This 30-day Thailand itinerary will cover absolutely everything you need to do In Thailand! From beaches and scuba diving in the south to temples and ricefields in the north. This itinerary begins in Phuket in the south and finishes in Chiang Rai in the north, but it can also be done reversely. Both Phuket and Chiang Rai have international airports, so will be easy to fly in and out of. If you have less time, check out my 14-Day Southern Thailand Itinerary or 14-Day Northern Thailand Itinerary. If you have more time, I also have a 50-day Thailand Itinerary, which will cover absolutely everything you should do in Thailand!
Day 1- Phuket- Phi Phi
Arrive at Phuket airport and get on the first ferry heading to the idyllic island paradise of Phi Phi Island, where your Thailand itinerary will begin. If you have arrived early enough, you have the afternoon to explore the small island town, go shopping or swim at Loh Dalum Beach.
Head to Pad Thai Phi Phi for dinner to try one of Thailand’s famous cuisines. After dinner, head to Reggae Bar to watch the informal backpacker Muay Thai fights. Make sure you grab a bucket from Paddy’s Shack near Reggae Bar before heading back to the main beach to enjoy the nightlife.
Day 2- Phi Phi
Grab brunch at Patcharee Bakery (the best breakfast spot on the island) and prepare for a big day of walking.
Begin the scenic hike to Phi Phi Viewpoints 1, 2 and 3. After spending the afternoon taking in stunning panoramic views of the island, head to the main beach and head out for a sunset kayak. Head to the bay’s west for the best views and calmest waters.
For dinner, head to Papaya Restaurant to enjoy great Indian cuisine. Afterwards, grab a pre-drink from Paddy’s Shack before heading back to the main beach for the night. Head to Slinkys to watch the nightly fire shows and naked bull riding (participating if you dare!).
Day 3- Phi Phi
Wake up and enjoy another Patcharee Bakery breakfast before heading to the Pier for a day trip around the island. Depending on your budget and how rough your liver is by this stage, either book the Blanco Party Boat or jump on a regular boat. Spend the day visiting the famous Maya Bay, snorkelling at Phi Leh Lagoon, getting robbed by monkeys at Monkey Beach and seeing the impressive Viking Cave.
Head to Tom Yam’s for dinner to enjoy some delicious Thai food. After dinner, grab your compulsory pre-drink from Paddy’s Shack before heading to Blancos Beach bar to dance the night away barefoot on the beach.
Day 4- Phi Phi- Railay
Grab one last breakfast at Patcharee Bakery before jumping on a ferry heading to your next destination- Railay Beach.
Spend the afternoon exploring Pranang Cave (more commonly known as the Penis Cave) and relaxing on Pranang Cave Beach.
For dinner, head to Coco Restaurant (make sure you get a table in the upstairs section for the vibe). After dinner, go swimming at night to see the famous Plankton light up.
Day 5- Railay
Wake up refreshed and grab a smoothie bowl at Summer Fresh Cafe.
After breakfast, begin the hike to Railay Viewpoint and then continue on to the hidden lagoon. After a tough hike, grab dinner at Mangrove Restaurant.
Enjoy a few drinks at Blancos Hostel and participate in their nightly event. Make sure you get an early night ahead of a big day of activities tomorrow.
Day 6- Railay
Wake up and grab breakfast at Summer Fresh again, ready for a big day of rock-climbing.
Spend the day enjoying world-famous rock climbing at Railay. Freshen up at your hostel before joining the Blanco Hostel Pub Crawl.
Day 7- Railay- Khao Sok
Grab a quick breakfast before boarding a local longtail boat heading for Ao Nang. From Ao Nang, you will need to transfer to a van headed for Khao Sok National Park.
Arrive in Khao Sok in the late afternoon and book yourself on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the National Park and Floating Bungalows leaving tomorrow.
Grab a quick dinner at Nung House Restaurant before being picked up for your Night Safari Tour (included in the National Park Tour). Have an early night in preparation for a big day tomorrow exploring the National Park!
Day 8- Khao Sok
Depart early for your tour of Khao Sok National Park. Once you arrive at the Floating Bungalows, spend the afternoon swimming, kayaking and enjoying the stunning views.
Enjoy your included family dinner at night, then play card games and get to know other backpackers on this popular tour.
Day 9- Khao Sok
Spend the day enjoying boat trips around the National Park and spotting much wildlife. Followed by a waterfall hike and exploring some nearby caves.
In the late afternoon, you will be dropped back at your hostel in Khao Sok. Grab dinner at Pawn’s Restaurant, then head for a drink at Blue Tiger Bar and Restaurant.
Day 10- Khao Sok- Koh Phangan
Grab breakfast at Coco Hostel and Bakery before making your way to the bus terminal to board a van headed for your next destination- Koh Phangan.
