Backpacking Thailand in 24 Days

As Thailand resumes quarantine-free travel for vaccinated persons, it’s time to resume the adventures!

Now that Thailand is opening its borders to the world. it’s no surprise that many of you are starting to plan your trips to Southeast Asia. Thailand was a backpacking hotspot before the pandemic happened and will continue to be once the travelers start pouring in!

Back in 2019, we embarked on a 24 day (3 weeks) adventure backpacking Thailand from the Southern border of Hat Yai up to the North, reaching Chiang Rai. During the whole trip, we stopped by 10 cities which we will be sharing more about.

On top of getting our scuba diving certifications with transport, accommodation, food, etc., our total trip expenses amounted to about S$2,800 for 2 pax!

In this post, we’ll be sharing with you the places we went, how much each aspect cost us, where the good food lies 😉 , how we bootstrapped in certain areas of our trip, and so much more!

Before we dive in, here’s an overview of the main cities/islands together with the number of days that we stopped by when backpacking Thailand:

1. Hat Yai (3 Days)
2. Krabi (3 Days)
3. Phuket & Islands (4 Days)
4. Koh Samui (2 Days)
5. Koh Tao (Scuba Diving Lesson 3D2N) (5 Days)
6. Hua Hin (3 Days)
7. Bangkok (2 Days)
8. Sukhothai (3 Days)
9. Chiang Mai (4 Days)
10. Chiang Rai (4 Days)

Things to Note Before Backpacking Thailand

There are some rules when visiting certain places in Thailand that tourists will need to respect which we will detail here. In addition, here are some things you may also want to take note of before backpacking Thailand.

1. No flipflops, sleeveless tops or shorts when visiting temples.
2. Be careful when commenting or mentioning any topics concerning the King, Buddha, or the Thai flag.
3. Avoid tap water. Buy water from the convenience store or supermarket whenever you can.
4. Don’t ever hop onto any public transport before bargaining! (Eg: Songthaew, tuktuk, taxis, etc.)
5. Don’t touch people’s heads in Thailand! In Thai culture, the head is sacred.
6. Avoid riding on elephants! It has been a popular tourist activity but these animals should be treated with more care… Refrain from supporting/visiting the elephant sanctuaries that promote elephant riding as an activity.
7. Avoid petting and feeding any stray animals despite how cute they are.
8. Avoid animal shows where possible. We don’t want to condone and promote such human behaviors towards these animals. They are usually treated cruelly and are not living in the best environments.

Getting to Thailand

By Plane

We flew from Singapore to Hat Yai via Scoot as it was the cheapest option for us. Of course, depending on where you’re flying in from and to which part of Thailand, there are tons of airlines offering cheap tickets, so it would be great to compare prices first before purchasing your ticket.

We were also considering landing in Krabi or Phuket as our first destination as we’ll be meeting our friends there later on in our trip, but Hat Yai was still the more cost-effective option for us to begin our journey in!

Before we embarked on backpacking Thailand, we pulled together a spreadsheet like this to help in our price comparison (Prices in SGD since we’re based in SG!):

By Bus

Alternatively, it could be cheaper if you begin your journey elsewhere within Southeast Asia. For example, landing in Malaysia first, then taking an overnight bus across the border, into Hat Yai. There are quite a few bus companies that provide such services at really affordable prices from RM55 – RM70 (US$13-$16) from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai.

Another reason you may want to consider this alternative when backpacking Thailand is because there are not many low-cost carriers flying into Hat Yai. There will be more flights into Chiang Mai, so you could be more flexible with your starting point and begin your journey from Chiang Mai instead too.

If you’re looking for more options, flying into Singapore first, before departing for Thailand is another way. Flights will also be much cheaper from Singapore to Thailand as compared to from US or Europe into Thailand due to the shorter distance.

Backpacking Thailand City 1: Hat Yai (3D2N)

We spent 2.5 days in Hat Yai and moved off to Krabi in the morning of the third day. This border town of Thailand shares many influences from Malaysia, so you’ll see a mix of both cultures in terms of the food and languages used in this town.

Once you touch down, its time to head into the city!

There are a few modes of transport that will get you into the city depending on your budget, but here are what we’ve collated from our time there:

• Taxi (250 Baht)
• Airport Limo (300 Baht)
• Minivan (100 Baht)
• Blue colored Songthaew (30 Baht)

Of course, being the cheapest option for backpacking Thailand, we began our hunt for those Blue Songthaews located at the far end of the parking lots outside the airport. It was quite difficult to find considering we couldn’t speak the language and couldn’t ask for directions as there were many other transport service providers trying to tout you over as a tourist.

If you’re planning to take this approach, you’ll want to look for something like a Blue Lorry with a sheltered back and seats inside. You’ll need to flag it down before they leave or when it’s approaching for it to stop or else it’ll just drive by.

