Thailand has a grip on me. It’s one of those countries that gives you everything — jungle and city, chaos and calm, temples and tuk-tuks and turquoise water so clear it looks Photoshopped. Not to mention the food. Without doubt the best country for food I experienced on my entire backpacking trip. After backpacking the country from top to bottom (and making a detour through Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia in between), here’s my route because I think we got it pretty spot on. I genuinely wouldn’t change what we did. It’s a route that makes space for adventure and rest. For getting lost and finding exactly what you didn’t know you needed.

So if you’re dreaming of a North to South Thailand trip (with a side of island hopping), here’s your guide — starting in Bangkok, heading north, and either looping through Southeast Asia or heading down to the south for beaches and a floating bungalow.

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📍 Stop 1: Bangkok (2–3 Days)

Yes, it’s chaotic. Yes, it’s overwhelming. But Bangkok grows on you — promise. It’s skyscrapers and street food, riverboats and rooftop bars. You’ll sweat a lot and maybe experience an electrical storm (just me?), but it’s part of the experience. Trust me when I say when we arrived back in Bangkok after two months in other Southeast Asian countries it was an absolute breeze.

Don’t miss:

• Chatuchak Weekend Market (make sure there’s plenty of room in your backpack)
• Khao San Road (even if it’s just once)
• A Chao Phraya River cruise (or get the taxi boat between must visit tourist hotspots)

Getting there: Bangkok is Thailand’s main international hub, so fly into Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) or Don Mueang Airport (DMK) depending on your airline.

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📍 Stop 2: Chiang Mai (3–4 Days)

Catch an overnight train or a quick domestic flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. We took the flight because by the time we looked at booking the overnight train there was only 3rd class left and quite honestly I wasn’t prepared to rough it like that this early into the trip. The flight was only an hour and a half and didn’t cost an awful lot more than the train. It seemed more than worth it to us.

Chiang Mai is all old city charm and temple vibes — a perfect shift from Bangkok’s buzz. Wander the Old City walls, take a Thai cooking class (I had an awful attempt at some summer rolls), and get lost in the Night Markets. There’s one every Friday, Saturday and Sunday each on different streets.

Don’t miss:

• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (there’s a great hike you can do called the Monks Trail)
• Elephant Nature Park or Chiang Chill (an ethical sanctuary — no riding, just good vibes)
• Doi Inthanon National Park Tour
• Must try Khao Soi, a northern curry noodle soup that’s chef’s kiss

Getting there:

• 🛤️ Overnight sleeper train: ~13 hours, book early for lower bunks
• ✈️ Flight: 1.5 hours with budget airlines like AirAsia or Nok Air

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📍 Stop 3: Pai (2–3 Days)

A winding 3-hour minibus journey (grab the travel sickness tablets) takes you to Pai — a little hippie town in the mountains where time moves differently. Rent a scooter, explore the canyon, and soak in hot springs or go tipsy tubing (if it’s not called off :/ ). It’s a backpacker hub.

Don’t miss:

• Pai Canyon
• Two Huts at sunset
• Chill!!

Getting there:

• 🚐 Minivan from Chiang Mai: ~3–4 hours, available multiple times daily

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After Pai, we headed off into Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia — and honestly, that extra loop made coming back to Thailand even sweeter. It made us realise how chilled and easy Thailand is to travel. If you’re on a longer backpacking trip, highly recommend taking the detour. But this blog is about Thailand, so let’s pick it back up where we came back to the Land of Smiles — the south!

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📍 Back in Bangkok (1 Night, optional)

On our route back from Cambodia, we took a bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok. After a 7 hour bus ride, we stayed one night to reset, reorganise our bags, and squeezed in some incredible vegan food (which I had been craving over the previous two months) before heading to the beaches.

Getting there:

• 🚐 Bus from Siem Reap took about 7 hours including a slow border crossing and Bangkok traffic. 100% recommend Giant Ibis for this journey and all journeys throughout Cambodia
• ✈️ Flights from most Southeast Asian capitals are super affordable and frequent

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📍 Stop 4: Krabi / Ao Nang (2–3 Days)

Our southern Thailand chapter started in Ao Nang, Krabi — a perfect entry point to island life. The limestone cliffs at Railay Beach? Unreal. You’re suddenly living in a postcard. Ps if you are a backpacker on a budget you’ll feel that this is where the financial squeeze starts because the south is significantly more expensive than the north.

