Planning a trip to a place you have never been can be frustrating, stressful and overwhelming! If you are thinking about going to Thailand, I have you covered! In this 14 day travel guide, I go over the planning process, day by day itinerary (including things I MISSED), places worth staying (from personal experience), tips for travel and an essentials packing list!
Disclaimer: All links direct you to an original page which can be translated by google!
Planning
There’s so many places to see in Thailand, so having a plan on what types of things you want to see is key to making the most of your experience! I would start off by deciding how long you can go on the trip. Keep in mind that it may take some time to get there! I started off by listing TOP 10 places to visit. Here is the list of things I made way back when.
1. Bangkok
2. Floating Market: Damnoen Saduak Canal
3. Chiang Mai (Spiritual city): Elephant Nature Park
4. San Kamphaeng Hot Springs
5. East coast Islands: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao & Koh Nang Yuan
6. Mae Hong son (Long neck tribe/ waterfall
7. Ayutthaya: ancient temple
8. Railay and Krabi Province
9. Koh Phi Phi: snorkel, long tail boat
10. Hin Daeng- Andaman sea
Click the pictures below for links & more specific trip ideas!
Once you have a list of things, you can begin to group activities to see which you could do in the same area! After grouping, you can begin to map out your trip. Always allow more time in places that there are multiple activities or sights you want to see. If I plan ahead, I usually map my trip prior to purchasing tickets because sometimes its more convenient to arrive at one airport and leave from another. If you book a trip based on deals then the process must be reversed! I book flights and thats when the real fun starts. Before getting my heart set on a hotel, I look at the things i want to do in relation to the area. Staying in the area where most of the sights are is key to getting your list you made completed. Its the WORST when you go somewhere and you return to only find out that you did not get to see something!
I wanted adventure and experiences for my trip. Now, I didn’t do everything right, so I’m going to help you not make the same mistakes. If you want to see wild life, visit Chiang Mai and take care of the elephants at the nature park rather than ride them. NOT my proudest moment. Remember that the temples have a dress code, so pack clothes that cover your legs and shoulders. Traveling is an experience and we need to remember to be a good visitors and respect cultures of the countries you are visiting!
How many days should you spend in Thailand?
It’s really up to you! I was traveling a day each way, so 14 days sounded reasonable to me. I have had friends who have spent a week in Thailand and had a wonderful time! Well I guess it’s also up to the amount of time you can get off too!
What should I pack?
Don’t overdo it! There’s cheap clothes at every corner, so don’t over pack because you’ll have nowhere to put your NEW clothes!
Here are some things I made sure to bring:
Bug spray, Comfortable walking shoes, Swimsuits, Weatherproof Jacket, Filtered water bottles, External battery charger, Waterproof phone case, Flip flops, some type of mosquito repellent band (Literally saved me!), Travel pillow (long travels require you to try and sleep on the road), Laundry pod (we did our laundry on the road), Sunscreen, Universal Plug , & Baht (depending on your bank you can get the exchange ahead of time and it will save you money!)
Itinerary
Day 1: Travel
Depending on where you are coming from it may take an entire day to travel to Thailand. Snuggle up to your travel pillow, binge on the movies, sip the glass of wine and enjoy the ride.
Day 2: Arrive to Bangkok
We arrived in time to get to Shanghai Mansion and get some sleep! I would suggest flying in and out of Bangkok! Bangkok is a busy city full of traffic, culture and staying in old Chinatown gives you the ability to walk across the street and enjoy the markets.
Day 3: Bangkok
Now that you’ve gotten a good nights rest, go to the market and grab some food.
For all the shoppers, Siam Paragon is the place for you! It has high-end fashion designers and restaurants to satisfy any taste bud. I believe I got a knock off beats pod and she speaks English. Ahah. I am not a museum girl, but Bangkok has a National museum with the largest collection of artifacts and Thai art.
Check out the floating markets which have become one of Bangkok’s star attractions! There’s shopping, markets, art, souvenirs & you can order food directly from the boat (see picture above).
A TUK TUK ride is a must! Now do not get ripped off and practice the art of negotiation! A short trip should cost 30 baht (around $!) to 200 baht (around %7). It will be terrifying at first, but it will be exciting the next time you ride one! So I guess that means two trips! Sunshine (our tuk tuk driver) hi-jacked our trip and took us to the Chao Phraya River and we took a boat along the river. We rode back to the Hotel and decompressed with a scrub and massage. I suggest getting massages in Thailand. They are inexpensive. We paid about $30 US dollars to get bathed, scrubbed, and massaged for 2 hours. I may or may not have paid to take a nap!
After regrouping, we headed to get ready for our first night out in Bangkok. We headed to Lebua for dinner and planned on heading to the 63rd floor to experience the Sky Bar. Our dinner at Sirocco had amazing panoramic views, excellent food and US dollar prices ;). If you do make is to the Sky Bar make sure to tag me because I want to live through you!
