Updated: 27 August, 2024
This classic Thailand route is the one that includes all the best of the country, ideal if you are traveling to Thailand for the first time.
If you are thinking about traveling to the Land of Smiles, in this article I will tell you the classic thailand route which I recommend to any traveler who goes for the first time and is based on my experience living there for 3 years.
The itinerary includes a little bit of bangkok, a wonderful city and its surroundings; the north, which is the most authentic area of the country and of course their paradisiacal islands with crystal clear waters.
If it is your first trip to Southeast Asia, I tell you that Thailand is a safe country, even if you travel alone like me and it is the best country to start getting to know that area of the world.
Another advantage of Thailand is that it has a good transportation system and you can easily explore it on your own or hire excursions for specific visits that save you time and often money.
✅ Bangkok Floating Market and Train Market Tour – fascinating
✅ Ayutthaya 1-Day Tour – an essential historical park
✅ Chiang Rai Temple Tour - amazing
✅ Phi Phi Islands Tour – the most spectacular visit to Thailand 🥰
Classic Thailand route
1.- Bangkok
Bangkok is a noisy mega city, where it is very hot and easy to get overwhelmed, especially if you are traveling to Asia for the first time.
The good news is that Bangkok remains authentic with many quiet corners in its fascinating temples and extensive parks that contrast with its two financial districts full of skyscrapers.
– What to see in Bangkok?
Some of the main temples to visit in Bangkok is that of Wat Pho with its famous reclining Buddha, in addition to Wat Arun known as the "Temple of Dawn" and the Royal Palace.
You can't miss walking through it either. flowers market and his Chinatown where you can try their food from the street stalls that is delicious and super cheap.
To give you an idea, a plate of food can cost you about 100 bahts (2.75 euros).
On a visit to Bangkok you cannot miss either bird's eye views from some skyscraper, the best of all is the Mahanakhon with observatories on the 74th and 78th floors.
– How many days to spend in Bangkok?
The ideal is spend at least 3 days And so that it doesn't get so boring, you can alternate nearby excursions between the days of visiting Bangkok.
⭐ Here you can read in detail about What to see in Bangkok: 21 must-sees
2.- Excursions near Bangkok
Near Bangkok you can do many 1-day visits that will give you time to return to Bangkok to sleep, thus avoiding having to carry your suitcases from one place to another.
One of the most popular and which is quite close is the singular market on the Mae Klong railway tracks and the Damnoen Saduak floating market.
They are usually visited together because they are very close to each other, here you can read in detail about the visit these markets and the alternatives to get there.
Another essential visit is to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand, which today is a declared historical park UNESCO World Heritage Site.
⭐ In this article I tell you all the best there is to see in Ayutthaya and the way to get there on your own.
Finally, I cannot help but recommend a visit to Kanchanaburi with its famous bridge over the River Kwai of which there is a movie and the Erawan National Park which stands out for its fabulous waterfalls with pools of turquoise waters.
⭐ You can read all the details of this visit in this other article.
3.- Chiang Mai and surroundings
Chiang Mai is the most important city in the north and a place that I highly recommend visiting.
Although many travelers prefer to skip this part of the country and just visit the islands, which I understand because I am also more of a beach person.
But if I'm honest, if you don't go north, you'll miss seeing the most authentic area of the country.
The islands are worth it for their beauty, but many of them have lost many typical Thai traditions, their good cuisine, and in some there are almost no Thais.
Other advantages of Chiang Mai are the rhythm is a thousand times slower than the one in Bangkok, it's cheaper and north is the reason why Thailand is called the “Land of Smiles”.
As you may have noticed, I'm not very impartial about Chiang Mai, it's just that after living there for a few months, it's in my heart. 🥰
– What to see in Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas?
In Chiang Mai you cannot miss visiting its old town full of beautiful cafes, graffiti and wonderful temples such as Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.
The northern thai food according to many is the best, I also think the same and the night and day markets of Chiang Mai are ideal to taste.
My favorite market is Warorot in the heart of Chinatown about which I wrote a article in detail.
From Chiang Mai you can also visit many places nearby like Chiang Rai, where you will find the most peculiar temples in the country.
The most popular is the White Temple, it is a modern temple, but I assure you that it will not leave you indifferent, for a reason it is one of the most visited places in the country.
