Last Updated on April 21, 2025

The perfect 16-day itinerary – Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui

Calling Thailand the Land of Smiles might seem like setting the bar a little high, but after spending three weeks there, I found the name surprisingly fitting. While not everyone wore a smile, the warmth, friendliness, and helpfulness I encountered everywhere more than lived up to the reputation.

Introduction to Thailand

On my first trip to Thailand, I began with four days in Bangkok with a fifth day for a day trip out of the city. This was followed by five days in Chiang Mai, an ancient city in the North. Lastly, I spent a week in Southern Thailand on the island of Koh Samui. I wanted a holiday with great sightseeing and food, as well as time on the beach to relax. This itinerary ticked all these boxes.

Bangkok, Thailand

Where to stay

Bangkok is a vast city where the traffic is the worst I have experienced anywhere, except possibly New Delhi. I have two pieces of advice. Firstly, decide what you are interested in visiting, plot these out on a map, and find accommodation in the area. Although the public transport system is efficient, I prefer to limit travel time, especially when it gets as hot as Bangkok. We stayed first at The Peninsula Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River, where boats are a fun way to get about and provide easy access to the top temples, the Grand Palace, Chinatown, many bars, restaurants, and shopping. Secondly, wherever you decide to stay according to your budget, pick accommodation that is as close as possible to a train station. Our second hotel, the NH Bangkok Sukhumvit Boulevard, was downtown and only a few hundred meters walk from the SkyTrain station.

Transport in Bangkok

Two train systems move people around the city. The BTS Skytrain runs on an elevated track above the streets. MRT (metropolitan rapid transit) is a metro system that runs mostly underground and connects to the Skytrain stations.

Another mode of transport is boat companies on the Chao Phraya River. They are colour coded, with each stopping at different piers. You can get a boat map at your hotel. Buy tickets for the boats at kiosks on the pier, where there are English signs explaining where each boat stops. Tell the ticket seller where you want to go, and they will indicate which boat you need. The difference is mainly price – the bigger boats cost more – and comfort, as some are enclosed with air-conditioning, while others have an open-air deck. We usually bought a ticket for the next boat to arrive, as most of them do stop at the popular tourist spots.

There are also boats along khlong (canals), the transport routes in Bangkok that existed before roads were built. Nowadays, two of the wider canals are used for boat buses, which are fast and sit very low in the water. We were the only tourists I could see when we used one of these boats.  We saw a part of Bangkok that was a far cry from the glitzy shopping malls or the major tourist sights.

Taxis are easily available in Bangkok. Although by law, drivers must use a meter, almost every taxi driver we encountered refused to do so. Negotiate your price before you get in. We used a tuk-tuk one evening in rush hour traffic; I’m not sure my lungs will ever recover from the pollution.

Sightseeing in Bangkok

Faced with only a few days in the city, I chose the three main temples (wats) and a few museums. Many temples are part of large temple complexes with many sub-temples and pavilions, so it takes time to see them all. It is easy to become temple-fatigued in Thailand, so be selective. Unless you have the stamina of Hercules – and are impervious to heat – I suggest that if you only have one day in the city, you choose two of the major temples at the most. If you have two days, you can comfortably see three.

People in Thailand joke that the weather is either hot, hotter, or hottest. We set out early and usually returned to our hotel in the afternoon to rest in an air-conditioned environment.

Where to eat

Bangkok is famous for its street food as well as Michelin-starred dining. Book ahead for the most popular restaurants. We ate lunch near the museums or temples we were visiting. For dinner, we ranged from high-end, fine dining restaurants to very cheap, street food-style stalls in malls. Thai shopping malls are vast and, in addition to hosting formal restaurants, many have a floor dedicated to street food stalls. The dishes are similar to those in street food markets, but there is air-conditioning. We ate at two of these malls during our stay – ICONSIAM on the Chao Phraya River and Terminal 21 in Sukhumvit.

