46-Day Itinerary in Thailand (page 1 of 7)

Hi everyone, I’m a die-hard fan of India, but it’s time I discovered Thailand too to broaden my Asian horizons. I’m heading there on January 19, 2025, for a 46-day trip (no visa needed as I’m French). I’ve pored over a few guidebooks and travel blogs. Based on what caught my interest, I’ve put together a rough itinerary and list of sights. But since I know absolutely nothing about Thailand, I’m kind of flying blind here. Since I’m not exactly a spring chicken anymore, I’ve opted for a few bases where I’ll stay several days in the same place. That way, I won’t have to change locations and hotels every day or so, packing and unpacking my suitcase constantly. Instead, I plan to explore the surrounding area each day, within a maximum radius of 50 to 70 km. So, first question: Is that kind of round-trip distance manageable in a day in Thailand? In India, renting a car for a day—with a driver—currently costs around 35 to 40 € per day. Knowing that 1,300 to 1,500 THB would be my absolute max, and even then, only if I don’t rent a car every single day. Which brings me to my second question: Am I being unrealistic? Otherwise—third question—once I’m settled in the city I’ve chosen as my base, can I get around within that 50–70 km radius using public transport? I’ve already booked all my hotels—with free cancellation—on booking.com at an average price of 950/1,000 THB per night. Does that put me in a good range for value for money? Or am I dreaming?

Here’s my plan:

BANGKOK (13 days, 14 nights): 1 week for exploring Bangkok – Kanchanaburi/Erawan National Park? – Ayutthaya/Lopburi? – Muang Boran – Samut – Songkram/Amphawa

Bangkok -> Chiang Mai by overnight train in first-class sleeper

CHIANG MAI (6 days/6 nights): Mae Hong Son – Hot springs – Chiang Dao – caves – Lamphun – other places to be decided on the spot based on what’s worth seeing and transport options

Chiang Mai -> Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI (7 days/8 nights): Fang – Tha Ton – Chiang Saen – Doi Tung – Chiang Khong – Doi Ang Khang, Phu Chi Fah, etc.

Chiang Rai -> Phrae

PHRAE (4 days/5 nights): Lampang and surrounding areas, depending on what’s interesting to see

Phrae -> Loei

LOEI (4 days/5 nights): Phu Kradung – Chiang Khan and surrounding areas, depending on what’s worth seeing

Loei -> Buriram

PHIMAI (Nakhon Ratchasima/Khorat) (5 days/6 nights): Phimai – Prasat Muang Tam – Phanom Rung – Prasat Phanom Wan

Phimai -> Khorat (airport or train station) -> Bangkok (overnight in Bangkok)

Day 46: BANGKOK -> KOCHI

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice!

Hi there, I’m also a huge fan of India... for a long time now. But I really love Thailand too. It’s so different from India, and I enjoy spending 1 or 2 months there after India. To answer your questions... transportation is very well organized, comfortable, and... punctual. The main roads are in great condition. In cities, you’ve got tuk-tuks (the equivalent of rickshaws) and metered taxis. As for car rentals, I’ve never tried it, but renting a scooter or motorcycle is no problem at all. For accommodation, I pay around 550 to 800 THB for two. Have a great trip to the Land of Smiles!

Really nice itinerary!

Personally, I’d skip Lopburi (no interest at all).

I’d try to add Sangkhla Buri (Thailand’s largest teak bridge over the lake) after Kanchanaburi. Such a great vibe and it’s so beautiful!!

I prefer Sukhothai over Ayutthaya.

Between Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai, Pai is also lovely—gorgeous nature.

In Chiang Rai, check out Doi Chang and Singha Park.

Phrae and Loei aren’t must-sees for a first trip.

In Asia, Agoda is way better than Booking for prices, and you can often cancel for free.

For prices, you’re spot on—easy to find between 800 and 1400 THB.

Taxis are cheap, and public transport is dirt cheap.

100–150 km a day is no problem for exploring around your hotel

I’m also a huge fan of India... for a long time now.

Yeah, I’ve seen you post on the India forum before.

Travel is very well organized, comfortable, and... punctual. The main roads are in great condition. In cities, you’ve got tuk-tuks—same as rickshaws—and metered taxis. I’ve never rented a car, but renting a scooter or motorcycle is no problem. For accommodation, I pay around 550 to 800 THB for two. Enjoy your trip to the Land of Smiles!

Still, I’ve read everywhere to avoid tuk-tuks and go for taxis instead—they’re super cheap. No way I’m renting a scooter, let alone a motorcycle ;) Thanks so much for this message—it’s reassuring!

