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Route · My pick · Bangkok to the Andaman
Thailand in 14 days: Bangkok, the north and Koh Lanta
Three Thailands in two weeks. The city, the mountains and the sea, joined by a night train and one flight, with no backtracking.
By Dylan Harris · I was in Chiang Mai and Bangkok in 2023 · Updated October 2026
Length
14 days, 13 nights
One night on a train
Fly in and out
Into Bangkok, out of Krabi
BKK in, KBV home via Bangkok
Best months
Late Nov to Feb
The one window that suits all three regions
Getting around
Train, minivan, one flight
Chiang Mai to Krabi direct
Pace
Easy, one long day
Day 11, mountains to island
Budget
About $850 to $1,450
Per person, before flights
Most two-week Thailand trips are a beach holiday with a weekend in Bangkok bolted on. This one gives the north the same time as the sand.
Bangkok first, for three nights of temples, river boats and Chinatown. Then the night train north to Chiang Mai, the mountain road to Pai, and one direct flight back down to the Andaman coast for three slow days on Koh Lanta.
It flies you home from Krabi instead of hauling you back up to Bangkok by land, and it puts the night train on the longest leg, so the 700 km north costs you a bed, not a day.
It skips the Gulf islands and Phuket. Two weeks is enough for three regions if you stick to one island. And so you know who you’re taking advice from: I was in Thailand for three weeks in 2023, after Laos: ten nights in Chiang Mai, then a day bus down to Bangkok for twelve more. Pai and Koh Lanta I haven’t done, so those parts come from research and current prices. When I do them, this page gets updated.
Good fit if
- You want cities, mountains and a beach in one trip
- You’d sleep on a train for the story of it
- You’re going between late November and February
- One long travel day doesn’t scare you
Look elsewhere if
- You’re going in March or April. The north fills with smoke from crop burning
- You’re going May to October. Koh Lanta gets the monsoon and half of it closes
- You want island-hopping. This route does one island well
On this page Seasons Map At a glance Day by day Night train Getting around What it costs Questions
Seasons
When this route works, and when it doesn’t
Thailand has three climates on one route. The north and the Andaman coast are at their best for only a few months each, and those months overlap from late November to February.
Mar and Apr
Smoke in the north
Farmers burn the fields before planting, and Chiang Mai can have some of the worst air in the world for weeks. Bangkok is at its hottest too. Swap Pai for a second island.
May to Oct
Monsoon on Lanta
Rough seas, few boats, and many Lanta resorts close from about May to October. Go to Koh Samui on the Gulf side instead. It stays drier until the autumn.
Early Nov
Lanta waking up
Resorts and boats reopen through late October and November, and showers are still common. Fine to go, cheaper and quieter. Late November onward is safer.
North by rail, south by air. Not to scale.
At a glance
Fourteen days, four bases, one night on rails
Thirteen nights in all. The train counts as one of them.
| Days | Where | Nights | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | Bangkok | 3 | Fly into Suvarnabhumi (BKK) |
| 4 | The night train | 1 | Krung Thep Aphiwat, 18:40, about 12.5 hrs |
| 5 to 7 | Chiang Mai | 3 | Arrive about 7:15 am |
| 8 to 10 | Pai | 3 | Minivan, about 3 to 4 hrs |
| 11 to 13 | Koh Lanta | 3 | Minivan, flight to Krabi, van and ferry |
| 14 | Fly home | 0 | Van to Krabi airport, about 2.5 hrs |
Day by day
The route, stop by stop
Where to stay, what to do with each day, and what to skip.
01
Days 1 to 4
3 nights + the day you leave
Bangkok
Arrive: Suvarnabhumi, then the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai for 45 baht, or a Grab for about 400 to 600 baht with tolls Stay in: the old town near the river
Three nights, plus most of day four. Day one goes to jet lag, which you’ll deny until about 3 pm. Bangkok is big, hot and spread out, and the river is the easiest way to make sense of it. The Chao Phraya Express Boat costs less than 20 baht and stops at every temple you came for.
Stay near the river in the old town rather than out on Sukhumvit. You’ll walk to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, and on day four the MRT Blue Line runs straight from the old town to Krung Thep Aphiwat, where the night train leaves.
Four days in Bangkok
Day 1
Land and find the river
- Check in, shower, sleep if you need to.
- Late afternoon: the orange-flag express boat up the Chao Phraya.
- Dinner along Phra Athit Road, a short walk from Phra Arthit pier.
