I visited Thailand in July 2022 as part of a three week trip around Southeast Asia.
I spent about a week and a half across Bangkok, Krabi, and Chiang Mai and got a good taste of why people love Thailand so much.
This is my guide to Thailand, including my favorite things to do, where to stay, and where to find the best food and coffee.
Thailand Itinerary
This itinerary worked really well for my trip:
- Bangkok (3-4 days): Temples, markets, big city, food
- Krabi (3-4 days): Island hopping, beaches, relaxing
- Chiang Mai (3-4 days): Markets, cafes, culture, elephant sanctuary
This is a great first-time Thailand itinerary because it gives you a mix of city, beach, and mountains.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, Thailand felt very tourist-friendly – It was relatively easy to communicate, there were many signs in English (and Chinese), and there was a general sense that things are built to accommodate visitors.
Thailand also has fantastic coffee shops, amazing food, and incredibly kind people. The country is culturally interesting, has a huge diversity in landscapes, and is very affordable to travel.
That said, there were also some things to watch out for and know before you go:
- Bangkok is massive and super spread out – It can take a long time to get from point A to point B, both because of traffic and the size of the city.
- In July, it was hot and humid by mid-morning, and thunderstormed often in the afternoon.
- Expect some scams near major tourist attractions (example: People tried to tell us that the Grand Palace was closed “for lunch” – it wasn’t). I’d recommend researching common scams before visiting Thailand.
- Chiang Mai had surprisingly few sidewalks and wasn’t that walkable.
- Krabi was quiet when I visited (post-COVID), but locals said it’s usually lively and full of nightlife. In some places, people could be kind of aggressive about getting you to eat at their restaurants, but you can just give a firm “no” and continue to walk away.
- Temples are extremely sexist. Women are expected to cover their knees, shoulders, etc., when the same standards are often not applied to men (sometimes they are). Women are also banned from entering certain areas of some temples.
Bangkok
Bangkok was the most sprawling city I’ve ever seen. It has fantastic energy, with historic architecture and modern infrastructure, and lots to do.
Best Things to Do in Bangkok
Grand Palace
The most famous site in Bangkok, worth a visit for its top tier Thai architecture. I recommend going early, as it gets very hot by noon.
Avoid Golden Place, the cafe inside the palace, at all costs – The coffee is terrible and overpriced.
ChangChui Market
A cute artist market, built around an abandoned airfield. There’s food, jewelry, local crafts, books, and more. Most of the shops open around 4PM.
Dog in Town Ari
A dog cafe with a lot of “internet viral dogs”, including French bulldogs, samoyeds, huskies, etc. The dogs seemed a bit tired, but the staff were really nice and the iced latte was actually really good.
Best Food & Coffee in Bangkok
Coffee & Cafes
- Slowbar: Croffle was absolutely fire and so was the dirty matcha. One of my favorite cafes in Bangkok.
- Vivi Coffee Place: Great place to watch the sunset, the coffee was decent but not strong.
- Chata: Cafe with nice vibes. Really good pandan latte, I expected more from the salted egg yolk croissant was fine, but it was just okay – none of the flavors really popped.
- Nana Coffee Roasters: Fruit toast was really good, but affogato was really disappointing. Beautiful space.
- A Coffee Roaster by li-bra-ry: Fantastic waffle, unique presentation.
Food
- Chom Arun: Fantastic view from the rooftop, felt touristy but had pretty good food (got their pad thai).
- Hok: Really good dim sum.
- Baby Bar: One of the best meals I had in Thailand. Shrimp pad thai & coconut cold brew were both insanely good. Thai pork neck rice and a scoop of matcha ice cream were also incredible.
- Shinsei Sushi: Fresh, delicious salmon roll.
Where to Stay in Bangkok
- Hotel Royal @ Chinatown: Good location, nice amenities, affordable, but my room had no windows.
- The Craftsman: Super aesthetic, but not very practical. Located in a nice neighborhood full of cute coffee shops, on the expensive side for Thailand.