Itinerary for Bangkok

Day One – The National Museum

Having arrived the evening before, we were ready to tackle the sights on the first morning. The National Museum Bangkok is a large complex divided into a selection of buildings – pick and choose or visit them all. It has an outstanding collection of traditional arts, including ceramics, musical instruments, furniture, textiles, and fine arts. A particularly stunning section exhibits royal funeral chariots – enormous golden chariots used to transport royal urns following cremations. We enjoyed an informative section on Thai archaeological history. It’s a great museum to visit as it provides an excellent cultural overview. At a small, open-air restaurant near the back of the museum complex, a group of elderly women prepared delicious, stir-fried dishes at lunchtime. We refuelled there with spicy food and coconut water.

We spent the afternoon at The Peninsula Hotel pool and in the evening had an excellent traditional Thai dinner at one of the hotel’s restaurants, Thiptara, overlooking the Chao Phraya River.

Day Two – The Grand Palace

We took a boat to the pier for the Grand Palace complex in the morning. Start as early as possible to avoid the tour buses and also to keep out of the midday sun.

The Grand Palace is a phantasmagoria of temples and buildings, unsurpassed in its decorative exuberance. The first section comprises the temple complex of Wat Phra Kaew, where you will find gold-leaf adorned buildings, mirrored tiles, and mosaics. Elaborate murals abound, as do giant statues from Hindu mythology. The holiest Buddha in Thailand – the Emerald Buddha – is housed in the ordination hall. Wander around the site amongst gold chedis, a scaled model of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, temples, and pavilions. The architectural and decorative detail is superb. Once we had completed this area and the adjacent palace complex that included the interesting Queen Sirikit Textile Museum, we needed a sit down if not a lie-down.

Wat Pho temple complex is a 15-minute walk from the exit of The Grand Palace – you could take a tuk-tuk if you like – and you will pass a street food market doing busy trade at lunchtime. There are also umpteen restaurants. The Sixth was a small restaurant across the road from Wat Pho, where we enjoyed a selection of noodle dishes that were not tempered down to Western palates and all the better for it.

Wat Pho is famous for its massive Reclining Buddha, which is simply stunning. At 46m long and 15m high, the Buddha seemed squashed into the long hall built to contain it. Covered entirely in gold leaf with mother-of-pearl inlays in the soles of the feet, it is an exquisite sight. Several pavilions house an outstanding collection of golden Buddhas, each with a different expression. Wat Pho is known as Thailand’s first university, the place where Thai Buddhist massage evolved. You can complete your visit with a massage at the renowned massage school.

Day Three – Wat Arun to Chinatown

We spent the morning at Wat Arun, which overlooks the river. This is the smallest of the big three temple complexes and comprises five prangs (Thai towers) that are completely covered in flowers made from broken pieces of pottery. The pottery was once used as ballast for ships arriving from China and was recycled to create an extraordinary decorative display. Between the prangs are four temples, each with a statue of the Buddha at a different stage of his life.  Wat Arun, known in English as The Temple of the Dawn, is on the spot where the city was initially established before being moved across the river.

From the Wat Pho pier, we crossed the river on a small ferry and then hopped on a boat to the pier for Chinatown. We walked through a non-touristy neighbourhood called Thalat Noi. Once you arrive in Chinatown, you can spend all day eating and sightseeing. Note that the street food stalls are closed on Mondays.

We crossed town to visit the Jim Thompson House museum, which is worth adding to your list if you have the time. Jim Thompson was an American who moved to Thailand and contributed substantially to the growth of the hand-weaving of silk and marketing Thai silk on the international stage. In 1967 Thompson disappeared while hiking in the mountains and was never found. His house is a beautiful traditional Thai building filled with his artworks, artefacts, and furniture, all set in a tropical garden. There is a tapas bar and a restaurant on site where we ate a creatively prepared, light meal.

Day Four – Trip to Ayutthaya

We hired a driver and guide for a day-trip to the fascinating city, Ayutthaya. The capital of Siam from 1350 – 1767, once one of the world’s wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities, Ayutthaya was filled with gilded temples and palaces. It was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767, and the remaining ruins are evocative and beautiful. There are many tours to choose from according to your budget –  all-day, half-day, group, or private. On a private, half-day tour, we visited five different temples, which gave us a good sense of the history and architecture of the Ayutthaya period of Thai history.