Day 2
The old city
- The Grand Palace at 8:30 when it opens, 500 baht. Cover shoulders and knees.
- Wat Pho and the reclining Buddha, 300 baht.
- The cross-river ferry to Wat Arun, 200 baht.
- Pad thai for dinner at Thipsamai.
Day 3
Chinatown
- A slow morning. Bangkok is a late city.
- Chatuchak Weekend Market if it’s a Saturday or Sunday.
- After dark, eat your way down Yaowarat Road. Start at Nai Ek Roll Noodles.
Day 4
Out by train
- Check out and leave your bags at the hotel.
- Jim Thompson House, then Lumphini Park.
- Collect your bags and take the MRT to Krung Thep Aphiwat. Be on the platform by 6 pm.
Skip
- Any tuk-tuk driver who tells you the Grand Palace is closed today. It isn’t, and the ride ends at a gem shop.
- Khao San Road as a base. Walk it once for the spectacle, then sleep somewhere quieter.
- Jay Fai, unless you’re happy to queue for hours. It has a Michelin star and a line to match.
Where to stay in Bangkok
Budget
Banglamphu hostel
Dorm beds from about 300 to 500 baht ($9 to $15), near the river and the boats.
Where I’d book
Small hotel by the river
A private room in the old town for about $35 to $60. Temples on foot, quiet at night.
Splurge
Mandarin Oriental
Bangkok’s grand old riverside hotel, open since 1876. Expect $500 and up a night.
The night train · Day 4 into day 5
18:40
Krung Thep Aphiwat, Bangkok
Train 9 · Special Express
About 12.5 hours
Sleeper berths, a dining car, and air con that runs cold
07:15
Chiang Mai, about, next morning
Where I’d book
2nd class, lower berth
About 1,040 baht
Wider, with the window. It’s a seat until the attendant makes up the beds around 8 pm.
Cheaper
2nd class, upper berth
About 940 baht
No window and a ladder, but closer to the air con. The curtains give you more privacy than you’d think.
For two
1st class cabin
About 1,500 to 2,200 baht
A private two-berth cabin with a lockable door. Worth it for a couple, overkill on your own.
Book on the State Railway’s SRT D-Ticket or through 12Go as soon as your dates are fixed. Berths on the 18:40 sell out in high season. Bring a layer for the air con, and buy dinner before you board.
02
Days 5 to 7
3 nights
Chiang Mai
Arrive: the train, about 7:15 am, then a red songthaew or Grab into the old city, 10 to 15 minutes Stay in: the old city inside the moat, or Nimman for cafes
After Bangkok, Chiang Mai feels like someone turned the volume down. The old city is a square of moat and wall with a temple on nearly every block, and the mountains start at the edge of town.
Book your room from the night before so you can check in at 8 am and sleep off the train.
Three days in Chiang Mai
Day 5
Off the train
- Sleep the morning off.
- Khao soi for lunch at Khao Soi Khun Yai, north of the moat. Lunch only, about 50 to 60 baht, gone by early afternoon.
- Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh in the late light.
- Northern Thai dinner at Huen Phen: try the khan tok set and the sai ua sausage.
Day 6
Up the mountain
- Walk the Monk’s Trail through the forest to Wat Pha Lat, then a songthaew on to Doi Suthep and its 300-odd steps.
- An afternoon class at Thai Farm Cooking School, on an organic farm outside town, about 1,000 to 1,500 baht.
Day 7
Elephants, properly
- A day at Elephant Nature Park: no riding, no shows. About 2,500 baht with pickup and lunch. Book ahead.
- On a Saturday, the Wualai Road market. On a Sunday, the Sunday Walking Street from Tha Phae Gate.
Skip
- Any elephant camp that sells rides, bathing sessions or painting shows.
- A day trip to the White Temple in Chiang Rai. It’s three hours each way, and you’re about to spend a morning on the road to Pai anyway.
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
Budget
Old city guesthouse
Fan or air-con rooms from about $15 to $25, a few minutes from Tha Phae Gate.
Where I’d book
Boutique hotel inside the moat
About $35 to $60, usually with a pool. Walk to the temples and the night markets.
Splurge
137 Pillars House
A restored teak house and gardens near the river, from about $300 a night.
03
Days 8 to 10
3 nights
Pai
Get there: minivan from Arcade bus station, about 3 to 4 hours and 250 baht, roughly hourly from 6:30 am. Book on 12Go a day ahead in high season Stay in: a bungalow just outside town, across the river
The road to Pai has 762 curves, and you’ll feel most of them. Take a motion-sickness tablet half an hour before, and sit up front if you can.
