The Ultimate 2-Week Thailand Itinerary: Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi & Bangkok

In February, we visited Thailand, one of Southeast Asia’s most popular destinations. We were keen to organize the trip entirely by ourselves for two main reasons: flexibility and budget. The primary goal of our visit was rest and relaxation by the sea, which is why most of the places we visited were in the Andaman Bay area, specifically around Phuket and Krabi.

We had purchased our plane tickets about half a year in advance, giving us plenty of time to research how to organize our vacation to visit the most interesting places without spending too much time in transit. In the end, I can say that our two-week trip went perfectly, and we had no regrets. We managed to see everything we wanted while also having a fulfilling rest. Of course, two weeks is not enough to see all the treasures Thailand has to offer, but it is enough to make you fall in love with this beautiful country and want to visit it again.

In this post, we’ll share our two-week experience in Thailand, with lots of tips and recommendations on what to visit and what to keep in mind when organizing your vacation.

When is the best time to travel to Thailand?

The most suitable period for traveling to Thailand is from November to March, which is the dry season. The rest of the year is the rainy season, and the weather is more unpredictable. Some prefer to visit Thailand during the rainy season because there are fewer people and prices are significantly lower, but the risk of rain and storms is much higher. We traveled in February, and the weather was flawless.

Reservations and Tickets

For years, we have always been advocates of early bookings. There are several airlines that offer flexible travel options to Thailand. Since direct flights may not be available from all locations, you will likely have a transfer. We highly recommend booking all flights with one airline. This way, you are guaranteed that in case of a delay or cancellation of the first flight, an alternative will be found for you as easily as possible.

Regarding hotel reservations, we used Booking.com, and several months before our trip, we had a wide choice of accommodation at good prices.

Domestic Transport and Internet

For mobile internet and services, there are 2 options – purchasing a SIM card from one of the local operators(like dtac) or eSIM.
If you decide to use eSIM, we recommend Saily – we’ve used in Asia a lot, and we highly recommend them in terms of price/quality. Through this link, you get a 5% discount when purchasing an eSIM.

As for domestic transport, for shorter distances on land, the easiest option is taxis (using the Grab and Bolt apps). Domestic flights are well-priced, especially if booked early; we flew from Krabi to Bangkok with Royal Thai and had no complaints. If you are traveling by water, the options are longboats (traditional Thai boats), old ships, or Fastboats, which are very fast, but the experience is not very pleasant, especially for people with seasickness. Everything except the longboats can be booked online, and you can easily check schedules.

If you want to buy ferry tickets online, we highly recommend 12asia.go – it is the most reliable way to purchase tickets and check schedules when traveling in Asia.

Accommodation and hotel recommendations in Thailand

We spent our 2 weeks in 4 different locations – Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi and Bangkok. As part of the trip preparation, we made a deep research in Booking.com and here are the hotels that we found to be the best choice for each of the locations that we had visited:

Phuket

Phuket is a large island in the southern part of Thailand and is the country’s most popular destination. Vacationers choose it for its white beaches, proximity to beautiful islands in the Andaman Sea, and the huge variety of accommodation and entertainment. The largest settlement on the island is Phuket Town, whose center is full of nice restaurants and interesting colonial-style architecture.

Our trip to Thailand started in Phuket, where we spent 5 days in the Surin Beach area, one of the longest beach strips on the island. In general, the best beaches are located on the west coast, and we highly recommend looking for accommodation there, for example, in the Kamala, Karon, and Kata beach areas. Another very popular place to stay is Patong, which has a nice beach strip, but the atmosphere is party-like. If you are visiting Thailand for partying, Patong might be for you, but for rest and relaxation, it is completely unsuitable.

Getting around Phuket is easy. You can rent a scooter, but given the wild driving of the locals and the constant traffic jams on the island, we didn’t want to risk it. We used the Grab and Bolt apps, and the prices seemed more than reasonable, considering the long distances to some points.

Undoubtedly, Phuket is a great destination, but for better or for worse, the island is very densely built and populated. If you are looking for seclusion, it might not be the best choice, and we would rather recommend some of the less popular Thai islands like Koh Chang, Koh Kood, or Koh Lipe.

