Southern Thailand offers the best of both bustling cities with amazing temples, and natural landscapes with lush jungles and serene island beaches. We spent two months slowly exploring this magical part of the country. This 2-week South Thailand itinerary really captures all the best bits of our trip!
Island-hopping in Thailand can mean many things depending on your travel style. Some people love visiting Phuket’s fabulous resorts and enjoying easy access to James Bond Island and Koh Phi Phi.
Instead, after exploring Bangkok and Khao Sok National Park, we opted to travel down the Krabi side of the Andaman Sea. If you love spending time in nature and are looking for a more relaxed Southern Thailand itinerary, this is the guide for you!
South Thailand Itinerary: 2-Week Breakdown
Bangkok – 3 Nights
Things To Do in Bangkok
Bangkok is a fantastic place to start your South Thailand itinerary. It has two well-connected international airports and is somewhere you can’t miss!
Spend your first three nights in Bangkok. Depending on when you arrive, you’ll have just over two full days in the city. These are our favourite activities in Bangkok:
- Food Tour: We did the evening Chinatown tour with A Chef’s Tour and loved it. It was the perfect intro to Bangkok’s food scene – think crispy pork belly, peppery noodles, and unique desserts, all while learning about the area’s Thai-Chinese roots. A fun, delicious way to kick off your trip!
- Wat Samphran (Dragon Temple): This iconic 17-story pink Buddhist temple has a dragon wrapped around it. It’s an awe-inspiring building! Since it’s a 40-minute drive outside of Bangkok, order a taxi via the Grab app or take the local bus (route 84) from Bang Wa and then use Grab for the rest of the journey. Open 7:00 AM-6:00 PM every day.
- The Erawan Museum: Beautiful indoor/outdoor museum with a huge and impressive three-headed elephant sculpture. It’s so much fun strolling around the gardens and seeing the religious artefacts. Ride the Sukhumvit Line MRT to Soi Sukhumvit 115 and walk or take a Grab taxi for the remaining distance. Open 9:00 AM-6:00 PM every day.
- Wat Arun: Absolutely one of the most spectacular Buddhist temples in Thailand! This incredibly ornate, tiled layered structure is a short boat ride across the Chao Phraya River, which makes it all the more magical to visit. Open 8:00 AM-6:00 PM every day.
- Chinatown: This is the best place to walk around in the evening and dare your tastebuds with new flavours and cuisines. Walk up and down all the side streets off Yaowarat Road and see what you uncover.
- The Grand Palace: You can’t miss the Grand Palace in Bangkok! This 18th-century complex is the former residence of Thai monarchs and is still used for state visits and royal events. It’s open from 8:30 AM-3:30 PM. Wear appropriate clothing!
- Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market: Try lots of tasty street food while floating on a Bangkok canal in a long-tail boat. We took a tour which I’d fully recommend! Open 8:00 AM-5:00 PM on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.
- After the Rain Cafe & Gallery: Welcoming cafe with purple noodles and leafy salads that you can sail too! It’s near Wat Samphran. Open 8:30 AM-6:00 PM from Wednesday to Sunday.
- Banthat Thong Road: Forget Khao San Road; this is the best place for street food in Bangkok. Visit Haab for Thai egg pastries (kanom kai) and Jae Sri for Thai stir fries.
Transport
After your three nights in Bangkok, book a night train south to Surat Thani. This journey takes around 10-11 hours. 1st and 2nd-class compartments with air conditioning sell out first, so get your tickets in advance!
If you book a tour for the next leg of your trip, a guide will pick you up from the train station. It’s a 90-minute drive from Surat Thani train station to Khao Sok.
Khao Sok – 2 Nights
Khao Sok National Park has an incredible landscape with ancient rainforests, limestone cliffs, and diverse flora and fauna. It’s the ideal place to break up your Bangkok city break from your island-hopping Thailand itinerary.
Things To Do in Khao Sok
- Cheow Lan Lake Boat Tour: You would never believe this is an artificial lake! Your tour company will organise a half- or full-day boat tour so you can explore as much of this 185-square-kilometre water as possible. Swim in the emerald waters surrounding the world’s oldest rainforest, visit Diamond Cave, and see waterfalls.
- Spot Wildlife: Trek through the Khao Sok jungles and spot monkeys, birds like great hornbills, and reptiles like monitor lizards. Sun bears and elephants also hang out in these trees!