Songthaews are littered throughout Thailand and is the cheapest way of getting around so this was our most common mode of transport. They come in different colors depending on the town you’re in, but we’ll give you a heads up of what to look out for. When you’re backpacking Thailand, these Songthaews will be your best buddy!

Places of Interest

Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol

The first pitstop in our “backpacking Thailand” adventure was this stainless steel pagoda in Hat Yai. Located on the summit of a hill approx. 45 minutes drive East from Hat Yai’s city center, is the world’s first stainless steel temple!

Not many people are willing to make a trip out to this temple, so you’re sure to enjoy an undisturbed view of the temple without floods of tourists.

Location: 108 Poonnakan Rd, Kho Hong, Hat Yai District, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 20:45 Daily

Ton Nga Chang Waterfall

Known as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in all of Southern Thailand and Songkhla, Ton Nga Chang has 7 levels for you to visit.

The waterfall is located within the Wildlife Sanctuary and before you proceed with your climb up the waterfall, you’ll be required to sign in (on a notebook) and provide your details for the park rangers to keep track in case of emergencies.

Location: Thung Tam Sao, Hat Yai District, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 18:00 Daily

Food & Night Markets

Chok Dee Dim Sum & Bak Kut Teh

This is a small food street with tons of people and food stores around. There are also many hostels nearby which are great for backpackers and its also convenient to grab a bite if you’re in the vicinity.

Location: 58 25 Soi Lamai Songkraw 1, Tambon Hat Yai, Hat Yai District, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 06:00 – 12:00 and 17:00 – 22:00

Kim Yong Market

This market is known for selling a wide variety of imported snacks, dried fruits, and souvenirs. There’s also a wet market selling other dried goods, condiments, seafood, produce, etc.

Check it out if you’re in the area and maybe check out some of the interesting snacks that you see!

Location: ตลาดกิมหยง Hat Yai District, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10:00 – 18:00

Greenway Night Market

This night market works a little differently from the rest!

You’ll need to first purchase a prepaid card and top up money before you’re able to purchase anything in the food section of the market.

Location: 1406/4 ถนน กาญจนวณิชย์ Hat Yai, Hat Yai District, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 16:00 – 22:00 Daily
Closed on Mondays

Asean Night Bazaar

Covered market with clothing & souvenir stalls, plus vendors selling classic Thai dishes & drinks. Places like these get very crowded when it’s dinner time and after work so do exercise extra caution!!

Location: 76 Chotevittayakul 3 Rd, Hat Yai, Hat Yai District, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 16:00 – 22:00 Daily
Closed on Mondays

Accommodations

S.C Heritage Hotel

We chose this hotel due to its close proximity to most of the places we listed above. (Apart from the waterfall and the pagoda).

It might look kinda run down and old from its exterior, but the room was well-maintained and furnished with an aircon too.

Location: 36/43Sangsee Soi 5, Saunsiri Rd., Hat Yai Market Area, Hat Yai, Thailand 90110
Check In Timing: From 14:00
Check Out Timing: Latest by 12:00
Phone Number: 0494-22-5566
Price Paid: S$28.25 for 2 pax, 2 nights

Cost Breakdown for Hat Yai

Hat Yai → Krabi

Most of the vehicle transfers from one city to another can be pre-booked online at 12Go to ensure you have a spot under the timeslot that matches your schedule/plans.

Alternatively, if you prefer backpacking Thailand in a more spontaneous manner, you can always purchase your tickets on the day itself at the bus station. However, there’s a risk that the timeslots you want are sold out, and you’ll have to rearrange your plans accordingly.

For our transfer from Hat Yai Bus Station to Krabi Bus Station, we bought the tickets on the spot.

By Bus:
Hat Yai Bus Station to Krabi Bus Station
Price: 220 Baht (S$9.20).
Duration: About 5 hrs 30 mins

If you’re got a larger budget to spare, you can always choose to take a plane from Hat Yai to Krabi instead. It will set you back around S$187 judging from average flight prices.

By Plane:
Hat Yai Airport (HDY) to Krabi Airport (KBV)
Price: 4,470 Baht (S$187).
Duration: About 4 hrs 30 mins

Backpacking Thailand City 2: Krabi (3D2N)

Similarly, we spent another 2.5 days here before moving off to Phuket to meet our friends in the morning.

Krabi is a popular destination amongst tourists with many stunning, beautiful white sandy beaches and scenery. This town along the southern coast of Thailand is a great place to visit for a short retreat or getaway when you want to rest and unwind.

Places of Interest

Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple)

This attraction features a Buddhist temple in the northeast of Krabi.

This sacred site, known for the tiger paw prints on the cave walls and tall buddha statues boasts a magnificent view at the summit of 1,237 steps.

There’s a large golden Buddha statue at the top, and you’ll be able to get a bird’s eye view of Krabi Town at the end of your climb to the top.

