Your recommendations for a 2-week trip to Thailand

Hi there,

We have the opportunity to get away for a little two-week trip at the very beginning of January, just the two of us, without our kids. Because of the kids, we haven’t traveled much in Asia, so we’d love to take advantage of their absence to explore Thailand. Even though I’m used to planning our trips, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed this time.

We’d like to visit Bangkok and head south by renting a car (we have an international driver’s license, and my husband has driven on the left before). I’ve managed to sketch out a rough itinerary that might work for us, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.

To set the scene: we haven’t booked anything yet, we don’t like spending hours on the beach (though a little time at the end of the day is fine), we love walking and sightseeing, and what we enjoy most is being independent (so if we can avoid group tours, that’s ideal).

After that intro, here’s the rough outline of our itinerary: Day 0: Paris-Bangkok flight Days 1, 2, and 3: Bangkok (Wat Pho, Grand Palace, Wat Arun, markets, boat ride through the khlongs, Jim Thompson House) Day 4: Ayutthaya Day 5: Pick up a rental car and head to Sam Roi Yot Day 6: Sam Roi Yot and Prachuap Khiri Khan Day 7: Drive south – overnight near Surat Thani Day 8: Uthayan Tham Khao Na Nai, then drive to Ao Nang (staying near Tubkaek) Days 9 and 10: Boat trips (Railay, Ko Hong, etc.) Day 11: Drive to Phang Nga with a few stops along the way Day 12: Boat tour (mangroves and Ko Tapu) Day 13: Drive to Phuket Airport and return flight

A few questions and doubts: - I’d considered Cheow Lan Lake but read some not-so-great reviews (crowds, just 3 viewpoints, and the rest was meh). What do you think? - Can we start from Ao Thalane Pier for trips to Ko Hong and Ko Tapu? - I’m not thrilled about driving through Bangkok, but I’m not sure where to rent a car west of the city (since we won’t return it to the same place, I assume it’s best to target rental companies at airports).

Thanks in advance for any tips or feedback you can share to help me (or not 😛) refine this plan before I start booking!

This reminds me of my last trip...😄

Seehere.

Hi Agnès,

That sounds just like my last trip...

Seehere.

I’ll admit, I kinda copied you I practically know your travel journal by heart 😉 Anyway, I wanted to comment on it, especially about renting a car. Which rental company did you book with in Hua Hin? I can’t find any

Hi Virginie,

We booked with Budget.

We didn’t want a small rental company, and we needed one where drop-off would be free.

Do you have any idea what you're planning to do in Sam Roi Yot and Prachuap? Because you're spending one day there where I'm planning 3 or 4...

One thing to consider: for such a short trip, I wouldn't have planned a detour to Ayutthaya.

Cheow Larn Lake is amazing—check out my travel journal from 2015.

Yes, it's pretty short.

You can actually save a day by skipping Ayutthaya.

Good evening,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Do you have an idea of what you plan to do in Sam Roi Yot and Prachuap? Because you’re budgeting one day where I’d planned 3 or 4...

I haven’t found a ton of info on this area so far. In Sam Roi Yot, I was thinking of doing the short hike to Phraya Nakhon Cave and the boardwalk at Bueng Bua. The photos really make me want to explore this national park. And in Prachuap, just the forest walk to see the monkeys. Do you have any other suggestions for things to do in this area?

One thing to consider: for such a short trip, I wouldn’t have planned a detour to Ayutthaya.

It could be a variable to adjust, but I’m still really tempted by the old temples... we’ll see. Otherwise, if I skip the Jim Thompson House visit and the boat ride through the khlongs, I can save a day in Bangkok. Would it be a shame to skip those two activities to keep Ayutthaya?

Cheow Larn Lake is amazing—check out my travel journal from 2015.

Choices will have to be made... Between Cheow Lan Lake and the trip to Ko Tapu, which would you pick?

Personally, I’d go for Phang Nga Bay! But on a private tour.

For Ayutthaya, there’s no comparison with Jim Thompson’s House, but it’s still quite a detour for a relatively short trip.

I’m making a note for Phang Nga by private boat.

Initially, I’d considered taking a domestic flight between Bangkok and Surat Thani. That option would let me visit Phang Nga Bay AND Cheow Lan Lake, but it’d mean skipping Sam Roi Yot. I’m still on the fence.

Actually, Ayutthaya isn’t really a detour since we wanted to go there by train for the day—just a little side trip, really. 😎

Hello Virginie,

We’ll also be in Thailand in January! 🙂

If I were you, I’d take a flight from Bangkok to Surat Thani or Krabi, depending on whether you want to visit Cheow Lan Lake or not. We also hesitated about including the lake in our itinerary.

Hi Carmen,

I came across the discussion you started while reading through the forum. Have you finalized your itinerary? When exactly are you leaving? You're definitely way ahead of me in planning!

Joël and Agnès’s feedback, along with yours, has convinced me to skip the central part of my route and take a flight to head south instead. I’ll give this some serious thought because I know as it stands, my plan is really tight.

Hi Carmen,

I came across the discussion you started while reading. Have you finalized your itinerary? When exactly are you leaving? You're way ahead of me, anyway!

