A Chiang Mai local recently said to me ‘but yeah, there’s not much to do in Bangkok..’. Now while I agree that Chiang Mai has lots of adventure activities it left me feeling slightly indignant about Bangkok, my home for 3.5 years.
What cultural activities can you do in Bangkok? The best activities to do in Bangkok are on the below list:
Here is the list of my top 50 things to do in Bangkok that will never leave you feeling bored in this crazy Thai capital:
Looking for some Thailand itinerary inspiration? So you’ve got two weeks to travel Thailand? Whether you’re a beach bum, party animal, culture vulture or adventurer I’ve suggested a possible itinerary to inspire you to explore Thailand!
Day 7, 8, 9 Fly to Krabi and spend time rock climbing in Railay, island hopping, go scuba diving, visit hot springs
Day 10, 11, 12 Go to Khao Sok National Park, sleep in a tree house, a floating bungalow on a lake, go kayaking, jungle trekking and on boat tours to spot gibbons, monkeys and a small chance of elephants! It’s on my list of Thailand’s most beautiful places!
Day 13, 14 Head to Phuket for surfing (rainy season only June-Oct), ziplining, exploring beaches
For flying around Thailand, compare prices on skyscanner below
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Sunsets in Koh Lipe, Thailand
Swimming in magical blue pools in the Erawan National Park
So you’ve got one week in Thailand? Is a week too short to travel Thailand? Is it even worth visiting Thailand in such a short time?
Having spent almost 4 years living in Thailand, I can confidently say that you can pack a lot into a week of travel there if you make smart travel decisions and decide on places to visit that are nearby to your entry airport.
Most people travelling to Thailand fly into Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket so consider the geography when deciding.
Whether you’re a beach bum, a party animal, a culture vulture or an adventurer I’ve suggested an itinerary for you to make the most of your trip around Thailand. Even if you only have a week, I still think Thailand is always worth the visit. Focus on a few main highlights to enjoy.
If you only have one week I suggest picking Bangkok and a couple of islands that are geographically close to each other to visit.
Transportation in Thailand
Domestic Flights – Flying around Thailand
Travelling around Thailand by airplane ensures that you won’t waste time waiting for public transport and you can guarantee that most flights will leave and arrive on time.
Which airline to use for domestic flights in Thailand? I recommend Nok Air, Air Asia and Thai Smile as there are usually the budget airlines with the most options.
Public Transport – Travelling around Thailand by night bus or trains
However, night buses and trains can also be a good option for a week holiday to Thailand because you can travel at night and therefore make the most of the days and a bonus is saving on accommodation. so this is a good budget tip for travelling Thailand. For booking trains and ferries in advanced you can use this user-friendly website which adds on discounts for additional journeys and bookings.
1 week Thailand Itinerary for BEACH BUMS
Focus on Southern Thailand if you have one week to visit Thailand’s beautiful beaches. I recommend flying into Phuket so that you are already landing in the South of Thailand – the Andaman sea. If you fly into Bangkok, it is very far to travel and will include a night bus or another domestic flight. Thailand has some of the best islands to spend a week relaxing and exploring:
Day 1 & 2 in Krabi and Railay
Head down to Krabi province from Phuket – spend 2 days exploring Railay. It has beautiful beaches, nice snorkelling and great restaurants as well as a viewpoint. Spend day 1 on the beach and day 2 I recommend a snorkelling tour which includes island hopping to nearby islands.
Day 3 explore around Ao Nang and Krabi
Ao Nang has a fantastic national park with a mountain to hike and amazing views of the Andaman and its nearby islands.
Day 4,5 and 6 in and around Koh Phi Phi
Take the boat to Koh Phi Phi to experience legendary fire shows, beach parties and a true backpacker island.
Spend the day on Phi Phi’s beaches or explore other nearby islands. You could consider chartering a long tail boat to visit uninhabited islands not far from Koh Phi Phi. Spend the evening partying on the beach, drinking buckets and experiencing the best fireshows in Thailand. (and I have seen a few!).
Consider trying scuba diving around Koh Phi Phi. It has a marine park in which there is healthy coral and a lot of marine life to see (I have seen turtles and sharks while scuba diving in Koh Phi Phi Leh) Remember if you are trying diving, PADI recommends leaving 18-24 hours by flying so don’t leave this experience until your last day!