Location: 35 Krabi Noi, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 08:00 – 17:00 Daily

Khao Ngon Nak (Dragon Crest Mountain)

Located in the northwest of Ao Nang Beach, Dragon Crest Mountain has a 1-2 hour morning hiking trail that will bring you up to an amazing elevated viewpoint!

Location: Khao Ngon Nak National Park Office ที่ทำการอุทยานแห่งชาติเขาหงอนนาค, Nong Thale, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 08:00 – 14:00 Daily

Food & Night Markets

Krabi Town Night Market

This night market is more well known amongst tourists, and as such, prices are slightly more expensive!

This night market is also held nearby to the Pudum Krabi Night Market and is often mistaken to be the same night market.

Location: 3W78+QJ2, Pak Nam, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 18:00 – 21:30
Closed On: Mondays to Thursdays

Pudum Krabi Night Market

This night market is very popular amongst the locals and the prices here are much cheaper!

Location: 3W88+WPC, Pak Nam, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 17:30 – 21:30
Closed On: Mondays to Wednesdays

Accommodation

Boss & Benz House

Unfortunately, this place is now permanently closed, but there are tons of other hostels and dormitories around in the area.

This place is located nearby to quite a few markets to fill your stomachs!
1. Maharat Fresh Market
2. Poo Dam & Black Crab Night Market
3. Krabi Town Night Market & Walking Street

Location: 120/1 Maharaj soi 22 Paknam Muang Krabi, Krabi Town, Krabi, Thailand, 81000

Cost Breakdown for Krabi

Krabi → Phuket

We bought our tickets at the bus station to depart from Krabi Bus Station to Phuket Bus Station.

The buses run almost every hour, so you should be fine even if you decide to book on the day itself if you’re unable to pre-book the tickets.

By Bus:
Krabi Bus Terminal to Phuket Bus Terminal 2
Price: 155 Baht (S$6.48/pax).
Duration: About 3 hrs

There’s no direct flights from Krabi to Phuket at the moment, so if you’re planning to travel by plane, you’ll need to stopover in Bangkok (BKK).

By Plane:
Krabi Airport (KBV) to Phuket Airport (HKT)
Price: From 1,984.36 Baht (From S$83).
Duration: About 4 hrs 55 mins

Backpacking Thailand City 3: Phuket (4D3N)

Phuket is known for its amazing beaches and vivid nightlife! It was a stop on our “backpacking Thailand” trip since our friends were also coming over for a Graduation trip. We did not explore much of the town, but these were some of the places we went to apart from just partying in our villa and at BangTao beach!

Places of Interest

Jungceylon Mall

A really large mall with everything you may need! You’ll find a large Big C Supermarket, international brands, tons of restaurants and a whole lot more.

Location: 201 ถนน ราษฎร์อุทิศ 200 ปี Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand
Operating Hours: 09:00 – 22:00 Daily

ThipThaRa Adventure Camp

There are many activities you can do here such as water rafting, ATV riding, visiting an elephant sanctuary, etc.

We chose the water rafting and ATV riding package and bargained for a better bulk price since we had 13 people in total. Meals and transport were provided too!

If you’re in need of a place to stay after a day of activities, this adventure camp has some lodging too.

Location: 19/2 หมู่ 2 ต.สองแพรก อ.เมือง Phang-nga 82000, Thailand

Food & Night Markets

Patong Beach & Night Market

This street is bustling with the nightlife that Patong has to offer! Here you’ll find tons of bars and pubs, clothing stores, eateries, and so much more.

Location: Thanon Bangla, Pa Tong, Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand

LardYai Weekend Night Market

This weekend market might be hard to catch since it only opens on Sunday evenings.

If you’re able to fit this into your schedule, it’s a lovely place with great vibes and tons of food and souvenir stalls.

Location: Thalang Rd, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 16:00 – 23:00 Sundays Only

Accommodation

Villa on AirBnB

We had 11 other friends who joined us on this trip so we had to book a huge villa to fit all of us!

Unfortunately, this villa is no longer listed on Airbnb, but it was slightly secluded and near Bang Tao Beach. There’s not much to do and see here.

It’s quite far from the Phuket nightlife, so you’ll be better off booking a place nearer to Patong if you want to visit the night markets and bars.

Location: 69/15 Soi Ao Bang Tao 4 Bang Tao Beach – Cherngtalay – Thalang District – Phuket – 83110

Cost Breakdown for Phuket

Phuket → Koh Samui

For this, we pre booked our ferry tickets online since it was a boat ride to get to Koh Samui from Phuket.

By Ferry:
Phuket Bus Terminal 2 to Bangrak Seatran Pier
Price: 750 Baht (S$31.37/pax).
Duration: About 7 hrs

Another way to get to Koh Samui is through a direct flight from Phuket but at a higher price!

