5 Days in Thailand: Ultimate 5-Day Itinerary

Camille L.

5 Days in Thailand: The Best Itinerary

You’re traveling to Thailand and you’re looking for the best 5-day Itinerary?

You’re at the right place!

In order to help you plan your stay, I have prepared two 5 days Thailand itineraries.

Organised based on your airport of arrival( Phuket or Krabi ), these itineraries in the South of the country will allow you to discover the most beautiful islands of the Andaman Sea and their dream beaches!

Quick note: If you prefer to visit Bangkok, Ayutthaya and the northern city of Chiang Mai during your trip, you should rather read my other itinerary: A week in Thailand.

In this travel guide, in addition to the best places to visit, you will find a list of the best accommodations depending on your budget. And as always, I will also give you all my best tips to make the most of your stay!

So, what are the best things to do in 5 days in Thailand?

Itinerary: 5 days in Thailand from Phuket

1) Day 1-3: Phuket

For this first example of a 5-day Thailand itinerary, you can land in Phuket.

The island has an international airport with many direct flights every day from all destinations. It is therefore very convenient to start a holiday in the south of the country. You can compare flight prices for Phuket at the end of this article.

From the airport, which is to the north, there are buses, taxis or a private transport (click here to access the info) to either Phuket Town (Phuket Town) or Patong, the liveliest area of the island. It depends on the location of the hotel you have booked:

For this first day in Phuket, and in order to recover a little from the flight and the jet lag, you could spend part of the day on Patong beach.

Although it is very busy, you will still find the space to lay down your towel on the 1 2km long stretch of sand. Sunbathe, swim or try one of the many water activities like parasailing or buoy rides.

Patong, Thailand itinerary 5 days

At the end of the day, head for Bangla Road, towards Patong. This street, with its shops, bars, restaurants and night clubs, is the most lively in Phuket!

You can be able to watch a ladyboy show, with extremely pretty ladies, ultra-well-made and dressed, who are actually men! The most famous show in Phuket is the one at the Simon Cabaret.

The place is packed every night, so it is important to book your tickets in advance. You can buy them directly by clicking here.

If you would like a little more action for this first night in Phuket, you must attend a Muay Thai boxing match. This is Thailand’s national sport, all punches are allowed!

There are also fights in Patong, and here too, it is better to book your tickets because the Thai people love it.

Spend the night in Phuket.

For your second day of this 5-6 day trip to South Thailand, continue exploring Phuket.

You must focus on the East Zone, towards Phuket Town and the surroundings.

If you are staying in Patong, you can easily go by bus or rent a scooter. Phuket Town being the capital of the island, it is well connected.

If you prefer, there is also a very comprehensive organised trip to see some of the must-see spots. You can get the description and all the information for the reservation by clicking here.

You must take a walk around the old town, which includes several buildings and houses built in the Portuguese Sino style, very colourful and perfectly renovated. The area is really charming and pleasant.

Things to see on your walk:

Chinese temple in Phuket old town

Then go to Monkey Hill, which lives up to its name, with hundreds of monkeys. They are used to humans and expect only one thing: food.

It’s a well-oiled business, with banana and groundnut sellers scattered around the area.

As well as seeing the monkeys, you can climb the path up the hill to admire the panorama of the island. 

Speaking of panoramic views, you can also take the opportunity when in Phuket Town to go to the Khao Rang Hill Viewpoint, which offers a view of the whole city.

On your way, stop at Wat Khao Rang Temple to admire the large golden Buddha statue there.

End the day at the beach and spend another night in Phuket.

For your last day in Phuket, you have a choice of several options, depending on your desires:

1) Take a day trip to Koh Phi Phi to discover the best known island of Thailand.

This trip can also be taken on a very beautiful catamaran. Click here to book!

Koh Phi Phi

2) Take a trip to the Similan Islands, one of the most beautiful diving and snorkelling spots in the world.

