Planning a Thailand family holiday and want an easy, stress-free Thailand 2-week itinerary you can follow? This is the exact DIY route we did with the kids – covering Koh Samui, Khao Sok and Bangkok – with links, tips, transport options and everything we wish we’d known. It’s realistic, family-tested, budget-friendly and perfect for first-time visitors.
This post is part of my complete Thailand Travel Guide, where I share itineraries, budget tips and DIY planning advice for visiting Thailand.
Quick Overview: Our Thailand 2-Week Itinerary
- Days 1-6: Koh Samui – beaches, fire shows, Ang Thong Marine Park
- Days 7-9: Khao Sok – jungle stays, boat tours & Cheow Larn Lake
- Days 10-12: Bangkok – temples, tuk-tuks, skywalks & markets
Contents
- Quick Overview: Our Thailand 2-Week Itinerary
- Inspiration for Our DIY Thailand Family Holiday:
- Our Thailand 2-Week Itinerary (Koh Samui → Khao Sok → Bangkok)
- How to Book Flights and Transport for Thailand:
- Thailand Accommodation:
- Costs for Our DIY Thailand Holiday:
- Our Outward Journey:
- Thailand Family Holiday Destinations: Koh Samui, Khao Sok & Bangkok
- Koh Samui:
- Our Koh Samui Itinerary:
- Khao Sok:
- Rock and Tree House Resort:
- Day Trip to Khao Sok National Park:
- Bangkok:
- 🛺 Getting Around Bangkok:
- Bangkok 3 Day Itinerary:
- Book This Holiday:
- 🌟 Top Tips and Interesting Facts About Thailand:
- Thailand 2-Week Itinerary & Family Travel FAQ
- Useful Links:
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Why Choose Thailand for a Family Holiday?
Thailand has it all – tropical beaches, wonderful cuisine, jungles, elephants, beautiful temples and a fascinating culture.
We chose our DIY Thailand family holiday after my daughter had made a PowerPoint presentation. It explained all the reasons why it should be our next family adventure.
I have to admit that we were also swayed by the cost, which was lower than other destinations we were considering.
In this blog, I explain how we booked our DIY trip, including a downloadable itinerary and list of website links, and tell you about activities you can do in Koh Samui, Khao Sok and Bangkok.
Our DIY Thailand family holiday was the most daunting DIY trip that I have planned. It worked out amazingly well – our best holiday yet!
Language barriers make planning things slightly difficult at times, however, there is loads of information available online.
I would say that if you plan to move around in Thailand you kind of need to trust the process.
🌟 Tip: Thai people are experts in tourism and have catered for back packers for many years. This means you don’t need to over plan at all.
Inspiration for Our DIY Thailand Family Holiday:
To get me started, I looked up suggested itineraries for a DIY Thailand family holiday recommended by travel agents and average costs.
We were looking at paying around £2200 each with an agent (not including all our food and day trips). This would have been £11,000 for the five of us, so the challenge was on – to get a similar itinerary – at a much reduced price!
Most itineraries consisted of beach, jungle and Bangkok, which sounded like a perfect mix.
Trips to Thailand usually include Phuket but I checked out the weather for August and realised that it was the rainy season in Phuket and most of Thailand but not on the island of Koh Samui.
🌟 Tip: If you plan to go in the summer holidays and you want nice weather, the beach part of your holiday could start in Koh Samui.
We also booked hotels in the national park area of Khao Sok and lastly, the city of Bangkok.
My 10 Step Guide to Planning Your DIY Thailand Trip – takes you through the whole process of planning your Thailand trip in 10 easy steps – from researching your route to booking your accommodation and transfers.
Our Thailand 2-Week Itinerary (Koh Samui → Khao Sok → Bangkok)
Fly into Bangkok → Fly to Koh Samui → Ferry & drive to Khao Sok → Fly back to Bangkok → Fly home
Bristol to Koh Samui:
✈️ We flew from Bristol – Amsterdam – Bangkok with KLM on Skyscanner
✈️ SEARCH FLIGHTS ON SKYSCANNER
✈️ Fly from Bangkok – Koh Samui with Bangkok Airways
🚗 Pick up hire car from airport – Car hire company www.sixt.com
Koh Samui to Khao Sok:
🚗 Drive from Lipa Noi to Donsak Ferry Port
🚢 Take ferry with Raja Ferries from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Raja Ferries
🚗 Drive to Khao Sok.
