Bangkok
Best for first nights, food, BTS/MRT, and onward tickets. Fly into BKK or DMK; they are not interchangeable. Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi, Grab and Bolt in town.
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Chiang Rai
Best for temples and the border hills: White Temple, Blue Temple, Golden Triangle, Doi Tung, Doi Mae Salong, tea. No train; bus from Bangkok or Chiang Mai, or fly into CEI.
Buses on 12GoChiang Mai
Best for a longer stay, cafes, and a base for the North. Night train to Chiang Mai, buses, or fly into CNX. Haze around February to April is the seasonal caveat.
Trains and buses on 12GoPai
Best for a few slow days in the hills. Van or bus from Chiang Mai. The road is winding; sit if you get motion-sick.
Vans on 12GoIsaan
Best for the mainland beyond the tourist loop: food and quieter cities. Buses and trains from Bangkok toward the Mekong.
Search 12GoSamui, Phangan, Tao
Best for islands on the Gulf: beaches, parties on Phangan's calendar, diving around Tao. Fly into USM (Samui, Bangkok Airways) or take a ferry from the mainland. The Gulf coast is wettest around November, later than the Andaman side (TMD).
Ferries on 12GoPhuket, Krabi, Lanta
Best for Andaman water and limestone. Fly into HKT or the Krabi airport, then van or ferry. Book onward seats in the high season before you land.
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Last checked Oct 2026