Don’t miss:

• 4 or 7 islands boat tour
• The monkey trail (be careful the monkey’s can be vicious as my poor friend Erin unfortunately found out)
• The chill vibes of Ao Nang bars

Getting there:

• ✈️ Flight from Bangkok to Krabi: ~1.5 hours

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🏝️ Island Hopping Time! (10–14 Days)

Here’s how we did it:

🌴 Koh Samui (2–3 Nights)

Not my favourite island, but worth it for the logistics. Samui does also have an airport and connects you to the rest of the Gulf islands so you could fly from Bangkok straight here however the backpacker budget didn’t allow for that. Think beach resorts, big Buddha statues, and slightly fancier vibes (although this may be questionable in parts). Less of a backpacker scene here and more of a “Benidorm” holiday vibe especially on Chaweng Beach.

Don’t miss:

• Beach clubs (you’ll find some of the best and boujeest beach clubs)
• Overlap stone

Getting there:

• 🚐 Minivan + 🚤 Ferry from Krabi to Koh Samui
• ✈️ Flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui: ~1.5 hours

🌴 Koh Tao (2–3 Nights minimum)

A diver’s dream. I didn’t dive, but even snorkelling here was next level. Cute beach bars, clear water, and that kind of island time that makes you forget what day it is. It’s genuinely the type of island that you could end up staying far longer than you were ever planning on doing. Koh Tao was the highlight of my trip for sure!

Don’t miss:

• A trip to Koh Nang Yuan
• Snorkelling, especially at Shark Bay
• Cafe and beach bar culture

Getting there:

• 🚤 Ferry from Koh Samui: ~1.5 hours

🌴 Koh Phangan (2–3 Nights)

Yes, it’s home to the Full Moon Party. But also? Beautiful hikes, quiet beaches, and great food.

Don’t miss:

• The beaches and viewpoints
• Full moon party (can’t speak from experience on this one though!)

Getting there:

• 🚤 Ferry from Koh Tao or Koh Samui: ~30–60 minutes

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📍 Stop 5: Khao Sok National Park (2–3 Days)

After the islands, we swapped sea for jungle. Khao Sok felt like stepping into a movie set — dramatic limestone karsts, misty lakes, and floating bungalows. It was one of the most unexpectedly magical places we visited.

Don’t miss:

• A night on Cheow Lan Lake (we booked with Chillax hostel)
• Early morning boat safaris
• Jungle trekking with local guides

Getting there:

• 🚤 Ferry to mainland + 🚐 Minivan transfer to Khao Sok (from Koh Phangan)

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📍 Stop 6: Phuket (2–3 Days)

Phuket is a bit love-it-or-hate-it, but we tried to make the most of it despite Alex getting food poisoning here. We stayed in the Old Town as we’d seen a few quite a few beaches at this point and needed a change. Honestly in my opinion you could skip Phuket, however it made sense logistically for us to spend a couple of nights here.

Don’t miss:

• Phuket Old Town
• Anamanda Waterpark*

Getting there:

• 🚐 Minivan from Khao Sok: ~4 hours

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📍 Stop 7: Koh Phi Phi (2 Nights)

Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, it’s kind of a party island. But there’s a reason it’s famous — Maya Bay is unreal, and the snorkelling is next level. I swam with a shark!!!

Don’t miss:

• The Reggae Reggae Bar
• Maya Bay (recommend doing the early morning tour)
• Viewpoints 1, 2 & 3 (they’re all connected)

Getting there:

• 🚤 Ferry from Phuket: ~2 hours

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📍 Stop 8: Koh Lanta (2–3 Nights)

Koh Lanta was our wind-down spot. We stayed 6 nights here to truly relax before our next country. Peaceful, relaxed, and just the right amount of sleepy. We hired a car and drove around, ate our weight in curry, and watched sunsets in complete awe.

Don’t miss:

• Lanta Animal Welfare Center
• Lanta Cinema
• Must try Yawee restaurant

Getting there:

• 🚤 Ferry from Koh Phi Phi: ~1 hour

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✈️ Leaving Thailand

You can loop back to Krabi or Phuket to catch a flight, or head back to Bangkok if you’re flying internationally.

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Thailand (especially the south over Christmas) taught me that plans are just outlines. Be flexible, take in the Thai way, it feels disorganised but you always get from A to B. But in the midst of it all, the people, the food, the diversity from north to south it’s a country that truly has it all.

So take this itinerary, tweak it, stretch it, skip bits. Let the country meet you where you are. And trust that wherever you end up — sweaty, sandy, maybe slightly sunburnt — you’ll come back a little more you. If you need a full itinerary with places to eat and where to stay in each location you can find everything you need in my Newbie Backpacker Guide.

There’s a part of me that is still in Thailand.

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Enjoy your Travels

Em x

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