Thailand

Thailand

A city worth more than a stopover, hill country in the north, and limestone islands in water the colour of a swimming pool.
Typical duration
8-12 nights
Best time
November to March
Pace
Relaxed
Overview

Thailand is the easiest country in the region to travel and the easiest to do badly. The standard version is two nights in Bangkok and a week on a crowded beach.

We would give Bangkok longer – it is one of the great food cities – then send you north to Chiang Mai for the temples and the cooking, and finish somewhere on the Andaman coast that still has a village attached to it.

Highlights

What makes this one worth doing

  • A dawn food walk through Bangkok’s Chinatown and old quarter
  • Wat Arun and the river by longtail, avoiding the tour boats
  • Cooking with a family in Chiang Mai, starting at the market
  • An ethical elephant sanctuary – observation only, no riding
  • Railay and the limestone karsts by private longtail
  • Islands reached before the day-trip boats arrive
Best for
First trips abroad, Food, Families, Beaches
Suggested itinerary

One shape it could take

A starting point, not a fixed departure. Every element below can be lengthened, shortened or swapped.

Nights 1-3

Bangkok

Riverside hotel in Bangkok
The old city, the river, a night food walk, and one very good restaurant.
Nights 4-6

Chiang Mai

Boutique hotel in the old city
Temples at dawn, a cooking day, and the hills north of the city.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai
Nights 7-11

Krabi or Khao Lak

Beach resort, half board
A quiet stretch of coast, with a private boat day among the karsts.
Night 12

Bangkok

Back for the flight home.

Plan this trip

Every journey is quoted individually once we know your dates, party size and pace. The first conversation is free.

Region
Bangkok, Chiang Mai & the Andaman coast
Duration
8-12 nights
Best time
November to March
Pace
Relaxed
A few pictures
The practical part

Before you ask us to quote

What a quote usually includes

  • Hotels chosen for location and character
  • Internal flights between Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the coast
  • Private guides for the city and cooking days
  • A private longtail day among the islands
  • Breakfast daily

Good to know

The Andaman coast is best November to April; the Gulf side, including Koh Samui, runs on a different calendar and is better mid-year. We will steer you to whichever coast suits your dates.

Detail worth having before you go

Getting there

Bangkok is a direct flight from most Indian cities. Internal hops to Chiang Mai and the south are short, frequent and cheap.

Nearest airport
Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Bangkok
Permits

Indian passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival; check the current position before you book, as it changes.

Best months
November to February, cooler and dry across most of the country
Months to avoid
March and April in the north, when agricultural burning makes the Chiang Mai air genuinely bad
Typical budget
From about USD 120 per person per day sharing, more once you move to the islands
Currency
Thai baht. Cards are fine in cities; markets and songthaews are cash.
Language
Thai, with English common in tourist areas
Health

Dengue is present. Repellent, and be sensible about ice and shellfish outside busy places.

What to pack

Long trousers and covered shoulders for the temples – the Grand Palace enforces it strictly.

The elephant sanctuary they picked was the only one on our shortlist that did not offer rides. That told us enough.
The Nair family
Kochi, travelled January 2026
Before you write in

Questions we are asked about this one

Which elephant sanctuaries do you use?

Only ones with no riding, no bathing shows and no performances – which rules out most of what is advertised in Chiang Mai. There are a handful doing genuine rehabilitation and we will name them for you.

Is March a bad time for Chiang Mai?

For air quality, yes – agricultural burning through March and April makes the north genuinely unpleasant and sometimes hazardous. We would move you south, or move the trip.

Krabi or Khao Lak?

Krabi for the limestone scenery and day trips, Khao Lak for quiet beaches and diving the Similans. Families with small children usually prefer Khao Lak; first-timers usually prefer Krabi.
Keep looking

Other places we know well

Make it yours

Tell us how you would change it

Add a week, drop the walking, bring the children, or start somewhere else entirely. We redraw every itinerary from scratch.