Things to Do in Thailand: 12 Picks From Bangkok to Railay
These are the 12 things to do in Thailand I would repeat tomorrow, ranked from Bangkok to the southern islands, with real baht costs and the public transport that gets you there. The whole list fits inside $30 to $50 a day if you eat street food, ride trains and skip the packaged tours sold on Khao San Road.
I have spent close to a year in Thailand across five trips, sleeping in 250 baht dorms, riding third class trains and learning which “must-do” experiences are actually worth the money. Want these stops in order, day by day? My 2 week Thailand itinerary links them by train, bus and boat, and more routes live in the Travel Tricks itineraries vault.
Wat Arun from the river, the first stop on this list of things to do in Thailand.
Before the Things to Do in Thailand: Money and Arrival
Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a flat fee of around 220 baht per withdrawal, so take out the maximum each time and pay cash almost everywhere outside malls. At roughly 35 baht to the US dollar (check the live rate), 100 baht is under $3. Install Grab or Bolt for fair taxi prices, grab a tourist SIM at the airport, and fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online before you fly.
Tap water is not drinkable, but blue refill machines on street corners fill a liter for a baht or two. Carry a big bottle and you will skip dozens of plastic ones.
Things to Do in Thailand: Bangkok and the Central Plains
1. Ride the Chao Phraya Express Boat
Skip the tourist boats. The orange flag commuter boat runs the same river route for around 16 baht flat and stops near Wat Pho, Wat Arun and the Grand Palace.
2. Wat Pho and Wat Arun, Not Just the Grand Palace
The Grand Palace costs 500 baht and is packed by 10am. Wat Pho, home of the giant reclining Buddha, and Wat Arun across the river cost a few hundred baht combined and are calmer early. Cover shoulders and knees at all three.
3. Eat Your Way Through Chinatown
Yaowarat Road after dark is the best street food strip in the country: pork noodle soup, oyster omelet and mango sticky rice for 50 to 100 baht a plate. For breakfast, a 7-Eleven toastie and iced coffee cost about 70 baht, the same convenience store hack I leaned on in my Japan travel guide, just hotter.
4. Chatuchak Weekend Market
Over 10,000 stalls on Saturdays and Sundays, reached by BTS to Mo Chit or MRT to Chatuchak Park. Arrive by 9am before the heat.
5. Ayutthaya by Third Class Train
The old capital sits about 80 kilometers north of Bangkok, and ordinary third class trains get you there in under two hours for less than 20 baht. Check which Bangkok station your train leaves from, because services are split between Hua Lamphong and Krung Thep Aphiwat. The Historic City of Ayutthaya is a UNESCO site of temple ruins best explored by rented bicycle for about 50 baht a day. Among the cheap things to do in Thailand, nothing beats this for history per baht.
The North: Temples, Trains and Mountains
6. Take the Overnight Sleeper Train to Chiang Mai
A second class sleeper berth from Bangkok takes around 12 to 13 hours and saves a night of accommodation. Book the lower berth for more space and a window, and reserve early on the State Railway’s online system. It is the same save-a-bed trick as the overnight desert bus in my Morocco travel guide.
7. Doi Suthep and Monk Chat
Red shared songthaews run up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep from near Chiang Mai University for a fixed price each way once they fill up. Back in the old city, the free monk chat sessions at Wat Chedi Luang let you ask monks anything, from daily routines to meditation.
8. Chiang Mai Sunday Walking Street
Ratchadamnoen Road turns into a mile of crafts, grilled sausages, khao soi and 30 baht fruit shakes every Sunday evening. Follow it with a street foot massage for around 200 to 300 baht an hour.
9. Chiang Rai’s White and Blue Temples
The Greenbus from Chiang Mai takes about three hours. Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, charges foreigners a small entry fee, while the Blue Temple is free.
Doi Suthep above Chiang Mai, one of the best value things to do in Thailand.
Island Things to Do in Thailand: The South
10. Khao Sok Lake
Limestone cliffs rising out of emerald water, reached by bus from Surat Thani. Shared day trips to Cheow Lan Lake start around 1,500 baht, and the national park fee for foreigners is a few hundred baht. It is the splurge on this list worth making.
