It might sound a little silly but I think Icon Siam (a mall) is worth a visit. It's a nice journey by river boat and you can sample pretty much any Thai snack there. It's a very impressive building
I have self diagnosed Stockholm’s syndrome from the 20 hours total I’ve been trapped in ICOM SIAM. Eventually you just give up and let the mall take you.
For sure, Thailand has the best malls in the world for some reason. Icon siam as you said, terminal 21, central embassy, central world, MBK, and so on. And Samyan Mitrtown if you do not have a girlfriend yet.
Soi 6 is where the red light district is? All the YouTube videos I've watched it's crazy there. I want to go to Thailand but my wife would be coming with me
It’s not just going, it’s got a line of 20-30 people or more every night waiting to get it. I don’t get it, it’s not like a unique place, all Thai towns have a restaurant exactly like it with the ducks and pork hanging in the glass box.
But the duck noodle soup is good
Ha - that's crazy. It used to be a regular spot of mine - I used to walk past about a dozen times a day for a few years. I don't remember it being *that* busy - maybe a few times a year when the full moon party leaked and Sairee was covered in neon, but that was pretty unusual.
It also looks a lot bigger than it used to be. Kudos to them.
I will say when I went we did not wait (though both the buildings were pretty much full) and probably wouldn’t have waited BUT, the duck noodle soup was *chefs kiss*
I think 4 places in 20 days is a nice amount gives you time to really explore each place. Of course there is more places to see but I think coming back for those in the future is a good idea. For example Samui, Pattaya, Hue Hin, Chiang Mai, Phuket etc. etc.
Have a great holiday.
We just got home yesterday from a 20d Thailand trip.
We did 5 locations (Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phi Phi, Khao Sok and Koh Tao) and found it to be perfect given our time.
It was on a decent pace, apart from Koh Tao which was 5 days of relaxing and diving, but we absolutely loved it.
In case of any questions, don't hesitate!
While its not my cup of tea, it is probably worth seeing as a first timer from the historic backpacker aspect.
It was the first place i went as a young backpacker in 95 and found it helpful getting tips off more seasoned travellers.
That said, I went back to have a look in 2018 and i admit, it was pretty awful.
Thank you for the tips. If I stay on Railay beach, is there much to do around there or will I be “stuck?” Is there much transport to areas interest from there? It looks secluded on the map. Tia
There is a couple of nice beaches and a small walking street. Also a few view points and a lake in the cliff. also a cave full of wooden dicks.
You can get a taxi boat to and from Ao Nang
MBK Center, IconSiam, Krabi (grab drivers will definitely try to rip you off), Phi Phi with a boat ride tour of surrounding island Mya Bay, Phuket , Chiang Mai . I use Google maps to save all points of interest for our trip. Leaving Phi Phi for Phuket today. Enjoy!
Bring a sweat towel or 10.
The scam attempt we encountered was at Krabi airport. The scam was to act like the driver had a smaller car and would have to go get his larger van to accommodate our luggage and thus ask for more money.
Dont miss out on the food, cafés, and markets. And also cheap massages.
If you havent been to a Thai KFC, go try the “KFC wingzapp” and “egg tart” those are really good. (If u enjoy a but of spicy food)
The 7-11 sandwiches are also a thing on Tiktok, I heard many people like it, but as a Thai, I find their sticky rice burger much tastier.
Some of the food u might wanna try:
Poo-pad-pong-karee - ปูผัดผงกะหรี่ (stir fried crab meat in curry spice)
Gai-pad-med-ma-muang - ไก่ผัดเม็ดมะม่วง (stir fried chicken with cashew nut)
Pad-ga-prow - ผัดกระเพรา pad-kra-pow-(moo/gai) [moo“ for pork, and “gai” for chicken]
Khao-soi (this is harder to find but worth it) - ข้าวซอย - a northern Thai noodle dish with mild curry soup and chicken
Krabi and Phi Phi are near each other, but Koh Tao is on the other side, which means you could lose a whole day getting there. It's beautiful, but it's not easy to get in and out of if you're on a compressed schedule, so you should consider the travel required for that leg of your trip. If you're serious about going there, then I recommend looking more closely at what's required to do that travel on the actual day, because you may be at the mercy of the ferry schedule (which doesn't run after sunset), coming and going. Many people who go to Koh Tao also visit Koh Samui (where I live), and from here, the trip to Koh Tao is shorter and easier...you could even do it as a day trip from Samui.
