First time to Thailand - recommendations/help?

ellen, I know that you posted a question on this Forum a couple years ago, asking about potential tour companies. I wonder if you then wound up taking a guided tour, but it appears that you’re planning on visiting Thailand on your own.

However, for what it’s worth, we just returned from a Vietnam and Cambodia trip. Vietnam was with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), which was 13 people (their maximum group size is 16), and Cambodia was a customized private tour for the two of us with Little Vietnam Tours. Little Vietnam was cheaper and also spent more time at Ankor Wat/Siem Reap than the OAT post-trip extension, per our individualized itinerary. It was our second trip with OAT, and first with Little Vietnam, and both offer Thailand trips. My first time in Asia, and my husband had only had two nights in Bangkok coming/going from a Nepal trip 27 years ago.

We just got a 360-page catalog of OAT trips for 2025. They have a new “Discover Thailand” trip in 2025; 16 days (including flying to/from Bangkok), for $4,395, including airfare from Los Angeles. One day visits an elephant care center near Chiang Mai, with a dinner at a local family’s home the night before. Their promotion is a $750 discount, per person, on any OAT trip booked by Jan. 31 (use code NEWYEAR25). That’s more days than you said you wanted, but again, for what it’s worth.

Little Vietnam worked with us to develop our itinerary, and I’m sure they could develop one with your timeframe and interests. For what it’s worth.

Answers to your earlier Tour Company posting mentioned that COVID caused some companies to not happily give cash refunds. OAT cheerfully gave credits for future trips, but wasn’t enthusiastic about cash refunds back then - it was a tough time for everybody, customers and businesses. After our Africa safari with OAT in 2022, we signed up for a Jordan/Egypt/Red Sea/Cyprus trip that was supposed to happen in December 2023. The Israel/Hamas/Houthi conflict cancelled that, and OAT did give us a cash refund, although it took them 6 weeks to issue it.

Bangkok is easy to DIY. Taxis and decent public transport. For day trips - We hired drivers to take us to Ayutthaya (ancient temple ruins and modern temples) and Kanchanaburi/River Kwai area (WWII, gorgeous scenery, museums). Our trip was pre-Covid - I would look at current Get Your Guide or TripAdvisor providers with reviews if you are interested in either spots as day trips. We were living in Asia at the time - spent about a week in Bangkok with the the day trips.

Chiang Mai was a separate trip, again from Asia (not my current Chicago base). 5 nights as I recall. We hired a driver/guide who took us to the temples, botanic gardens, markets, tea plantation, hiking, etc that we wanted to see. Several DIY walkable museums in city center. I was not interested in elephant sanctuaries, but they seem to have "cleaned up" some of these spots since my visit. At a quick glance, several emphasize "ethical" which was not the case when I traveled. It used to be that some sanctuaries offered pick-ups from central Chiang Mai locations - I saw some of those transport vehicles and would not have wanted to ride in them - open top, back of pick-up sort of vehicle, no restraints. I tend to the conservative with transport and will also not ride in tuk-tuks. Others may disagree. (Not looking for any arguments or discussions of transport. People can travel as they desire. Just giving you my bias.)

I've not traveled to the beaches - sorry can't help there.

Timing - I was warned about burning season for Chiang Mai - January thru April or so. Slash and burn clearing of fields which can produce poor air quality and haze. Bangkok - I was warned to avoid monsoon season - May - October, I wasn't interested in Songkran (Thai New Year Festival with water fights in April - changeable dates, I believe). Of necessity, we ended up in Bangkok in later April - about the hottest time of the year. It was hot - near 100 F. We were coming from another hot Asian climate so were OK with it - not the ideal if you can pick another time.

I really enjoyed my two trips. You've got me thinking of another!

Agree with David’s comments above. After flying 20+ hours to get to Thailand from Los Angeles years ago, I was there for 3 weeks. I wouldn’t think of doing it for less than 3 weeks because it takes so long just to get there.

I lived in Thailand for two years. It was mostly during COVID so tourism was way down, so my experiences might be different.

Timing- the best months are November through January. Cooler and less humid. Burning season in the north is in the spring, and it gets really hot. Summer through October can be very rainy.

My favorite places were Chiang Mai, Khao Sok National Park,.Railay Beach (super touristy but worth it), and Koh Lipe (hard to get to but stunning beaches). I don't like Koh Samui because it's so touristy and overdeveloped. I actually like Phuket, as long as you stay away from the Patong and nearby beaches area.

I personally wouldn't devote a ton of time for Bangkok.