Are you planning a trip to Thailand but not sure where to begin? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! In this blog post, we’ve compiled all our tips and experiences from traveling around Thailand for six weeks. Whether it’s advice on accommodation, transportation, or food, you’ll find everything you should know before your trip to Thailand right here. This guide is designed to help you prepare for your Thailand adventure in the best possible manner, making sure you avoid any unexpected surprises.
Everything you should know before your trip to Thailand
1. Food and cuisine
2. Accommodation
3. Transportation
4. Local culture
5. Public holidays and festivals
6. Language and communication
7. Safety and health
8. Money and budgeting
9. Apps and technology
10. Sightseeing
11. Connectivity
12. Visa and entry requirements
1. Food and cuisine
Thai food is simply irresistible – bursting with flavors and variety! Definitely one of our favorite cuisines. With so many tasty options, choosing can be tough. That’s why we’ve rounded up our top picks of must-try Thai dishes that will leave you wanting more. Get ready to treat your taste buds to a delicious adventure! 😉
Khao Soi
We start off with our absolute favorite Thai dish, Khao Soi. This dish, a classic in the north of Thailand, is a creamy coconut curry noodle soup topped with fried noodles. You can get it with chicken or meat, or just vegetarian as well. The first time we tried ted a limited edition of Khao Soi chips. You better believe we tried it, they were sooo good! We hope they’re still available when you get to visit Thailand.
Pad Kra Pao
Another absolute masterpiece of Thai cuisine is Pad Kra Pao. If you don’t see it on the menu, look for something that says “stir-fried basil” and you’re good to go. We usually ordered Pad Kra Pao with chicken, but the pork and beef options are really good too! Kelvin ordered this dish every other day or so.
Pad Thai (of course)
When in Thailand, eat Pad Thai. This stir-fried rice noodle dish, topped with peanuts and lime, needs no introduction. We tried Pad Thai on our very first day in Thailand, needless to say there were a lot more times after that. You can eat Pad Thai with chicken, meat, seafood, or vegetarian, and yes… we tried them all (or at least Kelvin did). The best Pad Thai we ate was probably at Mom’s Kitchen on Koh Samui.
Hot pot
Hot pot, the best combination of a delicious meal and a fun activity. We discovered hot pot at a night market in Chiang Rai. We went for the small option with chicken, 5 minutes later we got a giant pot on top of a stove on our table. They also gave us some raw and fresh ingredients, including some eggs. Then it was time to start cooking ourselves! Not only was it super delicious, the whole thing was so cool to do, too! After this introduction to hot pot, we were always excited when we saw that a place offered hot pot. Really fun!
Morning glory
If you’re looking for another stir-fried dish, but are a little bit tired of noodles, go for the morning glory. This dish consists of simple stir-fried water spinach seasoned with garlic, chili, and soy sauce for a crispy bite. A must-try! And vegetarian friendly.
Tom Yum Kung
Of course, a delicious Thai soup could not be missed on this list. Definitely try out Tom Yum Kung when you’re in Thailand. This spicy and sour soup with shrimp, lemongrass, lime leaves, and chili will leave you craving for more!
Duck noodle soup
We only ordered this dish once, but regret discovering it so late during our trip. Duck noodle soup, the one Kelvin tried at Thai Duck Noodle Soup in Phi Phi, was the dish that surprised Kelvin the most during our time in Thailand. This soup was so full of flavor, the meat really tender and juicy, and the spiciness just right. So good!
Street food and night markets
Most dishes we listed above can be found at both restaurants, as well as street markets. But, since we visited a lot of street and night markets, we wanted to mention some “street food classics” we discovered, too. If you’re looking for some savory options, make sure to order chicken satays and fresh sushi by the piece. You’ll be amazed at how tasty, but above all how cheap these are! Now, if sweet is more your thing, then definitely order some crispy thai pancakes or banana and coconut waffles (topped with chocolate) for dessert. Both of these sweet desserts are to die for! Lastly, food markets in Thailand are bustling with delicious and affordable smoothie stands, you better believe we drank a lot of those.
2. Accommodation
General information
For the people that read our Thailand budget breakdown this will come as no surprise, but we spent on average € 39,62 per night on accommodation for the both of us. Considering we mixed amazing accommodations with more budgetfriendly hostels, this price is quite reasonable. You must know that even the most basic accommodations in Thailand will be quite comfortable. We always had hot water (hear that, India and Sri Lanka?), and WiFi for instance worked most of the time, too.