3) Spend a morning in an elephant sanctuary to feed and wash them. Book by clicking here!

Or take a Thai cooking class to discover the secrets of an excellent Pad Thai or panang curry. Book here!

In the afternoon, you can stay at the beach or enjoy a some sporty activities like azipline at the most famous park in Phuket. You can book your zipline activity right here!

4) Rent a scooter and visit the southern part of the island:

Spend one last night in Phuket.

For more details on the things to do in Phuket, please read our article: What are the things to see in Phuket?

Tips for your Thailand itinerary:

Important point for   trips and activities in Phuket and Thailand in general: some agencies are extremely lax in terms of safety standards and respect for the environment. Incidentally, accidents happen quite regularly!

To do your activities safely, it is best to book the ones I mention in the article in advance. It’s not more expensive, and you can rest assured that you are doing your trip or activity with a reputed agency.

Accommodation in Phuket

If you want to be in the middle of the action, I have prepared a selection of accommodation on the Patong side:

If you prefer to stay in Phuket Town, here is my selection of hotels:

Phuket Marriot Resort & Spa

2) Day 4-5: Another Southern Island

For the second leg of your 5-day tour in Thailand, you can leave Phuket and explore another island in the South.

There are several possible alternatives when leaving from Phuket, so I have selected 2 islands that are easily accessible by boat:

Option 1: Koh Yao Noi (2 days)

Koh Yao Noi is just a 30-minute boat ride from Phuket.

The departure point is the Rang Bang Pier port, in the north-east of the island. To reach it, you have to take a taxi from your hotel. Then consider 300 Bahts for boat trips. 

Once you are at Koh Yao Noi, shared taxis await to take you to the various hotels. The fare is 100 Bahts per person.

For this first day in Koh Yao, you must rent a scooter (250-300 Bahts/day) to explore the most beautiful beaches of the island. Stop for a swim whenever you want.

Spend the first night in Koh Yao Noi.

The next day, you must absolutely go on an trip to the 4 islands. This is my favourite trip during my holidays in Thailand.

The islands on the agenda are simply magnificent, the beaches superb and the water translucent. An idyllic day to enjoy picturesque scenery!

You can explore:

All hotels in Koh Yao Noi offer this trip. Remember to book it the day before. The cost is 2,500 Bahts for the boat, to be divided between the number of people participating in the trip.

Spend another night in Koh Yao Noi.

Koh Yao Noi

On the last day at Koh Yao, you have a choice:

1) Take a boat trip to Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island.

Just like yesterday’s excursion, you will go by boat to the islands of the bay. There is no swimming on the agenda here, rather you will stop to take photos in the sublime landscapes.

The most famous island of this day trip is the James Bond Island where scenes of “The Man with the Golden Gun” were shot.

You can also go kayaking in the caves.

The tour also includes a stop at Koh Panyee with its large floating market where you can eat and buy souvenirs for your 5-day stay in South Thailand.

4500 Bahts per boat, divided between the number of passengers.

2) Take cooking classes in the morning at Mina’s Cooking Classes or at The Paradise Koh Yao.

Rent a kayak in the afternoon (or vice versa) to explore Koh Yao from the sea.

3) Spend a day in Koh Yao Yai.

The neighbouring island, although larger, is even more protected from tourists. There are only a few hotels and you can find deserted beaches where it’s just you!

It is just a 10-minute boat ride from Koh Yao Noi.

Spend one last night on the island.

From Koh yao Noi, 4 Islands excursion

The next day, you are unfortunately at the end of your 5-day Thailand itinerary. Take the boat back to Phuket and then reach the airport by taxi (approximately 700 Bahts).

You can find more details about Koh Yao Noi in our dedicated article: Visit Koh Yao Noi.

Tips for your Thailand itinerary:

The differences between high and low tides on Koh Yao Noi island are truly impressive. The sea recedes by more than 330 feet, making it impossible to swim on some beaches, where you’ll see only stones.

