Are you thinking of travelling to Thailand and don’t know which places to visit? We can understand you, it’s difficult to decide what to see and do in Thailand if you only have 15 days. We have visited the tourist sites in Thailand in different stages during our trip around the world and we would return to this country many more times. It’s a place that we love, a place where we have spent quite a lot of time on several occasions and that we love very much. To help you put together your itinerary here we give you ideas for several possible routes with the most essential places. We hope that this way it will be easier for you to decide what to visit in Thailand . In addition, in the second half of the post we have also included a very complete guide to help you organize your trip to Thailand .
What to visit in Thailand
Bangkok
Bangkok is a big city, full of hustle and bustle but also of charming places. It is certainly one of the most touristic places in all of Thailand, because its atmosphere and nightlife attract everyone. For us it deserves at least 4-5 days, we recommend spending the last day in Bangkok to buy gifts before returning home.
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What to visit in Central and Northern Thailand
Lopburi
It is not essential, but if you have 1 day to spare, Lopburi is a small town with few tourists, but with some very particular things like a temple full of monkeys.
How to get to Lopburi:
The best option is the train from Bangkok.
Sukhothai
We recommend staying for a couple of days including Si Satchanalai.
In the Sukhothai Historical Park you will find some of the most important ruins of the Sukhothai Kingdom. To explore the whole park by bike you will need one day.
How to get to Sukhothai:
By train from Bangkok or continuing from Lopburi. Once at the station, hire a tuk-tuk to get to the centre, the hostel area.
Yes Satchanalai
Near Sukhothai, it is also worth visiting one of the least touristy places in Thailand, the ruins of Si Satchanalai, which are impressive and much less visited than those in Sukhothai.
How to reach Si Satchanalai:
By bus from Sukhotai, it will take you about an hour to reach Si Satchanalai . Once there, rent a bike and enjoy the place.
Chiang Mai
We recommend staying at least 3 days
Chiang Mai is definitely one of the places that everyone should visit in Northern Thailand. It is a city that we loved for its wonderful temples, its lively markets, its atmosphere, the massages, the food and I won’t go on any further because I’m going to buy a plane ticket right now. It is worth being there on a Sunday as there is a very nice market in the centre.
How to get to Chiang Mai:
From Sukhotai you can take a bus.
From Bangkok, by low-cost flight, train, bus or minivan – there are many alternatives. The bus is the most comfortable option.
Chiang Rai
We recommend staying for at least 1-2 days.
The city of Chiang Rai itself may not be the most impressive, but the White Temple of Chiang Rai located on the outskirts of this city has no equal.
How to get to Chiang Rai:
From Chiang Mai the best option is to take a bus.
Tourist places in Southern Thailand: The best beaches and islands
And now we move on to the wonderful beaches:
Depending on the time of year, choose the East or West coast.
The best beaches and islands on Thailand’s east coast
Koh Tao
Of the three most popular islands (Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Ko Pha Ngan) in the Gulf of Thailand, we chose Koh Tao. We recommend staying at least 4 days.
Koh Tao is a great place for snorkelling and scuba diving. Koh Tao Island is famous for being an island with many diving schools and for being one of the cheapest places to get the “Open Water” certification. Koh Samui is the island for families and Koh Pha Ngan is the island for parties, with the Full Moon Party taking place every month, a total mess.
How to get to Koh Tao:
From Chiang Mai there are direct flights to the south, you can also take the train, or go through Bangkok and then continue south.
The cheapest option is to take the train to Surat Thani and then take a ferry from there.
The best beaches to visit on the West Coast of Thailand
Ao Nang (Krabi)
Ao Nang beach itself is nothing special, but there are some nice excursions to be made from Krabi around the area. You can visit the beautiful Railay beach or take a tour of the 4 islands . We recommend staying for at least 2 days.
How to get to Ao Nang:
From Koh Tao you have to take the ferry to Surat Thani and from there a bus to Krabi (changing in Hat Yai) and then a bemos to Ao Nang.
The Phi Phi Islands
Who doesn’t dream of seeing the blue waters of Maya Bay? Perhaps this island along with Phuket is the most touristic place in all of Thailand. We advise visiting it outside of the high season when you will be able to experience much more of the magic of the place.
How to get to Phi Phi Islands:
We recommend taking a day trip to Phi Phi from Ao Nang so you can enjoy Maya Beach without having to stay in Koh Phi Phi where there are many tourists and prices are more expensive.
Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe is an island of peace and tranquility, a natural paradise and for us it is home to some of the best beaches in Thailand. We recommend staying at least 3 days.
How to get to Koh Lipe:
From Bangkok you can take a bus to Satun (we recommend at night) or the train and get off at the station in Hat Yai. The other option is to take a Bangkok -Hat Yai flight.
From Krabi: This is the best starting point to reach Koh Lipe. There are two options, the first is a direct boat (which operates only in high season), the second is to reach Satun by land by bus, take another bus to Pak Barra and then take the boat to Koh Lipe (this type of connection is available all year round).