One Month in Thailand Itinerary: Backpacking and Travel Tips

Get set to dive into the ultimate one month in Thailand itinerary, including all the best backpacking and travel tips you could ever wish to know. Moreover, this post will load you up on the ultimate travel advice and give you some ideas on activities to complete and places to visit.

If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting Thailand but hadn’t known where to start, this post will leave you feeling much more organised with a clear vision in mind of how to tackle the amazing country that is Thailand.

Take your time reading through the guide and save some of the ideas of places that you wish to visit. Let’s get started!

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Backpacking Thailand

Where is Thailand?

Thailand is a large country in South East Asia, with many people referring to it as the heart of South East Asia.

Thailand has a large and widespread Northern region and then the Southern region reduces to a narrow peninsula dotted with islands on either side.

Finally, Thailand borders Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Therefore, making it an excellent location to do some further travelling within the South East Asian region.

Is Thailand Good for Backpackers?

Thailand is an excellent location for backpackers including solo female travellers. Moreover, it’s a very cheap place to travel, it’s easy to get around and a lot of Thai people can speak English fluently.

Thailand is the perfect spot for a first-time traveller, especially those with no experience. You will bump into loads of other travellers or backpackers, there are plenty of great hostels and loads of awesome activities to take part in.

How Many Days Do You Need in Thailand?

Depending on how much time you have to spare, you could easily stay in Thailand for months. I spent about three months backpacking all around Thailand and could’ve stayed for much longer.

However, if you’re on a limited-time schedule, I’d recommend a minimum of 30 days to see the entire country. Moreover, this will ensure you hit all the best spots and still have time to enjoy the stunning country.

Nonetheless, this Thailand itinerary will give you a decent insight into how to spend one month travelling the entire country.

What Is the Best Way to Get around the Country?

There are numerous ways you can get around Thailand and these will vary depending on your budget. Firstly, if you have more time to spare, it might be best to consider public transport, buses and trains. These will be the cheapest options but take much longer to travel from place to place.

Secondly, you can make use of flights. Thailand has a total of 38 airports, with 6 being the main international airports. Therefore, there are loads of ways that you can get around and there are plenty of options for different flights.

How Much Money Do I Need per Day in Thailand?

A backpacker’s budget can vary from person to person, however, a good rule of thumb for backpacking in Thailand for 30 days includes a budget of $50 AUD per day.

Moreover, this budget will include food, travel, accommodation (hostels), entertainment, shopping etc. Additionally, some days you may spend more, while other days will be below budget. So, it’ll all balance out in the end and you should hit a reasonable budget.

Finally, the average dorm room price in a hostel is $12 AUD per night. Keep in mind, accommodation is usually one of the largest factors of travelling anywhere, so if you can stick to a budget of $12 or less, you will have no issue staying below a travel budget of $50 per day!

Tip: $1500 AUD should be the perfect amount of travel money to get around Thailand and do some exploring for 30 days. However, this doesn’t include the price of flights.

What Is the Best Time of Year to Visit Thailand?

The coolest time of year to visit Thailand is during November and April. Moreover, this is when the temperature is at the lowest for the year and will be the most comfortable.

Alternatively, if you don’t mind heat or humidity, anytime from May to October will be the warmest times of the year.

Local Language and Currency

There are a few things that you should keep in mind when travelling around Thailand in terms of local language and currency. Firstly, they speak the language of ‘Thai’ and the currency used is Thai Baht.

Keep in mind, there are both coins and notes that are used and the notes are in the denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000.

Some conversions of the Thai Baht to the Australian Dollar are:

20 baht: $0.9 AUD
50 baht: $2.2 AUD
100 baht: $4.40 AUD
500 baht: $22 AUD
1,000 baht: $44 AUD
10,000 baht: $440 AUD

You’ll be glad to know that loads of Thais have incredibly fluent English and many of them want to continue practising English so they’ll have no problem chatting with you.

However, if you would like to speak a few words of Thai out of respect and to show some cultural interest, then I recommend noting some of the words listed below.

I strongly believe that any traveller should at least know how to greet and thank someone in their local language at the absolute bare minimum.