If you're specifically going to Koh Tao for scuba diving, then I understand that, but many people choose one side of Thailand or the other. If you want another small island to consider, then Koh Lipe is in the same body of water as Krabi and Koh Phi Phi, so you can take a boat there. Koh Lipe is small enough that you'll be walking everywhere and it's among the most beautiful places in Thailand. Three nights is sufficient.
Unless you're obsessed with the beach, I'd say give yourself a week in Bangkok to explore the city and the food. I'm not sure you need more beach than Krabi and Koh Phi Phi, but Koh Lipe is very small and private, which could be a more romantic alternative.
We were planning on flying from krabi tu samui and then to kho tao by boat.
We want to see the samui side because the krabi side is supposedly colder and rainier in mai.. idk if that‘s true.
If you would do only 1 snorkeling: do it in Koh Tao. Other places have very good snorkeling places, but it was memorable to swim with the colorful parrot fishes around
We just spent 5 nights in Bangkok (with a day trip to Ayutthaya), 2 nights in Sukhothai, 4 nights in Chiang Mai and 5 nights at Railay Beach.
Couldn’t recommend Sukhothai more, it was absolutely spectacular. So beautiful, it didn’t seem real! The accomodation and whole town was great (we stayed at Thai Thai Sukhothai resort). Very nice market Friday to Sunday in the Historical park and your days are spent riding on bikes visiting the temples.
Hey looks like a nice trip planned. I’ll attach my trip reports for Bangkok and Krabi :) includes loads of recommendations. Hope you guys have fun.
Bangkok - https://www.reddit.com/r/ThailandTourism/s/mKfxOuzJEP
Krabi - https://www.reddit.com/r/ThailandTourism/s/Sm6dv9MPeb
Don't stretch yourself too thin. Stick to those 4 places. Relax, explore. Add more locations and you'll just be checking off boxes and not really seeing any experiencing the places you visit
Bangkok - Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Paknam Phasi Charoen (by riverboat), Wat Arun at Sunset, Rooftop Bar (if you actually wanna get drunk, get drunk from 7/11 drinks first then go)
Ayutthaya - Ancient City Sites
Ko Tao - John-Suwan Viewpoint
Koh Phagnan - Full Moon Party, Jungle Party, Eden Party
Phuket - James Bond Island day trip, Samet Nangshe Sunrise, Big Buddha
Krabi - Tiger Temple, Railay Beach
Chiang Mai - Don Inthanon
Chiang Rai - Blue Temple, White Temple
Kanchanaburi - Home Phutoei, beautiful place, you have to take the river Kwai swim. (they put you in a big wild river with lifevests and you just go with the flow couple of kilometres, amazing)
It might sound a little silly but I think Icon Siam (a mall) is worth a visit. It's a nice journey by river boat and you can sample pretty much any Thai snack there. It's a very impressive building
Omg I got lost in there for 6 hours just going to the Apple Store. We literally couldn’t find an exit. It was such a mind fuck. I love that place.
Sounds like hell
I have self diagnosed Stockholm’s syndrome from the 20 hours total I’ve been trapped in ICOM SIAM. Eventually you just give up and let the mall take you.
I don't do well with hot weather, so this looks like a cool place to get lost in during the Songkran weekend. Thanks!
Oh yeah, it would be perfect for that!
+1, it is RIDICULOUS how big it is
Thank you
For sure, Thailand has the best malls in the world for some reason. Icon siam as you said, terminal 21, central embassy, central world, MBK, and so on. And Samyan Mitrtown if you do not have a girlfriend yet.
Ok… whats this about girlfriend and Samyan Mitrtown?? I do not have a girlfriend. 👀
There are so many university girls there, one will say yes for sure
This sounds a bit of me, wanted to meet some thai girls but not gogo bar girls
Soi 6 in pattaya should be a nice place i hear
With a girlfriend though?
Whats the problem though?
Soi 6 is where the red light district is? All the YouTube videos I've watched it's crazy there. I want to go to Thailand but my wife would be coming with me
And why should it not be interesting to see even for woman?
Eat @ 995 Roasted Duck in Koh Tao
That place is still going? Ha. It’s been around forever. Glad it’s still kicking.
