What does a month or more in Thailand look like, from Bangkok through the north to the Andaman coast?

1. 1Bangkokarrived from Cebu6 days
2. 2Ayutthayathe old Siamese capital's ruins3 days
3. 3Lop BuriPhra Prang Sam Yot1 day
4. 4SukhothaiHistorical Park by bicycle2 days
5. 5Lampanghorse carriages; Wat Phra That Lampang Luang3 days
6. 6Chiang MaiChristmas in the old city6 days
7. 7Chiang RaiNew Year; White and Blue Temples7 days
8. 8Mae Hong Sonthen two travel days south3 days
9. 9Khao SokCheow Lan Lake4 days
10. 10Ao Nanglongtails to Railay4 days
11. 11Bangkokback to Bangkok to finish4 days

Our route, stop by stop

• Bangkok, 6 days (7–13 December). The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Wat Arun across the river, Chinatown and the canals. Our Bangkok guide covers the city, and 3 days in Bangkok is the short version.

• Ayutthaya, 3 days (13–16 December). The capital of the Siamese kingdom for four centuries until the Burmese sacked it in 1767, now a UNESCO-listed historical park of brick prangs and chedis on an island ringed by rivers. Most people see it as a day trip from Bangkok; three days let you cycle the ruins early and late, outside the midday heat.

• Lop Buri, 1 day (16–17 December). A short stop further up the Northern Line for Phra Prang Sam Yot, a Khmer-style temple of three linked towers known for the long-tailed macaques that live around it. Fewer monkeys roam the old town now than a few years ago, after the authorities relocated many of them.

• Sukhothai, 2 days (17–19 December). The first Thai kingdom's capital, 13th to 14th century, and its UNESCO-listed Historical Park of lotus-bud chedis and reflecting ponds, best seen by bicycle. Covered in our Thailand guide.

• Lampang, 3 days (19–22 December). A quiet northern town best known for its horse-drawn carriages and for Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, a walled Lanna temple outside town.

• Chiang Mai, 6 days (22–28 December). The moated old city, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang, the Sunday Walking Street and Doi Suthep. See our Chiang Mai guide and, if you want to see elephants, how to choose an ethical sanctuary.

• Chiang Rai, 7 days (28 December–4 January). New Year in the far north: the White Temple, Blue Temple and Black House, the clock tower, and day trips to the Golden Triangle. Our Chiang Rai guide says two days covers the sights; seven gave us time for the hill country around it.

• Mae Hong Son, 3 days (4–7 January). A small mountain town near the Myanmar border, with Burmese-style temples on Jong Kham Lake and Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu on the hill above.

• Two travel days south (7–9 January). From the far northwest to the southern peninsula is the longest jump of the trip.

• Khao Sok, 4 days (9–13 January). Rainforest, limestone cliffs and Cheow Lan Lake, with floating bungalows on the water. Covered in our Thailand guide.

• Ao Nang, 4 days (13–17 January). The Krabi beach base for longtail boats to Railay and the islands. See Ao Nang to Railay by longtail.

• Bangkok again, 4 days (17–21 January). The second stay picked up what the first one missed, before we flew on to Australia.

Weather in December and January, region by region

We timed the route around Thailand's cool season. The Thai Meteorological Department dates the northeast monsoon from roughly mid-October to mid-February: it brings cool, dry air from the north, clear skies over the north and northeast, and the coolest weather of the year in December and January.

• Bangkok and the central plains (Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Sukhothai): November to February is the comfortable window our Bangkok guide recommends. It is still hot by midday, so the ruins are best at opening time and late afternoon.

• The north (Lampang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son): dry and sunny, with cold early mornings in the hills; our Chiang Rai guide gives highs in the high 20s°C and mornings near 10 to 13°C. This is also peak season, so book around Christmas and New Year. From about February to April, agricultural burning brings smoke and poor air quality across the north, worst in March, which is the main reason to do the north first.

• The Andaman coast (Khao Sok, Krabi, Ao Nang): the calm-sea season runs roughly November to April, and Khao Sok's dry season from about December to April, so January works for both the lake and the boats.

• The Gulf islands (Koh Samui and neighbours): the same northeast monsoon brings heavy rain to the east coast of the south, especially around October to November, which is why a December–January route ends on the Andaman side rather than the Gulf side.

