14-day itinerary
2 Weeks in Thailand
Bangkok, Chiang Mai & the islands
Thailand is a backpacker's paradise where ancient golden temples meet electric street food markets, turquoise lagoons, and some of the warmest hospitality on earth. In 14 days you'll weave through the chaos of Bangkok, breathe mountain air in Chiang Mai, and finally melt into the white-sand beaches of the southern islands.
Morning: Land at Suvarnabhumi, take the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai for ~€1.50 and check into a Khao San Road hostel to dump your pack.
Afternoon: Walk to Wat Pho to marvel at the 46-metre reclining Buddha and get a legendary €6 traditional massage in its on-site school.
Evening: Grab a cold Chang beer and a plate of pad kra pao from a plastic-stool street stall on Khao San Road as the neon chaos comes alive.
Morning: Be at the Grand Palace gates by 8 am before the crowds swell; the intricate mirror-mosaic of Wat Phra Kaew inside is genuinely jaw-dropping.
Afternoon: Hire a longtail boat (€10) to zip across to Wat Arun, climb its steep prang for panoramic river views, then browse the riverside artisan market.
Evening: Take the BTS Skytrain to Silom and eat your way through Chinatown's Yaowarat Road — roast duck noodles and fresh oyster omelettes are unmissable.
Morning: Take a khlong canal boat to the floating-market district of Bang Krachao, rent a bicycle and cycle through green mangrove gardens still inside the city.
Afternoon: Head to Chatuchak Weekend Market (open Sat–Sun) or the daily Asiatique riverside night bazaar to hunt for handmade jewellery and vintage clothing.
Evening: Splurge on one sunset cocktail at a rooftop bar — Octave on Sukhumvit 57 has a 360° Bangkok skyline view for the price of a €9 drink.
Morning: Check out and store luggage at Bangkok Hua Lamphong station (€1 per bag), then spend the morning at the Museum of Siam for an interactive Thai history lesson.
Afternoon: Pick up supplies — fresh fruit, instant noodles, snacks — at a 7-Eleven near the station for the overnight journey, and book a tuk-tuk tour of the old city lanes.
Evening: Board the 6 pm sleeper train (€15 second-class air-con sleeper) from Hua Lamphong; watch the Bangkok suburbs dissolve into rice paddies as you rock gently north.
Morning: Arrive at 6 am, check into a guesthouse in the walled Old City, then rent a bicycle (€2/day) to loop the square moat and duck into atmospheric Wat Chedi Luang.
Afternoon: Take a songthaew (red shared taxi, €1) up the winding road to Doi Suthep temple at 1,080 m — climb the 306 naga-serpent staircase for valley-wide views.
Evening: Lose yourself in the aromatic lanes of the Sunday Walking Street market on Wualai Road for handmade silverware, lantern art, and khao soi soup.
Morning: Join a half-day ethical elephant sanctuary experience (€55 — verify no riding) where you feed, bathe, and walk alongside rescued elephants in a forest setting.
Afternoon: Continue to a nearby jungle waterfall for a refreshing swim, then visit a Karen hill-tribe village to learn about traditional weaving and bamboo crafts.
Evening: Return to the Night Bazaar area and book tomorrow's trekking guide over a steaming bowl of Chiang Mai's signature khao soi — a coconut-curry noodle masterpiece.
Morning: Set off at 7 am with a small-group guide (€30 includes transport, food, homestay) on a forest trek through bamboo groves and terraced rice fields toward an Akha village.
Afternoon: Hike 12 km through jungle canopy, spot wild orchids and hornbills, and arrive at a remote hilltop village where villagers demonstrate rice-husking and natural dyeing.
Evening: Sleep in a simple bamboo homestay, share a communal dinner of jungle herbs and sticky rice cooked over a wood fire under an impossibly starry sky.
Morning: Return from the trek, shower, and take a songthaew to Chiang Mai airport for a noon AirAsia flight to Koh Samui (book ahead, ~€40).
Afternoon: Ferry or taxi to your Chaweng Beach bungalow (€20–30/night), throw on swimmers, and wade straight into the warm turquoise Gulf of Thailand.
Evening: Stroll the Chaweng Beach Road evening market for grilled satay, fresh coconut ice cream, and a €3 Leo beer watching fire-dancers on the sand.
Morning: Take the 30-minute Raja Ferry (€5) from Nathon pier to Koh Phangan and check into a bungalow near Haad Rin for easy Full Moon Party access.
Afternoon: Rent a scooter (€7/day, check insurance) and explore the island's wild northern coast — Bottle Beach requires a longtail boat and rewards with total seclusion.
Evening: If timing aligns, dance on Haad Rin beach at the legendary Full Moon Party (€15 entry includes a bucket of cheap cocktails) until sunrise paints the sea pink.
Morning: Recover with a long breakfast at a jungle café in the island's hilly interior, then hike 45 minutes to Phaeng Waterfall for a cold plunge in the forest pool.
Afternoon: Head to Thong Nai Pan Noi on the northeast coast — arguably the most beautiful bay on the island — for crystal water, swinging hammocks, and zero crowds.
Evening: Eat at a beachside shack, order the catch-of-the-day grilled whole with lemongrass and chilli, and watch squid-fishing boats light up the black horizon.
Morning: Take the Lomprayah catamaran (€12) south to Koh Tao, one of the world's cheapest and best places to get PADI Open Water certified (~€300 for 4-day course).
Afternoon: Even non-divers can snorkel Shark Bay (aka Aow Leuk) and spot harmless blacktip reef sharks gliding over staghorn coral in waters only 2 metres deep.
Evening: Climb to the John-Suwan viewpoint at sunset for a panorama of Ko Nang Yuan's triple-island sandbar, then eat fresh tuna sashimi at a Japanese-Thai fusion shack.
Morning: Join a full-day snorkel tour (€20) circumnavigating Koh Tao and nearby Koh Nang Yuan — you'll see sea turtles, clownfish, and coral gardens in eye-watering visibility.
Afternoon: Rent a kayak (€8/half day) and paddle the quieter western coast, stopping in hidden coves only reachable by water, and nap on a deserted white crescent beach.
Evening: The main street of Mae Haad village fills with travellers after dark — share a wooden table, order a €5 Thai green curry, and swap island stories with strangers.
Morning: Wake before dawn for a final sunrise swim, eat one last plate of mango sticky rice from the pier-side market, then board the 8 am Lomprayah ferry to Chumphon.
Afternoon: Take the connecting bus-train combo to Bangkok (€15 total, 7 hours) — plug in headphones, watch the southern landscape roll past, and rest your legs for the city.
Evening: Check back into a Khao San Road hostel for the last night, reunite with backpackers on the terrace, and toast the trip with a €2 street-side Chang over candlelight.
Morning: Rise early for a last dim-sum breakfast in Chinatown, then grab any souvenirs — silk scarves, elephant-print harem pants, or bags of Thai tea — from Chatuchak or MBK mall.
Afternoon: Take the BTS to On Nut and indulge in a traditional Thai herbal steam and massage at a local spa (€15/90 min) to soothe 14 days of hiking and beach miles.
Evening: Board the Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai with plenty of time, carry on the memories, a belly full of tom yum, and a phone absolutely stuffed with golden-hour photos.
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