Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Bangkok
Morning Arrivée & Khao San Road
Land at Suvarnabhumi and transfer to Banglamphu, then dive into Khao San Road, Asia's most famous backpacker street, with pad thai stalls, open-air bars and a buzz of travelers from all over.
Afternoon Grand Palais & Wat Phra Kaew
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Emerald Buddha), the most sacred site in Thailand. Dress code enforced.
Evening Street food à Yaowarat (Chinatown)
Chinatown (Yaowarat Road) at night: grilled seafood, pad thai, mango sticky rice - best street food in Bangkok.
Day 2 Bangkok - Temples & Markets
Morning Le Grand Palais et le Bouddha d'Émeraude
Explore the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew at opening: gilded roofs, mythological guardians and the venerated Emerald Buddha sculpted from a single block of jade.
Afternoon Wat Pho et le Bouddha couché
Just steps from the Grand Palace, Wat Pho holds a colossal 46-meter Reclining Buddha covered in gold leaf, mother-of-pearl-inlaid feet and Thailand's oldest traditional massage school.
Evening Wat Arun au coucher du soleil
Cross the Chao Phraya by ferry to Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn: porcelain-encrusted prangs glow in the dusk light and the steep central spire offers a panoramic view of the river skyline.
Day 3 Bangkok - Chatuchak & Departure
Morning Le marché de Chatuchak
Roam the world's largest weekend market: 15,000+ stalls across 27 sections of antiques, vintage clothing, Thai crafts and tropical plants, with electric bargaining and endless street food.
Afternoon Chinatown et la rue Yaowarat
Explore Bangkok's Chinatown along Yaowarat Road, lined with gold shops, century-old herbalists and ornate Chinese temples, with hidden lanes like Soi Nana hosting trendy cafes in old shophouses.
Evening Khao San Road et la vie nocturne
Close your Bangkok evenings on Khao San Road, a 400-meter pedestrian strip throbbing with neon, music and street food: fried scorpions, bucket cocktails and dancing under the stars.
Day 4 Krabi - Railay Beach
Morning Vol Bangkok - Chiang Mai
Take a morning flight from Don Mueang or Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai, the Rose of the North: 1h15 of flight trade megacity buzz for the cool air and provincial charm of the ancient Lanna capital.
Afternoon Tha Phae Gate et la vieille ville fortifiée
Walk Chiang Mai's historic core from the iconic 14th-century Tha Phae Gate: the moated old town shelters 30+ Lanna-style Buddhist temples, including Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh.
Evening Night Bazaar et gastronomie du Nord
Stroll the Night Bazaar along Chang Klan Road for Lanna crafts, Thai silk, hill-tribe silver jewelry and northern street food specialties like khao soi noodles and sai ua sausage.
Day 5 Phi Phi Islands
Morning Le temple Doi Suthep, sentinelle dorée
Climb the 309 Naga steps to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep at 1,076 m on the sacred mountain: this 14th-century temple crowned by a golden chedi offers a sweeping view over the Chiang Mai valley.
Afternoon Sanctuaire d'éléphants éthique
Spend an emotional day at an ethical elephant sanctuary where rescued pachyderms roam freely: feed them bananas, walk alongside them in the jungle and bathe with them in the river.
Evening Cours de cuisine thaïe traditionnelle
Take a Thai cooking class with a local chef: a fresh-market tour to pick herbs and curry pastes, then prepare 4 to 5 classics like tom yum, green curry, pad thai and mango sticky rice for dinner.
Day 6 Koh Lanta - Relaxation
Morning Vol Chiang Mai - Krabi
Fly 2 hours to tropical southern Thailand: trade misty northern mountains for the turquoise Andaman Sea and reach Ao Nang harbor, gateway to the region's most beautiful beaches.
Afternoon Railay Beach, paradis entre les falaises
Boat-only Railay peninsula sits between vertical karst cliffs: Railay West faces the sunset on white sand, Phra Nang Cave Beach hides a sacred grotto and the water glows surreal blue.
Evening Coucher de soleil et fruits de mer à Ao Nang
Back in Ao Nang, soak up a spectacular Andaman sunset along the seafront promenade as karst silhouettes burn pink and orange, then feast on grilled fish, curry crab and giant prawns by the beach.
Day 7 Koh Lanta - National Park
Morning Ferry vers Koh Phi Phi et installation
Take a 1h30 fast ferry from Krabi's Klong Jilad pier to Koh Phi Phi: two symmetrical bays meet at a coconut-palm isthmus and you settle into your stay at vibrant Tonsai Bay.
