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What is the best way to spend 10 days in Thailand in 2025? Here is the best 10 day holiday itinerary for Thailand. We will take you through what to do and where to go – step by step to show you how to have an amazing trip. It’s amazing how much you can see in 10 days if you are intentional. This 10 days in Thailand itinerary starts and finishes in Bangkok.
If you are hoping to experience the culture and nature of north Thailand and you also want to enjoy some beautiful beaches in south Thailand you will need at least 10 days in Thailand. And the pace will be pretty high. You will also need to take a cheap domestic flight from Chiang mai to Surat Thani. There are plenty of airlines that operate on this route. Find a great deal on Skyscanner.
TOP TIP: We have packed a lot into 10 days in Thailand. If possible we recommend taking around 2 weeks in Thailand – this will give you a chance to slow down and chill. It also gives you more of a time buffer on each side of your trip. Plan to get up to Bangkok a day or two earlier. If you are delayed for any reason then there is less chance of missing your flight.
You may be interested in our guide – How to travel Thailand for less than £20 per day – less than $25. This really can be done.
Book your Chiang Mai to Surat Thani Flight on Skyscanner
Summary for your 10 days in Thailand itinerary
Day 1 Market, temples and street food, night train to Chiang Mai
Day 2 Explore the Old Town, visit an ancient city and take a sunset river cruise
Day 3 Trek up the monks trail and visit sticky waterfall
Day 4 Visit the Grand canyon water park and a hill temple
Day 5 Fly to Surat Thani and take a boat to Koh Phangan
Day 6 Visit Bottle beach and Mae Haad Beach for sunset
Day 7 Take a boat to Koh Tao and visit the John Suwan viewpoint
Day 8 Take a snorkeling trip including the Nang Yuan viewpoint
Day 9 Take a boat back to Surat Thani – and return to Bangkok
Day 10 Take a day trip to the floating market (or just chill in Bangkok)
Looking for a slower Thailand itinerary?
This 10 day itinerary is high paced. Having an enjoyable trip is a balance between seeing all of the things you hope to see but not missing things by traveling too quickly.
If this all sounds too high paced why not just stay in the north? We have an itinerary for Chiang Mai. We also have an itinerary for Pai. Or if you are interested in the south of Thailand we also have an itinerary for Phuket.
We will also share some of our best recommendations for places to stay. Get you accommodation booked up on Agoda for some of the best deals around.
FULL 10 days in Thailand itinerary
Day 1 Market, temples and street food, night train to Chiang Mai
Get checked into some awesome accommodation near Khaosan Road. Don’t miss our full guide to the BEST Khaosan Road hotels
We recommend Tara Place hotel – close enough to Khaosan to enjoy the buzz and far enough away to find a tranquil peaceful place to rest. Find Tara Place on Agoda and Tara Place on Booking.com. Also check out the up market Surya Riva Hotel with decadent suites and amazing views. You can get deals at Surya Riva on Agoda. Also check the latest prices at Surya Riva on Booking.com.
Start your 10 days in Thailand in style. In the morning explore the bustling Trok Mor Morning market. This is a great way to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of Bangkok. Nearby you can also visit some epic temples. Consider visiting the Grand Palace Bangkok, Wat Mahannapharam Worawihan and the Chao Pho Suea Shrine and the Loha Prasat temple. Around this area you can also find plenty of tempting Bangkok street food. Make sure you try Pad Thai and Mango or Papaya Salad.
In the evening take a night train to Chiang Mai. The advantage of taking a night train is that you don’t lose any travel time to the journey AND you also save on one night’s accommodation. It is also part of the Thai experience. The night train journey is likely to cost around 1,500 – 2,000 baht from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on an A.C. First Class sleeper train.
The price depends how you book. We recommend booking online in advance if you only have 10 days in Thailand. Tickets can sell out in advance so we don’t recommend rocking up at the station on the same day and hoping for a ticket. You can book Thai train tickets no more than 60 days in advance.
Day 2 Explore the Old Town, visit an ancient city and take a sunset river cruise
Find a place to stay
Get checked into an awesome Chiang Mai hotel. We recommend that you find somewhere in or near the old town. Here are a few of our favorite Chiang Mai hotels: if you’re looking for a luxurious 5 star hotel in the old town check out the charming Inside House with its stunning colonial style and private pool suite. You can find Inside House on Agoda and Inside House on Booking.com.
