Most first trips to Thailand from Chennai combine a city with a beach. The right route depends on how many days you have and who is travelling.
Five days: Bangkok and Pattaya
This is the most popular first trip, and the route our group departures follow.
- Nights 1–2: Pattaya, two hours from Bangkok airport, for Coral Island, the Alcazar show and Nong Nooch Garden.
- Nights 3–4: Bangkok, for the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Safari World, a river dinner cruise and shopping.
It is easy, with no internal flights. See our own Thailand Ultimate Boys Escape.
Seven days: city and island
- Nights 1–2: Bangkok.
- Nights 3–6: Phuket or Krabi, with a day trip to the Phi Phi Islands.
This swaps Pattaya for the Andaman coast's clearer water and limestone scenery. It needs one domestic flight, which takes about an hour and twenty minutes.
Ten days: the full picture
- Nights 1–2: Bangkok.
- Nights 3–4: Chiang Mai, for temples, a cooking class and an ethical elephant sanctuary.
- Nights 5–7: Phuket.
- Nights 8–9: Krabi.
This combines culture in the north with two very different beach bases.
Adjusting by season
From June to October the Andaman coast is rougher. Swap Phuket and Krabi for Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. See Best time to visit Thailand: which coast, which month.
Who suits which route
- Friends: Pattaya and Bangkok, for nightlife and activities.
- Couples and honeymooners: Krabi, Phuket or Koh Samui, with a night in Bangkok.
- Families: Bangkok and Pattaya for attractions, or Phuket's Kata and Karon beaches for calm water.
Practical tips
Fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card before landing, carry some baht in cash for markets and street food, and dress modestly at temples. Indian food is easy to find in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.
When to go
When to go
When to go
When to go