Our 8-week Thailand Itinerary
Discover a land where vibrant cities collide with tranquil beaches, where ancient temples stand tall amidst bustling markets, and where adventure and relaxation intertwine in perfect harmony. Welcome to Thailand, a country that has captivated travellers for generations with its irresistible blend of culture, natural beauty, and warm hospitality.
To fully immerse ourselves in the country’s wonders, we strategically divided our 8 week travels into two distinct parts, venturing first into the vibrant heart of Bangkok and the captivating landscapes of the north. Afterward, we set our sights on the sun-kissed beaches and island paradises of the southern region.
Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a culture enthusiast, or a beach lover, Thailand offers something extraordinary for everyone. So pack your bags, leave your worries behind, and join us on an unforgettable journey through the Land of Smiles. Let’s dive into our 8-week Thailand itinerary, where the extraordinary awaits at every turn.
Bangkok and North Thailand
Bangkok
We started our Thai adventures in the bustling city of Bangkok. We arrived by bus from Siem Reap in Cambodia. This is a common place to start, as many flights arrive at one of the two airports in the capital of Thailand.
We stayed for seven nights in Bangkok and took our time to discover the city. Most people stay for just two or three days before they head to their next location.
Bangkok, you love it or hate it. We LOVE the city for sure! There are a lot of cultural places to visit, a bustling Chinatown where you can try out new foods and a lot of parks and markets to discover. But we understand that a lot of tourists hate the city and want to leave as soon as possible. Cities in Asia are always busy with lots of people and bad air. It’s hard to say if you will like it or not, so have a look yourself. Check out the Royal Palace and one of the floating markets around Bangkok. If you want to spot some monitor lizards, go to Lumpini Park!
Chiang Mai
On our last day in Bangkok, we took the night train to Chiang Mai. Don’t forget to buy your tickets in advance as it is likely that the train is full. We went to the train station to buy tickets as this is mostly the cheapest, but you can also buy your ticket online.
For six nights we stayed in Chiang Mai, where we also took some time to relax.
Chiang Mai is known for all its night markets. Especially the Sunday Night market is really popular (and crowded) but also the Food Market on Saturday night has a lot to offer. If possible try to plan your visit to Chiang Mai at the weekend. If not possible, don’t worry as there are more markets to explore. Read more about Chiang Mai Foodie Paradise.
More spots to see in and around Chiang Mai are Doi Suthep temple and all other temples inside the old city. We rented a bike to explore the city. Another cool spot is the sticky waterfall, located a bit outside the city but super fun!
Pai
From Chiang Mai, we took a scooter and drove to Pai ourselves. This is a very nice day trip if you like to ride a motorbike yourself! On the way, we stopped at Mok Fa Waterfall, the Pong Duet Geyser with its hot water springs, and the Tha Pai Memorial Bridge.
We stayed for three nights in Thailand’s hippie paradise.
Come to this mountain village to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Bathe in the hot springs in the early morning, walk over Pai Canyon and the bamboo bridge indaytime and try some new foods at the Pai walking street to end your day.
Pai Canyon is a hotspot for sunset, if you love sunsets you should check it out, but we think it gets too crowded.
Chiang Rai
Coming back from Pai with our scooter in Chiang Mai, we took a bus to Chiang Rai. We bought our tickets with Greenbus online a few days before.
We stayed for four nights in Chiang Rai which is enough to explore. Sadly, we were sick so couldn’t see and do everything we hoped to see and do.
The White Temple and Blue Temple are the most famous spots in Chiang Rai. If you can, also visit Wat Huay Pla Kang and the beautiful nature around Chiang Rai. On Saturday there is a big night market.
Renting a scooter is the best way to get around and explore the area yourself. But there are also a lot of taxi drivers who want to bring you everywhere for a day. Download Grab on your phone, this is the Asian version of Uber and works perfectly!
South Thailand
Koh Lipe
From Chiang Rai, we took the bus back to Chiang Mai where we had two more days to rest and pack our bags. Afterwards, we took a flight from Chiang Mai to Singapore. We crossed Singapore and Malaysia before we arrived back in Thailand. We took a bus from Georgetown (City in Penang, Malaysia) and a ferry to Koh Lipe.
We spend four nights on this idyllic island. We took our time to relax at a seaside bungalow and enjoyed the white beaches. You can go explore the different beaches on this small island, snorkel or go diving! This is where we had our very first diving experience and we LOVED it!!
