Thailand is a country that is on everyone’s to do list and is one of the most popular places to visit in South East Asia. There is so much to do and see, it’s so difficult to know the best way to spend your time there. From snorkelling, seeing wild elephant and island hopping, to enjoying the nightlife and social bars, alongside the cultural statues and monuments to the overcrowded markets – there is so much to offer.
When someone is planning to go Thailand for even a month, it’s important to maximise your time there so you don’t miss out on some of the best life experiences. This is why this blog is split into 2 parts, as 2 weeks is NOT enough time to make the most of this beautiful country.
The south of Thailand is more tailored to paradisal beaches and 5 star hotels, but there is still so much to see and do. Below, we have given our take on the best way to spend 2 weeks in the south of Thailand. We have also given one day as ‘free’, to give leeway for travel.
Phuket (3 days)
Phuket is known as the perfect holiday/honeymoon destination but it offers so much more than that. Yes, the beaches are perfect for a holiday, and it is as good as any to spend 2 weeks doing completely nothing but lounging in the sun- but this doesn’t make the most of what Phuket has to offer.
The first MUST DO is to visit the Elephant sanctuary in Phuket. This is a conservation organisation that save elephants that have been mistreated, and either rehabilitate or provide a large space for them to roam and be as wild as they can be. Here, all participants learn about the process of looking after the elephants and go through their daily routine. This includes: making and feeding the elephants with rice balls and bananas, covering them in mud and then giving them a scrub clean which is a 1/2 a day activity. This whole experience is one that we would recommend for anyone to experience as the elephants are amazing creatures to spend time with, and to learn about. Some of the elephants had personalities; one we remember is a 77 year old elephant that was playing in the waters by rolling around and pulling herself around on the banks. Even at 77 she was enjoying life.
Phuket has some some of the best people in Thailand, and one way to experience this is through visiting bars and socialising with the locals. In Phuket there are a lot of bars to stop at, have a drink, meet people, play some pool or darts and just enjoy the moment. The people here are very welcoming and are always chatty.
Unfortunately when we visited Phuket, we weren’t able to visit the Big Buddha due to flooding in the area. However, it is known to be one of the main sights in the area. Not only do you get to see such a large statue which is so popular in southern Thailand, but you also get to see the beautiful views of the whole of Phuket, and is an amazing place to witness the sunset/sunrise.
Visiting Phuket wouldn’t be the right until you enjoyed some of the beautiful beaches available. It’s one of the best places to relax and spend a day soaking up the sun or going for a swim in the crystal blue waters.
Krabi (2 days)
Krabi is a short ferry ride from Phuket and is a small city which offers a good central hub to many top places in the south of Thailand. In Krabi there are many pubs and bars to visit, socialise and meet new people. At the end of the main strip is a beach which is scenic, and offers kayaking, boat trips and surfing.
In Krabi, there is a beautiful temple, located high in the hills. The Tiger Cave Temple is a great sight, however requires 1260 steps to be climbed to reach the gates of this temple. Here there are statues and picturesque viewpoints for all to enjoy.
Once you are have completed all the steps and exploring at the temple, you can relax at a local hot springs. These are naturally warm waters which are perfect to unwind and relax your body.
Railay Beach (2 days)
From Krabi, there is a local long boat to transport you from Krabi, to your next destination, Railay Beach! Please note that to get on and off this boat, you are required to be in the sea, so wear appropriate clothing and get ready to carry your bags on your head (this is always a funny sight to see!).
Railay beach is a small strip of land no wider than a few football pitches sandwiched between the ocean. Here you are very limited with cheap stays with only one hostel in the area. We used Blanco Hideout Railay and we would recommend staying here! You can find this hostel by clicking here*
The hostel offers a trip to see a Muay Thai fight, and drinks with other hostel members as a night event (which is a must to do)!
At Railay, there is a little cove which once explored, opens up into a beautiful, secret beach. You are able to rent out kayaks and go to Phra Nang Cave Beach and explore the caves. Also, there is a local island (Phang Nga Bay) that is known as bond island, as it was used in the James Bond movies. We were even lucky enough to see a wild Asian Water Monitor Lizard disappearing off into the thick grass.
