In the midst of planning my trip to Southeast Asia, I began to search for a useful itinerary for 2 weeks in Thailand that would help me piece together my vacation.
I was really looking for a dummy proof guide that included detailed information on places to visit and transportation from one place to another. After searching through page after page on Google, and not finding what I needed, I decided to put together a useful itinerary for 2 weeks in Thailand to share with my fellow travelers:
This Itinerary for 2 weeks in Thailand includes Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan and Koh Phi Phi.
So, all together, our 2 weeks in Thailand looks like this:
Day 1: Bangkok: Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Sky Bar
Bangkok will most likely be your first stop, as it is usually the cheapest airport to fly into.
Start of your 2 weeks in Thailand by taking the ferry or a long tail boat down the The Chao Phraya River to see Wat Arun and Wat Pho (which are across the river from one another). Wat Arun is a must see, outlined in ornate floral patterns of porcelain, and Wat Pho is the home of the famous reclining Buddha and one of the largest and oldest Wats in Bangkok.
When the sun goes down, head to Sky Bar, the worlds highest open air bar, for some pricey appetizers and cocktails (the view is worth it). Other notable rooftop bars are Moon Bar, River Vibe, Phra Nakorn Bar & Gallery, Above 11, Amarosa, and Sky Train Jazz Club.
Day 2: Bangkok: Grand Palace and Chinatown
Take the ferry down the Chao Phraya River to see Bangkok’s most famous landmark, the golden Grand Palace. The palace itself is an unbelievable structure, but it also houses the small, very famous Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century.
At nightfall, head to Chinatown, a colorful, exotic, and chaotic area, packed with market stalls and tables lining the street. Grab a seat at one of the busy outdoor restaurants on the sidewalk for excellent people watching and impressive food.
Other Options: Ayutthaya is 2 hours from Bangkok but is accessible by bus, car, and boat. Bangkok is also famous for the floating markets, which were a little far for us, but if you are interested, this site has a good overview of each.
Day 3: Head to Koh Phangan via Surat Thani
Head to Koh Phangan
Transportation from Bangkok to Surat Thani:
Flight on Thai Air
Cost: $24
Timing: 1 Hour
From Surat Thani to Koh Phangan:
Transportation: Ferry (We chose Raja Ferry Port, even though it’s more expensive because it matched our time schedule better. Another option is Luomprayab.**)
Cost: $30 (compared to $21.28 or $16.72 from surat thani city using Luomprayab.)
Timing: 3-5 Hours
Day 4: Koh Phangan: Explore by Motorbike & Full Moon Party
Spend your day relaxing at the beach or rent a motorbike and see the waterfalls. Phangan has plenty of different beaches, all with their own personalities. Haad Rin is where the full moon party is held, and is known for having the most action in terms of parties, restaurants, and shops. If you’re wondering what dates the Full Moon party is during your visiting month, here is the schedule.
At night, there is bound to be a party, whether it be the Full Moon Party, Half Moon Party, Jungle Party, etc… there is always a party going on in Phangan.
Read more about my experience in Phangan here.
Day 5: Koh Phangan
Nurse your hangover into the afternoon and then head to Amsterdam Bar for the final touches. Amsterdam Bar sits high atop a mountain and is adorned with colorful rugs and pillows, one elaborate menu, and marajuana. Oh, and there’s also a pool and one of the best views of the sunset on Koh Phangan.
Day 6: Head to Koh Phi Phi
Head to Koh Phi Phi
Transportation: Ferry, Bus, Ferry using Go Koh Phi Phi
Cost: $40
Timing: 6+ Hours
Day 7: Koh Phi Phi: Phi Phi Lookout & Beach Bars
Hike to the top of Koh Phi Phi lookout for the best views of the island. It’s a steep and sweaty hike but it’s well worth it.
Eat at one of the beach bars and enjoy the warm ocean water, before heading out in this epic beach town. Phi Phi has something for everyone, from beat pumping beach parties with fire dancers to more chill hole in the wall bars. If you get too wasted, you may end up with one of Phi Phi’s famous tattoos, 3 horizontal lines that symbolize Koh Phi Phi (usually done with traditional bamboo).
