Thailand

Asia · Southeast Asia

Why visit Thailand?

Thailand sits at the centre of almost every Southeast Asia travel plan for good reason — it has the infrastructure, the variety and the sheer pleasure-to-cost ratio that makes it hard to beat. Bangkok is one of the world's great cities. Chiang Mai is genuinely liveable. The islands run from party central to empty jungle. The food is outstanding at every price point. The transport network is efficient. It works.

Key Info

Thai Baht (THB)Thai (English in tourist areas)Type A/B/C/FDrive Left

Not expected — 20–50 THB appreciated

Weather

Best: Nov–Apr

Cool Dry Season (Nov–Feb)Perfect beach weather, cooler north, all islands accessible

Cool dry season Nov–April. Monsoon June–October affects the islands.

Health

⚠️Use bottled water — Never drink tap water — bottled is cheap and everywhere

Hepatitis Arecommended

Typhoidrecommended

Rabiesconsider — long stays

Malariaconsider — border regions

Transport

GrabBoltlocal tuk-tuks

✈️ Bangkok (BKK) / Chiang Mai (CNX) / Phuket (HKT)

Bangkok BTS Skytrain and MRT metro — excellent and cheap

Emergency

👮 Police191

🚑 Ambulance1669

🔥 Fire199

Who It's Perfect For

🏖️

Beach Lovers

Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe, Koh Tao, the Phi Phi Islands — Thailand's island scene offers something for every beach personality, from party to pristine.

🍜

Foodies

Some of the world's best street food, extraordinary variety, dirt cheap prices, and cooking classes in Chiang Mai that will permanently change how you cook at home.

🛕

Culture Seekers

Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok, Doi Suthep above Chiang Mai, the ancient city of Ayutthaya — Thailand's Buddhist temple culture is visually and spiritually extraordinary.

The Highlights

Things to Do & See

01

Watch the sunrise at Doi Suthep temple above Chiang Mai

02

Take a longtail boat through Bangkok's canal network

03

Visit an ethical elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai (not a riding camp)

04

Attend a Thai cooking class and eat everything you make

05

Hire a scooter on Koh Lipe and find your own hidden beach

06

Party responsibly at the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan

07

Take a speedboat to the Phi Phi Islands for snorkelling

08

Eat pad thai from a street stall — and then eat it again for breakfast

Where to Stay

Base Yourself in Thailand

Six distinct areas — each with a different character, price point and experience.

🏛️

Bangkok Riverside / Rattanakosin

Historic Bangkok

The old royal city — Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), the Grand Palace and Wat Arun all within walking distance. The best riverside hotels in Bangkok are here (Capella, Mandarin Oriental). The Chao Phraya express boat connects everything at 20p per journey.

🌆

Bangkok Silom / Sathorn

Business & Nightlife

The central business district with excellent food at all prices (Nahm, Bo.lan, street carts that feed the office workers). Lumpini Park for morning runs. The Sky Train connects directly to the airport. Mix of business hotels and boutique options.

🌿

Chiang Mai Old City

Northern Cultural Base

Inside the ancient moat — temples, cooking schools, night markets and the most atmospheric guesthouses in Thailand. Walking distance to everything. The Sunday Walking Street market is the best night market in the country.

🏖️

Koh Lanta

Quiet South Island

The quietest of the southern islands with proper infrastructure — long beaches, excellent diving, and a Muslim fishing village on the east coast that feels nothing like the tourist strip on the west. Mid-range bungalows to good boutique hotels.

🌊

Khao Lak

Family Beach Base

North of Phuket — a proper beach town without Phuket's traffic and overdevelopment. The jumping-off point for the Similan Islands (world-class diving). Better for families than the party islands. More hotel for your money.

🧘

Pai

Mountain Retreat

A small mountain town in northern Thailand 3 hours from Chiang Mai (on a notoriously winding road) — waterfalls, hot springs, yoga retreats and a creative, slow-travel community. Very cheap and genuinely beautiful. Not for those prone to car sickness.

Insider Knowledge

What Most Guides Don't Tell You About Thailand

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Thai visa policy changed in 2024 — UK passport holders now receive 60-day visa exemption, extendable once for another 30 days at a local immigration office for £15
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Tuk-tuks in Bangkok are a novelty but significantly slower and more expensive than the MRT and BTS Sky Train — use them for short tourist hops, never for actual transport
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The gem scam (tuk-tuk driver says a famous temple is closed today and offers to take you to a gem store instead) has been running since the 1980s and is still the most common tourist scam in Bangkok
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Songkran (Thai New Year, April 13–15) means water fight across the entire country — everything closes and getting anywhere is impossible unless you're part of it. Either commit to staying or leave before the 12th
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Street food cooked to order in front of you (pad thai, khao man gai, boat noodles) is both the safest and best food in the country — the more locals eating somewhere, the better