Once back in Bangkok, we spent the late afternoon at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre – add this to your list if you have time and enjoy contemporary art. We happened to visit during the Bangkok Biennale and were treated to a feast of Thai art. The centre is designed like the Guggenheim in New York. There are also numerous small shops and boutiques in the building, selling Thai art, jewellery, books, and artefacts, along with coffee shops and seating areas. It is a great place to spend a few hours.

For dinner, we experienced an outstanding and creative Thai fine dining meal at KHAAN. Make reservations well in advance. It was, without question, one of the top meals we had on our trip.

Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

We took an early morning flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand. We had planned a 10-hour train trip direct from Bangkok, also available as an overnight trip. However, after reading conflicting reports on the cleanliness and comfort of such a long train journey, we took a short flight instead.  I love train travel and far prefer it to flying for a host of reasons, but gaining an extra half day in this fascinating city was hard to resist.

Where to Stay in Chiang Mai

I strongly recommend booking a hotel in the Old City, as much of what you will want to see is located there, as are street markets, restaurants, bars, and shops. We spent mornings sightseeing, returned to the hotel in the heat of the day, and popped out again in the late afternoon, straight into the middle of the action.  There was easy access to the sights in the hills surrounding the city via public transport or taxi. If you choose day trips into the mountains further out, these can be arranged with tour companies that proliferate on the streets of the Old City.

Where to eat

Similar to Bangkok, Chiang Mai has great street food as well as fine-dining restaurants. There are regional specialities and we made sure to try many of these. Sometimes we ate street food, while at other times we sought out restaurants that served traditional Thai meals.  

The most famous local dish of Chiang Mai is khao soi, a noodle dish in a coconut curry broth, containing chicken, pork, or beef, and topped with crispy noodles. It is served everywhere in the city, from street markets to upmarket eateries. Unusually for Northern Thai cuisine, it includes coconut milk and wheat noodles.  Our favourite versions were in two very different places. The first was under an awning at the side of a temple complex on a busy street. Khao Soi Khun Yai translates as Grandma’s Khao Soi and is so popular that it often sells out by 1 pm. Here we found four mature women behind a counter.  There was a large pot of soup, a smaller pot of chicken, and a third of crispy noodles. Each woman ladled a serving from their pot into a bowl, and diners were given a plate of garnishes to add at the table. We hydrated with a glass each of lotus root juice and longan juice, a fruit similar to a lychee. The second place was an open-air eatery at Baan Kang Wat, an artists’ village on the outskirts of the city. Here, khao soi was prepared at lunchtime in massive woks on gas fires. Eaten under a bamboo awning with a glass of ice-cold passion fruit and lime mocktail, it was a memorable lunch.

Another out-of-town restaurant we enjoyed was Han Teung Chiang Mai. It specialises in Northern Thai cuisine and is recommended in the Bib Gourmand. It was packed on a weekend lunchtime. We ordered the Northern Thai platter, which contained six bowls. One had a jammy egg, another was young pork skin, and a third contained the Northern Thai spicy sausage called sai oua, fragrant with Thai basil. One bowl appeared to contain pork mince with roasted tomato. I was unable to identify the others.

Our fine-dining meal was at Blackitch Artisan Kitchen, in the neighbourhood of Nimmanhaemin, outside of the Old City. The restaurant has a farm-to-table philosophy and prepares seasonal dishes using local ingredients from all around the country. It seats 16 people and serves an 11-course tasting menu. The self-taught chef, Phanuphon Bulsuwan, nicknamed Black, is a fermenter, forager, and promoter of modern Thai cuisine. The dishes were exquisitely presented and included combinations such as cuttlefish, fermented tea, and persimmon or Winter vegetables, shrimp miso, curry leaves, and Thai beef. Book well ahead for this memorable meal.

We had delicious, tasty bowls of curry in the Old City at a restaurant called Mr Kai. This was one of many meals where we ordered two dishes with sides of rice and a drink, and it cost less than £10. We also ate very cheaply at the Saturday and Sunday walking markets, where whole streets are taken over by miles of stalls selling everything from clothing to souvenirs and fried scorpions.