If you’re looking for a great place for kids, check out the Shangri-La Chiang Mai – it even has an outdoor waterslide. Check the latest prices at Shangri La on Agoda. You can also reserve rooms at the Shangri La on Booking.com. If you’re traveling on a budget we love the Yak Guest house – great location and some of the best prices near the old town. You can reserve the Yak Guest house on Agoda or you can reserve the Yak Guest house on Booking.com.
Map of Chiang Mai attractions for day 2
Here is a map oft the things to do on day 2 of this itinerary
Explore the Chiang Mai Old Town
This is the day to get your teeth into the intense and beautiful Chiang Mai culture and history. Start the day with a walking tour of the Chiang Mai old town. The early morning is a lovely time to explore the old town. You can also see many monks walking all around Chiang Mai old town taking alms. Check out the Morning Market at Chiang Mai gate on the south wall of the old town. There is also a beautiful evening street food market at this gate. Next head west along the south wall of the old town. Visit the beautiful Buak Haad park. At this park there is a cafe, pond, grassy areas, and a kids play park here.
From the park walk north into the Old Town. Visit Wat Phra Singh, also known as “the Golden temple”. This is one of the largest and main temples in the Chiang Mai Old Town. Wat Phra Singh is a beautiful Buddhist temple that dates back to the 14th century and it is beautifully decorated with golden and wooden carvings.
Next walk east to the Three Kings monument. Finally, walk south to Wat Chedi Luang. Wat Chedi Luang is over 600 years old.
Wiang Kum Kam Ancient City
Another amazing cultural thing to do in Chiang Mai is to visit an ancient abandoned city. This is as epic as it sounds. Wiang Kum Kam was built by King Mang Rai over 700 years ago. This ancient city was abandoned due to flooding. What remains are derelict temples and crumbled buildings. Most of the buildings can be found within a span of a few kilometers. So it’s quite far to walk.
There are around 10 main temple ruins at Wiang Kum Kam. THE BEST way to see the temples is to take a horse and cart tour. You can get Horse and Carts at the Wiang Kum Kam information Centre. This is located at the south of Wiang Kum Kam (route 3029). Horse and cart tours take around 1 hour – 1.5 hours and cost 300 baht per carriage (this is roughly £6 or $8). A horse and cart can take roughly 4-5 people.
Here are some temples to visit at Wiang Kum Kam:
Wat Ku Pa Dom, Wat Chang Kam, Wat E-Kang, Wat Nan Chang, Wat Pu Pia, Wat That Khao, Wat Phra Chao, Dong Dam, Wat Pha Ya Meng Rai, Wat Chedi Liem
Take a Ping River Cruise
In the evening take a Ping River Cruise. You can take a cruise from Wat Chaimongkol. You actually have to walk through the temple grounds to get to the port. There’s a small office by the river where you can buy tickets. It is not normally necessary to book tickets in advance.
Mae Ping Cruises depart every hour from 9am – 5pm every day of the week. River cruises cost 550 baht for adults, children under 10 years old are half price. Children under 3 years old are free. Enjoy watching local life along the Mae Ping river. You will also visit a Herb Garden and get to try some ice cream and juice. The cruise takes around 2 hours.
Day 3 Trek up the monks trail and visit sticky waterfall
This is a packed day with loads in it. The Sticky waterfall is quite a long trip with several hours of journey time. We do think this is well worth a visit if you have the time and energy. You will need to be intentional to fit everything in – but it is possible if you get a sharp start on the Monks Trail.
Trek up the Monks Trail
If you only have 10 days in Thailand the Monks trail in Chiang Mai should definitely be on your itinerary.
Trek up the Monks Trail to an impressive hill temple called Wat Pha Lat. The monks trail is used by monks who walk from the temple to town to take alms in the morning.
The Monks trail is a beautiful jungle path. It is well worn and easy to navigate. The monks trail is around 1.2km in length and takes around 30 – 45 minutes each way. So if you get a good start it is possible to get back to Chiang Mai by mid morning.
