Thailand is a destination that is visited by many. It’s often the gateway to Southeast Asia for backpackers + travelers because of the ease of travel here and the multitude of amazing things to see. However, even though it’s one of the most well-traveled destinations in Southeast Asia, there are things to know before you visit Thailand. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn from fellow-travelers’ experiences and even mistakes. That said, these are the thirty-one things to before visiting Thailand.
BASIC THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VISIT THAILAND
THAILAND IS QUITE SAFE: Just like any other place in the world, crime does happen. Scams happen, for sure, but as far as legitimate safety, I’ve never once felt unsafe in Thailand. Even wandering streets late at night, I felt very safe.
THAILAND IS VERY AFFORDABLE TO VISIT: This is one of the reasons that Thailand is such a popular destination. Although it’s possible to travel for just $15 a day, don’t assume that everything is that cheap. Some of the more popular activities and fancier accommodations are still a significant price jump from budget options, but you can find extreme luxury for pretty reasonable prices.
YOU’LL WANT TO CARRY CASH: Cash is king in Thailand. The vast majority of the things we purchased in Thailand was with cash. If you shop in markets, eat street food or are paying for a ride in a tuk-tuk, you’ll absolutely need cash. We would just take out a decent amount of cash and use it until we ran out. If your debit card charges fees, just take out the maximum each time.
U.S. CITIZENS, GET A CHARLES SCHWABB ACCOUNT: The best option we’ve found, though, is opening a Charles Schwabb account. They refund any ATM fees anywhere in the world. That saved us a massive amount of fees! I can’t recommend this enough to anyone able to open a Schwabb account.
VISA REQUIREMENTS: For many, many countries, you’re able to get a free Visa on arrival, it’s just a simple stamp in your passport. There are 51 nations that can enter the country for 30 days for free!
THE THAI POPULATION TAKES BUDDHISM VERY SERIOUSLY: Buddhism and images of the Buddha are taken very seriously by Thais. In fact, it’s illegal to have a Buddha tattoo or wear a Buddha necklace. If you show disrespect at temples, it can lead to jail time, depending how disrespectful you are. Learn more about how to act at temples in this post.
ALSO, SAME WITH THE KING: The King is very highly revered, and you just don’t talk ill of him. Period.
RAINY SEASON VS. DRY SEASON: The rainy season in Thailand takes place from July to the end of October. During this time, many people don’t wish to visit, however, I highly recommend visiting in this time. Especially at the end of rainy season. There will be daily rains, but they very rarely last all day long. Plus, all that rain means waterfalls are flowing, the plant life is lush and people who are turned off by the term rainy season have stayed home!
EATING AND DRINKING IN THAILAND
EAT THE STREET FOOD: Some people will tell you to avoid street food because it can be unsafe. While that can be true, it’s absolutely not the norm. Street food is some of the most authentic (and delicious) food you’ll find in Thailand. My tip is look for a line. If the locals are eating there, it’s bound to be delicious. Also, that food is likely to be safer because people are buying it and it’s being made fresh. Trust me, you do not want to miss out on the street food in Thailand. It’s amazing!
THAI FOOD CAN BE SUPER SPICY: Thais love their spicy food. Unless you’re used to some super, duper spice, you’ll likely want to ask for your food mai ped – said my ped which is no spicy. Trust me, it’ll still have a little spice and loads of flavor, but you won’t feel like you’re choking to death on chilis!
THAI FOOD FAMOUSLY USES FISH SAUCE: If you’re okay with fish flavor, this won’t be a deal breaker for you. If you’re sensitive to that flavor (like me), you’ll want to learn this phrase – mi si napla kah – said me sy nah-plah kah, which means no fish sauce, please.
IF YOU WANT TO TRULY LEARN ABOUT THAI CUISINE, TAKE A COOKING CLASS OR FOOD TOUR: I already loved Thai food and had had a lot of it while I was in Thailand the first time. However, it wasn’t until we took both a street food tour and a cooking class, that we learned more and more about the complex flavors that go into the delicious food we were eating.
