Epic Regions of Thailand You Need to Visit
Dreaming of a trip to Thailand, but have no idea where to start. Trust me, you’re not alone. Thailand is packed with so many epic places that planning your route can get seriously overwhelming. And what’s worse is you can actually end up wrecking your trip by rushing around the country trying to do too much. I’ve traveled all over Thailand and helped hundreds of other people plan their dream trips to the country.
You can copy these ready-to-go 10-day itineraries, combine them, or just use them for inspiration. Each one dives deep into a specific region, so you actually get to experience Thailand, not just race from airport to airport or get stuck on a bus for half your trip. Expect to find out how you can see some of Thailand’s most jaw-dropping spots while barely leaving Bangkok, the hidden islands that almost no tourists visit but you absolutely should, and how to simplify and streamline your dream Thailand trip by focusing on areas that best suit you and your travel needs.
The Trat Islands
This is one of the least explored groups of islands, but it’s actually one of the most stunning. And because it’s less explored, that also means you get away from the crowded beaches that Thailand is sometimes known for. This trip starts up near the Cambodian border right in the northeast of Thailand and has you hopping between three separate islands.
The biggest is known for its mountainous terrain and dense jungle interior. Part of the fun on this island is exploring its jungles and hopping in some of its many waterfalls. It’s known as Koh Chang and it’s the most developed for tourism out of the three on this itinerary, but still a lot less explored than some of the bigger islands. It has a good nightlife and it’s all about watching a fire show on the beach and visiting a few beach bars. There’s no massive beach parties or nightclubs here.
The island is home to a few luxury resorts and nice restaurants. So, probably the most unique place on the island is the beautiful Bang Bao fishing village at the southern tip. Here you can grab a beer or coffee and watch the boats roll in. And also from here you can catch a boat to one of the smallest and least explored islands in the country.
If you’ve ever dreamed of getting completely off the grid, then this might be the perfect island escape for you. There are only a handful of hotels and with just a 16 square kilometers and around 800 residents, it’s by far the smallest island on this list. Life here is at a totally different pace. There’s not a huge list of attractions or activities, but that’s kind of the charm. That being said, there are a couple of cool places to check out. You can hop on a longtail boat and visit the even more secluded Koh Kham or take a walk down the slightly surreal cinnamon boardwalk, often with no one else around.
This is Koh Mak and it’s the perfect island escape. But just be careful what you wish for here. Don’t be surprised when you turn up and there’s only a handful of bars and restaurants. That’s what you get when you get really off the beaten path. This island is best for those who are comfortable doing nothing on a quiet and beautiful beach.
Luckily though, the final island on this itinerary takes it up a notch. The final island is called Koh Kood, and similar to Koh Chang, it’s known for its beautiful beaches and stunning waterfalls. Make sure to take a dip in the beautiful Klong Chao waterfall while you’re here, and hop on a scooter to explore the island’s hidden beaches. What really sets this island apart, though, from the others on the list is its high-end resorts. To be honest, this island isn’t ideal for budget travelers, but if you’re looking to take your trip to the next level, there are some unbelievable options. Together, the islands of Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood are known as the Trat Islands, and they are some of the most epic in Thailand.
Central Thailand Without Internal Flights
This is the most varied itinerary on the list because it has the best mix of hectic city life and stunning nature, as well as visiting both the most modern parts of the country and the most ancient. For me, this is a trip that I would take if I really wanted to understand Thai culture and history.
Most people in Thailand land in Bangkok, check out a few temples and rooftop bars, then jump on a flight somewhere else. But what if you could experience ancient cities, wild jungles, and tropical beaches, all without ever setting foot in an airport? This 10-day trip is the easiest way to see Thailand’s heartland. There’s no flights, no complicated transfers, just short scenic rides from one incredible place to the next.
It starts in Bangkok, a city that can be pretty much anything you want it to be. If you’re looking for wild nights out, endless street food, luxury malls, or peaceful river temples, it’s all here. Spend a few days soaking it in, then head to one of Thailand’s most important historic sites.
Just north of Bangkok, on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, lies the ancient capital of Thailand that was abandoned after an invasion by the neighboring Burmese. Luckily, the remnants of the ancient city still stand today, and they make for one of the most beautiful parts of the country. You can spend the morning cycling between the ancient monuments and make sure you don’t leave before checking out the fallen Buddha head that has now become intertwined with the tree, which is the city’s most iconic image. This is the ancient city of Ayutthaya, and it’s worth spending a night or two here before heading out into nature. Bangkok could be described as a concrete jungle, but what most people don’t realize is it’s actually just a few hours ride away from the actual jungle. And not just any jungle. This is Thailand’s biggest national park, and it’s home to wild elephants, monkeys, and even snakes.
