Exploring Thailand
Temples in Bangkok and Ayutthaya, learning to dive at the Similans, a night on a lake in the jungle, then north for the Chiang Rai temples and the lanterns over Chiang Mai, home on the sleeper. Or the same 22 nights on the Andaman beaches instead. Three plans, 15 working days each.
6 - 29 Nov 2026/2, one Italian citizen and one Spanish citizen
When
6 - 29 Nov
22 nights, 15 working days, catches Loy Krathong
Route
Two options
Andaman coast, or temples and the north
Flight
From CHF 809
Basel return, 1 stop. Zurich from CHF 682
Budget
€2,820-4,755
Per person, value picks to charm picks
Two routes, one coast between them
The reference tour (huakai.es, 12-25 Sept) runs Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khao Sok, Koh Samui, Koh Tao in 14 days: a new place every 1-2 nights, built for September. This trip runs 24 days for two people instead of a group. Both routes below drop the Gulf islands, which are still wet in November. Where they differ is the balance: the first keeps to the Andaman coast, the second gives half those nights back to Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, which is what the reference tour had and this one had been missing.
Andaman coast
Plans one and two. Seven stops, five of them on the water.
- Bangkokcity
- Khao Lakdiving
- Khao Sokjungle
- Krabibeach
- Koh Lantabeach
- Phuketmuay thai
- Bangkoktransit
Temples and the north
Plan three. The diving stays, the beach halves, and the north replaces it.
- Bangkoktemples
- Khao Lakdiving
- Khao Sokjungle
- Krabibeach
- Chiang Raitemples
- Chiang Maiyi peng
- Night trainsleeper
- Bangkoktransit
The coasts have opposite rainy seasons
In November the Gulf coast (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao) is still in its wetter monsoon period. The Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Khao Lak) is entering its dry high season instead: improving seas, less rain.
Similan Islands reopen right on time
The best beginner-diving area on this coast is closed 15 May to 15 Oct every year and reopens roughly mid-October, with visibility improving through late November, right through this trip.
Khao Sok fits on the way, not out of the way
Inserted between Khao Lak and Krabi: jungle and limestone lake instead of more beach, and the Khao Sok to Krabi road (2.5-3h) is shorter than the Khao Lak to Krabi one it replaces (4-5h). A detour that shortens the trip, not one that costs a day.
3-4 nights per stop is the "not rushed" baseline across independent Thailand itinerary guides. Both routes run 1-6 nights per stop depending on how much there is to do there, not a flat number everywhere. The northern route stacks its longest stay in Chiang Mai on purpose: six nights there is one hotel, not six, in the week the city is fullest.
Back on, for plan three: the overnight train
The reference tour rides the overnight sleeper from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and the first two plans skip it for a good reason: on the Andaman route the train only reaches Surat Thani, the Gulf-side gateway we're avoiding for November weather, and getting from there to Khao Lak adds 10+ hours over the flight. Plan three puts the train back, running the other way: Chiang Mai to Bangkok overnight on the last night, about CHF 20 a berth. Same train, and this time it goes where we are going.
Changed: diving plan
A friend recommended the full PADI Open Water certification instead of just a taster, and it fits: with the PADI eLearning theory done online before departure, the in-water course compresses to 3 days, which slots straight into the existing Khao Lak nights without adding any extra time. Complete the eLearning before you fly: see the Diving card below.
Three ways to spend it
Three plans. All 22 nights, all 15 working days off, all Friday out and Sunday back. Plans 1 and 2 are the same beach route, a week apart. Plan 3 keeps plan 2’s dates and goes north instead.
“Nothing to book” means a free day, or one already paid for earlier, like dive-course days 2 and 3.
Recommended
Take plan 3
Same dates. Same 15 days off. Same price. Far more to see.
- Less beachPlans 1 and 2: 12 of 18 days on a beach or a boat. Plan 3: three.
- The lanternsYi Peng, 24 and 25 Nov. Only in Chiang Mai. Only on this plan.
