether it’s luxury shopping, street food, massages, nightlife, riverfront views or ancient history, Bangkok has it all. You just might have to wander down some alley to find it sometimes. The sheer size of Bangkok also means that there are many areas of town that have been relatively untouched by tourism, something that is relatively uncommon in many Thai towns.

Unfortunately, this one size fits all city brings a lot of downsides with it. Its size brings with it horrendous traffic, grime, less than nice people, and that cramped claustrophobic feel. So I definitely get why people dislike the city. All the same, there’s so much worth checking out over three days:

Day 1: Spend some time seeing the big sites in Bangkok. The giant Wat Po temple and the Grand Palace of the King. Since you’re in the area, stop by the famous backpacker’s stop: Khao San Road. This is another one of those love/hate sights. Khao San is extremely touristy and this is where the majority of traveler’s spend their time. I recommend getting off this road at one point to have a more local experience

Day 2: See the luxurious side of Bangkok with its massive shopping districts containing everything from ritzy high end shops to more cluttered malls filled to the brim with electronics. Head right up north to the obnoxiously massive Chatuchauk market. On the way back, try out one of Thailand’s famous massage’s before turning in for the evening.

Day 3: A large population of Chinese immigrants means that Bangkok hosts a very authentic and chaotic Chinatown that’s worth visiting. From there you can swing out for an extremely cheap and local boat ride to see the riverfront. By the evening, you can choose to visit the tall Banyan Tree skyscraper, Asiatique riverfront shops or if you’d like to see the sleazy side of Bangkok, there’s the Silom market and the more cosmopolitan Sukhumvit district.

These local water taxis try to save as much time as possible and pretty much just rams into the dock at full speed to stop

Ayutthaya or Sukhothai – 2 Days

These two cities are major destinations to visit the old ruins from the empires of old. I am only recommending you visit one of these cities since it’s very easy to get bored with all of the ruins if you’re not a historical scholar of Thai temples.

Both are great sites, but vary mostly by their accessibility. Ayutthaya is only an hour and a half north of Bangkok and is far more accessible than Sukhothai. This ease of access means that there will be significantly more tourists there than the more isolated Sukothai. Bottom line: how much effort do you want to put forward to get to the city?

In either case, one full day is needed to explore the ruins and the other day will be spent getting your bearings to get in and out of town.

Drake from Uncharted probably has been here

Chiang Mai – 4 Days

Since both towns are on the way to Chiang Mai, this makes Chiang Mai the next logical stop. This lovely city has such a friendly vibe and is packed with so many great activities that I can’t help but recommend a good four days there. Here’s a sample of all the things you can do:

Day 1: Take a tour and play with some elephants. Relax for the day and head out in the evening to experience the vibrant local markets.

Saturday Night Market or Muang Mai Market or the more touristy Warorot Market.

Day 2: Rent a scooter and explore the nearby areas. There are enough waterfalls and temples with incredible views to easily fill up a day.

Doi Suthep, Wat Phra That Doi Kham, Wat Umong

Bua Thong Waterfall, Montha Than Waterfall and Mae Sa Waterfall

The water at Bua Thong Waterfall is pretty damn cold

Day 3: Thailand is renowned for its food and the north boasts many regional dishes and specializes in offering very affordable cooking classes. Take a half day cooking class, get back in the evening to enjoy some local street food at Chang Phuek Market and enjoy a relaxing massage to end the day.

Day 4: Take the last day easy to explore Chiang Mai itself. Walk around the old town and check out Tha Pae Gate. Go down the touristy and sleazy Tha Pae Road or check out the more local Loi Kroh Road. End up at the bustling Ping River and enjoy the sights there. This day can be used to transit to your next destination.

OPTIONAL: Pai – 3 Days

I’ve made no attempts to hide how much I enjoyed getting to Pai, but it’s truly a great mountain retreat. While you won’t get much of the local culture, you’ll get to experience the mountainside and all of its glory. This is a great stop for those who are interested primarily in nature and the outdoor sights.

If you do go to Pai, you’ll need to be comfortable riding a scooter as few sites are accessible without them. You can book a tour with a company, but these tend to be overpriced and you’ll be stuffed into the back of a Songthaew (pickup truck with benches) with seven or eight other people.

Pai is a small enough town and since everything is in close proximity, not too much advanced planning is needed. Here’s a list of some great things you can do at your leisure. After all, it’s a laidback mountain town so don’t stay too busy.

Elephant Refuge, Land Split, Night Market, Rice Paddies, Mo Paeng Waterfall, Lod Cave, Pai Canyon, Pai Hot Springs, Wat Phra That Mae Yen

Traffic jams in Pai

Pick a beach– 4 Days

After all that running around, relaxing on a beach is going to look pretty nice. And with Thailand’s famous beaches, how could you say no? Since you’ll be so far north by this time, it’s most efficient to board a plane and fly two hours down to the deep south. Tickets purchased at least a couple of weeks in advance should run around $75.

This is the fun part because you get to pick where to go! From what I discovered, it seemed that most people did not research the weather. Since the west side of Thailand borders the Andaman Sea in the Indian Ocean and the east side borders the Gulf of Thailand in the Pacific Ocean, they’re subject to different seasons!

The worst of the rainy season on the east coast covers the months of October and November while the rainy season on the west side is around June through October. So before you go, it’s best to check the climate of your particular area so you can get the best probability of a sunny day.

Here’s a quick summary on some of the major islands/beaches are known for. For full disclosure, I haven’t visited the majority of these islands, but through so much word of mouth, it was very clear what each island specialized at.

There are really annoying and mischievous monkeys at this national park

West Side:

Koh Phi Phi – Extremely beautiful beaches but is pretty much a non-stop party.

Koh Lanta – Less beautiful beaches than Ko Phi Phi, but its larger size allows for much more privacy. Also a laid back island and a good scuba destination.

Ao Nang Beach – On the mainland by Krabi (and yes, not technically an island), the beach isn’t the nicest and can get very crowded. The nearby and more upscale Railay beach provides some relief from this congestion for those willing to travel and spend a bit more.

Phuket – Very built up with plenty of amenities but large scale tourism has gotten the beach very dirty. Its reputation as a big party destination certainly doesn’t help. Seems to be a popular spot for Chinese and Russian tourists of late.

East Side:

Koh Phangan – Famous for its full moon parties and little else.

Koh Samui – Built up island that’s great for families and amenities.

Koh Tao – Relaxed scuba island. Some of the cheapest scuba classes Thailand has to offer.