The beach of the Koh Yao Seaview hotel is really top quality: you will have to walk a little to get to the water at low tide, but it is largely feasible because there is only sand.

Plan a stay in Koh Yao Noi in a hotel with a swimming pool in order to be able to take a dip when it’s low tide. You will find my list of the best hotels in Koh Yao Noi just below.

Accommodation in Koh Yao Noi
Six Senses Yao Noi – Luxury hotel in Koh Yao Noi

Option 2: Koh Lanta (2 days)

If you prefer to continue your 5-day Thailand itinerary through Koh Lanta instead of Koh Yao Noi, here is an idea for a schedule for these 3 days!

To get to Koh Lanta from Phuket, you will have to take a ferry to the port of Rassada, close to Phuket Town. Don’t hesitate to ask your hotel to make the reservation for you, they can sometimes negotiate cheaper rates.

For example, we paid 700 Bahts instead of the 1000 Bahts posted on the booking website.

The journey to Koh Lanta takes 2 hours: first a boat to Koh Phi Phi (a 2 hour and 30 minutes trip) and then another boat to Koh Lanta (about 1 hour and 15 minutes).

If you prefer a faster and direct way to Koh Lanta, you can take a speedboat but there are not many seats available. For this trip, it’s better to book in advance. You can get all the information by clicking here!

On the boat, you will be offered to book your transfer to your hotel. You can take it, it doesn’t cost any more than once you get off the boat. The rate varies depending on the location of the hotel.

In the afternoon, you must rent a scooter and explore the west coast of the island where all the most beautiful beaches are located. You can try out several places for swimming. The further south you go, the fewer people there are.

And if you don’t feel like renting a scooter, you can also go to the beach closest to your hotel.

I have listed the beaches of Koh Lanta in this article: Visit Koh Lanta.

Koh Lanta beaches

For the second day on Koh Lanta, you must go on the on the 4 islands trip. This for me, is the best trip on the island!

The islands are heavenly and there are plenty of snorkelling and swimming stops to swim among the fish.

On the agenda:

For 1000 Bahts per person, everything is included: snorkelling equipment, transport to the port from your hotel, lunch and drinks.

This trip takes place onboard a longtail boat, a traditional Thai boat, but if you wish, you can also choose to take a speedboat.

To book the tour, click this link!

Koh Lanta

Third and last day on Koh Lanta, you have a few choices:

1) Take another boat trip but this time to explore the beautiful island of Koh Rok. 

Just as with the 4 islands trip, you can go snorkelling and swimming. Everything is also included in the price of around 1700 Bahts per person.

To make sure you go through a reliable agency, you must book this trip to Koh Rok by clicking here.

If this tour is already full, you can also book with another service provider by clicking here (it’s exactly the same).

2) Explore Koh Lanta:

All the things to do in Koh Lanta are mentioned in our article: What are the best things to see and do in Koh Lanta?

The next day, we’ll be at the end of your 5-day trip to Thailand. Take the boat back to Phuket and reach the airport.

Tips for your Thailand itinerary:

If your tour in Thailand is for 6 days, you can choose between spending an extra day in Phuket, Koh Yao Noi or Koh Lanta.

Accommodation in Koh Lanta

In Koh Lanta, hotels are located on the west coast of the island, close to the numerous beaches.

As always, the best rooms are fully booked months in advance, so make sure to book as soon as you have your travel dates!

Pimalai Resort & Spa Koh Lanta

Itinerary: 5 days in Thailand from Krabi

1) Day 1-3: Krabi

Here is another example of a of a 5-day tour in South Thailand, with arrival in Krabi.

The Krabi province is also located towards the Andaman Sea, but on the other side of Phuket.

Krabi also has an international airport, so it is the ideal place for a holiday in southern Thailand. However, unlike Phuket, it is quite possible that you will first have to reach Bangkok and then take a connection to Krabi.