- More to seeAdds Ayutthaya, the White Temple, Doi Suthep, Doi Inthanon, elephants and the night train. Diving stays.
- The tradeYou give up: Koh Lanta, Phuket, and 3 nights in Krabi. You move more: 3 short flights, 2 road trips, 1 night train.
- Do this nowBook Chiang Mai. On 8 Sept it was already 90% full for festival week.
The same dates and the same 15 working days as the shifted plan, but a different country: Ayutthaya, the northern hills, Chiang Rai temples, and both Yi Peng nights in Chiang Mai, which is where the lantern festival actually belongs. Koh Lanta and Phuket are gone, Krabi drops to two nights, the diving stays, and it comes home on the overnight sleeper.
Flights from CHF 809 Basel, CHF 682 Zurich, per person15 working days off, Mon 9 Nov to Fri 27 NovSearch these dates ↗All fares ↓
BangkokOpen in Maps ↗
7 Nov - 10 Nov · 3 nightsThe big three temples, a stadium fight, Ayutthaya
Staying here, two options
Sat 7 Nov
Basel to BangkokFlight
14-16h, 1 stopfrom CHF 809 Basel, CHF 682 ZurichOvernight. Lands mid-morning.
Arrive Bangkok. Check in, rest. Evening: night market, street food, a massage.
Sun 8 Nov
Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Wat Pho. Evening: Muay Thai stadium show at Rajadamnern.
Mon 9 Nov
Ayutthaya, the capital the Burmese burned in 1767: brick prangs, a Buddha head grown into a fig tree, and a UNESCO site you walk rather than queue for. Day trip from Bangkok, back by evening.
Khao LakOpen in Maps ↗
10 Nov - 14 Nov · 4 nightsPADI Open Water certification
Staying here, two options
Tue 10 Nov
Bangkok to Phuket, then Khao LakFlight + road
~1h25 flying, ~1-1.5h roadCHF 30-60 flight, transfer from CHF 6
Fly Bangkok to Phuket, transfer to Khao Lak (~1-1.5h road).
Wed 11 Nov
PADI Open Water, day 1: theory review and confined-water (pool) training. eLearning must be finished before this.
Thu 12 Nov
PADI Open Water, day 2: open water dives 1 and 2, Khao Na Yak Reef.
Nothing to book
Fri 13 Nov
PADI Open Water, day 3: open water dives 3 and 4, Similan Islands or the local wreck. Certified.
Nothing to book
Khao SokOpen in Maps ↗
14 Nov - 15 Nov · 1 nightOne night on the lake, in a floating bungalow
Staying here, two options
Sat 14 Nov
Khao Lak to Cheow Lan LakeRoad + boat
~1.5-2h road, then longtailinside the CHF 253 tour
Picked up at the Khao Lak hotel, driven to Cheow Lan Lake (~1.5-2h), longtail boat to an air-conditioned floating bungalow, sunset boat safari, dinner on the water. Ask for the Krabi drop-off when booking.
KrabiOpen in Maps ↗
15 Nov - 17 Nov · 2 nightsThe short beach half: one headland walk, one big day
Staying here, two options
Sun 15 Nov
Lake morning: kayaking at sunrise, jungle walk, then the minivan drops you in Ao Nang (~2.5-3h). Afternoon: the Monkey Trail round to Pai Plong Beach, and dinner on the sand.
Mon 16 Nov
One full day in Krabi, and two things worth it. Railay: the beach you reach only by boat, under vertical limestone. Or Tiger Cave Temple, 1,237 steps to a gold Buddha above the whole province, with the Emerald Pool after. Railay if you want the postcard, Tiger Cave if you want the legs and the view.
Chiang MaiOpen in Maps ↗
17 Nov - 18 Nov · 1 nightLand in the north, sleep, leave the big bags here
Staying here, two options
Tue 17 Nov
Fly Krabi to Chiang Mai (direct, ~2h, from CHF 86). Check into the Chiang Mai hotel you will come back to, and leave the big luggage there: Chiang Rai is a two-night side trip with a daypack.
