Two Weeks In Thailand: The Best Travel Itinerary

Ahh Thailand… the land of smiles, elephants, white sand beaches, and street food. OH the street food! If you’re planning a trip to wonderful Thailand, use this two week Thailand itinerary to help you plan.

You’ll experience one of the largest cities in the world, befriend rehabilitated elephants, and swim in water so blue it feels like a dream. This two week Thailand itinerary walks you through multiple itinerary options with recommendations for things to do & places to stay.

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We spent an entire month finding the best spots and enjoying the relaxing vibes of Thailand. But, I’m going to give you a nice 2 week Thailand itinerary (with options to customize it) so you can see the best this beautiful country has to offer.

The Perfect Two Week Thailand Itinerary

At the end I’ll also give you some options to extend your trip if you have more than two weeks to travel Thailand.

Arrive in Bangkok

The largest city in Thailand with the largest International airport, Bangkok is the best place to begin your time in the land of smiles. 

Fly into Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and catch a taxi to your hotel. We set up a taxi pickup with our hotel concierge ahead of time over WhatsApp, so I recommend you do the same to be sure you’re getting the best experience! 

However, if you did not plan a taxi with your hotel, no worries! You can pick one up at the airport, or you can catch the airport rail link into town. Check out the timetables and where you can go here.

Day 1-2: Bangkok

Bangkok will blow your mind. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to enjoy this massive city! It’s an incredible mixture of modern & traditional that really highlights Thai culture.

I would recommend you stay a bit longer if your schedule allows, however if you are in Thailand for two weeks, there is a lot more to see in this country, so spend just two days in Bangkok. 

Read Also: What To Do In Koh Tao: The Ultimate Guide To Thailand’s Best Little Island

Here is what you NEED to see in the city while you’re here!

1. Wat Pho: a beautiful Buddhist temple with an absolutely massive golden Buddha inside! Seeing the temples in Thailand is a wonderful cultural experience, and they are all over the place! Please beware of scammers that will try to talk to you outside of Wat Pho. If they say they know a better way to get into the temple or that it’s closed and they can take you to a different one, keep walking and say NO!
2. Chinatown Night Market: If you do anything in Bangkok, go to the Chinatown Night Market. I have never had such incredible food. This area of Bangkok is famous for its street food, some stalls even having Michelin recommendations! 
3. The Grand Palace: See the palace where the Kings and Queens of Siam once lived! Beautiful grounds to walk around, I would skip the museum or inside tours. Just enjoy the beautiful palace from outside.

Some people would maybe recommend Khao San Road. Unless rowdy bars and unsavory joints are your style, I’d steer clear. 😉

How To Get To Chiang Mai

Now, you have two options here as far as getting to Chiang Mai from Bangkok on day 3. 

I am a big fan of flying with the airlines in Thailand. The airlines are great and affordable, however tons of people say that to save time and money you should take the overnight train to Chiang Mai from Bangkok. 

I think at the end of the day, this comes down to preference and travel style. If you don’t want to do an overnight train because that sounds kind of miserable and you aren’t a shoestring traveler trying to save every penny, I would recommend you fly. It will be faster and you can hit the ground running in Chiang Mai when you arrive.

Try to find a flight to Chiang Mai from BKK in the morning so you can spend the rest of your day getting settled in Chiang Mai and exploring the night markets.

We flew with Thai AirAsia and had a great and easy experience. 

If you do decide to take the train, you’ll want to use Rome2Rio to find train times and prices. 

Day 3-5: Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai was one of our absolute favorite places in all of Thailand! 

While you’re here, you’ll see why we loved it so! In my opinion, Chiang Mai is a must on a two week Thailand itinerary.

There is an ‘Old Town’ area that is built inside a square roadway, which is the most popular part of town for tourists. But, it isn’t popular in the way that would make you want to avoid it. 

