Luca and Sinners (Jacob) are best mates. They spent their gap year working at the same bar in London (Slug & Lettuce, if you're wondering), saving every pound for a three-month run through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. They started in Bangkok, winding north through Chiang Mai and Pai, cutting through Laos by river boat, down through Southeast Asia, and finishing with a proper send-off at the Full Moon Party in South Thailand. If you are looking to party, party, party or need some encouragement to wander instead of plan — these are the tips for you.
Bangkok isn't the highlight, but it's worth doing. Do it right, keep it short, then move on.
The Khao San Road: It's got a particularly trashy reputation. You're never really going out with the locals. You're going out in the hostels with all the 20-to-25 year olds. Walk up and down, bar after bar. You don't need a plan. Don't stay too long. We did four or five days before Sinners joined and another two or three after, and by the end we were like, that was probably too much. Three days, max.
We checked into a hostel and it was this terrible hostel, nothing like what was advertised. We went to walk around and it stunk and we were jet-lagged and we were like — this is going to be the worst three months of our lives. But then once you get out, you feel better about it the next day.
Tips
Use TikTok, not Google: We'd looked on Safari — 'best party hostel Bangkok' — and it was five years old. Everything moves quick out there. Use TikTok and Hostel World. The ones with the most reviews on Hostel World are the biggest party hostels.
Hostels: All the hostels will try and say we're the number one party hostel. Go on Hostel World, the ones with the most reviews will be the biggest ones — those are the ones where the people are at.
Thai massage: Get one. A classic Khao San Road move.
Tuk tuks: Essential Khao San Road experience.
How long: 3–4 days max. There's a lot better waiting for you north.
Chiang Mai was our favourite base. Bigger than you'd expect, significantly cheaper than the south, and it doesn't feel as touristy. Everything is much cheaper in the north. It feels a lot more gritty and real.
Zoe in Yellow
The go-to bar for travelers and tourists. Lots of energy, easy to meet people.
★★★★★5.0Spicy
The club everyone migrates to when Zoe in Yellow closes.
★★★★★5.0Silvis
Our favourite bar in all of Thailand and it doubles as a hostel. We still follow the bartender on Instagram. If you can, stay there.
★★★★★5.0Illusion
Top ten club in the world, and the drinks are so cheap.
★★★★★4.5
The Sticky Waterfall
About 45 minutes outside Chiang Mai. Something about the rock makes it so you can walk up the face and it sticks to your feet. Find it on TikTok.
★★★★★4.0
Tips
Muay Thai: Go to a Muay Thai fight. You can do it in Bangkok too and the stadiums are bigger there. But if you want the more local version, Chiang Mai is perfect. It's the national sport, the culture for it is insane. Luca went back last summer specifically to train.
Hotel next to a hostel: Best of both worlds: find a hotel right next to the biggest hostel. If you're three people, a triple room works out the same price — you get your own room, and you just walk down to the hostel bar when you're ready. Stayed at an incredible family-run hotel in Chiang Mai — cheap, great location, great people.
Don't stress booking tours: So many people would love to invite you into their homes, help you cook, eat with you. That's the personality of Thailand. Everyone wants to meet everyone.
Pai divides people. We weren't its biggest fans (big hippie smoking culture) but we still found things worth doing. It's worth a stop if you're heading north.
It's very popular on the route. Lots of tourists, lots of bars. It felt like it was all hostels and no locals. Most of the food was Western, which sometimes you fancy, but it felt like, what's the point of being here?
Tipsy Tubing
You get on an inner tube with a bag of beers and float down the river next to loads of other people for like two hours, drinking.
Tips
Learning mopeds: If you're nervous about learning to ride a moped, Pai is the move. It's quiet with wide lanes. Chiang Mai is more chaotic, we nearly crashed immediately there. You do see a lot of people walking around with knee braces and on crutches — so maybe don't be an idiot about it.
Waterproof case: I broke my phone doing tipsy tubing. Get a waterproof case. That messed me up.
The bus from Chiang Mai to Pai: Very windy mountain road. A lot of people get sick. Go in knowing that.
We took a full-day river boat from Thailand into Laos. You book it day-of. You stay overnight in a random middle-of-nowhere town.
The south is pretty much party, beach, and party.
Prices go up compared to the north — not dramatically, but you'll feel it. The crowd also shifts. Suddenly you're walking around and it feels quite different compared to the north, which feels a lot more gritty and real.
Koh Samui
Biggest island, best all-round mix of nightlife, beaches, and exploration. About 40 minutes end to end on a moped. Great base.
Koh Tao
The party island. Also known for cheap scuba diving courses — we didn't do it but it comes highly recommended. Good for a 3-day blowout. Ferries are about 2 hours between each island — great for a progressive island hop.
DD Muay Thai — Koh Samui
Luca went back the following summer specifically for this gym. Super friendly coaches, cheap, excellent for beginners or anyone wanting to actually train. Highly recommended.
Tips
Sleeper bus: Take the overnight sleeper bus from Bangkok to Phuket. Saves a night of accommodation and gets you there in time to start your south loop.
Ferries: About 2 hours between each island. Good for a progressive island hop or a boys' trip finale.
Full Moon Party: My phone died partway through. It's massive so don't rely on finding your friends easily.
Reggae Bar opponent tip: They don't care if the other person is twice your size. Ask specifically for someone your size.
Phuket Connect 4 bars: Don't waste your money unless you are genuinely unbelievable at Connect 4. You'll get competitive and keep betting more.
TikTok over Google: Google recs go stale fast. TikTok is what's actually current.
Hostel World: Most reviews = biggest party hostel. That's where the people are.
Mopeds: Learn in Pai if you're nervous. Chiang Mai is more chaotic — we nearly crashed immediately there.
Street food: 4.5/5 across Thailand. Cheap (150–200 baht a meal), good everywhere. One caveat: don't eat the $2 steak in Pai. Our mate found out the hard way.
Hotel next to hostel: Best of both worlds, especially for a group of three. Same price, your own space, and you just walk down to the party.
Book day-of: Almost everything in Thailand you can book the day of. Don't stress about pre-planning everything.
Go local: Don't sign up for touristy organized cooking classes. So many people would love to invite you into their homes. That's the personality of Thailand.
The value: Once you factor in the cost of a flight, the whole trip is actually cheaper than going to Spain or Greece. The clubs are incredible, the beaches are amazing, and you'd struggle to spend $100 in a night.
Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Pai
South Thailand & Islands
All of Jacob and Luca's recommendations are saved in this Google Maps list.
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