By Plane:
Phuket Airport (HKT) to Koh Samui Airport (USM)
Price: From 2,103.90 Baht (From S$88).
Duration: About 55 mins

Backpacking Thailand City 4: Koh Samui (2D1N)

Backpacking Thailand is never complete with some pitstops at the beautiful islands! With tons of beautiful beaches and pristine clear waters, Koh Samui is home to many luxury villas and getaways. Since Koh Samui was a boat ride away from our next destination (and we needed the transfer anyways), we decided to stop here for a night before moving on!

Places of Interest

Central Festival Koh Samui

Central Festival Samui is one of the most complete and largest lifestyle complexes in Koh Samui. With 3 floors and around 90,000 square metres of retail space, there couldn’t be a better description for this shopping and dining mall. 

Location: 209 Ko Samui District, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11:00 – 21:00

Food & Night Markets

Chaweng Walking Street

This 130m long walking street boasts tons of street food vendors and other affordable dining and shopping options.

Feel free to haggle for whatever you’ve caught your sights on!

Location: 39/36 Chaweng Beach Rd, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand
Operating Hours: 16:30 – 24:00
Closed On: Fridays and Sundays

Lamai Walking Street

This walking street is joined by 2 different streets. One street is dedicated solely for food, and the other for everything else. At the intersection between the 2 streets, you’ll see an entertainment stage where various performers will be performing.

Location: 139/16 Had Lamai Rd, Maret, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani 84310, Thailand
Operating Hours: From 17:00 onwards

Accommodation

Casa Luna Hostel

Unfortunately, this hostel is also permanently closed as a result of the lack of tourism.

It’s located close to Bangrak beach, and there are still many other hostels nearby.

Location: 25/13, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani 84320, Thailand

Cost Breakdown for Koh Samui

Koh Samui → Koh Tao

Similarly, the ferry tickets to Koh Tao from Koh Samui were also booked in advance because we were planning to spend the exact number of days needed to get our scuba diving licenses.

There isn’t an airport on the island of Koh Tao so you can only get there by ferry from the surrounding islands.

By Ferry:
Bangrak Seatran Pier to Mae Haad Koh Tao
Price: 600 Baht (S$25.10/pax).
Duration: About 2 hrs

Backpacking Thailand City 5: Koh Tao (5D4N)

We didn’t do much on Koh Tao except for just heading to our diving lessons and chilling in our hut, but we’ll still show you around! This island has tons of dive shops and leisure activities you can indulge in such as Abseiling, Parasailing, etc. Of course, we were on a budget, so we didn’t engage in any of these activities but there are many other things you can do. For example, hiking up a viewpoint on the island (Laem Thien, Mango Bay, Fraggle Rock, etc.) that costs you nothing but your energy!

Scuba Diving

4 Day Open Water Diving Certification

We signed up under rOctopus Dive to get our diving certs. This will allow us to dive up to 20m deep at any time unsupervised.

The staff were very welcoming and friendly, which made the entire journey a very pleasant one!

Before you can get started with the dives, you’ll need to pass the 200m swim and 10 minute tread water test. Once that’s done, you’ll proceed with the theory part of the course, clear the test, and proceed with some basic scuba diving techniques.

Once all that’s cleared, you’ll move off to your first open water dive! After completing 4 open water dives, you’ll be a certified open water diver.

Location: 17 Moo 1 Sairee Beach Koh Tao, Surat Thani 84360, Thailand
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 18:00 Daily
Contact Information: +66 [0] 908 631 836

Food & Night Markets

There isn’t a night market in Koh Tao per say, but the food stands usually open till late at night throughout the island.

The store we frequented sold beef and pork noodles in addition to several other food menu items that we could not read.

The prices were relatively affordable (~ THB 40-50) and the portions were sizeable. It’s just across the street from our hut, but there are also many other food options if you have a larger budget to spare.

Convenient stores (7 Eleven) is another go-to with their ready-to-eat boxes. There are also many bars and restaurants if you prefer.

Accommodation

Nat Resort Koh Tao

We chose the hut without a fan since it was the cheaper alternative.

There are many other hostels and dormitories on the island that you can check out if you are going to be staying for a longer period of time when getting your diving licenses.

Location: Sairee Beach, Koh Tao, Surat Thani, Thailand 84360

Cost Breakdown for Koh Tao

Koh Tao → Hua Hin

We also pre-booked our ferry from Koh Tao to Hua Hin since it’s a long journey and we preferred not to make any transfers. This way, we could get ample rest in the ferry before continuing on with the second half of our “backpacking Thailand” trip.

By Ferry:
Mae Haad Koh Tao to Hua Hin Lomprayah
Price: 1,100 Baht (S$46/pax).
Duration: About 6 hrs 45 mins

Alternatively, you could take a ferry to Koh Samui, then take a plane or train over to Hua Hin. Of course, the travel time will be longer, and more costs will be involved. We chose to go the simpler route since it’s also cheaper!

