333ITINERARIES

Three-week routes, with where to stay and what to book

Thailand in 21 days

Bangkok to the islands, north to south. Temples, mountains, jungle lakes and diving, balanced with relaxing beach days.

Best months
Mid-January to mid-February, when both coasts are dry and the north is clear.
Pace
Four active stretches, the rest relaxing.
Getting around
Overnight train north, short domestic hops, then minibus and ferry in the south. You do not need a car.

The route

Relaxing daysActive days

  1. Days 1 to 3

    Bangkok

    Relaxing

    Temples, canals, street food and rooftop evenings. A gentle start while you adjust to the heat and the time difference.

    Where to stay in BangkokFood tours and temples

  2. Days 4 to 7

    Chiang Mai

    Active

    Take the overnight train north on night 3. Then old-town temples, a cooking class, an ethical elephant sanctuary day, and a day in Doi Inthanon National Park for waterfalls and cloud forest trails.

    Where to stay in Chiang MaiDoi Inthanon and cooking class tours

  3. Days 8 and 9

    Pai

    Relaxing

    A hill town with hot springs, viewpoints and a slow café rhythm. The minibus road has hundreds of bends, so take motion-sickness tablets if you are prone to it.

    Where to stay in Pai

  4. Days 10 to 12

    Krabi and Railay

    Active

    Limestone cliffs, sea kayaking, island hopping and rock climbing for beginners. Railay beach is only reachable by longtail boat.

    Where to stay in Ao Nang and RailayKayak and island tours

  5. Days 13 and 14

    Koh Lanta

    Relaxing

    Long quiet beaches, small beach bars and old-town fishing piers. The easiest rest days of the trip.

    Where to stay on Koh Lanta

  6. Days 15 and 16

    Khao Sok National Park

    Active

    Jungle trekking and a night in a floating bungalow on Cheow Lan Lake, among some of the oldest rainforest in the world.

    Where to stay in Khao SokLake and jungle tours

  7. Days 17 to 19

    Koh Tao

    Active

    A beginner-friendly place to learn to dive, with snorkelling and viewpoint hikes if diving is not for you. The trip from Khao Sok takes most of a day by bus and ferry, so treat day 17 as a travel day.

    Where to stay on Koh TaoDiving and snorkelling trips

  8. Days 20 and 21

    Koh Samui

    Relaxing

    A last beach stop with an easy ending to the trip. The island has its own airport, so you finish with a short onward connection instead of a long journey.

    Where to stay on Koh Samui

Good to know

Seasons. The two coasts have different seasons. The Andaman side (Krabi, Lanta) is driest from December to April, and the Gulf side (Tao, Samui) is good from January to September. Mid-February to April brings crop-burning smoke to the north, worst in March. From May to September, swap the order and start in the south.

Without a car. Everything on this route works by train, minibus, ferry and short domestic hops, with combined bus and boat tickets for the islands. Check current timetables a few days ahead, since boat times change with the season and the weather.

Renting a car or scooter. You do not need either. Traffic drives on the left, and scooter accidents are a leading way visitors get hurt, so most travellers are better off with taxis, ride apps and organised trips. If you do rent one, check the insurance cover and that your licence is valid.

What to book first. Reserve Koh Tao diving and the Khao Sok floating bungalow before anything else, since those fill up in the dry season.