Krabi
Krabi was quieter and more laid-back compared to Bangkok, possibly because tourism was still recovering when we went. The white sand beaches on the surrounding islands are some of the best in the world.
Normally, Krabi is known for its nightlife (although less than its neighboring Phuket), but as someone who doesn’t love nightlife, I loved how peaceful it was when I visited.
Best Things to Do in Krabi
Ko Poda
One of my favorite beaches in the world. Clear water, white sand, cool rock formations, and nearly empty when we visited. It’s a short boat ride away (boats need a minimum of 6 people to run) and requires a park fee.
Reeve Beach Club Fire Show
Fun nighttime show with great energy, the fire acrobats are really impressive.
Best Food & Coffee in Krabi
Coffee & Cafes
- Sunn Coffee Bar: One of my favorite iced lattes in the world. The owner is incredibly nice.
Food
- Reeve Restaurant: Great ambiance and service, but the waitress lied to me and told me a dish wasn’t spicy.
- Brightside Bistro: Tuscan chicken pasta was perfect – not too heavy, delicious chicken.
Where to Stay in Krabi
- Panan Krabi Resort: Great resort hotel for a good price. Loved the rooftop infinity pool (with a great view of the surrounding mountains) and the breakfast buffet.
Chiang Mai
Of my three stops in Thailand, Chiang Mai was my favorite. I loved its artisan markets, sense of community, cute coffee shops, and diversity of activities.
Best Things to Do in Chiang Mai
ChiangMai Muay Thai Gym
I took a 1.5 hour Intro to Muay Thai class here. The class I took was not for serious students of Muay Thai, moreso just a cool experience – very fun and beginner friendly.
Wua Lai Walking Street
Huge open air market food and handmade goods. I loved the sticky rice pancakes, and would recommend filling up by trying a little of everything.
Baan Kang Wat
One of the highlights of my time in Thailand. Baan Kang Wat is the cutest and most heartwarming artisan community – everyone who owns or runs a shop there is extremely nice and collaborative, and they sell really nice local jewelry and crafts at an affordable price. They also have their own outdoor cat that roams the village, and live music that plays some afternoons.
Kanta Elephant Sanctuary
Well run “ethical” elephant experience (no riding). You spend time feeding the elephants and helping to bathe them.
The elephants are really cute and the staff really try to give you a good experience with them. You have to walk through mud (and sometimes elephant poop), so it’s not for people who are afraid of getting a little dirty.
Best Food & Coffee in Chiang Mai
Coffee & Cafes
- Moon Cafe and Eatery: Shrimp roll was really good, hojicha was okay. Nice ambiance.
- glin.cafe: Extremely beautiful cafe – I didn’t like the food or coffee though.
- Fern Forest Cafe: One of my favorite cafes of all time. Highly recommend the “Fly me to the moon” (earl grey, lemon, lychee cold brew tea), latte, spinach mushroom roti, and coconut cake. Fantastic ambiance too, beautiful outdoor space with leafy plants and a koi pond.
- Obchoei: Great carrot cake.
- Old Days Bistro: Excellent iced latte.
- Mahasamut Library: The sun juice (passion fruit iced tea) is insanely good, and the owner is so nice, he even gave me an extra passion fruit!
- The Volcano: Great cheese bread.
- Graph Coffee: Fantastic cream cheese carrot cake, cool ambiance.
Food
- Yook Samai: Super affordable and good pork rice.
- Jia Tong Heng: One of my favorite meals in Thailand – Wood ear egg stir fry was incredible, I also really enjoyed the stewed duck and pan fried pork buns.
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
- Icon Park Hotel: My favorite hotel of the trip. Two free upgrades, super nice staff, and unlimited free bottled water.
Final Thoughts
Thailand was a fantastic trip, with all the elements I love in a travel destination – great food and coffee, beautiful landscapes, amazing architecture, and kind people.
The cities I visited gave me a great taste of the country, and I’m excited to return one day to revisit all of my favorite spots and see more of what Thailand has to offer.
ADJENTURING 