1 Month Thailand Itinerary (The Ultimate Thailand Backpacking Route)

Last Updated: March 1 2021

Thailand is one of the most popular countries in Southeast Asia, and it isn’t hard to see why. Stunning beaches, beautiful architecture and incredible culture are what awaits you in Thailand. In this blog post, we will go through the 1 month Thailand itinerary that we followed, including popular destinations such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

This beautiful country has so many incredible things to see and do. Whether you want to relax on a beautiful beach or spend the day with elephants, Thailand has something for everybody.

We spent a month in Thailand and started in the south, before making our way up to the North.

In this blog post, we are going to detail our Thailand travel route, and any changes we would make. We will also cover things to do in each destination and the best places to stay.

The best 1 month Thailand itinerary

We arrived in Thailand from Malaysia. First of all, we got a boat from Langkawi to the mainland of Malaysia, and then a bus from Langkawi to Phuket. We travelled from Phuket in the south to the likes of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. This is the Thailand travel itinerary we came up with.

Phuket-Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Pai-Chiang Rai-Kanchanaburi

Phuket (5 Nights)

Phuket is found in Southern Thailand and is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country. It is known for being party central and is very popular with backpackers. It is one of Thailand’s biggest tourist hotspots thanks to its beaches, clubs and bars.

We aren’t huge partygoers, and when we travel we prefer to spend our money on experiences and plenty of food! However, we were drawn to Phuket by the beaches, including the beautiful Freedom beach. It is away from the main beach of Patong beach and is so much nicer.

If you are dreaming of turquoise waters and white sands then Freedom beach is the place for you. It is a private beach so it costs 100 baht (£2.50) to get in but is so worth it!

Freedom beach is found at the top of the hill from the centre of town. You can also find it on google maps if you are struggling. Alternatively, you can jump on a boat from Patong Beach and they will take you there.

Phuket old town is another popular place to visit. It is full of colourful 19th-century buildings, and other attractions such as the Shrine of the Serene Light.

Things to do in Phuket

• Big Buddha Phuket- found on top of Nekkerd Hill
• Old Phuket town
• Wat Khao Rang Samakkhitham
• The night markets in Phuket
• Sunday walking street- A market for secondhand goods
• Phuket Central Town Market

Top Tip: Phuket has a lot of animal tourism activities, and most of them are very unethical. A lot of the ‘elephant camps’ here chain the elephants up by their ankles and let tourists ride them. The treatment of these animals is appalling so you must do your research first!

Tiger attractions are also popular in Phuket, but the animals are drugged first so they are docile enough to take photographs with. If you want to do an animal experience, make sure you do your research to check if it is ethical.

Where to stay in Phuket

There are plenty of places to stay in Phuket. Here are some options for you depending on your budget:

Budget Accommodation

Park Eden Hotel- £10 a night for a double room. However, we were given a free upgrade on arrival to a superior double room with a balcony.

Medium Budget Accommodation

myPatong GuestHouse- Deluxe double room for £20 a night.

High Budget/Luxury Option

LIV Hotel Phuket Patong Beachfront- £65 a night for a deluxe double room and breakfast.

Bangkok (5 Nights)

Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand and a must for any 1 month Thailand itinerary. There are so many incredible things to do, including lots of beautiful temples.

Once you arrive in Bangkok, you will be surrounded by noisy traffic and chaos! However, we quickly grew to love this city and ended up spending 5 nights here. It is honestly one of the best cities to visit in Thailand!

One of the most popular spots in Bangkok is Khao San Road. It is a haven for backpackers because of its clubs, and party atmosphere. You will want to head here at night for the experience!

Bangkok is famous for its temples, and there are plenty of them to explore in the city. Out of all the temples, Wat Arun was our favourite! It is an incredible place and a must for any Bangkok itinerary.

Wat Arun is also known as ‘the temple of dawn’ and is situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya river. The architecture of this temple is beautiful. The gates to the complex, are also worth a visit as they have two large statues either side. It costs 100 baht (£2.50) to enter and you will want to arrive early; probably about 7:30 am.

One thing we will say is to be careful of the traffic. Where we come from, a green man symbol means that a pedestrian can cross the roads. In Bangkok, it does not have the same meaning whatsoever, and no traffic will stop for you so just be aware!

Click HERE for our ‘Epic 3 day Bangkok itinerary (the best places to visit)’ blog post.

Things to do in Bangkok

• The Grand Palace
• The Reclining Buddha- Also known as Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chetuphon
• The Golden Mountain
• Wat Benchamabophit (The Marble Temple)
• Lumpini Park
• Khao San Road- The backpacker hotspot made up of hostels, bars, and clubs.

Where to stay in Bangkok

You will want to stay quite central in Bangkok so here are some options for you:

Budget Accommodation 

The Rooftop Residence- This accommodation was incredible! For £10 a night we got a double room with a super clean shared bathroom. There was a rooftop terrace with amazing views of the city, and free use of a large kitchen. We also got a free continental breakfast every morning.

