Thailand Encompassed – East Coast Islands (Self-Launched)

Land at Suvarnabhumi and take the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai (45 THB, ~30 mins) then BTS/MRT to your guesthouse around Banglamphu or near Hua Lamphong, or a metered taxi with expressway (~350-500 THB). Ignore limousine touts in arrivals. Settle in, grab street food on Khao San or Soi Rambuttri, and buy a Thai SIM (AIS/True ~300 THB for 30 days of data). Evening: riverside beers or a rooftop bar.

🚌Airport Rail Link + BTS/MRT ~£2

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Banglamphu / Old Town, dorm or private twin

• →Airport Rail Link into the city
• →Thai SIM card purchase
• →Khao San / Soi Rambuttri street food

Book a longtail boat via your guesthouse or walk to Tha Chang pier and charter one (~1,200-1,500 THB for 2 hours, split between a few travellers) for the Chao Phraya and quiet Thonburi klongs — pass riverside communities and the Artist's House. Walk to Wat Pho for the Reclining Buddha (200 THB, opens 8am). Mid-afternoon take the ordinary train from Thonburi station to Kanchanaburi (~2.5 hrs, 100 THB) or a minibus from Sai Tai Mai. Check into a floating rafthouse on the Kwai Noi river (~700-1,000 THB a night).

🚌Longtail charter + 3rd class train Thonburi–Kanchanaburi ~£4

🛏Floating rafthouse, Kanchanaburi

• →Longtail boat klong tour
• →Wat Pho Reclining Buddha
• →Rafthouse stay on the river

Hire a songthaew or join a shared minibus to Erawan National Park (park entry 300 THB, ~1.5 hrs each way); climb the seven tiers of the falls and swim in the turquoise pools — go early before tour buses. On the way back stop at the Bridge on the River Kwai and walk across. Sunset beers at a riverside bar.

🚌Shared songthaew/minibus ~£8

🛏Floating rafthouse, Kanchanaburi

• →Erawan Falls trek and swim
• →Bridge on the River Kwai

Morning at the Allied War Cemetery (free) and the Thailand–Burma Railway Centre (150 THB) plus the JEATH War Museum if you have time. Bus or minibus back to Bangkok's Mo Chit terminal then a van to Ayutthaya (~1.5 hrs, 100-150 THB total). In late afternoon rent a bicycle or take a tuk-tuk loop of the ruins: Wat Mahathat (Buddha head in the banyan tree), Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Chaiwatthanaram at sunset. Optional: Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.

🚌Bus/minivan Kanchanaburi–Bangkok–Ayutthaya ~£8

🛏Budget guesthouse near the ruins, Ayutthaya

• →Allied War Cemetery
• →Thailand–Burma Railway Centre
• →Bicycle loop of Ayutthaya ruins

Spend the day on the ruins you missed — Chan Kasem and Wat Phra Ram are worth the extra temple ticket, and there's a good coffee scene by the river. Leave bags at the guesthouse. Take a short songthaew to Ayutthaya station and board the overnight sleeper to Chiang Mai (2nd class fan sleeper ~800-1,000 THB; book on the State Railway of Thailand site or at the station, or 12Go Asia). Bring snacks and a light layer — the fan cars can be cold.

🚌Overnight SRT train Ayutthaya–Chiang Mai ~£20

🛏2nd class sleeper train

• →Ayutthaya temples
• →Overnight sleeper train

Arrive mid-morning, check into a guesthouse inside the moat and shake off the train with a khao soi breakfast. In the afternoon take a red songthaew to Doi Suthep (40-50 THB each way; temple entry 30 THB) for the golden chedi and city views, stopping at Wat U-Mong forest temple on the way down. Evening: Sunday Walking Street if you're there on a Sunday, otherwise the Night Bazaar and a Thai massage (~250 THB/hr).

🚌Red songthaews ~£3

🛏Guesthouse in the old city, Chiang Mai

• →Doi Suthep temple
• →Wat U-Mong
• →Night Bazaar
• →Thai massage

Book a 3-day/2-night trek direct with a licensed Chiang Mai operator (recommended: a small operator that pays village families directly — expect 3,500-4,500 THB for a small group including guides, food and homestays). Songthaew to the trailhead near Huay Nam Dung National Park, then trek through bamboo and teak forest and rice fields to a Lahu village. Learn about bush food and medicinal plants, help with dinner prep and see weaving and embroidery.