Khao Sok to Bangkok:
🚗 Drive to Surat Thani airport and drop off hire car.
✈️ Fly from Surat Thani airport back to Bangkok with Thai Air Asia
Return Flight Home:
✈️ Fly – Bangkok -Amsterdam – Bristol with KLM.
How to Book Flights and Transport for Thailand:
✈️ I used Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights and booked return flights to Bangkok with KLM and internal flights from Bangkok to Koh Samui with Bangkok Airways.
🚢 We reserved tickets for the Raja car ferry from Koh Samui to the mainland Surat Thani.
🚗 We pre-booked a rented car from Koh Samui airport to Surat Thani airport.
✈️ Finally, a flight from Surat Thani to Bangkok with Thai Air Asia.
It all sounds complicated but actually it was a really simple route and the drive to Khao Sok was extremely easy and straightforward.
If you are not keen on self-drive, your hotel will happily arrange transfers for you.
🔗 See BOOK MY THAILAND HOLIDAY for a detailed downloadable itinerary and a user friendly list of links for flights, accommodation, transport and days out.
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Thailand Accommodation:
We chose mid-range hotels, which all exceeded our expectations on Booking.com. There is lots of choice for accommodation and the prices widely vary.
🏩 Smile House Hotel, Bophut, (7 nights)
🌳 Rock and Tree House Resort, Khao Sok (2 nights)
🏨 The Hilton Millennium, Bangkok (3 nights)
Costs for Our DIY Thailand Holiday:
Including absolutely everything: flights, hotels, car hire, ferry, trips and food, we spent £1800 each, which was £9,000 altogether. This was £2,000 less than the travel agent’s quote; with much more saved when including food and day trips.
🌟 Tip: We could have easily have spent less on hotels and food if we had wanted to decrease our budget.
Eating out in Thailand varies considerably but overall costs a lot less than it does in the UK. Wine is expensive but cocktails and beers aren’t. We found there was lots of choice and the food was amazing!
Our Outward Journey:
Our flights were booked with KLM from Bristol instead of the usual London airports, changing at Amsterdam.
We didn’t want to risk missing our connecting flight so we decided to make a day of it in Amsterdam, choosing the morning flight and enjoyed a whistle stop tour of the city. Indirect flights tend to be cheaper than direct flights.
🌟 Tip: Flying indirect can save you money on the cost of your flights.
When we arrived in Bangkok, we took another short flight to Koh Samui. After travelling for over a day, we were overjoyed to have landed on the island!
Thailand Family Holiday Destinations: Koh Samui, Khao Sok & Bangkok
Koh Samui:
Koh Samui is Thailand’s second biggest island, situated in the Gulf of Thailand. It is a beautiful island with palm tree lined beaches, mountains and rainforests.
The main towns are Chaweng, Lamai, Nathon and Bophut. During the summer holidays, it is dry season so is perfect for a Thailand family holiday.
Koh Samui airport is the prettiest airport I have ever been to. We had a wonderful warm welcome on arrival as we picked up our rental car before a short drive to our hotel in Bophut.
Bophut:
For the first part of our trip, the area we chose to stay was Bophut, which is a laid back and chilled area.
Bophut is a bustling fishing village, full of restaurants and bars but not the kind of nightlife that is found in Chaweng or Lamai.
The beach is not the greatest, which we knew when we booked but we had the benefit of great restaurants and bars close by.
This enabled us walk to the restaurants in the evening and we travelled by car to other areas during the day to hang out at gorgeous beaches and see other places.
Smile House Hotel:
We stayed in Smile House Hotel, which comprised of many bungalows built around 2 swimming pools with the most incredible gardens.
Our bungalow had 3 ensuite rooms, a lounge and a large veranda – it was spacious and very comfortable. Even though it was close to the village, it was quiet and peaceful too – we absolutely loved it.
