Routes · Asia

Tashkent to Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Krabi

Tashkent → Bangkok → Chiang Mai → Krabi

Temples & islands Best season (general guide): Nov–Mar

Three distinct Thailands in one trip: a sprawling capital, the cooler north and the cliffs and islands of the Andaman Sea. The route from Tashkent usually goes through a Gulf or Central Asian hub to Bangkok. After that, quick domestic flights handle each change of scene, so you don't spend whole days on buses. The itinerary spends three nights in Bangkok, three nights in Chiang Mai and four nights in Krabi.

Bangkok comes first because it's where most international flights arrive and where the energy is greatest. Three nights cover the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, a boat ride along the Chao Phraya and an evening at a night market. Chiang Mai, an hour north by plane, is calmer. The old city is ringed by a moat and dotted with temples, and the nearby hills are good for cooking classes, ethical elephant sanctuaries or a drive up Doi Suthep. The trip ends on the coast at Krabi, where longtail boats run to Railay's beaches and out to island-hopping spots.

From November to February, Bangkok and the north are at their coolest and driest, and the Andaman Sea around Krabi is usually calmest from December to March, according to the Thai Meteorological Department's climate reference. Chiang Mai often has poor air quality from seasonal agricultural burning from late February to April, so travellers sensitive to smoke may prefer to visit the north earlier. On the Andaman coast the southwest monsoon runs from about mid-May to mid-October, when rough seas can cancel boat tours.

Temple dress codes apply across Thailand: cover your shoulders and knees, especially at the Grand Palace. In Chiang Mai, the Sunday Walking Street market in the old city is a lively way to end the week. Railay's climbing routes on the limestone walls attract climbers of every level, with guided courses for beginners. Bangkok's Chatuchak weekend market is enormous, so go in the morning before the heat.

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