11. Learn to Dive on Koh Tao
Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places on Earth to get certified, and many schools include dorm accommodation during the course. Not diving? Snorkel straight off the beach at Shark Bay or Tanote Bay for free.
12. Railay by Longtail Boat
Railay has no road access, so a longtail from Ao Nang costs around 100 to 150 baht each way. Hike to the viewpoint, watch climbers on the cliffs and stay for sunset on West Railay beach.
Use this things to do in Thailand transport table to connect the three regions without booking a single tour.
| Route | Best Option | Typical Cost | Backpacker Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok to Chiang Mai | Overnight sleeper train | About 800 to 1,200 baht | Lower berth, booked early, saves a night. |
| Bangkok to Chiang Mai (fast) | Budget flight | About 1,000 to 2,000 baht | Cabin bag only; checked bags add up. |
| Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai | Greenbus | About 200 to 300 baht | Book the VIP seat for a little extra legroom. |
| Bangkok to Koh Tao | Joint bus or train plus ferry ticket | About 1,000 to 1,500 baht | Buy from the ferry company, not a travel desk. |
| Inside cities | BTS, MRT, songthaew or Grab | 20 to 100 baht | Agree songthaew prices before you climb in. |
At lunchtime, follow the office crowds to food courts inside malls and markets. You buy a prepaid card, eat pad kra pao or khao man gai for 50 to 70 baht, and get your unused balance refunded at the counter. Air conditioning is included.
Daily Budget Breakdown
Here is what a normal day costs while working through these things to do in Thailand:
- Dorm bed: 250 to 450 baht in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the islands.
- Breakfast: 7-Eleven toastie and coffee for 60 to 80 baht.
- Lunch and dinner: street food or food courts for 150 to 250 baht total.
- Transport: 100 to 200 baht a day averaged across trains, buses and boats.
- Activities and massage: 100 to 300 baht on most days.
- Water: about 10 baht a day using refill machines.
That totals roughly 700 to 1,400 baht a day, about $20 to $40, leaving room for Khao Sok, a dive course or a sanctuary visit.
Scams and Rules for Things to Do in Thailand
“The Grand Palace is closed today.” It almost never is. The friendly stranger wants to put you in a 20 baht tuk-tuk that stops at gem and tailor shops paying him commission. Walk to the gate and check yourself.
Scooters and jet skis: never leave your passport as a deposit, photograph every scratch before you ride, and know that most insurance will not cover you without a motorcycle license.
Respect: cover up in temples, never touch anyone’s head, and avoid any joke or comment about the royal family, which is taken seriously by law. Pick elephant sanctuaries that ban riding.
Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok, the splurge worth making among all the things to do in Thailand.
Things to Do in Thailand FAQ
Plan on 700 to 1,400 baht a day, roughly $20 to $40, for a dorm bed, street food, local transport and one paid activity. Diving courses, sanctuaries and Khao Sok tours are extra, so budget them separately.
November to February is the cool, dry season across most of the country and the busiest. March to May is very hot, and June to October brings rain but lower prices. The Gulf islands like Koh Tao have a different pattern, with heavier rain around November.
Only if you already ride confidently, wear a helmet, and carry a license with a motorcycle endorsement. Without one, most travel insurance will not cover a crash. Never leave your passport as a deposit; offer a cash deposit instead.
Many nationalities, including US, UK and Canadian citizens, can enter visa-free for a set number of days, but that length has changed more than once. Check the current rules and complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online before you land.
Three weeks covers every item on this list of things to do in Thailand at a relaxed pace. With two weeks, pick either the north or the islands after Bangkok.
Master Route Verdict
The best things to do in Thailand are rarely the ones sold on tour desks. Ride the commuter boat, eat in Chinatown, take the third class train to Ayutthaya and the sleeper north, then finish on the islands with one proper splurge. You will spend $30 to $50 a day and see more than the tour buses do.
Save this list of things to do in Thailand offline, carry small notes, and keep your passport in your own pocket. Then head back to the Travel Tricks adventure hub and plan where the backpack goes next.