From everything I’ve read, Pai is a backpacker town now, with the bars and the banana pancakes to prove it. Go for the valley, not the walking street. Ten minutes out of town it’s rice fields, canyons, hot springs and waterfalls, and three nights lets you see them at the right time of day.
Three days in Pai
Day 8
Down the mountain road
- Morning minivan. Don’t plan anything before lunch.
- Rent a scooter if you’re licensed to ride one (see below), about 150 to 250 baht a day.
- Dinner at Charlie and Lek, then the walking street once.
Day 9
The south loop
- The Land Split, a farm cracked open by earthquakes. Free, with snacks on an honor system.
- A swim at Pam Bok waterfall.
- Pai Canyon at sunset. Free, and the drops have no railings.
Day 10
Up high, then underground
- Sunrise at Yun Lai viewpoint above the Chinese village of Santichon, with tea at the top.
- A soak at Sai Ngam hot springs.
- Late afternoon at Tham Lod, about an hour out: a guide, a lantern and a bamboo raft. Stay for the swifts at dusk.
Before you ride
Scooters, licenses and insurance
To ride legally you need a motorcycle license from home plus an international driving permit. Thailand recognizes the 1949-convention permit AAA sells, which Vietnam doesn’t. Police run checkpoints around Pai, and travel insurance often refuses claims from unlicensed riders. If you’ve never ridden, these hills are a bad place to learn. Songthaews and hired drivers cover everything above.
Where to stay in Pai
Budget
Hostel near the walking street
Dorms from about 250 baht ($8). Social, and loud until late.
Where I’d book
Bungalow across the river
About $25 to $50 for a bungalow facing the rice fields, a short walk over the bamboo bridge.
Splurge
Reverie Siam
Pool and gardens by the river, a few minutes out of town, from about $120.
The one long day · Day 11
Mountains at breakfast, the Andaman by dark
7:00
Minivan from Pai back to Chiang Mai, about 3 to 3.5 hours.
11:00
Grab to Chiang Mai airport, about 15 minutes from the bus station.
After 1 pm
Direct flight to Krabi, about 2 hours, on Thai AirAsia or Bangkok Airways.
By 7 pm
Shared van and car ferry to Koh Lanta, 2 to 2.5 hours. Book it ahead on 12Go.
Too much? Spend night 10 in Chiang Mai instead of Pai. You lose a sunrise in the valley and gain a calm morning flight.
04
Days 11 to 14
3 nights + the flight home
Koh Lanta
Get there: the long day above Stay in: the west coast: Long Beach for restaurants, Kantiang Bay or Klong Nin for quiet
Lanta is the island for people who don’t want an island scene. It’s long, low-key and mostly beaches facing west for the sunset, with an old town of wooden stilt houses on the east side.
Three days is the right amount after a week of moving. One day on a boat, one on a scooter or in a hammock, and one to get to the airport without rushing.
Three days on Koh Lanta
Day 12
Four islands by longtail
- The four-island trip: Koh Mook’s Emerald Cave, where you swim through a dark tunnel into a hidden lagoon, then Kradan, Ngai and Chueak.
- About $30 to $35 with lunch, plus a 200-baht park fee.
Day 13
The island by road
- Lanta Old Town for breakfast over the water.
- Mu Ko Lanta National Park at the southern tip, 200 baht, with a lighthouse walk.
- Sunset at a beach bar on Kantiang Bay.
Day 14
Home via Krabi
- A last swim.
- Shared van to Krabi airport, leaving at least four hours before your flight. Ferry queues can add 40 minutes.
- Fly to Bangkok, about 1 hr 20, and connect home.
Skip
- A Phi Phi day trip from Lanta. You’ll share Maya Bay with thousands of people. The four islands are the better day.
- Koh Rok by speedboat if the sea is rough. It only runs from about November to April anyway.
Where to stay on Koh Lanta
Budget
Long Beach bungalow
Simple beach bungalows from about $20 to $35, a short walk from food and bars.
Where I’d book
On the sand at Klong Nin
About $50 to $90 for a beachfront room on one of the quieter bays.
Splurge
Pimalai, Kantiang Bay
The island’s best-known resort, on its own bay. From about $250 a night in season.
Free guide · First 24 Hours in a New Country
Landing in Bangkok at midnight is easier with a plan.
The night before, hour by hour after landing, and the traps. Free with the monthly letter.