What I like most about this area is that it’s also home to some of the most fascinating jungle hotels you’ll ever see. When I stayed here, I stayed at a glamping site where we stayed in a huge tent with a bed and a swimming pool. And it was amazing to wake up every morning to the sound of tropical birds. This is Khao Yai National Park and you can spend your days trekking through the jungle where you can bathe in waterfalls and hopefully catch a glimpse of Thailand’s most amazing wildlife. You know, hopefully without getting eaten.
The next stop on this trip blends stunning scenery with Thai history and culture. The most iconic landmark here is the Erawan Falls. This is a seven-tiered waterfall famous for its turquoise rock pools that you can swim in and explore. It’s also home to some fascinating local temples including Tiger Cave Temple and Wat Tham Sua. And for history nerds, you can come to learn about one of the darkest chapters of World War II history in the construction of the Death Railway from Thailand to Burma by visiting the Thailand Burma Death Railway as well as the bridge over the River Kwai and Hellfire Pass. And if you have time, you can even finish it off with a few days on a beach at Pattaya or Koh Samet. This is the central Thailand region and it has literally everything you ever want in a Thailand trip. Plus, you never have to take an internal flight. I do think this trip gets ignored by a lot of people though because it does present some challenges like figuring out transportation between locations and making sure to visit these often hard-to-reach places.
Thailand’s Andaman Coast
As soon as you start researching Thailand’s islands, there’s going to be a few places that keep popping up over and over again like Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Phi Phi. These are some of the best beach destinations in the world. I like to split these into two separate island itineraries.
On the west of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, you have Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Lanta. One of the biggest deciding factors on which one you should visit should be the weather. In Thailand, the rainy season falls on the east and west coasts at slightly different times.
In the west, the best times to visit are generally from September to April because these will be the hottest and driest months, giving you the blue skies and clear waters that you’ve always wanted. So, if you’re visiting around Christmas time or before February, the chances of the best weather are in Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Phi Phi.
If you’re looking for a more active trip where you visit some of the most iconic places in Thailand, spending days exploring secluded beaches and longtail boats, climbing mountain top temples, and eating the best street food in southern Thailand, you should visit the west side of Thailand. I say that because I think this side has more locations that have more of the wow factor to them.
I just think places like Railay Beach, Tiger Cave Temple, Phang Nga Bay, Hong Islands, and Maya Bay are the most beautiful sites that Thailand has to offer. And to me, they have a bit more of an adventurous feel to them. The problem some people have with these places though is that they are sometimes a bit overcrowded or too touristy, but they’re kind of touristy for a reason because they’re awesome.
The Gulf of Thailand
If you’re looking for a bit more of a laid-back beach vibe in perhaps a more natural setting, I’d recommend the Gulf of Thailand. I think that while this side has a little less in terms of must-do or must-see activities, it’s more about exploring different areas of these islands and they perhaps are the better beaches on the islands themselves.
In the east, in the Gulf of Thailand, you have the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao. The best times are usually between January and June. But if you’re visiting during the summertime, you should probably visit Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao.
I just spent two weeks on Koh Samui and I feel like I only scratched the surface of exploring the island and finding out what it’s all about. So, the Andaman Islands kind of have the best island hopping and exploring, but the Gulf Islands have better beaches on the islands themselves, if that makes sense.
I sometimes see complaints that some of these islands can be too busy, but personally, I think these complaints can be overblown. It’s always for me part of the fun of being here is the lively atmospheres with a lot going on. But even then, I think there are parts of Phuket and Koh Samui that are still much less explored. And as long as you avoid the busiest areas like Patong and Chaweng, it probably won’t feel too crowded.
Northern Thailand From Chiang Mai
But if you want to really experience Thai culture, you need to head north. The north of Thailand is home to stunning mountains, beautiful temples, and small local villages that are completely distinct from the rest of the country.
When you begin researching, you’re going to be overwhelmed by the number of places to visit like Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Pai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Kampong, and Doi Inthanon. But here’s the thing, it really doesn’t have to be that complicated. I met so many people that have long and complicated northern Thailand itineraries when actually it can be one of the simplest places to explore.
That’s why my number one trick to explore the region without hopping around every few days is to visit Chiang Mai and stay there. Chiang Mai is the perfect place to explore some of the best sites that northern Thailand has to offer. It’s smack bang in the middle of all the places I just mentioned and the vast majority of them can be visited as day trips from the city.