Medium Budget Accommodation

The Printing House Poshtel- £37 a night for a deluxe double room.

High Budget/Luxury Accommodation

Villa De Khaosan by Chillax- £57 a night for a deluxe twin room.

Chiang Mai (5 Nights)

In the Northern mountainous region of Thailand, you will find the city of Chiang Mai. The city was founded in 1296 and was the capital of the Lanna Kingdom until 1558.

As a result of this, there are lots of historic and cultural sites to visit in Chiang Mai. One of these is the old city walls, which are a must for any Chaing Mai itinerary!

We travelled to Chiang Mai to visit the Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. We were looking for an ethical elephant sanctuary, and this is the one we chose. Here you aren’t allowed to ride the elephants which is good because we wanted somewhere that protects the elephants.

This sanctuary allows tourists to visit for a day or two, to come and learn about the elephants and spend time with them. You get to feed the elephants, wash them and learn all about the work that the sanctuary does.

We booked the tickets online, and then we met at their office in Chiang Mai. Make sure you choose an ethical sanctuary as it is so important for the animals! A full day at the sanctuary including food, drinks and traditional clothing costs £58 per person. You can buy your tickets HERE.

Click HERE for our ‘Ultimate 3 day Chiang Mai itinerary (backpacking in Chiang Mai)’ blog post.

Things to do in Chiang Mai

• Yi Peng Festival- The annual lantern festival that occurs once a year to mark the new moon
• Wat Chedi Luang
• Try Khao Soi- A delicious traditional fried noodle dish.
• Doi Inthanon National Park

Where to stay in Chaing Mai

Chiang Mai is another place where you will want to stay central. Here are some options for you:

Budget Accommodation 

OYO 391 Pat’s Klangviang Guesthouse- £11 a night for a standard double room.

Medium Budget Accommodation

Huen Hug Chiang Mai- £27 a night for a deluxe double room and breakfast.

High Budget/Luxury Accommodation

Viangdara- £53 a night for a standard king room and breakfast.

Pai (3 Nights)

Pai is a town found in Northern Thailand and is popular among backpackers. It quickly became one of our favourite places in Thailand because of its chilled vibes, beautiful scenery and amazing food.

This pretty town has so many great places to visit, and hiring a bicycle or scooter is the best way to see them. We hired bicycles for 200 baht (£5) for the two of us.

We stopped off a lot of different sites but the Bamboo Bridge was one of our favourites. It is an 800m bamboo walkway that runs through beautiful rice fields. It costs 30 baht (£0.70) to enter, and there is a small cafe where you can grab a drink and something to eat.

Pai also has plenty of incredible food options, including its night market. It is found down the main road in the evenings and is a great place to try some local dishes.

Top Tip: When renting a bike, the shop might want you to leave some form of I.D or money with them whilst you have the bikes. This is completely normal so don’t worry!

Click HERE for our ‘9 best things to do in Pai, Thailand (where you need to visit)’ blog post.

Things to do in Pai

• Coffee In Love
• Pai land Split
• Pai Canyon
• White Buddha, Pai (Phra That Mae Yen)
• The Memorial Bridge
• Dragon Bridge

Where to stay in Pai

Pai has plenty of cool and unique places to stay, including quirky wooden huts. Here are some options for you:

Budget Accommodation

Serene Resort- £14 a night for a double room and use of a pool.

Medium Budget Accommodation

Yoma Hotel- £28 a night for a deluxe double room.

High Budget/Luxury Accommodation

Family House Zen Boutique- £60 a night for a deluxe double room and breakfast.

Chiang Rai (4 Nights)

Chiang Rai is another city found in Northern Thailand. It is famous for its temples, especially the White temple and the Blue temple.

The White Temple (also known as Wat Rong Khun) is incredibly unique. It is privately owned by the person who designed it and was opened it in 1997. The intricate detail here is incredible making it a must-visit for any 1 month Thailand itinerary!

The artwork inside is crazy, with paintings of everything you can imagine. They range from pokemon characters to a picture depicting the twin towers being destroyed by monsters! Crazy right?

Unfortunately, you can’t take images inside, so we can’t show you.

This city is becoming more and more popular due to the incredible temples, unique nightlife and culture. Near the clock tower in the evening you will find the Chaing Rai Night Bazaar. It is packed with plenty of food stalls with delicious dishes. You can even buy insects if you are feeling adventurous!

Things to do in Chiang Rai

• Wat Rong Suea Ten (The Blue Temple)
• Huay Pla Kang Temple
• Wat Phra Kaew
• Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong

Where to stay in Chiang Rai

Here are some great accommodation options for Chiang Rai:

Budget Accommodation

TT Hostel Chiang Rai- £11 a night for a double room with breakfast, air conditioning and a shared bathroom. We loved it here!

