Thailand Travel Guides
Expert-written guides for every kind of Thailand trip — whether you have 3 days or 3 months, a honeymoon to plan, or a laptop to keep open.
Itineraries
Day-by-day itineraries with the best places to stay, eat, and explore — sequenced to save you time.
3 days3 Days in Bangkok
Old City temples, Chinatown after dark, the weekend market and a rooftop — timed so you never double back.
- Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew (฿500)
- Wat Pho & Wat Arun by ฿5 ferry
- Yaowarat street food after dark
5 days5 Days in Phuket
Two boat days, one culture day, two beach days — based in Kata so nothing is more than an hour away.
- Phi Phi & Pileh Lagoon by speedboat
- Phang Nga Bay sea caves & James Bond Island
- Big Buddha (reopened March 2026) & Wat Chalong
7 days7 Days in Thailand
Capital, mountains, islands — six nights, two short flights, and no day lost to transit.
- Grand Palace, Wat Pho & Wat Arun
- Doi Suthep at dawn & the Monk's Trail
- An afternoon with rescued elephants
10 days10 Days in Thailand Itinerary
Capital, sleeper train, mountains, then the Andaman coast by ferry — nine nights, one direction, no backtracking.
- Grand Palace, Wat Pho & Chinatown
- The overnight sleeper train north
- Doi Suthep at dawn & an elephant afternoon
14 days2-Week Thailand Itinerary
Capital, sleeper train, mountains, then down the Andaman coast island by island — thirteen nights, one direction.
- Bangkok's Old City & Chinatown
- The sleeper train north
- Doi Suthep, elephants & a night in Pai
City Guides
The best things to do in Thailand's top destinations — temples, food, activities, and nightlife.
City GuideBangkok City Guide
A city of three zones and a river — understand the layout and everything else falls into place.
- The Old City in one morning
- Which neighbourhood to base in
- BTS, MRT & river boats, with fares
City GuideChiang Mai City Guide
A walled square, a mountain, and the best-value good living in Thailand — once you know the calendar.
- The Old City's big four temples
- Doi Suthep at dawn & the Monk's Trail
- Markets by day of the week
City GuideThings to Do in Bangkok
Ten experiences worth the trip — ranked, priced, and timed so you catch each at its best hour.
- The Grand Palace at 08:30
- Wat Pho & the ฿5 ferry to Wat Arun
- Yaowarat street food after dark
City GuideThings to Do in Chiang Mai
Ten experiences worth the trip north — ranked, priced, and timed around the mountain, the markets and the smoke-free months.
- Doi Suthep at dawn, before the coaches
- The Monk's Trail to Wat Pha Lat
- An ethical elephant afternoon, priced
City GuideThings to Do in Phuket
Ten experiences worth the flight — ranked, priced, and timed around the boats, the flags and the sunset.
- Phi Phi by early speedboat
- Phang Nga Bay's sea caves by canoe
- The Big Buddha, reopened March 2026
City GuideThings to Do in Koh Samui
The Gulf's glamour island — boat days, temple mornings, and fire-show nights
- Ang Thong Marine Park boat day
- Big Buddha & Wat Plai Laem
- Fisherman's Village Friday Walking Street
City GuideThings to Do in Krabi
Limestone cliffs, emerald water, and beaches you can only reach by boat
- Railay & Phra Nang by longtail — ฿100
- The Four Islands' low-tide sandbar
- Tiger Cave Temple's 1,260 steps
City GuideWhere to Stay in Bangkok
Pick the right neighborhood and Bangkok gets 10× easier.
- Sukhumvit: best all-round base
- Riverside: Bangkok's luxury row
- Silom/Sathorn: business + nightlife
City GuideBest Islands in Thailand
Two coasts, opposite seasons, and an island for every kind of trip.
- Koh Phi Phi: the scenery superstar
- Koh Samui: comfort & direct flights
- Koh Tao: cheapest diving on earth
City GuideKoh Phi Phi Islands
Thailand's most beautiful islands — worth doing properly.
- Maya Bay before the crowds
- Pileh Lagoon by longtail boat
- The Phi Phi Viewpoint at sunset
City GuideWhere to Stay in Phuket
Thirty beaches, one airport, very different holidays.
- Kata & Karon: the first-timer sweet spot
- Patong: nightlife HQ
- Bang Tao & Surin: the luxury coast
City GuideWhere to Stay in Chiang Mai
There are at least four different Chiang Mais. Here's how to pick yours.
- Old City: temples on your doorstep
- Nimman: cafés, coworking & nightlife
- Riverside: boutique luxury on the Ping
City GuideWhere to Stay in Krabi
Limestone cliffs out your window, if you pick the right base.
- Ao Nang: the all-round resort base
- Railay: boat-in beach paradise
- Krabi Town: budget + ferry hub
City GuideWhere to Stay in Koh Samui
Seven beaches, seven personalities, one ring road connecting them all.
- Chaweng: the big beach & nightlife
- Lamai: Chaweng at 60% intensity
- Bophut: boutique Fisherman's Village
City GuideFull Moon Party, Koh Phangan
Once a month, a horseshoe of sand hosts the world's most famous beach party. Here's how to do it right.
