Feedback on family trip to Thailand

Hi everyone... I apologize in advance if some of my questions have already been answered on this forum—I didn’t have time to read through everything.

I’m planning a family trip to Thailand in July for 6 people: - 4 adults, 1 child aged 14, and 1 aged 9. We’ve started looking into travel agencies that specialize in the country and offer custom trips.

Our initial idea was a budget of 2500 € per person for a stay of around 14 days, including:

- 3/4 days in Bangkok (visiting temples, floating markets, Chinatown, river cruise, etc.) - Kanchanaburi - Ayutthaya - 3/4 days in Chiang Mai (elephant sanctuary, rice field visits, temples, etc.) - Then a domestic flight to finish the trip in Krabi for 3/4 days (free time + excursions to Koh Phi Phi and/or Phang Nga, for example).

I’d also have liked to visit Chiang Rai, Lopburi, and Sukhothai, but we’ll have to make some choices.

So, my question is: - Is it better to go through well-known agencies to plan our trip, or is it possible to use local agencies for visits with French-speaking guides (if needed) and book flights and hotels on our own?

Does a budget of 2500 € per person seem reasonable for this kind of classic itinerary?

I’ve received (or will receive) quotes from agencies like Evaneos, Tourlane, Havas, Sawa Discovery, Nomade Aventures, etc. They all seem very professional but offer rather high-end services.

If any of you have recommendations for local agencies, I’d love to hear about your experiences. Also, is it possible to organize this kind of trip to Thailand on your own?

I know I’m not being very original, but I really want to make this a fantastic vacation with the best tips possible to avoid cutting the trip short to fit my budget.

Wishing you all a great day, and thanks in advance for your replies! Best regards, Julien

At a local agency, we know Secrets of Siam and Odasie. It's direct, so no commission to pay—always a plus in our book.

Hi Julien,

We’re heading out in February for two weeks—I’ve planned everything myself (a 40-page file, lol). We’ll see how it goes! More experienced travelers can chime in or correct me, but I think for the beach, it’s better to go to Koh Samui / Koh Tao in July.

For the budget, I’ve planned 1,700 € per person all-inclusive—we’ll see if we stick to it.

We spent around 3000 € for two people over 30 days. Hotels with pools and domestic flights included. Air Asia, a very decent airline.

Let’s say 1000 € for hotels and 2000 € for food, transport, and sightseeing. And these weren’t exactly budget backpacker vacations, if I may say so.

A trip to Thailand is one of the easiest to plan, as long as you speak a bit of basic English.

For 14 days, limit yourself to 4 destinations max—otherwise, you’ll just be rushing and miss out on so much.

July is great: fewer crowds, lower prices, greener landscapes, and more water in the national park waterfalls. Near Chiang Mai, make sure to plan a day at Doi Inthanon National Park, where there are about ten stunning waterfalls.

You’ll find tons of info in my Thailand travel journals—just click on my username.

And if you’re short on time, go through an agency; there are pros and cons.

Hello,

- 3/4 days in Bangkok (visits to temples, floating markets, Chinatown, river cruise, etc.) - Kanchanaburi - Ayutthaya - 3/4 days in Chiang Mai (elephant sanctuary, rice field visits, temple visits) - Then a domestic flight and end the trip in Krabi for 3/4 days

If you include the 4-5 days needed for Kanchanaburi and Ayutthaya, you’ll go over 14 days.

a budget of 2500 € per person seems reasonable for this itinerary

A budget like that for a ridiculous agency-run marathon? Yes, that’s way overpriced.

if it’s possible to organize this kind of vacation in Thailand on our own. I know I’m not being very original, but I’d really like to have a great trip with the best tips possible to avoid cutting my stay short just to fit my budget

Unless you’re *really* clueless, yes, it’s entirely possible to organize such a trip yourself—especially in Thailand, which is a perfect example of a country easy to visit without an agency. However, to keep the itinerary manageable, you shouldn’t overload it with too many stops. For example, the one you mentioned above (without the "I would’ve liked to go to...") would require 16-17 days if you’re traveling independently, without rushing or dragging it out. All the useful info to plan your trip yourself is either already here or we can help you with it.

Thanks so much to everyone for your replies and for shedding some light—and maybe even convincing me! I’ll think about organizing all this myself and book agencies that offer day or half-day excursions with a guide. I’ll keep researching too. See you! Julien

and book agencies that offer day or half-day excursions with a guide

It won’t be necessary everywhere, and in any case, don’t book from here—wait until you’re on-site at each relevant stop. That way, you’ll get a better sense of the providers, and what’s more, you’ll pay less. Most of the time, booking excursions the day before for the next day is enough.

And what about the weather? For those who know Thailand in July— the east side, like Koh Samui and Koh Tao, is recommended, but if I insist on Krabi, what should I expect?

I know it's the rainy season, and online you read everything and its opposite— it's great, it's not great, it's not recommended, it's better because there'll be fewer people... Anyway... thanks so much for your valuable answers!

Once every 15 years, it's a downpour. The rest of the time, it's a month with less rain than May, August, September, or October. There isn’t often a big blue sky, but it does ease the heat. At least the pools aren’t cold like they are in December-January. Yes, it’ll rain a bit more around Krabi, but most of the time, it’s not a major inconvenience.

Last year’s rainy season was pretty intense, so I’m hoping this year will be lighter.

thanks so much for this feedback! It’s perfect. See you soon for more questions😄😄😄 Have a great day everyone