During our 5 days in Phuket, besides the incredible beaches, we visited the following attractions :

The Big Buddha

The Big Buddha statue, a huge white marble Buddha statue located on a high hill with an incredible panoramic view. Its base is also home to numerous monkeys who are used to tourists and often participate in their photos.

Green Elephant Sanctuary Park

We had the opportunity to get up close with Thai elephants, feed them bananas, participate in their bathing, and learn more about the problem of their exploitation in the country. The experience was very interesting, and we are glad that with our contribution, we helped care for the rescued elephants.

An evening walk in the old part of Phuket town.

We highly recommend a walk there; besides the beautiful architecture, there is also a large selection of great restaurants where you can try exotic local dishes.

Recommended day trips from Phuket

The Phi Phi Islands

If there is one place that epitomizes the incredible nature of Thailand, it is the Phi Phi Islands with their turquoise crystal-clear waters under towering massive limestone cliffs and dense jungles in between. These are the views that await you on the Phi Phi Islands, which are only about an hour or two by boat from Phuket and Krabi.

Ko Phi Phi Don – the highlight of whole trip

One of the islands in the group is Ko Phi Phi Don, which is the only one with accommodation infrastructure. Although small, it has the necessary amenities for a comfortable stay. Due to the island’s terrain, there are no cars, and movement is only by boat or on foot. The other popular island is Ko Phi Phi Leh, home to some of the most beautiful attractions in the area, such as Maya Bay and Pi-Leh Lagoon, but since it is a nature reserve, there are no hotels. Most people visit Phi Phi as part of a day trip from nearby Phuket or Krabi, but in our opinion, this is a mistake. In the morning and at noon, Phi Phi gets overcrowded with tourists, and it is almost impossible to enjoy anything in the heat and with hundreds of people around you.

Our recommendation is to spend at least 2 nights on Phi Phi Don. We stayed for 3 days, which was the most incredible part of our trip. After the crowds from the day trips leave, the island becomes significantly calmer and more idyllic. We stayed in a complex of wooden houses not far from the “center” of Phi Phi Don, about a 30-minute walk along a path running parallel to the coast. We had a small beach available, which was almost exclusive to the complex. Every evening we walked to the “center,” where there is a rich choice of shops, stalls, bars, restaurants, and street food. The town is located on a thin strip of land between 2 beaches, and along the beach, there were various entertainments such as live music and fire shows, which are not to be missed.

Ko Phi Phi Leh – Maya Bay and Pi-Leh Lagoon

When you are staying on Phi Phi, getting to Maya Bay and Pi-Leh Lagoon is much more convenient and budget-friendly. We booked a longboat for very early in the morning, giving us the opportunity to visit these places before they filled up with thousands of people from the day tours. Maya Bay turned out to be a very beautiful beach, but it’s hard to truly enjoy it when swimming is forbidden and you can only observe the beautiful nature. In Pi-Leh Lagoon, you will have the opportunity for swimming and snorkeling, surrounded by indescribable views. Also, the boatmen always offer to take beautiful photos of you on the colorful traditional boat, which are a must when visiting Thailand.

If you are staying on Phi Phi, we definitely recommend watching the sunset from the hill above the town. There are several panoramic viewpoints with beautiful gardens, places for a short rest, and cafes to refresh yourself after the steep climb. We assure you that every step is worth it because up there you will witness one of the most beautiful pink sunsets and the impressive geography of the island. If you have time, we also recommend a visit to the neighboring Bamboo Island, which is a strip of sand surrounded by turquoise waters.

Day trips to Phi Phi

Krabi

Krabi is a region located in the northern part of the Andaman Sea, not far from Phuket. The atmosphere there is quite different from Phuket and can be described as a more family-friendly and peaceful destination. We stayed for 5 nights in the resort town of Ao Nang, where there is a huge selection of accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, a large night market, and a long and wide beach strip. Honestly, the biggest advantage of Krabi is the interesting places nearby. Krabi is the perfect “base” if you want to visit different islands in the Andaman Sea or are looking for adventures in the jungles and rivers of the area.

We reached Krabi by a fast boat from Phi Phi, and the journey took about an hour.

