Thailand tour in 15 days: from Bangkok to Ko Tao

Your first trip to the country is certainly full of input, but how to juggle so many attractions and paradise destinations? Here's atwo-week itinerary inThailand with things to see and places simply not to be missed, from Bangkok to Ko Tao.

2 weeks in Thailand: starting in Bangkok

Bangkok is an eclectic hodgepodge of glass skyscrapers rising next to glittering Buddhist temples, monks sharing the pavements with hip teenagers, open-air markets bordering air-conditioned malls where everyone can find something interesting. Decide how many days you want to dedicate to the Thai capital and then lose yourself in its alleys.

Bangkok by night

One-day itinerary in Bangkok

Get up as early as possible to catch the Chao Phraya Express boat north to Nonthaburi market. On the way back get off at Tha Chang to visit the museums and temples of Ko Ratanakosin and then have lunch at Banglamphu. After cooling off, choose one of the many rooftop bars to view the city from a completely different perspective, sipping a cocktail at sunset time, before indulging in a fine Thai dinner at nahm.

Two-day itinerary in Bangkok

Let the BTS take you to the various shopping destinations in downtown Bangkok and visit the Jim Thompson House, then have lunch at one of the city's many food courts. End the day with a traditional Thai massage. Finally, burn off the excess calories at an RCA nightclub.

What to do three days in Bangkok

Spend a day at the Chatuchak weekend market or, if it's a weekday, sign up for a cooking class. Now that you've gotten used to Bangkok's noise, pollution and traffic, you're ready for a street food dinner in Chinatown.

What to see in four days in Bangkok

At this point you probably can't wait to get out of the city. An easy destination to get to is Ko Kret, an island north of Bangkok where there are no cars; alternatively, you can take a long tail boat and cruise along the canals of Thonburi.

Suspension bridge in the rainforest of Chiang Mai. Thailand. ©fredfroese/Getty Images

What to see in Chiang Mai

Take a flight (or scenic train) to Chiang Mai, where you can keep busy for several days with Thai cooking classes, temple visits, chats with monks and fabulous cuisine. Don't forget to visit the cool highlands of Doi Suthep or Doi Inthanon, two famous northern mountains. Here, adrenaline junkies can enjoy rafting, hiking, mountain biking and other activities, while less energetic visitors interact with elephants, soak in hot springs and visit experimental farms and lush botanical gardens.

Wrested from Burmese control by the kingdom of Siam, the former capital of the Lanna people is characterised by a fascinating mix of glittering monasteries, bustling markets, modern shopping malls and quiet residential streets that would not look out of place in a country village.

Aerial view of the beach at Koh Phangan, Thailand. ©AlexKazachok2/Getty Images

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Thailand in relaxation: Ko Samui, Ko Pha-Ngan and Ko Tao

Ready for a little beach time? Thailand's three sovereign islands shine in the Southern Lower Gulf: Ko Samui, Ko Pha-Ngan and Ko Tao. These jewels of fine sand and emerald waters attract millions of visitors every year. Ko Samui has a distinct tourist vocation and exclusive resorts. Ko Pha-Ngan is the easy-going middle sister, with dreadlocks and a penchant for late-night parties and lounging in a hammock. Liveliness and boldness finally characterise Ko Tao, a high-adrenaline oasis with world-class diving and snorkelling sites.

The mainland coast does not know the hordes of visitors that invade the islands, on the other hand it gives a more authentic image of the country and is more interesting from a cultural point of view. The pink dolphins, the waterfalls of the tranquil Ao Khanom, the Thai-Muslim cuisine and the Songkhla beach, perfect for a stroll, are proof that Thailand has much to offer even outside the main tourist circuits.

Ang Thong National Marine Park, Koh Samui, Thailand. ©lkunl/Shutterstock

Ko Samui

Ko Samui is the place to be for a dream holiday, with fine sandy beaches dotted with deckchairs, spotlessly clean streets, world-class international cuisine, luxury spas and social events for twenty-somethings that start at noon and last until dawn.

A closer look, however, reveals stalls of steaming dishes lining the streets, backpacker huts set up along quiet stretches of beach and Buddhist temples tucked away down an alley. To appreciate the authentic spirit of the island, head south or west, where quaint family-run seafood restaurants, little-known locations where descendants of Chinese merchants who colonised the island live, and long rows of towering coconut palms await.

Kuan yin, Chinese temple inside Chaloklum Bay on Koh Phanga, Thailand. ©mazzzur/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Ko Pha-Ngan

Hippy by definition, in the collective imagination Ko Pha-Ngan has become synonymous with the crazy Full Moon Parties held in Hat Rin, while the rest of the island is somewhat neglected. Too bad, because Ko Pha-Ngan actually has a lot more to offer.

For one week every month, the island is invaded by 30,000 or more people who flock to a single beach to let loose with no inhibitions, but then, once the last boatload of revelers has departed, the beaches and accommodations return semi-deserted. It is at this time that travellers on a budget and looking for a relaxing and placid seclusion can find refuge on the beach, in old huts cooled only by the blades of a fan, for the modest sum of 400B (at least in the northern beaches).

The vast jungle that covers the hinterland is still unexplored territory full of green mountains, waterfalls, pristine forests, a National Park and some of the most spectacular beaches in Thailand. If you prefer a more solitary corner of the beach, opt for the secluded beaches on the east coast, including Than Sadet, Hat Yuan, Hat Thian and tiny Ao Thong Reng. Other enchanting stretches of sand can be visited by taking a day trip to the extraordinary Ang Thong Marine National Park.

Diving at Ko Tao. Thailand. ©kampee patisena/Getty Images

Ko Tao

The younger sister of the Samui-Pha- Ngan-Tao triad, the island of Ko Tao is the smallest in terms of size, but is the Gulf of Thailand's main diving centre. Each year it attracts more and more visitors, but at the moment this tiny jungle-clad island still offers the vibrant atmosphere of Samui mixed with the more indolent and relaxed nature of Pha-Ngan.

However, Ko Tao has a trump card that its two sisters do not: easily accessible dive sites located a short distance from the coast and incredibly diverse. Enthusiasts can wander among sharks and stingrays in a wonderful tangle of fluorescent corals, toast the good day spent on the seabed with a cocktail at sunset on a pearly beach and the next day start all over again.

Furthermore, hikers and lovers of solitude will be able to immerse themselves in the splendid isolation of the humid coastal jungle stretches and, once their desire for a Robinson Crusoe experience has been satisfied, they will see a sparkling panorama of bars and nightclubs open up, where you can party until dawn.