Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket or Krabi: your first Thailand mix

Thailand is one of the easiest first international holidays from Dhaka. The flight to Bangkok is short, the food is familiar enough to be comforting and different enough to be fun, and there is something for every kind of traveller. The hard part is choosing. Most people have a week or so, and trying to fit in all four big names usually means more time in airports than on beaches. Here is how to pick the right two.

What each place is really like

Bangkok is the city half of the trip. You get the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun along the Chao Phraya river, huge malls, night markets and street food on every corner. It is busy and hot, but the Skytrain and river boats make it easy to get around.

Pattaya sits on the coast a couple of hours' drive from Bangkok. It is the simplest beach add-on because you do not need another flight. The town beach itself is crowded, so most visitors take a boat to Coral Island (Koh Larn) for clearer water, and families like the Nong Nooch garden.

Phuket is Thailand's biggest island, on the Andaman Sea. It has a beach for every mood: Patong is loud and lively, while Kata and Karon are calmer. Day trips to Phang Nga Bay and the Phi Phi islands are the highlights.

Krabi is quieter and more scenic, with tall limestone cliffs rising out of the sea. Ao Nang is the main base, and Railay beach is reached by longtail boat. It suits travellers who want views and calm evenings rather than nightlife.

Matching the mix to who is travelling

• Families with children: Bangkok plus Pattaya keeps travel simple, with no domestic flight. Safari World in Bangkok and the Pattaya boat trips keep children busy.
• Couples and honeymooners: Bangkok for two or three nights, then Krabi or the quieter side of Phuket for slow days and island trips.
• Shopping trips: Bangkok is the base. Pratunam, Platinum Fashion Mall, MBK and the Chatuchak weekend market cover most budgets. Add Pattaya only if you want a beach day.
• Beach lovers: Spend most nights in Phuket or Krabi, and keep Bangkok to a short stop on the way in or out.

Halal food is fairly easy to find in Bangkok, and the south, including Phuket and Krabi, has long-established Muslim communities, so many travellers from Bangladesh find eating out simpler than they expected.

Weather by season

Thailand's weather is the main reason to pick one coast over another. Broadly, the cooler and drier months run from around November to February, which is the most comfortable time for Bangkok and the beaches. From March to May it gets very hot.

The Andaman coast, where Phuket and Krabi are, gets the southwest monsoon from roughly May to October. Seas can be rough and some island boat trips are cancelled on bad days. Pattaya, on the Gulf side, is usually less affected, so it can be the better beach choice in the rainy months. Bangkok gets heavy afternoon showers in the monsoon, but the city keeps running.

Going between May and October? Pair Bangkok with Pattaya, or pick Phuket knowing some sea days may be lost to weather.

How many nights, and in what order

For a first trip of six or seven nights, two places is the sweet spot. A simple pattern:

1. Fly Dhaka to Bangkok and spend three nights in the city.
2. Move on to the beach, by road to Pattaya or by a short domestic flight to Phuket or Krabi, for three or four nights.
3. Fly home, either from the beach town if a convenient connection exists or back through Bangkok.

Doing the city first means you arrive rested at the beach and end the holiday relaxed. If you have more time, the Thailand and Malaysia package adds Kuala Lumpur to the route without much extra effort.

Visa and paperwork

Bangladeshi passport holders need a visa for Thailand, and the way to apply and the documents asked for have changed more than once in recent years. Start early, keep your bank statement and job or business papers ready, and read our guide to preparing a Thailand visa application. Requirements change, so Softway Travels checks the current rules when you apply.

Not sure which two to choose? Tell Softway Travels who is travelling, when, and what you care about most. We can shape a Thailand holiday around it, book the flights and hotels, and help with the visa.