Day 8: Koh Phi Phi: Bob’s Booze Cruise
Spend your day on Bob’s Booze Cruise, which includes unlimited drinks, cliff jumping, monkey feeding, Maya Bay, and so much more. Bob’s Booze Cruise is not only a great time, but also a great time saver if you have a limited amount of time on this island. Sign up the day before, as Bob’s is increasingly popular. (for a reason).
Day 9: Head to Chiang Mai
Head to Chiang Mai. We took a ferry to Krabi, and then flew out of Krabi the next day. You can also fly out of Phuket.
From Koh Phi Phi to Krabi to Chiang Mai
Transportation: Ferry and Flight
Company: Go Koh Phi Phi & Thai Air
Cost: $58
Timing: 3 Hours
Day 10: Chiang Mai: Ran-Tong Elephant Camp
Sign up for one of the elephant camp tours, but be careful making your choice. Do some research beforehand to make sure you are supporting a camp that helps the elephants, rather than hurts them. We chose Ran-Tong Elephant Camp, and had an amazing experience.
At night,head to the Chiang Mai night market. At the night market, you will be able to grab dinner and shop for a large variety of goods.Bargaining is almost a national sport in Thailand. You should always bargain and try to get another 20-30% off the asking price.
Day 11: Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep
Spend the day visiting several of the many temples in Chiang Mai. Doi Suthep is the most famous temple found here and is reachable by a tuk tuk ride that will take you 15km up the winding mountain road. There are over 200 different temples in Chiang Mai, so with limited time you will need to research which ones you would like to visit.
Day 12: Back to Bangkok
Leave Chiang Mai for Bangkok
Day 13: Fly Out!
Bye Thailand 🙁
Important to note: This schedule allows full days for traveling between destinations. However, travel won’t always require a full day (depending on how you book your flights). Therefore, you may have time for more activities, or for more relaxation.
Choosing the right time of year:
The majority of Thailand has three seasons:
a. Rainy (roughly May–Oct)
b. Cool (Nov–Feb): The best time to visit weather wise, but also the busiest season.
c. Hot (March–May): Should be your second choice, although temperature often rises to 95°F in Bangkok and the best thing to do is to hit the beach.
I chose March (the very beginning of the hot season) for my trip.
Another thing to consider when choosing the right month for your trip is the festivals and holidays in Thailand, which will only add to your overall experience.
| Event | Full Moon Festival | Thai New Year | Loy Krathong |
| What | Painted dance party on the beach | Water Fight | Thousands of paper lanterns are set off into the sky |
| When | Once a month | Lasts 5 days in April, dates change annually | In November, dates change annually |
| Where | Koh Phangan | Nationwide | Chiang Mai |
*We are decided to visit during the Full Moon Festival
So that’s it! We split the time up pretty evenly between the four destinations. (We also visited Ankor Wat in Cambodia, Singapore, and Dubai for 12 hours!)
Whats the next step? Use our post on cheap flights to find a great deal!
Do you have any recommendations for my 2 weeks in Thailand Itinerary ? Feel free to comment below!
My friend and I are following your exact itinerary. We will keep you posted!
Hi Ellen,
I’m glad this post was able to help with your planning, let me know how it goes! I’m jealous!
Marteen
This is perfect!
Thanks ellen!
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I cannot believe you managed to fit all of that in just two weeks! You must have been shattered. I’m really interested to know, how much roughly did you spend overall during this trip? (Including, flights, accommodations, food/drink, attractions etc.)
Hi Marteen,
My plans got moved back and I am planning on going to Thailand in March now. I really want to go North (Chiang Mai for sure)… but I heard it gets really hazy/smokey from the fields being burned…How was it when you went? Would you still suggest going? I want the cultural experience and go trekking etc. but I know it gets super hot starting in March…
Thanks!
Hi Kathleen,
I actually visited in March and was really happy with the weather. It was hot, but not unbearable. Since it’s the beginning of the hot season, I think this is one of the best times to go because it’s also the end of the busy season. I have some pictures of Chiang Mai where the sky looks a little hazy, but that didn’t affect my trip at all. I didn’t even notice it while I was there. Let me know if you have any other questions.
PS. You just reminded me that I still need to post about my experience in Chiang Mai, so thank you for that!
Marteen
Great itinerary! I’d also suggest leaving some room for improvisation (if you are the kind of person who can handle that). Thailand has a lot to offer, and much of it you may just sort of ‘stumble upon’, so be sure to allow breathing room for the unexpected 🙂
Also, thanks for suggesting research when looking into elephant camps. Elephants (and many other animals in Thailand) are often viewed as income in Thailand, and are not given the same levels of care that we’d expect. So yes, be sure to research the camp or attraction prior to giving them your money.