Afternoon Excursion à Maya Bay, le lagon mythique
Visit iconic Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh, the cove from The Beach: now reopened with controlled access, its 100-meter limestone cliffs ring water of breathtaking emerald clarity.
Evening Soirée tropicale à Tonsai Bay
Koh Phi Phi nights are legendary: beach bars come alive with fire shows on the sand, live music and a cosmopolitan crowd. Sip a tropical cocktail in a hammock under starry tropical skies.
Day 8 Transfer to Koh Samui
Morning Snorkeling à Shark Point et Bamboo Island
Ferry+bus to Koh Samui (or fly via Bangkok). More developed: luxury resorts, coconut plantations, nightlife.
Afternoon Phi Phi Viewpoint, panorama à 360°
Climb to Koh Phi Phi Don's famous Viewpoint: a 20-30 minute trek through tropical greenery leads to three platforms revealing the twin turquoise bays and the Tonsai isthmus below.
Evening Dîner les pieds dans l'eau et plongée nocturne
Dine on Loh Dalum beach where restaurants set tables right on the sand at low tide: grilled prawns, squid and whole fish under the stars, with an option to add a bioluminescent night snorkel.
Day 9 Koh Samui - Temples & Nature
Morning Ferry vers Koh Lanta et plage de Klong Dao
Trade Phi Phi's buzz for the calm of Koh Lanta after a 1-hour ferry: long pine-fringed beaches and turquoise water, then settle in along Klong Dao, the island's longest, softest stretch.
Afternoon Détente et yoga face à la mer
Koh Lanta is a wellness haven: try an oceanfront yoga session, a traditional Thai massage at a beach spa, then alternate swims, shaded reading and naps lulled by the surf.
Evening Coucher de soleil à Kantiang Bay
Drive south to Kantiang Bay, a crescent of sand framed by green hills and consistently rated among Thailand's most beautiful beaches: the sunset is legendary, longtail boats silhouetted on fire skies.
Day 10 Ang Thong Marine Park
Morning Kayak dans les mangroves de Thung Yee Peng
Day trip to 42 limestone islands: hidden lagoons, turquoise waters. Kayak caves, hike to Emerald Lake.
Afternoon Old Town de Koh Lanta, héritage multiculturel
Explore Koh Lanta's Old Town (Ban Si Raya) on the east coast, a former trading port where Thai, Chinese and Malay cultures blend: stilted wooden shophouses, red lanterns and a working batik atelier.
Evening Parc national de Mu Koh Lanta et phare
Hike through dense jungle in Mu Koh Lanta National Park to a clifftop lighthouse with sweeping Andaman views, watch the resident monkeys, then take a final swim in the secluded cove below.
Day 11 Koh Phangan
Morning Transfert vers Koh Samui
Ferry to Koh Phangan (30 min). Famous for Full Moon Party but also pristine beaches and yoga retreats.
Afternoon Le Big Buddha et le Wat Plai Laem
Visit the majestic 12-meter golden Big Buddha (Phra Yai) on Koh Fan islet, then the colorful Wat Plai Laem with its lake-circled temple and 18-armed Guanyin statue.
Evening Fisherman's Village à Bophut
Wander Bophut's Fisherman's Village, a Chinese-wooden-house fishing hamlet turned into stylish cafes and galleries, with a Friday Walking Street market of food, crafts and live music.
Day 12 Departure from Koh Samui
Morning Excursion au parc marin d'Ang Thong
Boat to Ang Thong Marine National Park, an archipelago of 42 limestone islands rising from the Gulf of Thailand: a viewpoint hike, the hidden emerald inland lagoon, plus snorkeling and kayaking.
Afternoon Hin Ta Hin Yai et Lamai Beach
Visit the iconic Hin Ta and Hin Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother) rock formations whose evocative shapes inspire local legends, then a final swim at lively, crystal-clear Lamai Beach.
Evening Transfert vers l'aéroport de Koh Samui & vol retour
Head to Koh Samui Airport (USM) for your return flight. The airport - one of the world's most picturesque with its open-air tropical pavilions - is 20-30 min from most island hotels. Most passengers connect through Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi (BKK, 1h10 flight) for their international leg. Allow 1h30 before a domestic flight and an extra 3h buffer in Bangkok for a long-haul connection.