There are tons of locals still in Chiang Mai, as well as a great expat community of Americans, Australians, Brits, etc. 

Enjoy The Night Markets

Chiang Mai has little night markets all over the city. What I love about this is that you can find amazing street food all over the city at ANY time of day. All you have to do is walk outside your hotel and you’ll see delicious Thai dishes on every corner! 

We especially loved the Sunday Night Market in Chiang Mai, which runs the length of an entire main road with hundreds of vendors selling food, clothes, souvenirs, and handmade goods.

If you do happen to be there on a Sunday, don’t miss it!

The market is on the Tha Phae walking street: you can’t miss it once the street is full of people on Sunday night!

If you aren’t there on Sunday, don’t fret.

There are tons of markets all over the city that are open every night of the week! A lot of Thai people eat out for most of their meals, so street vendors are plentiful! 

Elephant Sanctuary 

While in Chiang Mai, you’ll have the opportunity to experience standing next to some of the most incredible creatures on God’s green earth: elephants. 

Asian elephants to be exact. We visited an Elephant Sanctuary where elephants with tortured pasts come to live out the remainder of their lives in their own personal heaven on earth. 

Traditionally, elephants have been used for industry in much of Asia, in logging businesses, entertainment, or transportation. However, the working conditions for these great animals are harsh and often deadly. 

There has been a massive movement in the last few decades to remove elephants from such jobs and allow them the dignity they deserve to just exist as natives to their jungles. 

Many of the elephants we met at Elephant Nature Park had been rescued from horrible conditions, and often had the physical scars to show it.

Now, they live pretty posh lives getting to eat bananas all day and play and bond with their chosen families (as they should!). 

So, if you do decided to visit an elephant sanctuary while in Thailand, these are the rules to live by: 

1. NEVER ride an elephant. They do not exist for your entertainment, and they should not be used for such. Only visit a sanctuary where you are allowed to observe and assist in the care of the elephants. 
2. DO NOT support any business that exploits elephants for entertainment or work. 
3. ONLY give your money to an elephant sanctuary that you have done your research on and feel good about donating to. 

The sanctuary we visited still recommend is Elephant Nature Park. It is one of the highest rated ethical elephant sanctuaries and has a long history of rehabilitation.

Get A Thai Massage

An incredible experience to have while in Thailand is a traditional Thai massage.

Now, this massage is probably a bit different than what you typically think of when you hear the word massage. 

Thai massage is a traditional practice that combines acupressure and yoga postures. You are fully dressed during the massage and the masseuse uses pressure and manipulation of your limbs to give you a nice stretch through the entire body! We did, however, also get a hot stone massage at the end of ours which was a nice touch.

There are also plenty of places that offer oil massages as well, so don’t fret!

We LOVED our Thai massage and recommend getting yours at the same place we went to, called Giving Tree Massage.

Eat Like A Local

We found some restaurants in Chiang Mai that we will recommend to you EVERY TIME. 

The first is Grazie Thai: a total gem in Chiang Mai, this restaurant is beloved by locals and visitors alike. We made sure to get the Khao Soi (famous as the regional dish of Northern Thailand) and the basil pork (Pad Kra Pao). It was so delicious! And the prices are amazing!

I also recommend trying a few different Khao Soi dishes while in Chiang Mai. One we loved was from It’s Good Kitchen, and another good one is at Khao Soi Khun Yai.

Khao Soi was one of our favorite dishes in Thailand, so much so that I’ve tried to recreate it at home. This recipe from Half Baked Harvest is absolutely a simplified version of the good stuff you can only really get in Thailand, but it’s delicious! 

Read Also: Best Guide To Visiting Nang Yuan Island in Thailand

Learn to Make Thai Food at Cooking School

You should absolutely add this into your 3 day stay in Chiang Mai. Make traditional Thai dishes and learn about the ingredients and culture of this sensational food! 

This cooking school at an organic farm is an amazing place to learn to cook Thai food in Chiang Mai!

