Bangkok to Chiang Mai Express — Self-Launched
7 days · Thailand
G Adventures charges £1,200
No-markup version: ~£203 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 7-day independent version of G Adventures' "Bangkok to Chiang Mai Express — Plus": Bangkok's temples and klongs, the River Kwai and Erawan Falls at Kanchanaburi, the ruined capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, then on to Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep. All done on public trains and buses, staying in hostels and guesthouses. Costs are rough backpacker estimates (excl. flights) — the original tour's meals and international flights are extra too.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Bangkok
Bangkok
Land at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang and make your way into the city. The Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai is about £1, or a metered taxi is roughly £8-10. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse around Khaosan Road or Banglamphu, then wander the old town in the evening — Wat Arun lit up across the river is a good first taste of the city. Grab street food (pad thai, som tam, grilled skewers) for about £2-3.
🚌Airport Rail Link (~£1) or metered taxi (~£8-10)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Banglamphu / Khaosan area
- →Airport Rail Link into central Bangkok
- →Evening walk around Banglamphu / Khaosan
- →Sunset view of Wat Arun from the river
Bangkok temples and klongs, then Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi
Morning longtail boat tour of the Chao Phraya and the quieter Thonburi klongs — book a shared longtail at Tha Chang or Tha Tien pier for around £8-12 per person, or join a small-group klong tour. Stop at Wat Pho (~£4 entry) to see the giant Reclining Buddha and the birthplace of Thai massage. Afternoon: catch a minivan or bus from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) to Kanchanaburi, about 2-3 hours for £2-3. Settle in and explore the Allied War Cemetery and the Thai-Burmese Railway Centre (entry ~£2) before walking the Bridge on the River Kwai at sunset.
🚌Shared longtail boat in Bangkok; minivan Bangkok–Kanchanaburi (~£3)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hostel in Kanchanaburi town
- →Thonburi klong boat tour
- →Wat Pho and Reclining Buddha
- →Allied War Cemetery and Thai-Burmese Railway Centre
- →Bridge on the River Kwai at sunset
Erawan Falls
Kanchanaburi / Erawan National Park
Take the local bus from Kanchanaburi bus station to Erawan National Park (about 1.5 hours, ~£2). Pay the park entry (~£6) and hike up through the seven tiers of turquoise pools — the lower falls are easy, the upper tiers get steeper. Swim in the pools, then take the last bus back to town. Alternatively, a songthaew or shared taxi both ways runs about £12-15 total if you split it. Eat at the night market back in Kanchanaburi for around £3.
🚌Local bus Kanchanaburi–Erawan (~£2 each way)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hostel in Kanchanaburi town
- →Hike and swim at Erawan Waterfall's seven tiers
- →Erawan National Park jungle trails
Ayutthaya to Sukhothai
Ayutthaya / Sukhothai
Bus back to Bangkok or straight to Ayutthaya — if going via Bangkok, a minivan Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya runs about £6-8. In Ayutthaya, hire a bicycle (~£2) or a tuk-tuk tour and explore the historical park: Wat Mahathat (the Buddha head in the tree roots), Wat Phra Si Sanphet, and Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Entry to the central ruins is around £2-3. In the late afternoon take an overnight or late bus from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai (~5-6 hours, £7-9) and check into a guesthouse near the old town.
🚌Minivan Kanchanaburi–Ayutthaya (~£7); bus Ayutthaya–Sukhothai (~£8)
🛏Guesthouse near Sukhothai Historical Park
- →Cycle the Ayutthaya Historical Park
- →Wat Mahathat and the Buddha head in tree roots
- →Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Chaiwatthanaram
Sukhothai Historic Park to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Spend the morning exploring Sukhothai Historical Park by bicycle (~£2 rental, ~£3 entry) — Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Chum with its huge seated Buddha, and Wat Sa Si in the middle of its lily pond. In the afternoon take a bus north to Chiang Mai (about 5-6 hours, £8-10). Check into a guesthouse inside the old city moat. If time allows on arrival, head up to Doi Suthep — a songthaew (red truck) from the old city to the temple runs about £3 return, plus ~£1 entry — for views over Chiang Mai and the golden chedi. Otherwise do Doi Suthep tomorrow.
🚌Bus Sukhothai–Chiang Mai (~£9); songthaew to Doi Suthep (~£3 each way)
🛏Guesthouse inside Chiang Mai old city
- →Cycle Sukhothai Historical Park
- →Wat Si Chum and Wat Sa Si
- →Doi Suthep Temple and viewpoint
Free day in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
A free day to explore on your own. Book a half-day Northern Thai cooking class (~£25-30) — visit a market with your teacher, then cook khao soi, green curry and mango sticky rice. Or do a day trip to Doi Inthanon, wander the old city's temples (Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, ~£1-2 each), browse the Sunday Walking Street market, and get a Thai massage. Eat at the night market or a riverside restaurant for £3-5.
🚌Walking, short songthaew rides (~£1 each)
🛏Guesthouse inside Chiang Mai old city
- →Optional Northern Thai cooking class
- →Old city temple-hopping (Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh)
- →Sunday Walking Street or night market
Depart Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Check out and head to Chiang Mai International Airport (songthaew or Grab ~£2-4) for your onward flight, or continue north by bus/train toward Chiang Rai, Pai or Laos. If you have a late flight, fit in a final breakfast of khao soi and one last temple visit.
🚌Songthaew or Grab to Chiang Mai airport (~£3)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Departure from Chiang Mai
- →Optional onward travel to Pai or Chiang Rai
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£203 | £1,200 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £997 per person (83%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£203
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bangkok to Chiang Mai Express — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £203 per person for 7 days in Thailand. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £203 — a saving of roughly £997 (83%) per person.
How long is the Thailand trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Thailand.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Thailand, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.