Thailand doesn't run on one calendar, so there's no single "best" itinerary. The Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta) is worst from about May to October, and the Gulf islands (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao) are worst the other way round, from about October to December. The mountainous north has its own dry, smoky and green seasons, and Bangkok sits in the middle as the one stop nearly everyone passes through. How many days you have, and which months you're travelling in, decide more of the route than any list of "must-sees".
This guide sets out what fits at each length, then the same routes again by region and by interest, so you can start from whichever question you actually have. Every route guide it links to spells out which months it suits and which coast to pick instead if the timing is wrong.
How long do you need in Thailand?
| Length | What fits without rushing | Best region mix |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | Two of: Bangkok, the north, one island coast | Bangkok plus the north, or Bangkok plus one coast |
| 10 days | A third region, using one flight or the sleeper train | North plus Gulf islands, or both coasts (January to April only) |
| 2 weeks | Bangkok, the north and two Gulf islands, unhurried | Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai and islands |
| 3 weeks | A fourth stop: Chiang Rai, Khao Sok or a second coast | The 2-week route, plus one extra region |
| 1 month | The whole country, or Thailand plus a Laos crossing | Everything, at a slower pace |
Choose by length
1 week
Northern Thailand itinerary
Bangkok, then the overnight train up to Chiang Mai and a few days around Pai.
Best for Mountains, temples, cooler air
Andaman coast itinerary
Fly into Krabi or Phuket and island-hop Ao Nang, Railay and Koh Phi Phi.
Best for Beaches, limestone cliffs, climbing
Gulf islands itinerary
Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, the other coast's dry season.
Best for Beaches, diving, nightlife
The 7-day Thailand itinerary has the full day-by-day for a Bangkok-plus-one-region week, and three single-region alternatives if you'd rather stay put.
10 days
Northern Thailand itinerary
Adds the White Temple and the Golden Triangle to the 1-week route.
Best for The full north, Chiang Rai included
Andaman coast itinerary
Adds a quieter finish on Koh Lanta after Phi Phi.
Best for Slower island-hopping
Mae Hong Son Loop
The full loop out of Chiang Mai instead of an out-and-back to Pai.
Best for Motorbike riders
See the 10-day Thailand itinerary for the two ways to spend it: north-plus-islands, or both coasts back to back (only from January to April, when both are calm at once).
2 weeks
Northern Thailand itinerary
The north's full 10-day version, leaving 4 days for one coast.
Best for Mountains first, then a coast
Andaman coast itinerary
Phuket to Koh Lanta, then a flight across to the Gulf.
Best for Both coasts, Andaman first
Gulf islands itinerary
Enough days on Koh Tao for the Open Water course plus a rest day.
Best for A PADI course, done properly
The 2-week Thailand itinerary sets out the classic Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai and two-island route night by night.
3 weeks
Northern Thailand itinerary
Chiang Mai, Pai and Chiang Rai, then 11 days left for the coast.
Best for The full north as one leg
Khao Sok
Two or three days of the three weeks: a floating raft house on Cheow Lan Lake, bridging Andaman and Gulf without flying back to Bangkok.
Best for A jungle night between the coasts
Krabi guide
Four or five days of the three weeks: Ao Nang, Railay and the four-island longtail day, as one stop rather than a full coast crossing.
Best for Andaman base, with day trips
The 3-week Thailand itinerary shows three ways to use the extra week, including the full north-to-south loop.
1 month
Northern Thailand itinerary
The complete-loop route's opening third, Bangkok included.
Best for The north, done properly
Andaman coast itinerary
The complete loop's coast half, with Khao Sok bridging the middle.
Best for Both coasts, slower
Laos itinerary
Cross overland from Chiang Rai instead of flying home from an island.
Best for A second country, the same trip
The 1-month Thailand itinerary lays out the complete loop day by day, plus the Thailand-and-Laos version.
Choose by region
Bangkok
Almost every itinerary on this page starts here. Two nights covers the river temples (Wat Pho, Wat Arun and the Grand Palace, all needing shoulders and knees covered) and Chinatown's Yaowarat Road for street food, with Ayutthaya or Kanchanaburi as day trips if you have a third day. See things to do in Bangkok, the Bangkok guide and Bangkok hostels.
Chiang Mai, Pai and the north
The north is where longer itineraries add a slower middle section: Chiang Mai's Old City and ethical elephant sanctuaries, then Pai, a small valley town about 3 hours further on a road with roughly 762 bends. Riders can swap the out-and-back for the full Mae Hong Son Loop. Smoke from farm and forest burning fills the valleys from about February to April, and March and April are usually the worst, so plan the north for November to January. See the Northern Thailand itinerary, the Chiang Mai guide and the Pai guide.
The Gulf islands
Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao sit in a line in the Gulf of Thailand, linked by ferries that take from about 30 minutes to about 2 hours between them, depending on the pair of islands and the boat. Phangan has the Full Moon Party at Haad Rin and quiet beaches everywhere else on the island; Tao is where most people learn to dive. Their worst month is November; the best months run roughly February to September. See the Gulf islands itinerary, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.
The Andaman coast
Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta are where the limestone cliffs rise out of the sea. This coast is dry and calm from about November to April and rough from May to October, the opposite of the Gulf islands, which is why a two-coast itinerary only really works in the first four months of the year. See the Andaman coast itinerary, the Krabi guide and the Phuket guide.
Khao Sok
Khao Sok's rainforest and the floating raft houses on Cheow Lan Lake sit between the two coasts, about 1.5 to 3 hours by van from Surat Thani. It's a 2 to 3 day bridge rather than a destination on its own, which is why it only shows up in the 3-week and 1-month routes above. See the Khao Sok guide.
Choose by interest
| If you want... | Go for |
|---|---|
| Beaches and island-hopping | The Andaman coast or Gulf islands itinerary, matched to your months |
| Mountains and cooler air | The Northern Thailand itinerary or the Mae Hong Son Loop |
| Temples and city culture | Things to do in Bangkok and the Chiang Rai guide |
| Food | Our Thai food guide, region by region |
| Festivals | Our Thailand festivals calendar, so you can time a route around one |
| Nightlife | The Gulf islands, for the Full Moon Party and Koh Phangan's bar strip |
Every route compared
| Route | Length | Best months | Daily budget | Pace | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Thailand | 1 week or 10 days | November to January | 1,000 to 1,500 baht | Steady, one long travel day | Mountains, temples, first-timers |
| Mae Hong Son Loop | 10 days | November to February | 1,200 to 1,800 baht | Full riding days | Motorbike riders |
| Andaman coast | 1 week to 2 weeks | November to April | 1,200 to 1,800 baht | Island-hopping by ferry | Beaches, climbing, photographers |
| Gulf islands | 1 week or 10 days | February to September | 1,000 to 1,600 baht | Relaxed, short ferry hops | Diving, nightlife |
| Khao Sok | 2 to 3 days | November to April | 1,500 to 2,000 baht | One boat safari, one lake night | A jungle bridge between coasts |
| Krabi | 4 to 5 days | November to April | 1,200 to 1,800 baht | Base and day trips | An Andaman base without a full coast crossing |
Prefer to travel with a group?
If you'd rather not plan the transport and bookings yourself, our trips cover the routes above with a small group of solo travellers aged 18 to 40. Your Trip Host travels with the group the whole way, and a licensed local guide leads the visits that need one. Compare every length on our Thailand group trips page.