👍 Here you can read more What to see in Chiang Mai: 14 best plans and 11 Best Day Trips from Chiang Mai
– How many days to spend in Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai compared to Bangkok is quite small and many of the most beautiful sites are in the old town or nearby.
So, With 2 or 3 days, you will have enough to enjoy this beautiful city that invites you to stay.
4.- Ao Nang in Krabi
Ao Nang is in the Krabi province in southern Thailand, with coasts on the Andaman.
Although the town doesn't have much to see or do, It is the best place to base yourself in Krabi because many excursions leave from there.
In addition, it is well connected to Krabi town where the airport and bus station are.
From Ao Nang you can make 1-day visits to the spectacular Railay and to the small islands bathed by the Andaman, a paradise if you are a lover of the sea and beautiful beaches.
Of course, you cannot miss the visit to the famous Phi Phi islands, which I tell you in the next point.
– How many days to dedicate to Krabi province?
To calculate the days you are going to stay in Krabi, think about the excursions you want to do from there.
If you dedicate At least 3 days you can visit the most beautiful places.
⭐ In this article you can read about all 7 Best Tours from Krabi, which includes the most beautiful nearby islands and inland areas.
5.- Phi Phi
Phi Phi Islands are the most desired place of anyone who is going to visit Thailand and no wonder, they are beautiful.
It's about a archipelago made up of 4 islands, of which Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh are the best known and most visited.
These islands can be visited on day trips or you can stay in some of the Phi Phi Don hotels and from there do the excursion to the other islands, including Maya beach and Pileh bay.
– How long should I stay in the Phi Phi Islands
In case you decide to stay in Phi Phi Don to enjoy its hidden beaches and a few days of good relaxation, to those days to rest you would need to add another to visit Phi Phi Leh.
So, you will need to stay at least 2 days in total and if you have 3 days to dedicate, Even better.
⭐ You can read more about What to do in Phi Phi: the Ultimate Guide with all transportation alternatives.
I take this opportunity to leave you links to some articles of Thailand practical information that may interest you:
- Vaccines for Thailand: mandatory and recommended
- 23 Tips for traveling to Thailand
- 11 Tips for Traveling Alone to Thailand
- How to get around Thailand: all transportation
- How to Rent and Drive a Motorcycle in Thailand
15 day itinerary
This is an itinerary full of visits to not stop and visit the maximum number of sites.
This is the best to see in Thailand in 15 days:
| Day | What to do? | Place to stay overnight |
| 1 | Arrival in Bangkok. Public transport to the center or with a transfer with fixed price which is very useful if you travel with more people. First contact with the city. | Bangkok |
| 2 | Visit the Temples and Royal Palace, you can make a excursion with guide in Spanish. Dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River at sunset. | Bangkok |
| 3 | 1 day trip to railway market, floating market and Ayutthaya like this one from the link with a guide in Spanish. | Bangkok |
| 4 | Visit a shopping center such as the MBK Center or Chatuchak market (weekend market). Then, treat yourself to a wonderful Thai massage. End the day with views of the city at sunset from the Mahanakhon terrace. | Bangkok |
| 5 | Flight Bangkok – Chiang Mai. Visit Chiang Mai Old Town and have dinner at the night market. | Chiang Mai |
| 6 | Visit the Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh temples in the old town. Visit to Chinatown, Warorot Market and dinner at the night market. | Chiang Mai |
| 7 | 1 day tour to Chiang Rai as This is the link with a guide in Spanish to see the curious White Temple, the Black House and the wonderful Blue Temple. Or this other one Chiang Rai temple tour, which is the most popular and cheapest. | Chiang Mai |
| 8 | Pamper yourself with another Thai massage, in Chiang Mai they are very cheap, you can book it here. Flight Chiang Mai to Krabi and transfer to Ao Nang. Walk through Ao Nang and dinner. | Ao Nang |
| 9 | Visit to Railay, day of swimming in the sea, kayaking and a lot of relaxation. Return to Ao Nang. | Ao Nang |
| 10 | 1-day trip to 4 spectacular islands such as This is the link that includes lunch, fruits, water and snorkeling equipment. | Ao Nang |
| 11 | Ferry from Ao Nang to Phi Phi Don, you can reserve here. Visit to the viewpoint and relaxing day on the beaches. | Phi Phi |
| 12 | Phi Phi Islands Tour, this is with a guide in Spanish to see the other islands including Maya beach and Pileh Bay. | Phi Phi |
| 13 | Ferry from Phi Phi to Ao Nang, transfer from Ao Nang to Krabi Airport and flight from Krabi to Bangkok. Visit to the flower market and Chinatown for dinner. | Bangkok |
| 14 | Day Trip to Kanchanaburi and Dreamy Erawan Waterfalls, This one in the link now has a 10% discount. | Bangkok |
| 15 | Transfer from Bangkok to the airport. Return flight. |
As you have seen on this route I recommend taking several excursions to save time.