A few translations worth noting include:

Hello: Sawadekha
Thank You: Kap Khun Kha
Please: Pord
Where is the bathroom?: Hong Nam Yu Tee Nai?
Yes / No: Chi / Lek Thi

Visa Information

For the most part, many tourists will receive a 30-day free visa upon arrival to Thailand. Then, you can extend your visa for additional months if you would like to stay longer for more travel.

I advise looking into your visa requirements well before heading to Thailand.

One Month Thailand Backpacking Route

Let’s dive into the ultimate one-month Thailand backpacking itinerary. Moreover, you can complete this in any direction and change the dates to suit your needs.

Furthermore, this is just a rough idea of the best journey to take if you want to see the entire country within 30 days. Therefore, if you have a longer timeframe, be sure to stretch out the days and enjoy some of the places for longer.

Day 1 & 2: Bangkok

First up, you will arrive in Bangkok. Moreover, this is a great location to start as there are multiple international airports and it is the hub of Thailand. Besides, this makes for an excellent starting location on your Thailand itinerary.

I recommend staying somewhere within the Phra Nakhon suburb as this is where most backpackers tend to hang out and is an awesome spot to do some exploring for a day or so.

Get yourself settled in, try some Thai food and hit up Khao San Road before making the journey to Chiang Mai the following day.

Hostel recommendation: Khaosan Social Capsule Hostel

Day 2, 3 & 4: Chiang Mai

If you have time to spare or you’re on a tight budget, the best way to reach Chiang Mai is via public bus. Moreover, the tickets are quite cheap and it will take about 10 hours to get to this Northern city. Book your bus tickets via 12go Asia!

Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, you’ll want to spend some time wandering the Old City, checking out the markets, enjoying the city and doing some exploring.

There are loads of incredible restaurants around here and there are plenty of things to do. I highly recommend checking out the night markets and the city cultural arts centre.

Hostel recommendation: Stamps Backpackers Hostel
Read more: Chiang Mai Vegan Restaurants: 7 Vegan Foodie Spots

Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

Day 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8: Pai

The ultimate backpacker haven of Thailand is easily Pai. And, I strongly believe this location should be on the bucket list of your Thailand itinerary. Moreover, there are so many fun activities you can do, the hostels are fantastic and it’s a beautiful little hippy town.

One of the most popular activities that attract thousands of tourists year-round is tipsy tubing. Moreover, this activity involves drinking alcohol, while floating down the river on an inflatable tube. You will also get to party at the halfway point with local DJs and it’s an absolute blast!

Another excellent spot to check out is the Pai Canyon. And, this is the ultimate sunset spot in Pai. Snag a few of the freshly made spring rolls in the nearby stall, grab yourself a Leo or Chang and then head up to the canyon to watch the sun drop behind the mountains.

Finally, there are loads of awesome bars, restaurants and tonnes of other activities to enjoy in this charming little town. It just might become your favourite spot in Thailand!

Hostel recommendation: Nolo Hub
Read more: Nolo Hub Pai: Thailands Best Hostel

Pai Canyon

Day 8: Pai to Chiang Mai

Wave goodbye to the Pai hole and get yourself packed up for another day of travel. This time, we’re headed back to Chiang Mai to make way for travelling to Southern Thailand.

Spend this day enjoying a relaxing day making your way from town to town, and get yourself a comfortable place to stay the night before flying from Chiang Mai to Phuket.

Day 9: Chiang Mai to Phuket

Spend another day doing some exploring in Chiang Mai before getting ready to board a flight to Phuket. Moreover, this will be your only internal flight within Thailand, and it’s a good idea to do this if you’ve only got 30 days in Thailand.

When backpacking in Thailand, you won’t want to take too many internal flights as this will increase your spending limit exponentially. Therefore, limiting yourself to just one internal flight will help to keep the budget low!

Day 10, 11 & 12: Khao Sok National Park

Next on the Thailand itinerary is to travel to Khao Sok National Park. Moreover, this national park is an absolute oasis. You’ll swear you’re in the middle of the ocean surrounded by islands, but you’re actually inland on a lake.