Backpacking Thailand City 6: Hua Hin (3D2N)

Located to the South of Bangkok, Hua Hin is known for its limestone mountains, mangrove swamps, beaches. The most popular national park would be Khao Sam Roi Yot. We intended to head down, but decided against since we didn’t think we would have enough time to make the trip there and back. It’ll take a full day at least, so we went to various other places around the town instead.

Places of Interest

Inu Cafe

A great place to unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city! Get your meals fixed at this cafe while enjoying the company of these Shiba Inus while you dine.

Location: 10, 21 Naebkehardt Rd, Tambon Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11:00 – 19:00
Closed On: Tuesdays

Seen Space Thonglor

Contemporary complex featuring a variety of eateries & bars, plus upscale fashion boutiques.

If you’re looking for a great date location or for some artsy fartsy stuff, this is a great place to add to your itinerary!

Location: 251/1 Thong Lo 13 Alley, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10:00 – 22:00

Food & Night Markets

Hua Hin Night Market

Traditional night marketplace consisting of food vendors & shopping stalls selling clothing & more.

If you’re craving some mango sticky rice, then watch out for this stall run by an elderly lady! For just 50 Baht, you get a substantial amount of sticky rice and a WHOLE mango!

You can find her push cart nearer towards the end of the street where you see a cafe nearby!

Location: ซ, Hua Hin 72, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 17:00 – 01:00

ChaiLai Hua Hin Night Market (ไฉไล@หัวหิน)

This market is great for taking your aesthetic photos with all the neon lights and signs around. The food was also relatively affordable with a decent portion.

There are lesser people at this night market compared to the Hua Hin night market. This one’s more popular amongst the locals rather than tourists as its less well-known!

Location: 222/2 Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
Operating Hours: 16:00 – 24:00
Closed On: Tuesdays

Accommodation

Victor Guesthouse

This relaxed hotel with traditional Thai houses made of teak wood is a 10-minute walk from Hua Hin Beach and the vibrant Hua Hin Night Market.

It’s also near the beach and there are tons of other hostels and guesthouses in the area! It’s close proximity to a few markets make this area very popular amongst tourists and backpackers.

Location: 60 Naresdamri Rd, Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
Contact Information: +66 32 511 564

Cost Breakdown for Hua Hin

Hua Hin → Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon)

From Hua Hin to Bangkok, you can resume land travel so we booked tickets online for a minivan before arriving in Bangkok.

By Minivan:
Hua Hin 51 Alley to Mochit New Van Terminal
Price: 219 Baht (S$9.16/pax).
Duration: About 4 hrs

Alternatively you could always choose to take a flight from Hua Hin Airport or a train to Bangkok, but that’s not as cost effective for us who were backpacking Thailand on a tight budget. Hence, we always went with the cheapest routes with the least time trade offs!

Backpacking Thailand City 7: Bangkok (2D1N)

We’ve been to Bangkok quite a few times for short getaways, so we decided to just make a short pitstop in Bangkok for a change of pace. Taking our time to walk around the many malls, before moving off to our next destination.

Despite so, we’ll be bringing you around to some of the places we stopped by! Bangkok is well-known for its numerous night markets and if you google “Bangkok night markets”, tons of results will show up so we’ll only be introducing the ones we visited on this trip!

Places of Interest

Malls within the Siam area

Nearest subway station: SIAM

There are tons of malls in this densely populated area such as:
1. Siam Square One
2. Siam Paragon
3. Centerpoint Siam Square
4. Siam Discovery
5. Icon Siam

Here, you can find all that you need from trendy fashion pieces to amazing restaurants and supermarkets!

Food & Night Markets

Chatuchak Weekend Market

We arrived in Bangkok at Mochit Bus Terminal so the Chatuchak weekend market was the perfect place (aka nearest) for us to grab some grub and refuel with over 15,000 stalls!

There are tons of food & drink stalls for us to get our daily coffee fix and fill our bellies before heading over to check into our hostel.

Location: สวนจตุจักร Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Operating Hours: 09:00 – 18:00 (Sat to Tues), 07:00 – 18:00 (Wed & Thurs), 18:00 – 24:00 (Fri)

Ohkajhu!

If you’re looking for some posh organic or farm to table food, Ohkahjhu has got you covered!

At prices that don’t require you to break the bank, you get amazingly delicious and quality cuisine in a café setting. Since they’re known for their salads and organic foods, we also tried their mango salad and green juice!

(The one you see on the left is their Angel Hair Pasta!)

Location: Unit #SS 3009, 388 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Operating Hours: 10:00 – 22:00 Daily

Accommodation

Glur Hostel & Coffee Bar

Unfortunately, this hostel also succumbed to the economic spillovers of the pandemic and has closed permanently. There are many food stalls and walking streets around this area if you’re interested!