For example, on day 3 there is the excursion to the two markets and Ayutthaya, if you want to do it on your own, it will not allow you to visit everything.
It is best that you choose between the markets or Ayutthaya.
Then on day 7 I recommend the 1-day excursion to Chiang Rai, to be able to visit more places because the 15-day itinerary is a bit tight.
But I honestly think Chiang Rai is ideal to spend a night there.
21 day itinerary
This is the classic route through Thailand, very similar to the previous one but more relaxed and with more time to enjoy each place.
| Day | What to do? | Place to stay overnight |
| 1 | Arrival in Bangkok. Public transport to the center or with a transfer with fixed price which is very useful if you travel with more people. First contact with the city. | Bangkok |
| 2 | Visit the Temples and Royal Palace, you can make a excursion with guide in Spanish. Dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River at sunset. | Bangkok |
| 3 | 1 day trip to market on the train tracks and the floating market like this one from the link which is the most popular. Visit Wat Saket to watch the sunset and have dinner in the area. | Bangkok |
| 4 | Visit a shopping center such as the MBK Center or Chatuchak market. Then, treat yourself to a wonderful Thai massage. End the day with views of the city at sunset from the Mahanakhon terrace, here you can buy the discounted entry. | Bangkok |
| 5 | Transfer from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. Visit some of the nearby temples and photos of the sunset. | Ayutthaya |
| 6 | Visit to Ayutthaya. Transfer from Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai. | Chiang Mai |
| 7 | Visit to the old town of Chiang Mai. Visit to Chinatown, Warorot Market and dinner at the night market. | Chiang Mai |
| 8 | Visit the Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh temples in the old town. Dinner at the night market in the old town. | Chiang Mai |
| 9 | Transfer Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. Visit to the White and Blue temples. Dinner at the night market. | Chiang Rai |
| 10 | Visit to the Black House. Walk through the day market. Transfer from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai. | Chiang Mai |
| 11 | Pamper yourself with another Thai massage (they are very cheap in Chiang Mai). Flight Chiang Mai to Krabi and transfer to Ao Nang. Walk through Ao Nang and dinner. | Ao Nang |
| 12 | Visit to Railay, day of swimming in the sea, kayaking and a lot of relaxation. Return to Ao Nang. | Ao Nang |
| 13 | 1-day trip to 4 spectacular islands such as This is the link that includes lunch, fruits, water and snorkeling equipment. | Ao Nang |
| 14 | Ferry from Ao Nang to Phi Phi Don, book it here. Visit to the viewpoint and relaxing day on the beaches. | Phi Phi |
| 15 | Phi Phi Islands Tour, this is with a guide in Spanish to see the other islands including Maya beach and Phileh Bay. | Phi Phi |
| 16 | Discover all the beaches of Phi Phi Don, relax and end the day with a sunset on Long Beach with a beer or a fresh coconut. | Phi Phi |
| 17 | Ferry from Phi Phi to Ao Nang. Visit the Tiger temple to watch the sunset with wonderful views over the Andaman. | Ao Nang |
| 18 | Transfer from Ao Nang to Krabi Airport. Flight from Krabi to Bangkok. Bangkok Food Tour, with a local who explains each dish to you. | Bangkok |
| 19 | Transfer from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi. Quiet day with a visit to the town, bridge over the River Kwai and museum. | Kanchanaburi |
| 20 | Visit the beautiful Erawan National Park to see its waterfalls and caves. Transfer from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok. | Bangkok |
| 21 | Transfer from Bangkok to the airport. Return flight. |
In this itinerary I added more places to sleep so you can take it easy.
