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Four nights in Bangkok, four in Chiang Mai, four on the coast and one at your departure gateway. Here is what to do in each stop, which neighbourhoods to use, and how to swap Phuket, Krabi or Samui into the beach part of the trip.
The route at a glance
Day numbers include arrival, transfers and departure. This example contains 13 nights. Confirm your own connections before booking.
- Days 1–4: Bangkok · 4 nights
Arrival plus three full days for the river temples, Chinatown and Siam.
- Days 5–8: Chiang Mai · 4 nights
Travel north on day 5; use days 6–8 for the Old City, Doi Suthep and a food or countryside day.
- Day 9: Travel to the coast · 1 night
First night at your chosen Phuket, Krabi or Samui base; flight and hotel transfer take priority.
- Days 10–12: The same coastal base · 3 nights
Three full days for the beach, a land outing and an optional boat excursion.
- Day 13: Departure gateway · 1 night
Move to Bangkok or the appropriate flight gateway. Keep the same coastal hotel if it already suits your departure.
- Day 14: Departure · Departure day
Airport transfer and flight home; no extra hotel night is counted.
Days 1–4: Bangkok's river, Chinatown and Siam
Use day one for the airport transfer and dinner near your hotel: Charoen Krung around Bang Rak, Chinatown, and the Tha Tien lanes each give this route a useful food base. On day two, visit the Grand Palace or Wat Pho, eat around Tha Tien and cross to Wat Arun if you want another temple. Sanam Chai MRT and the river piers serve this part of the city.
On day three, walk Talat Noi → Song Wat → Yaowarat, finishing with a Chinatown meal. Day four can be Jim Thompson House → Bangkok Art and Culture Centre → Siam Square. If markets are your main interest, replace that central-city day with the market you have checked for your date, rather than assuming every Bangkok market is open every day.
Day 5: fly north, or replace night four with the train
Search Bangkok to Chiang Mai for day five and compare the whole journey, including which Bangkok airport the flight uses. For accommodation, the Old City suits walking between temples; Chang Moi gives access to Warorot and the river side of town; Nimman suits cafés and restaurants west of the centre. Pick the base before arranging the airport transfer.
The rail version leaves Bangkok on the evening of day four and reaches Chiang Mai on day five, subject to the train you actually book. That changes the count to three Bangkok hotel nights and one train night, followed by four Chiang Mai nights; it does not add a fourteenth night. Search SRT D-Ticket for the current train, departure station, berth and arrival time.
Days 6–8: Old City temples, Doi Suthep and northern food
Use day six for Wat Phra Singh → Wat Chedi Luang → Tha Phae Gate, with a khao soi lunch along the way. Day seven can pair a road trip to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep with an afternoon around Nimman. Arrange a return journey for the temple rather than assuming a vehicle will be waiting when you finish.
Choose day eight by interest: Chang Moi and Warorot Market for northern food and produce, a booked cooking class, or a full-day Doi Inthanon excursion. Doi Inthanon is a separate mountain trip, not an extra stop after Doi Suthep. Check Air4Thai and the weather before committing to outdoor days; if conditions are poor, use the city museums, cafés or an indoor class.
Days 9–12: choose Phuket, Krabi or Samui
For Phuket, compare Kata or Karon for a west-coast beach base, then use one day for Thalang Road, Soi Romanee and the food streets of Old Town. For Krabi, stay in Ao Nang for road access and boat departures, with Railay and Phra Nang as a possible day out. For Samui, compare Bophut for a village dining area with Chaweng for a busier beach setting.
Day nine is the flight and hotel transfer. Use days ten to twelve for a beach day, a land outing and a boat excursion if conditions and the operator's programme fit. Search the Chiang Mai connection before choosing the hotel; some dates may require a connection. If you choose Phangan instead of Samui, count the pier transfer and ferry as part of reaching the hotel.
Days 13–14: place the final night where your flight needs it
If your international flight leaves Bangkok on day fourteen, return on day thirteen and stay where the transfer to the correct airport works. If you depart internationally from Phuket or Samui, check whether your existing hotel is practical for that flight; the thirteenth night can remain in the same base. A separate domestic ticket does not automatically protect the international connection.
Book the international route, essential domestic legs or sleeper berth, and the hotel nights against those dates. Keep a record of airport codes, luggage allowance and cancellation terms. Before travel, check your own entry position through Thai e-Visa or the relevant Thai embassy, then follow the official TDAC submission instructions. Saving this route does not reserve any transport or accommodation.
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Questions worth answering
Does this really add up to fourteen days?
Yes: four Bangkok nights, four Chiang Mai nights, four coastal nights and one gateway night make thirteen nights, followed by departure on day fourteen.
How does the overnight train change the hotel count?
In this version the train replaces Bangkok night four. Book three Bangkok hotel nights, the train night and then four Chiang Mai hotel nights; check the actual train dates before buying anything.
Can I leave out Chiang Mai?
Yes. Keep four Bangkok nights, give eight nights to one southern region and retain the gateway night. You can use two coastal bases within that region if their transfer works for your dates.
What our guide is built on
Rules, transport, weather and access can change. We use primary sources where they matter and recommend checking the relevant authority before paying or travelling.