What to see

Late afternoon is the best time to visit the temples in Chiang Mai as the crowds have left and the setting sun blazes onto the golden domes of the temples, creating a spectacular glow. However, since there are over 300 temples in the city, it is not possible to visit them all at this time of day. The beauty of staying in the Old City is that one can tick off a few in the early morning and some more in the evening, as so many temples are within walking distance. Action-seeking travellers can take day-trips into the mountains, but we were happy to spend our time in Chiang Mai or visiting temples in the hills surrounding the city.

Temples outside of Chiang Mai can be reached in a taxi or a Grab (the equivalent of Uber in Thailand). Alternatively, you could hop into a songthaew, which is a converted pick-up truck with open sides used as shared taxis in the city. Some temples are further afield, and you will need to arrange a half-day or day-trip to visit. I leave the question of visiting elephants to your discretion. We avoided these.

Chiang Mai Itinerary

Day One – Wat Phan Tao

Having arrived in the early afternoon and spent time at the hotel pool, we began exploring towards evening at a temple across the road from our hotel. Wat Phan Tao is one of the older temples in Chiang Mai with a traditional Lanna-style ordination hall,  built from teak. I found the ancient wooden temples to be the most atmospheric of all those we visited in the city. What they lacked in glitz and gold leaf, they more than compensated for in a spiritual atmosphere.

Next door is another famous temple complex called Wat Chedi Luang. This is the largest temple in Chiang Mai, the stone chedi being 600 years old. It had golden Buddha images on all four sides of the structure as well as life-sized elephant sculptures protruding at points. There was a golden stupa which blazed in the light of the setting sun.

Day Two – The Old City of Chiang Mai

We downloaded a self-guided walking tour of the Old City, which took us past many highlights of this area. We visited museums and temples along the way. Our first stop was Wat Inthakhin Sadue Muang, located in the centre of the Old City, resplendent with gilded serpents guarding the entrance. Side temples contained beautiful Buddhas and colourful decorations. They sit above a sea of bright orange and yellow chrysanthemums tied into garlands.

The Three Kings monument commemorates three kings who made peace rather than war and established Chiang Mai. It is located on a large square on which are three of Chiang Mai’s museums. We spent a couple of informative hours at the Lanna Folklife Centre, but we might equally have visited the Chiang Mai Arts and Cultural Centre or the Chiang Mai Historical Centre. The Lanna Folklife Centre is housed in a Lanna-style, teakwood courthouse. Its large rooms are filled with dioramas depicting various aspects of Lanna culture – ceramics, textiles, music, murals, and Buddhist practice.

Our final stop for the morning was set in a peaceful, shaded garden along a canal. Wat Chiang Mai is the oldest temple in the Old City, dating back to 1296, and boasting a stunning gold stupa decorated with ancient elephant carvings.

From here, it was a short walk to Wat Khuan Khama, where we had our introduction to the quintessential Chiang Mai dish, Khao Soi, from the stall in the temple grounds. After a light lunch, we still had space at dinnertime for the 11-course tasting menu at Blackitch.

Day Three – Doi Suthep

We headed out to tick off our daily quota of temples. Hailing a Grab, we headed up into the hills outside the city to visit one of the most famous sites in the area. A 45-minute drive up a steep, hairpin-bend-filled road brought us to the top of Doi Suthep, both the name of the mountain and the temple. I didn’t fancy climbing 300 steps to the top of the complex and, fortunately, there was a funicular. The temple complex is highly ornate with lots of gilding. A large white elephant sculpture honours the legendary elephant that carried the King bearing relics of the Buddha to this spot. Legend tells that it was decided to build a temple to house the relics wherever the elephant eventually stopped. After a very long journey, the elephant climbed this mountain, stopped, and died the following day from exhaustion. The complex is renowned for its views over Chiang Mai, but while there were a couple of expansive viewing areas, the pollution over the city obscured the view.

On the way down the mountain, we stopped at a temple complex that could not have been more different. Known as ‘the hidden temple’, Wat Pha Lad is found within a forest in the Doi Suthep National Park. This is a quiet and spiritual place, totally unlike the glitzy, tourist-laden temple complex we had visited earlier. We crossed a small stream to a stone meditation hall that seemed to have been there for centuries and was covered in forest foliage. The Monk’s Path passes through, a steep path beginning in the outskirts of Chiang Mai, eventually reaching the Doi Suthep temple, much like the elephant once did. Further down the mountain, we stopped to visit the Huey Kaew waterfall, where one can go on a series of hikes.