Koh Lipe is located quite far from the most touristy spots in Thailand. It takes time to get there and travel further. We wouldn’t recommend coming here if you’re staying in Thailand only and you don’t have a lot of time. If you’re coming from Malaysia or travelling further to Malaysia, this is a must-stop as it is the most beautiful island in Thailand to us!
Koh Mook
We took a ferry from Koh Lipe to Koh Mook (Koh Muk) which is very easy to book on the island. Don’t take your time to try and book a ticket online. It’s cheaper at the port!
We stayed four nights in Koh Mook. There is not a lot to do on this island and that’s exactly why you should come here! Unless you’re staying in a big resort, you will experience some authentic Thai life which is sometimes hard to find on other islands. Are you in for some adventure? Try to find the Emerald Cave, first, you will have to swim under a rock for quite some meters before you reach the beach. Beware of the tides and ask some locals about this so you keep everything safe.
Koh Lanta
From Koh Mook, we took another ferry to Koh Lanta, which we booked via our accommodation.
Because we did our Open Water Diving Course on Koh Lanta we stayed for five nights. Coming from beautiful islands such as Koh Lipe and Koh Mook we didn’t really feel it in Koh Lanta, so we wouldn’t come back here.
This is the perfect place if you’re looking for some resort experience or like to party. Take one of the snorkel tours or go diving just like we did. You can go explore the mangroves by kayak or by boat. There is also an outdoor cinema on the island, check out their Instagram to see which movies are played.
Koh Phi Phi
We took another ferry from Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi where we stayed for three nights.
Koh Phi Phi is a famous party island. It’s a must-see in South Thailand because of its gorgeous rock formations and it’s the perfect base to take a boat trip to Maya Bay and Pi Leh Lagoon. Hike to one of the viewpoints to see all this beauty from above. Koh Phi Phi is also a snorkel and diving paradise!
Ao Nang
This time we booked a ferry together with a bus ticket at a tourist info point. We took the ferry from Koh Phi Phi to Krabi and then had a bus transfer to Ao Nang, as we liked to stay closer to the beach. Another option from Koh Phi Phi is to take a ferry to Phuket.
We stayed for four nights in Ao Nang, back on the mainland after some island hopping.
Ao Nang is a perfect base to explore and chill in Krabi. You can take a public bus to the night market in Krabi, take the public ferry to have a relaxing day at Railey Beach or take a boat or snorkel tour around the different islands. If you’re ready for some mainland activities, put Tiger Cave Temple and Khao Ngon Nak on your list.
Khao Sok
From Ao Nang, we took a bus to Khao Sok where we stayed for three nights.
Khao Sok is a picturesque National Park perfect to discover by boat. There are not a lot of options to see this place as it’s hardly impossible to do it yourself. But, there are multiple tours offering boat trips starting from a half-day trip to multiple-day trips where you have an overnight on the lake. Don’t forget to ask your driver to go past Khao Sam Kloe which is the famous rock formation on the lake. You can also book a night safari to see some wildlife with a ranger.
Staying for two nights would have been enough as there was an option after the tour to bring us to another bus station. But, we missed that information so returned to our homestay for one more night.
Phang Nga
We took a bus from Khao Sok to Phang Nga where we stayed for just two nights.
We rented a scooter from our hotel to cruise around the area. The highlight of the day: Samet Nangshe Viewpoint. We know this is not the most common place to stay, but we wanted to be in nature for a little longer before we headed to our last destination.
Phuket
We took a local bus from Phang Nga to Phuket Old Town. We stayed for three nights in the old town and for three nights at Karon Beach.
Phuket Old Town is a lovely and colourful town which reminded us of Singapore and Malaysia. There are tons of cute cafes and restaurants and it’s also a good place to do some souvenir shopping. We hired a scooter to visit the famous Big Buddha of Phuket. We drove further to Ra Wai, a small fishing village where you can choose what seafood you like to have on your plate. Next up, we drove to Sangchai Beach, a secluded beach where we could relax for a few hours with just the two of us. Then we took the scenic road via Karon View Point, which we would absolutely recommend.
Other places in Phuket are perfect beach destinations, we opted for Karon Beach, as we found some good accommodation over there. We believe they are all quite good with a lot of restaurants and bars. From almost all locations you can book boat and snorkel tours around the island. You might also want to see James Bond Island.
