In short: Go south for beaches, islands and boat trips. Go north for mountains, jungle trekking, cooler weather and Chiang Mai's temples and night markets. First trip, two weeks or less? Go south. Eighteen days or more? You don't have to choose.
| Feature | Southern Thailand | Northern Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Main hubs | Krabi, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Phangan, Khao Sok | Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai |
| Landscape | Limestone cliffs, white sand, turquoise sea | Forested mountains, rice terraces, waterfalls |
| Best for | Swimming, snorkelling, island hopping, nightlife | Trekking, temples, markets, elephant sanctuaries |
| Weather | Hot and humid all year | Cooler, especially November to February |
| Getting around | Ferries, longtail boats, minivans | Minivans, scooters, short flights |
| Best months | November to April on the Andaman coast | November to February |
| Budget | Pricier, and the islands climb steeply in high season | Cheaper on beds, food and activities |
In this guide
- What southern Thailand is actually like
- What northern Thailand is actually like
- Should first-time visitors go north or south?
- Can you do both in one trip?
- When to go, region by region
- Which of our Thailand trips covers what
- What to sort before you fly
What southern Thailand is actually like
Southern Thailand is where the beaches are, and it is the version of Thailand most people have in their heads before they book anything. The Andaman coast holds Krabi, Railay, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket, all built around limestone karsts that rise straight out of turquoise water. Over on the Gulf side you get Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, home of the Full Moon Party.
It is not all coastline either. Inland, Khao Sok National Park is one of the oldest rainforests on earth. You sleep in floating bungalows moored on Cheow Lan Lake, wake up surrounded by jungle-covered cliffs, and kayak straight off your doorstep. It is consistently the stop travellers tell us they did not see coming.
The trade-off is that the south is hot and humid all year, busier, more developed and more expensive than the north. It is also the reason most people book a flight to Thailand in the first place, and it earns that.
- Island hopping to Maya Bay and the Phi Phi viewpoint
- Railay Beach, reachable only by longtail boat
- Floating bungalows and kayaking in Khao Sok
- The 1,237 steps up Tiger Cave Temple
- Mangrove kayaking and beach days in Krabi
- Nightlife in Patong, Ao Nang and on the islands
If you want the specifics, our guide to the 5 best places in Thailand for backpackers goes stop by stop, and 15 spots beyond the crowds covers what to add once you have done the obvious ones.
What northern Thailand is actually like
Northern Thailand is mountains and forest. Chiang Mai is the cultural capital, packed with temples, night markets and cooking schools, and it sits at the foot of Doi Suthep, the mountain temple you can see from most of the city. It is a slower, greener, more liveable place than anywhere in the south.
Get out of the city and you are straight into trekking country. Overnight treks climb through rice paddies to hill tribe villages where you eat and sleep, and you finish the next morning by rafting a bamboo raft back down the river. The north is also where Thailand's best-regarded ethical elephant sanctuaries operate, the ones with no riding, no chains and no performances.
It is cooler up here, properly so from November to February when the nights genuinely get cold and you will want a fleece for the trek. It is cheaper than the islands and far less crowded. If temples are the draw, read how to respectfully visit a Thai temple before you go, because the dress code is enforced at Doi Suthep.
- Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and the old city temples
- Overnight hill tribe treks and bamboo rafting
- The Sticky Waterfalls, which you climb rather than admire
- Ethical elephant sanctuaries
- Chiang Mai's night markets and cooking classes
- Pai and Chiang Rai as easy add-ons
Should first-time visitors go north or south?
Go south if it is your first trip to Thailand and you have two weeks or less.
The reasoning is simple. The south delivers more of what people picture when they think of Thailand, the logistics are easier, and you can build a full trip around Bangkok plus one or two southern regions without losing days to transit. Two weeks in the south feels generous. Two weeks split across the country feels rushed.
Go north instead if you already know you prefer hiking to beach days, if you are travelling in the hot season and want relief from it, or if you are watching your budget closely. Your money goes noticeably further in Chiang Mai than it does in Ao Nang in January.
Tip: Not sure yet? Look at what you did on your last holiday rather than what sounds good now. People who came home from a beach trip itching to move usually love the north. People who spent a hiking holiday thinking about swimming should go south.
Can you do both in one trip?
Yes, and it makes the better trip if you have 18 days or more.
The catch is distance. Chiang Mai and Phuket sit roughly 1,500 km apart, so doing both means either a domestic flight of about two hours or a long overnight train and bus combination. Domestic fares are cheap if you book ahead, and it is worth comparing flights on Skyscanner as soon as your dates firm up. Budget at least half a day for the transfer either way.
The overland option is not a consolation prize either. Thailand's sleeper trains are a genuine highlight, which is why all three of our Thailand trips build one in on purpose. Our guide on how to master Thailand's night train covers which class to book and what to expect.
What does not work is squeezing both halves into two weeks. You will spend the trip packing. A realistic three-week split is two or three days in Bangkok, a week in the south, then fly north for the last week, or the reverse if you would rather finish on a beach.
