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Since I've been living off and on in Thailand for almost 8 years now, naturally have had dozens of friends ask me what they should do in Thailand on vacation. I've written books and longer blog posts about moving here as an expat or living here as a digital nomad, but realized that I didn't have a blog post dedicated for people visiting purely on vacation for a week or two which is what most people's vacations end up being, especially my American friends who hardly get any time off of work. In this post I'm going to share where I would go if I just had a short vacation and wanted to see the best of Thailand, skip the tourist traps, avoid getting ripped off, and really have the best experience possible.
I'm going to break down this blog post to what to do if you have one week or less, two weeks or more, and include some info for those who have the freedom of time to stay even longer and explain what I'd do and see if I were in their shoes and had to start all over again. My goal with this and with all of my posts is to write it to be able to share with my friends, family, and anyone else in my personal network that would normally come to me for advice. Get ready, as Thailand is an extraordinary place and one of my favorite countries in the world, which explains why I keep coming back to visit year after year.
One of my favorite things about Thailand is the fact that it's in the perfect location in the world where there's always one coast that has good weather even when it's monsoon season on the other side, yet it's small enough where you can fly from one place to another in 1.5 hours or less for $100 or less!
That being said, the best time to come is anytime, and the sooner the better, and for the longer the better. But if you really had to choose, the best weather is ironically during December/January which is also the busiest high season as well, which kind of sucks as the entire country gets crowded with tourists which means, you'll have less space to yourself and pay higher prices for everything, especially accomidation. But don't worry, since I'm a local and have been living here half of the year or more since 2008, I can steer you in the right direction no matter what.
First, decide which part of the country you want to go. Let's break it down further by area.
The following weather is basically for anything north of Bangkok including Chiang Mai, Pai and Chiang Rai.
November - February:
Best time to come as it's the cool season, which means, even though you'll need a light jacket in the mornings and evenings, during the day it's sunny and perfect and ranges from 21-28 degrees celsius, which is about 70-82F. At night it can drop down to as low as 10-13c which is 50-55F.
March - April:
This is the worst time to come to Chiang Mai as it's burning season where the farmers burn the crops and fill the sky with smoke that chokes the city, traps car pollution and otherwise makes it miserable. Exact dates vary depending on the rainfall for the year but in general avoid Chiang Mai from February 20th - April 11th each year.
April - May:
This is hot season. The only reason to come here during this time is to go to the Songkran water fight celebration. Other wise, I'd go down to the islands to dip in the sea and cool off during these months.
June - October:
While it's known as the rainy season, or green season, it's actually a really nice time to be in Chiang Mai. The air is super clean from the rain, the jungles are lush green, there is a ton of ripe fruit, and even though it may rain hard for 2-3 hours a day, just make sure you're inside during those times and the rest of the day is usually beautiful and sunny. Most of my days during this time consist of waking up to the sunshine, going for a walk, or even a swim, ducking into a coffee shop to edit photos and go online for a few hours when it starts raining, then having the rest of the day be beautiful again.
The best islands to visit in Thailand is the ones that currently have the best weather. You'll love pretty much any of the islands if you have bright, sunny days, and dread them if you go there during monsoon season. So when it comes to the Phuket vs. Koh Samui debate, my suggestion is to go to the one that has the best weather during your time of visit, as they are similar enough where you'll enjoy either if your timing is right.
West Coast Islands: Phuket, Krabi, Lanta, Phi Phi
Any island west of the peninsula is on the Andaman Sea side and is best visited anytime from November to March. Even though it's technically wet season on the west coast from April - October, I've lived in Phuket during that time and it wasn't that bad at all. The only problem with places like Koh Lanta or Phi Phi during the rain is that there isn't anywhere to escape to and most restaurants are indoor/outdoor.
Phuket on the other hand is more built up, so you could always go to a mall, indoor restaurant or even a movie theater if it happens to rain that day. Just like Chiang Mai, just because it's rainy season during these months doesn't mean it rains all day everyday. You'll still get clear days, and be able to sit on the beach or by the pool for at least a few hours a day usually.
But still the best times to come are November - March if you want to go down to the west coast islands.
Do not go to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao in November! It's super monsoon season there during that time and will most likely rain all day, all night, and flood at some points. The good news however, is pretty much the rest of the year is great there on the east coast, which is the Gulf of Thailand.
Go to that side anytime between mid December onwards or anytime between January - October 9th or so. Just make sure you go to the Phuket side if your trip is from October 10th - December 10th as it's terrible on the east side then. My favorite island on this coast is probably Koh Tao as it's a fun, beautiful backpacker island with a ton of cheap, easy, scuba diving on the island.