Getting between the stops

The route data shows where we stayed and for how long, not how we moved. These are the usual options for each leg; check current timetables before you travel.

• Bangkok to Ayutthaya: trains on the Northern Line take about an hour from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, and since August 2026 State Railway of Thailand has also run an air-conditioned commuter service on the route. Cheaper ordinary trains are slower, and sources disagree on whether they still leave from the old Hua Lamphong station, so check the departure station.

• Ayutthaya to Lop Buri to Sukhothai: Lop Buri is on the same Northern Line. Sukhothai has no railway station: the usual way is the train to Phitsanulok and a bus of a little over an hour (about 57 km) to Sukhothai, or a direct bus.

• Sukhothai to Lampang: buses only; booking sites quote roughly 3 to 6 hours depending on the service, with few departures a day, so check times locally.

• Lampang to Chiang Mai: about 2 hours by train (for example, the morning Express 51 in the 2026 timetable) or by bus.

• Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: about 3 to 3.5 hours by Green Bus, as our Chiang Rai guide notes.

• Chiang Rai to Mae Hong Son: there is no direct link; you go back through Chiang Mai. From there the northern road via Pai (Route 1095) is famously twisting and takes about 6 hours by bus, or around 8 hours on the southern road via Mae Sariang. Ezy Airlines began small-plane flights from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son in late 2026 (about 40 minutes); confirm they are running before you plan around them.

• Mae Hong Son to Khao Sok: the long one. Realistically it means getting back to Chiang Mai and flying south, to Surat Thani (about 1.5 hours by road from Khao Sok) or Krabi or Phuket, then a van or transfer into the park. Allow two days.

• Khao Sok to Ao Nang: about 2 hours by private transfer, longer by shared minivan.

• Ao Nang to Bangkok: fly from Krabi, about 40 minutes by road from Ao Nang, with flights to Bangkok of roughly 1 hour 20 minutes.

If you are doing Bangkok to Chiang Mai in one go instead, the overnight sleeper takes about 12.5 hours; our sleeper train guide compares the classes. In the cities, see our Grab vs Bolt guide.

Visa: 45 days is now longer than the visa exemption

Our trip ran under the rules of the time. Since 15 September 2026, US citizens and nationals of about 60 other countries get a 30-day visa exemption for tourism, down from 60 days, so a 6-week route like ours no longer fits in a single visa-exempt stay.

The usual fix is a single extension of up to 30 days at a Thai immigration office inside the country, for a fee (reported at about 1,900 baht) and at the officer's discretion, or a tourist visa arranged before you fly. Chiang Mai has an immigration office, which suits this route. Details are in our Thailand visa guide, and every arrival also needs the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card within 3 days before landing.

What we would keep, cut and change

Keep: the old-capital corridor. Ayutthaya, Lop Buri and Sukhothai between Bangkok and the north turn a long transfer into a run of history stops, and it is the part of the route most short trips skip. Keep the north in December and January, before the burning season.

Trim: Chiang Rai at 7 days was generous; our guide suggests 2 days plus a third for Doi Mae Salong or Doi Tung. Lop Buri is a few hours' stop rather than an overnight for most people.

Rethink: Mae Hong Son is the costliest detour in travel time: back through Chiang Mai, a long mountain road each way, and then two days to reach the south. Do it only if the mountains are the point, or check whether the new flights from Chiang Mai are running.

Respect the dress code: shoulders and knees covered at temples, enforced most strictly at the Grand Palace. See Thailand temple dress code, and for money matters, tipping in Thailand.

Shorter versions of this route

• 2 weeks (or 10 days): Bangkok with an Ayutthaya day trip, Chiang Mai with Chiang Rai as a long day out, then Ao Nang and Khao Sok. See our 2-week Thailand itinerary.

• 3 to 4 days in Bangkok: the temples, the river, Chinatown and Chatuchak. See 3 days in Bangkok.

• 3 weeks to a month: add Sukhothai and Lampang between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, or a proper two nights in Chiang Rai, to the 2-week plan.

• Festivals: if your dates are flexible, Chiang Mai's Yi Peng lantern festival is in November and Songkran in mid-April.

Frequently asked questions