When to go, region by region
Thailand does not have one weather season, it has three, and they do not line up. That matters more for this decision than anything else on the page.
- Andaman coast (Krabi, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi): November to April is dry season and the best time to go. May to October brings heavier rain and rougher seas, though it stays warm and gets a lot cheaper.
- Gulf coast (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao): runs on its own schedule. February to April is the sweet spot, and October to December is the wettest stretch.
- Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai): November to February is ideal, cool and dry. June to October is green, lush and wet.
Tip: Watch out for burning season in the north, roughly late February to early April, when agricultural fires push the haze around Chiang Mai and air quality drops sharply. It is the one window where we would steer you south instead.
The overlap where almost everywhere works is November to February. If you are doing both halves and you can pick your dates freely, pick those. Our full Thailand weather guide breaks it down month by month.
Which of our Thailand trips covers what
We have run group tours through Thailand since 2013, and we have built three trips that answer this question three different ways. All three start in Bangkok, run in groups of 6 to 20, and are aimed at solo travellers aged 20 to 45.
| If you want | Take | Days | From | Ends in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islands and beaches, nothing else | Island Paradise | 14 | £1,225 | Phuket |
| The south done properly, with the culture stops | Classic | 19 | £1,649 | Phuket |
| North and south in one trip | Expedition | 18 | £1,689 | Chiang Mai |
Backpacking Thailand: Island Paradise, 14 days
The short one. Straight to the water. Khao Sok floating bungalows, mangrove kayaking in Krabi, Railay Beach and island hopping to Maya Bay, with 17 activities and 13 meals included. It skips the inland culture stops so you spend more of your two weeks on the coast, and it finishes in Phuket. See the full itinerary.
Backpacking Thailand: Classic, 19 days
The complete one. Everything Island Paradise has, plus the central and southern stops people regret skipping: Erawan's seven waterfalls, a full day at an elephant sanctuary, the overnight train, a Thai cooking lesson, Amphawa floating market and monk merit at sunrise. At 30 activities and 19 meals it is our most packed Thailand trip. See the full itinerary.
Backpacking Thailand: Expedition, 18 days
The one that goes north. The only trip of the three that crosses the whole country. Khao Sok, Koh Phangan, Muay Thai and Phi Phi island hopping in the south, then a flight to Chiang Mai for Doi Suthep, the Sticky Waterfalls, an overnight hill tribe trek, bamboo rafting and an elephant sanctuary. The domestic flight is included, so the transfer is handled for you. See the full itinerary.
All three hold your spot with a £250 deposit. If you want to see the routes side by side, the Thailand tour map plots them, and our 10-day Thailand itinerary is a good sanity check on how much fits into a shorter trip.
What to sort before you fly
Whichever half you land on, four things are worth doing early rather than in the airport queue.
- Entry paperwork. Most nationalities get a visa exemption stamp on arrival, but the rules move. Check yours against your passport with Sherpa, and read our notes on whether you need a visa for Thailand.
- The TDAC. Thailand now wants an online arrival card before you travel. Ours explains it here: TDAC required for entry to Thailand.
- Insurance. Non-negotiable if you are trekking, riding boats or getting anywhere near a scooter. SafetyWing covers long trips and you can start it after you have left home.
- Money. Thailand is still a cash country outside the cities, and ATM fees add up fast across a three-week trip. A Wise travel money card keeps the exchange rate honest.
Frequently asked questions
Is northern or southern Thailand cheaper?
Northern Thailand, comfortably. Beds, food and activities all cost less in and around Chiang Mai than on the Andaman islands, where prices climb sharply in high season. The gap is widest between December and February.
How many days do you need to do both north and south?
At least 18. Two weeks is enough for one region done properly, or both done badly. Our 18-day Expedition is built around exactly that constraint.
Is Chiang Mai worth visiting if I only have two weeks?
Only if you are happy to skip the islands. With two weeks, pick Bangkok plus the south or Bangkok plus the north. Trying to cover both leaves you with a day and a half in each place.
What is the best month to visit both regions?
November to February. It is dry season on the Andaman coast and cool season in the north, and it lands before burning season starts in late February.
Do I need to fly between north and south Thailand?
Not strictly, but it is usually worth it. Chiang Mai to Phuket or Krabi takes about two hours in the air against a day and a half overland, and the fare is often less than the time you would lose.
Which is better for solo travellers?
Both work. Thailand is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel alone. The southern islands have more backpackers and a livelier social scene, while Chiang Mai has a bigger long-stay community and a gentler pace.
Why book with Backpacking Tours?
We have been running Thailand trips since 2013, in groups of 6 to 20 with a licensed guide throughout, and all three of our Thailand tours are built around the north-or-south question rather than pretending it does not exist. Airport transfers, in-country transport and every listed activity are included, right down to the Expedition's flight north to Chiang Mai, so the only thing you have to decide is which half of the country you want.
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