Already a scuba diver? Read my post about the best dive sites in Thailand, click here
Experience some Thai culture and history and visit ancient temples, cities, and important historical sites:
Day 1 & 2 stay in Bangkok and spend time exploring
Day 3 & 4 Take train/minivan for 3 days in Kanchanaburi – visit waterfall, visit war museum, see bridge over the river kwai, visit an elephant sanctuary
Day 5 –go to Ayutthaya the ancient capital in Thailand
Day 6 Take train/minivan from Ayutthaya back to Bangkok
1 week Thailand Itinerary for ADVENTURER
Thailand is for the adventurous and make the most of all the adventure and action:
Day 1 Spend time in Bangkok
Day 2 & 3 Take a minivan to Khao Yai National Park and go camping and jungle trekking
Day 4 & 5 Fly from Bangkok to Chiang Mai or take the night train and spend 3 days in Chiang Mai, ziplining, seeing elephants or any other adventure activities on my Chiang Mai list
Day 6 Fly/night train back to Bangkok
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase tickets, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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Backpacking South East Asia Packing
Sunsets in Koh Lipe, Thailand
Swimming in magical blue pools in the Erawan National Park
White Temple in Chiang Rai
Whale Watching in Thailand from a respectful distance
Wat Pho in Bangkok
How to travel around Thailand by plane
Beaches on Koh Phangan
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Take a night train, sleeper bus or flight and head to Thailand’s second biggest city – Chiang Mai! Surrounded by mountains, most of the city is walkable and squared in by canals so it’s easy to find your way. Take song thaews (trucks) for around 30 baht or haggle for tuktuks. With a cooler climate and fresh air, you definitely should not miss a visit here! I lived here for 2 months and despite the hard work I was doing, I really enjoyed it!
1.Elephants elephants elephants! Head to Hug Elephant Sanctuary and spend the day with these gentle giants, feeding, bathing and observing them. Read here for why you should choose your sanctuary carefully! This is one f my favourite sanctuaries that I’ve been to twice! http://www.hugelephantssanctuary.com/
2. Chiang Mai Grand Canyon – not quite as Grand as the U.S version but it’s still pretty sweet! Rain waters have filled up an old quarry and the result is stunning blue water where you can go cliff jumping (if you dare) or just float around on wooden rafts for the afternoon. Take a tuktuk
3. Sunday Walking Market…night market…or just any market in Chiang Mai! Quirky, unusual stuff that you don’t normally find in Bangkok or the rest of Thailand!
4. Ziplining – spend the morning whizzing through Chiang Mai’s jungle, over natural scenery and valleys below.
5. White water rafting – better in rainy season (May – October), hold on tight to your dinghy while sweeping down rapids and admire monkeys and elephants on the river banks on the gentler river swirls
6. Tubing – Vang Vieng it isn’t but plonk yourself into a rubber tube, attach yourself to your mates and, more importantly, the tube with the ice bucket full of beers and float your worries away down the Ping river – watch out for the occasional nibbling fish!
7. Day trip to Doi Inthanon – the highest point in Thailand and the foothills of the Himalayas, stopping at a few waterfalls on the way!
8. Day trip to Chiang Rai and the white temple – one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand! Stunning on the outside and just plain weird on the inside!
9. Eat Khao Soy – my favourite Thai dish. Think yellow curry with egg noodles, crispy noodles and a chicken drumstick.
10. Visit Street Pizza – it’s true, you can eat too many noodles. Check out this restaurant that I personally claim to be the BEST pizza in Thailand!
11. Try a cooking course – even if, like me, you prefer eating to cooking, this is still a fun way to spend the day and you get to eat a lot too!
12. Brunch at Chiang Mai Breakfast World – amazing European bread, cheese, cold cuts of meat…not cheap but worth the investment!
13. Party at Zoe in Yellow area with the dirty backpackers! Be warned, most bars close by midnight. It’s an army thing.
14. Celebrate Songkran – Thai New Year from April 13-16th with a massive city-wide waterfight! I’m talking water guns, pistols, ice buckets, hoses, a Buddha procession that comes down from the hills and being solidly wet for three days. The most fun you will ever have in a Hawaiian shirt! Chiang Mai is arguably the best place to celebrate and party and a lovely mixture of tourists and locals!
15. Celebrate Yi-peng and Loy Kratong in November in Chiang Mai – one of the best places! Watch thousands of floating lanterns wind their way up into the sky for hours like something from a magical Disney movie.