- Parties now fall on the actual full moon — roughly 14 a year
- It happens on Haad Rin's Sunrise Beach, and only there
- Haad Rin rooms book out weeks ahead with minimum stays
Specialist Guides
Deep-dive guides tailored to your travel style, with expert tips and curated recommendations.
GuideThailand for First Timers
Everything you need before you land — and nothing you don't.
- The route: Bangkok → Chiang Mai → one island
- 60-day visa-free entry for 93 nationalities
- Real budgets: ฿1,500–2,500 a day
GuideThailand Honeymoon Guide
Private pool villas, longtail sunsets, and evenings made for two.
- The island decision: Samui vs Krabi vs Phuket
- Pool villas at a third of Maldives prices
- A private longtail charter for ฿3,000–5,000
GuideThailand Digital Nomad Guide
Fast WiFi, cheap coffee, and 300 sunny days a year.
- The DTV: a 5-year visa built for nomads
- ฿40,000–60,000/month comfortable mid-range budget
- Fastest nomad internet in SE Asia in major cities
GuideThailand Solo Travel Guide
Your own pace, your own itinerary — and company whenever you want it.
- The solo trail: Bangkok → Chiang Mai → Koh Tao
- Meeting people is a system, not luck
- The real risk is traffic, not crime
GuideThailand with Kids
Elephants, temples, and beaches the whole family will love
- Koh Samui — calm beaches for young kids
- Chiang Mai — elephant sanctuaries
- Bangkok — interactive museums & malls
GuideSolo Female Travel in Thailand
One of Asia's easiest solo destinations for women — here's the delta.
- Harassment levels most women rate below home
- Chiang Mai — the solo-female base camp
- Female-only dorms in every trail town
GuideMuay Thai Training in Thailand
Two sessions a day, a beach or a mountain in between — the training trip that ruins ordinary holidays.
- Anyone can train — most camp guests are beginners
- ฿300–600 a class, ฿8,000–14,000 a month
- Phuket for scale, Chiang Mai for technique, Bangkok for the source
GuideWellness Retreats in Thailand
From a forest monastery that costs a donation to the world's most awarded wellness sanctuaries — Thailand does every kind of reset.
- Five retreat types, five very different price tags
- Donation-based monasteries to ฿20,000+-a-night sanctuaries
- Koh Samui is the wellness island; Srithanu is the yoga village
GuideFamous Thai Dishes: What to Eat in Thailand
Every guide tells you what the dishes are. This one tells you exactly where to eat each of them.
- The 12 dishes that define Thai eating, and where each is best
- Street stalls to Michelin — often the same dish, ฿60 apart
- Khao soi is worth routing a trip through Chiang Mai for
GuideDiving in Thailand
The world's cheapest place to learn, and some of its best days underwater — on two coasts with opposite seasons.
- Open Water on Koh Tao: ~฿10,000–12,000, the world's best value
- Two coasts, opposite seasons — somewhere is always diving
- Richelieu Rock is the site worth a liveaboard
Travel Planning
When to go, how much to budget, and everything else you need before you book.
PlanningBest Time to Visit Thailand
Plan around the weather, not against it
- November–February: peak season, best weather
- March–May: hot & dry — cool in the north
- June–October: rainy season (great value)
PlanningThailand Budget Travel Guide
Thailand on less — without missing the best of it
- Live well for $30–40/day
- Street food meals from $1.50
- Overnight trains from $8
PlanningThailand Travel Tips
What every visitor to Thailand should know — before they land
- Visa-free entry for most nationalities
- Never disrespect the monarchy
- Cover up at temples
PlanningIs Thailand Safe?
Last reviewed 29 August 2026 — an honest, up-to-date safety assessment
- Overall safety rating: very safe for tourists
- Lèse-majesté & strict laws to know about
- Common scams and how to avoid them
PlanningBest Beaches in Thailand
Crystal waters, white sand, and limestone cliffs — coast by coast
- Andaman coast: Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta
- Gulf coast: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao
- Best Thai islands for every traveller
PlanningThailand Cultural Etiquette
Respect the culture, connect with the people — the unwritten rules every visitor should know
- Temple dress codes and behaviour rules
- Why you should never touch anyone's head
- The monarchy and lèse-majesté laws
PlanningThailand Visa Requirements
TDAC card, who can enter visa-free, how long you can stay, and what to do next
- TDAC mandatory for all foreign nationals (since May 2025)
- 93 nationalities get 60-day visa exemption
- Visa-on-arrival available for 19 nationalities
PlanningSongkran Festival Thailand
Songkran 2027 — Thailand's legendary water festival returns April 13–15. Start planning now.
- April 13–15, 2027 (official dates — fixed each year)
- Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket & Pattaya celebrations
- Booking lead times: when to lock flights and hotels
PlanningThailand Weather by Month
Every month, every region — the actual numbers.
- Month-by-month temps & rainfall
- Bangkok, Phuket, Samui & Chiang Mai compared
- Sea conditions for both coasts
PlanningThailand Currency: The Thai Baht
Baht, ATMs, and the exchange traps to skip.
