Where I Stayed & How Long
Thailand was one of the easiest countries of the entire trip to move through.
Flights were affordable, transfers were straightforward most of the time, and even longer travel days felt relatively manageable compared to other parts of Southeast Asia.
My route took me from busy cities to mountain landscapes and finally to island life in the south.
Bangkok (4 nights)
I started in Bangkok and stayed at Khao San Social Capsule Hostel (~70€ for 4 nights). At that point in the trip, I needed to keep an eye on my budget a bit more, so I booked a hostel close to Khao San Road.
It definitely had party hostel energy.
One Friday night was honestly terrible in terms of noise and sleep, but aside from that, it was okay overall and worked well as a base for exploring the city.
My recommendation: 4 nights were perfect for me to see all the sights I wanted to see and even to a half-daytrip to the dragon temple.
Chiang Mai (2 nights + 1 night later)
From Bangkok, I flew north to Chiang Mai and stayed at The Wing Lanna Hotel (~80€ for 2 nights). Then after Pai, I returned for one additional night before flying south (~30€ for 1 night in a simpler room).
Chiang Mai felt calmer and more manageable than Bangkok, with temples, cafés, and a slower pace overall.
My recommendation: I personally connected less with Chiang Mai than others, but it was great base for northern Thailand, 2 nights were enough for me
Pai (2 nights)
From Chiang Mai, I headed to Pai and stayed at Pai Country Hut (~104€ for 2 nights). Pai immediately felt more peaceful and I connected with it right away. The landscapes surrounding the town were beautiful, and I really loved the atmosphere of the accommodation.
My recommendation: at least 2 nights, I could have stayed longer - Pai is worth it for the atmosphere alone. It felt like a mental reset after Bangkok.
Koh Samui (7 nights)
After northern Thailand, I flew south to Koh Samui and stayed at Alpha Place Hotel (~450€ for 7 nights). This part of the trip felt slower and more social at the same time, especially because I met up with an ex-colleague there.
The hotel was simple but comfortable and worked really well as a longer-term base. It also had an excellent pool and was only a short walk to the beach.
My recommendation: Koh Samui is easy island living. Great for slowing down and settling into a routine for a week. To be completely honest, I was not impressed by the island and by then, I had seen much more beautiful islands.
Phuket (4 nights)
My final stop in Thailand was Phuket, where I stayed at The Front Village (~270€ for 4 nights).
And honestly, Phuket surprised me.
I expected it to feel overly crowded and chaotic, but I acutally ended up enjoying the beaches there more than on Koh Samui.
My recommendation: up to a week if you’re looking for a beach vacation. Phuket is much more enjoyable if you don’t expect untouched paradise and instead just allow yourself to enjoy it for what it is.
Final Thoughts
Thailand was one of the easiest countries to navigate. The combination of good infrastructure, beautiful landscapes, excellent food, and easy day-to-day logistics made it a place where travel felt less exhausting and more effortless.
It may not have challenged me the deepest emotionally, but it was probably one of the places where daily life simply felt the easiest to enjoy.