Day 4: Bangkok
This day you should explore the temples and get lost in the streets of Bangkok. Take a walk in Lumphini Park, try the street food and dont forget to treat yourself to a massage!
Day 5: Koh Phangan
Traveling from Bangkok to Koh Phangan is quite the journey. I would start bright and early. You will need to fly then take a bus and a boat. We used Ferry Samui to get us from Krabi to Koh Phangan.
Where my party people at? If you are going to Thailand to party your tail off, learn to breath fire, and feel free on the beach, the Full Moon Party is for you. Keep in mind during that time all of the prices increase! We stayed at Phangan Bayshore Resort. The resort includes breakfast with a view of the beach. It’s not just bread and fruits yall. There’s omelets, assorted fruit and rice (Thai breakfast life). If you decide on this resort, send me pictures, so I can reminisce on meeting my husband here. If you wanna know more about that one go here. The hotel is a short walk to restaurants, shops and of course it’s the home of Full Moon Party beach.
Day 6: Koh Phangan
If partying is not your thing, we booked a Ziplining Tour which included a ride from our hotel, archery and Thai cuisine! It was a great day for less than $50 each and it included a MEAL! Being fed makes an excursion that much better in my book! For a best sunset view, ocean views, and chill vibes, head over to Amsterdam Bar!
Day 7: Ko Lanta
Ko Lanta is a district in Krabi Province and has a more relaxed feel. This is a place to have your “Eat Pray Love” moment you’ve been waiting for! There are multiple beaches and restaurants with beach views, so you can sit in the sun all day and walk to get dinner!
Thee’s a variety of beautiful resorts in this area, so I don’t think you can go wrong! Klong Dao beach and Long beach are the two most popular beaches and have a big selection of places to eat and stay! Let me know if you go and stay somewhere WONDERFUL, so I can share with everyone!
Day 8: Ko Lanta
Go to Day 7 and repeat! If you cannot sit still during traveling, you can go to Mu Ko Lanta National Park and enjoy the white beaches, trails, caves, waterfalls, viewpoints, snorkel or dive! You could also go to Baan Saladan, the city of Koh Lanta, with restaurants, shops, hotels, boat rentals, etc
Day 9: Koh Phi Phi
Everyone wants to go to Koh Phi Phi because the rumor is beaches are beautiful. SPOILER ALERT: its not a rumor, pure facts!
If you are not into moving your things every couple of days, you can get boat rides from island to island. I would suggest finding a hotel on the island. Our hotel was a tail boat ride away and did not have wifi, so we wont talk about it! ahah. You live and you learn! Here is a great link to help you get started. If you find the most PERFECT place, I WANNA KNOW!
Captain Bob’s Booze Cruise provided us with a day of relaxation including Maya Bay, Monkey Beach, Diaper Chillin in Pileh Lagoon, Loh Samah Bay, Viking and Trong Loo caves, snorkeling, open sunset, lunch, snacks and unlimited Rum, Vodka, and beer. This cruise had it all and we were in the middle of the ocean with our floats on as diapers enjoying all the views. it costs about 2500 Baht which is $80/person and I HIGHLY recommend it! If you go to the link, you can book before you
Afterwards, we took our boat back. Just saying this AGAIN, so you get accommodation ON the island! It’s such an inconvenience to have to travel back and forth when you go somewhere to enjoy a specific place!
Day 10: Koh Phi Phi
A day of relaxation on the beach! It’s always great to have time to explore and see, but it’s okay to SLOW DOWN and enjoy ALL the views and bask in the sun!
Day 11: Krabi Town
I believe in starting the journey home slowly, but surely! Krabi town has an airport, so we stopped here to avoid spending 12 hours traveling! Krabi town is a city full of restaurants and things to see. Go out and explore the landscape, and Tiger Cave Temple!
Day 12: Bangkok
Fly back to Bangkok and catch anything you may have missed! I wanted to do a roundtrip from Bangkok because I had never been to the area. I feel it was a great way to start and end a trip. You get a taste of the city, islands and then come back to where it all started! Travel hack: get a hotel with a washer/dryer so you can pack clean clothes in your luggage! Yes, sometimes I do laundry overseas! Especially when the flight home is over 24 hours.
Day 13: head back
This is probably the saddest and happiest part of travel! You MISS your bed, but you don’t want to return to your routine. I am here to tell you that you will NOT be the same after this trip. You will leave Thailand a new you, but that is how you should leave any trip! RENEWED!
Day 14: HOME
TELL @ataleaboutagirl about my trip! Seriously! Email, Instagram, or facebook me and share all of your travels with me because I cannot wait for you to experience this beautiful country!
Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend and the best HYPE girl. In 2016, I went to Thailand and met my husband. Literally, in Koh Phagan, I not only fell in love with this wonderful man, but with all things TRAVEL! February 2020, I started telling my story! I am so HAPPY you are here! LET’S GO ON ADVENTURE!