You can compare all flight prices for Krabi at the end of our article with our flight comparison tool.

From the airport, you must directly go to Ao Nang, the main tourist area of the province where you will find the closest beaches to Krabi and where you will stay.

For this, you can take a shuttle to the airport (about 150 Bahts), the taxi (a little over 1000 Bahts) or book your group transfer (from 280 Bahts). For the latter, the driver will wait for you on arrival. If you are interested, you can book here directly!

Private transfers are also available and it really doesn’t cost much more if there are 2 or 3. Here is the link with all the information.

Spend the end of the day at the Ao Nang beach, a large sandy beach where you can recover from the hours of flying and the time difference. A little further away, there’s also Noppharat Thara Beach, which is wilder and less crowded.

Spend the first night in Ao Nang.

Ao Nang

The next day, you must explore one of the most beautiful places in the province of Krabi: Railay.

To get there, you have to take the boat from Ao Nang beach. It costs 200 bahts for a round-trip and takes 10 minutes.

You don’t have to book your trip in advance, just buy it the same day at the beach shack.  Boats are leaving and arriving all the time.

Once you get to Railay, you will quickly see that the setting is splendid and the beaches are heavenly. You will also realise that there are huge crowds, but that’s the price of success!

The 2 prettiest beaches are Railay West Beach (the one where you land) and Phra Nang Beach. They are large beaches with fine sands, bordered by karst cliffs and the forest. In addition to swimming, you can also rent kayaks and paddle boats.

There is also an area with bars and restaurants.

The more athletic among you will be able to tackle the ascent that leads to the Railay viewpoint. It takes 10-15 minutes to climb, using ropes, to get there, but the view is definitely worth it!

And if you’re not afraid of heights, Railay is recognised as one of the main destinations in Thailand for rock climbing. There are over 700 routes!

Return for the night to Ao Nang.

Railay Beach

If you want more details about Krabi, please read our article: The best things to do in Krabi?

Accommodation in Krabi / Ao Nang

There are 3 main areas to stay in Krabi province:

To help you, I have prepared a selection of the best hotels to stay based on these areas and your budget.

Best accommodation in Krabi Town
The best hotels in Ao Nang
Where to Stay in Railay

Hong Islands Excursion

2) Day 4-5: Koh Lanta

To continue this 5-day Thailand itinerary, you should you leave Krabi to go to a southern island: Koh Lanta.

You will have to take a boat. The journey takes about 2h30 and costs around 350 Bahts per person. A shared taxi will take you to your hotel in Koh Lanta. It is not more expensive than those offered upon arrival so you can accept or even negotiate a little.

For the rest of the day, rent a scooter and go along the west coast of the island, where all the beautiful beaches are located.

Spend the night at Koh Lanta.

On the second day, you must absolutely go on this trip from Koh Lanta: the 4 islands trip. Although it’s name is the same as the one in Krabi, the trip is not the same, the islands are different.

However, it is similar in that it has diving stops where you can gaze upon numerous fish and corals. You will discover the islands of:

Spend another night in Koh Lanta.

Fishermen’s Islands, Koh Lanta

If your trip to Thailand lasts 6 or 7 days, you can choose between spending an extra day in Krabi or Koh Lanta.

Accommodation in Koh Lanta

In Koh Lanta, hotels are located on the west coast of the island, close to the numerous beaches.

As always, the best rooms are fully booked months in advance, so make sure to book as soon as you have your travel dates!

Go for 5 days Thailand itinerary on a single Southern Island

If you don’t feel like visiting Thailand in 5 days and discovering several islands, you can spend your whole stay in the same place.

There is plenty to see and do in 5 days in Thailand on Phuket, Krabi or Koh Lanta.

To organise your days, you will find all the information in these articles:

Do not hesitate to give us your opinion and suggestions on our 5 day Thailand itinerary!

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Discover all our articles about Thailand: all articles about Thailand are listed here.

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