Really nice itinerary!

Personally, I’d skip Lopburi (no interest at all).

I’d try to add Sangkhla Buri (Thailand’s largest teak bridge over the lake) after Kanchanaburi. Such a great vibe and it’s so beautiful!!

I prefer Sukhothai over Ayutthaya.

Between Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai, Pai is also lovely—gorgeous nature.

In Chiang Rai, check out Doi Chang and Singha Park.

Phrae and Loei aren’t essential for a first trip.

In Asia, Agoda is way better than Booking for prices, and you can often cancel for free.

For prices, you’re spot on—easy to find places between 800 and 1400 THB.

Taxis are cheap, and public transport is dirt cheap.

100–150 km a day is no problem for exploring around your hotel.

Hi and thank you so much! I’d written a long, detailed reply based on all your tips and suggestions. But at the last minute, the page glitched again—it’s a nightmare on VF!—and I lost everything. I’m not starting over. Anyway, a huge thank you!

When you're writing a long post, every few paragraphs, copy-paste and save it in your notepad that you’ve already placed on your desktop. For the rest, as I mentioned, I think I’ll be able to reach out to you tomorrow.

So, IS ANYONE going to help Marien33 out?

to avoid changing locations and hotels almost every day and constantly packing and unpacking my suitcase. Instead, I plan to explore the surrounding areas each day within a maximum radius of 50 to 70 km.

I’m not sure if it’s more relaxing to travel every day? 70 km x 2 still adds up to 140 kilometers of public transport or taxi rides in a single day...

Should I change locations more often but stay at least 2 nights each time to balance both approaches?

950/1000 THB per night

That’s just under 30 € per night.

You didn’t specify the category.

On average, I’m spending around 45 € (for a double room) in mid-range accommodations, mostly in the pricier part of Thailand (the southern triangle: Krabi, Surat Thani, Khao Lak).

1 week for visiting Bangkok – Kanchanaburi/Erawan National Park? – Ayutthaya/Lopburi? – Muang Boran – Samut – Songkram/Amphawa

So, changing your base for each of these places?

Bangkok -> Chiang Mai by overnight train in 1st class sleeper

Those sleepers are popular among travelers. Don’t forget to book as soon as reservations open.

And like in India, when there’s AC, it gets freezing...

PHIMAI (Nakhon Ratchasima/Khorat) (5 days/6 nights): Phimai – Prast Muang Tam Prasat Hin – Phanom Rung – Prasat PhanomWan

I loved Phimai and Phanom Rung—it had a bit of an Angkor vibe. My memories are old, though; the area wasn’t touristy at all back then. I get the feeling Isan is still off the beaten path.

For Khorat, there was a train.

Chiang Mai -> Chiang Rai

I’d originally planned these destinations until I learned March is burning season.

Since you’ll be there in February, you should be fine.

My tip: take the train instead of the bus, even if it’s slower, so you can enjoy the scenery (plus, you can move around—it’s way more comfortable). With 46 days, you’ve got plenty of time!

Good evening,

If there’s such a thing as useless posts, I think yours might just win the golden chocolate palm of failure.

It might’ve been a good idea to read the thread before jumping in (a few people have already shared some answers), or even better, to "fuel" the debate with relevant opinions and suggestions on the topic...

Anyway...

To add a little grain to the mill for the author of this thread, I’ll probably be a bit less enthusiastic than the previous contributors.

For a first trip, the itinerary seems very—if not way too—ambitious, but that’s just my opinion.

You say you’re "no longer young"

Without being too wrong, I think you’ll end up exhausted from this trip.

The route is a tourist highway for a good part of the stay.

Bangkok in 7 days right off the bat will already be overwhelming.

The next 6 days with Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, and the rest won’t be a walk in the park either, especially since I still haven’t figured out if your plan includes a round trip to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok. If that’s the case, it’ll be a marathon.

Skipping Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son and the rest in 6 days—we’re continuing the marathon, and if you’re thinking of doing Chiang Mai->Mae Hong Son as a day trip, expect to take a minivan there and back without barely setting foot in Mae Hong Son.

I’ll stop here because you can imagine the rest of your "delights" will, in my view, be more of the same.

Regarding your questions about travel distances, it’s definitely manageable, but since I’ve only rented cars without a driver, I can’t give you any pricing details for a chauffeur service. However, I’m convinced that to stick to such a packed schedule, you’ll need to use one every day outside Bangkok.

Also, knowing that Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai are tourist factories, there’ll be plenty of options, but it might be harder or more expensive in less-visited areas like Khorat or Buriram.

