Thailand is more than just eating street food or hanging out in hostels. What about adults who want to travel to the Land of Smiles but can’t afford to go on a gap year?
We have put together a travel itinerary for eco-tourism that’s worth the trip halfway around world. We didn’t look for the cheapest options, but instead we used Thai values to create an incredible adventure at a reasonable price. All expenses in Thailand for the 13-day trip cost about $3,000/person, not including airfare. This is a great value when you consider all of what you can experience.
This itinerary was planned based on three main areas. The first priority was to find the most authentic, local and immersive experiences. These providers are the best because we have experienced them first-hand. We have designed a trip that is efficient, where the majority of in-country transport is handled by the tour operators. This allows you to relax and enjoy the trip more. We also looked at the diversity and completeness of experiences. We knew we couldn’t fit it all in but we managed to find a mix of the city, countryside, beach and mountains. We hope that you will enjoy our 13-day tour of Thailand, and we hope to see you there one day.
Days 1-2: Boutique Stay in Bangkok
Bangkok is an exciting but chaotic city. The greater metropolitan area is home to 14 million people. It has experienced many waves of unregulated growth, which have left the city with a jumble of architectural styles and shopping districts. Rattanakosin Island is the historic downtown of Bangkok. Here, you’ll find many of Bangkok’s most famous landmarks, including the Grand Palace and Wat Arun.
Let’s compare Bangkok to Washington DC to help the first-time visitor understand the city. Both cities were founded around the same time, DC (the newly christened capitol) in 1791, and Bangkok (Rattanakosin), in 1782. DC has over 6,000,000 people, which is similar to Bangkok. It extends into the countryside in Virginia and Maryland. Washington DC is a large city with a population of over 6 million people. Most visitors are happy to walk the National Mall, visit museums and monuments. If you do it this way, you will miss the dive bars in Georgetown and crab shacks along the Chesapeake Bay. But the highlights are still there.
Like DC, you can spend a few hours to a whole week in Bangkok’s central hub. One full day and night was enough to satisfy our desire for Bangkok. This is especially true if you choose to stay on Rattanakosin Island. The Old Capital Bike Inn offers guided night rides around Bangkok. We had a great time there. Jam Hostile was highly recommended by our daughter. You can choose either one to relax after a long flight, enjoy the historical flights and a bit of nightlife. It’s not just about a night out in Bangkok; it’s also a great way to explore the city’s “must-see” list, and then head into the stunning Thai countryside.
Days 3-6: Biking Cruise Down the Gulf of Thailand
We had no idea of what to expect when Grasshopper Tours collected us from our Bangkok Hotel. We knew we’d be cycling about 50 miles per day along the Thailand Coast for four days. We did not expect to find four- and five-star accommodation, authentic dining in local restaurants and Thai massages of high quality every night for only 30 Baht.
Our experience was truly amazing. You don’t need to be a pro rider to have a great time. Sherry Ott allowed us to write about facing the fears of biking through Thailand, and how it all turned out okay.
We were on back roads so these stops may have been geared towards locals, or not even listed at all. We saw Buddhists, Hindus and Thai Spiritualists all worshiping the same gods at local temples. We also thought about and how choosing gods is like choosing your favorite NFL team. There have been many articles written about our Thailand bicycle tour, because there’s nothing better than riding along back roads with a guide to learn more about a country.
Finding Paradise on the Gulf of Thailand
We said goodbye to Grasshopper guides as they dropped us at the Chumphon Ferry. The bike tour includes ferry transfers to any of the three islands that make up the Chumphon archipelago – Koh Tao or Koh Phangan. Koh Tao, a backpacker’s island for scuba diving, has some luxurious properties at either end of the town nestled in between jungle and sea. Koh Pha Ngan is known for its full moon parties. This could be the perfect place for those who love the debauchery and drinking of Khao San Road. Or maybe you want to avoid the party crowd. Koh Samui is the biggest island and has the most developed infrastructure.
If you don’t plan to do any serious diving or if you love tropical islands then you will only need one or two days on your island of dreams. We chose Koh TAO for its reputation as a diving center and because it is close to dive sites. Koh Samui is a better place for diving training, but it’s also a bit cheaper. Koh Samui is a complete package that includes a dive boat trip to Koh Tao, but also a return to the developed tourism of Koh Samui and a waterfall hiking. This segment of the trip is about your own self-guided adventures.
The next leg of your trip will take you to the mountains in Khao Sok. This local elevation of about 300 m puts you at the threshold for a No-Fly Hold Period. At 300m, the atmospheric pressure is 95% that of sea-level. At 2500m (equivalent to cabin pressure on commercial airlines), it is 75%. You should have about 24 hours left when you climb the hills of Khao Sok if you scuba dived the morning before. Research and determine if an extra rest day is needed after diving. Drink plenty of water, and watch out for DCS signs when you are ascending.
