What to Do in Thailand for 10 Days: A Sanity-Saving Survival Guide

Your Day-By-Day Gameplan: What To Do In Thailand For 10 Days

Thailand rewards those who embrace strategic planning while leaving room for spontaneity—much like preparing your tax returns with just enough creativity to avoid an audit. The following itinerary balances cultural immersion, urban exploration, and beach recovery time, acknowledging that most Americans require at least two days of horizontal beach time to justify the transpacific journey.

Days 1-3: Bangkok’s Organized Chaos

Bangkok exists as a city of spectacular contradictions—gold-leaf temples stand beside 7-Elevens, while orange-robed monks check Instagram on smartphones. The city operates as if someone tossed traditional Asia, futuristic skyscrapers, and chaotic street markets into a blender and hit puree. For accommodations, consider three distinct options: social hostels around Khao San Road ($20/night), where each morning begins with tales of questionable decisions from the night before; boutique hotels in Sukhumvit ($85/night) offering stylish reprieve from the humidity; or riverside luxury properties ($250/night) where staff remember your breakfast preferences with alarming accuracy.

Temple visits require strategic timing to avoid both the crushing midday heat and the crushing midday tour groups. Arrive at the Grand Palace at its 8:30am opening when the gold spires glitter in morning light and the air hasn’t yet transformed into hot soup. The entrance fee ($15) buys access to Thailand’s most sacred spaces, including the Emerald Buddha, which despite its name is actually made of jade—an early lesson in Thai flexibility with facts. Continue to Wat Pho to see the 150-foot reclining Buddha, whose mother-of-pearl feet display 108 auspicious symbols that most visitors photograph without understanding.

Save Wat Arun for late afternoon, when the setting sun transforms its porcelain-studded spires into a photographer’s dream. Cross the river by ferry ($0.50) for the perfect sunset shot that will make your Instagram followers momentarily hate their cubicle existence. Between temple visits, Bangkok’s transportation options range from the BTS Skytrain—an elevated escape hatch from the traffic apocalypse below ($0.50-$1.50 per ride)—to river taxis offering breezy shortcuts past congested streets ($0.75-1.50).

Bangkok’s Food Scene: Beyond Pad Thai

Bangkok’s street food deserves its legendary status, offering culinary experiences that make the $18 “authentic” Thai appetizers back home seem like highway robbery. Find the city’s best Pad Thai at Thip Samai ($3-5), where the 60-year-old recipe and perpetual line of locals confirm its superiority. For those seeking more adventure, Or Tor Kor Market presents a master class in Thai ingredients alongside prepared foods that challenge Western palates in the best possible ways.

When ordering, remember that Thai spice levels operate on an entirely different scale from American ones. Thai “medium” equals American “call-the-fire-department,” while Thai “spicy” roughly translates to “potential medical incident.” Markets near Siam Square offer mango sticky rice ($2) that renders all other desserts temporarily irrelevant, combining perfectly ripened fruit with coconut-infused sticky rice for a sweet finale to your Bangkok adventure.

Days 4-6: Northern Culture in Chiang Mai

Transitioning from Bangkok to Chiang Mai gives travelers two options: a one-hour flight ($50-80 one-way) that sacrifices scenery for time, or an overnight train ($30-50 for 2nd class sleeper) that trades comfort for experience. The train departs Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station in early evening and arrives in Chiang Mai by breakfast—assuming Thailand’s flexible approach to train schedules aligns with reality that day.

Chiang Mai’s Old City, enclosed by ancient walls and moat, offers accommodation options from humble guesthouses ($25-40/night) like the charming Baan Klang Vieng to boutique hotels ($80-120/night) such as Rachamankha with its colonial aesthetics. The city moves at half Bangkok’s pace, with temple-to-tourist ratio considerably more favorable and air that doesn’t feel like it’s being forced through a wet dishrag.

Sunday’s Walking Street market transforms the Old City into a pedestrian wonderland where local artisans sell crafts actually made in Thailand—a refreshing contrast to Bangkok’s tourist trinkets. Proper haggling etiquette requires starting at 60-70% of the asking price, a practice where your negotiation skills deteriorate in direct proportion to the number of Chang beers consumed. For an authentic songthaew (shared taxi) experience from your hotel to Doi Suthep temple, expect to pay $0.75-1.50 per person one-way, though drivers might quote quadruple to test your knowledge.

Ethical Elephant Encounters and Cultural Immersion

Choosing ethical elephant sanctuaries represents the moral crossroads of Northern Thailand tourism. Operations like Elephant Nature Park ($70-100) have pioneered no-riding, no-performing approaches, focusing instead on rehabilitation and conservation. These sanctuaries allow visitors to feed, bathe with, and observe elephants without the problematic hooks and chains used in conventional camps. The dramatically different conditions between ethical and traditional operations make the extra cost worthwhile—consider it karma insurance.