I’ll send you a private message. 🙂

There are 2 types of monkeys in Prachuap: macaques and langurs. The langurs are on a hill located within a military base. The base is currently closed to foreigners due to the conflict with Cambodia.

Hi Joel,

It’s the langur monkeys I wanted to see. So that’s the final piece of info that’s convinced me the long drive between Bangkok and Surat Thani isn’t a great idea.

Taking a flight to get to the south will save me at least 2 days. So I’ll keep Ayutthaya and rethink the second part of my itinerary starting from Surat Thani. Maybe I can squeeze in a day at Cheow Lan Lake.

Can you spot langurs anywhere else? Around Khao Sok, for example?

It's a shame not to go to Sam Roi Yot. There were monkeys on top of everything else.

I preferred this spot to the lake.

It’s a shame to skip Sam Roi Yot. There were monkeys on top of everything else.

I preferred that spot to the lake.

Are there langurs in Sam Roi Yot?

I totally agree with you—it really bothers me to cut Sam Roi Yot, but it’s pretty far from all the other stops on my itinerary, and I don’t see how to fit it in with the little time I have. Right now, I’m torn between:

Option 1 Day 5: Bangkok > Surat Thani by plane Day 6: Visit Cheow Lan Lake Day 7: Khao Sok Day 8: Head to Krabi

Option 2 Day 5: Bangkok > Sam Roi Yot by car (stop by Bueng Bua marshes in the afternoon) Day 6: Explore Sam Roi Yot (Phraya Nakhon Cave) Day 7: Drive to Surat Thani with stops at Khan Kradi Cave and Wat Tham Khao Kriap Day 8: Head to Krabi

That’s a lot of driving on Day 7, but from what I’ve read, the road is easy. Plus, you can easily find temples or other spots for nice breaks.

There are langurs at Sam Roi Yot, but they’re completely wild in the hills, and there’s no guarantee you’ll see them up close.

Are there langurs in Sam Roi Yot?



That’s a lot of driving on Day 7

Yes, just like you’ve broken it down.

Day 0: Flight Paris-Bangkok Days 1, 2, and 3: Bangkok (Wat Pho, Grand Palace, Wat Arun, markets, boat ride through the khlongs, Jim Thompson House)

Train or taxi to Ayutthaya in the late afternoon

Day 4: Visit Ayutthaya, then transfer in the late afternoon to Hua Hin (private taxi) - Night in Hua Hin (it’s not the nicest town on the coast, but for an evening and one night, it has everything you need)

Day 5: Pick up vehicle - Visit Sam Roi Yot, night in Sam Roi Yot Day 6: Drive to Chumphon with stops to be determined along the way

Day 7: Drive to Surat Thani (or even the lake...) with stops to be determined along the way

Thanks for the idea, Agnès. It’s helping me rethink my itinerary.

Did you book the car through Budget’s Thai website? Did everything go smoothly from online booking to returning the vehicle?

Yes, we rented directly from the website. No issues when picking up the car. On the way back, we had a bit of trouble finding the agency guy, but it was a secondary airport. In Phuket, flights come and go all the time, so there must be a permanent office like in Hua Hin.

The vehicle was old but not a wreck.

The drop-off was free since we rented for several days.

Nothing extra was charged upon return.

😎 😎 😎 We just got confirmation that our vacation time is approved... Time to book!

In Bangkok, is there a neighborhood to prioritize or, on the contrary, avoid for accommodation? For its proximity to the main sights and the wide range of lodging options, I’ve zeroed in on the northern part of the temple district. Several guesthouses near Democracy Monument caught my eye. Is that area okay? Not too close to the Khao San Road partiers?

Thanks! Have a great evening

I like to stay near a pier for the river shuttle boats. Or near a metro station.

Back from Thailand for a good week now, I wanted to thank you all for your advice, which helped us make sense of things and plan a trip that suited us perfectly. A special thanks to you, Agnès, because your experience gave us the confidence to rent a car. That was our main question: should we rent a car and visit the sites along the Gulf of Thailand, like Sam Roi Yot, or take a flight from Bangkok to Surat Thani and spend more time in the south? Sam Roi Yot National Park tempted me so much that renting a car became the obvious choice. This park is a wonder!

We loved this trip—it was a magical break before returning to the hectic pace of work. I’ll share more details if I get the energy, but Thailand ticks so many boxes: the warmth and kindness of the Thai people, the countless stunning temples and cultural sites, the abundance of fruit, the food in general, the turquoise sea and sunshine, the affordable prices, and the breathtaking landscapes (though deforestation for rubber and palm trees is taking a toll).

Overtourism is an issue, but not everywhere. There’s also some sleaze, but it’s very localized. Some people like that—we don’t. You just have to know how to avoid it to truly enjoy the country. One evening in Ao Nang was enough (even too much), while two evenings around Klong Muang and Tubkaek weren’t nearly enough. Despite the tourist pressure, we managed to find quiet spots, caves, and temples where we were the only ones, peaceful hotels, and markets where we were the only tourists (so much so that the Thais took photos of *us*!). Our last hotel near Phang Nga, tucked away in the countryside, was a little gem—so peaceful, with wonderful staff.

All this to say, this first trip to Thailand might not be our last.

Glad your trip went well! !😉

That’s really kind of you, and this first feedback sounds very realistic to me.