Getting around
Every leg, how long, and what it costs
Per person in 2026. Prices in baht, with dollars at about 33.5 baht to the dollar.
| Leg | How | Time | Cost | Book through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suvarnabhumi to the old town | Airport Rail Link, then a Grab; or Grab all the way | 45 to 75 min | 45 baht by rail, about 400 to 600 by Grab | Grab |
| Bangkok to Chiang Mai | Train 9 sleeper, 18:40 | About 12.5 hrs | About 940 to 1,040 baht in 2nd class | SRT D-Ticket or 12Go |
| Chiang Mai to Pai | Minivan from Arcade bus station | 3 to 4 hrs | About 250 baht | 12Go |
| Pai to Chiang Mai airport | Minivan, then a Grab | About 3.5 hrs | About 350 baht | Your guesthouse |
| Chiang Mai to Krabi | Direct flight | About 2 hrs | About $55 to $100 | Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways |
| Krabi airport to Koh Lanta | Shared van and car ferry | 2 to 2.5 hrs | About 400 to 540 baht | 12Go |
| Koh Lanta to Krabi airport | Shared van and car ferry | 2 to 2.5 hrs | About 400 to 540 baht | Your hotel |
| Krabi to Bangkok | Flight, to connect home | About 1 hr 20 | About $35 to $70 | Often part of your ticket home |
Van and ferry times move with the weather and the season. Confirm the day before.
What it costs
How much 14 days in Thailand costs
Per person for the full route: private rooms, eating mostly local with a few nicer meals, and a beer most nights. International flights not included.
The whole route
$850 to $1,450
About $60 to $105 a day, all in. Dorm beds and street food get you closer to $700.
BedsGetting aroundFood and drinksThings to doData
Beds
$300 to $550
12 nights in private rooms at $25 to $45, more on Lanta
Getting around
$220 to $340
The train, the flight to Krabi, every van, ferry and Grab, and the hop back to Bangkok
Food and drinks
$200 to $330
13 days at $15 to $25 a day. Street food is the cheapest good food in the country
Things to do
$120 to $220
The temples, a cooking class, the island boat, park fees and a scooter
Elephant Nature Park
About $75
Optional, and included in the top of the range. The one big ticket on the route
Data and entry
$10 to $20
An Airalo eSIM for two weeks. Entry is visa-free, and the arrival card is free
Plan your trip · What I use · Some are affiliate links
Entry
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card, free on the official site
Data
Airalo eSIM for Thailand
Beds
Booking.com or Agoda for small hotels, Hostelworld for dorms
Trains and vans
12Go, or SRT D-Ticket for the train
Rides
Grab in every city on this route
Elephants
Elephant Nature Park, booked direct
Questions
Questions people ask
Is two weeks enough for Thailand?
Enough for Bangkok, the north and one island, if a night train and one flight do the long hauls. Add a second or third island and you start spending whole days on ferries.
Do Americans need a visa for Thailand?
Not for a trip like this. Since September 15, 2026, Americans get 30 days visa-free for tourism, extendable once by 30 days at an immigration office for 1,900 baht. Fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online in the three days before you land, and skip the paid lookalike sites.
Should I take the night train or fly to Chiang Mai?
On two weeks, take the train. It’s a night’s bed and the transfer in one. On a one-week trip, fly. It’s about an hour, and you can’t spare the evening.
Is Pai worth it?
For the valley, yes. The town has become a backpacker party stop, but the canyon, the waterfalls and the viewpoints are a few minutes away. Give it three nights or skip it, because the road takes half a day each way.
Can I rent a scooter in Thailand?
Legally, only with a motorcycle license from home plus an international driving permit. Thailand recognizes the 1949-convention permit AAA sells. Without both, police can fine you and your travel insurance can refuse the claim.
Koh Lanta or Phi Phi?
Lanta for three slow days. It’s bigger and quieter, with real beaches and roads. Phi Phi is a day-trip crowd by day and a party island at night.
What’s the best time for this route?
Late November to February, when the north is cool and clear and the Andaman coast is dry. March and April bring smoke to the north. May to October brings the monsoon to Koh Lanta.
What if I’m going outside that window?
Between May and October, swap Koh Lanta for Koh Samui on the Gulf side. In March and April, cut Pai and give the islands more time.
What if I have more or less time?
With a week, do Bangkok and Chiang Mai and fly between them. With three weeks, add Kanchanaburi and Ayutthaya on the way north, and Railay before Lanta. Both are on the Thailand page.
More or less time?
Short on time
7 days, 6 nights
Three nights in Bangkok, a one-hour flight north, and three in Chiang Mai.
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