Days 9-10: Ethical elephant encounters in the mountains of Khao Sok
What is a trip to Thailand without elephants? By now, you should be aware that riding an elephant is not cool. The best encounters include a bit of feeding, bathing and playing. Elephant Hills is different from other elephant encounters because of a few factors. Elephant Hills is a fence-free facility that has won numerous conservation awards. The tour package includes cooking demos, market trips, river trips, local guides, school dances, and cave tours.
You will be glamping or glamorous camping during your entire stay at Elephant Hills. The tents are not ordinary. They have showers and flush toilets in their tents. We slept on the most comfortable bed we’ve ever slept in while traveling to Thailand. Glamping is different because you can fall asleep in nature and awaken there. This was very special at the Elephant Camp but it was incredible at the Rainforest Camp. Our “tent” was located on a floating platform at the center of Cheow Lan Lake. Our private kayak, docked outside our tent, was the perfect place to explore the morning mists and listen to gibbon families chattering. The gourmet Thai buffet at every meal was the icing on top.
Days 11-13: Island Hopping on the Andaman Sea
Elephant Hills Adventure Package includes door-to-door transfers to and Elephant Camp. This package allows you to travel from the Gulf Coast of Thailand, to Phuket, Krabi and the Andaman sea. Thailand’s west and Phang Nga Bay are two of the most beautiful and unique coasts. What is the difference between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman sea? Karst Geology.
Phuket Staying
There are thousands of hotels in the greater Phuket region, as well as hundreds of beaches and dozens of islands. Two international airports serve this area (Krabi Airport and Phuket Airport). You can easily make your plans with our easy-to-use tool. Check if there is a reasonable flight from Krabi to Phuket and plan accordingly. If you’re an adrenaline junkie looking to scale karsts, you should head for Krabi. If you still have time left, we recommend that you do the same thing as us and Island Hop across the Andaman sea. Elephant Hills Transportation will take you from A to B, no matter where in the world you go.
You have many options for staying in Phuket. Boutique hotels are scattered around the island. Some have private beaches, and some are only accessible by boat. Downtown Phuket offers some clean, good hotels as well as an interesting market but there is no beach. Downtown is generally closer to the pier, but further from the airport. The beaches of the west coast are a great middle ground. The beach is accessible and there’s a vibrant nightlife. (Perhaps too lively for some). The prices are between boutique resorts, and downtown hotels. The airport is closer, but you’ll have to travel further to get to the pier. Rent a scooter to do your own day tour of Phuket.
It’s much easier to choose your adventure. Our friend @JenonaJetPlane discovered a beautiful Day Trip from Phuket that included the main islands, kayaking and snorkeling as well as cave exploration. Her stories of the excellent service she received gave us the confidence to suggest this tour. There are also day dives from Phuket that take you to the marine reserve near Phi Phi. We did a dive there and saw their friendly resident turtle. The drive to Phi Phi is a little bit long, but the dive site is beautiful once you arrive.
Krabi Accommodation
We recommend that you stay near Ao Nang Beach if you are visiting Krabi. If you want to see the karst, then take a long-tail boat to Railay. However, there are several reasons why you shouldn’t stay in Railay. Railay can only be reached by boat. This complicates logistics for staying overnight. You pay more to stay in Railay. Three, the water is notoriously poor… We personally can attest that Railay’s Revenge exists and is the last thing anyone would want to do before a long trip home.
Ed enjoyed Krabi diving more than any other diving in Thailand. The underwater karst structures were stunning, and the boat trip out was fantastic. I enjoyed hiking through the exposed karst structures and visiting caves. This included the Instagram-famous Princess Cave, where locals place phallus in order to receive her blessings. I would have convinced Jenn to go climbing or abseiling, but instead she spent the time between her bed and bathroom, never seeing Railay. We made sure that our daughter stayed in Ao Nang, and was careful to drink and eat only if she visited Railay.
What can you do in Thailand with more time?
On each of our Thailand trips, we flew to Chiang Mai after Phuket/Krabi. These commuter flights are very affordable and convenient. We considered extending our Bangkok visit to Ayutthaya, a historic city. We stayed an extra day at Khao Sok in order to hike waterfalls and search for 3m Rafflesia Lillies hidden in the jungles. You could only use the Elephant Hills shuttle in one direction. It would be fun to go sea kayaking through Phang Nga Bay, especially if you could see Dugongs – Thailand’s manatee. You could easily spend two or three months in Southeast Asia and add “one more thing” on your itinerary. You wonder why adults don’t have gap years.
Details of our 13 Day Thailand Eco-Tour itinerary
This is our answer for the age-old questions, what would you do if you had only two weeks to spend in Thailand? Two of Thailand’s top-rated guide services would help us bike, dive and paddle, explore, and play. We have included the itinerary in a table and added useful links to make it easier for you. Bloggers always include their affiliate links, which you can use to buy these experiences. This will support the site without any additional cost. Whether we are paid or not, our opinions about products, providers, and services will always be the same. This trip will surpass your expectations and provide you with experiences that you can talk about for the rest of your life.