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Thailand Travel Guide
As one of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations, Thailand is on the bucket listof many a seasoned traveller and wanderluster alike. Whatever you’re lookingfor, Thailand probably has it. From a rich history and culture to abundantnature, and from daredevil activities to incredible nightlife

Discover lush jungles, beautiful beaches, friendly locals and delicious food. Allfor a very affordable price. If you’re all about nature and taking in stunningviews, take a trip to Khao Sok National Park and the Phi Phi Islands. For abustling city vibe and heaps of culture, discover the eclectic capital of Thailand,Bangkok.

There really is no wonder why Thailand is a favourite place to travel for somany people, and why visitors return time and time again. This Thailand travelguide provides all the essential information you need to know before visitingThailand. From how to get around and the best time to visit, through todestination highlights and FAQs.
Wat Arun, Bangkok
Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok
Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Rachaburi
How To Get To Thailand
There are six main airports inThailand, so you aren’t short ofoptions if you want to travel byplane. The main airports are :
Suvarnabhumi Airport
BKK
Don Mueang InternationalAirport
DMK
Phuket International Airport
HKT
Chiang Mai InternationalAirport
CNX
Hat Yai International Airport
HDY
Mae Fah Luang – Chiang RaiInternational Airport
CEI
Depending where you aretravelling from, most visitors willfly into Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport). It offers the mostoptions in terms of internationalconnections and airlines, plusBangkok is a great place to startyour Thai adventure.
How To Get Around Thailand
Some travellers choose to make their wayaround Thailand by plane. Many of themajor tourist destinations have airports,including Bangkok (BKK), Krabi (KBV),Chiang Mai (CNX), and Phuket (HKT). Thismay not be suitable for those on a budget,but it’s certainly the quickest and mostefficient way of getting from A to B.
Travelling around Thailand by train is a morebudget-friendly option than by plane, andthere’s still the option for an added bit ofluxury if you travel first class. Thailand hasfour distinct types of trains that you can useto travel around: Ordinary (ORD) trains, themost budget-friendly option; Rapid (RAP)trains, which stop less frequently; Express(EXP) trains, which have first to third classseating; Special Express (SP EXP) trains,which don’t have the option of third class seating.
If you’re doing a longer journey, forexample from Bangkok to Surat Thani,then you may want to consider a sleepertrain. A cheaper alternative is theovernight bus.
For shorter distances, my favourite way totravel around Thailand is by tuk-tuk. Thethree-wheeled vehicles offer a budget-friendly and definitely more exciting way totravel around Thailand.
Best Time To Visit Thailand
While you’re sure to love Thailand all year round, it’s important to consider howthe weather will impact your plans for travelling in Thailand. Thailand’s hotseason, rainy season, and dry season all bring a different take to the Asiantravel hotspot.
Hot Season
March - June
Thailand’s hot season runs from March toJune, and this is also the shoulder season.Many people who aren’t acclimatised towarm weather find the hot season justtoo hot, so prefer to travel during otherseasons. The hot season in Thailand isperfect for beach days and purerelaxation, as it’s probably too hot to domuch else! Be prepared to sweat if youvisit in this season, as the humidity isseriously intense. Don’t even think aboutmake-up, it’ll just slide off!
Rainy Season
July - October
Rainy season in Thailand comes between July and October, and makes it the lowseason. While you’ll likely have tocontend with frequent rainstorms, you’llbenefit from less tourists and reducedrates. If the rain doesn’t bother you, thismay be the perfect time to visit Thailandas you’ll be able to get on with youractivities without the crowds of people.It’s still warm at this time of year, andheavy downpours can be good fun.Dancing in the rain is a must!
Dry Season
November - February
The dry season in Thailand is between November and February, and is also thehigh season. Many people prefer theslightly midler temperatures of this timeof year, as it means they’ll be able to getstuck in with activities like hiking andswimming in the sea. As this is the mostpopular time to travel, attractions willlikely be busy. It also means that flightsand accommodation will be moreexpensive than in the hot season or rainyseason.
Cultural Do’s And Don’ts In Thailand
Do’s
Take your shoes off
Like in other Asian countries, people in Thailandbelieve that the feet are unholy and unclean.This is why they take their shoes off beforeentering a house, temple, and even somerestaurants, shops and offices. A pile of shoesand slippers outside one of theseestablishments is a good indicator thatfootwear is forbidden inside.
Dress properly
Thais dress modestly, and showing too muchskin is considered disrespectful. This isespecially true when visiting temples. Rules inThailand state that before entering a temple,you should wear clothes that fully cover yourshoulders and knees. The more formal theattire, the better. If you think the weather inThailand is too hot to be covered up, you canfind markets selling loose and light clothingitems that are culturally appropriate.
Return a wai greeting
Bowing in Thailand is called the wai (pronounced as ‘why’). It’s the traditional wayThais greet one another and say hello. Whenone is directed at you, you should always returnit. Thais consider it disrespectful if a wai is notreturned. The proper way to wai is to bringyour hands together in front of your chest —make sure your hands are pointing upwards.Then bow your head until your nose touchesyour index fingers.
Respect the monks
You’ll encounter monks all over Thailand,and you should always treat them withutmost respect. Always bow when youmeet one and never ask them overlypersonal questions. If you want to givethem something, place the item in frontof them instead of handing it directly.Women should be extra careful aroundmonks because it’s strictly forbidden forwomen to touch monks or even to brushagainst their robes.