Chiang RaiOpen in Maps ↗
18 Nov - 20 Nov · 2 nightsThe White, Blue and Black temples, and the Golden Triangle
Staying here, two options
Wed 18 Nov
Road north to Chiang Rai (~3h), stopping at Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple: a working temple built as a contemporary art piece, all mirrored white plaster and outstretched hands. The same trip covers the Blue Temple and the Karen villages.
Thu 19 Nov
Chiang Rai at your own pace: the Black House (Baan Dam), the night bazaar, and the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet on the Mekong.
Nothing to book
Chiang MaiOpen in Maps ↗
20 Nov - 26 Nov · 6 nightsTemples, elephants, Doi Inthanon, cooking, and Yi Peng
Staying here, two options
Fri 20 Nov
Back to Chiang Mai (~3h). Afternoon in the old city: Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, and a first look at the old city.
Sat 21 Nov
Ethical elephant sanctuary in the hills: feeding and walking with a rescued herd, no riding, no shows. The full day adds a waterfall and bamboo rafting. Back for the Saturday Walking Street: Wualai Road closed off for silverwork and food carts.
Sun 22 Nov
Doi Suthep: the golden chedi on the mountain above the city, up 306 naga steps, with the whole valley behind it. Go early, before the coaches. This one is a Sunday, so the evening is the Sunday Walking Street: Ratchadamnoen Road closed off end to end, food carts and craft stalls from Tha Phae Gate into the old city.
Nothing to book
Mon 23 Nov
Doi Inthanon: the highest point in Thailand at 2,565m, the twin royal pagodas built for the king and queen, cloud forest on a boardwalk, and the Wachirathan falls. Cold at the summit by Thai standards, so take a layer.
Not a mountain day? The alternatives, and the Muay Thai slot moved here
Muay Thai class, ninety minutes
The one training session on this route, CHF 14 with a working trainer. Fits either side of a lie-in, and no longer costs a day of its own.
Map ↗
Thai massage and the old city
Chiang Mai is the country's best and cheapest place for this. Wat Phra Singh, a two-hour massage, and the cafés off Nimman.
Map ↗
Tue 24 Nov
Morning at the market and a Thai cooking class. Then the first night of Yi Peng: the lantern festival that belongs to Chiang Mai, not to the coast. Free krathongs float on the Ping River and lanterns rise around Tha Phae Gate.
Book cooking class, CHF 27 ↗Ticketed mass release, from CHF 84 ↗
Wed 25 Nov
Yi Peng, second night, the full moon: the bigger of the two. The mass sky-lantern releases only happen at licensed venues outside the city and are ticketed; the free version along the river and around the old city moat is what most people actually remember.
Night train to BangkokOpen in Maps ↗
26 Nov - 27 Nov · 1 nightThe sleeper the reference tour used, going the other way
Thu 26 Nov
Chiang Mai to BangkokNight train
13h40, 15:30 to 05:10from CHF 20 a berthSleeps the night. Routinely 30-60 min late.
Board the sleeper at Chiang Mai station in the afternoon and wake up outside Bangkok. Train #52, 2nd class air-conditioned sleeper, 15:30 to 05:10, about CHF 20 a berth. Thai sleepers routinely run 30 to 60 minutes late and occasionally two hours, which is exactly why there are two clear days after this one and not one.
BangkokOpen in Maps ↗
27 Nov - 29 Nov · 2 nightsTwo clear days after the train, and the markets last
Staying here, two options
Fri 27 Nov
Off the train at dawn, however late it actually runs. Check in, sleep it off, and take the day gently: Wat Pho and an hour on a massage mat, then Yaowarat after dark, where Chinatown cooks on the pavement until midnight.
Nothing to book
Sat 28 Nov
Two markets in one run, out around 6am to beat the coaches. First Maeklong, where the stalls are built across live railway track and fold away minutes before the train pushes through, then Damnoen Saduak by boat through the canals, past vendors cooking in their hulls. Back by mid-afternoon, and it is a Saturday, so Chatuchak is open afterwards for anything still unbought. Last full day of the trip.