DON’T DRINK THE WATER, BUT ALSO DON’T BE AFRAID TO HAVE ICE IN THINGS: We didn’t drink the tap water, but we weren’t afraid of things with ice, like iced coffee and smoothies. The ice in these things are *almost* always purchased and made from filtered water.
EAT AS MUCH FRUIT AS YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON: The fruit in Thailand is delicious. The mangoes get the most attention, and they are truly delicious, but don’t limit yourselves to the mangoes.
7-ELEVEN WILL BE YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL THE THINGS: 7-Eleven is every traveler/backpacker’s dream when it comes to picking up snacks and even super cheap meals. In Bangkok, we had a meal from 7-Eleven at least twice a week for ultra-convenience and budget value. Plus, it was a perfect spot for any snacks you could ever need. If you have a travel day coming up, stop into 7-Eleven for all the travel snacks. You won’t find a cheaper option on the road and you’ll have all the treats you could think of: toasties, sodas, juices, candies and all the other junk food.
CULTURAL CUSTOMS + NORMS
LEARN AT LEAST A COUPLE WORDS IN THAI: I’m a huge advocate for learning some pleasantries when you visit a country. I see it as a sign of respect, and it will also help you get by. Just simple things like hello, thank you, please, yes, no and bathroom.
IF THEY TAKE THEIR SHOES OFF, TAKE YOURS OFF TOO: Shoes-off is very normal in Thai culture. If you go into a house, a restaurant or even your accommodation, and you see a pile of shoes outside or in a lobby, follow suit.
THE THAI WAI: Wai, pronounced why, is the traditional greeting in Thailand that is made up of the palms together prayer motion and a slight bow. Thais often greet/leave with this motion and it’s considered polite to return it. It’s also often used as an expression of apology, gratitude or thanks.
TIPS ABOUT SITES + EXPERIENCES
BE SURE TO BRING MODEST CLOTHING FOR TEMPLE VISITS: To be able to visit temples, you need to have your shoulders and knees covered. It is quite hot and humid in Thailand, so I get wanting to wear tanks and shorts, but I recommend throwing a pair of elephant pants and a kimono in your daypack so you don’t have to miss out on seeing the beautiful temples you might happen upon.
MAKE SURE YOU INTERACT WITH ANIMALS ETHICALLY: I have made this mistake more times than I would like to admit. I didn’t educate myself of animal ethics and after making these mistakes, I’ve learned more and more and now try to help educate others, so yo don’t have to deal with the guilt.
DON’T FORGET TO HAGGLE IN MARKETS: It is customary in Thai culture to haggle in markets. However, there are two things to remember. For the most part, this is really only appropriate in markets, or while renting something. If prices are super-set, it can be seen as rude. Secondly, check your privilege. If someone doesn’t want to come down a few more baht, don’t get insane about it. Just pay the reasonable price and enjoy your purchase that you realistically still paid very little for. The few extra baht will do more for that person than will set you back.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO TAKE A DAY TOUR: In fact, I love day tours. However, try to use companies with local guides because then you get the inside scoop. Plus, sometimes it’s easier to just have the ability to sit back, relax and let someone else plan the day and get you places.
TIPS ABOUT ACCOMMODATION IN THAILAND
CHECK OUT THE AMENITIES: Sometimes, the amenities can make the slightly higher price of a room so worth it. You’ll be amazed at what is included in certain places. We’ve had everything from breakfast, tea + toast, a few pieces of laundry per day or a bike included in the cost of staying. So, sometimes the extra $2/night pays for itself when you consider you can have a snack and laundry done each day.
IF YOU’RE TRAVELING WITH A PARTNER/FRIEND, COMPARE PRICES: When Stacey and I were traveling, we quickly learned that getting a private room vs. paying for 2 bunks in a dorm was sometimes cheaper, and often the same or only $1-2 more each night. Which meant that we could get better sleep and more security for the same or less money.