Many other hostels can also be found in this area, but you may want to search for lodging nearer to the city center if you’re more keen on gaining greater accessibility.

Location: Number 45, Soi Charoen Krung 50, Bangrak District, Bangkok Riverside, Bangkok, Thailand 10500
Contact Information: +66 95 264 9828

Cost Breakdown for Bangkok

Bangkok → Sukhothai

We bought our bus tickets to Sukhothai at Mochit Bus Terminal since it was quite expensive when purchased online.

There are 2 bus service providers that run from Bangkok to Sukhothai:
1. Phitsanulok Yanyon Tour – THB 328 (S$13.72)
2. Tara Tour and Travel – THB 700 (S$29.28)

Of course, we chose the cheaper one. It even came with a meal ticket where you can redeem it at the pitstop halfway through the journey. The pitstop had a few food stores selling cooked meals and drinks and also some souvenirs and snacks for the rest of your journey since it’s a long bus ride.

Alternatively, you could catch a plane ride over to Sukhothai. Sukhothai does not have a railway station so there are no train rides over. If you’d like, you can take a train to Phitsanulok then make a transfer by bus to Sukhothai Bus Terminal.

By Bus:
Mochit Bus Terminal to Sukhothai Bus Terminal
Price: 328 Baht (S$13.72/pax).
Duration: About 8 hrs

By Plane:
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Sukhothai Airport (THS)
Price: From 2,677.70 Baht (From S$112/pax).
Duration: About 1 hr 20 mins

Backpacking Thailand City 8: Sukhothai (3D2N)

Sukhothai was the very first capital city of Thailand. It is now coined as a UNESCO World Heritage town and home to the ruins of many palaces, temples, and historical sites. History nerds will love this town just like I did! Being able to see the old architecture and immerse yourself in the beauty of how it would have been like in the past made this a must visit city on my backpacking Thailand bucketlist!

It’s a really big town and all the historical sites are quite far from each other. You’ll either need to rent a vehicle to get around (if you can drive) or hire a driver to get around. We rented a scooter which made things much easier and cheaper! There are also many food streets along the way when you are heading towards the historical parks that you can make a pitstop at to grab some food and drinks.

Places of Interest

Sukhothai Historical Park

This historical park covers the ruins of Sukhothai, capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom in the 13th and 14th centuries.

The main attraction here is the Mahathat Temple (Wat Mahathat) where its name translates into ‘temple of the great relic’. Get a sense of this magnificent city when you tour around this historical park!

Location: หมู่ที่ 3 498/12 Mueang Kao, Mueang Sukhothai District, Sukhothai 64210, Thailand
Operating Hours: 06:30 – 19:30 Daily (06:30 – 21:00 on Saturdays)

Si Satchanalai Historical Park

Located near the banks of the Yom River, this place was originally built as the second center for the Sukhothai Kingdom around 1250. This 45sqm park is now home to the remaining structures of what used to be palaces, temples, and homes.

The main attractions include: Wat Phra Si Mahathat, Wat Chang Lom, and Wat Chedi Jet Taew.

Location: CQGQ+CGH, Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai 64130, Thailand
Operating Hours: 08:00 – 16:30 Daily

Food & Night Markets

Old Sukhothai Saturday Night Market

Sukhothai is not a very popular town amongst tourists since not many people have heard of it. Hence, there arent many night markets here, but there are tons of eateries along the streets!

This night market only opens on Saturdays so if you happen to be in Sukhothai for a few nights, try to fit it into the weekends!

Location: 2P87+XQC, Mueang Kao, Mueang Sukhothai District, Sukhothai 64210, Thailand
Operating Hours: 17:00 – 21:00 (Saturdays Only)

Accommodation

Rueang Sri Siri Guesthouse

Only a stone’s throw away from Sukhothai bus interchange is this guest house. They also provide scooter rental services which was very convenient for us as we were planning to head down to visit the historical parks.

There are also plenty of food options opposite the bus terminal, making it easy to grab some food whenever we were hungry!

Location: 118/20 M.1 T.Pak kawe A. Muang, Sukhothai City, Sukhothai, Thailand 64000
Contact Information: +66 87 314 6113

Cost Breakdown for Sukhothai

Sukhothai → Chiang Mai

Sukhothai is already close to the North of Thailand where Chiang Mai is in so there are more buses heading in that direction. Also, Chiang Mai is a very popular city among both locals and tourists so you won’t have to be afraid of the lack of transport getting there!

We bought the bus tickets at Sukhothai Bus Terminal and there is only one bus company offering bus services from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai.

The last bus leaves at 1.40pm so you may want to leave your accommodation early and not be late! There are 2 types of buses, one with a toilet on board and one without. The price difference is about 65 Baht (S$2.72).

