Are you tired of the over-crowded and over-hyped places like Pattaya and Krabi? Worry not, there are many more amazing destinations in Thailand just waiting for you to discover. Thailand can be a place with amazing history, stunning beaches and islands, religion and religious monuments or the good old party all night, night-life. Thailand offers all this alongside delicious curries, mangoes and spa therapies.
Could you ask for more? We had to cover Thailand in 8 days and given the limited connectivity between islands, we decided to pick one coast for our first trip and decided to stay in the Eastern Coast, a little away from crowded tourist packed destinations like Pattaya or Koh Phi Phi. We decided on Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Samui.
If you are not so much the Party person but love yourself a little bit of the first three (history, beaches & religious monuments) keep reading further for I have a comprehensive itinerary that you could take in Thailand.
Getting There:
Thailand is well connected from almost all airports from India, with direct flights from Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Bhubaneswar, and Mumbai. The flight duration is just 3.5 hours.
Day 1: Arrive in Bangkok
Fly in to Thailand at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. For Indian passport holders as well, visa on arrival is available
Visa:
Visa on Arrival is allowed for Indian passport holders (Hurray! For once). The documents required for the visa application are
- A photograph
- Return Flight details
- Visa Form (Available at the counter)
- Hotel Booking Confirmations
- 2000 Baht
The process takes close to 30-45 minutes depending on the lines. However, they also have a Priority Counter for 200 Baht extra, which can be availed easily if in a hurry.
Once we received clearance, we took an Uber to our accommodation
Where to Stay: The Quarter, Poshtel
Day 1-2: Local Sightseeing in Bangkok
Bangkok, a bustling city has a lot of different kinds of things one could do.
Things to Do in Bangkok: We started off with MBK center and Siam Paragon until our group arrived. After which we went on to the National Museums and temples in Bangkok. Do not miss the famous Khao San Road, read more on things you can do in 24 hours in Bangkok. Read more about all the Things you can do in Bangkok
Take an overnight bus to Chumphon, the ferry point from which ferries ply regularly to Koh Tao. The bus ride to Chumphon is said to be 8 hours but more often than not you arrive much earlier. In our case we completed the journey in less than 6 hours and had to wait three hours at the Ferry Point before we could take the ferry.
Day 3: Koh Tao
Take the ferry from Chumphon to Koh Tao, the time taken is usually about 2 hours.
Where to Stay: Simple Life Resort, Koh Tao
Things to do in Koh Tao :After checking in, we spent several hours on the beach, then headed to Tanote Bay and went up to the Two View Point. Read more about Things to do in Koh Tao
Day 4: Island Hopping in Koh Tao
A day-long boat ride along each of those tiny islands around the island, island hopping is a must do in Koh Tao. The islands are serene, beautiful and action-packed.
Once you are back from all the snorkeling and island visits, remember to take a lovely Thai Massage to rejuvenate yourself. Once refreshed, do step out to enjoy a calm night-life in Koh Tao.
Day 5: Take the Ferry to Koh Phangan
We had not made any prior bookings, however, that is advisable. We took the ferry available much later than what we had in mind to Koh Phangan.
Where to Stay: Sarikantang Resort
Things to do in Koh Phangan Head over the Haad Rin beach, have amazing lunch with a view at Moon Paradise and head back to the resort to watch the sunset from the Leela Beach lighthouse. Read more about Things to do in Koh Phangan
Since we were not very fond of crazy partying we did not stay here longer than 1 night, however, if you love yourself a good all-night party then ensure you plan a minimum of two days to recover from that.
While the place is famous for its full moon party, they have all-night parties almost every day so do not be disheartened if your dates do not match the Full Moon Party, you will still have something to look forward to with the nightlife in Koh Phangan
Day 6: Ferry to Koh Samui
Take the ferry from Koh Phangan to Koh Samui. Arrive and head over to Chaweng, the area with the most popular nightlife.
Where to Stay: Chaweng Budget Hotel
We spent the evening at the Chaweng beach and headed over to Ark Bar in the evening. We also caught an amazing Chaweng Ladyboy show at Paris Follies Cabaret. They have shows every hour starting 8 PM. While the entry is free, you must buy at least one cocktail in the bar. It is definitely worth the experience
Day 7: Koh Samui sightseeing
Spend the day exploring the numerous points in this beautiful island. We covered Big Buddha Temple, Wat Plai Laem, No Muang Safari Park, HinTa and Hin Yai Rocks. This should ideally take till evening after which you can spend the rest of the evening at Chaweng. Read more about the Things you can do in Koh Samui
Day 8: Fly out to Bangkok
Wake up and head over to Koh Samui airport to catch the flight back to Bangkok. Be sure you keep enough buffer so you do not end up in a situation like we did. Read more about how we almost missed our connecting flights with the continuous rains in Koh Samui and how you could plan better. And, if you have managed to reach Bangkok, it is time to fly back home with insane memories of blue-green waters after an action-packed trip in Thailand in 8 days.