🇹🇭 Thailand
Thailand is full of magnificent temples, tropical paradises, colorful markets and lush rice fields. Taste delicious street cuisine, experience the hospitality of the Thai people and discover a rich and fascinating culture. White sandy beaches, enchanting islands and jungle adventures make this country a dream destination for any traveller.
Here are some photos of Thailand:
Itinerary preview
🗓 16 days
DAY 1: Bangkok
DAY 2: Bangkok
DAY 3: Ayutthaya
DAY 4: Lopburi - Sukhothai
DAY 5: Sukhothai
DAY 6: Chiang Mai
DAY 7: Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai
DAY 8: Chiang Rai
DAY 9: Surat Thani
DAY 10: Koh Phangan
DAY 11: Koh Phangan
DAY 12: Koh Phangan
DAY 13: Koh Phangan
DAY 14: Koh Phangan
DAY 15: Bangkok
DAY 16: Bangkok
🔗 Useful links
💸 Cost
(for 2 people)
✈️ Intercontinental flights (Thai Airways): €1050
✈️ Domestic flights (Thai Smile): €400
🏨 Hotel: €800
💊 Insurance: €100
💰 Miscellaneous expenses: €600
Total: €2950 (€1475 per person)
✨ Essential
🦟 Strong mosquito repellent!
🧊 Don't use ice
🚰 Don't drink tap water, always in a closed bottle
🍣 Don't eat raw food
🛺 Always establish the price of the tuktuk ride before getting on
Trip features
Features of this itinerary based on our real experience:
🔹 16 days
🔹 Organized independently
🔹 Travel as a couple
🔹 August 2018
In this itinerary you will find:
🔸 List of the places visited every day
🔸 Links to Google images of every place
🔸 Link to daily map on Google Maps
🔸 Tips and impressions of every day
🔸 Useful links for this trip
🔸 Total cost of the trip (for two people)
🗓 Day 1
🛬 Arrive in Bangkok at dawn with Thai Airways after a stopover in Vienna.
🇹🇭 After passport check, we took a bus that dropped us off 200 m from the hotel for 60 baht (about €1.60).
The Thai adventure begins!
Places visited during the afternoon in Bangkok:
📍 Wat Pho
📍 Boat river crossing Chao Phraya
📍 Wat Arun
Tips
💡 Change some money at the airport.
💡 In Bangkok you can move around the city easily by tuktuk. Just agree on the price before getting on (negotiate the price because they will start from more than double the normal cost of the route).
💡 You can cross the Chao Phraya River by boat for very few baht.
💡 At Khaosan Rd soak up the lively atmosphere with street food stalls, souvenir shops and bars. Try local dishes, buy cheap clothing, experience nightlife in the Thai capital.
💡 To enter the temples in Thailand, wear appropriate clothing (shoulders and knees must be covered) and remove your shoes before entering. Always carry a large scarf with you to cover yourself if they ask you to.
🗓 Giorno 2
Places visited along the route:
📍 The floating market of Damnoen Saduak
📍 Market on the railway Mae Klong
📍 Royal palace, Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang
Tips
💡 The tour of the markets Damnoen Saduak (floating market) and Mae Klong (market on the train tracks) was organized by the hotel doorman. Both markets are very special and absolutely worth visiting.
💡 We had the driver drop us off at Royal Palace and we spent several hours visiting it. Then we headed towards the market and the bright streets of China Town and then we took a tuktuk over Khaosan Road and the streets of the area where we dined on local food and made some interesting purchases for very little.
🗓 Day 3
Tips
💡 We took the third class train tickets to travel together with locals and not tourists. Although obviously there are fewer amenities than first or second class, I recommend it to everyone because you immerse yourself in their culture (as well as being super cheap).
💡 Ayutthaya, a UNESCO heritage site in Thailand, for me it is a must. This is an archaeological park full of ancient temple ruins and Buddha statues among tree roots that will allow you to discover the glorious past of the capital of the ancient Siamese kingdom. The park is very large. We took a tuktuk with driver to cover longer distances.
💡 We have arrived at Lopburi in the evening and we realized we were the only tourists. As we exited the station, there were some local food stalls and we asked where we could get a tuktuk to go to the hotel. All the stall owners were willing to take us but they quoted a high price (all the same). We tried to negotiate but it was impossible, so we gave up and accepted the asking price to be able to get to the hotel.
🗓 Day 4
Tips
💡 Lopburi is a historic and charming city in Thailand, famous for its ancient temples and the curious macaques that populate its streets. You can explore ruins like the Prang Sam Yot and the Phra Prang Sam Yot, and interact with the monkeys in the area Phra Kan Shrine.
It's a less crowded stop that's worth visiting on your journey to northern Thailand. They provided us with bikes at our hotel and we did all the tours of the temples and the city by bike.
💡 After lunch, we took the train again to continue the journey north, still in third class. The stop to go to Sukhothai is called Phitsanulok and it is a little far from Sukhothai. At the station we asked other tourists going in the same direction if they wanted to share a tuktuk and we traveled together.
