Thailand in 7 days: Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the beach

Seven days is enough to see three faces of Thailand: the capital, the temple-studded north and one stretch of Andaman coast. It is not enough to do it slowly. This plan assumes you land in Bangkok, fly once (or take the overnight train) to Chiang Mai, fly south to Phuket or Krabi and fly home from there or via Bangkok. Every transfer leg links to our route guides, and we explain where you will arrive, how to get into town and what to book in advance.

Who it is for: first-time visitors who want a sampler rather than depth, and who are comfortable with three internal transfers in a week. Pace: brisk. Assumptions: you arrive at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang on the morning of Day 1 (or late on Day 0), and your return flight leaves on Day 7 or the morning of Day 8. Prices below are approximate, in Thai baht, as of October 2026, and must be confirmed when you book.

Overview

Day 1: Bangkok's old city

Drop your bags and head for Rattanakosin, where the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho sit within walking distance of each other. The Grand Palace opens daily 08:30 to 16:30 (ticket sales until 15:30); entry is 500 THB and covered shoulders and knees are compulsory. Take the Chao Phraya Express Boat along the river in the late afternoon and finish with street food in Chinatown (Yaowarat). Jet-lagged? Swap the palace for a river walk and an early night.

Our Bangkok 3-day itinerary has a fuller version of this day, and getting around Bangkok covers the BTS, MRT, boats and ride-hailing apps.

Day 2: Bangkok, then north

Start early at Wat Arun (cross-river ferry from Tha Tien), then a market morning (Chatuchak at weekends, Talat Noi otherwise) or a Thonburi canal tour. Keep the afternoon loose, because the evening is your transfer.

Option A, overnight train. Special Express sleepers leave Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (reached by MRT Blue Line to Bang Sue) in the early evening and reach Chiang Mai around breakfast time the next morning, a journey of roughly 12 to 13 hours. Second-class air-conditioned berths cost roughly 900 to 1,200 THB and first-class two-berth cabins roughly 1,500 to 1,800 THB, depending on the train and berth. Since April 2026 the State Railway of Thailand sells long-distance tickets up to 90 days ahead; lower berths on the newer train go first. You save a hotel night and wake up in the north.

Option B, flight. Bangkok to Chiang Mai takes about 1 hour 15 minutes with many departures a day from both airports; one-way fares usually land between about 1,000 and 2,500 THB if booked a few weeks out. An evening flight gives you a full Day 2 in Bangkok and a proper bed in Chiang Mai, at the cost of an extra hotel night.

Both options, with bus alternatives, are compared in Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

Day 3: Chiang Mai Old City

Train arrivals: Chiang Mai station is about 3 km east of the Old City; red songthaews and Grab cars wait outside. Flight arrivals: the airport is roughly 4 km south-west of the moat, with shuttle vans (40 to 60 THB), a city bus, songthaews and Grab.

Spend the day inside the moat: Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and the smaller temples between them, with a khao soi lunch. The Sunday Walking Street on Ratchadamnoen Road is the big evening event; on other nights try the Night Bazaar or the Chang Phueak gate food stalls. See our Chiang Mai guide.

Day 4: Mountain or countryside

Pick one of these; two is possible but tiring.

• Doi Suthep: the gilded hilltop temple about 15 km from town. Shared red songthaews leave from near the zoo; a return trip costs a few hundred baht per person.
• Elephant sanctuary: choose a no-riding, observation-based camp. Half-day visits run roughly 1,500 to 3,000 THB with transfers and lunch; book ahead in high season.
• Cooking class: half-day classes with a market visit cost roughly 1,000 to 1,500 THB.

Rain plan: the Chiang Mai National Museum, cafés in the Nimmanhaemin area and a Thai massage school.

Day 5: Fly south to the Andaman coast

Chiang Mai has direct flights to both Phuket and Krabi, which saves backtracking through Bangkok. As of late 2025 Thai AirAsia listed both Chiang Mai–Phuket and Chiang Mai–Krabi among its domestic routes, and other carriers also serve Phuket from Chiang Mai; frequencies are far lower than on the Bangkok routes, often one to three flights a day, so check current schedules before you fix your dates. Flight time is close to 2 hours. If no direct flight fits, connecting via Bangkok adds three to five hours but gives many more departures. Expect roughly 1,500 to 4,000 THB one way on the direct routes, more at short notice or over holidays.

Phuket arrivals: the airport is in the north of the island, 35 to 50 km from the main beaches. Options include the Phuket Smart Bus (airport to Rawai via Patong, Karon and Kata, flat fare 100 THB, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours to Patong), the airport bus to Phuket Town (hourly, roughly 08:15 to 20:15), shared minibuses, and metered or prepaid taxis from the official counters. Allow an hour to the west-coast beaches by car.

Krabi arrivals: Krabi International Airport is about 15 km from Krabi Town and 30 km from Ao Nang. A shuttle bus to town and Ao Nang costs roughly 150 THB per person, and prepaid taxis to Ao Nang are quoted at the arrivals counter (budget roughly 600 to 1,200 THB per car and confirm on the day).

Day 6: Islands

From Phuket, speedboat and catamaran day trips go to the Phi Phi islands, Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island) and the Similans (roughly mid-October to mid-May only). From Ao Nang, longtails run to Railay (about 15 minutes) and the four-island trip, and speedboats to Phi Phi and Hong Island. Book a day ahead through your hotel or a platform; in rough weather boats are cancelled and refunds vary, so keep Day 7 morning as a fallback.

Rain plan: Phuket Old Town's Sino-Portuguese streets and cafés, or the Tiger Cave Temple and hot springs near Krabi.

Day 7: Beach morning and departure

Phuket and Krabi both have international connections, mostly via Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. If you fly home from Bangkok, the domestic hop is about 1 hour 25 minutes; check whether your onward flight leaves from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang, and avoid separate tickets with tight connections.

If you have an extra day, the ferry between the two coasts is in Phuket to Krabi.

Pacing: is 7 days too tight?

A little. Three bases in seven days means three check-ins, three transfers and about a full day lost to airports, with no slack for a cancelled boat or a slow morning. Two ways to loosen it:

If you want all three regions, consider ten days: Bangkok 3, Chiang Mai 3, beach 4.

Where to base yourself

• Bangkok: near a BTS or MRT station, or on the river. Two nights is enough for Day 1 and Day 2.
• Chiang Mai: inside or just outside the Old City moat for walkability; Nimmanhaemin for cafés and nightlife. See Chiang Mai.
• Phuket: Patong for nightlife, Kata and Karon for a calmer beach with restaurants, Old Town for culture without a beach. See Phuket.
• Krabi: Ao Nang for boats and restaurants, Railay (boat access only) for scenery, Krabi Town for a local feel and cheaper rooms. See Krabi.

Approximate budget bands (per person, 7 days, excluding international flights)

Figures are rough October 2026 estimates for two people sharing a room; solo travellers pay more for rooms and private transfers.

Where to check and book

FAQ

Can I do Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the beach in 7 days without flying?

Not comfortably. Train to Chiang Mai is realistic, but the rail and bus route from Chiang Mai to the Andaman coast takes well over 24 hours. Fly at least one leg, or choose the culture-only variant.

Phuket or Krabi?

Phuket has more flights, hotels and nightlife; Krabi (Ao Nang and Railay) is smaller, with limestone scenery and easy longtail access. Either works for a first visit; let the flight times from Chiang Mai decide.