Sun 29 Nov
Depart Bangkok, home to Basel.
What the flights cost
Home is Basel, so Basel is listed first even though it is dearer: it has no nonstop to Bangkok, so every option connects, and the best of them runs CHF 127-194 more than the cheapest from Zurich. That gap is smaller than it looks. Basel SBB to Zurich Airport is 1h08 on the fastest direct train (about 1h29 typical, 16 direct a day) and roughly CHF 30-45 each way, so flying from Zurich costs about CHF 60-90 per person in tickets plus three hours of travelling on both the outbound and the return day. Net, Basel is around CHF 40-70 per person more, for a taxi to the airport instead of a train across the country at 4am. All three plans cost the same 15 working days, which is why the shift is one week and not four days: any midweek departure pushes it to 16 or more. The second and third plans fly identical dates, so they share one fare table. Only nonstop flights and one stop of four hours or less are shown: a CHF 560 Oman Air fare exists on the later dates with a sixteen-hour wait in Muscat, and that is not actually cheaper.
As planned
Fri 30 Oct to Sun 22 Nov
Friday out, Sunday back. Misses Loy Krathong by two days. Bangkok sits at the end on both Andaman plans, so a delayed domestic flight cannot cost the flight home.
15 working days off, Mon 2 Nov to Fri 20 Nov
| Flight | Via | Stop | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish Airlinesfrom BSLhome | Istanbul15h00 | 2h 25m | CHF 874 |
| Austrian / EVA Airfrom BSLhome | Vienna14h50 | 3h 15m | CHF 1,121 |
| Condorfrom ZRH | Frankfurt14h30 | 2h 30m | CHF 680 |
| Qatar Airwaysfrom ZRH | Doha15h30 | 3h 20m | CHF 712 |
| SASfrom ZRH | Copenhagen13h35 | 50mTight: 50 minutes is not much if the first leg slips. | CHF 755 |
| Emiratesfrom ZRH | Dubai14h15 | 1h 50m | CHF 799 |
| SWISSfrom ZRH | Nonstop10h45 | none | CHF 1,134 |
Shifted for Loy Krathong and Temples and the northrecommended
Fri 6 Nov to Sun 29 Nov
Same 22 nights, one week later, and the same Friday-out, Sunday-back shape, so it costs the same 15 working days. Loy Krathong lands on the last Phuket night: Phang Nga Bay through the day, krathongs on the water after dark.
15 working days off, Mon 9 Nov to Fri 27 Nov
| Flight | Via | Stop | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish Airlinesfrom BSLhome | Istanbul15h00 | 2h 25m | CHF 809 |
| Turkish Airlinesfrom BSLhome | Istanbul16h05 | 4h | CHF 873 |
| Qatar Airwaysfrom ZRH | Doha15h55 | 3h 55m | CHF 682 |
| Condorfrom ZRH | Frankfurt15h30 | 3h 30m | CHF 690 |
| Etihadfrom ZRH | Abu Dhabi14h05 | 1h 40m | CHF 765 |
| Oman Airfrom ZRH | Muscat14h40 | 2h 40m | CHF 776 |
| Emiratesfrom ZRH | Dubai14h50 | 2h 25m | CHF 837 |
| SWISSfrom ZRH | Nonstop10h45 | none | CHF 1,134 |
Round trip per person, read off Google Flights on 8 September 2026. BSL is Basel EuroAirport, the home airport; ZRH is Zurich. Stop time counts: the rule is one stop of four hours or less, so anything longer is left out entirely, and anything under 90 minutes is marked in orange as a tight connection. Fares move, so re-check before booking.
First-timers, all of it
No prior experience assumed anywhere. Diving is the one exception that goes deeper: a full PADI certification instead of a single taster dive.
Diving
PADI Open Water Diver, Khao Lak
The world's most popular entry-level scuba certification, for both of you. Complete the PADI eLearning (theory) online before departure, then 3 days on location: pool training, 2 open water dives at a local reef, 2 more at the Similan Islands or the local wreck.
