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🇹🇭 Itinerary · Thailand · 7 days

1 Week in Thailand 2026: Bangkok and the Islands

7 well-paced days: 3 in Bangkok, then Krabi and Koh Phi Phi. The essential first-timer formula, with costed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

7 days

Stops

3 places

Average budget

€900-1,500

Total distance

~1,100 km

Profile

First-timer

Season

Nov-Mar

Bangkok 3d · Krabi 2d · Koh Phi Phi 2d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Map of the 1-week Thailand itinerary: Bangkok, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

7 days, day by day

1

~€70/person

Bangkok · Arrival & first contact

  • Morning Arrive at Suvarnabhumi. Airport Rail Link to the centre (28 min, €1).
  • Afternoon Rest off the jet lag, then a first walk around Sukhumvit.
  • Evening Street food on Sukhumvit Soi 38, then a rooftop to reset the clock (Octave, Vertigo).
🛌 🛌 Sukhumvit · e.g. Josh Hotel (3 nights)·🚇 BTS recommended·Bangkok guide →
2

~€50

Bangkok · Temples and Old City

  • 9am Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, at opening to beat the crowds.
  • 1pm Lunch near Tha Tien, then Wat Pho and its Reclining Buddha (300 ฿).
  • 5pm Boat to Wat Arun for sunset over the river.
  • 8pm Dinner around Khao San Road.
3

~€110

Bangkok → Krabi · Heading south

  • 10am Chatuchak market (weekends) or a Thai cooking class (3h, €30).
  • 3pm Domestic flight Bangkok → Krabi (AirAsia or Thai Lion, 1h20, €50-70).
  • 6pm Settle in at Ao Nang, dinner by the sea.
🛌 🛌 Ao Nang (2 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight (saves 12h vs train+bus)
4

~€60

Krabi · Railay and Phra Nang

  • Morning Longtail boat (€3) to Railay West, limestone cliffs and the iconic beach.
  • Afternoon Walk to Phra Nang Beach, snorkel from the sand.
  • Evening Back to Ao Nang, traditional Thai massage (€8/h).
5

~€50

Krabi · 4 Islands tour

  • 8am-4pm Longtail tour (€35): Poda, Chicken Island, Tup and Phra Nang. Lunch included.
  • Evening Last evening on the Ao Nang waterfront.
6

~€70

Krabi → Koh Phi Phi · The island

  • 10am Ferry Krabi → Tonsai Pier (1h30, €15).
  • Afternoon Viewpoints 1, 2 and 3 (1h30 walk, panorama over both bays).
  • Evening Fire show on Tonsai Bay.
🛌 🛌 Koh Phi Phi (2 nights)
7

Flight

Early Maya Bay → Return

  • 6am Early trip to Maya Bay before the Phuket boats, snorkel at Pileh Lagoon.
  • 1pm Ferry to Phuket (2h), then the airport (HKT).
  • Evening Flight home via Bangkok or a Gulf hub.

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€900

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €650
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €12/night
  • 🍜 Street food: €8/day
  • ⛴️ Domestic flight + ferries: €90
  • 🎫 Activities: €70
Recommended

Comfort

€1,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €750
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotel: €45/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €20/day
  • ✈️ Domestic flight: €70
  • 🎫 Activities: €120

Premium

€2,400

per person

  • ✈️ Premium flight: €1,400
  • 🏨 5★: €180/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €50/day
  • 🚖 Private transfers
  • 🎫 Private boat trips: €250

Shorter, longer

Other durations

You're here

1 week

1 week

Bangkok + the South. The essential formula.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Full North and South loop.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, from the Golden Triangle to both coasts.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A short week: a single domestic flight, then ferries in the South. The Bangkok-Krabi flight saves a full day over the night bus.

✈️

Flight Bangkok → Krabi

€50-70 · AirAsia / Thai Lion · 1h20

⛴️

Ferry Krabi → Koh Phi Phi

€15 · 1h30 · book via 12go.asia

⛴️

Ferry Koh Phi Phi → Phuket

€18 · 2h · for the return flight

Adapt by season

Andaman or Gulf, depending on the month

The Andaman South (Krabi, Koh Phi Phi) is at its best from November to April. In the rainy season (May-October), keep the 3 days in Bangkok but swap the South for the Gulf (Koh Samui), drier and more sheltered in that window.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • The domestic flight on day 3: a week is short, every hour counts.
  • • Maya Bay at 6am: the bay nearly empty before the groups arrive.
  • • Keeping Bangkok first, not last: return fatigue is easier to handle on an island.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Skip Koh Phi Phi and stay 4 days in Krabi if you want calm.
  • • Add Koh Lanta instead of Phi Phi for a quieter South.
  • • On 7 days, skip the North (Chiang Mai): transfers would eat the trip.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is one week in Thailand enough? +
Yes for a focused first trip: Bangkok plus one southern area. Trying to add the North (Chiang Mai) on 7 days loses 2 days to transport.
Domestic flight or night bus? +
The flight. Bangkok-Krabi by air costs €50-70 and takes 1h20, versus 12h by bus. On a week, the time saved is well worth it.
Which airport for the return? +
Phuket (HKT), reachable by ferry from Koh Phi Phi. Most Europe flights leave via Bangkok, Doha or Dubai.
Does this itinerary work with kids? +
Yes, it is one of the simplest: few transfers, calm beaches at Ao Nang, short boat trips. Bring sunscreen and a UV rash guard for children.
What is the best season? +
November to March: flat Andaman sea, clear skies. Avoid September-October, the monsoon peak in the South with ferries sometimes cancelled.
How much does a week cost all in? +
Around €900 as a backpacker, €1,200 in comfort and €2,400 in premium, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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