I TRULY BELIEVE IT’S WORTH IT TO UPGRADE TO AIRCON: There are places where you can get by on a fan, but Thailand isn’t one of them. I’ve found it’s totally worth the money to upgrade to AirCon. You’ll sleep so much better.
TRANSPORTATION TIPS FOR VISITING THAILAND
WITHIN A CITY:
Tuk-tuks – Tuk-tuks are essentially motorbike drawn rickshaws. You’ll see them outside of transportation hubs and near tourist hotspots. They can be wonderful or they can be less than wonderful experiences. They’re fun to ride, but you also have to be leery of the most common scam in Bangkok. Tuk-tuk drivers will tell you that sites you wish to visit are closed but they’ll take you other places while you wait. The sites aren’t typically closed, and the drivers are taking you to shops/stalls owned by their friends or family and they get a commission. I recommend tuk-tuks in smaller towns and more rural areas, but go with cabs in big cities.
Taxis – In cities, it’s convenient and often cheaper to take a metered taxi. We learned this late to the game in Bangkok, but we won’t make that mistake again.
Walking – To be honest, this was our major mode of transport. We tried to stay in a city center so we could walk to save on money. In addition to saving money, though, you’ll pass surprising things along the way. It’s amazing the things you’ll find on a city walk.
Bicycle – In smaller cities or places with scenic outskirts (think Ayutthaya or Kanchanaburi), we got around by bike, which we rented from our accommodation. This gave us the freedom to control what we did, but we got to move at a faster pace. Plus, in these smaller towns the traffic is much lighter.
BTS/MRT – Bangkok has a great public transport system. I highly recommend it if you’re needing to get across the river. It’s much more efficient than having to take the boat across.
TRAVEL FROM PLACE-TO-PLACE:
Trains – I love trains. I can’t express this enough. If there was a train option, that’s what we chose! It’s more direct and makes fewer stops than buses. You get to meet locals and you can see more rural areas that you don’t see on highways. Also, riding on trains is just so wonderful.
Buses – Local Buses often function as transport, mail delivery and so much more so the journey will possibly be longer than expected. Night Buses are nice because you don’t take up a day of possible adventures on transport and it saves you money on a night of sleep, if you’re capable of sleeping en route.
Ferries – If you’re planning on going to any of the islands, you’ll likely have to take a ferry, unless you’re going to an island with an airport. Be smart during rainy season, we’ve all seen the tragic videos of ferries going under. Also, know you have options for these as well. Some ferry rides will be short, while others are are significantly longer – you can even take a night boat!
LET’S TALK MOTORBIKES:
Don’t learn to drive on a long-haul stretch: I have met so many people through my travels in Thailand who just rented a motorbike to go on long-haul drives. And… they crashed. We saw so many people with pretty severe road burns, crutches and casts who all said they should’ve practiced a whole lot more before being stuck out there.
In fact, you should learn before you go + get the proper license: The best thing you could do is learn at home and even take the time to get a license. That could be super important if you get in an accident.
Look at your Travel Insurance policy before you ride: Like I said above, if you’re unlicensed, your insurance policy may not cover any accidents you might have on a motorbike.
Do you have to rent a motorbike in Thailand to have a good time? Absolutely not. I’ve traveled in Thailand for over two months and never rented a motorbike. I have been tempted, don’t get me wrong. The freedom you can have would be amazing, but it won’t bust your trip by any means.
DON’T FORGET TO PACK….
These are the items I would not want to be in Thailand without. After almost three months of travel across this gorgeous country, I’ve learned from my packing mistakes, and, luckily, you can too!
TRAVEL INSURANCE COULD SAVE YOUR TRIP
I hope that this post helps you plan your trip to Thailand. If you have any other questions, please ask them in the comments below so I can add them to this list, and of course answer you personally too!
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