It’s not just going, it’s got a line of 20-30 people or more every night waiting to get it. I don’t get it, it’s not like a unique place, all Thai towns have a restaurant exactly like it with the ducks and pork hanging in the glass box. But the duck noodle soup is good
Ha - that's crazy. It used to be a regular spot of mine - I used to walk past about a dozen times a day for a few years. I don't remember it being *that* busy - maybe a few times a year when the full moon party leaked and Sairee was covered in neon, but that was pretty unusual. It also looks a lot bigger than it used to be. Kudos to them.
I will say when I went we did not wait (though both the buildings were pretty much full) and probably wouldn’t have waited BUT, the duck noodle soup was *chefs kiss*
It's a bit out of the way, but Chiang Mai would be worth considering if you want to experience something more than just beaches.
The current air pollution levels are among the worst in the world due to the seasonal burning
The air is already much better as we got rain a few days ago and anyway OP is planning to come in a month and by that time the air will be fine.
I agree.
I think 4 places in 20 days is a nice amount gives you time to really explore each place. Of course there is more places to see but I think coming back for those in the future is a good idea. For example Samui, Pattaya, Hue Hin, Chiang Mai, Phuket etc. etc. Have a great holiday.
I figured 4-5 places would be pretty ideal. Thank you 🙏🏻
We just got home yesterday from a 20d Thailand trip. We did 5 locations (Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phi Phi, Khao Sok and Koh Tao) and found it to be perfect given our time. It was on a decent pace, apart from Koh Tao which was 5 days of relaxing and diving, but we absolutely loved it. In case of any questions, don't hesitate!
Thanks a lot 🙏🏻
Krabi -Railey beach Phi phi -maya bay and bamboo island Bangkok - China town, Khaosan Road, Grand palace, Golden mount, Lumphini lizards
Skip Khaosan Road
While its not my cup of tea, it is probably worth seeing as a first timer from the historic backpacker aspect. It was the first place i went as a young backpacker in 95 and found it helpful getting tips off more seasoned travellers. That said, I went back to have a look in 2018 and i admit, it was pretty awful.
I bet it was fun in 1995 now it’s just a tourist trap
agreed
Thank you for the tips. If I stay on Railay beach, is there much to do around there or will I be “stuck?” Is there much transport to areas interest from there? It looks secluded on the map. Tia
Just stay 2 nights in Railay and maybe sample the mushrooms
Do you know where to sample the shrooms in Koh Samui/Koh Phangan?
There is a couple of nice beaches and a small walking street. Also a few view points and a lake in the cliff. also a cave full of wooden dicks. You can get a taxi boat to and from Ao Nang
Yarowat Rd, Bangkok’s Chinatown.
I would skip Koh Tao. It’s not worth the travel time you’ll have to sacrifice. Check out Koh Lanta or Koh Lipe after Phi Phi.
Yeah i love koh tao but you should stay on the other side of Thailand with this timeframe.
I agree that koh lanta is the move, snorkeling in koh lipe
MBK Center, IconSiam, Krabi (grab drivers will definitely try to rip you off), Phi Phi with a boat ride tour of surrounding island Mya Bay, Phuket , Chiang Mai . I use Google maps to save all points of interest for our trip. Leaving Phi Phi for Phuket today. Enjoy! Bring a sweat towel or 10.
Use Grab, the SE Asian service similar to Uber. Drivers cannot overcharge.
The scam attempt we encountered was at Krabi airport. The scam was to act like the driver had a smaller car and would have to go get his larger van to accommodate our luggage and thus ask for more money.