Wat Pha Lat is a very beautiful temple. You can see a well, some small waterfalls, plenty of Buddha statues and of course temple buildings. Wat Pha Lat also has some impressive views over the Chiang Mai. The start of the Monks Trail is located 5km to the west of Chiang Mai old town. It is free to hike up the Monks Trail and visit Wat Pha Lat.
Visit the amazing Sticky Waterfall
After the Monks trail visit the amazing sticky waterfall. This is quite a big trip from Chiang Mai –
located around 60km (40 miles) north of Chiang Mai. The journey is likely to take a few hours each way. You can get there by motorbike rental, private taxi or car rental.
If you take a taxi expect to pay around 800-1000 baht for the return trip depending on your bartering skills (this is around £16 – £20 or $20 – $25). Alternatively you can rent a motorbike for around 200 baht for the day (£4 or $5) and use this to get there. Sticky waterfall is FREE to visit.
Bua Tong waterfall is also known as “sticky waterfall” because the bedrock is made from crystallized limestone. This has so much friction you can climb surprisingly steep sections of the waterfall without slipping. There are steps leading all the way from the top to the bottom and allowing you to see different parts of the waterfall.
There are also toilets and showers at the Sticky Waterfall Chiang Mai. A visit to sticky waterfall may be hard work but it will probably be one of your highlights of your 10 days in Thailand.
Travel back to Chiang Mai
If you have the energy you may be interested in seeing another attraction on the way back from the Sticky Waterfall. Such as the Aeroplane Cafe, The Hidden Village and the Siam Insect Zoo. The Pong Yang adventure park is a detour on the route home but is a lot of fun if you have time and energy.
Day 4 Visit the Grand canyon water park and a hill temple
On the last day in Chiang Mai visit an epic water park and a hill temple. The cheapest and best way to get around is independently. We recommend using bike rental, car rental or use the Bolt or Grab taxi app to take a taxi.
Visit the Grand Canyon Water Park. This water park has a few slides, cliff jumping, a wakeboarding circuit, a zip line and an inflatable water obstacle course. There’s also an excellent kid’s water play area. Tickets cost 650 baht for adults (roughly £13 or $16). It costs 500 baht for children’s tickets (roughly £10 or $13). Children’s tickets are decided by height not age. A child is between 90-120 cm. Children under 90cm get free entry. Standard tickets include the water park, obstacle course, kayaking, cliff jumping, life jacket and an exhilarating ride of the zipline. You can also do wakeboarding for 550 baht for 90 minutes.
Visit Wat Prathat Doi Kham
On the way back to Chiang Mai stop at Wat Prathat Doi Kham. This is a very beautiful temple located at the top of Kham hill. The location has a panoramic view of Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas. Wat Prathat Doi Kham is FREE.
Day 5 Fly to Surat Thani and take a boat to Koh Phangan
Since you only have 10 days in Thailand you will need to take a flight to the south (otherwise you will lose to much time traveling). We recommend using Skyscanner to snatch up a great deal on domestic flights in Thailand.
Day 5 of this itinerary is a travel day. We have just left the whole day for travel because realistically you will need a full day for this. If you are struggling to find good flights in the morning of day 5 consider taking a late flight in the evening of day 4. Check into a hotel in Surat Thani and complete the journey to Koh Phangan the following day.
The cheapest ferry company from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan is Raja. You can also take a Lomprayah ferry.
When you get to Koh Phangan check into an awesome hotel. Check out the beautiful Red Pearl Resort with lovely beach side villas, a gorgeous outdoor swimming pool and nice cocktails. You can reserve the Red Pearl on Agoda. Also, the Red Peal is on Booking.com.
There is also the beautiful Namreka Sanctuary in Chaloklum – great value for money. Reserve a room at the Namreka on Booking.com
If you’re looking for something super stylish and luxurious check out the Panviman Resort Koh Phangan. Watch out for deals at the Panviman on Agoda. Also check the latest prices at the Panviman on Booking.com.
Day 6 Visit Bottle beach and Mae Haad Beach for sunset
By day 6 you are going to need some down time and what better place to relax and recover than visiting a couple of beautiful tropical beaches. Bottle Beach is a very beautiful beach on the north coast of Koh Phangan. You can either trek there or take a boat.