I’ve known plenty of people who spend over a week near Chiang Mai Old Town and they never got bored because there’s plenty to do. But within two hours drive of the city, there are some of the best sites in the country. If you want a bit more variety, you can spend a night or two in Chiang Rai where you can visit the famous temples and possibly the surrounding jungle in the Golden Triangle. Although this is actually still possible to do as a long day trip from Chiang Mai.
You can also take the long winding road to the town of Pai where you can rent a scooter and explore the surrounding countryside, waterfalls, and caves.
This is the most popular route to explore in northern Thailand, but there are many other regions of northern Thailand that most tourists never visit. And the next itinerary is one of the most beautiful.
The Nan Loop
A few years back, my friends and I went on a scooter riding trip around one of Northern Thailand’s most stunning regions, Nan Province. Nan Province is another off-the-beaten-path province that many visitors have never even heard of, but this is definitely one of the best trips that I’ve ever done in my life. And if you’re looking to do a bike trip in Thailand, this has some of the most stunning roads in the country on one of the easiest bike loops to do.
Back in the dark days of COVID in 2020 when the rest of the world was locked down, my friends and I flew into Nan City, which is the capital of Nan Province, where we explored its temples and artwork, hit some night markets, and ate khao soi every day. But from there we delved into some of the most beautiful countryside in Thailand.
The next stop for us was the town of Pua, which is famous for its lush rice fields, scenic mountain views, and photogenic coffee shops put right on the edge of the rice paddies. We trekked through the thick jungle of Doi Phu Kha National Park where we saw all kinds of wildlife before moving on to the town of Bo Kluea, situated in the middle of a stunning valley famous for its traditional salt mining.
What I like most about this trip were the epic roads and views between the towns. There were very few foreign tourists here but still plenty to see and do because the area is popular for local Thai tourism. The bike trip is known as the Nan Loop and it can be done as short as three days, but if you take the time to really explore the region, it could be the epic bike adventure that you’re looking for.
Thailand’s Least Explored Islands
The final trip will take you to some of the least explored but most beautiful islands in the country. It will take you to some of the most epic snorkeling spots of anywhere in the world where you can literally step outside your hotel and just be surrounded by coral reefs. This trip starts in the Andaman Sea, the same area where you’ll find the famous islands of Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, and Krabi, to some islands that are much less well-known. The first is one of the chillest in the country. Unlike Phuket or Koh Phi Phi, development here has stayed pretty mellow, so the beaches are still absolutely pristine.
What I loved most was just how peaceful it felt, making it perfect for exploring by scooter. And you can spend your days zipping through the jungle, stumbling across hidden beaches, or rolling into a little fishing village for fresh seafood. The old town, tucked on the eastern side, is the island’s main fishing port, and a great spot for a quiet meal by the water. This isn’t the place for wild nightlife. You won’t find any big clubs or parties here. Instead, there’s a few beach bonfires, reggae bars, and just a few places to have a chill beer. This is Koh Yao Noi and because it’s so close to Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, and Krabi, getting here is really easy with boats arriving every day from the other islands.
Your next stop is a small but beautiful island in the region of Trang. There are actually four islands that you can choose from here, but they are so small that I recommend choosing just one to stay on and exploring the rest as day trips by boat. My top pick is to stay at Koh Mook. That’s because it has beautiful beaches, but is also home to Sivalai Beach Resort, which is famous because of its location right at the end of the island.
Also on Koh Mook is the Emerald Cave, which is one of the craziest places that I’ve ever visited. I actually had no idea what this was when we pulled up here. We were on an island hopping trip and the boat driver dropped us off and told us to swim toward an island in the distance. As we approached, it was a dark cave that he told us to swim into. And I’m not going to lie, once we entered the cave in the middle of the ocean, and it was pitch black, I was more than a little concerned.
The waves were hitting our face and I couldn’t see anything apart from the guy’s torch flashing in the distance until we eventually saw a few beams of light that we swam towards. As we approached, I couldn’t believe it. We arrived at a beautiful beach that was located inside a cave. No matter where we looked on either side, there were steep mountain walls with the sun peeping through the hole at the top. And this is definitely one of the most unique beaches that I’ve ever seen. And it’s right here on Koh Mook.
And for the grand finale on this trip, you’ll end up on an island that’s often called the Maldives of Thailand. Here you can literally step out of your bungalow straight into crystal clear water and find yourself snorkeling with clownfish, parrotfish, and even a few turtles. When I stayed here, I picked a spot away from the main beaches, and it felt like we had our own private stretch of sand. Our resort had snorkels and goggles, so we spent hours exploring the reef right offshore. It’s called Koh Lipe, and it also has a decent nightlife with good bars and restaurants. On this trip, you also need to fly back to Bangkok from the town of Hat Yai, which is famous for its fried chicken. So, it’s worth spending the night here before you leave.