The first thing we did when we arrived was go to the hotel’s restaurant on the beach and ordered dinner and cocktails. Sipping those cocktails under the lanterns in the balmy, night air felt really special!
Breakfast was served in the restaurant every morning and had the most gorgeous sea view.
We had the benefit of a car on Koh Samui but friends of ours who were visiting at the same time just caught taxis everywhere and found that cheap and easy too.
During our 6 days, we visited beaches, islands, waterfalls, temples, a spa and an elephant sanctuary. There is so much to do, we didn’t want to leave.
Our Koh Samui Itinerary:
- Day 1: Relax by the pool, explore the area.
- Day 2: 🏖️ Chaweng beach. 🎆 Fire show on Bophut beach.
- Day 3: 🛥️ Boat trip to Ang Thong Marine Park.
- Day 4: 🏖️ Silver Beach, Crystal Bay. Thai Massage at Spa in Bophut.
- Day 5: 🛕Big Buddha temple. 💦 Nu Muang Waterfall.
- Day 6: Relax by the pool. 🐘 Ko Samui Elephant Sanctuary. 🎆 Fire show Bophut.
Beaches – Chaweng Beach and Silver Bay:
The main beaches we visited were Chaweng and Silver Beach.
Chaweng Beach:
Chaweng is the longest and most popular beach on the island, with white sand and crystal clear blue water. Many water-sports, dining and accommodation options are available.
It was quiet while we were there. Usually it is very busy with lots of backpackers and tourists enjoying themselves.
Silver Beach, Crystal Bay:
Silver beach is situated near Lamai. It is in a small bay, with palm trees on the sand and hotels and restaurants along the shore.
It benefits from clear calm waters, which are perfect for swimming and snorkelling.
Ang Thong National Marine Park:
Ang Thong islands are the islands that the novel ’The Beach’ is based upon but not where the movie was filmed. The islands are protected and there are laws in place to preserve the nature and wildlife.
We used ‘Viator’ to prebook a boat trip there:
👉 Book: ANG THONG MARINE PARK TRIP
It included a hike to the top of Mae Koh, snorkelling, kayaking and lunch. The hike up the steps to the highest viewpoint was difficult in the heat but the spectacular view at the top was worth it.
On the way down we saw monkeys cuddled up in the trees. Ang Thong is truly majestic and a trip there is a must if you are visiting Koh Samui.
Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai):
The Big Buddha Temple sits on top of a small rocky island. It has 72 stairs leading up to a large golden statue of Buddha. Below the statue are other ornate buildings, some unusual sculptures and an assortment of souvenir shops.
🌟 Tip: Please note this is a religious site and it is expected that you dress appropriately; covering shoulders and knees.
Na Muang Waterfalls:
There are 2 waterfalls at Na Muang Waterfalls. One is easily accessible and the other is a bit of a hike but has reportedly magnificent views.
The section of the waterfalls that we chose was the easiest to get to – a short walk from the carpark.
Around the car park are food and drink stalls selling fruit, snacks and ice lollies. Unfortunately, we also saw elephants that are for tourists to ride.
Large boulders surround the waterfall and the pool looks brown and murky. It is a little disconcerting to enter but a local family were swimming too. They told us it was fine so we decided to take the plunge.
There are big rocks to jump off into the water and it is very refreshing. We spent a good hour playing around and were glad we plucked up the courage to swim.
Samui Elephant Sanctuary:
www.samuielephantsanctuary.org
Samui Elephant Sanctuary is an ethical sanctuary that looks after elephants who have retired from logging and tourism.
These elephants have had a hard life of servitude and the sanctuary gives them a peaceful retirement. It is essential that you book your visit – there are no walk-ins allowed.
The sanctuary have a minibus that picks you up from your accommodation.
You are given drinks and snacks on arrival before a presentation about the wonderful work that they do there.
They explain all about the resident elephants, their life stories and individual personalities.
You are then invited to make food for the elephants using plants and cereals, that you will feed to them when you greet them.
After, you get to meet each elephant in small groups. You are only allowed to touch the elephants’ trunks and only when offering them food.
Meeting these magnificent creatures is an incredible experience and one that should not be missed during a DIY Thailand family holiday.