PADI Open Water Diver, Khao Lak
USD 439 per person
Run by Sea Dragon Dive Center, a PADI 5 Star centre rated 4.7 from 437 reviews, booked through PADI Travel. Three days, 5 pool sessions and 4 open water dives, max 4 students per instructor, hotel pickup in Khao Lak, 08:00 start. Do the eLearning before departure so it stays at 3 days. One prerequisite to check now: you each need to swim 200m unaided and float for 10 minutes.
Muay Thai
Taster session, Phuket
One session, not a program: a group class with real pad-holding supervision. Any reputable gym works; watching a stadium show in Bangkok covers the spectacle side.
Muay Thai Training, Group Session at Sumalee Gym
CHF 12 per person
Booked via GetYourGuide, 4.9 from 8 reviews. Open-air gym, experienced trainers, 1.5h session. The Bangkok stadium show is a separate CHF 25 ticket on the itinerary.
Snorkeling
Phi Phi / Hong Islands, from Ao Nang
Full-day boat trip: Maya Bay, Monkey Bay, coral gardens, buffet lunch, free hotel pickup around Ao Nang. Locals also arrange this informally: a private longtail from Ao Nang beach for around 50/day gets there in about 20 minutes if that's preferred over a group tour.
Phi Phi Islands Day Tour by Boat with Lunch
CHF 38 per person
Booked via GetYourGuide, 4.7 from 1,842 reviews, daily departures 9am-5pm.
Snorkeling
Koh Rok / Koh Ha, from Koh Lanta
Full-day speedboat trip to two of the best reef sites near Koh Lanta, with a beach buffet lunch. Runs 15 Oct-15 May, so it is in season for these dates.
Koh Rok & Koh Haa Snorkel Tour with Lunch Buffet
CHF 41 per person
Booked via GetYourGuide, 4.7 from 650 reviews, 7.5-8.5h, free hotel pickup on Koh Lanta.
Surf / SUP
Opportunistic surf, or SUP any day
The real Andaman surf season runs roughly April/May to October. By November swell is marginal, so surf is left flexible: only if a good day actually shows up. A stand-up paddleboard session works regardless of swell.
Stand Up Paddle Board Rental, Ao Nang Beach
CHF 42, board delivered
Booked via GetYourGuide, with delivery. Weather-independent, no fixed date.
Checked, not assumed
Every bookable item on both routes was opened on 8 Sept 2026 and its November calendar read. On the Andaman route: the Bangkok stadium show and floating market, the Khao Sok 2-day package, the Phi Phi and 4 Islands boats from Ao Nang, the Koh Rok and Koh Haa trip from Koh Lanta, the Sumalee Muay Thai class and the Racha dives. On the northern route: the Ayutthaya day trip (4.7 from 12,153 reviews), the Chiang Rai temple route (4.8 from 8,433), the elephant sanctuary (4.9 from 11,591), the Chiang Mai cooking class (4.9 from 6,158) and the Chiang Mai Muay Thai class (4.8 from 176). All of them sell every day in November, so every plan works. Two Andaman picks changed as a result: the original 4 Islands listing had 3.5 stars from 4 reviews and a complaint about 30 people on the boat, and the original Khao Sok listing ran Thursdays and Sundays only. One caveat on Yi Peng: the ticketed mass-lantern events are the exception to all this. They run on 24-25 Nov only, cost CHF 84-376 a head, and are rated 4.2 and 3.1. The free riverside and old-city celebrations need no ticket.
Two options per stop
One that keeps the cost down, one worth paying more for. A gym on site stopped being a requirement once it was clear you would happily use one outside the hotel. The photo on each card is the destination, not the property: the room photos live behind the Booking.com and Trip.com links, which is also where to compare the current price. Four stops are shared by every plan; the rest depend on which route you pick.
Book Chiang Mai first. If you take the northern route, its lodging is the one genuinely scarce thing on this page. Checked on 8 September, Booking.com reported 90% of Chiang Mai already unavailable for 21-27 November, and every highly rated place within 3km of the old city that was still free was a hostel dorm bed. Everything else here can wait; this cannot.