🗓 Day 5
Tips
💡 Day entirely dedicated to the wonderful Sukhothai, for me one of the most beautiful places in Thailand. Sukhothai is a UNESCO heritage site in Thailand and offers an immersion in the glorious history of the Sukhothai Kingdom. Here you can explore the ruins of ancient temples such as Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Chum and Wat Phra Pai Luang, admiring Buddhist art and architecture. Sukhothai Historical Park is a cultural treasure with Buddha statues, lakes and lotus. Furthermore, there is a very beautiful and peaceful atmosphere that makes Sukhothai an ideal place to relax.
We rented bicycles and toured the entire park by bike. Really enjoyable!
🗓 Day 6
Tips
💡 From Sukhothai to Chiang Mai we traveled by bus (It takes approximately 6 hours).
💡 We dedicated the late afternoon to visiting the city center and booking excursions for the following day:
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Bamboo Elephant Family Care: half day in an ethical elephant sanctuary. It offers interactive experiences, such as feeding and washing elephants, promoting responsible tourism and the protection of these magnificent creatures. The sanctuary is committed to providing an environment free from exploitation and abuse for elephants. TOP experience!
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The Karen women's village: Half day to visit the village of Karen women or giraffe women which is an ethnic community in Thailand with women wearing golden rings on their necks, stretching their necks over time.
Worth seeing, because it is particular, but too touristy and set up for tourists.
💡 You can't miss the Chiang Mai night market! There you can dine on street food and take a tour of the stalls.
🗓 Day 7
Tips
💡 From Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai we traveled by bus (takes about 4 hours).
💡 As soon as we arrived, we visited the local market and bought some excellent fruit (if you don't want to feel bad, never eat it already peeled or washed but have it cut in front of you!).
💡 We had our first one thai massage (it hurts a little and if you don't want it that badly, let it be known).
💡 Dinner and walk at Chiang Rai night market. The environment, the people and the food are magical.
🗓 Day 8
Places to visit along the route:
📍 Wat Rong Khun, White Temple of Chiang Rai
📍 Wat Rong Suea Ten, Blue Temple of Chiang Rai
📍 Baan Dam Museum, black houses
📍 Wat Tham Pla, monkey caves
📍 Mae Sai viewpoint where you can see Myanmar from
📍 Night market of Chiang Rai
Tips
️💡 There are daily trips which allow you to visit the main places of interest around Chiang Rai up to the Golden Triangle. We booked at a small agency we found on the street in the center and it went very well. It will be a busy day early in the morning but it's worth it, especially if you don't have too much time to visit Chiang Rai.
🗓 Day 9
Flight travel day:
✈️ Chiang Rai > ✈️ Bangkok > ✈️ Surat Thani
Tips
💡 We flew with the company Thai Smile stopping in Bangkok (there were no direct solutions). Flights quiet, punctual and quite comfortable. They also offer drinks and some snacks.
️💡 In the evening we went to the night market and we had dinner there. Surat Thani doesn't have much to see but we had to sleep there so we could catch the ferry to the island Koh Phangan the next morning.
🗓 Giorni 10, 11, 12, 13 e 14
Places to visit in Koh Phangan:
📍 Beaches Haad Rin, Haad Yuan, Thong Nai Pan, Bottle Beach, Mae Haad and Koh Ma
📍 Wat Phu Khao Noi (small temple located on a hill with a panoramic view of the island)
📍 National Park Than Sadet (waterfalls and natural trekking paths)
📍 National Marine Park Mu Koh Ang Thong
Tips
💡 Days of sea and relaxation in Kho Phangan where you can do various excursions and water activities.
💡 Why did we choose Kho Phangan? Thailand has different rainy seasons in different regions. To avoid precipitation, check which island has the best climate during your trip. Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao experience rainfall from October to December on the East coast, while Phuket and Krabi experience rainfall between May and October on the West coast.
️💡 Full Moon Party: a world famous party, held every month on Haad Rin beach.
️💡 If you go to the Mae Haad beach area, grab a drink at 420 Club Phangan, where you can see Koh Ma island from above.
💡 The excursion you can't miss is the national marine park of Mu Koh Ang Thong. It is a true tropical paradise with deserted islands, crystal clear waters and rich marine fauna. It offers opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking, trekking and the panoramic view from the top of the island. To go up you have to take a lot of steps, which in the humid heat is no walk in the park, but I would do them again a thousand times because the landscape on the other side is crazy!
💡 If you like snorkeling and scuba diving, you can go to the nearby one Koh Tao as it is very renowned for these water activities.
🗓 Day 15
Flight travel day:
✈️ Surat Thani > ✈️ Bangkok
Tips
💡 Ferry early in the morning to get to Surat Thani where ours leaves from flight for Bangkok always with Thai Airways.
️💡 The last evening in Bangkok we took the opportunity to eat local food in the night markets and to do the last shopping on Khaosan Road
🗓 Day 16
Departure to Italy with a stopover in Vienna with Thai Airways. Upon arrival in Vienna we took advantage of the long stopover to visit the city before returning to Rome.
See you next time, Thailand! 👋🏼