Go On A Street Food Tour

If a cooking school isn’t quite up your alley, you should try out a food tour instead. We did a market tour in Chiang Mai where we learned SO much about thai cuisine, tradition, and even the geo-political impact on food in Northern Thailand.

Lots of Thai people eat street food for dinner, every day of the week! Because the food is affordable and delicious, it’s a great way to experience everyday life in Thailand.

If you’re worried about eating street food, just know that my husband and I ate almost exclusively street food for our entire month in Thailand. We never had any problems! I tended to avoid seafood as a rule for myself, but if it looks fresh, it’s probably fine!

Going on a street food tour with a guide should also alleviate some of your worry. A guide will know the best stalls to take you to for delicious, high quality food.

I highly recommend this small group street food tour that has amazing reviews where you’ll try a wide variety of Northern Thai favorites!

Day 6-8: Khao Sok National Park

Now, after Chiang Mai, it’s time to head to one of Thailand’s best natural wonders. If you’re like me and didn’t know Thailand had national parks until you started trip planning, you’re going to be very pleasantly surprised.

Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok National Park is one of the most unique places you’ll visit in Thailand. The big selling point of visiting are the overwater bungalows you can stay in ON the lake!

Because the lake is a national park, only an organized tour operator can take you out on the lake and get you to your bungalows.

There are many different tour operators to choose from, but the best way to do this is through your hotel. You can either book directly with a bungalow hotel, OR if you plan to stay one night in the town of Khao Sok outside of the park, you hotel will set you up with an overnight stay.

Pro Tip: If you are prone to get ANY sea sickness, bring some motion sickness medicine or sea bands with you!

If you plan to book through a hotel in town, like Our Jungle House, you’ll likely spend one night in town, and one night on the lake. If you book through the bungalows directly, like with Panvaree The Greenery, you can stay two nights on the lake.

Each tour operator will offer activities like kayaking, a water safari to spot wild elephants, hiking in the national park, and more. The luxury accommodations even offer massage and spa packages. All food is usually included since you’re floating and there is nowhere else to go!

Day 9-14: Thai Islands (2 Options)

Time to head to the renowned Thai islands! There are lots of islands to choose from in Thailand, but they are quite spread out. So, you’ll want to choose which islands suit you best.

Remember that travel to some of the islands require the majority of a day, especially those that are more remote. For that reason, I’ve provided you with two itinerary options that will make the most of your remaining time.

Both of these options will require a full travel day that involves a bus and ferry.

Option 1: Koh Samui & Koh Tao

Koh Samui and Koh Tao are located to the east of Khao Sok National Park. Your travel day will consist of a shuttle ride to the ferry port, then a ferry to Koh Samui.

Though you won’t be able to fly into Koh Samui from Khao Sok, it has an airport. So, leaving to head back to Bangkok will be a little more simple.

Both of these islands are also less popular than some others, so if you’re looking for a more laid back experience, I recommend these two!

Check out this blog post about Koh Tao to see what it’s like to visit: What To Do In Koh Tao: The Ultimate Guide To Thailand’s Best Little Island

Option 2: Phuket & Koh Phi Phi

Koh Phi Phi are some of the most classic islands in Thailand. You may want to visit as they have some amazing things to offer. With that, they also have become the most popular islands with the crowds to prove it.

However, that doesn’t mean they are not worth visiting. You’ll find incredible snorkeling, a plethora of boat tour options, and beautiful natural areas like May Bay and Bamboo Island.

To get to Koh Phi Phi, your travel day will consist of a shuttle to Krabi or Phuket, then a ferry to Koh Phi Phi Don.

Option 1: Koh Samui & Koh Tao (recommended)

What to Do on Koh Samui 

Big Buddha: Be sure to make a stop at the Big Buddha. It really would be hard to miss and can actually be seen from spots all over the island.