However, what we did notice is that it’s nearly impossible to “go with the flow” anymore. We booked most accommodations in advance, but for some locations we planned on doing it on the spot or only a few days in advance. This was not a good idea. All the ones we saved before going on our trip were sold out, and what was left were either very sketchy hostels or really overpriced resorts. We heard this from other people too, up to you if you still want to take that risk.
Lastly, we want to debunk how affordable accommodations in Thailand are. Sure, if you compare the prices of resorts in Thailand with similar ones in Europe then we get your point. However, we spent over 60% of our nights in budget hostels and still spent between € 20 and € 30 per night, which indicates to us that there’s quite a big misconception about how cheap Thailand is. At least, that’s what we thought prior to our world trip! Nevertheless, you can still find great deals on budget accommodations, like hostels (more on that below).
Budget accommodation options
We already told you that we spent over half of our nights in Thailand in hostels. What we learned about hostels during our Thai adventure is that they don’t have to be uncomfortable, loud, or dirty! Almost all of the hostels we stayed at were clean, quiet at night, and still gave us the social aspect of hostels. We always had a double bed, too, so we never spent a night apart. Great for couples that need to be together 24/7 like we do!
If we have to recommend one hostel, then definitely stay at the Social Capsule Hostel in Bangkok. The people and staff are super friendly, they organize a lot of activities if you’re looking to make friends, and the rooms and beds are spacious and clean. The best part? It’s 1 street away from the Khao San Road, but doesn’t have any noise nuisance. We spent 6 nights there, so we think we’ve got a pretty good idea. 😉
Special accommodation options
Now, if you want to take your accommodations to the next level, Thailand is the perfect country to do so. Why not sleep in a bubble under the stars in Kanchanaburi? Or go glamping near Khao Sok? And if island vibes are more your thing, spend the night at The Plantation on Koh Tao for a perfect combination of luxury and amazing views.
3. Transportation
Navigating through the country was an adventure in itself as we explored various modes of transportation. From hopping on trains and BTS skytrains to zipping around in tuktuks, minivans, and ferries, we’ve experienced it all. Whether cruising on (longtail) boats, catching rides on private (night) buses, or hopping on songthaews, we’ve got a pretty good grasp of getting around. It’s worth mentioning that we didn’t try out night trains or public buses during our journey so we don’t have an opinion on those modes of transportation.
Getting around in Thailand by bus
Our night bus from Kanchanaburi to Chiang Mai was pretty comfortable, we definitely didn’t expect that! we got drinks, snacks, and most importantly… a good night’s sleep. After hearing horror stories from people that took the night train, we can’t recommend the bus enough!
Getting around in Thailand by train
Our only train ride we took was from Ayutthaya to Bangkok, and it was quite alright! We bought tickets 2 minutes before departure and still made it on the train in time. The ride was less hot than we expected, there were fans spinning and all the windows were open so we would definitely take the train again! On top of all this, it’s dirt cheap.
In Bangkok, we took the BTS skytrain a fair bit. Compared to other ways of public transportation in Thailand, the BTS skytrain is not the most affordable. However, it does the job very well! All cabins are air conditioned (sometimes too much), and super clean. We used it to get to all the major shopping malls, parks, and the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Less convenient if you’re only planning on visiting the westside of Bangkok (eg. Khao San Road, Grand Palace, etc.), since the BTS doesn’t run there. Other than that it’s great!
Getting around in Thailand by tuktuk
We took several tuktuks, mostly in Bangkok. We would not recommend it as your main mode of transportation, but it offers a nice experience to do it once or twice. The tuktuks are way more comfortable than the ones in India or Sri Lanka, and faster too. The fares are much higher than when you order a rideshare or take a metered taxi, which is why we don’t recommend them. The only time we would recommend them is if you’re eager to get somewhere fast during Bangkok peak traffic, since they can easily navigate between cars. We used this trick a few times and were happy to pay the “premium” to arrive way faster at our destination. Expect prices of tuktuks to be (at least) double that of a regular ride, plus the (sometimes) annoying haggling.
Getting around in Thailand by songthaew
Our first songthaew experience was in Krabi, where we hopped on one of those shared “taxis” for a very reasonable price (60 baht per person). Other than the driver dropping us off at the wrong location, we would definitely recommend them – just follow along on Google Maps. Sometimes they’re the only means of transportation (especially on the islands), and all in all they are pretty affordable. The only time we didn’t like our Songthaew ride was on Koh Phangan, where they tried (and succeeded) to put 9 people plus their luggage in one. Not comfortable at all!