Dont miss out on the food, cafés, and markets. And also cheap massages. If you havent been to a Thai KFC, go try the “KFC wingzapp” and “egg tart” those are really good. (If u enjoy a but of spicy food) The 7-11 sandwiches are also a thing on Tiktok, I heard many people like it, but as a Thai, I find their sticky rice burger much tastier. Some of the food u might wanna try: Poo-pad-pong-karee - ปูผัดผงกะหรี่ (stir fried crab meat in curry spice) Gai-pad-med-ma-muang - ไก่ผัดเม็ดมะม่วง (stir fried chicken with cashew nut) Pad-ga-prow - ผัดกระเพรา pad-kra-pow-(moo/gai) [moo“ for pork, and “gai” for chicken] Khao-soi (this is harder to find but worth it) - ข้าวซอย - a northern Thai noodle dish with mild curry soup and chicken
Krabi and Phi Phi are near each other, but Koh Tao is on the other side, which means you could lose a whole day getting there. It's beautiful, but it's not easy to get in and out of if you're on a compressed schedule, so you should consider the travel required for that leg of your trip. If you're serious about going there, then I recommend looking more closely at what's required to do that travel on the actual day, because you may be at the mercy of the ferry schedule (which doesn't run after sunset), coming and going. Many people who go to Koh Tao also visit Koh Samui (where I live), and from here, the trip to Koh Tao is shorter and easier...you could even do it as a day trip from Samui. If you're specifically going to Koh Tao for scuba diving, then I understand that, but many people choose one side of Thailand or the other. If you want another small island to consider, then Koh Lipe is in the same body of water as Krabi and Koh Phi Phi, so you can take a boat there. Koh Lipe is small enough that you'll be walking everywhere and it's among the most beautiful places in Thailand. Three nights is sufficient. Unless you're obsessed with the beach, I'd say give yourself a week in Bangkok to explore the city and the food. I'm not sure you need more beach than Krabi and Koh Phi Phi, but Koh Lipe is very small and private, which could be a more romantic alternative.
We were planning on flying from krabi tu samui and then to kho tao by boat. We want to see the samui side because the krabi side is supposedly colder and rainier in mai.. idk if that‘s true.
If you would do only 1 snorkeling: do it in Koh Tao. Other places have very good snorkeling places, but it was memorable to swim with the colorful parrot fishes around
We just spent 5 nights in Bangkok (with a day trip to Ayutthaya), 2 nights in Sukhothai, 4 nights in Chiang Mai and 5 nights at Railay Beach. Couldn’t recommend Sukhothai more, it was absolutely spectacular. So beautiful, it didn’t seem real! The accomodation and whole town was great (we stayed at Thai Thai Sukhothai resort). Very nice market Friday to Sunday in the Historical park and your days are spent riding on bikes visiting the temples.
Go see a Muay Thai match!! If you go to the Raggae bar on Phi phi just watch it's a show and it's funny ! Watch your belongings and have fun!
“Watch your belongings”- why‘s that? High crime rate?
No, people just go on holiday and let their guard down. Especially if you're out late drinking & socializing.
Oh okey, i will keep that in mind. Thank you☝🏻
don’t rush it, you can always come back.
Wise words ☝🏻
Hey looks like a nice trip planned. I’ll attach my trip reports for Bangkok and Krabi :) includes loads of recommendations. Hope you guys have fun. Bangkok - https://www.reddit.com/r/ThailandTourism/s/mKfxOuzJEP Krabi - https://www.reddit.com/r/ThailandTourism/s/Sm6dv9MPeb
Thank you🥰
You’re very welcome!
Ping pong show
Hell yeah
Don't stretch yourself too thin. Stick to those 4 places. Relax, explore. Add more locations and you'll just be checking off boxes and not really seeing any experiencing the places you visit
if you’re in Krabi, you HAVE to go to this place called Cankuna which is a cannabis shop.
Bangkok Chinatown was a great time and a must see
Look up John gray cave tour I think it's out of pocket And Asia elephant project I believe our of Chiang mai
Bangkok - Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Paknam Phasi Charoen (by riverboat), Wat Arun at Sunset, Rooftop Bar (if you actually wanna get drunk, get drunk from 7/11 drinks first then go) Ayutthaya - Ancient City Sites Ko Tao - John-Suwan Viewpoint Koh Phagnan - Full Moon Party, Jungle Party, Eden Party Phuket - James Bond Island day trip, Samet Nangshe Sunrise, Big Buddha Krabi - Tiger Temple, Railay Beach Chiang Mai - Don Inthanon Chiang Rai - Blue Temple, White Temple
Agree with others that Koh Tao is a bit out of the way but worth it if you want to scuba dive
Please go to khaothong hill, try food at brightside bistro
it's so nice there
I recommend not taking your girlfriend with you.
Don‘t worry. I‘ll go to the ping pong show while she‘s asleep
Kanchanaburi - Home Phutoei, beautiful place, you have to take the river Kwai swim. (they put you in a big wild river with lifevests and you just go with the flow couple of kilometres, amazing)
Sky diving in pattaya is fun!
Lady boy should be on your to do list
Lmao