Take a taxi boat to Bottle Beach
Take a taxi boat from Chaloklum (east of the main pier) or from the east side of Haad Khom Beach. The price should be around 150 baht per person each way. You may need to wait for a boat. It can feel unnerving as you will not see any boats around – they tend to wait on Bottle Beach rather than here.
The taxi boats are small boats that can take around 8-10 people. The boat journey takes around 15 minutes and boat drivers generally speak very good English. Here are the phone numbers for one of the taxi boat drivers: +66 62 4154328 and +66 93 6294725.
Don’t worry about arranging your return trip. It is very easy to find a taxi boat at Bottle Beach – they tend to wait in this area and depart roughly every hour. The price is fixed at 150 baht per person.
Trek to Bottle Beach
If you plan to trek to Bottle Beach prepare for a steep jungle trek. The trail starts at the Haad Khom car park. It is possible to drive all the way to this car park on a motorbike. There are a few steep hills but the road is well pathed. The trek to Bottle Beach is around 2km and it is quite challenging.
Wear good hiking shoes (trainers rather than flip flops), wear light loose fitting clothing, remember to bring sunscreen (factor 50) and mosquito repellant. Bring plenty of water and snacks for the trek. When you get to the Haad Khom carpark, walk a short distance along the rough road looking out for a turning on the right. The path leads up a hill and then down to bottle beach. Keep an eye out for the markings on rocks and trees (yellow and blue). The trek is likely to take 1-2 hours.
At Bottle Beach there are several cafes and restaurants. To get back from bottle beach to the Haad Khom car park, you can either walk back along the same route or take a boat back to Haad Khom beach. Boats leave every hour and cost 150 baht per person. It is easy to find taxi boats waiting along the beach.
See the sunset at Mae Haad Beach
In the evening head over to Mae Haad beach on the northwest tip of Koh Phangan. This beach has a lovely sunset over the ocean and a small island linked to the mainland by a shallow sand bar. This is a popular spot for instagrammers. There is also a lovely beach front resort where you can order food and drinks. A sunset at this beautiful beach will definitely be one of the highlights of your 10 days in Thailand.
Day 7 Take a boat to Koh Tao and visit the John Suwan viewpoint
Take a boat from Koh Phangan to Koh Tao. There are 3 ferries per day from Koh Phangan to Koh Tao. The journey takes roughly one hour. Tickets cost 600 baht for adults and 300 baht for children. The ferry company is called Lomprayah. The ferry schedule is as follows: 8.30am, 1pm and 4pm. Be aware that in stormy weather ferries may be delayed or canceled. If possible we recommend taking the early ferry. Check in to an awesome hotel in Koh Tao.
Our favorite hotels in Koh Tao are the Koh Tao Resort Paradise Zone. Located on a hill and equipped with bathtubs and hot tubs this is the perfect place to relax with a stunning view. Watch out for deals at the Paradise Zone on Agoda. Also reserve Paradise Zone on Booking.com.
Also check out the stunning and beautiful Naroua Villas. Check out Naroua Villas on Agoda and Naroua Villas on Booking.com. On the lower budget end check out the pretty Assava Dive Resort. Book the Assava Dive Resort on Agoda. Reserve the Assava Dive Resort on Booking.com.
Visit the impressive John Suwan viewpoint. This is located on a cape to the south of Koh Tao. Be prepared for a steep and challenging hike (it’s not too far but the trail is very steep and rocky). There are ropes at points to help you ascend and descend. It costs 100 baht to visit this stunning view point.
Find out more about the stunning Koh Tao viewpoints
Day 8 Take a snorkeling trip including the Nang Yuan viewpoint
Nearing the end of your 10 days in Thailand – we recommend finishing on a high. And what better way to do that than explore the stunning waters around Koh Tao?
Take a snorkeling day trip around Koh Tao. These trips normally include 5 or more stops at beautiful snorkeling sites. Snorkeling day trips in Koh Tao cost around 500 baht – 1,000 baht (this is roughly £10 – £20 or $13 – $26).
