Thailand Itinerary

Brooks and I went to Thailand in early April, 2016 and words cannot express how excited I was to visit Southeast Asia. It was one of those dream vacations for me; like I had dreamed of going there since I was 15. It’s an amazing opportunity to visit a dream destination, but you also run the risk of being disappointed because you have high expectations. I was nervous that that would be the case for us in Thailand. There’s a lot of fear mongering that goes on out there when it comes to traveling (a subject for a conversation at another time) and sometimes the things you read on the internet can leave a sour taste in your mouth before you even arrive in a country. It’s an unfortunate trend to say the least.

Anyway, I can only speak for your particular trip to Thailand and, for us, Thailand was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. Thinking about the trip makes my heart swell and I feel blessed that we experienced pristine, empty beaches, clear turquoise water and kind people in every city we visited. I highly recommend visiting Thailand – its beyond beautiful in both the north and the south, it’s obscenely cheap, and there are so many unique experiences to be had – from observing Buddhist monks collecting morning alms at the market to sitting in awe at the sight of the enormous karst landscape that rises with prehistoric spires out of the Andaman Sea, to befriending a baby elephant. It truly is a magical place and I hope our itinerary helps you plan your very own trip to this incredible country!

I have to give credit to @bontraveler because without HER itinerary, we would have never found some of these great spots in Thailand. So hats off to you, girl. And THANK YOU for your itineraries!

Day 1: Arrive in Bangkok

We had some unplanned delays with our flights (China Southern – fly with caution) and landed in Bangkok around 9:00 pm local time. We went straight to our hotel – The Four Points Sukhumvit. We stayed on Starwood Points, but I would definitely stay here again even if we weren’t staying on points. Not sure if y’all have heard, but Thailand’s humidity is a force to reckon with… and this is coming from a girl who grew up in Texas. The Four Points has a lovely rooftop pool that we enjoyed on three separate occasions during our 36 hour stay. It was a lovely oasis in the midst of a sprawling metropolis that is Bangkok. Anyway, back to our first night in country. We took an Uber from the airport to our hotel, dropped off our bags and walked around the corner to a parking lot where a food cart had commandeered the space by setting up table and chairs for their very own “pop up” restaurant. We had some of the best Pad Thai of my life in that parking lot. That’s Thailand for you.

Day 2: Bangkok – Wat Pho and Wat Arun

We had so little time in Bangkok, so we prioritized seeing Wat Pho and Wat Arun. Wat Pho is the temple of the Reclining Buddha and Wat Arun is famous for his tall spires. These temples are quite close to each other and it’s a fun experience to ride the water taxi across the river between the two (the water taxi costs literal pennies USD) Uber is cheap and of course, very easy to use, in Bangkok. At one point we were going to wait for a bus and realized that an Uber cost the same amount and offered air conditioning so that was a no-brainer.

Day 3: Flight out of Bangkok and arrive in Chiang Mai

Thai Smile airlines transported us out of Bangkok and to the North of Thailand. Chiang Mai as a city is one of my favorite places we’ve visited in the world. It has a laid-back feel compared to Bangkok, but offers so much for foodies and coffee-lovers. Plus, the most beautiful temples we visited were in Chiang Mai. So yea, you should go. We stayed at a boutique hotel called Hotel Yayee. It was splurge by Chiang Mai standards (I think it was $60 USD per night) and so incredibly beautiful, especially considering how cheap it was! Yayee had delicious breakfast, a pristine roof-top bar and was walking distance or a short Song-Tu ride to many great coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants. Staying there really is like staying in a fancy hipster hotel in a quiet but walkable neighborhood. It was lovely. We started with our wandering with a delicious passion fruit soda from SS1254372 Café and then ventured to Wat Phra Singh. Dinner consisted of a plethora of finds at the Chiang Mai Night Market (you know how we feel about markets) and then we finished our night at the North Gate Jazz Bar.

Day 4: Doi Sutep

We almost didn’t go to Doi Sutep which would have been a real shame because it was my favorite temple in Thailand. It’s a bit of a haul from Chiang Mai proper, so we rented a scooter to drive up the mountain. It was a great choice for us - Brooks rides a motorcycle stateside, so he knows what he’s doing. It was really cheap (I think $12 USD for a 24 hour rental) and gave us a lot of freedom to explore Chiang Mai. Just beware of the parking signs near markets (Long story). Doi Sutep is situated at the top of a mountain.

However you get to the top, whether you go by Song-Tu, taxi or scooter, you will park and then hike up some seriously beautiful dragon-like stairs before reaching the temple itself. I enjoyed observing the many Buddhist rituals that worshippers partook in - some circling the pagoda while chanting an ancient prayer while others lit candles and burned incense as an offering. It was a beautiful site to behold. There are great views of Chiang Mai from Doi Sutep. Unfortunately, the visibility was not great the day we visited, so you’ll have to go and tell us all about the view ☺

After visiting Doi Sutep, we drove down the mountain to a very special place called The Healing Hands Foundation. I found this shop when perusing Trip Advisor prior to our trip, and once I read about their mission, I was desperate to visit. A local recommended the restaurant at Hotel des Artists and it was the perfect spot to cool off with some delicious French/Thai fusion treats.

Day 5: Chiang Mai

We started our morning by visiting the morning market and also got our first Thai massage, which was amazing. We found lunch at an incredible Khao Soi place called Khao Soi FA HAM (thanks Anthony Bourdain!) and spent the rest of the day coffee shop hopping.

Day 6: Chai Lai - Hello Elephants!

Chai Lai Orchid is an eco-resort located in the lush hills above Chiang Mai. Their mission is to (1) Provide safe and ethical treatment of elephants and (2) Empower women who are at risk for sex-trafficking and train them in the hospitality industry in order to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation. Our first afternoon here we relaxed, ate some great pad Thai, and met some beautiful elephants.

Day 7: Chai Lai – Trekking through the Forest

We jumped on one of the day trips offered by Chai Lai Orchid. Hiking deep into the forest with our knowledgeable guide (a member of a local Karen tribe) was a high point from our time at Chai Lai. Our guide expertly navigated us through jungles, under waterfalls and on an incredibly educational jaunt through his own village as he described their lives and traditions. We had such a rare, non-invasive glimpse into life in the region through his eyes. Our trek concluded as we gave a rambunctious elephant her bath ☺ 

Day 8: Flight to Phuket

After a day of planes, trains, and automobiles we checked into our hotel and headed straight to the pool. Did I mention Thailand dishes out heat and humidity like you’ve never known? We stayed at the Westin Siray Bay (thanks Starwood Points!) and it did not disappoint.

Day 9: Exploring the Islands

We took our first island tour with Simba Sea Trips and booked the Phang Nga Bay and Beyond Excursion. This tour was incredible- we went to “James Bond Island” early in the morning when it was empty and peaceful, we ate lunch at a beautiful ocean-front restaurant and spent a lazy afternoon lounging on a private beach.

Day 10: Lounging at the Hotel + Phuket Town

We loved our hotel and spent a lot of time lounging, swimming and reading. In the afternoon, we took the hotel shuttle to Phuket Town and explored the shops and cafes.

Day 11: Exploring the Islands (Round 2)

We went on a second tour around the Andaman Sea, this time with a focus on the Phi Phi islands. We had an ideal snorkeling experience – clear, calm waters and plenty of friendly sea life.