Use a spoon
The proper way to eat in Thailand is witha spoon and fork. The spoon should be inthe right hand and the fork in the left. Thefork is only used to scoop the food ontothe spoon; it should never enter yourmouth.
Smile
Smiling is deeply rooted in Thai culture,which is why Thailand is called the Landof Smiles. It is an important part of Thaietiquette and can mean many things,including expressing various emotionssuch as embarrassment or frustration.Thais also smile to avoid confrontations.But that does not mean the Thai smile isfake. Thais are friendly people and theirsmile is a way of showing respect, so ifyou’re the recipient of a smile, make sureyou smile in return.
Dont’s
Don't disrespect the Thai royal family
The Thai people have a deep reverence for their king and the royal family.Insulting, disrespecting or talking ill of the king or images of the king can landyou a one-way ticket to prison.
Don't touch people's heads
In Thailand, the head is revered as the highest and most sacred part of thebody, therefore, you should never touch a person’s head or hair — this includes ruffling children’s hair. Don’t r aise your feet over someone’s head and don’tstep over someone who is sleeping or sitting on the ground.
Don't point
Pointing at someone in Thailand is inappropriate and rude as it is in many othercountries too. Instead, lift your chin in the direction of the person you’reindicating. If you’re asking someone to come closer, raise your arm horizontallyand wave your hand up and down. Pointing at animals and inanimate objects isgenerally tolerated, although it’s better to use your entire hand to gestureinstead of the index finger.
Don't point with your feet
Pointing with your feet is just as rudeas pointing with your fingers,especially when you’re pointing atBuddha statues in and outside oftemples. You should also avoidshowing the bottom of your feetbecause they’re considered to beextremely dirty, so don’t put yourfeet on top of tables and chairs.
Don't disrespect Buddhas
Buddhism is the primary religion in Thailand , therefore you should respect the status and images of the Buddha. Climbing on Buddha statuesin temples is highly offensive and ispunishable by law. It’s also illegal totake images of the Buddha out of thecountry without special permission.
Essential Thai Words And Phrases
When visiting Thailand, knowing a few basic Thai words and phrases cangreatly enhance your travel experience. While English is spoken in many touristareas, having some knowledge of the local language shows respect for theculture and can help you navigate more effectively.
Greetings and Basic Phrases
  • Sawasdee (Krub/Ka)
    :
    Hello (for males/females)
  • Khob khun (Krub/Ka)
    :
    Thank you (for males/females)
  • Chai
    :
    Yes
  • Mai chai
    :
    No
  • Kob kun mak
    :
    Thank you very much
  • Mai pen rai
    :
    You’re welcome/It’s okay
  • Sabai dee mai (Krub/Ka)
    :
    How are you? (for males/females)
  • Sabai dee (Krub/Ka)
    :
    I’m fine (for males/females)
  • Chai-yoh!
    :
    Cheers!
  • Kor Thod
    :
    Sorry
Things You Should Know About Thai Culture
Body awareness
Thais place importance and significance todifferent parts of the body. The head is seen asthe most spiritual part of the body and youshould never touch a person’s head… although,most people wouldn’t go around touchingstrangers’ heads in any case! This goes forchildren too—an affectionate ruffling of the haircould cause offence to Thai parents.
Thais are not overly touchy-feely in general. It’snot so common to see Thais holding hands,hugging, or otherwise touching in public, andkissing and other public displays of affectionare a big no.
Although it’s preferable to walk around twopeople, rather than cutting between them, ifyou must pass between two people you shouldstoop slightly so that your head is lower thantheirs. It is also polite for Thais to stoop slightlywhen walking past somebody they know has ahigher social status than them.
The feet are seen as dirty and symbolically low.You should never touch somebody with yourfoot, sit with the sole of your foot pointingoutwards, or point your foot at a person or aBuddha image. Even crossing your legs cancause some people to inwardly wince. Thismeans no holding doors open with your feet,pushing your bag along with your feet, orotherwise using your feet in place of yourhands. There are many times when you shouldtake off your shoes too.
Pointing with a finger is also seen asimpolite, as is beckoning somebody with acrooked finger. Thais will often use their lipsto point, pushing out the lips to indicate adirection. Alternatively, use the whole hand,with all fingers outstretched, to point. Tobeckon somebody, the palm should be facedown with all fingers extended and theaction from the wrist.
Thais are generally very tolerant andunderstand foreign visitors will sometimesmake a faux pas. As long as it’s notsomething major, like showing disrespect tothe religion or monarchy, yelling in public, orwalking around semi-naked, many Thais willoverlook cultural differences.
Monks are highly respected
You’re sure to see many monks during yourtime in Thailand, both inside the temples andoutside on the streets, on buses, at festivals,and in a variety of everyday settings. Monks arehighly revered and respected in Thai cultureand disrespecting a monk is a huge no-no.
There are designated seats on public transportfor monks, for example, and people shouldalways give up their seat to a monk if no otheris available. Females, especially, should becareful of their actions around monks. As wellas not touching a monk or directly handingthings to them (females should put anyofferings etc. on a monk’s dish rather than intotheir hands), women shouldn’t sit next to amonk or their belongings. If you actinappropriately around a monk in Thailand youcan be sure that regular people around you willquickly point out your errors with disapproval.
PDF - Thailand Travel Guide