Medium Budget Accommodation

Happynest Hostel- £24 a night for a double room with breakfast.

High Budget/Luxury

Mora Boutique Hotel- £45 a night for a deluxe double room breakfast and pool access. Alternatively £75 for a double room with pool view and breakfast.

Kanchanaburi (2 Nights)

Kanchanaburi is found in West Thailand and has a very harrowing history. It is where the famous death railway is found as well as the bridge over the River Kwai.

The Death Railway (also known as the Burma railway) was a train route built by the Japanese during WWII between 1940-1944. The aim of the railway was to build a 189-mile railway track to transport goods and weapons for the war.

The Japanese used prisoners of war, labourers and locals to build the railway. The workers and POW’s were treated horrifically which resulted in over 100,000 POW deaths and thousands of more locals and forced labourers.

The history of this railway is heartbreaking but something that should be learnt about when visiting Thailand. Kanchanaburi is the perfect place to learn about the history of the Death Railway and to pay respects to the thousands of people that died here.

Whilst in Kanchanaburi, make sure you visit the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre. It costs 100 baht (£2.50) to enter and will give you so much information on the history of the death railway. In our opinion, Kanchanaburi is a must for any Thailand itinerary!

Click HERE to read our ‘Visiting Kanchanaburi and exploring the history of WWII’ blog post.

Things to do in Kanchanaburi

• River Kwai Bridge
• Wat Tham Suea
• Wat Tham Khao Pun
• JEATH War Museum
• Kanchanaburi War Cemetary

Where to stay in Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi has some great accommodation options right on the river, that give you incredible views of the bridge.

Budget Accommodation

Siam Guesthouse- £15 a night for a double room

Medium Budget Accommodation

The Zeit River Kwai- £31 a night for a double room, breakfast and pool access.

High Budget/Luxury Accommodation

Natee The Riverfront Hotel Kanchanaburi- £80 a night for a double room and breakfast with pool access and crazy views.

Booking.com

Bangkok (1 Night)

We stayed in Bangkok for one more night during our stay in Thailand. We then travelled onward to Siem Reap by bus.

What we would change about our Thailand 1 month itinerary 

We mainly stuck to the Mainland whilst travelling through Thailand so we didn’t have time to visit the islands. We would love to head back to Thailand and visit some of the beautiful islands that this country offers.

Koh Tao, Koh Lanta, Koh Samui and the Phi Phi islands are just some of the islands on our list for our next visit!

Getting Around Thailand

Travelling around Thailand is super easy. For local journeys, the best option is the taxi app GRAB. It allows you to book a journey, and see how much it will cost. It is a great app to have whilst travelling through Southeast Asia.

For longer journeys, you will want to take either a bus or train. You can either book these journeys through your accommodation, travel agents, bus stations or 12GoAsia which is an online travel service company.

Top Tip: When booking through an agent, ask around first. That way you will find the price for your trip.

Here is a list of how much the transport cost us in Thailand. These are the prices for two people:

Phuket-Bangkok: £30 or 1,200Baht by bus booked from our accommodation.
Bangkok-Chiang Mai: £27 or 1,089Baht by bus booked on 12go.asia.com.
Chiang Mai- Pai: £10 or 400Baht by minibus booked at Chiang Mai bus station counters.
Pai-Chiang Rai: £23 or 930Baht by minibus booked at a travel agent store in Pai.
Chiang Rai-Kanchanaburi: £44 or 1,700Baht by bus booked at the bus station in Chiang Rai.
Kanchanaburi-Bangkok: £7 or 280Baht by bus from the bus station.

Onward Travel From Thailand

From Thailand, we travelled onward to Cambodia. If you are travelling through Southeast Asia (namely Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia) your best option is to travel overland.

Travelling by bus or train between countries is so much cheaper than booking a flight. It takes the airport hassle out of the journey too!

We travelled from Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia and it cost us £37 each including our bus ticket and luggage. The company also helped us at the border with our passport and visa, which made things so much easier!

At the time a flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap would have cost us £62 each without luggage. This meant we would have been paying more than double the price! If you want to follow this route, you can read about it HERE.

Hopefully, this blog post has provided you with an idea of the top destinations in Thailand. This country is beautiful and has a lot to offer for any type of traveller.

We hope you have enjoyed this 1 month Thailand itinerary! We have tried to put together the best itinerary for Thailand although we didn’t get a chance to visit the islands.

P.S If you want more travel tips, you can find our Pinterest HERE.

Thank you for reading,
Jack & Abbie.

MORE THAILAND BLOG POSTS

9 Best Things To Do In Pai, Thailand (Where You Need To Visit)

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Top 10 Budget Travel Tips For Thailand

Travelling To The Cambodian Border From Bangkok

Visiting Kanchanaburi And Exploring The History Of WWII

The Ultimate 3 Day Chiang Mai Itinerary (Backpacking In Chiang Mai)

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