👉 Read our full honest review about Koh Samui Elephant Sanctuary
Thai Massage:
There are many spas in Thailand offering massage and other services. We all decided to try a Thai massage but it was not the most enjoyable experience for me.
They bend you into all sorts of uncomfortable positions and can be quite rough. Afterwards, I felt like I had been beaten up.
If you are delicate, I would suggest you opt for a gentler type of massage!
Fire Shows:
Fire shows are a popular form of entertainment across Thailand and are amazing to watch.
Our family went twice to the one near us because we enjoyed it so much. It had such a super atmosphere.
We sat in front of one of the restaurants on large beanbags on the beach and we ordered cocktails, pizza and snacks.
We watched the sunset over the sea, listening to dance music and then the show started.
The performers are extraordinary and even go around the audience spinning fire around people’s heads. They ask for participation and the guests get to join in too.
🔗 Blog to read: Things to Do in Koh Samui
Khao Sok:
Our following stay was at Rock and Tree house resort in Khao Sok.
Khao Sok is covered by the oldest evergreen rainforest in the world with huge mountains peeking out above the canopy. The forest surrounds an enormous emerald green lake called Cheow Larn Lake.
This is a reservoir that provides water and hydropower. Vast amounts of jungle and some villages lie beneath the lake. It has exceptionally beautiful scenery with spectacular limestone pillars rising from the water.
There are lots of places to stay in Khao Sok, ranging from treehouses, hotels and floating bungalows on the lake.
Rock and Tree House Resort:
Our accommodation was a tree house bungalow, surrounded by jungle and monkeys. It has several bungalows built on stilts, a large restaurant in the middle and a super cool, rock swimming pool.
🌟 Tip: I chose these bungalows because they were the only ones where the reviews had no complaints about unwanted critters in the accommodation!
As it is in the jungle, lots of monkeys are roaming around. One monkey in particular was a bit of a rogue and would try and break into the rooms of the tree houses every morning. On the last day, he actually mugged my husband for a bag of nuts.
The only thing we weren’t keen on was breakfast at the hotel. Especially because there were so many bees hanging around.
👉 Read our full review of Khao Sok Rock and Tree House Resort
Day Trip to Khao Sok National Park:
Khao Sok national park is outstandingly beautiful and was my son’s favourite place.
The hotel arranged a day out for us. This included travelling at some speed, by long boat, across Cheow Larn Lake. We visited a cave, where we saw bats and snake eggs.
We stopped for lunch at some floating bungalows, before kayaking on the lake. Then, trekking up a river through the jungle.
Our guide was a great laugh and had us swinging on vines and wearing crowns made out of foliage. The day was fun and informative and we would definitely recommend this experience.
More blogs from my Khao Sok series:
- Khao Sok National Park: Best Tours, Things to Do & Cheow Larn Lake
- What to Wear in Khao Sok National Park (Packing Guide)
- Rock and Tree House Resort – full review
Bangkok:
Bangkok is Thailand’s capital city, with a population of over 11 million. The impressive and very busy Chao Phraya River runs through it. Connecting major tourist attractions with water taxis and the Chao Phraya River Express.
The city is large, bustling and vibrant with excellent shopping, restaurants, bars and nightlife.
There are magnificent temples, palaces, markets, parks, towers (popular with free climbers) and sky-lounge cocktail bars.
🌟 Tip: Leaving Bangkok to the end of our holiday turned out to be an excellent idea. Friends of ours did this trip in reverse but they found Bangkok to be overwhelming after such a long flight. By the time we went to Bangkok, we were used to the time difference and acclimatised to the culture.
Millennium Hilton:
For our Bangkok visit, we stayed in the Millennium Hilton, a five star hotel situated on the river Chao Phraya.
We opted for a suite for us and our son and our girls were upgraded to an executive double.
The views were fantastic and it had all the facilities that you would expect from a hotel of this calibre. Including a fantastic sky-lounge cocktail bar and roof top terrace bar (complete with helicopter pad).
🛺 Getting Around Bangkok:
In Bangkok we visited temples, including the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, floating markets, King Power Tower, Khao San road and the Ikon Siam shopping mall.