Ao Nang

Ao Nang itself pleasantly surprised us with its huge variety of places to eat and entertainment. The resort has a long coastal street with wide sidewalks. The city beach is not bad, but it’s nothing special either. If you are looking for more seclusion, you can visit Pai Plong Beach, which is reached on foot from Ao Nang by passing through a small grove with many monkeys, the so-called Monkey Trail. It was there that we also found that Krabi’s beaches were not our favorite for swimming and differed from those of Phuket and Phi Phi; the water is murkier and lacks the beautiful blue color, most likely due to the nearby rivers flowing into the sea.

If you are staying in Ao Nang, we advise you not to book a hotel right on the coast because the longboats (traditional Thai boats) are mostly with old buzzing motors and will not let you sleep. Ao Nang is also the place where we managed to take advantage of the countless studios for Thai massage; they are truly high-level, and relaxation is guaranteed. Of course, everywhere in Thailand, you can find quality massages at very affordable prices.

The town’s night market greatly impressed us with its diversity and high standard of hygiene. It was clear that the place was more of a tourist spot than a local market, but in this case, that was even better. We stopped by the market absolutely every evening to try something new and different, and we dare say that we didn’t even have enough time to try all the delicacies we had our eyes on. There were traditional Thai specialties like pad thai, various barbecues, seafood skewers, coconut ice cream, and our favorite, mango sticky rice, as well as various dishes from all over Asia—sushi, okonomiyaki, Japanese pancakes, and other desserts. Last but not least, there we managed to try the famous durian, an Asian fruit with a strange shape and large thorns, known for its pungent unpleasant smell. Some people, especially Asians, love it, while others, like ourselves, can’t stand the strong aroma resembling a sewer.

Railay Beach

Railay was the first place we visited in Krabi, taking a boat from Ao Nang and getting there in a few minutes. Although the beach is very beautiful, it is not particularly pleasant for sunbathing because of the huge number of docked boats and constant noise. From Railay, we walked (about a 10-minute walk in the shade) to Phra Nang Beach, which is more secluded, and we spent most of the day there. The good thing about the Railay Beach area is that there are various options for food and drinks.

Boat trip to nearby islands: 5 Islands, Hong Island

From Krabi, it is extremely easy to get to the most beautiful islands in the bay. On the coastal street, there is a booth where you can book a private boat to a location of your choice at a time of your choice, at very reasonable prices. We took two private excursions from there: Hong Island and 5 Islands, on two separate days.

5 Islands Tour

We were not particularly impressed with the 5 Islands tour, especially after already seeing Phi Phi. There were nice beaches and views, but the Hong Island tour was much more impressive.

Hong Island

However, the trip to Hong Island was an incredible experience, and we highly recommend you visit it. The journey there is a bit longer, maybe about 30-40 minutes each way, but it’s worth it. First, you visit Koh Lading, a small island known for its secluded bay, over which coconut palms tower. Then you visit Hong Island itself, which, in addition to its great beach, also offers a panoramic platform with a breathtaking view. We couldn’t get enough of the countless limestone cliffs rising from the water and spent a lot of time just staring at this natural spectacle. This was the most impressive place we visited from Krabi.

Watching the sunrise from Din Daeng Doi

We found out about this place by chance while searching on Google Maps. It is a high hill, located about a 20-minute taxi ride from Krabi. At the top, there is a cafeteria with a platform offering an incredible panoramic view of the sea, jungles, and mountains of Krabi. At sunrise, everything is covered in soft clouds, which under the light of the rays is indescribably beautiful. In short, getting up at 5 in the morning was worth it!

After 5 days in Krabi, it was time to end our seaside vacation and head to our next destination: Bangkok.

Best day trips from Krabi

Bangkok

With a domestic flight from Krabi with the company Royal Thai, we arrived in Bangkok. We had 3 nights there. We had booked our domestic flights several months in advance at a very reasonable price. We were fully aware that 3 days are insufficient for a full visit to Bangkok, but we preferred to spend more time at the sea and less in the city. In retrospect, the choice turned out to be correct.

