Self-Launched Royal Thailand Experience: Bangkok to Chiang Mai in 6 Days
6 days · Thailand
Royal Silk Holidays charges £920
No-markup version: ~£268 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Royal Silk Holidays' 6-day historical Thailand loop — Ayutthaya's UNESCO ruins, the rice-barge river cruise, Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai historical parks, Phrae and Phayao, the White Temple in Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle, and Chiang Mai's Doi Suthep and Borsang craft village — done on overnight and daytime trains, local buses, songthaews and self-booked day tours instead of a private minibus and guide. Same route, same headline sights, roughly a third of the price.
Day-by-day
Bangkok to Ayutthaya ruins, then night train north to Nakhon Sawan/Phitsanulok
Bangkok → Ayutthaya → Nakhon Sawan
Leave Bangkok early by ordinary train from Hua Lamphong (or Krung Thep Aphiwat) to Ayutthaya, about 1.5 hours for roughly £1-2. Rent a bicycle at the station (about £3/day) or hop a songthaew to cover Wat Mahathat (the Buddha head in the tree roots), Wat Chaiwatthanaram and the riverside. Do the Sakaekrang/Chao Phraya rice-barge-style river cruise independently by taking the local ferry across to Wat Chaiwatthanaram and back, then wander the riverside market for grilled river fish and fresh produce. In the late afternoon, catch a northbound train (2nd class fan or sleeper) toward Nakhon Sawan/Phitsanulok; book on the State Railway of Thailand site or at the station. Overnight in a guesthouse near the station.
🚌Train Bangkok–Ayutthaya ~£1.50; bike hire ~£3; train Ayutthaya–Nakhon Sawan/Phitsanulok ~£5-8
🛏Station-area guesthouse, Nakhon Sawan or Phitsanulok (£12-16)
- →Wat Mahathat (Buddha head in tree roots)
- →Wat Chaiwatthanaram
- →Chao Phraya river ferry crossing
- →Riverside market food crawl
- →Ayutthaya Historical Park by bicycle
Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park and Sukhothai by bicycle
Nakhon Sawan → Kamphaeng Phet → Sukhothai
Take an early local bus or train to Kamphaeng Phet (about 1.5-2 hours). Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park is quiet, forested and cheap to enter (roughly £2-3) — cycle between Wat Phra Kaew and the walled city ruins. Then continue by local bus to Sukhothai (about 2 hours). Rent a bike for the afternoon at Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO site, and ride between Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Chum and Wat Sa Si. If time allows, detour to the Sangkhalok pottery village of Si Satchanalai or a local kiln in Sukhothai to see the region's celadon-style ceramics. Sleep in the new town or near the park gates.
🚌Local bus Nakhon Sawan–Kamphaeng Phet ~£2; bus Kamphaeng Phet–Sukhothai ~£2.50; bike hire ~£3
🛏Sukhothai guesthouse (£12-16)
- →Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park and Wat Phra Kaew
- →Sukhothai Historical Park cycling
- →Sangkhalok pottery kiln visit
Sukhothai to Phrae, Phayao Lake and the White Temple
Sukhothai → Phrae → Phayao → Chiang Rai
This is a long travel day, so break it up. Take a morning bus to Phrae (about 2.5 hours) and visit Wat Phra That Suthon with its small folk museum, then bus on to Phayao for a lakeside lunch stop at Kwan Phayao. From Phayao, catch a bus toward Chiang Rai (about 2 hours). Arrive late afternoon and tuk-tuk or Grab out to Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple — it's cheapest and quietest in the last hour before closing. Wat Rong Suea Ten (the Blue Temple) is free and open into the evening. Stay in Chiang Rai's old town.
🚌Bus Sukhothai–Phrae ~£3; bus Phrae–Phayao ~£3; bus Phayao–Chiang Rai ~£3; Grab/tuk-tuk to temples ~£3
🛏Chiang Rai hostel or guesthouse, old town (£12-18)
- →Wat Phra That Suthon and folk museum
- →Kwan Phayao Lake lunch stop
- →Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
- →Wat Rong Suea Ten (Blue Temple)
Golden Triangle, Chiang Saen and the Opium Museum
Chiang Rai → Chiang Saen → Golden Triangle → Chiang Mai
Book a shared minibus day tour or use the local green bus to Chiang Saen (about 1.5 hours). Wander the ancient capital's riverside ruins — Wat Chedi Luang and the old city walls — then continue to the Golden Triangle viewpoint where the Mekong meets the Ruak. Visit the Hall of Opium (or the smaller Opium Museum) for the region's history; entry around £4-6. Lunch at a riverside restaurant. Either take the afternoon bus back to Chiang Rai and then an evening VIP bus to Chiang Mai (about 3.5 hours, roughly £8-10), or stay one more night in Chiang Rai and travel in the morning. If you're in Chiang Mai by evening, a kantoke dinner with northern dance performances is easily booked same-day for about £12-18.
🚌Local bus/shared minibus Chiang Rai–Chiang Saen ~£4; Chiang Rai–Chiang Mai VIP bus ~£9
🛏Chiang Mai hostel or guesthouse, old city (£12-18)
- →Chiang Saen ancient capital ruins
- →Golden Triangle viewpoint
- →Hall of Opium museum
- →Optional kantoke dinner with northern dance show
Doi Suthep, Borsang craft village and Chiang Mai old city temples
Chiang Mai
Take a red songthaew from the old city to the base of Doi Suthep (about £2-3 shared), then climb the 306-step naga staircase to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, with its golden chedi and city views. On the way down, stop at Borsang village — reachable by songthaew or a cheap Grab — where umbrella and paper crafts are made; you can paint your own parasol or fan for roughly £3-5. Back in the old city, see Wat Phra Singh Worawihan and the Sunday Walking Street if your timing lines up. Spend the evening in the night market or a cooking class (about £20) if you want a foodie add-on.
🚌Songthaew to Doi Suthep ~£3; songthaew/Grab to Borsang ~£4
🛏Chiang Mai hostel or guesthouse, old city (£12-18)
- →Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and the 306-step climb
- →Borsang umbrella and paper craft village
- →Parasol painting workshop
- →Wat Phra Singh Worawihan
- →Night market food crawl
Chiang Mai departure
Chiang Mai
Breakfast at your guesthouse or a local khao soi spot, then a red songthaew or Grab to Chiang Mai International Airport (about £3-5, 20 minutes) or onward to Pai, Chiang Rai or Laos if you're extending. Domestic flights to Bangkok start around £25-40 if you'd rather skip the 10-hour train back.
🚌Songthaew/Grab to CNX airport ~£4
🛏None (departure day)
- →Khao soi breakfast
- →Old city morning stroll before departure
Self-launched vs. Royal Silk Holidays
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Royal Silk Holidays | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£268 | £920 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £652 per person (71%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Royal Silk Holidays-style trips? Check them out here.~£268
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Royal Thailand Experience: Bangkok to Chiang Mai in 6 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £268 per person for 6 days in Thailand. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Royal Silk Holidays?+
Yes — Royal Silk Holidays charges around £920 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £268 — a saving of roughly £652 (71%) per person.
How long is the Thailand trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Thailand.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Thailand, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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