We travelled by taxis, boats, the sky train and tuk tuk and found everything to be easily accessible.
We had done our research before we arrived about the places we wanted to see and how to get there and it was all very easy.
🌟 Tip: Instead of Uber they have ‘Bolt’ or ‘Grab’ taxis. Transport options include the BTS sky train and the Chao Phraya river express.
We found there were plenty of people happy to explain where we should go and how to get to places.
Tuk Tuks are everywhere, (agree a price before you get in)! Also, there were water buses and taxis along the river.
🌟 Tip: Please note: you must wear appropriate clothing when visiting temples in Bangkok – shoulders and legs must be covered. They sell clothing outside the temples, in case tourists turn up unaware of the rules.
🔗 Blog to read: What to Wear in Bangkok Temples
Bangkok 3 Day Itinerary:
- Day 1. Khlong lay mayom floating market.
SkyWalk kingpowermahanakhon.co.th
- Day 2. 🛕 The Grand Palace, followed by Wat Arun. Khao San Road. 🛺 Tuk tuk ride.
- Day 3. Ikon Siam Mall.
Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market:
Organised trips to floating markets with hotel pick up, are available on ‘Get Your Guide’ and ‘Viator’. However, I read some travel blogs and decided I could do some of the trips myself without a guide.
This saved a lot of money. We caught a taxi to the market for a small fee. A one hour boat trip through the waterways and markets cost 1000 baht for 4 of us (£4.50 each).
This boat trip was the highlight of the whole trip for me. I was mesmerised by all the colourful boat stalls and long boats. We saw people’s houses, a temple and an unusual garden centre. There were even monitor lizards swimming about in the water.
King Power MahaNakhon SkyWalk:
King Power tower is the tallest building in Bangkok and looks like it was designed on Minecraft. Ceiling to floor glass windows are all around the top floors, which provide incredible views over the city.
At the very top is an outdoor area with a café and a ‘skywalk’. This is a glass floor that you can walk on or crawl across if you are petrified like I was. Inside the building are restaurants, shops and virtual reality rides. It is very entertaining and my kids loved it there. We booked our tickets on Get Your Guide:
👉BOOK: KING POWER TOWER AND SKY WALK
Grand Palace and Wat Arun:
We took the Chao Phraya river express to visit the Grand Palace and Wat Arun. They are located close to each other so can be seen in the same morning or afternoon. Both are stunning.
The Grand Palace was the official residence of the former Kings of Thailand, King Rama I to King Rama V. It is an impressive palace, with wondrous architecture and painted murals. It is still used for official events and it is a very popular tourist attraction.
Wat Arun is a Buddhist temple located on the Chao Phraya river. It is one of the most iconic and revered landmarks in Bangkok. A magnificent temple with towers that can be seen from miles away.
We were very lucky to visit when it was quiet.
🌟 Tip: It is best to check out less busy times on Google before your trip.
Khao San Road:
Khao San road is known for being popular with backpackers and its lively nightlife. In the day time it is fairly calm and quiet.
We stopped for a bite to eat, a game of pool and a few cocktails in one of the bars. Local people sell chocolate covered insects to eat and other souvenirs.
At night time, it has a completely different atmosphere. crowded with loud music. People shout at you or even usher you into busy bars, packed with tourists. Also, there are the notorious Ping-Pong shows.
Tuk Tuk Ride:
It is a must to experience a tuk tuk ride whilst in Thailand. This was such a fun experience. We managed to fit all five of us on one tuk tuk. Although we were slightly uncomfortable, we loved whizzing through the busy roads, hanging on for dear life.
🌟 Tip: Make sure you agree a price before you get in.
It started raining when were travelling back to our hotel and so we got soaked. It was very amusing arriving at the hotel’s grand entrance. Limousines and impressive company cars were dropping off suited business people for a conference being held at the hotel.
Then there was us in a brightly coloured tuk tuk with flashing lights. Five of us, in our shorts and t-shirts wet through. We were taking pictures of our driver who was telling the security guards to wait while he had his photo!
Ikon Siam Shopping Mall:
Ikon Siam Mall is located next to the Millennium Hilton and so was very handy for us. This mall is the best mall I have ever been to. The modern architecture is fantastic, with colourful waterfalls cascading from the ceiling and gold gilded pillars in the cinema. There is even a beautiful floating market on the ground floor.
