Thailand travel tips

1.Best time to visit Thailand

What part of Thailand you intend to visit will determine the ideal time to travel there, if you only visit the central region with some highlight cities such as Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi and the northern region with highlight cities such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai. The best time is from November to the end of March because the weather during this period is dry and quite cool. From April onwards to October, the weather often rains so it will affect your trip during this period.

About the Southern region, which is divided into 4 sea areas, the weather is often as follows:

1.Andaman Sea

There are 6 provinces bordering the Andaman Sea with some popular beaches such as: Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi Island =>The ideal time to travel to the Andaman Sea is during November – April. From May to September, there will be a risk of rain.

2.Gulf of Thailand Sea (Ao Thai)

There are 5 provinces bordering the Gulf of Thailand in the southern part with some popular beaches such as: Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Phangan =>The best time to travel to the Gulf of Thailand in the south is between May – September. In April, there may be some random chance of encountering rain. For the month of December until February there will be monsoons, strong waves and rain.

3.Eastern Sea

Provinces bordering the Eastern Sea have a total of 4 provinces with some popular beaches such as: Pattaya, Sattahip, Koh Chang, Koh Kood, Koh Mak, Chao Lao Beach =>The appropriate time to travel to the Eastern Sea will be in between November – April. From May to October, there may be a risk of encountering rain.

4.Western Sea

The western sea of our country is the upper Gulf of Thailand which includes 2 provinces and is near Bangkok. Some popular beaches in this area are Cha-am, Hua Hin, Pranburi =>The suitable time for travel is between November – May.

=>So, in our opinion, if you want to discover the North & Central of Thailand but also still want to enjoy the best beaches in the South such as Phuket or Krabi, the best time to take a Tour in Thailand will be from November to March every year.

2.Thailand Visa

Passport holders from the following countries/territory are not required to obtain a visa (Visa Exemption) when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period not exceeding 30 days on each visit:

US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Maldives, Bahrain, Kuwait, Andora, Hong Kong, Israel, Macau, Mongolia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Korea, Peru and ASEAN countries.

Other passports or depending on your nationality (passport), you can also apply the Thailand E-Visa before flying/entering the country by the below link: https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

When you start to apply or after receiving your E-Visa, kindly take time to double check and make sure all the information in the E-visa are exactly with the information in your passport and in your international flight (Ex: full names, number of passport, date of expiry, date of birth, gender, period of entry Thailand, name of airport/city when entering Thailand, etc.)

3.Do’s and Don’ts in Thailand

Dress respectfully when visiting temples and palaces

Knees and shoulders should be covered.

Take off your shoes before entering temples

This can sometimes apply to shops too, so look for signs outside. If you see shoes already lined up outside, take yours off before going inside.

Learn a few useful phrases

Thais are very proud people and will appreciate you taking an interest in their language. Here are some of our go-to phrases:

Hello => Sawasdee krap ; Thank you => khawp khun krap ; Goodbye => Lah gorn ; Bill please – Kep tang krap ; Delicious => Aroi ; No spice => Mai pet ; No sugar => Mai sai nam tam

Carry cash

It is highly recommended to carry cash with you while going to the markets of Thailand. A credit card usually doesn’t work at many local shops and stalls. Some smaller accommodations also prefer taking cash.

Watch out for scams

Speaking of Tuk-tuks, watch out for the tuk tuk scam. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. That means they’ll be taking you around to perfume shops, antique dealers, jewelry stores, and anything else they can get you to buy.

Learning to bargain when you go around for shopping on the streets

For example, if you go to a flea market and you are looking to buy a souvenir, always ask for the price first and negotiate. Once they won’t go any lower, go to another store and repeat. Do that a few times for other stores nearby, and you should be able to get the cheapest price possible.

Underestimate the time on the road

It might look that with such widespread and efficient transport, you can reach airports in the wee of time. But that’s not the case. At peak hours, Bangkok is infamous for their congested roads. So, to avoid delays like missed flights, especially for the international flights, we suggest taking a cab hours before, calculating the traffic time.

Be careful while enjoying the nightlife

While enjoying your time in Krabi, Bangkok or Phuket, ensure that you follow the general safety tips. Do not leave your drink unattended, avoid going to ill-lit areas, avoid getting heavily drunk, etc.

Don’t take Buddha images out of the country

Although it is allowed in some cases and if a permit has been granted, there are laws about what Buddha images can and can’t be taken out of Thailand. However, stores and market vendors will probably still sell them to you without telling you about the regulations.