Hi Jess,
Thanks for commenting! Leaving some time open is definitely a good idea, we had some extra time on our travel days to fit stuff in. We agree that it’s important to remind people about the options for elephant camps, thanks to internet sites like TripAdvisor, we can call out the bad ones! Where’s your next trip to?
Marteen
Hi Marteen,
Thanks for the reply, very helpful 🙂
Out of interest where did you stay during the full moon? I think we will be heading there the day before (or may even go one day before that).
Thanks
Chloe
Hi Chloe,
I stayed at @Beach Bed and Bar (http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/At-Beach-Bed-and-Bar/Koh-Phangan/82159). I liked that the hostel was located on the beach and there was a bar and a restaurant. I stayed in a dorm so made a lot of friends with everyone staying in there, the hostel definitely has a friendly environment. Everyone gets ready together before the Full Moon. The only thing I didn’t like is that the hostel is sort of far from Haad Rin (10-15 minute taxi ride). The taxi ride is fun, but it’s sort of a pain if you are looking to go to Haad Rin pretty frequently (that is where the Full Moon party is held and there are also a lot of shops/hotels/restaurants there). If i went again, I would probably try to book a place there so I would be closer to the action. However, these hostels are a little more expensive during the full moon time.
I have more information on full moon here too https://www.lustfortheworld.com/how-to-fall-in-love-in-3-days-koh-phangan-thailand/
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thanks for reading!
Marteen
Hi Marteen,
Thank you so much for writing this piece on Thailand. I’ve just booked my flights to Bangkok for a 2 week holiday from 19th November to 6th December. A lot of my friends that have previously travelled around Thailand have said it might be better off me going to koh samui/koh tao rather than Phi Phi. But I love the look of Phi Phi after what you have written about it.
How easy was it travelling from koh phangan to phi phi?
Also did you book all your travel amd accommodation before you went or did you wait until you was out there?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Chloe,
Thanks for commenting! It’s always good to hear that a post helped someone out. Phi Phi is beautiful, but it is also really touristy. If you don’t mind the tourists and backpackers, you will be fine! It’s more of a little beach town (it actually ended up being my friend’s favorite part of the trip). Definitely rent a boat or go on a booze cruise to see some of the less crowded areas of the island. If you dive, you may want to look into koh tao.
Phangan to Phi Phi is actually pretty easy, I went with a company that did both the ferries and a bus all together (that way we knew that the bus times and ferry times would match up). The journey is around 6 hours but the ferry ride is scenic and the bus part of the journey is pretty short. I would book this ahead of time, especially if you are there around the time of the full moon party because the ferrys do get full.
I booked my accommodation ahead of time just so I wouldn’t have to worry about it while I was there. If you book it ahead of time, you won’t waste time figuring our logistics during the trip. However, I heard it is cheaper to book accommodation while you are there if you are trying to save money. Just keep in mind, if you are going around a full moon party or any other seasonal festival, things will fill up.
Let me know if you have any other questions! Where else will you be heading?
Marteen
marteen,i’ve been to asia over 100 times and both thailand and singapore many.singapore is beautiful and safe.go to one of the keys(boat key) for the nightlife and dinner.i stayed at the westin so i was in walking distance to just about everything.thailand(especially bangkok) is another story.first,it is always hot in both places no matter what time of year it is.you are very close to the equator.make sure you know exactlt what boat/ferry you are getting on.i made a mistake traveling to batan once and was on a fising boat with a donkey and after 40 minute ride was totally soaked in a 3 piece suit.travel by car in bangkok is the worst i have ever experienced.allow plenty of time.it usually took me 1.5/2 hours to get from the airport to downtown and i think its 15 miles or so.if you get the chance to go see either the regent or oriental hotels downtown you should do it.they are magnificant(rated in top 5 world wide every year.safety is key while there.i don’t enjoy typing these days so if you want to know more,call me.your mom has my number as i didn’t want to publish it here.love,joe
Thanks Uncle Joe! Sounds like you should have your own travel blog! For Singapore, we are thinking about splurging and staying at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel Singapore for a night just to swim in the roof top pool 🙂