Two Weeks in Thailand

Although many people travel to Thailand for a long holiday or vacation there are still a lot who can only spend two weeks in Thailand for their annual break.

Most of these folk will usually head to somewhere like Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok or one of the  islands on either the east or west coast of the country,  like Koh Samui and spend most of their time relaxing in or around their hotel. Great if that’s what you want, but for the more adventurous, or inquisitive there are lots of opportunities to see quite a lot of Thailand during your vacation.

In today’s article I thought I might suggest a two week holiday itinerary  that covers cities, mountains, beaches and an island. Since most people fly into the Thai capital Bangkok the route starts and ends there and involves using trains, express buses and domestic flights to get around. It covers parts of the North, West and South Central Thailand.

Suggested Itinerary

Bangkok>Kanchanaburi>Ayutthaya>Chiang Mai>Bangkok>Surat Thani>Koh Samui>Bangkok

Bangkok(2days)

Bangkok,  the City of Angels, or just Krung Thep to the Thais provides numerous opportunities for sightseeing and soaking up Thai culture.  You really are spoiled for choice but a visit to the Royal Palace and Wat Pho with its huge reclining Buddha,  along with a trip on the Chao Phraya River, perhaps at night for a dinner cruise, are certainly not to be missed.

Bangkok>Kanchanaburi(2 days)

Take the early train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi. Ride along sections of the original Death Railway across the cliff hugging Wam Po viaduct. Kanchanaburi is a great base for exploring the history of WWII in Thailand and the the fate that befell Allied POW’s working on the railway and building the infamous Bridge on the River Kwai. It is also a good place for long tailed boat trips on the River Kwai, white water rafting and elephant trekking. The nearby Erawan Falls are also a popular place to visit.

Kanchanaburi>Ayutthaya(2 days)

Catch an early bus from Kanchanaburi to Suphanburi and then onward to Ayutthaya the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Visit numerous historical attractions around the UNESCO World Heritage site or take time out at a floating market where you will find an interesting cultural show.

Ayutthaya>Chiang Mai(2-3days)

Catch the overnight Thailand Railways sleeper train and wake up refreshed in the morning at Thailand’s second city Chiang Mai. There are lots of opportunities here, a hill tribe trek(2 days), elephant trekking or white water rafting are easy to arrange. A visit to the hill top temple at Doi Suthep is also recommended for its superb architecture and the views of the surrounding countryside.

Chiang Mai>Bangkok(BKK)>Surat Thani>Koh Samui(4 days)

Take a domestic airline flight to  Bangkok and transfer from the airport to Hualomphong Railway Station in time to catch an overnight sleeper to Surat Thani. Transfer to the ferry terminal by taxi/minibus and then enjoy a relaxing 2.5 hour trip on the Gulf of Thailand to the holiday island of Koh Samui.

Time to relax and put your feet up for a few days of sun, sand and sea  but if you still have some energy try sea canoeing or snorkelling in the crystal clear waters.

Koh Samui>Bangkok(BKK)

Wave goodbye to your tropical paradise and take another domestic airline trip to Bangkok, arriving in plenty of time to connect with your international flight.

When to go?

You could do your two weeks in Thailand at any time of the year although I would recommend avoiding September and October(heavy rains). Ideally November to January are the best months to travel, but its also the most popular time and it can get pretty cool in the North if you are trekking.

Travellers Kit

This is a do it yourself holiday, but its easy to arrange, even from outside Thailand. Here are some useful contacts for transportation:

Thailand Railways-Timetables for the Northern Route,  overnight train to Chiang Mai and Southern Route, overnight train to Surat Thani can be found at Thailand Railways timetables and online booking site. The trains from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi are listed on the Southern Route in the small section Thonburi-Nam Tok*. The new web site(March 2011)includes an on-line booking service and tickets may be booked 60 days in advance.

Unfortunately the new site is not easy to navigate and a lot of the information is in Thai.

*Please note these trains do not leave from Hualomphong Railway Station but instead from Thon Buri(Bangkok Noi).

Thailand Bus Travel- Kanchanaburi – Suphanburi ( Route 411) Suphanburi – Ayutthaya ( Route 703) buses leave every hour. The journey starts at the bus terminus in Kanchanaburi where you also purchase your ticket.

Thailand Airlines- Flights options from Chiang Mai(CNX)-Bangkok(BKK) and Koh Samui(UMS) to Bangkok(BKK) can be found here using Bangkok Airways-there are other options with different Thai Airlines.

Some time could be saved by flying from Chiang Mai to Koh Samui thus avoiding the overnight train and ferry crossing if your budget allows.

Transportation costings will depend on the class of travel you chose.  Most people find a 2nd class sleeper on Thai Railways is very comfortable and cost effective. The rail travel element of the holiday would be 1100 Baht per person if you chose this option.  Airline fares vary enormously but there are some excellent bargains to be had and all the airline links have an on-line booking system. The most expensive flight will be UMS to BKK.

I have not suggested hotel accommodation since this is readily available and there are lots of Internet based resources you can use.  Advance booking is recommended(but not really necessary) although its certainly a good idea to have your first nights hotel booked in Bangkok so you can recover from your flight without the hassle of looking for a bed.

Related posts:

1. Exploring Thailand-A Visit to the River Kwai