Getting around in Thailand by taxi
We took a few taxis during our time in Thailand, but only if they turned on the meter. If they told us the meter was broken or they didn’t have one, we’d just leave and try another one. Metered taxis are not the cheapest way of getting around, but it gets the job done. To get better rates, we suggest ridesharing apps, but more on that later. If you find yourself in a place that only has taxis, always go for one where the meter works!
4. Local culture
We can certainly see why Thailand is called “The Land of Smiles”. Lots of people were happy to help wherever they could, and you get greeted everywhere you go (more on that later). However, for a country that has a nickname like that, we were sometimes quite shocked by how rude some people could be. We don’t know if this came from some kind of language barrier, or maybe a lot of Thai people are tired of tourists visiting.
The amount of times locals shouted at us (and other tourists) was not what we expected to say the least. This happened more in the touristy places and on the islands, though. Quite understandable because they have to deal with tourists much more often than the north, but it sometimes gave us a weird feeling. We try to be as respectful as possible, but still experienced this quite a bit. We also don’t want to say that this applies to all Thai people, but having just come from Sri Lanka we were maybe a little spoiled.
Two things we learned and found interesting enough to share are the following: never speak ill of the Thai royal family, and Thailand has very strict defamation laws. The traditions regarding the royal family are not to be ridiculed, so never say anything bad about them. The defamation laws are even more bizarre! They’re so strict that you can’t even write a bad review on Google Maps or booking.com without getting into trouble. Not even joking!
One thing you will definitely notice from the moment you set foot in Thailand, is that every single person you meet will end most of their sentences by khrap (male) or ka (female). This is the Thai way of using formal language, and also a way of showing respect. Hearing it is almost infectious! We started implementing it in our own conversations after a couple of weeks in Thailand.
5. Public holidays and festivals
Thailand has a lot of holidays, Wikipedia tells us that there are 19 public holidays celebrated throughout the year. We suggest checking this site before your trip to Thailand, but to make it a little bit easier for you we discuss the most important or fun ones below.
Celebrated in April, Songkran marks the Thai New Year with water fights and traditional rituals symbolizing purification and renewal. Try to be in Chiang Mai during Songkran at least once in your lifetime, to experience the most amazing water fights you’ll ever see!
The full moon party is not an actual holiday, but still worth visiting once in your life. It happens every full moon (what’s in a name), and takes place on Koh Phangan.
Observed on October 13th, the King Bhumibol Memorial Day commemorates the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, arguably the most important monarch in Thailand.
Last but not least: the birthday of the King and Queen, currently celebrated on July 28th and June the 3rd respectively.
6. Language and communication
English will get you pretty far in Thailand, so no need for your Thai to English translator books/apps. However, do know that most Thai people have difficulty with English pronunciation, which can make it pretty hard to maintain conversations with locals. The reason for this is that a lot of sounds in the English language don’t even exist in the Thai language. After a local told us this during our first days in Thailand, we were even more impressed by how many people in Thai speak and understand English! Sure, having a talk will not always be easy as you’d hoped, but that’s what makes traveling worth it!
We only have two suggestions for you, but these two local phrases will surely put a smile on every Thai’s face. The first one is “sawadee(khrap/ka)”, which means hello. Khrap is used by male speakers and ka by female speakers. Be prepared to hear this a lot! The other local phrase is another basic but effective one, which is “kap khun (khrap/ka)”, which means thank you. These are all we used during our 6 weeks in Thailand, and locals seemed to appreciate that as well.
There were a few times during our time in Thailand where we received nothing but Thai menus, like when we visited JJ night market in Kanchanaburi. When this happens, you can do two things. Use a translation app like Google Translate, or… just ask the vendor what exactly it is they’re selling! We mainly used the second approach, it makes the experience all the more fun.
7. Safety and health
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is undeniably crucial. Ensure you select a plan or credit card that includes coverage for medical expenses and offers emergency assistance. Additionally, think about getting insurance for potential trip delays or cancellations, too, because these are more common than you think. Lastly, don’t forget about protecting your belongings from loss or theft! If your insurance covers all these aspects, you’re well-prepared. That’s why we opted for a Mastercard that gives us all these benefits. On top of that, we also get car rental insurance which is great!
Health precautions and vaccinations
Burning season in Thailand typically takes place from February to April, particularly in the northern regions like Chiang Mai. During this period, air pollution levels can rise significantly due to agricultural burning practices and wildfires. If you have respiratory conditions you should avoid the north of Thailand during this time.