There is so much to see and do including shops, cinemas, and restaurants. We went shopping and ate food there.
On our last day, we were so exhausted that we went to the cinema to relax and chill out before our long flight home.
More blogs about Bangkok:
Conclusion:
Bangkok, although huge and busy, felt like a very safe city, as did everywhere else that we went in Thailand. We found the people to be welcoming, kind and helpful.
The Thai people are fantastic hosts and there is a reason it is called ‘the land of smiles’. They want you to have a wonderful experience so that you will come back again.
We had a wonderful experience, my daughter has already been back and we would love to go back too.
There is loads of advice and travel tips available in books and online. It is an extremely well-travelled country so if you are thinking about a DIY Thailand family holiday, feel reassured that it is going to be fine and that you should go for it!
Book This Holiday:
🔗 If you want a ready-made Thailand 2-week itinerary you can save, download my full trip notes with links, hotel options and a simple planning checklist. Perfect for first-timers and families.
🌟 Top Tips and Interesting Facts About Thailand:
Visas:
•If coming from the UK, you can stay for 30 days without a visa.
Vaccinations:
•Ask your doctor about any vaccinations, we didn’t require any but it does depend on the area you are staying.
SIM Cards:
•It is a good idea to buy a SIM card for your phone while you are there.
Currency:
•The currency is BAHT. The exchange rate is better in Thailand. It is best to take a small amount with you and buy currency there.
Weather:
Thailand weather varies in different regions so check the area and month you wish to go.
The weather in Thailand consists of six months of rainfall during the wet season and three months of dry, cooling breezes during the winter, and three months of heat during the summer. The average temperature of Thailand ranges from 18 to 38°C.
Alcohol and Cannabis:
•The legal drinking age is 20 and cannabis has been legalised.
Drinking Water and Toilets:
•You cannot drink tap water while you are in Thailand. Be cautious with food and drink that may have been washed or contain tap water.
•Do not put toilet tissue or sanitary products down the toilets.
Insect Repellent:
•You will need a strong insect repellent in the day and night. Our doctor recommended at least 50% Deet and it worked!
Adaptor Plugs:
•You will need a universal adaptor plug.
Wildlife:
•Thailand has lots of interesting and dangerous wildlife, including snakes, spiders, wild elephants and tigers!
Etiquette:
•You must cover your shoulders and knees when visiting temples.
•Thai people regard showing the soles of your feet as rude. Shoes must be removed in some areas like temples, spas and even some shops.
•Thai people put their hands together and bow their heads to show respect and say ‘thank you’.
•The King of Thailand is deeply regarded and it is important to show respect. It is illegal to defame, insult or threaten the monarch.
Thailand 2-Week Itinerary & Family Travel FAQ
Is 2 weeks long enough to see Thailand with kids?
Yes – 2 weeks is the ideal length for families. You can combine beaches, jungle and Bangkok without rushing.
Where is the best place for families in Thailand?
Koh Samui is brilliant, especially in UK summer holidays when it’s dry season. Khao Sok and Bangkok are easy to combine and offer a mix of adventure and culture.
How much does a 2-week Thailand holiday cost for a family?
Most DIY trips cost between £1,600-£2,000 per person, including flights, hotels, food and activities. Prices vary depending on season and destinations.
Is Thailand safe for families?
Very. The tourist areas are well-developed, transport is reliable and Thai people are incredibly welcoming to children.
What’s the best Thailand 2-week itinerary for first-timers?
For August or summer holidays: Koh Samui → Khao Sok → Bangkok (your exact route). For winter: swap Koh Samui for Phuket or Krabi.
Do you need vaccinations for Thailand?
Most travellers don’t need anything beyond routine jabs, but always check the latest NHS Fit For Travel advice.
Useful Links:
Tourism Authority of Thailand:
Thai Embassy:
Grab taxis:
BTS sky train: www.bts.co.th
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This post is part of my complete Thailand Travel Guide, where I share itineraries, budget tips and DIY planning advice for visiting Thailand.
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