🚌Songthaew from Chiang Mai to trailhead, trekking

🛏Lahu village homestay (basic, shared sleeping area)

• →Full-day jungle trek
• →Lahu village homestay
• →Cooking with village family

Trek across farmland and grassland up to a ridge line, learning about seasonal fruit and bush medicine en route, with a river swim and picnic lunch at the halfway point. Descend to a Karen village and stay the night. Optional: chat with the village shaman about traditional medicine, or join a football kickabout with the kids.

🚌Trekking

🛏Karen village homestay

• →Ridge-line trek
• →River swim and picnic lunch
• →Karen village overnight

Walk out past more villages to Tham Lod, a 1,666m-long cave system where local guides pole bamboo rafts through the chambers (cave entry ~450 THB incl. raft, guide and lantern) — thousands of swifts and bats swirling at dusk if you time it. Lunch, then a songthaew back to Chiang Mai by late afternoon. Free evening in the old city.

🚌Songthaew ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in the old city, Chiang Mai

• →Tham Lod cave bamboo raft
• →Return trek to road head

Morning free: cycle the old city walls, visit Wat Chedi Luang, or day-trip to Mae Sa waterfall. Afternoon/evening Thai cooking class — book via GetYourGuide or Klook (from ~£22) or direct with Maliwan or Pantawan — including a market walk to buy ingredients and dinner of what you cook (spring rolls, green curry, pad thai, mango sticky rice).

🚌Local songthaews ~£2

🛏Guesthouse in the old city, Chiang Mai

• →Market tour and Thai cooking class
• →Wat Chedi Luang

Green bus (VIP) from Chiang Mai Arcade terminal to Chiang Rai, ~3.5 hrs, 220-350 THB — book a day ahead. Afternoon exploring Chiang Rai: the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun, 100 THB, ~20 mins south by songthaew) and the night market for dinner. Optional Blue Temple and the clock tower light show at 7pm.

🚌Green Bus VIP Chiang Mai–Chiang Rai ~£7

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Rai

• →White Temple (Wat Rong Khun)
• →Chiang Rai night market
• →Clock tower

Local bus from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai on the Myanmar border (~1 hr, 40 THB) — the northernmost point of Thailand, with a bustling border market. Stop at the Hall of Opium museum in the Golden Triangle on the way back (entry ~200 THB) for a genuinely good exhibit on the regional drug trade. Return to Chiang Rai; optional Mae Sai waterfall detour.

🚌Local buses ~£4

🛏Guesthouse, Chiang Rai

• →Mae Sai border market
• →Hall of Opium museum

Long travel day: bus or van Chiang Rai → Phitsanulok or directly to Sukhothai New Town (~5-6 hrs, 350-450 THB), then a songthaew to the Old City. Alternative: bus to Phrae/Den Chai and the train south. Settle into a guesthouse by the Historical Park and eat at the night market.

🚌Intercity bus ~£10

🛏Guesthouse near Sukhothai Historical Park

• →Travel day
• →Sukhothai night market

Rent a bicycle (50 THB/day) and spend a half-day riding the UNESCO Historical Park — Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Sawai, Wat Sa Si and the giant seated Buddha at Wat Si Chum (park entry 100 THB per zone). Optional horse-cart ride in the old town. Late afternoon bus to Phitsanulok or an overnight option to Bangkok if you want to break the journey south.

🚌Bicycle hire; local bus

🛏Guesthouse near Sukhothai Historical Park

• →Sukhothai Historical Park by bike
• →Wat Si Chum

Morning bus to Phitsanulok then train or bus to Bangkok (or a direct Sukhothai–Bangkok bus, ~6 hrs). Evening budget flight Bangkok (Don Mueang) to Surat Thani with AirAsia/Nok Air (~£25-40 booked ahead), or take the overnight sleeper train to Surat Thani instead to save a night's accommodation. Aim to be in Surat Thani for the morning boat.

