How to Travel Thailand in 2 Weeks: Our Route, Real Costs and Honest Tips
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Thailand was one of the first big trips we ever planned together, and to be honest, we went back and forth on the route more times than we'd like to admit. There's so much online about Thailand that it's easy to get overwhelmed: party islands, "hidden" beaches that aren't hidden at all, and a hundred opinions on where you have to go.
So this is the route we'd actually recommend for a first trip of about two weeks. It's the one from our video below, and it balances big-city Bangkok, the cooler and calmer north, the famous islands and, our favourite part, a few days in the jungle. We've included what it really cost us, what surprised us, and what we'd skip.
Before you go: Thailand's 2026 visa change
This is the one thing we'd make sure you know. On 15 September 2026, Thailand cut its visa-free stay from 60 days to 30 days for around 60 nationalities, including travellers from the UK, the US and South Africa. For a two-week trip that's no problem, but if you were planning a long, slow trip, check your nationality's rules before you book.
You also need to fill in the free online TDAC arrival card within the 3 days before you land. It only takes a few minutes, but airlines can ask for it.
We've put the visa rules, the best time to visit, getting around and real costs into our free three-page guide. Get the free Essential Thailand Guide →
Our two-week Thailand route at a glance
Bangkok: temples, street food, rooftop bars and the best malls you'll ever see
Chiang Mai: cooler air, ethical elephants, temples and the best food in Southeast Asia
Chiang Rai: the White and Blue temples (one night is enough)
Phuket: quieter beaches, Old Town food and the ferry port for the islands
Phi Phi: Maya Bay by longtail, viewpoints and pineapple fried rice
Khao Sok: rainforest, a huge lake and total calm. Our favourite place in Thailand.
We flew between the north and the south, which saves a lot of time. Bangkok to Phuket cost us about $50 each, including bags.
Bangkok: start big
Bangkok is a lot, in the best way. Give it at least two or three full days. The Grand Palace and Wat Pho are worth the hype, and what actually surprised us was getting a Thai massage at Wat Pho's own school, where Thai massage was born. Do it!
Our favourite evening was a tuk-tuk food tour: street snacks, a flower market at night and stories about Thai history from someone who grew up there. Yes, we tried the insects. Crickets are lowkey yummy. Scorpions, not so much.
A few things we'd tell a friend:
Stay near a BTS Skytrain station. Bangkok traffic is brutal, and the trains will save you hours.
Cover your shoulders and knees for the temples, or buy the trusty elephant pants.
Go up at sunset. Eagle Nest looks straight across the river at Wat Arun.
If you have an extra day, a floating market and train market tour or a day trip to Ayutthaya, the old royal capital, are both easy with pickup.
Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai: the north
We're really glad we didn't skip the north. It feels slower and greener, the air is cooler, and the food is honestly some of the best we've had anywhere. If you only eat one thing in Thailand, make it khao soi: a spicy coconut curry broth with soft and crispy egg noodles. We'd fly back just for it.
The highlight of our whole trip was a night at Chai Lai Orchid, an ethical elephant sanctuary about 1.5 hours from Chiang Mai. You walk with the elephants through the forest, bathe them in the river and sleep in a bungalow on the property. Please skip anywhere that offers elephant rides. Bring strong mosquito repellent; we got overrun!
From Chiang Mai, one night in Chiang Rai is enough for the White Temple and the Blue Temple. Go early to beat the tour buses. We took the Green Bus (about $11 each on 12Go), but a Chiang Rai day trip from Chiang Mai works if you're short on time.
Phuket and Phi Phi: the islands
Phuket gets a bad rap online, and it really depends on the kind of traveller you are. We're not huge party people, so we stayed in Kata rather than Patong. It's still lively, just much less hectic, and the quieter west-coast beaches like Kata Noi, Banana Beach and Freedom Beach were beautiful.
Don't miss Phuket Old Town for its colourful streets and its two famous dishes: Hokkien mee noodles and roti with curry.
From Rassada Pier, the ferry to Phi Phi takes about two hours. The thing everyone comes for is Maya Bay, and to be honest, it's still stunning. Our tip is a private longtail boat that goes early, before the crowds. Note that Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September, and you can't swim in the bay itself.
Short on time? You can do Phi Phi as a day trip from Phuket instead of staying over.
Khao Sok: our favourite place in Thailand
If we could only go back to one place, it would be Khao Sok National Park. After the islands, a few days of rainforest, gibbons calling in the morning and kayaking on Cheow Lan Lake felt like exactly what we needed.
We stayed with Elephant Hills, who collect you from Phuket and take care of everything, including a night in a floating bungalow on the lake. It's not the cheapest option, but it was a hidden gem and one of the most memorable things we've done in Asia.
What two weeks in Thailand really cost
On our last trip we spent about $120 a day for two people across five destinations. That covered food, stays, transport and activities, but not international flights. As a rough guide per person:
Backpacker: $40–70 a day (hostels, street food, buses)
Comfort: $70–150 a day (hotels, a couple of flights, a few tours)
Luxury: $300+ a day (resorts, fine dining, private drivers)
What actually surprised us was that transport was our biggest cost. The more you move, the more you spend, so don't try to squeeze in every island.
Honest tips we wish we'd known
Download Grab. Fixed-price rides, food and even pharmacy delivery, with no haggling.
Sort your data before you land. We used a Holafly eSIM (code RHETTANDCLAIRE), and tourist SIMs from True or AIS are easy at the airport too.
Get travel insurance. English-speaking doctors are pricey by local standards, and scooter accidents are common. We use SafetyWing.
Know the new rules. Vapes are illegal, cannabis now needs a doctor's prescription, and you can be fined for drinking alcohol at the wrong times.
Ask for "mai phet". It means "not spicy". Thai "a little spicy" is still a lot.
Skip the animal shows. Elephant rides, tiger selfies and eagle photos around Phuket. Please don't.
So, is this the right Thailand route for you?
If it's your first time, we really think so. You get a bit of everything Thailand does well: a huge, buzzing city, temples and food in the north, the famous islands and a quiet few days in nature at the end. If you're more of a beach person, you could swap Chiang Rai for an extra island. If you love food and culture, give Chiang Mai another night.
If you'd like our exact plan, we've turned this trip into the Thailand Destination Guide: a 14-page PDF with our day-by-day route, our Google Map with 160+ places we've pinned, where to stay at every budget and what everything costs. See the Thailand Destination Guide →
And if you've been to Thailand, we'd love to know: what was your favourite stop? Let us know in the comments.