So now that I've broken down the best and worst months, you should use that as an idea of where to actually go during your trip. My suggestion to anyone coming to Thailand for the first time would be to skip Bangkok either entirely, or save it till your last 2 days of your trip as that's more than enough time to see everything there, and you'll be more comfortable with Thai culture and the business of Asia before you go to the big city capital.
Bangkok is overwhelming, even for locals. I know some people love the craziness of big cities, but if you're coming on vacation, trust me, save it till the end of your trip, as the main reason to go there is to shop and you won't want to carry everything you bought with you down to the islands and then back up again. So if you insist on buying clothes or souvenirs buy it at the end of your trip.
So even though my favorite city in Thailand by far is Chiang Mai and it's where I live most of the year, for most people during their vacation, you should go down to the island's first as it has more of a wow factor.
My favorite island is probably Koh Lanta as it has a good mix of a laid back island vibe, great restaurants, and is a great spot for couples. Koh Samui on the east coast would be similar but a bit larger. Koh Lanta however has world class scuba diving and Samui has basically nothing.
If you're looking for a livelier scene, Koh Phi Phi or Koh Tao are known as backpacker islands and are filled with beach bars, people in their 20's and cheap places to stay. Both are great places to learn how to scuba dive and get your Open Water Certification as since the dive sites are close by, they are cheap to dive from.
Aside from that Koh Phangan is a great under visited island that has many faces. There is the full moon party which is awesome and great if you're under 35 and single. But it also has a lot of hippie parts that are a bit harder to get to but very nice.
Krabi is another island that is often missed even though it has an airport and some beautiful spots. The problem with Krabi is that the actual town of Ao Nang, similar to Phuket is a bit too touristy to enjoy. If you go, make sure you go to Railay Beach instead even though it's a bit out of the way as that's where you'll find the true beauty. It's known for world class outdoor rock climbing and free soloing which is climbing without ropes over water. Even if you're a beginner, it's worth going to as it's gorgeous and they have routes for all levels including novices.
1 Week:
If you only have 1 week or less, I would honestly tell you to either find a way to stay longer or just go somewhere closer to home such as Mexico if you're from the US. The problem with coming to Thailand for 7-10 days is that it takes 2 full days to get here, 1-2 days to get home, and you'll be exhausted from jet lag and travel while you're actually here. Because of that most people who come for a week end up just visiting Bangkok, which honestly isn't worth it.
I know everyone has different levels of vacation time and freedom of travel, but honestly, don't come if you're just here for 7 days. If you do, the best advice I could give you is to fly directly to Bangkok, Transfer right away with another direct flight on Bangkok Air to Phuket or Koh Samui and spend your entire time there until you have to leave, with maybe spending your last night in Bangkok just to see it. You can still do day trips from the islands, but make sure you don't try to move hotels too much as you'll be exhausted. </div>
2 Weeks:
This is the minimum amount of time I'd recomend anyone coming all the way to Thailand from either the US, Canada or Europe. My suggestion for you would be to fly into Bangkok, then directly fly with either Thai Air or Bangkok Air to one of the islands. Book your first 4 nights somewhere, then leave it open ended from there. Unless you're coming in December, you don't need to prebook as most of the year you can just book things a day or two beforehand.</div>
That way you'll have the freedom to stay longer or shorter at each destination. My advice would be to fly from Bangkok to either Krabi or Phuket, then island hop from there to places like Railey Beach, Phi Phi, or Koh Lanta as you please. You'll want to stay a minimum of 3 nights at each location to really get the most of it and settle in so you don't feel rushed. If you get bored of the islands, you can fly up to <a href="http://www.johnnyfd.com/2015/07/johnnys-guide-to-chiang-mai-thailand.html" target="_blank">Chiang Mai</a> to spend 3-4 nights at the end of your trip.</div>
3 Weeks:
As a tourist, this is the perfect amount of time to really enjoy Thailand. I'd recomend doing everything mentioned above but then spend the last week or so in Chiang Mai. The only thing you need to book ahead of time are the Elephant Parks in Chiang Mai as those get booked up weeks or months ahead. But everything else you can do last minute and stay flexible.
4 Weeks:
If you're backpacking around, or coming to live and work as a as a digital nomad then good for you! My suggestions would be to base yourself on Koh Lanta or Koh Phangan for the first month to enjoy the islands, then come up to Chiang Mai to actually live. Or if you're on a budget or really focused on the digital nomad life, just come straight to Chiang Mai and save the islands for a vacation.
As for places to see, you can easily spend a week in Chiang Mai as there's a ton to do which I wrote about in my Ultimate Guide to Chiang Mai. But aside from the city itself including the day trips, night markets, and temples, you can also go up to the hippie village of Pai for 3-5 days, where you can do things like stay at the Pai Circus Hostel and learn how to juggle and do acroyoga, or you can splurge and stay in pure luxury at Reverie Siam.
