Destination: Thailand Travel Tips
Thailand is one of the most popular places to visit in Southeast Asia, and I totally get why! Here you will Thailand travel tips, inspiration, guides, and more!
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What To Expect In Thailand
Here is some practical information and travel tips you can expect when traveling in Thailand.
Language: Thai is the national language. While English is somewhat understood, I would recommend downloading Google translate. This app helped us so much while here!
Currency: The Thai Baht is used in Thailand.
Cards/ATM’s: Credit Cards are widely accepted except at small food vendors. ATMs can be found everywhere. It is always good to have a couple of extra Baht for street eating and tuk-tuks.
Tipping in Thailand: Tipping is not customary and should not be done unless otherwise stated. The best way to show your appreciation to Thailand businesses is by leaving a review on Trip Advisor!
Thailand Safety: In General, the main Thailand cities and islands are very safe to travel including solo female travelers. With that being said, use general caution.
Thailand Water Safety: The water is not safe to drink from the tap unless you boil the water or use a water filter that can handle killing bacteria.
Check out Steripen and Lifestraw water bottle for their filtering capabilities.
Visas: U.S. citizens, Canadian and most EU tourists entering Thailand for fewer than 30 days do not need a visa.
Power outlets: In Thailand, the power plugs and sockets are of type A, B, C, F, and O and the standard voltage is 220 V. The standard frequency is 50 Hz and most commonly feature two-prong round or flat sockets. Here is our favorite universal adaptor.
Getting Around: Thailand is a pretty large country so the most popular way to get around is by train (or sleeper train), Bus, and Plane from city to city.
For planning City/island transport, the go-to website is 12 Go Asia. We used this to book our sleeper train to Chiang Mai and it’s a highly used website for Thailand.
For local travel, bus, scooter, Tuk Tuk’s (3 wheel motor scooter cab), and Songthaews (pickup truck community cab). There are also local cabs and the driving service Grab (like Uber).
Sim Cards: Sim cards are very easy to get in Thailand and can even be purchased at 7/11. I would recommend using the AIS sim card which we found very reliable. We used the sim as a hotspot for 2 computers and 2 phones.
The only downside is the battery on the phone dies much quicker when using the hotspot. I would recommend also bringing a power bank!
Vaccinations: Depending on where you travel in Thailand, certain vaccinations are recommended. Check CDC here.
Thailand Travel Tip: If this is your first time visiting Thailand, I recommend reading the 15 Things to Know Before Traveling to Thailand here! This covers some important information about Thai culture!
Weather in Thailand
In General, the best time to travel to Thailand is October through May. This is considered the dry season for most of the island and the most comfortable temps and humidity. Temperatures do differ slightly from Northern Thailand to the South. Overall Thailand averages temperatures of 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 C).
May through October is monsoon season for almost all of Thailand. However, the east coast islands such as Ko Samui and Ko Tao’s rainy season tends to be September through November. Because
If you plan on traveling to Northern Thailand such as Chiang Mai, you should also note to avoid burning season. This is when farmers are burning all their crops. Because of this, the air pollution is very high making it difficult to breathe. The burning season usually starts around mid-February through mid-April.
Thailand has a tropical climate so weather, in general, is unpredictable, therefore it can rain any time of the year. Get prepared with this Thailand Packing guide!
Thailand Travel Guides and Itineraries
- 12 Bucket List Cities You Need to Visit
- 15 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Thailand
- 4 Days in Chiang Mai: Ultimate Guide
- Thailand Island Hopping Boat Trip from Krabi
- Top 3 Temples You Must-See in Bangkok, Thailand
- Ultimate Krabi 4 Day Itinerary: Krabi, Thailand Guide
- Ultimate Thailand Packing Guide: What to Pack for Thailand List
- Volunteering with Elephants in Thailand
- Where to Stay in Thailand on a Budget
Experiences in Thailand
Visit Bangkok
It is no trip to Thailand without visiting Thailands Capital! As a matter of fact, flying into Bangkok happens to be the best way to get to Thailand!
It can take a bit to get use to the chaos of Bangkok, especially if this is your first time in Asia, but don’t get discouraged!
Things to do in Bangkok
I would definitely recommend staying at least 2-3 days to explore their floating markets, rooftop bars, China town, street markets and explore some of the most beautiful and unique Buddhist temples in the world!
Another must-do in Bangkok is getting a Thai massage. You can legit get a massage for around $10 USD an hour! Yep, you read that right!
Take a Day Trip from Bangkok
Consider taking a break from the city and going on a day trip. Three of the most popular day trips from Bangkok are visiting the ruins of Ayutthaya, experiencing the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, and exploring Khao Yai National Park Jungle!