By Bus: (Sukhothai Wintour)
Sukhothai Bus Terminal to Chiang Mai Bus Terminal Arcade 2
Price:
285 Baht (S$11.92/pax)
350 Baht (S$14.64/pax).
Duration: About 4.5 hrs

Of course, you can always take a plane too.

By Plane:
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Sukhothai Airport (THS)
Price: From 1,267.12 Baht (From S$53/pax).
Duration: About 1 hr 10 mins

Backpacking Thailand City 9: Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is very common vacation spot and pitstop when backpacking Thailand. It is similar to Bangkok, but with a smaller crowd and less inflated prices. We spent most of our time here chilling, checking out cafes, catching a movie, and just walking around the city. We’ll introduce the places and eateries we stopped by so you can check them out too! Not all places are marked on Google maps so we’ll be leaving some of the stores out.

If you’re more spontaneous and adventurous with your taste buds, you should definitely check out the road side stalls selling mixed dishes where you can put together to form a rice bowl. The food is generally amazing, and tastes as great as they look! There are also tons of temples you can pop by around the city.

Places of Interest

Wat Chedi Luang

Temple complex with a partially crumbled 15th-century chedi & a pillar believed to protect the city.

If you’re planning to visiting the temples in the Chiang Mai area, ensure you’re not in flipflops or sleeveless tops!

Location: 103 Prapokkloa Rd, Tambon Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Center

A large mall with tons of shops and restaurants including a cinema here. Movie tickets were cheap so we decided to just catch a movie since we were waiting for the rain to stop anyways!

Location: 55 หมู่ที่ 5 Huay Kaew Rd, อําเภ, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11:00 – 22:00 (Weekdays), 10:00 – 22:00 (Weekends)

Food & Night Markets

Free Bird Cafe

If you’re looking to get your vegan food or smoothie bowl fix, Free Bird Cafe is a great place to pop by.

It’s chop location is slightly out of the way, but it serves great smoothie bowls and you can also find a variety of ecofriendly household products here.

Location: 14 ถนนศิริมังมังคลาจารย์ Mueang Chiang Mai District, 50200, Thailand
Operating Hours: 09:00 – 17:00
Closed On: Mondays

Daddy’s Antique Cafe and Restaurant (Temporarily Closed)

Cafe and restaurant with the most gorgeous location and atmosphere that we’ve been to so far! Food’s amazing too, but the portions are slightly small and towards the pricier side.

This place has amazing interior and exterior. Its surroundings are also beautifully designed, making it great for location shoots (if you need any). If you’re looking to update the gram, this place is definitely insta-worthy!

Location: Mae Hia, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 11:00 – 22:00 (Mon), 11:00 – 17:00 (Tues to Sun)

Khao Soy Maesai

Want to get a local taste of Chiang Mai’s famous Khao Soi (Curry egg noodles)?

This is easily the best one we’ve ate so far throughout our trip! The thick curry broth, crispy fried egg noodles, its spices and toppings make a great combination when put together in a bowl.

Get your Khao Soi fix here!

Location: 29/1 Ratchaphuek Alley, Tambon Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Operating Hours: 08:00 – 16:00
Closed On: Sundays

If you’re planning a trip to Chiang Mai, try to schedule some weekends in! You don’t want to miss their weekend night markets as that’s where the highlights are!

Chiang Mai Saturday Market

Perfect place to try all kinds of Thai food, buy local goods and souvenirs, and just enjoy the Chiang Mai atmosphere.

Location: Thanalai, Tha Sai, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
Operating Hours: Saturdays Only (No specified hours but in the evenings)

Chiang Mai Sunday Market

The market is massive and filled with a large variety of items ! A lot of food stalls, many local crafts, clothing, almost anything you seek.

It’s packed with people, but comfortable experience without vendors pressuring you.

Location: 141 Rachadamnoen Rd, Tambon Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Operating Hours: 18:00 – 23:00 (Sundays Only)

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is directly east of the city moat, on Chang Khlan Road, between Tha Phae and Sridonchai Roads.

It is known for its handicrafts and portrait paintings. There are also jewelry, toys, clothing, and high tech items such as CDs and DVDs.

Location: Chang Moi Sub-district, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 17:00 – 24:00 (Sundays Only)

Accommodation

Znap’s Hostel and Cafe

Slightly outside the city center lies this backpackers hostel.

The street this hostel is located on has tons of food stalls when evening rolls around making it very convenient to grab a quick bite for supper!

Location: RX2J+M9J, Tambon Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

Cost Breakdown for Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai → Chiang Rai

From Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, you can get a ticket for the green bus at the bus station. The green bus is likely to be the cheapest option for you to get to Chiang Rai. There are also several timeslots for this bus daily.