You can explore stunning waterfalls, and ancient rainforests, boat rides on the lake and stay in waterfront accommodation anywhere within the national park. It’s an incredible experience and many backpackers love the area.

Day 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16: Phi Phi Islands

Yet another one of the most popular locations for holidayers, backpackers and travellers is to head to the Phi Phi Islands. This is an excellent spot to kick back for a few days and soak up island life.

You can do plenty of beach hopping, explore the different bays, and do some island hopping. I highly recommend checking out some of the viewpoints to enjoy the stunning scenery over the island and its surrounds.

Phi Phi Islands

Day 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20: Krabi

Next up on the Thailand itinerary is to make your way to Krabi. And, this spot has become an absolute favourite among Thailand backpackers.

However, when we talk about Krabi, we specifically mean heading to Railay Beach. Keep in mind, the only way you can access this little oasis is via boat ride. So, get yourself organised with a lift to that part of Krabi.

Finally, this is a lovely spot to enjoy the beaches, do some exploring of the caves and relax for a few days.

Hostel Recommendation: Blanco Hideout Railay

Day 20, 21 & 22: Koh Samui & Ang Thong Marine Park

Next on the agenda is to head over to Koh Samui. In all honesty, I think that Koh Samui is only good if you plan to head to resorts. I don’t think that the backpacker lifestyle is that great here.

However, the main reason you will want to come to this island is to reach Ang Thong National Marine Park. Moreover, this is an incredible space to enjoy snorkelling, diving, kayaking and swimming. Not to mention, there are 40 islands that you can explore and enjoy.

Feel free to check out some of the tour recommendations below and get yourself booked into one!

Hostel Recommendation: Lub D Koh Samui

Day 22, 23, 24 & 25: Koh Pha Ngan

Named the party island of Thailand is the famous Koh Pha Ngan. And, it has this name for good reason as there are loads of awesome parties, including the full moon party, beach parties and jungle parties.

Not to mention, there are loads of stunning beaches, awesome beach bars and lovely places to hang out. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on this island exploring and relaxing at the beach.

If you plan on visiting, try to line it up with the full moon party as this is the largest monthly party that happens on the island. And, it attracts tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world.

Secret Beach, Koh Pha Ngan

Day 25, 26, 27, 28 & 29: Koh Tao

After you’ve spent some time partying in Koh Pha Ngan, head to Koh Tao for some much need rest and relaxation. And, if you’ve ever considered getting your scuba license, now is a perfect time! Be sure to add this to your Thailand itinerary as it’s one of the best activities!

Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to get your open water license, and the course takes about four days to complete.

Personally, I recommend checking out Roctopus Dive as they were incredibly professional and supportive during the training process.

Furthermore, if you want to keep the party going, you might want to jump onto the Koh Tao Pub Crawl which takes you around to all of the best bars and is an absolute banger of a night.

Hostel Recommendation: Summer Guesthouse and Hostel
Read more: Scuba Diving in Koh Tao, Thailand: Everything You Need to Know

Freedom Beach and John Suwan Viewpoint, Koh Tao

Day 29 & 30: Bangkok

To finalise the one-month in Thailand itinerary, you will land yourself back in Bangkok to make use of the international airport. Moreover, here you can head to other parts of Asia or make your way back home.

I highly recommend arriving in Bangkok at least one day before any flight (especially international) as you wouldn’t want to be caught up in delays or miss your flight!

Finally, finish up your time in Thailand by spending the remainder of your Baht, enjoying some Thai food and soaking up the last moments of Thailand before moving on to the next place.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, I hope this Thailand itinerary of what one month of backpacking can be, gives you a little bit of insight into how incredible and diverse the country is.

From scuba diving to beach parties, and temples to street food, there is so much that you can enjoy within this magnificent country. Besides, you can enjoy almost any activity and experience all types of landscapes within an incredibly short period of time.

I definitely think that this is a fantastic route if you’re on a limited-time schedule but want to see all the best parts of Thailand. You’ll have a jam-packed experience and see loads of awesome things.

Finally, if you’d like to discover more about Thailand and delve a little deeper, I have loads of posts on this section of my blog. Moreover, it includes travel advice, places to stay, awesome activities and things to do. Happy reading!