In the early evening, we walked through the Old City to visit Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan, which is renowned for its lion Buddha, the second most revered Buddha image in Thailand. Alongside the temple was a stunning golden stupa with golden elephants around the base.

Day Four – Saturday walking Market

We visited another temple or two, these recommended by our hotel and our Grab driver. Wat Suan Dok dates from 1370 and was built to house a Buddha relic brought from the Sukothai kingdom by a monk called Sumara Thera. Striking blue and gold pillars and a large standing Buddha are notable features here. Outdoors, we found a blindingly white marble necropolis.

The highlight of the day was Wat Umong, a forest temple complex developed for monks to reside around the founding of Chiang Mai in 1297. A community of monks still lives there today. This unique complex has an underground temple, accessed via a subterranean tunnel. It was an evocative experience walking along this old tunnel system where small Buddha images were set into niches and caves.

Saturday nights in Chiang Mai are best spent at the Saturday Walking Market, which occupies one of the main streets in the Old City in the old silversmith area. Nearby is an outstanding temple which is not to be missed. Known as the Silver Temple, Wat Sri Suphan is quite unlike anything I have ever seen. The entire temple is made from metal, hammered out into elaborate and intricate tableaux. It was only completed some 12 years ago. At the time, a newly appointed abbot wanted to reinvigorate the temple that stood here. He called together the silversmiths who lived behind the temple and asked them to collaborate in making something historic that would be their legacy. Some have passed away by now, but we saw a few later in the evening creating smaller pieces of silverware in the market.

The Saturday Walking Market is hugely popular, and I filled several bags with Thai clothing and trinkets. The atmosphere was great fun. We ate street food for dinner and finally, in a state of exhaustion after hours of walking, relaxed at an open-air foot massage parlour where two older women went to work on our feet and calves with a vengeance.

Day Five – Wat Ton Kuen and More

On our final day in Chiang Mai, we visited one last temple. Wat Pra That Doi Kham is known as the Temple of the Golden Mountain and was suggested to us by our driver. This was another mountain-top complex with pollution-obscured views. The complex felt rather touristy with large oversized Buddha images.

The final temple was one of my favourites. Local knowledge is invaluable when travelling, and we were taken to some magnificent temples that we had not heard about previously. Wat Ton Kuen was built in 2401 B.E. and was found down a small lane outside of the city. It was built in traditional Lanna style, no glitz at all, just beautiful teakwood and a peaceful cloister around the complex.

We retired for a few hours to an artists’ village outside the city.  Baan Kang Wat is a creative village where visitors can join workshops from book binding to ceramics. Small shops sell the artisans’ wares, including glassware, handmade notebooks, hand-woven clothing, ceramics, and paintings. The items here were pricey but worthwhile for their high quality. We had a wonderful lunch of Khao Soi, followed by a visit to a most unusual coffee shop called Graph. I had a drink called Silence, a mix of matcha, cocoa, activated charcoal, and milk. The few hours at this village were one of the highlights of the Thailand trip.

For our last evening, we ventured out to the Sunday Walking Market, which is similar to the Saturday one, albeit in a different area of the Old City. Unfortunately, it began to rain, which might have been just as well, as my suitcase was bulging by this stage. We stopped into a local restaurant where we made sure to eat the few remaining Chiang Mai dishes we had not yet tried.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Most tourists fly to the island of Koh Samui, although you can reach it via boat by taking a ferry from the mainland ( either Don Sak Pier in Surat Thani Province or Surat Thani City). Fans of The White Lotus will be familiar with the facilities of the Four Seasons hotel complex on the island. Coincidentally, we arrived just as Season 3 was beginning to stream. An increase in tourist numbers is anticipated as a result of the White Lotus effect. That said, there was no shortage of tourists in the six days that we spent on the island.