Arrive at Koh Phangan in the late afternoon/ early evening and grab dinner at Mama Restaurant. Head to Phangan Arena for pre-drinks before heading to the pre-Full Moon Party that evening.
Day 11- Koh Phangan
Grab breakfast at Bliss Cafe & Brunch before a morning of chasing waterfalls. Tick Paradise, Prawet and Sawet Waterfalls off your bucketlist. After you’ve spent time swimming in waterfalls, head to the famous Mae Haad Beach for lunch.
Spend the rest of the afternoon swimming, snorkelling and enjoying gorgeous views.
Head to Amsterdam Bar (one of the best sunset spots on the island) for sunset. Then grab dinner at Thong Sala Night Market. Afterwards, head back to your hostel for another early pre-full moon party!
Day 12- Koh Phangan
Wake up and grab a hearty breakfast at your hostel to prepare you for a big day and night of drinking at the official Full Moon Party. Most people will start drinking in the pool around midday, and the drinking games and body paint usually kick off just after dark.
Spend the whole night partying on Haad Rin Beach (try and make it for sunrise; you won’t regret it!).
Day 13- Koh Phangan
Now that the Full Moon Party is over and done with (and most people have left the island), it’s time to start exploring. Start the day with a smoothie bowl from Bliss Cafe & Brunch. Afterwards, head to “Bottle Beach Scooter Parking” on Google Maps to start the 3-hour hike to Bottle Beach.
After sweating out all the alcohol from the Full Moon Parties, pack your bags and head to the pier to go to Koh Tao!
Grab a smoothie bowl or other brunch food from Coconut Monkey near the pier before checking into your accommodation in Koh Tao. Spend the afternoon choosing a dive school and signing up for a scuba diving course starting tomorrow.
Head to ChuChu Pizza for dinner to try their famous Thai curry-inspired pizzas. After dinner, head to the Koh Tao Cabaret Show before getting a reasonable early night.
Day 14- Koh Tao
Grab a quick breakfast at your hostel before starting the theory portion of your scuba diving certification.
Spend the afternoon going on your first dives before returning back to your hostel for dinner. Go to one of the best local restaurants, Duck 999, for dinner, then head to The Local for their happy hour mojitos and fun night-time activities like trivia and karaoke. If you fancy a later night, head to Fishbowl for dancing and beer pong.
Day 15- Koh Tao
Wake up (maybe slightly hungover) and grab a hearty brunch at Cafe Culture right on Sairee Beach.
After brunch, head back to your dive school for your next two skill dives as a part of your certification.
Returning to your hostel around dinner time, head to another local gem, Pork Leg, for dinner. Get an early night tonight ahead of early morning dives the next morning.
Day 16- Koh Tao
Grab a quick breakfast at the pier before starting your last two dives of your scuba diving certification.
After your final dives, head to Zest Bakery and Coffee House for lunch. Spend the afternoon studying, completing your exam and finally being certified as a scuba diver!
To celebrate tonight, treat yourself to American-style burgers at Hippo Burger. Afterwards, join the Koh Tao Pub Crawl, finishing at Fishbowl for more dancing. If you fancy a later night, head to Leo Evolution Bar for afters, where you can drink and party until sunrise.
Day 17- Koh Tao
Wake up early and grab breakfast at New Heaven Cafe before jumping on a snorkelling tour of the island. Spend the day exploring gorgeous beaches, snorkelling and relaxing on the longtail boat.
For dinner, head to a traditional Thai restaurant called Mama Restaurant. Afterwards, head to The Local and then Fishbowl if you fancy another night out.
Day 18- Koh Tao- Bangkok
Grab a hearty breakfast at Factory Cafe before renting a scooter to explore Koh Tao.
Start with hiking John Suwan Viewpoint to enjoy one of the best views on the island! After, spend the afternoon relaxing on Freedom Beach and Taa Toh Bay Lagoon Beach. In the late afternoon, get a ferry back to Surat Thani Port in time to get a sleeper train heading to Bangkok.
Day 19- Bangkok
Arrive in Bangkok at around mid-morning and grab brunch at H Cafe near Khao San Road. Hit the ground running by jumping in a Tuk Tuk heading to the Flower Markets. Spend the morning exploring the Flower Markets of Bangkok before heading to Old Siam Plaza for lunch. Afterwards, walk around Chinatown and the market alleyways, which span endless blocks.
For dinner, head to I Love Thai Food, a famous street food vendor just near Khao San Road. Afterwards, head to the infamous Khao San Road for a wild Bangkok night out.
Day 20- Bangkok
Wake up (maybe slightly hungover) and go to Chatuchuk Weekend Market. Spend the better part of your day exploring the massive markets, eating plenty of street food and practising your haggling skills.
For dinner, head to a Michelin-starred restaurant called Krua Apsorn (don’t worry, it’s surprisingly affordable!). After dinner, head to Rajadamnern Stadium to watch a Muay Thai fight. Afterwards, head back to your hostel for an early night ahead of a big day of sightseeing.