For the third question: the answer is yes, without hesitation. Except it shouldn’t be your first trip there, you need to have at least a basic grasp of Thai, and you need to know how Thailand’s transport system works—which is far from easy for a first-timer, even for some Thais. I don’t think you can check all those boxes, so drop the idea fast. Even with 10 years living here, I wouldn’t do some of these trips without being accompanied by Thai friends, because even if some don’t have the transport know-how, they have one advantage I’ll never have: the Thai language.

As for hotels, after many experiences, price isn’t always a guarantee of quality in Thailand, so there’s no saying you won’t be disappointed. That said, reviews on booking sites can be helpful.

Far from me the idea of worrying you—Thailand remains an incredibly interesting and fascinating country—but in my view, it’s best enjoyed at the pace of the Thai people and their serenity.

Obviously, everything I’ve written above is just my opinion, which others may not share at all. Such is life.

It’s up to you to find the right solution if it exists—the one that suits you best...

Safe travels.

Partir

Hello! I’m heading to Thailand at the end of November for two months before heading off to India ;-) For Thailand, I recommend downloading the GRAB app. The prices are unbeatable. It’s a great complement to tuk-tuks, which are usually for very local trips. It works like Uber, except you can pay in cash even when booking through the app.

There are also the Bolt and InDrive apps.

But it’s not always better than a taxi, though it does give you a price indication. And in some areas, it doesn’t work at all.

Always remember that taxis in Thailand are very cheap.

So, IS ANYONE going to help Marien33?

😏😏😏 Dying of laughter!!

Hi Kate, I’m reaching out to you to respond to this gentleman who replied to me—not directly, but through you. And he did so in a rude and aggressive way toward you, even though you’d just wanted to give me a kind word of encouragement, since I’d mentioned in another discussion that I wasn’t getting many responses... I want to thank this gentleman for taking the time to send me such a long message. For my part, I’ll be more concise in telling him that even though I mentioned being a certain age, I don’t travel—yet—in a wheelchair. In fact, I’m a grown man, I’ve got a brain that works just fine, and if I see for myself that I’m too tired or that I’ve been too ambitious—I prefer the word *ambitious* to *marathon*—I’ll be smart enough not to push myself to see everything or even make drastic cuts to my plans. But 46 days gives me plenty of time, especially in Thailand, which isn’t India when it comes to transportation. In the end, this gentleman didn’t really teach me much except that I’m a newbie in Thailand, which I already knew myself—otherwise, I wouldn’t have posted this request. Still, I sincerely thank him for his reply, and I’ll take it into account... or not—wink to Attila.

Hi there, I'm heading to Thailand at the end of November for 2 months before heading off to India ;-) For Thailand, I recommend downloading the GRAB app. The prices are unbeatable. It complements tuk-tuks, which are usually for very local trips. It works like Uber, except you can pay in cash even when booking through the app.

Thanks so much for the tip. I’ll definitely keep it in mind.

There are also the Bolt and InDrive apps.

But it's not always better than a taxi, but it gives you an idea of the price. And in some areas, it doesn’t work at all.

Always remember that taxis in Thailand are very cheap.

Thanks so much to you too. I’ll keep that in mind.

Good evening,

If I didn’t reply directly, it’s because I know that, as the thread author, you’re notified of messages posted here.

But well, if I’d known you were so sensitive...

I don’t see any rudeness or aggression in my message—I just pointed out how useless this post is, especially when no info is given about the requests.

If uselessness is your thing, then by all means...

As for the rest of your message, it doesn’t bother me if my post "doesn’t teach you much"—that’s probably because of your vast knowledge, which I hadn’t suspected.

That said, it at least helps us understand why most of the old-timers from before don’t come back to post replies.

Have a good evening.

Leaving

Hello, I’m only responding to what I know a bit about since I traveled through some of these places back in 1980!

And I plan to explore the surrounding areas each day, within a maximum radius of 50 to 70 km. So, first question: is this round-trip distance manageable in a day in Thailand?

Yes, but it’s pushing it—though the roads are much better than in India. If you have to do this often, it might get tiring.

CHIANG MAI (6 days/6 nights): Mae Hong Son - Hot Springs - Chiang Dao - Caves – Lamphun – other places to be determined on-site based on what’s interesting and transport options

That doesn’t add up at all. To visit Mae Hong Son, which is over 200 km from Chiang Mai, you’ll need to stay there or within 30 km. Chiang Dao is over 100 km from Chiang Mai!... Lamphun is south of Chiang Mai (25/30 km) and is best done by taxi or songthaews.