To ensure we were properly vaccinated for our trip, we scheduled an appointment at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. After discussing our travel plans with the doctor, they recommended several vaccinations tailored to our itinerary. While some shots like rabies or typhoid might not be necessary if you plan to stick to resorts and avoid street food, we opted to stay on the side of caution and received all 13 recommended vaccinations… each! For those seeking information without a doctor’s appointment, we recommend visiting the Belgian website wanda.be, which provides a comprehensive overview of required and recommended vaccinations by country. In preparation for our trip to Thailand, we received vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, polio, measles-mumps-rubella, typhoid fever, rabies, and Japanese encephalitis. We didn’t need Malaria pills, but we did get a mosquito repellent that was high in DEET.
Regarding safety, we can safely say that we always felt at ease in Thailand. Sure, we had our fair share of stray dogs that barked at us when we were passing by late at night. However, we must say that there were a lot more stray dogs in India and Sri Lanka, and they were much more hostile too! The only times you might feel unsafe is in traffic. Thai traffic is notoriously bad, and you should prepare yourself for it – especially if you plan on renting a scooter some time. However, it’s nothing like Vietnamese traffic, so all things considered you should be fine.
8. Money and budgeting
Thailand uses the Thai Baht (THB), with 100 THB being € 2,51. This was easy enough for us to calculate, we just divided everything by 40 (eg. 2000 THB is around € 50). Depending on the amount, we sometimes divided by 30 if that made more sense, especially if we just wanted to get a general idea of the price of an item.
We kindly forward you to our Thailand budget breakdown if you want to know more about how much we spent, and what we recommend doing if you’re looking to save money. Here’s a sneak peak, though: don’t underestimate the cost of transportation in Thailand if you’re planning on visiting the north, south, and some island hopping in between.
9. Apps and technology
Navigation
We stuck to Google Maps throughout our trip since it covered all our navigation needs. However, it’s wise not to depend solely on it. We learned this the hard way, winding up on dead-end streets a few times. If a road looks untrustworthy, it usually is. Just stay on the main road and Google Maps will automatically suggest a new road.
ATM Fee Saver
As always, we used the app ATM Fee Saver and it was great! Do know that every ATM in Thailand (no exclusions) charges a 220 THB fee (around € 5,50) for every transaction. Because of this we usually withdrew big chunks of money each time (the app shows you the maximum amount per bank, too). You could try to walk into an actual bank and withdraw money that way, but it can take some time and doesn’t always work. You’ll also need your passport for this and sign some papers, from what we’ve heard. An alternative solution for saving on ATM fees is using a card that reimburses them, like Charles Schwab. And as always, learn to decline the conversion. 😉
Ridesharing
Ridesharing apps are a dime a dozen in Thailand. You have the usual suspect in Grab, which is the most widespread and has the best coverage in the country. If Grab says there’s no availability, you’re probably out of luck. Because of its popularity, it is also the most expensive option. A cheaper alternative we found was Bolt. It was often 30% cheaper than Grab, so whenever Bolt was available we usually used that. Lastly, in cities like Phuket and on Koh Samui and Koh Tao, we also used InDrive. InDrive is way cheaper than Grab, and works in a different way too. Instead of seeing the fare of the ride, you can make a bid of how much you would like to pay. When a driver accepts the ride, the total price will be what you put in the app. Simple, cheap, and really effective!
Food delivery
We never ordered food via an app and always called the restaurant directly (using Skype). However, we did see a lot of people wearing Grab “merch” deliver food. If you do know a little bit of Thai, you can try apps like Lineman and Robinhood.
10. Sightseeing
We were in Thailand for over 6 weeks, which means we did and saw a lot of things. Our Thailand section covers it all, but if you’re just looking for recommendations, we’ve got you covered too.
One of the highlights of our time in Thailand was undoubtedly our visit to Khao Sok. For that, we’ve written a complete guide to Khao Sok National Park. More interested in the dreamy Phi Phi islands? Say no more! And if the north of Thailand is what you’re after, we recommend reading 8 best things to do in Pai, 10 unique things to do in Chiang Mai, or the ultimate day trip to Chiang Rai.
Last but not least: we’ve crafted the perfect Thailand itinerary for 2 to 4 weeks, covering both the scenic north and the magical south.