Traditional cooking classes ($30-40) offer hands-on cultural immersion and practical souvenirs in recipe form. Courses typically begin with morning market tours where instructors explain mysterious ingredients before returning to outdoor kitchens for hands-on instruction. Most schools accommodate dietary restrictions with remarkable flexibility—though requesting “non-spicy Thai food” sometimes evokes the same pitying look Americans give tourists who order well-done steak with ketchup.

Plan your Doi Suthep temple visit before 10am to avoid both crowds and the heat’s full intensity. The temple’s 300+ stairs might seem designed to test your dedication, though a funicular option exists for those with theological interest exceeding their cardiovascular capacity. The panoramic views of Chiang Mai from 3,500 feet elevation provide perspective on this ancient city, while the dress code requirements (shoulders and knees covered) provide perspective on why synthetic, quick-dry fabrics were invented.

Days 7-10: Southern Beach Paradise

For the final act in your 10-day Thailand performance, the southern beaches offer necessary recovery time. Choosing the right island dramatically affects your experience. Phuket provides convenience with direct flights from Chiang Mai ($80-120) but delivers beaches more crowded than a Walmart on Black Friday. Koh Samui caters to luxury travelers with five-star resorts and corresponding prices, while Koh Lanta offers a quieter experience for those whose party days are comfortably in the rearview mirror.

Accommodation options range from basic beachfront bungalows ($40-60/night) to mid-range resorts with pools ($100-150/night) to luxury villas ($250+/night) where staff bring fresh fruit to your private infinity pool hourly. The sweet spot for most travelers exists in the middle range, where air conditioning prevents midnight sweats without causing morning guilt about excessive carbon footprints.

Island-hopping day trips ($30-80) provide access to postcard-worthy scenery from the Phi Phi Islands to James Bond Island, though boat quality varies dramatically. Premium operators provide lunch, unlimited alcoholic drinks, and snorkeling equipment, while budget options might offer warm soda and questionable life jacket availability. For those prone to seasickness, dramamine represents the best $5 investment of your entire trip, potentially salvaging eight hours of your precious vacation time.

Beyond Beaches: Water Adventures and Nightlife

What to do in Thailand for 10 days isn’t just about temple-hopping and beach-lounging. Water activities range from casual snorkeling ($10-15 for equipment rental) to discover scuba experiences ($80-100) that require no certification. The underwater visibility varies seasonally, with February-April offering the clearest conditions and Instagram-friendly fish encounters. For pristine snorkeling, Koh Tao’s Japanese Gardens and Koh Phi Phi’s Maya Bay (when open) provide the submerged scenery most visitors hope for.

Nightlife options extend beyond the infamous Full Moon Party, which primarily attracts those whose prefrontal cortex development remains in progress. For travelers beyond the “glow paint and bucket drinks” demographic, beachfront restaurants with live music provide the soundtrack to seafood dinners with toes in sand. Fresh red snapper or grilled prawns ($10-15) paired with cold Singha beer ($2-3) under string lights creates the kind of evening that makes extended flights and jet lag worthwhile.

Essential Practical Tips

Cash remains king throughout Thailand, with ATMs readily available but charging criminal $7-8 foreign transaction fees per withdrawal. Maximize each ATM visit by taking out larger amounts, keeping excess cash secured in room safes or money belts. Credit cards work in established businesses but rarely in the places serving the most memorable food.

Bathroom adventures across Thailand require adaptive strategies. The infamous “bum gun” (water spray hose) initially confuses Americans but often converts them to enthusiastic advocates by trip’s end. Carrying pocket tissue packs addresses the common “bring your own toilet paper” scenario in less established areas, while hand sanitizer bridges gaps in bathroom infrastructure.

Common scams include the classic “temple is closed today” tuk-tuk gambit, where drivers claim your intended destination is inexplicably closed but offer to take you to “special” gem shops or tailor stores instead. Similarly, any tuk-tuk ride offered for 20 baht ($0.60) comes with mandatory shopping stops where drivers earn commissions. Transportation apps like Grab (Thailand’s Uber equivalent) provide relief from negotiation fatigue, with most urban rides costing $2-5.

Time-saving investments include booking “fast track” immigration at Bangkok airport ($20), potentially saving hours upon arrival when multiple 747s disgorge passengers simultaneously. WiFi availability exceeds expectations throughout Thailand, but local SIM cards ($15 for 7-day unlimited data) provide backup connectivity for navigation emergencies. What to do in Thailand for 10 days requires some advance planning, but the country’s infrastructure makes improvisation entirely possible.