🚌Bus/train + domestic flight ~£40

🛏Budget hotel near Surat Thani or Don Mueang (or overnight train)

• →Travel south

Bus to Don Sak pier and the Seatran or Raja Ferry to Ko Samui (~1.5 hrs, 150-200 THB combined bus+boat, or a Lomprayah/Seatran combo). Base yourself in Lamai or Bophut rather than Chaweng for cheaper guesthouses. Afternoon on the beach, sunset at the Big Buddha or Fisherman's Village night market on Friday.

🚌Bus + ferry ~£6

🛏Beach guesthouse or bungalow, Lamai/Bophut, Ko Samui

• →Ferry crossing
• →Beach time
• →Fisherman's Village market

Optional full-day Ang Thong National Marine Park speedboat tour (book on Klook/GetYourGuide, ~£28-35 incl. lunch, kayaking and snorkelling) — the Emerald Lake viewpoint is the highlight. Or rent a stand-up paddleboard on the calm water at Lamai (~300 THB/hr) and swim off it. Cheap local eats at the Lamai night market.

🚌Local songthaews ~£3

🛏Beach guesthouse or bungalow, Lamai/Bophut, Ko Samui

• →Ang Thong Marine Park day trip (optional)
• →Stand-up paddleboarding (optional)
• →Lamai night market

Short ferry across to Ko Pha Ngan (~30-45 mins, 200-250 THB). Stay on the quieter north or east coast (Thong Sala, Chaloklum or Srithanu) — cheaper and more backpacker-friendly than Haad Rin. Afternoon exploring waterfalls (Than Sadet) or hiking the coast path. Note: if your dates hit the Full Moon Party, book accommodation well ahead.

🚌Ferry ~£5

🛏Beach bungalow, Ko Pha Ngan

• →Island ferry
• →Waterfall visit
• →Beach sunset

Free day at your own pace: hike from Chaloklum to Bottle Beach or up to Khao Ra viewpoint, or join a drop-in yoga class at one of the Srithanu studios (~300-400 THB). Optional snorkel trip to Koh Ma. Cheap and excellent food at the Thong Sala night market.

🚌Walk / songthaew ~£2

🛏Beach bungalow, Ko Pha Ngan

• →Hiking to Bottle Beach or Khao Ra
• →Drop-in yoga (optional)
• →Snorkelling at Koh Ma (optional)

Morning ferry to Ko Tao (~1-1.5 hrs, 300-450 THB). Budget huts and guesthouses cluster around Sairee, Chalok Baan Kao and Mae Haad — book ahead in high season. Afternoon on Sairee beach, and if you want to dive, call into a dive school today to book a Try Dive or Open Water course (Try Dive 1-day, 2 dives, ~£65-75).

🚌Ferry ~£8

🛏Basic bungalow or hostel, Ko Tao

• →Ferry to Ko Tao
• →Sairee beach
• →Dive school enquiries

Join a half-day snorkelling boat trip around the island (~£15-20 via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct at the pier) hitting Shark Bay, Aow Leuk and Japanese Gardens — or rent a mask and fins and swim out from the beach for free. Sunset drinks at a Sairee beach bar.

🚌Longtail boat ~£3

🛏Basic bungalow or hostel, Ko Tao

• →Half-day snorkelling boat trip
• →Beach time
• →Sunset drinks

Optional Try SCUBA dive day (2 dives, ~£65-75) or hike the viewpoint trail to John-Suwan or Two View for the classic island panorama. Alternatively rent a scooter (~250 THB/day) and loop the island's quiet back roads. Last-night seafood BBQ at the night market.

🚌Scooter hire or walking ~£5

🛏Basic bungalow or hostel, Ko Tao

• →Try SCUBA dives (optional)
• →Viewpoint hike
• →Scooter loop of the island (optional)

Catch the morning Lomprayah catamaran to Chumphon or Surat Thani and connect by bus or budget flight to Bangkok for your international departure (combined boat + bus ~£20-25, or fly Surat Thani–Bangkok ~£30 if booked ahead). Allow a full day for the connection if you're flying home the same night. Depart, or stay another night if you can't bear to leave.

🚌Catamaran + bus to Bangkok ~£22

🛏—

• →Ferry to mainland
• →Travel to Bangkok