Don’t stand on the raised threshold of a house or temple

Traditional Thai belief says this is where the guardian spirits reside and to show respect and avoid disturbing them, you should step over the threshold.

Don’t touch monks

Women should never touch a monk or hand anything directly to them.

Don’t show disrespect to the Thai royal family

Thailand has strict laws on this which also cover social media.

Don’t touch a Thai person’s head

The head is regarded as the most sacred part of the body and shouldn’t be touched. There are exceptions (e.g between lovers, when you go for a head massage, and parents ruffling children’s hair), but generally speaking don’t risk causing offence by touching someone’s head.

Don’t ride a motorbike without a good helmet

We advise against hiring motorbikes as Thailand is notorious for motorbike accidents, but if you do hire one, heed sensible advice on traffic rules before heading out onto the seemingly chaotic roads.

Don’t swim if a red flag is showing on the beach

Thailand’s rip tides can be vicious, and water can be rough during the wet season. So, pay attention to safety when you enjoy swimming during the holiday in Thailand.

Don’t keep a passport as a deposit

There are many fraudulent local travel agencies and car rentals that will ask you to deposit your passport in exchange for the service they provide. However this is not essential for doing this. And your passport is your life when you are on a foreign land. So never let your passport away from you even for a single second. The reason is that the foreign passports are highly misused in Thailand for carrying out illegal activities across the border.

Don’t get scammed with fake prices for rent vehicles

These Tuk-tuks and Auto-rickshaws do not use any meter to count the travel rent. They charge a lump-sum amount based on distance. But they do know that foreign tourists do not know this rule and are also ignorant of the shortest route. So, they charge you with much higher amounts. To avoid this trouble, you should use the Grab ride which is already clear for the price before using their service.

Don’t risk your health with tap water

Though the tap water in Thailand is potable, don’t take risks while you are on a holiday here. Also, you will find lots of vending machines for potable water in Thailand on the road to quench your thirst while roaming around. Though this water is considered safe, it is advisable to spend some small money to buy the bottled water to consume during your stay in Thailand for your good health.

4.Popular local foods in Thailand

Pad Thai – Thai style fried noodles

Pad Thai, one of the most well-known Thai dishes, is easily found in Bangkok or other popular destinations in Thailand. After adding some bean sprouts, eggs, and onions and mixing for a few minutes before serving, visitors can also add the hot pan-cooked noodles. This dish comprises a cuisine that stimulates customers’ taste senses with a combination of four spices, including chili powder, fish sauce, sugar, and peanuts.

Tom Kha Gai – Chicken soup with Thai coconut galangal

One of the top 10 most delectable Thai foods, Tom Kha Kai or Tom Kha Gai, is a chicken dish made with galangal that has the typical sweet and sour flavor of Thai food. Due to the use of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, chilli, coriander, straw mushrooms, and chicken, this meal has a sweeter yet spicy flavor.

Tom Yum Goong – Thai style spicy and sour soup

To create this distinctive cuisine, fresh shrimp and straw mushrooms are combined with lemongrass, chilli, galangal, lime leaves, chives, lemon juice, and fish sauce. It is adaptable and works well with dishes that include steamed rice or vermicelli.

Pad Krapow Moo Saap – Stir-fried pork with basil

It is made in a hot skillet using ingredients including pork, basil, green beans, fresh chilli, soy sauce, and a little sugar. It is one of the most well-known Thai meals served for lunch and supper in Thailand. Steamed rice and, if desired, a fried egg (kai dao) is typically served with this meal.

Som Tam – Thai green papaya salad

Som Tam, a spicy Thai salad with northeastern Thai origins, is made simply by mixing shredded green papaya with dried shrimp, tomatoes, beans, and other ingredients. Other accompanying ingredients include lemon, chilli, garlic, and roasted peanuts.

Gaeng Keow Wan Kai – Chicken with green curry

The primary components of Gaeng Keow Wan Kai, also known as green curry chicken, are chopped fresh chicken, bamboo shoots, eggplant, coriander, and basil. This must mix a spoonful of green curry with hot coconut milk to give the meal its lovely green hue, and they frequently serve it over steamed rice made from Thai fragrant rice.

Gaeng Daeng – Red curry

One of the top 10 most well-known Thai meals, created with chicken, shrimp, red curry paste, coconut milk, and a few finely chopped lemon leaves to produce a flavorful curry with a distinctively spicy flavor.