In the last days, when the last 5 nights are in different cities, to make it more relaxed you can do the excursion to Kanchanaburi and Erawan as I suggest in the 15 days to sleep in Bangkok again itinerary.
This way you will have 1 additional day to do something else in the city.
Thailand Route Map
On the map I mark the cities, if you want to see the specific visits for each place I recommend that you visit my specific articles where you will find many details.
If you are preparing your route through Thailand on your own and have questions, leave me a comment below and I will help you in any way I can.
* To check the legend for each place, click the button in the top left corner of the map. To view this map on your phone or computer, tap the star on the right side of the title. Then go to Google Maps, select "Your Places" and "Maps" from the menu.
Final Thoughts
These are my proposals tour of Thailand with the most relevant visits for a first trip to Thailand.
The itineraries They can serve as a basis for you to set up your own route through Thailand for free, depending on what you like and the time of year you travel.
If you are going to travel during the European summer (July or August), you may be interested in this other Route through Thailand: 14 and 21 day itinerary, to avoid the monsoon rains as much as possible.
I also take this opportunity to leave the link to the Thailand Travel Guide,, with the main articles I wrote to travel independently.
Thailand is a wonderful country that will stimulate all your senses. I'm sure you will enjoy it very much!
If you have any questions, leave me a comment below, I will help you in any way I can and if this itinerary has been useful to you, share it with other travelers. 😘
More about Thailand and Southeast Asia
- 51 Curiosities about Thailand that will amaze you
- Sleeper Train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
- Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand: ethical or just a business?
- What is Thai Massage and the Best one in Bangkok
- What is Muay Thai? – 5 Muay Thai Gyms in Chiang Mai
- 5 Best Areas in Chiang Mai to Stay
Hello, I’m Andrea, the creator and writer of Viajeros Activos (Active Travelers). I’m a nomad, so I consider myself a full-time traveler. I’m passionate about good food and always looking for new adventures.
Wonderful post Andrea! A good reminder of how rested on my laurels I have been lately as I still have many videos pending editing and publishing, some inspired by your blog. About Chiang Mai, visiting Thailand and skipping it on the route should be punishable by law XD
I understand you Ivan, editing the videos is a lot of work. I am the same with the articles, I still have a lot to write about Thailand, especially the south.
Regarding Chiang Mai we agree, haha!
Thanks for your comment. A hug!
Excellent information, very complete.
One question, I am planning to travel to Thailand for the first time, approximately from May 23 to June 15 of this year.
What can you tell me about these dates, regarding the rains and weather conditions? Since I see that July and August are somewhat difficult months for tourism due to the rains and excessive heat, but if I travel in the aforementioned period? What recommendations could you give me?
Thank you very much and very good blog. Congratulations
Hello Edu
The monsoon in Thailand runs from May to October more or less in almost the entire country, except for the Gulf of Thailand, where the rains are concentrated in October and November.
Regarding the itinerary that I have for July and August, it is because in Spain it is when most people go on vacation and it is a very bad time to travel to the Andaman coasts.
So, the dates you are going to travel are the rainy season, but they are not as strong. Where it can rain the most is in the Andaman and the least rainy area on those dates is in the Gulf Islands. My recommendation is that you use the other itinerary, the one for July and August.
Although you never know about the rain, that's why I always recommend traveling to Thailand with some flexibility to be able to change plans if necessary.
I can also tell you that the rainy season is not that bad, because it rains heavily for a while, then it clears up and it's a nice day. It is very rare for it to rain all day.
Thank you for your comment and have a good trip!
Your comments are very complete. For. Choose . I liked the 21 day one. Thank you. Here there was no guide on where to stay. If you could send data on this. Good day. I'm from Mexico.
Thank you José Antonio for your comment! I'll keep that in mind when I update the article.
If you look at the blog you will find hotel articles about almost every place that I mention in the itinerary and if not in the articles about what to do in each place, I recommend hotels.
Have a good trip!
hello
I'm Alex and I'm traveling with my family, there are 5 of us and it seems complicated to go on our own. Could you recommend someone or an agency that can support us?
Hello Alex
Sorry, I don't know any agency.
If you want, I can help you organize the trip. I know the country well because I have lived there for several years.
Tell me anything and we can talk privately. 🙂