Heads up: Be mentally prepared for your bus ride from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai! Some of the routes the bus takes seems really scary as if the bus may topple at any moment..

By Bus:
Chiang Mai Bus Terminal to Chiang Rai Bus Terminal
Price: 215.17 Baht (S$9/pax).
Duration: About 3 hrs

On the contrary, you could fly by plane if you prefer. You’ll however need to stopover at Suvarnabhumi Airport first, before making the transfer to Chiang Rai Airport. There are no direct flights as of now.

By Plane:
Chiang Mai Airport (CNX) to Chiang Rai Airport (CEI)
Price: From 1,554.02 Baht (From S$65/pax).
Duration: About 1 hr 20 mins

Backpacking Thailand City 10: Chiang Rai (4D3N)

Chiang Rai is one of Thailand’s most hidden gems! As the northernmost major city in Thailand, you can travel up to the “Golden Triangle” where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Burma converge. The Mekong river separates these 3 borders and the city lies amongst the lush hills of the province, a few miles south of the Golden Triangle. 

Due to its relatively isolated location, Chiang Rai has blossomed into a truly unique area over time, one with distinct forms of culture, cuisine, architecture, tourist destinations, and activities.

Places of Interest

Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)

Opened to the public in 1997, Wat Rong Khun is a contemporary Buddhist temple drawing massive crowds with its unique, intricate white exterior.

The pristine white stone of the temple has thousands of minuscule fragments of mirrored glass embedded within it, giving the building an appearance that sparkles in the sunlight.

Location: 60 หมู่ที่ 1 Phahonyothin Rd, Pa O Don Chai, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 08:00 – 17:00 Daily

Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple)

Twin to the ‘White Temple,’ the ‘Blue Temple’ is known for its exquisite blue color with striking gold accents and elaborate carvings.

Inside the temple, you’ll see a Buddha image in pearl white as well as elaborate mural paintings with shades of dark blue to match the overall theme of the temple.

Location: 306 หมู่ที่ 2 Maekok Rd, Tambon Rim Kok, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
Operating Hours: 07:00 – 20:00 Daily

The Golden Triangle

Once the opium-production capital of the world, the Golden Triangle refers to an area of about 195,000km that extends into the countries of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos.

The mighty Ruak and Mekong Rivers converge in this region, and the riverbanks are lined with golden Buddha statues, shrines to the royal family, and massive sculptures. 

It is an eye-opening experience if you have the time to make a trip up north to see it for yourself!

Location: 1290 เวียง ตำบล เวียง อำเภอ เชียงแสน เชียงราย 57150
Operating Hours: Open 24 hours Daily

Khun Korn Waterfall

This waterfall is the tallest in Chiang Rai, standing at 70m tall. At the foot of the waterfall, there is a shallow waist deep pool, accessible via a trail through bamboo trees & tropical vegetation.

A short hike of about 1.4km will bring you to the waterfall and if you can’t stand the heat, how does a dip in the waterfall sound?

Location: หลวงหมายเลข 1208 Mae Kon, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 08:00 – 16:30

Food & Night Markets

Similar to Chiang Mai, if you’re planning a trip to Chiang Rai, try to schedule some weekends in! You don’t want to miss their weekend night markets as that’s where the highlights are!

Chiang Rai Night Bazaar

Compact night market offering street food, apparel, jewelry & gifts, plus live entertainment.

Location: WR4M+5VR, Tambon Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 17:00 – 24:00 (Mon), 18:00 – 23:00 (Tues to Sun),

Chiang Rai Saturday Night Market

A very lively and fun place to be in Chiang Rai. It’s quite big and well located, particularly the eating area. There’s also free entertainment going on most of the time.

Location: Suk Sathit, Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
Operating Hours: 18:00 – 23:00 (Saturdays Only)

Chiang Rai Sunday Night Market (Temporarily Closed)

A vibrant spectrum of arts, crafts, music and food. Tons of handmade quality goods and souvenirs that’s a representation of Northern Thailand.

Location: WR2F+PX6, Tambon Rop Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand
Operating Hours: Evenings on Sundays Only

Accommodation

Adchara Mansion

Despite its good location and the owners being really nice on top of the free trip to the airport when we checked out…

The room we stayed in was infested with bed bugs! That was the only unbearable downside to this place but otherwise there are tons of food stalls and malls within a short distance.

You can even rent a scooter from the owner of the place…

Location: 36/11 Nongbua road, Rop Wiang , City Center, Chiang Rai, Thailand 57000
Contact Information: +66 61 496 0838

Cost Breakdown for Chiang Rai

Closing Notes

After 24 days, our backpacking Thailand trip has come to a close. In total, we spend about S$2,700 for 2 people over the course of the entire trip. There were of course, more things in which we could save on, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with the occasional splurge on food!

Feel free to drop any questions you have about our trip in the comments below and we’ll answer them for you!

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