- ฿33 ≈ $1 (2026)
- The ฿220 ATM fee workaround
- Where (and where not) to exchange
PlanningWhat Language Is Spoken in Thailand?
Thai, the dialects, and how far English gets you.
- Thai: official & tonal
- Where English works (and doesn't)
- 10 phrases that change your trip
PlanningCost of Living in Thailand
What a month in Thailand actually costs — by city and lifestyle.
- Monthly budgets: $1,000–2,500
- Bangkok vs Chiang Mai vs Phuket
- Nomad, retiree & couple budgets
PlanningThailand Visa for US Citizens
No visa needed for 60 days — but the TDAC is mandatory.
- 60 days visa-free for US passports
- TDAC: the one mandatory pre-arrival step
- +30-day extension for ฿1,900
PlanningBangkok to Phuket
861 km south — in 85 minutes or 14 hours. Your call.
- Flight: 1h25m, from $14
- Bus: 12–14h overnight, $22–35
- Train + bus: the scenic combo
PlanningBangkok to Chiang Mai
The one route in Thailand where the slow way is usually the right way.
- Sleeper train: Thailand's classic journey
- Flights: 70 minutes from $20
- VIP buses: the budget workhorse
PlanningBangkok to Koh Samui
One island, one airline monopoly — and three smart ways around it.
- Direct flights: 65 minutes, one airline
- Surat Thani combo: half the price
- Night train + ferry: the classic overland
PlanningKoh Samui to Koh Phangan Ferry
A 20-minute crossing — if you pick the right pier.
- Fastest crossing: ~20 minutes by catamaran
- Four operators, four different piers
- The only boat direct to Haad Rin
PlanningBangkok to Pattaya
Thailand's easiest intercity hop — if you skip the taxi mafia.
- Hourly bus from Ekkamai: ฿148, ~2 hours
- Airport-direct bus to Jomtien
- The famous ฿31 slow train
PlanningBangkok to Krabi
780 km to the limestone coast — fly it, sleep through it, or rail it.
- 25+ flights a day from ~$28
- Overnight bus: wake up at the beach
- Sleeper train + bus via Surat Thani
PlanningKrabi to Koh Phi Phi Ferry
Two piers, one postcard island — and a rainy-season asterisk.
- Ferry: 2 hours, ฿450–500
- Speedboats cut it to an hour
- Ao Nang departures are seasonal
PlanningPhuket to Krabi
Road or sea — and the sea route drops you at Railay.
- Vans & buses: hourly, ~3 hours
- The morning ferry calls at Railay
- Speedboats: 1 hour across the bay
PlanningPhuket to Koh Samui
Two coasts, one short flight — or one very long, very cheap day.
- Nonstop flight: 55 minutes, one airline
- Lomprayah bus + catamaran through-tickets
- Budget crossing from ฿555
PlanningChiang Mai to Chiang Rai
Three easy hours north — and the White Temple question, answered.
- Green Bus: the route's institution
- 11+ departures a day, 3–3.5 hours
- Terminal 1 vs Terminal 2 in Chiang Rai
PlanningBangkok to Hua Hin
Bangkok's weekend beach town — and Thailand's prettiest railway station.
- Vans: hourly from Ekkamai, ~4 hours
- The train and the famous royal station
- Direct bus from Suvarnabhumi airport
PlanningChiang Mai to Pai
762 curves between you and Thailand's favorite mountain town.
- Hourly minivans from Arcade terminal
- The 762 curves & motion-sickness plan
- No flights to Pai — despite what OTAs show
PlanningBangkok to Ayutthaya
An hour north of Bangkok, and four centuries back.
- Train: about 1 hour, from ฿70
- Minivans from Mo Chit, ฿150–340
- The ฿5 ferry the station doesn't advertise
PlanningKoh Samui to Koh Tao Ferry
Ninety minutes to the dive capital — from whichever pier your ticket actually means.
- Catamaran: 1.5–2 hours, ฿600–700
- Three piers on Samui — check the ticket
- Nearly every boat calls at Koh Phangan
PlanningKrabi to Koh Lanta
Two hours, one car ferry, and an island that stayed quiet on purpose.
- Minivan: 2–3 hours, ฿350–450, year-round
- Ferry: 90–120 min, but November–April only
- One car ferry, and it has no timetable
PlanningThailand Travel Insurance
The ฿2,000,000 question tourists don't ask until the ambulance arrives.
- Not legally required — practically essential
- Scooter crashes: claim #1, and the fine print
- Private ER visits run ฿20,000–80,000+
PlanningThailand eSIM & SIM Cards
Sort your data before you fly, and skip the airport SIM queue entirely.
- eSIM: connected before you land
- Airport SIMs: unlimited data bargains
- AIS, True & dtac coverage compared
Travel Data
Research-backed data to help you budget and understand Thailand tourism trends.
Thailand Travel Cost Index 2026
Daily costs for 25 regions across budget, mid-range, and luxury tiers. Interactive currency toggle and regional comparison table.
Thailand Tourism Statistics
Visitor arrivals, revenue trends, top source countries, hotel occupancy, and economic impact from official sources.