Aside from Pai, Chiang Dao is also a nice quiet and affordable get away, good for couples, or if you want to take some beautiful photos, go to the White Temple in Chiang Rai, and make sure you also visit the less famous, but even more impressive Black House Baan Dam which doesn't look as good in photos, but is much cooler in person.
Everyone always overpacks when coming to Thailand. You could technically show up with just the clothes on your back and $200 and buy everything you'll ever need here. Seriously, not even joking. On the islands you'll be wearing flip flops, shorts, and a tank-top everyday and up in Chiang Mai, you'll be wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
Aside from really speciality items, Thailand is now a 1st world country where even at 711 which they have on every other block, you can buy all of your toiletries you'll need. Even the luggage yourself will probably be cheaper in Thailand than back home. Knowing that, come with less stuff than you think you'll need. The only things that aren't available here that I would highly recomend are:
1. Neosporin - It's not available here, and it heals cuts 5x faster than any anti-biotic cream you can find here. You'll need it for random cuts you'll get from rocks, coral, walking around in sandals, wearing shorts, etc. just bring one tube.
2. Sun Block - You can buy it here but for whatever reason it's double the price. I'd bring a tube of SPF 30 if you want to save some money. Same thing as condoms or tampons. =)
3. Good Sandals - Even though it's cheap to buy knock of Havianan's here, since you'll be doing a lot of walking, I suggest bringing a better pair such as my favorite, the Luna Mono's. Also if you're larger than a size 11, you won't find shoes in Thailand, period.
4. Electronics - All electronics from laptops to cell phones are cheaper in the US than Thailand. In fact, if you time your arrival for October each year, you can fund your trip by buying two new iPhones as they are released and selling them here for a big markup the first month they come out. If you're planning to travel with a laptop, I suggest a 13" Macbook/Air/Pro or a 13" Chromebook. Leave your heavy 15" laptops at home, they're a hassle to travel with.
5. Extra Spac - Leave at least 33% of your luggage empty as you'll buy things guaranteed. Whether it be clothes, gifts or souvenirs, it's almost impossible to go to Thailand and not buy something. The best suitcases to bring would be a small day pack as your carry on, and a 75L suitcase or backpack as your main check in. Anything larger won't fit in most taxis, and will be difficult to move on and off ferries and boats when visiting the islands. I have a 30" Northface Rolling Duffle that I'm very happy with and think it's the perfect halfway point from a backpack and a suitcase.
Here are a list of the best parts and things to do in Thailand that I've loved the most. See which ones call out to you and put them on your to do list.
I had no idea how much I'd love it until actually coming here and trying it for the first time. If you've never done it before, I'd highly suggest getting super comfortable swimming in a pool if you haven't already. A good test is being able to swim with your head in the water for at least half a lap or being able to swim on the bottom of the pool. You can do a 1 day Discover Scuba Dive for around $100-$150 or get certified over 4 days for $300-$400. If you plan on getting certified, I'd highly recomend doing the free SSI Online course before you come.
Scuba Diving changed my life and is one of the most beautiful things you can do in your lifetime. It's like going to outer space and seeing thousands of alternative life forms. The oceans are dying so see them sooner than later as they won't be the same in 10 years. Snorkeling can also be nice, but diving is almost always 1000X better.
If you're interested in it as a martial art, Thailand is the home to Muay Thai. Go watch a fight at one of the big stadiums in Bangkok, or settle for a smaller show in Chiang Mai or Phuket. If you're really serious, go join a class while you're in town.
Elephant Trekking
One of the coolest things I've done in Chiang Mai was really experiencing the elephants. Don't go to a shitty show or ride as they are devastatingly cruel to the elephants. If you're going to go, do it the ethical way and read my guide to Elephants.If you're not coming up to Chiang Mai, these are the only other places to see them ethically. Do not support the elephant shows on the streets, the metal chair riding, or painting shows.
Night Markets
The best night markets in Thailand are in Chiang Mai on the weekends, both saturday and sunday night so try to come up for those. Also Bangkok has some good ones and there are small markets in most places worth going to.
Thai food is amazing. But you need to get out of the tourist traps to really enjoy it. Chiang Mai probably has the best food in Thailand, which is why foodies love it here. Bangkok also has great spots but are hard to get to. In general the islands are more expensive but you can still find good, authentic food, it just most likely won't be at your hotel or on the main tourist streets.
I hope you enjoy Thailand! It's probably my favorite country on Earth and it keeps me coming back each year for more!
Leave a comment to mention anything I might have left out, or ask me anything! I'm happy to help!