A lot has been written about Bangkok, so we won’t go into too much detail. It is a city of extremes, and many people either love it or hate it. We didn’t have high expectations, but we can definitely say that the city impressed us with its color. Unfortunately, it was in Bangkok that we made the biggest mistake in organizing our vacation: we naively decided to book a hotel in China Town, one of the oldest parts of the city. Although the hotel was very nice, China Town turned out to be a bad choice—chaos, dirt, it didn’t feel very safe, and it was incredibly crowded, especially in the evening. Our advice is to stay in a more modern part of the city, such as Sukhumvit.

On the other hand, the temples, the royal palace, the markets, and the malls were incredible.

Although we are not big fans of malls, in Bangkok, we appreciated them in a completely different way. Besides the colossal size of the shopping centers there, they are also a great escape from the humidity, heat, and chaos of the city. They have countless offerings of exotic things to eat, from fruit shakes and coconut desserts to all kinds of seafood, and it was there that I first tried crocodile meat. We were most impressed by the famous Iconsiam mall, where, in addition to the huge selection of shops and places to eat, there is also an incredible view of the city’s skyline.

While we were in Bangkok, we also visited the The Historic City of Ayutthaya. It’s an easy bus trip that takes 1-2 hours.

On the 3rd day in Bangkok, the madness became too much for us, and we wanted to go home, but we are still glad we visited the city. It was from there that we made our way back home.

Recommended day trips from Bankok

Food in Thailand

This topic deserves an article of its own. Even though we have been to many places, we can confidently say that Thailand is the most incredible destination for culinary tourism we have ever visited, especially given the low prices. Besides the local cuisine being incredibly delicious (and spicy), the tourist spots offer a rich selection of all kinds of food, especially from other parts of Asia.

Many people are afraid to try street food, but we are not among them. We bought street food almost daily and never once had any problems. Of course, this doesn’t mean we recommend eating from just anywhere, but we still advise you to be open-minded. The biggest risk of stomach problems comes from consuming non-bottled water, so be very careful with water and ice. We encourage you to dive in wholeheartedly: try various local dishes at various places—you won’t regret it

A few words about Northern Thailand

Unfortunately, as much as we wanted to, we couldn’t visit the northern part of Thailand, places like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, about which we have only heard superlatives. With 2 weeks at our disposal, there was no way to combine the sea, Bangkok, and Northern Thailand without being overwhelmed by travel. On the other hand, the thought that we haven’t visited this part of Thailand makes us want to return one day even more.

This topic deserves an article of its own. Even though we have been to many places, we can confidently say that Thailand is the most incredible destination for culinary tourism we have ever visited, especially given the low prices. Besides the local cuisine being incredibly delicious (and spicy), the tourist spots offer a rich selection of all kinds of food, especially from other parts of Asia.

Many people are afraid to try street food, but we are not among them. We bought street food almost daily and never once had any problems. Of course, this doesn’t mean we recommend eating from just anywhere, but we still advise you to be open-minded. The biggest risk of stomach problems comes from consuming non-bottled water, so be very careful with water and ice. We encourage you to dive in wholeheartedly: try various local dishes—you won’t regret it.

General tips for traveling in Thailand

• Always carry cash. Although cards are accepted in many places, cash opens more doors and ensures better prices.
• Consume only bottled water. Water is the most common cause of poisoning. Fortunately, we had no problems, but we were extremely careful.
• If your budget allows, avoid the crowded shared boats for short excursions and book private longboats. The price is slightly higher but completely reasonable, and the experience is much more pleasant as you don’t have to accommodate other people.
• Restaurant prices are low enough, but if you want to optimize your budget to the max, 7-Eleven stores are your choice.
• If you want to rent a car or scooter, keep in mind that driving in Thailand is on the left side of the road and can be dangerous and difficult, especially in places like Phuket and Bangkok. In these places, we recommend a taxi.
• Don’t miss the fruits. Everywhere there is a huge selection of fruits and all kinds of shake combinations at good prices. We consumed several a day and never got tired of them!
• Even if you are not a fan of massages, go for a Thai massage at least once; the experience is unique!
• Be sure to visit at least one night market, where you have the opportunity to try incredible foods at incredible prices.

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