Thailand, Slow and Deep – A Travel Plan Worth Taking

The first question for most travelers is always the same: how much time can you get away? My rule is simple, the further away, the longer I stay. Less than three weeks feels rushed. You cross half the globe to arrive at your destination, and before you’ve had time to settle, you’re already packing to leave. If you want to actually meet Thailand, its people, its flavors, its quieter corners – give yourself time to arrive, not just check boxes. 

In my opinion, Thailand ist the best entry point to South East Asia. Excellent infrastructure, affordable, very clean, no vaccinations required an no sleeping bag, unless you go trekking in the mountains. Not to mention Thai food and those courteous, always smiling Thai people who will make you stay pleasant and unforgettable.

So here’s the plan, the kind you can stretch or tighten, but that won’t leave you breathless at the end.

I start on Koh Chang, in Trat province. Three weeks is my minimum. That’s enough time to get the rythm of the island. Long breakfast after my morning swim. It gets hot quickly, but the gentle wind at the beach keeps me cool, no need for air conditioning here. The hardest decisions are mostly about food and what to do with your time here. A sieasta in the hammock or a good book for the hottest time of the day and beach time in the afternoon.

Boat trips to islands and hidden bays are exceptions like hiking to waterfalls and other activities. Stay small, explore slowly and let a few days become your anchor.

After Koh Chang I head back to Krungtheep for a quick restock. Get my gifts from the hotel, reckon some spare time for essential errands and hop on the train south.

The overnight trains in Thailand travel themselves; let the landscape slide by as you move from city to coast. Train travel gets more and more popular in Thailand, so book at least two weeks ahead, during holiday season even longer ahead. 

In Surrathani is the pier to main the islands of the southern Gulf of Thailand. I don’t book the package but instead visit the little travel shop close to the railway station. There are two little restaurants with travel agency right opposite the station.

I let all the tourists rush to their destinations and walk to the first shop, for I prefer to have a proper breakfast first. Koh Samui is very different from Koh Chang, there are lots of ferries all day long, no rush.

That island isn’t my first choice, but I want to visit an old friend and fill the 30 days visa before extending it in Penang.

 From there my family will join me in Krabi. We’ll start in Ao Luek, where a cave — the one locals call the “Striped Man’s Cave” — waits for us. I’ll leave the rest of that story for later; some things are better discovered in the telling.

On the practical side: Thailand is, in my opinion, the ideal gateway to Southeast Asia. Infrastructure is good, prices are friendly, and it’s clean in a way that invites wandering without worry. You don’t need special vaccines for most itineraries and you certainly don’t need a sleeping bag unless you’re trekking in the mountains. Do bring a mosquito net if you plan to sleep under the stars — small, light, and endlessly useful.

Book a range of accommodations: hostels with rooftop gardens, simple beach bungalows, and one or two nights of something a little nicer when you want to celebrate. I’ve already booked my ticket and a couple of nights at HOM Hostel in Bangkok — dorms and private rooms, a roof terrace with a garden, and a kitchen: everything a traveler needs after a long flight. Whatever neighborhood you choose — Khao San for the young crowd, Sukhumvit for convenience, or Nana like me — aim to be near a Skytrain station. If temples are your thing, consider Samut Prakan as a base.

Timing matters. While I’m in Malaysia, two big festivities fall into the calendar: Chinese New Year and a major Hindu celebration. That means crowds, color, and food — book a couple of extra nights to enjoy the events rather than fight them. For Thailand entry, visa-on-arrival gives you thirty days — enough to let the trip breathe without micromanaging every minute.

And Songkran? That’s the Thai New Year — an epic water party — but it’s far enough off that I don’t yet know where I’ll be. Part of travel is leaving a few blank pages in the itinerary.

Finally, a piece of hard-won advice: if you travel every winter for only two weeks at a time, try skipping one season and stay longer the next year. Four weeks transforms the trip. It turns surface-scratching into living, strangers into acquaintances, and cities into neighborhoods.

Curious about the cave in Ao Luek? Want my exact sleeping setup for island nights? Or how to stitch together train, ferry and cheap flights without losing your mind? Stay with me — the real stories, maps, and a few travel hacks are coming in the next posts. You’ll want them.