Beaches: I recommend Lamai Beach & Chaweng Beach.

Koh Tao is one of my favorite places we visited in Thailand. It was definitely our favorite island! The island has a real laid back vibe, being small and ’boutique’ feeling. We loved feeling like we had found our own little paradise!

What To Do On Koh Tao

Koh Nang Yuan Snorkeling: There is a small protected cluster of tiny islands next to Koh Tao with amazing snorkeling. You’ll also find that with the tides, sandbars form to connect the three small islands that you can walk on. It’s one of the most beautiful places we visited in Thailand! There is a small beach bar, viewpoint you can hike to, and great snorkeling.

Full Koh Tao Itinerary: What To Do In Koh Tao: The Ultimate Guide To Thailand’s Best Little Island
Read Also: Best Guide To Visiting Nang Yuan Island in Thailand

Hike A Viewpoint: There are multiple viewpoints to visit on Koh Tao.

Go To The Beach: Koh Tao has a nice combination of white sand beaches and more adventurous beaches great for snorkeling. If you’re wanting to hang out at the beach, check out Tanote Bay & Sairee Beach.

Option 2: Krabi/Phuket & Koh Phi Phi

The second option for the end of your two week Thailand itinerary is to head to either Phuket OR Krabi where you can then ferry over to Koh Phi Phi. If you want to stay ON Koh Phi Phi Don like we did for a few nights, you can totally decide to do that instead!

Krabi and Phuket are both good options, but let me help you decide which is more your vibe. Both are also great jumping off points for day trips to Koh Phi Phi and other islands in the area.

Krabi has more backpackers, is a bit smaller with less resorts, and a nice nightlife scene. It’s near some other great island day trips like Hong Island and Chicken Island.

Phuket is much larger, has more resorts (both adults only and family friendly), and has a very active nightlife scene. From here, you can take day trips or ferries to Koh Phi Phi, ‘James Bond’ Island, and more.

Here are a few pictures of Koh Phi Phi and the surrounding islands to give you an idea of what to expect!

Both Phuket and Krabi have airports where you can catch a flight back to Bangkok on your way home.

Pro tip: Use Ferryhopper to book, track, and search ferry journeys all over Thailand.

What to Do on Koh Phi Phi

The best thing to do while on Koh Phi Phi is a longtail boat tour of the surrounding islands. Koh Phi Phi Don is the largest island in a small group of islands, and where you’ll be staying. 

We booked a tour with and visited Maya Bay, Bamboo Island, and Monkey Island. The end of the boat tour had us jumping in the water at night with bioluminescent plankton!

I recommend this boat tour:

What to Do in Krabi

In Krabi, I recommend you do another longtail boat tour of Hong Island! We loved this day, especially because we paid a bit extra to have a private boat for just the two of us. I recommend you do this if you have the funds, it’s very nice! 

We actually just walked up to a tour company in Krabi town and asked about boat rides and they set us up for the next day!

Hong Island is a great spot, and there is an amazing viewpoint hike (straight up MANY stairs). 

This is the view from the top of the Hong Island 360 Viewpoint.

I recommend a tour like this one while in Krabi to the little islands like Hong Island!

2 Week Thailand Itinerary Wrap Up & Alternative Routes

There are so many ways to spend two weeks in Thailand, but after spending a month there, this is the itinerary I’d recommend for your first time. However, here are some other options you may enjoy:

Alternative Route 1: (more beach time)
Bangkok – Chiang Mai – Koh Phi Phi – Koh Lanta

Alternative Route 2: (more mountain time)
Bangkok – Chiang Mai – Pai – Koh Samui

Alternative Route 3: (beaches & full moon parties)
Bangkok – Chiang Mai – Koh Samui – Koh Pha Ngan

I hope this two week Thailand itinerary is helpful in giving you an idea of where to visit in Thailand during your trip!

Read Next: Koh Tao Is The Best Little Island To Visit In Thailand