Bangkok
Both routes
Best value
Alt Hotel Nana by UHG
Sukhumvit
~$35-45/night
Fitness centre and outdoor pool on site
4-star, walking distance to the BTS and the Sukhumvit night markets. The practical, cheap, perfectly fine option.
Checked 8 Sept: available, only 2 rooms left.
Most charming
sala rattanakosin
Old City, on the river
Splurge tier, check current rate
No gym, but only 2 nights here
15 rooms on the Chao Phraya, most facing Wat Arun, with a rooftop bar over the river. Three minutes on foot to Wat Pho, five to the Grand Palace: the whole Bangkok plan is outside the door.
Checked 8 Sept: only 2 rooms left. CHF 468 for 2 nights, city view.
Khao Lak
Both routes
Best value
Khaolak Wanaburee Resort
Khao Lak
CHF 759 for 4 nights, breakfast included
Two pools, spa, two restaurants
Replaces SENTIDO Khao Lak, which has no availability on these dates. Estate Deluxe room, discounted from CHF 843. Confirm the transfer time to Thap Lamu Pier: dive-course mornings start early.
Checked 8 Sept: available, only 1 left of each room type.
Most charming
Casa de La Flora
Bang Niang Beach
Splurge tier, check current rate
Fitness centre, spa, private plunge pools
34 slate-grey cube villas on the sand, a Design Hotels member, 8.7/10. Each villa has its own pool. About 30 minutes by boat from the Similans.
Checked 8 Sept: available, 6 villas left of one type.
Khao Sok
Both routes
Best value
Raft house, 2-day 1-night package
Cheow Lan Lake
CHF 253, lodging inside the tour price
None: one night off the grid on purpose
The standard way to do Khao Sok: a simple air-conditioned raft house on the water, with meals, boat trips and guides bundled in. Electricity runs 6pm to 6am. Picks up at the Khao Lak hotel; ask for the Krabi drop-off when booking.
Checked 8 Sept: bookable every day in November. 4.8 from 328 reviews.
Most charming
Same lake, plus an elephant sanctuary
Cheow Lan Lake
CHF 283, CHF 30 over the value pick
None, and no phone signal for most of it
The same overnight on the water, with a morning at an ethical elephant sanctuary added on the way back. Replaces 500 Rai Floating Resort, which is not bookable on either set of dates and starts at CHF 615 for a single night for two.
Checked 8 Sept: bookable every day in November. 4.7 from 35 reviews.
Krabi
Both routes
Best value
Red Ginger Chic Resort
Ao Nang
Mid tier, from around THB 1,220
Fitness centre, outdoor pool, free breakfast
4-star, five minutes on foot to Ao Nang beach, ranked #8 of 278 in the area. Right in the middle of the restaurants and the boat touts, which is the point of Ao Nang.
Checked 8 Sept: available, only 1 left of each room type.
Most charming
Pakasai Resort
Ao Nang
CHF 724 for 5 nights, breakfast included
Hillside pool, spa, gardens
An eco-boutique resort set back in the greenery above Ao Nang, quieter than the beach road but still walkable to it. Replaces The Tubkaak, whose 2026 calendar is not open yet, and Rayavadee, whose only free villa is CHF 13,398 for five nights.
Checked 8 Sept: available, breakfast included, free cancellation until 29 Oct.
Koh Lanta
Andaman only
Best value
Lanta For Rest Boutique
Klong Dao Beach
USD 138 for 4 nights on the earlier dates, USD 209 on the later
Rooftop pool; Lanta Muay Thai Complex is 400m away
Five minutes on foot from Klong Dao Beach and two minutes from Saladan pier, so it is the easy arrival option straight off the ferry. Not on Booking.com, so the Trip.com link is the one that works.
Checked 8 Sept on Trip.com: available on both plans. 8.1/10 from 21 reviews.
Most charming
The Houben (Adult Only)
Ba Kantiang Bay
Splurge tier, check current rate
Gym, spa, hot tub, infinity pool
9.3/10 "Excellent" (317 reviews), 15 villa-style rooms on a quiet bay, adults only. The quietest place on the whole route.