11. Connectivity
We’re going to say it right away, having a sim card in Thailand is absolutely necessary. Using Google Maps, ordering rides or food, doing research, and communicating with your accommodation are just a number of the things you’ll be doing during your trip to Thailand. We could not imagine ourselves without a data plan.
Where to buy sim cards
You have tons of options when it comes to providers in Thailand. AIS is the most widespread with the best coverage, so that’s the one we went with. We bought our sim card at the airport on arrival. This was an unlimited data card, valid for 30 days which cost us 999 THB (€ 25). However, do know that prices in the airport are much much higher than at, for instance, an AIS flagship store in Bangkok. If you don’t need a sim card right away, we recommend getting to the city first and buying one there.
Now, what if you’re staying longer than 30 days? We were in Thailand for 6 weeks, which meant that our plan expired during our trip. We thought we’d get a similar deal again, unlimited data for an affordable price, but that wasn’t the case. It is almost impossible to get the same deal for the next 30 days of your trip, except if you’re willing to buy a whole new sim again. We had already used the number associated with the sim when communicating with tour guides, accommodations, and in apps, so this wasn’t an option for us.
The only solution was topping up via the AIS app, and selecting an appropriate, new plan. Let us tell you, these plans are way less attractive and absolutely not worth it! We could never go for an unlimited plan, on top of that the prices were much much higher, too. Our advice: make sure you don’t need the number of your first sim after 30 days so you can get a new one.
Lastly, if you just need a sim card for basic browsing and navigation, you’re probably better off with a Truemove sim. You can buy them in most 7-Elevens, they’re much cheaper, and do the job quite well.
If you don’t want to struggle with going to a store and setting up a sim on your phone, we highly recommend you check out Airalo. They provide a variety of local, regional, and global e-SIM options that you can conveniently activate online, saving you both time and money. The process is incredibly straightforward: simply purchase the e-SIM, install it on your device, and it activates automatically once your phone connects to a network. It’s that simple! And what’s even better is that you can use the code TastingSunsets for a $3 discount of your first order. How cool is that? To help you get started, we’ve included a search bar for Thailand.
Internet availability
We already mentioned that our coverage with AIS was great, and can confirm that the WiFi in accommodations was pretty reliable most of the time. Sure, in the more budget-y hostels we sometimes used the hotspot on our phone because it was faster than the WiFi, but generally speaking Internet access was readily available. The only exception to this is of course when you’re visiting Khao Sok National Park. No coverage, no WiFi, even no electricity!
12. Visa and entry requirements
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for Thailand are pretty standard, even more so if you’re planning on visiting for less than 30 days. People from over 60 countries can travel to Thailand without having to apply for a visa. If you’re eligible, you can enter Thailand visa exempt for 30 days – totally free! You just have to make sure you meet some criteria, like strictly visiting Thailand for tourism purposes only, and having a confirmed return ticket exiting Thailand within 30 days. In addition, and this applies even to regular visas, make sure your passport has at least six months of validity. Also, have your hotel booking confirmation ready if requested by Immigration Officers.
Now, if you’re planning on visiting Thailand for longer than 30 days, you have two options. The first option is the “less ethical” one, which is also known as the “visa run”. This involves leaving the country briefly, and then returning shortly afterward to reset the visas duration. So technically, you could leave Thailand after 29 days for a short trip to Laos or Cambodia, after which you head back to Thailand and enter the country for another 30 days, visa exempt. We only suggest doing this if you were planning on visiting the other country anyways, don’t underestimate the cost of transport to another country The second option, the one we chose, is to apply for a tourist visa. You can do this online in advance, and the price is € 40 per person.
Visa application process
If you plan on staying in Thailand for less than 30 days, and are eligible to enter Thailand visa exempt, you don’t have to do anything in advance. On arrival, you’ll meet with an immigration officer that either lets you in or sends you back home.
People that need to obtain a visa can do so online on the official website. The process is quite straightforward, and you can apply for more than 1 person using the same account. You will need to upload the biodata page of your passport and a recent photograph (less than 6 months old). Additionally, travelers must provide documentation indicating their current location, along with travel and accommodation confirmations for Thailand.
We got asked for both our plane tickets in and out of the country. The funny thing is that they asked for our itinerary from Belgium all the way to Thailand. Since we are on a world trip, this was… less than straightforward. We had to include flights from Belgium to Hungary, Hungary to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia to India, India to Sri Lanka, and finally Sri Lanka to Thailand in our application. 😂 But, it got approved! We do have to mention that the people over at the Thai embassy in Brussels take their time. It took almost 3 weeks for us to get approved!
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