The topic of how long to stay in Thailand is a contentious one, and with good reason. No matter how motivated you are or how efficiently you plan your trip, the amount of destinations you can visit is ultimately tied to how many weeks (or, as the case may be, days) you remain in the Kingdom.
Which is not to say there’s no value to having a set plan and being committed to executing it. The contrary is true, in fact, and is more true the shorter the trip you plan to take.
For example, if you have just 10 days in Thailand, you’ll need to be intentional about where you go and precise about what you do. Well, unless you simply want to lay on the beach for a week and a half (in which case this post might not be the one for you).
Why So Many Travelers Spend Just 10 Days in Thailand
If you know the Kingdom well, then a 10 day Thailand itinerary might seem a bit too short—and this is not inaccurate. Even if you fly between destinations and explore efficiently while on the ground, Thailand is simply too larger to see comprehensively in just over a week. Of course, this—wanting to see “everywhere” in Thailand—is not what motivates many travelers who take a trip of this length.
Instead, the reality is that many travelers from Western countries only get 10 days off work per year, if they’re lucky. Or, even if they can technically take longer off work, their kids might not be able to get longer off school. For Asian travelers, meanwhile, a comprehensive trip was never the goal. If you’re a citizen or resident of Singapore or Vietnam, to be sure, a 10-day Thailand trip might actually be considered long, relatively speaking!
How to Divide Up Your 10 Days in Thailand
Start with a couple nights in Bangkok
I used to live in Bangkok, so I’m biased about Thailand’s sometimes-maligned capital. Still, you’re almost certainly going to be landing here, so why not kick-off your 10 night trip with a couple in Bangkok? At a minimum, you can spend a day each exploring the old city of Rattanakosin and the modern part of Bangkok filled with skyscrapers and shopping malls.
Next, head north to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai or Lampang
As is the case with longe trips to Thailand, your10 days in Thailand itinerary will continue in the north. Unlike shorter trips, however, I want to give you some choice. For example, while the obvious option would be simply to choose Chiang Mai, other options include Chiang Rai (which is slightly more off the beaten path) or Lampang, which is way more off it.
(And maybe all of them)
Planning to visit Thailand during the rainy season, or simply don’t think you want to spend much time on the beach? In this case, you’ll be able to afford staying longer in the country’s north, and won’t have to pick and choose. With a whole week in the north, you can visit both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai (and even the nearby Golden Triangle), or potential pair Chiang Mai and Lampang with the Mae Hong Son Loop.
Choose between Andaman or Gulf of Thailand beaches
On the other hand, it’s likely that your Thailand 10 day itinerary will include some beach time. If this is the case and you don’t neglect the north, you’ll need to make a choice. Do you head far west into the Andaman Sea, whether to places like Phuket and Krabi, or further south to Koh Lipe or the Trang archipelago? Or do you stick to the Gulf of Thailand, i.e. Koh Samui (and nearby islands) or quieter, less-visited Trat?
(Or maybe don’t)
Of course, if in fact northern Thailand isn’t a priority to you, you can devote all your time outside of Bangkok to islands and beaches. In this case, you could spend 3-4 days island hopping from Koh Phi Phi or Koh Lanta down to Koh Lipe, before flying to Samui or Trat and spending the rest of your time on islands like Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Mak, Koh Wai or Koh Kood.
Longer Trips to Thailand
If it’s at all possible for you to stay longer in Thailand, you should. Here are some longer trips—and why you should take them:
- Two weeks in Thailand: This will give you longer in Bangkok, and allow you either to explore the north more deeply, or to visit more islands.
- Three weeks in Thailand: No more picking and choosing! With three weeks, you can spend (at least) a week digging deep into the north, and several days in both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
- One month in Thailand: Other than living in Thailand long-term, this is the most comprehensive trip most people take, with plenty of time not only in the North and in the Islands, but also potentially in Isaan.
(This is to say nothing of how much you can see throughout the rest of Southeast Asia if you’re able to stay in the region for a month or longer.)
Other FAQ About Spending 10 Days in Thailand
It is worth going to Thailand for 10 days?
With 10 days in Thailand, you can cover quite a lot of ground, even if this isn’t enough time for a comprehensive trip. Do keep in mind that if you’re visiting from Europe or the US, 10 days may be barely enough time to get over your jet lag.
Is 10 days too short for Thailand?
10 days in Thailand isn’t necessarily a short trip. As one example, you could spend three nights in Bangkok, three nights in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai and up to four nights on one or more islands—a very satisfying trip. However, you can’t go “everywhere” in Thailand with just 10 days, so keep that in mind.
How to split 10 days in Thailand?
Roughly speaking, I recommend that you split your 10 days in Thailand in the following way: 2-3 nights in Bangkok, with the remaining time split evenly between the North and the Islands. For example, if you spend 2 nights in Bangkok, you can follow this up with 3-4 nights in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, and 4-5 nights in beach destinations like Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui or Koh Chang.
The Bottom Line
Having 10 days in Thailand allows you to visit the Kingdom’s three main regions, even if you’ll have to pick and choose destinations within them. Specifically, after starting off in Bangkok, you’ll fly north to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, but probably not both. From there, you’ll fly south, though when it comes to Thailand’s islands, there’s once again some flexibility: Most travelers will head west to Phuket, Krabi or Koh Samui, but more adventurous types will go east to the more remote Trat archipelago. As for the very savviest Thailand travelers? They’ll hire me to plan a custom Thailand itinerary for them, of course!