Checked 8 Sept: available, 5 left.
Phuket
Andaman only
Best value
Nam Naka Boutique Hotel
Phuket Town / Wichit
~$28/night
No gym; Chalong gyms sell day passes
8.4 on Booking.com, spacious clean rooms, a short ride from both Old Town and the Chalong gyms.
Checked 8 Sept: available, only 1 left.
Most charming
The Memory at On On Hotel
Old Phuket Town
Mid tier, check current rate
No gym; Tiger Muay Thai sells day passes
One of the oldest hotels on the island, a restored Sino-Portuguese building on Phang Nga Road, rated 9.8 by couples. The Old Town day starts outside the door.
Checked 8 Sept: available, 3 left of each room type.
Chiang Mai
North only
Best value
Khum Phucome Hotel, SHA Extra Plus
Huay Kaew, 2.7km from the old city
CHF 721 for 6 nights
Outdoor pool; Muay Thai gyms all over the city
The only in-town hotel still bookable at a sane rate across the festival week. 8.3 from 74 reviews. Two-point-seven kilometres out sounds far but a Grab across Chiang Mai costs a couple of francs.
Checked 8 Sept for 21-27 Nov: available. Book this one first, see the warning below.
Most charming
BaanBooLoo Village
Si Phum, inside the old city walls
CHF 2,735 for 6 nights, festival pricing
None: teak houses in a garden, 100m from the centre
Restored northern-Thai teak houses around a garden, 9.7 from 512 reviews, a hundred metres from the Sunday walking street. The price is what Yi Peng does to the old city: it is roughly four times the Khum Phucome for the same six nights.
Checked 8 Sept for 21-27 Nov: available, 1 left at this price.
Chiang Rai
North only
Best value
Annahouse
3.7km from the centre
CHF 44 for 2 nights, breakfast included
None, but it is two nights
9.2 from 355 reviews for twenty-two francs a night, which is what Chiang Rai costs when Chiang Mai is sold out three hours down the road.
Checked 8 Sept for 19-21 Nov: available, breakfast included, free cancellation.
Most charming
Le Patta Resort & Hotel
0.6km from the centre
CHF 323 for 2 nights, down from CHF 539
Saltwater pool, shuttle service
A suite with a pool view, 9.4 from 1,649 reviews, six hundred metres from the night bazaar. Chiang Rai is outside the festival crush, so the charming pick here is still affordable.
Checked 8 Sept for 19-21 Nov: available, free cancellation, no prepayment.
Getting around
No need to deal with tuk-tuks or haggling. Thailand runs on ride-hailing apps: Uber sold its Southeast Asia business to Grab, so Grab is the default, with two cheaper challengers. Install all three before leaving and pay by card in the app.
The default
Grab
Widest coverage and the most reliable, especially for airport runs. Works across Bangkok and all the main Phuket areas (Patong, Kata, Karon, Old Town). Fixed price up front, card payment, English app.
Usually cheaper
Bolt
Noticeably cheaper than Grab and strong in Bangkok, improving in Phuket, patchy everywhere else. Worth having installed to price-check against Grab before booking.
Name your own price
InDrive
You propose a fare and drivers accept or counter, which usually wins on longer routes. Phuket airport to Patong runs around THB 550-650 on InDrive against THB 750-950 on Grab.
Checked, not assumed
All four ground legs were checked on 12Go for both date options on 8 Sept 2026 and every one has service: Phuket airport to Khao Lak (43 options, buses from CHF 6), Khao Sok to Krabi (147 options, vans from CHF 6), Krabi to Koh Lanta (183 options on the earlier date, 191 on the later, ferries from CHF 13), and Koh Lanta to Phuket (123 options, ferries from CHF 20). The two seasonal ferry legs run on both plans, with more sailings on the later dates as the season builds.
Coverage thins out on the smaller islands and late at night. On Koh Lanta especially, and for the Khao Sok leg, arrange the car through the hotel or the tour operator instead: longer transfers between stops are booked ahead through 12Go, linked on each travel day.
