Ultimate Thailand Travel Guide - Everything you need to know

If you love temples, you will love Thailand. The same can be said if you love amazing beaches and islands. And let’s not forget full moon parties or Thai food. Thailand is a backpacker paradise and a great location for solo trips. It is possible to explore it on a budget or to treat yourself to a luxurious adventure.

Explore the bustling Bangkok with its famous temples like Wat Arun and Wat Pho, before venturing out to the north or south.

The north with cities like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai is also more than worth a stop. Here, the architecture of the temples is a lot more artistic and it has been said that it is an expat heaven.

Meanwhile, the islands of the south offer amazing diving and beach getaways. And with the limestone formations in the area of Krabi, you might feel like you are exploring Vietnam‘s Ha Long Bay.

Ultimately, visiting Thailand is a must if you are traveling in Asia. And I can only recommend adding a stop here at the beginning of the end of a multi-country trip.

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Places to see in Thailand

Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Chiang Rai

Pai
Phuket
Krabi

Koh Tao
Koh Samui
Phi Phi Islands

Things to know before you visit Thailand

Language

The official language is Thai.

Currency

The currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht.

In August 2022 the exchange rate was as follows: 100 THB equals 2.79 EUR, 4.00 AUD, 2.79 USD, or 2.35 GBP.

Credit Cards & ATMs

The are plenty of ATMs in the bigger cities and most accommodations there allow you to pay with a credit card. However, I recommend withdraw cash as many smaller stalls, including those that sell street, are cash only.

If you leave the main cities, paying in cash is likely your only option at most businesses.

Plugs

Type A, B and C (Voltage 230V; Frequency 60Hz)

Visa

Citizens of many countries get a visa exemption of at least 30 days. You can check if you qualify by clicking the link titled ‘Summary of Countries and Territories entitled for Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival to Thailand‘ on the official website of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Safety

Thailand is a relatively safe destination and I can only recommend it to solo female travelers. Serious crimes rarely occur in tourist areas. As everywhere else in the world, it is always good to keep an eye open to avoid scams and theft.

Best time to visit Thailand

Generally speaking, Thailand is an amazing destination year-round. But if you want to know the best time to visit Thailand, you have to know that there are three seasons. These are the hot season, the cool season, and the rainy season. And like several other Asian countries, different areas of the country experience different seasons at the same time.

The most popular time to visit the country is during the cool season from November to February. March and April tend to be great too, as travelers experience sunny days and cooler temperatures. Therefore it is the perfect time for exploring cities and outdoor activities like boat tours and climbing. However, it is also the main touristic season, so prices tend to be higher and everything is more crowded.

May is the peak of the hot season that brings about sweltering heat, but if you do not mind the humidity and high temperatures, it is a good option as the prices return to a normal level.

Traveling between June and October tends to be cheaper, but due to the southwest monsoon, there are bound to be short rainstorms.

While Thailand usually has tropical weather, the weather varies by region. Hereby the north of Thailand experiences more weather changes than the south.

The weather in the north tends to be less humid and the region experiences the greatest range of temperatures in the country. The cool season is more predominant in the mountainous north. Therefore the best time to visit the north is February to April.

Central Thailand usually has a rather constant weather pattern.

The south of Thailand and the islands in the area are closer to the equator which means that there are two seasons. However the wet and dry seasons vary by the coast, so be sure to check when both coasts experience their dry season. The west side of the Andaman Sea experiences its wet season from April to October and its dry season from November to March. Meanwhile, the Gulf of Thailand to the east has its wet season from September to December and its dry season from January to August.

If you want to visit the Similan Islands, you have to plan a visit between October and May as those months are the only time when the islands are open.

Best time to dive in Thailand

The best time to dive in the Andaman Sea is from November to April. Divers planning to explore the underwater world of the Gulf of Thailand should plan their trip between March and September. If you want to see mantas and whale sharks, you should dive there between February and May.

Things to do in Thailand

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