My purpose was relaxation. Why else visit a tropical island with luxurious hotel resorts set on beautiful beaches? Many people take boat trips to neighbouring islands or the Ang Thong National  Park, but we were tired after Bangkok and Chiang Mai and just wanted to chill. In addition, we were a bit unlucky with the weather as, despite it being the dry season, there was intermittent, torrential rain for the first three days. This gave us time to enjoy Spa massages and cooking classes, all of which were offered by our hotel.

When we ventured out, we visited two temple complexes, both of which we found rather touristy. They lacked the spiritual ambience of the Chiang Mai temples. Wat Phra Yai is known as the  Big Buddha Temple. Atop a steep flight of steps sits a huge golden Buddha with a mandala and a serpent behind it. Built in 1972, the statue is 12 metres high and is one of Koh Samui’s major tourist attractions. There are lovely views over the coastline and a small shopping village alongside.

A twenty-minute walk brought us to Wat Plai Laem, which felt like entering Buddhist Disneyland. The main sight here is an 18-armed image of Guanyin, the goddess of mercy and compassion. After the beautiful, centuries-old temples of Chiang Mai, these modern temples were not to my taste, but they certainly drew the crowds.

Other popular sights on Koh Samui include waterfalls number one and number two. Although the names sound like characters from Dr Seuss, there was nothing comical about our visit to number one. It was easily accessible from the car park (waterfall number two requires more of a hike) and an impressive sight, especially following the heavy rains.

We were hosted at two resort hotels, which were both located on the beach, so it was tempting to stay put at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort and Amari Koh Samui. However, we tore ourselves away to visit Crystal Beach on the east coast of the island. This lovely cove had enormous trees growing on the beach, which provided shade, the water was as clear as the beach name suggests, and it was surrounded by high cliffs covered in jungle-type foliage. One afternoon, we took a taxi to a beach on the western coast at Nathon Town. Here we found a café overlooking what I can only describe as a Robinson Crusoe scene – an unspoilt beach, deserted but for a few cockerels pecking in the sand. We refreshed with cold coconut drinks before strolling along the beautiful stretch of beach, palm trees bending over the sand, and a crumbling fishing boat in the shallows. It was like a film set. The tide was out for sunset, and a group gathered far out at the water’s edge to photograph the setting of the sun, best viewed from this side of the island.

We ended that day at the Fisherman’s Village – on the northern coast– filled with upmarket international restaurants and clothing stores. A popular Friday night market had an extensive selection of clothing, Thai handicrafts, and food stalls with live music. We ate at The Thai Tapas, where The White Lotus actors were photographed on one of their off-camera forays into town. The food was very good.

Sixteen days whizzed past with our minds and palates constantly stimulated. It gave us a taste of Thailand and left us with an appetite for a return visit.

Getting to Thailand – Useful Info

Visa requirements

UK nationals are exempt from requiring a visa to enter Thailand. However, starting on May 1, 2025, all foreigners entering Thailand, regardless of their visa status, need to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). You need to do this online before you begin your trip, providing passport, flight, and accommodation details. A proposal in Thailand might reduce visa-free stays from 60 to 30 days, but no decision has yet been made. Keep an eye on any developments that may affect your trip.

Travel to Thailand

We flew direct to Bangkok from Heathrow, where we were invited to visit the Plaza Premium Lounge at Terminal 2. It was a relaxing few hours before embarking on a long flight.

While you can fly directly from the UK to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand or the island of Phuket in the South, many visitors choose to visit Bangkok first for a few days. Direct flights from the UK to the capital arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), approximately a  50-minute drive to central Bangkok. There are taxis into town, or you could use the train that runs into the centre. Our hotel arranged a driver, but in the future, I would probably use the train. The traffic in Bangkok is notoriously snarled up, and one can waste precious hours in taxis.

Aside from flying from Heathrow, other UK airports that offer direct flights to Thailand include Gatwick and Manchester. Depending on the time of the year, flights are available from Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Newcastle.

Our Plaza Premium experience at Heathrow Terminal 2 was gifted by Holiday Extras, the market leader in UK airport parking, hotels, lounges, and transfers. Lounge access at Plaza Premium at Heathrow T2 costs £85.50. Here we were able to sit in a comfortable lounge with access to food and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere before our flight.