What it costs
Flight fares were read off Google Flights on 8 Sept 2026 and cover a one-stop through to the nonstop. Accommodation spans the value pick to the charming pick at every stop, which is why the range is wide. Every activity price comes from the live listing, checked 8 Sept 2026; the low end is the fixed programme, the high end adds the optional paddleboard day. The floating market, Ayutthaya, Tiger Cave Temple and Phang Nga Bay were added as fixed days once the brief became "the most iconic things, I will not come back soon". Food, local transport and insurance are still planning estimates. Excludes vaccines and shopping.
Per person
€2,820–4,755
Per couple
€5,640–9,510
International flight, Zurich to Bangkok, 1 stop to nonstop
€620–1060
Domestic flights, Bangkok to Phuket, 2 legs
€55–110
Ground transfers, 4 legs
€40–65est.
Accommodation, 21 hotel nights, value to charm
€506–1400
Activities: PADI course, Khao Sok package, Ayutthaya, both Bangkok markets, Tiger Cave, Phang Nga Bay, Phuket landmarks, Muay Thai, 3 boat trips
€1136–1180
Food, 22 days
€330–660est.
Gym day-passes
€30–60est.
Local transport
€65–130est.
Travel insurance, with diving and Muay Thai cover
€40–90est.
Visa
€0
est. marks an unsourced planning estimate, not a search result.
If you take the northern route
The numbers above are the Andaman route. The northern route lands within the same range but moves money around: activities come out slightly cheaper (about €978 per person for the fixed programme, since the Chiang Rai temple route, the elephant day and the cooking class are all CHF 27-47 while the Koh Lanta and Racha boat days they replace were CHF 41-135), and it adds a third domestic flight, Krabi to Chiang Mai, from CHF 86. Two lines genuinely differ. The Chiang Mai to Bangkok sleeper replaces a hotel night and a domestic flight with a CHF 20 berth, which is the cheapest night of either trip. Against that, Chiang Mai lodging over the festival is the one place the budget can break: CHF 721 for six nights at the value pick, CHF 2,735 at the charming one, for rooms that would cost a fraction of that a week either side. Yi Peng tickets, if you want the mass release, are CHF 84-376 a head on top.
Before you go
Thailand sits at "Exercise Normal Precautions," comparable to a major Western European capital for petty crime, with violent crime against tourists rare.
Visa
30-day visa exemption, 6 days of margin
Thailand cut its EU visa exemption from 60 to 30 days, effective 15 Sept 2026, which applies to this trip. Both Italian and Spanish passports get 30 days visa-free. This trip runs 24 days: it fits, but there is no slack to extend once in-country without a formal application. Passports need 6+ months validity beyond arrival, and the Thailand Digital Arrival Card is mandatory, submitted online within 3 days before arrival.
Events
Loy Krathong is why the shifted plan exists
Thailand's lantern festival, Loy Krathong, is Tuesday 24 November 2026: floating offerings released on rivers and the sea nationwide after dark, celebrated in both Phuket and Krabi on this route. The original dates return on Sunday 22 Nov, two days early. Moving the whole trip one week later puts 24 Nov on the last Phuket night and still departs on a Friday and returns on a Sunday, so the leave cost stays at 15 working days. A four-day shift was checked first and rejected: it lands midweek at both ends and costs 16 working days.
Common scams
Taxi/tuk-tuk meter overcharging, the "palace is closed" redirect, jet-ski damage claims on the islands. Agree prices upfront, film a walkaround video before renting a jet ski.
Emergency numbers
Medical/ambulance: 1669. Tourist Police: 1155 (English-speaking, the right first call for scams or feeling unsafe). General police/fire: 191 / 199. 911 also works.
Book verified operators only
PADI or SSI affiliation for diving, visible supervision for Muay Thai beginner classes.
Check the insurance policy
Standard travel insurance commonly excludes Muay Thai and dives not led by a certified dive master. Verify before buying.