I need some advice about the villages/cities which can be found between Bangkok and Chiang Mai that you would suggest to spend 5 nights in. The idea is to head to the North on our way to Chiang Mai (by means of bus or train but surely overland), and on our way we intend to spend in total 5 nights in villages between Bangkok & Chiang Mai.

So far we're sure we'll be visiting 2 nights in Phitsanulok, of which a day tour to Sukothai. Someone also told us about Phrae and Lamphang but we need some more information.

Having said this, in which cities/villages would you stop which in your opinion are worth visiting? how would you distribute the 5 nights & how long (nights) you suggest that we stay considering the things to see in each location?..

Would also appreciate if you can give us some advice on the type of transport/transfers we have to consider from each location to move on to the other until we reach Chiang Mai. Thanks so much in advance.

Edited February 3, 201016 yr by borgy

Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok, Lampang. Bus

Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok, Lampang. Bus

Plus Sukhothai?

Be sure to have a look at the ruins in Si Satchanalai to the north of Sukhothai:

Lampang for the horse n carts but not much else going on.

Have a look at this page

If you are talking about cities, the above info's are good advice.

If you are talking about Thai Villages, I would think you would need to be traveling with a Thai person or persons who are familiar with the villages you may be interested in visiting.........................They are quite different to accommodations that you may have experienced in the past!

If you are talking about cities, the above info's are good advice.

If you are talking about Thai Villages, I would think you would need to be traveling with a Thai person or persons who are familiar with the villages you may be interested in visiting.........................They are quite different to accommodations that you may have experienced in the past!

agree-sound advice. All places mentioned are towns. Most small villages wont have any form of easy accomodation-and there will be nothing to do as watching the rice grow.

I would skip Nkn sawan-unless you are of Chinese descent and hit it at the right time of year-tiger coming.

It would do unjstice to Sukhothai to just do it as a 1-day trip-stay there and enjoy its nightlife.

Besides the horses+carts Lampang has a veri nice, mostly preserved old-style Thai teakwooden houses centre. But-without those horses-Phrae is even better in that respect.

Hi guys-thanks so much for your replies-Decided that on our way to Chiang Mai we'll stop in Phitsanulok (most prob by train) from BKK and immediately head to Pits bus station and go directly to Sukothai and spend 2 nights there. We decided to skip Phrae and so after Sukothai we'll head straight up by bus to Lampang for another 2 night stay there until we reach Chiang Mai.So we'll have just 2 destinations that we will be visiting on our way to CM-being Sukothai & Lampang.Will appreciate if someone can tell us in which areas of Sukothai and Lampang it's best to stay in and maybe indicate also any cheap but good guesthouses or similar accommodation to stay in these 2 places.

thanks a lot.

Hi. A really cool place to stay in Lampang is Riverside guest house, beautiful old house in a relaxing spot on the river, (pic) they have a website. Also the food and music at the restaurant of the same name just down the street is first rate. Several good bars in the area so very much the place to stay. Elephant Conservation Centre at Lampang is a good day out, non-commercial and under Royal patronage, nice place to live if your an Ellie !!

Thanks for the heads-up. The Riverside looks nice. Here's the site.