The snorkeling tours normally include the following things, but as ever, check when you book:
- Two way transfer to and from your resort
- Lunch
- Snacks and drinks
- Equipment (normally snorkel and mask but no fins)
- Underwater filming and photography
- Life jackets
Snorkeling tours will probably not include entrance fees to the Nang Yuan island. It costs 250 baht for admission to Nang Yuan island. There are beautiful beaches and a stunning viewpoint at Nang Yuan. Your trip may also stop at Shark Bay. At this location you may see Black Tip Reef shark and turtles.
We recommend booking a snorkeling trip a day or two in advance. The best time of year to do a snorkeling trip in Koh Tao is between February and May, when the water is calm and clear.
We recommend Oxygen Tour Koh Tao for an amazing snorkeling day trip around the island. The boat even has slides at the back.
Day 9 Take a boat back to Surat Thani – and return to Bangkok
This is another travel day. We have left a one day buffer time in Bangkok in case you are delayed with your return journey. Since you only have 10 days in Thailand you are on a pretty tight time frame at this point.
TOP TIP: Be aware that ferries can be delayed or canceled in bad weather. If you have a flight out of Bangkok aim to get back to Bangkok a day or two before your flight.
You can travel all the way from Koh Tao to Surat Thani with the Lomprayah ferry company. Select package tickets that include bus and minibus transfer (several drop off points available in Surat Thani).
Lomprayah: Koh Tao to Surat Thani airport 9.30am – 2.30pm. Tickets cost 1,100 baht for adults and 550 baht for children. Includes boat and minibus transfer. Leave a nice big gap if you’re planning to fly back to Bangkok.
Lomprayah: Koh Tao to Surat Thani train station 9.30am – 2.00pm. Tickets cost 1,000 baht for adults and 500 baht for children. Includes boat and minibus transfer.
Lomprayah is the only company that runs from Koh Tao to Koh Phangan. From Koh Phangan to Surat Thani you can also take the Raja ferry. However, Raja is slower – and you don’t save any money by switching ferry in Koh Phangan to Raja. It is around the same price just to book the whole journey with Lomprayah. From Surat Thani you can either fly back to Bangkok or take the sleeper train.
Day 10 Take a day trip to the floating market (or just chill in Bangkok)
After an action packed 10 days in Thailand you may just be ready to chill out and rest. Or perhaps squeeze just one more activity in?
If you have the time or energy why not visit a floating market in Bangkok? The easiest option is to visit the Taling Chan Floating market (only open on weekends). Alternatively the Damneon Saduak floating market is open throughout the week. If you want to visit the Damneon Saduak floating market it is likely to take a full day. At Damneon Saduak you can see waterways leading around villages and market stalls. You can also see locals on boats selling fruit and snacks, mango sticky rice and even BBQ food.
How do you get to the Damneon Saduak Floating Market in Bangkok?
There are several ways to get to the Damneon Saduak Floating market. Taking a private taxi would be very expensive due to the long distance. You could rent a car in Bangkok and drive there. Alternatively you can book tours to the floating market but these tend to be quite expensive 1,000 – 2,000 baht depending how and where you book. The cheapest way to get to the Floating Market is to take a bus from the Sai Tai Mai bus terminal (the southern bus terminal). Consider taking a Grab or Bolt taxi to this bus terminal.
When you get to the Sai Tai Mai bus terminal it is fairly easy to find the ticket desk for the Damneon Saduak market. Buses depart every 1.5 – 2 hours, so we recommend arriving on time for your desired bus. The bus is a small minibus. The bus journey takes around 3 hours or more depending on traffic. Buses to Damneon Saduak depart at the following times daily: 6.30am, 8.00am, 10.00am, 12.00pm, 1.30pm, 3.00pm, 4.30pm, 5.30pm. Bus tickets to Damneon Saduak cost 80 baht.
The bus drops you off at a boat office around one kilometer from the main market. At this point you can either barter for a boat or walk to the market and take a boat from there. It is likely they will start with a high price (e.g. 800 baht per person). Be confident – you should be able to get it for around 300 baht per person. Once you have agreed on a price you are happy with you can take the boat and enjoy the tour. The boat stops at market shops and stalls along the way.
Looking for more inspiration?
This 10 days in Thailand itinerary is pretty intense and action packed – but hopefully loads of fun. There is so much more to do in Thailand. You may want to switch out some of our suggested activities. We have LOADS of articles on Thailand on our site so keep reading.
