Asia · Southeast Asia
🇹🇭 Thailand travel guide
Islands, night markets & golden temples.
- Currency
- ฿ THB
- Time
- UTC +7
- Emergency
- 191 · 1155
Best places in Thailand
- Grand Palace & Wat Pho. Bangkok’s royal temples and the reclining Buddha.
- Chiang Mai old city. Temples, Sunday walking street and mountain views.
- Railay & Phi Phi. Limestone cliffs and turquoise bays in Krabi.
- Ayutthaya. Ancient capital ruins by bicycle.
Hidden places
- Pai canyon & valleys. Hot springs and mountain views in the north.
- Koh Kood. Quiet island with waterfalls near Cambodia.
- Khao Sok. Floating bungalows on Cheow Lan Lake.
- Phanom Rung, Isan. A Khmer temple on an extinct volcano.
When to go
- Best time. November–February: cooler and drier on most coasts.
- Avoid. March–May heat inland; check monsoon for each coast.
- Festivals. Songkran water festival (April), Loy Krathong & Yi Peng lanterns (Nov).
What you need
- Documents. Passport (6 months valid), Thailand Digital Arrival Card, onward ticket.
- Pack. Light clothes, a temple cover-up, reef-safe sunscreen, mosquito repellent.
- Apps. Grab, Bolt, 12Go (transport), Google Translate.
- Health. Drink bottled water; carry rehydration salts.
The soul of Thailand
- Start somewhere unforgettable. Bangkok for street life, Chiang Mai for temples and hills, Krabi and the islands for beaches.
- Choose your season. November–February is cooler and drier in much of the country. The Gulf islands have a different rainy season from the Andaman coast.
- Before you leave. Mix one city, one mountain town and one coast rather than island-hopping every day.
Visual money
- Currency · THB ฿. Keep ฿20–100 notes for stalls and boats. Foreign card ATM withdrawals usually carry a fixed fee.
- A daily budget. Illustrative, per person: budget ฿1,000–1,800; comfortable ฿2,500–6,000. Islands cost more.
- Paying locally. Cards work in malls and hotels; markets and street food are cash. Never insult the King’s image on banknotes.
Arrival playbook
- Documents first. Check visa exemption rules for your passport and complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card before travelling.
- Your first ride. Use the official airport taxi queue (meter plus airport fee) or Grab/Bolt. The Airport Rail Link serves central Bangkok.
- Get connected. Buy a tourist SIM at the airport with your passport, or use an eSIM.
Street codes
- At temples. Cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes and never point feet at a Buddha image.
- The monarchy. Criticism of the royal family is a serious crime. Stand for the anthem in cinemas and public places.
- Heads & feet. Don’t touch anyone’s head. Avoid pointing with your feet.
Beyond the postcard
- Nan province. Mountain villages, temple murals and quiet roads in the far north.
- Koh Yao Noi. A calm island between Phuket and Krabi with fishing villages and bay views.
- Isan. The north-east: Khmer ruins, Mekong views and some of Thailand’s best food.
Food dossier
- A few first plates. Pad kra pao, som tam, khao soi in the north, and mango sticky rice in season.
- Eat with care. Busy stalls cooking to order are a good sign. Drink sealed bottled water.
- Spice level. Ask “mai phet” for not spicy. Fish sauce and shrimp paste are common in vegetarian-looking dishes.
Scam shield
- “The palace is closed today”. A classic opener leading to gem shops or tuk-tuk detours. Check opening times yourself.
- Jet-ski damage. Photograph rentals before use, or avoid jet-ski hire entirely.
- Fixed-fare taxis. Ask for the meter (“meter, khrap/kha”) or book through an app.
Language cheat sheet
- Hello · Sawasdee khrap / kha. Men end with “khrap”, women with “kha”. Thank you · Khop khun khrap / kha.
- How much? · Tao rai?. Water · Nam. Help · Chuay duay. Not spicy · Mai phet.
- Where is …? · … yoo tee nai?. Keep your hotel name written in Thai script for drivers.
Survival essentials
- Emergency · 191 / 1669. Police 191, ambulance 1669, Tourist Police 1155 (English speaking).
- Sea & sun. Respect red flags; rip currents can be strong in monsoon. Carry high-SPF sun protection.
- Power & time. 220V; sockets commonly accept types A, B, C and O. Time zone UTC+7.
Your Thailand chapter
- A gentle first journey. Bangkok → Chiang Mai → Krabi suits about two weeks.
- A different pace. Spend a week on one quieter island and explore by kayak and on foot.
- Before confirming. This is a starter guide, not live advice. Verify visas, prices, opening times and safety conditions with official sources.