CHIANG RAI (7 days/8 nights): Fang – Tha Ton

A suggestion for traveling from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in 2 or 3 days (or more if you have time). That’s what I did (among other things) in 1980. From Chiang Mai, go to Fang (now takes 3–4 hours by minibus), then to Thaton (by bus or taxi). A half-hour taxi ride. Stay there overnight. The next day (or the day after), take a boat down the Kok River to Chiang Rai.

In Mae Hong Son (you *must* stay overnight!), there are plenty of temples to visit and villages like Lahu, Karen, Lisu, etc. Things have probably changed a lot... and the villages may have become overly touristy. I did this on foot over several days back then. After Mae Hong Son, I recommend heading to Mae Sariang (about 150 km south), by a river and surrounded by forested mountains. It was very peaceful at the time, with a lovely traditional market, tea fields, and plenty to see, including several old wats. For the rest, I don’t know much, and I’ve also forgotten a fair bit.

Here’s an ambitious and spread-out itinerary. There’s some streamlining and development to be done. You’ve chosen hotels in a price range that isn’t the lowest, which will help you avoid certain discomforts and provide a bit more comfort—something that’s not insignificant for a month and a half. I sent you an email.

Hello I’m only responding to what I know a bit about since I traveled through some of these places back in 1980!

And I plan to explore the surrounding areas each day, within a maximum radius of 50 to 70 km. So, first question: Is this round-trip distance manageable in a day in Thailand?

Yes, but it’s pushing it—though traffic is much better than in India. If you do this often, it could get tiring.

CHIANG MAI (6 days/6 nights): Mae Hong Son - Hot Springs - Chiang Dao - Caves – Lamphun – other places to be decided on the spot based on what’s interesting and transport options

That doesn’t add up at all. To visit Mae Hong Son, which is over 200 km from Chiang Mai, you’ll need to stay there or within 30 km. Chiang Dao is over 100 km from Chiang Mai!... Lamphun is south of Chiang Mai (25–30 km) and is best done by taxi or songthaews.

CHIANG RAI (7 days/8 nights): Fang – Tha Ton

A suggestion for traveling from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in 2 or 3 days (or longer if you have time). That’s what I did (among other things) in 1980. From Chiang Mai, go to Fang (now takes 3–4 hours by minibus), then to Tha Ton (by bus or taxi). About half an hour by taxi. Stay there overnight. The next day (or the day after), take a boat down the Kok River to Chiang Rai.

In Mae Hong Son (you *must* stay overnight!), there are plenty of temples to visit and villages like Lahu, Karen, Lisu, etc. Things have probably changed a lot... and the villages may have become overly touristy. I did this on foot over several days. After Mae Hong Son, I recommend heading to Mae Sariang (about 150 km south), by a river and surrounded by forested mountains. It was very peaceful back then, with a lovely traditional market, tea fields, and lots to see, including several old wats. For the rest, I don’t know much, and I’ve also forgotten a fair bit.

Good evening Jean Michel, I had written a long reply, and the page just crashed again. Everything’s gone... I’ll try again tomorrow. Thanks so much

Hi Jean-Michel, I’m picking up my reply from yesterday that got lost—I hope I manage to finish it this time!

That really doesn’t work at all. To visit Mae Hong Son, which is over 200 km from Chiang Mai, you need to stay there or within 30 km.

I’d actually made that note myself and had removed it from my itinerary. But a friend assured me it was doable by spending one night there—while leaving my suitcase at the Chiang Mai hotel and coming back the next morning.

Chiang Dao is over 100 km from Chiang Mai!…

I thought that by leaving early in the morning—by car—it’d be doable in a day with a return to my hotel in the evening without too much fatigue.

From Chiang Mai, go to Fang (currently takes 3–4 hours by minibus), then to Thaton (bus or taxi). Half an hour by taxi. Stay there. The next day or the day after, take a boat down the Kok River to Chiang Rai.

I’d planned that too, and it really interested me. But I saw that at this time of year, there isn’t enough water for the boat trip.

In Mae Hong Son (you *have* to stay there!) there are plenty of temples to visit and villages like Lahu, Karen, Lisu, etc. Things have probably changed a lot… and the villages may have become too touristy. I did this on foot over several days. After Mae Hong Son, I recommend going to Mae Sariang (about 150 km south), by a river and surrounded by forested mountains. It was very peaceful back then, with a beautiful traditional market, tea fields, and lots to see, including several old wats.

This makes me want to reschedule that trip and adjust my stays to include overnight hotel stops. I think I need to rework all of this—it was just a first draft. I’m a bit of a lone old bear, and I’d prefer to avoid places that are too crowded… But without knowing Thailand, it’s pretty tricky!