- Stay in a Floating Bungalow: Many resorts have taken advantage of the beautiful waters and built floating cabins. You’re only in Khao Sok for two nights, so it’s worth the splurge!
Transport
Officially start your South Thailand Island itinerary by heading to Koh Lanta. Book a minivan to Krabi and then take a ferry from Klong Jilad Pier or Chaofa Pier to Saladan Pier in Koh Lanta. These ferry trips take around two hours.
Koh Lanta – 4 Nights
A long-time hippie favourite among chill backpackers, Koh Lanta offers so much more than beaches. Rent a scooter for four nights and seek out the fun activities all around this incredible island.
Things To Do in Koh Lanta
- Following Giants Elephant Sanctuary: This ethical elephant sanctuary is home to many rescued elephants and allows them to roam in a safe, stress-free environment. Not every sanctuary in Thailand is completely ethical, so it’s essential to do research. See these elephants up close in a beautiful area for 2 hours, a half day, or a whole day of your trip!
- Time for Lime Cooking Class: Learn how to cook delicious Thai dishes from this Koh Lanta institution! They will also teach you how to make cocktails, and you can swim in their pool. Even better, 100% of profits go to the Lanta Animal Welfare charity.
- Mangrove & Skull Island Kayak Tour: Parts of Koh Lanta National Park’s coastline have so many hidden caves, small islands, and lush mangroves. Booking a kayak tour is the best way to see them up close! You’ll probably be able to see monkeys too.
- Nui Bay & Bamboo Bay Beaches: Koh Lanta has many beautiful beaches, but Nui Bay and Bamboo Bay were my favourites. Relax on Bamboo Bay at sunset with a drink from the local beach bar. Klong Dao Beach, Long Beach, and Klong Khong Beach are popular options.
Transport
Travel directly from Koh Lanta to your next Thai island, Koh Lipe. Book a speedboat ferry from Koh Lanta’s Saladan Pier to Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe. This journey takes around 3 to 3.5 hours.
Koh Lipe – 4 Nights
Known as the ‘Maldives of Thailand’, Koh Lipe is the ultimate beach destination. Plan to spend every minute on the beach, in the sea, or on your way from one to the other. Three full days will allow you to truly unwind.
Things To Do in Koh Lipe
- Kayak to Kla Island: Head to Sunrise Beach and rent kayaks for two hours to paddle to the nearby Kla Island. It only takes around 10 minutes to get there! You can swim and snorkel around this island in beautiful, crystal-clear waters.
- North Point Beach & Zodiac Beach Bar: This was one of my favourite beaches in Koh Lipe, on the island’s northernmost tip. Relax at the Zodiac Beach Bar, looking across the waters at Ko Adang’s thick rainforests.
- Sunset Beach & Sunrise Beach: These are two of my other favourite beaches on Koh Lipe. They really are the best places to be at sunrise and sunset! Take a yoga class at Sunrise Beach in the morning and finish your day with a cold beer or cocktail from the Sunset Beach Bar.
- Moons Beach: As you can tell, Koh Lipe is the perfect place for relaxing on beaches and snorkelling! Moons Beach is smaller with shady trees and calm waters.
Transport
Book a speedboat to Pak Bara Pier and then a transfer to Hat Yai International Airport. This small Thai city offers multiple direct flights back to Bangkok. Depending on the time of your return flight, you may want to book one night in a Bangkok hotel beforehand in case of delays.
Follow This Southern Thailand Itinerary
If you love beaches, wildlife, and chilled adventures, this 14-day itinerary is ideal! All the practical tips you need are right here. It’s the best of the cities, national parks, and islands in a two-week trip that balances cool things to do with relaxation.
FAQs
- How long do you need in Southern Thailand?
- You could spend months in Southern Thailand and still not do everything! I think you need two weeks to experience all the highlights.
- Is South Thailand worth it?
- Yes, South Thailand is worth it! It’s the ultimate island-hopping beach destination that is still pretty affordable.
- Is South Thailand better than North Thailand?
- North Thailand is usually better for culture, cooler temperatures, and cheaper prices, but South Thailand is better for beaches, parties, and island-hopping.
- Is South Thailand expensive?
- South Thailand is generally more expensive than North Thailand, particularly in peak season, but compared to other beach destinations, it is cheap.
- Is it safe to travel to South Thailand?
- Yes, it’s very safe to travel to South Thailand for tourists! Just research local laws and weather conditions, and be mindful of petty theft. Don’t stray too far from touristed areas if you’re not sure it’s a safe area.
