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What to know before your first trip to Thailand: entry requirements, when to go, where to stay, how to get around, how much things cost, and cultural basics that will make you a more welcome guest.
Grand Palace, street food, Chatuchak market, rooftop bars
Most visitors pass through at least once. Easy access to everything.
Temple circuit, cooking classes, night bazaar, hill-tribe villages
Slower pace than Bangkok. Best Nov–Feb. Popular for a week or more.
Beaches, snorkelling, island hopping, Phang Nga Bay
Most developed beach area. Peak season Dec–Apr. Avoid May–Oct for west coast.
Beaches, Full Moon Party (Koh Phangan nearby), diving
Different weather pattern from the west coast — drier Aug–Jan vs Dec–Apr for Phuket.
Coral Island, Nong Nooch, water parks, cabaret shows
Close to Bangkok (2h). Good for families when combined with a Bangkok visit.
Mountains, hot springs, bamboo bridges, hill-tribe culture
Northern loop from Chiang Mai. Popular with long-stay travellers.
🏨 Dorm or fan guesthouse
🍜 Street food, local restaurants
🚌 Overnight buses, songthaews, local ferries
🏨 Air-con hotel, boutique guesthouse
🍜 Mix of local and tourist-facing restaurants
🚌 Grab, domestic flights for long legs
🏨 Resort, villa, 4–5 star hotel
🍜 Hotel dining, mid-to-high restaurants
🚌 Private transfers, internal flights
Budget figures are approximate and vary by destination — Phuket and Koh Samui run higher than Chiang Mai for most categories.
Temple dress code
Shoulders and knees covered — bring a sarong or buy one at the entrance. Shoes off before entering the main hall.
Greet with a wai
Press palms together and bow slightly. Thais use this to greet and thank. Not mandatory for tourists but always well-received.
Buddha images are sacred
Don't pose irreverently near statues, and never tattoo a Buddha on your lower body — it's considered deeply offensive.
Royal family
Insulting the monarchy is illegal (lèse-majesté law). Don't comment critically, even in private.
Remove shoes
At temples, some homes, and many guesthouses. If you see a row of shoes at the entrance, take yours off.
Bargaining
Expected at markets and street stalls. Not expected in malls, restaurants with menus, or at fixed-price venues. Smile when you negotiate.
Public affection
Holding hands is fine. Kissing and overt displays of affection are considered inappropriate in public, especially near temples.
Thailand eSIM — data from day one
Buy before you board. Activates automatically when you land in Thailand. From $4.50 for 1 GB / 7 days.
Travel insurance for Thailand
Medical, trip cancellation, and adventure sports covered. Plans from $1.5/day.
Bangkok airport transfer — fixed price
Pre-book your Bangkok airport transfer. Driver waits for you at arrivals even if your flight is late.
Most Western nationalities (including UK, US, EU, Australia, Canada, NZ) get visa-exempt entry for 30 days on arrival at airports and 15 days at land borders, extendable once at an immigration office for 30 more days. Thailand has also introduced a 60-day tourist visa on arrival for many nationalities — check the Thai e-visa website for current rules, as they change.
November to February is the classic high season: dry, cooler, and sunny across most regions. March to May is hot. June to October is monsoon season — great for deals and fewer crowds, but rain can be heavy (especially west coast). The Gulf coast (Koh Samui area) has the opposite rainy season pattern.
Thailand is generally safe and very popular with solo travellers, including solo women. The main risks are petty theft, scams targeting tourists (tuk-tuk scams, "today is a holiday, the temple is closed" stories), and road accidents. Use Grab instead of unmarked taxis, keep bags close in crowds, and don't accept unsolicited tour offers from strangers.
Domestic flights are the fastest option for Bangkok–Chiang Mai or Bangkok–Phuket (1–1.5h, from 500 THB on budget carriers). Overnight trains are comfortable for Bangkok–Chiang Mai (13h, sleeper car). Buses and minivans connect most destinations. Within cities, Grab is reliable and app-based.
No — tap water is not safe to drink anywhere in Thailand. Bottled water is cheap (6–15 THB for 1.5L). Most hotels provide a bottle or kettle with filtered water. Bring a LifeStraw or filter bottle to reduce plastic use on longer trips.
Thai Baht (THB). Cash is widely used. ATMs are everywhere (withdrawal fee typically 200–220 THB per transaction). Exchange rates at gold-shop FX booths in Bangkok are usually better than airport counters. A Wise or Revolut card avoids the ATM fee on many transactions.