Day 21- Bangkok
Grab breakfast at Konnichipan Bakery before a big day of temple hopping around Bangkok. Take the local boat to Wat Arun to explore this stunning temple. After, jump on another boat heading to IconSiam to witness the most impressive shopping mall you might ever see (it literally has a floating market inside it).
After you’ve eaten at the floating markets and explored the super illustrious mall, catch another local boat across the river to the Grand Place. Explore (or take a guided tour) the Grand Palace and Wat Pho to end a big day.
Afterwards, head to one of the best Thai restaurants in Bangkok called The Sixth for delicious Thai curries. After dinner, pack your things and jump on a sleeper train headed to Chiang Mai.
Day 22- Chiang Mai
After getting off the sleeper train, head to Hideout Cafe for a wholesome brunch before a day of exploring the Old Town of Chiang Mai. Start by heading to Wat Chiang Man, then Wat Phra Singh. Afterwards, spend the afternoon at the Chiang Mai Museum and Lanna Arts Museum, learning about the history of the city and the local cultural group, the Lanna people. Finish up the day by heading to Wat Chedi Luang for a monk chat.
After a big day of walking, head to Kat’s Kitchen for dinner to try the most famous dish of Chiang Mai- Khao Soi. Head back to your hostel for an early night before an early start the next morning.
Day 23- Chiang Mai
Grab a quick 7/11 breakfast before getting picked up for a must-do activity in Chiang Mai. Today, you’ll spend the day at an ethical Elephant Sanctuary called Elephant Nature Park. You’ll get to learn about elephants, elephant abuse in Thailand, get to feed elephants and see many elephants roaming around free and happy.
After a full day at the sanctuary, head to the night bazaar for dinner and drinks. Afterwards, head to the famous Lady Boy Cabaret in the markets.
Day 24- Chiang Mai
Get picked up early for another full-day tour, this time for the famous Thai Secret Cooking School cooking class. Spend the morning enjoying a traditional Thai market tour (where you can grab some breakfast as well). Afterwards, you’ll head to a picturesque house in the surrounding rice fields to learn to cook several Thai dishes.
You’ll make your way back to the city for dinner, but after eating delicious Thai food you’ve cooked all day, you probably won’t need dinner. If you’re not too tired from a big day, head out for bar hopping and dancing at Zoe in Yellow and the surrounding bars.
Day 25- Chiang Mai- Pai
Have a leisurely morning stroll around the Old Town of Chiang Mai before stopping at Stories for Brunch and to do some people-watching.
In the early afternoon, jump on a shared van transfer heading to one of the most popular towns in Northern Thailand: Pai.
Arrive in Pai by late afternoon, just in time to grab dinner at the popular Pai walking street night market. Afterwards, enjoy your first bar hop around Pai. Head to Paizy, Boom Bar, Whats So Not and Yellow Sun, or whichever of the many bars tickles your fancy.
Day 26- Pai
Have a leisurely morning grabbing brunch at Om Garden Cafe. In the afternoon, rent a scooter and head out to the Pai Hot Springs for a chilled afternoon.
On your way back, head to Sunset Bar to watch the sunset in the rice fields and enjoy the chilled bar vibes. After, make your way back to the Pai walking street for dinner. If you fancy going out again, you can choose from one of the many bars around Pai.
Day 27- Pai
Grab breakfast at Lemon Thyme Cafe before a big day of sightseeing around Pai. Either book a half-day tour or rent a scooter to visit the following sights: White Buddha, IlovePai viewpoint, Chinese Village, Pai Canyon, Bamboo Bridge and Ban Luk Khao Lam Viewpoint.
Afterwards, return to town and treat yourself to a bougie Italian dinner at Witching Well.
Day 28- Pai- Chiang Rai
Grab one last breakfast at Om Garden Cafe before heading to your final destination, Chiang Rai, via a private taxi transfer.
Spend the afternoon exploring the sights in Chiang Rai town on foot, such as the Blue Temple and Black House.
After, head to the Chiang Rai walking street for dinner. Make sure you get an early night before a big day of sightseeing tomorrow!
Day 29- Chiang Rai
Wake up early and grab breakfast at your hostel or on the go before a big day of sightseeing either by private taxi or by scooter. Start by visiting the famous White Temple (a must-do in Chiang Rai). Then, make your way north to Choui Fong Tea House for lunch and to take in the stunning views of the tea fields. After lunch, head to the Hall of Opium Museum to learn about the dark but fascinating history of the Golden Triangle.
Return to Chiang Rai town and grab dinner at the Chiang Rai Walking Street Night Market again.
Day 30- Chiang Rai
Spend the morning at your leisure exploring markets around Chiang Mai or getting one last Pad Thai or Thai Iced Tea before you depart Thailand.
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