Bangkok
The Grand Palace early, the river taxi always, and dinner in Thonglor.
Southeast Asia
Thailand
A city, a temple town, and then the sea
From Delhi
≈4 h 20 Delhi–Bangkok, direct
Visa
Visa exemption or e-visa for many passports; confirmed before ticketing
Currency
Thai baht (THB)
Language
Thai; English in hotels and tourist areas
Thailand is the easiest country in this collection to book badly. The islands run on two opposite monsoons — the Andaman side and the Gulf side are good in different months — and picking the wrong coast for your dates is the single most common mistake we fix.
The shape we like: two nights in Bangkok, three in Chiang Mai for the temples and the food, then five somewhere flat and quiet on whichever coast is behaving.
Where you will go
Where you will go
The places this country is actually about, and what each one is for.
Chiang Mai
Old-city temples, a cooking morning, and an ethical elephant sanctuary — the real kind.
The islands
Andaman coast November–April; Gulf coast is the answer for May–September.
Know before you go
- Elephant experiences: we book observation-only sanctuaries. If you want to ride one, we are not the agency for that.
- The two coasts have opposite seasons. Tell us your dates before you fall in love with a hotel.
- April is Songkran and also the hottest month of the year. Both are worth knowing before you commit.
Gallery — Thailand
Journeys
Journeys in Thailand
Two nights in Bangkok, three in Chiang Mai, and five on whichever coast is actually behaving in your month — chosen after you give us dates, not before.