Thailand itinerary for two: Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Krabi in 13 days

We started with four nights in Rattanakosin, the historic quarter, and picking the right neighbourhood changed everything: the Grand Palace and Wat Pho were just a walk away. One thing we committed to from day one was getting up early; we reached the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple around 08:30, before the queues got long and the heat kicked in, and it's so much more enjoyable with the complex half-empty. Important: shoulders and knees covered—it's mandatory to enter.

Five minutes on foot away is Wat Pho, with its forty-six-metre Reclining Buddha covered in gold leaf. It's also the birthplace of traditional Thai massage, so treating yourself to one there, after the walk, is practically essential. In the evening we headed to Yaowarat, the Chinese quarter: the best street food street in the city lights up from six o'clock onwards and it's pure spectacle—smoke, coals and neon lights. Pad Thai, dim sum, yellow curry crab and for dessert, mango with sticky rice.

On day five we switched bases with a domestic flight of just seventy-five minutes, one of the cheapest routes in the country—several airlines cover it daily. Flying instead of battling the night train freed up an entire day, and on a three-base trip, that's a blessing.

Chiang Mai is another Thailand: quieter, greener, with the Old City tucked inside its walls and a night market where you can dine among artisan stalls. We settled in that same evening and let our bodies adjust to the north's rhythm, which moves at a much slower pace than Bangkok's.

We spent a morning at Doi Suthep, the golden temple perched on a mountain with the best views of Chiang Mai. We went up early, once again to dodge tour groups, and the final climb up the dragon-guarded staircase is worth the effort. If you've got time, you can combine it with a Hmong village and a waterfall on the way.

But the day that really stuck with us was at the elephant sanctuary. We had one non-negotiable rule here: only truly ethical projects, observation and feeding, never rides. Riding an elephant damages their spine and usually comes from cruel training, so it pays to choose carefully and ask before booking. We spent the whole day there—picked up at our hotel—feeding and bathing rescued elephants, and seeing them relaxed in their environment more than made up for giving up that photo on top of one. Another afternoon, more laid-back, we took a cooking class: shopping for ingredients at the market and cooking pad thai, green curry and som tam with a chef. A perfect plan for two.

The move south was the longest of our domestic flights: a flight with a connection in Bangkok, five or six hours in total. It's the price of not repeating the route, and it still works out cheaper than backtracking. We landed in Krabi and reached Ao Nang in time for the first sunset on the beach, with limestone cliffs silhouetted against the orange sky.

Ao Nang is a comfortable base for the area: it has a beach, restaurants and the pier where longtail boats leave for Railay and the islands. After the temples and mountains, the change of scenery—sea breeze, slow pace—was exactly what the trip needed.

We booked a day for the Phi Phi Islands: Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon and postcard-perfect turquoise water for snorkeling. The key is to set out early, before the midday longboats arrive; once that window closes, the famous spots get packed. If it looks too crowded to you, plan B is excellent.

For our second day at sea we saved the Four Islands tour—Phra Nang, Chicken Island, Tup and Poda—rounded out with Railay Beach, one of Krabi's jewels that you can only reach by boat. It's a quieter alternative and a stone's throw from Ao Nang. With only four nights on the coast, combining Phi Phi one day and the Four Islands or Railay another left us feeling we'd seen the very best without overdoing it.

A couple of things we were glad to have sorted before leaving. Documentation: Spain doesn't need a visa for short tourist stays (the exemption was in effect, but it's worth confirming on the official country fact sheet from the Ministry before you travel) and your passport must have at least six months of validity. We also got a good travel insurance policy with medical cover: Thai private healthcare is very good, but you pay for it, so in Asia it's non-negotiable. And an eSIM with data from landing saved us for ordering Grab, using maps and booking excursions on the fly.

On the weather: October is a transitional month. Bangkok and Chiang Mai were already drying out, while the Andaman—the Krabi area—can get short showers; it's not guaranteed sunshine, but in return there are fewer crowds and better prices. We brought a light rain jacket and quick-drying shoes and didn't need anything else. The open-jaw, flying into Bangkok and out of Krabi, we recommend without hesitation: it saves a whole day of back-tracking.