Planning a Trip to Thailand - How to Divide Your Time Between the North, South, and Bangkok

As a manager of a tour operator in Thailand, many travellers ask me how they should divide their time between the north of Thailand, south and Bangkok

For beach lovers who want more of a lazy kind of resort holiday, who love the sea and water sports the south of Thailand and the islands are the place to go, and you may want to spend your entire vacation/holiday there. Or you may want to spend it in the North -a place for those seeking a more cultural and authentic Thailand, and who like the mountains and rugged countryside. The North is significantly less commercialized and touristic than Bangkok and the South and so is also suitable for those who like to get off-the-beaten-path. It;s also a great place for soft adventure activities such as trekking, elephant riding, whitewater rafting, cycling etc.

If you have less than 10 days concentrate on one region - the north, south or central Thailand which allows you to fully experience one area instead of losing time traveling between different places

With at least 10 days or more you could explore the north and south, (although in this short time it may still feel a bit of a whirlwind travel so consider 2 weeks or more if you can) dividing your time equally between the two or dedicating more time to whichever you have a preference for (beaches or mountains), then allocate a day or so in Bangkok either upon arrival or departure. This is where it pays to work backwards - research the destination first then figure out how much time you will need for that, then split your time accordingly.

Those with only a few days in Thailand its best to stick to Bangkok, taking day trips to Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi

The problem with travel information on the internet and travel guides is that whilst they are very good at telling you about places and attractions they don't tell you how long it takes to cover areas and distances, or in what order to do them in.

Sometimes there is so much information it can be overwhelming and difficult to put into an exact itinerary, if you find this the case feel free to contact me at Thailand Hilltribe Holidays.

Created by Melissa Ah-Sing the co-founder of Thailand Hilltribe Holidays a tour operator that specializes in North of Thailand Tours.

By Melissa Ah-Sing