As expected, it is a place to enjoy the natural beauty of the beaches. There are viewpoints to take in the most scenic areas of this area of paradise. For the more active travellers/explorers, you can try your hand at rock climbing to find the lesser explored areas of Railay.
Phi Phi Island (3 days)
Many have heard of Phi Phi Island, and maybe it has a reputation of being a popular spot to drink and party, but there is so much more to do! I mean, this island literally has a pizza spot with cannabis pizza (very unique)!!!
Phi Phi Island is another sort trip on a boat from Railay which is a marvel within itself- with the countless islands you pass and the clear water.
On this Island, there is a must do island hopping tour which visits 7 different locations with panoramic beaches, snorkel spots, caves to discover, with fresh lunch provided. This is an all-day activity so make sure you have the energy to be out exploring all day! If you are tired and hungry when you finish this tour, they drop you back at the dock which is right in front of a McDonald’s which many use as a stop to fuel up ready for the nightlife.
The Phi Phi main road offers a range of souvenirs, clothing and different foods and drinks available. You can almost get lost in the streets looking at all that is offered. Once it gets dark, people spill into bars and pubs, and little pop-up alcohol shops appear. The island lights up! Everyone is having a good time and it’s a fun social atmosphere. For some daring people, there is a bar on the island that has a boxing ring which you can opt to fight in. We would only recommend doing this if you are prepared to be hit, and didn’t drink too much alcohol!!
There’s so much to do on the island but is still one of the best to chill and enjoy where you are.
Next stop, Khao Sok National Park!
Khao Sok National Park (2-3 days)
Khao Sok is a longer trip, but is so worth the wait. You will be avoiding the small boat trips and would be required to go inland on a coach or in a car.
This national park is like no other. It is an expensive experience compared to others in Thailand, but is worth every penny. Put it this way, we would go back in a heartbeat. Khao Sok National Park is made for someone who wants to be apart of wildlife.
You are taken on a long boat through the park which you visit some picturesque spots and admire some of the beauty. After a relaxing boat ride, you are taken to a jetty in the centre of the national park which has floating bungalows. Yes, we said FLOATING BUNGALOWS! And this is where we stayed!
The bungalows will be your home for the next few days, and you will be provided with all 3 meals which are made from local people in the park. You are given time to explore which we used to kayak around the local area and see what wildlife we could see. Beware of the sun as there are a limited spots for shade and if you know Jack, he burns easily!
After a long kayak filled with watching monkeys and wild eagles and searching for wild elephants, we headed back to go for a swim in the lake. We spend the next hour jumping off the jetty and swimming around the local area just taking in the breath taking views. There were wild fish which were easily 3 feet long, while we idly watched as we tucked into our lunch.
There was so much to do and see, but it also allowed for such a simple lifestyle. There was no Wi-Fi or data spots, so you were completely immersed in where you are. We were taken on a jungle hike through areas where elephants were only hours prior. At the end, we were taken on a tour of a local cave with bats in, which we were taken in a handmade bamboo boat made by some of the locals. It was amazing to see local huts and kids running and swimming in the waters. Like this is their life… and we were somewhat jealous.
In the evening we played card games, and relaxed before going out early in the morning to see wild elephants coming to the water to drink and wash. This is probably the best experience of my life as its mesmerising to see wild elephants elegantly in the wild. To make it even better, we saw a mother and calf which is rare to see in the National Park and probably rare to see in the wild.
We only stayed one night but we believe there is an option to stay for another night to soak up the beauty. There really isn’t many places better than here and we would always recommend going here if anyone was to visit Thailand.
It’s the MUST DO of all MUST DO’S!
There are still a few places we missed out on this short 2 week itinerary of the South of Thailand, but this is our list we would recommend. Whoever visits Thailand will have the most amazing time, and we are sure they will love the country as much as we do.
If we missed any places you would recommend, please let us know and we will add this to our next trip to Thailand which we hope will be in the next few years!!!
Thank you for making it to the end of this blog post, and we hope you enjoyed our 2 week itinerary! If you enjoyed please like the post and follow for more content!
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