Visas & entry
Thailand’s visa rules depend heavily on passport, purpose and length of stay: many major-tourism passports receive visa-exempt entry or can use an e-visa, while others must arrange a visa in advance. Rules, permitted stay lengths and any digital arrival-card requirements change; verify with the Thai embassy or official immigration source before booking.
Getting in
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport: Thailand’s main long-haul gateway and the best arrival point for most first trips. It connects directly to Bangkok’s Airport Rail Link and has the broadest domestic network for Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Samui and other regional airports.
- Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport: The low-cost-carrier airport, used heavily for domestic and regional Asian flights. It is useful for cheap onward flights but is less convenient than BKK for long-haul arrivals and is not directly linked to central Bangkok by rail.
- Phuket International Airport: The practical direct gateway for an Andaman beach trip, especially Phuket, Khao Lak, Phang Nga and some island transfers. It has substantial international service and avoids routing through Bangkok, but airport-to-resort travel can still take hours in traffic.
- Chiang Mai International Airport: The easy gateway for the Lanna north, with domestic links from Bangkok and selected international regional flights. Use it for Chiang Mai and the north rather than trying to reach the region overland on a short trip.
- Koh Samui Airport: The convenient but usually expensive Gulf-island gateway. It makes sense for Samui and ferry connections to Phangan or Tao; cheaper alternatives route through Surat Thani or Nakhon Si Thammarat, then require a long ground-and-ferry transfer.
Getting around
Fly for cross-country jumps: Bangkok–Chiang Mai, Bangkok–Phuket/Krabi and north-to-south combinations are not casual overland hops. Trains are worthwhile for the overnight Bangkok–Chiang Mai sleeper or slower central routes, but not if limited holiday time matters more than the journey; book sleepers early in peak periods. Buses and minivans fill gaps well, while islands add ferry timetables, weather risk and transfer days—do not schedule a tight international connection after a boat ride.
Money
The currency is the Thai baht (THB). Cards work well at hotels, malls, better restaurants and many city businesses, but cash remains essential for markets, street food, small towns, local transport and many island operators; carry a no-foreign-transaction-fee card and use reputable ATMs. Tipping is not mandatory, but rounding up, leaving small change at casual restaurants and modest tips for good guides, drivers and hotel staff are normal.
Daily budget · THB (Thai baht), per person per day; assumes two people sharing a room and excludes international flights.
- Value
- THB 1,300–2,500
- Mid-range
- THB 3,500–6,500
- High-end
- THB 10,000–25,000+
- Value covers hostels or simple guesthouses, street food/food courts, local transport and a modest paid activity every day or two.
- Mid-range is the realistic comfortable band: good 3–4-star hotels, a mix of street food and restaurants, Grab/taxis, massages, regular activities and domestic transport averaged across the trip.
- High-end means design or five-star hotels, private transfers, serious dining, diving or private boats, and premium island resorts or villas.
- Bangkok and Chiang Mai remain strong hotel-value cities. Phuket, Khao Lak, Samui and private islands become much pricier in December–February, especially Christmas/New Year.
- Island logistics are the stealth expense: ferries are cheap, but speedboats, private transfers and weather-driven rebooking are not. Build slack into a south-island budget.
- Book domestic flights early around holidays; late fares can erase the usual Thailand bargain. Diving, liveaboards and marine-park day trips can cost more than a full day of lodging and street food. Alcohol and upscale dining also move a budget fast.
Eating well
- Treat Thai food as shared food where possible: order several dishes rather than one large main each.
- Use Bangkok’s Yaowarat/Chinatown for a night-food crawl, but also eat at a proper daytime market or food court.
- Ask about heat rather than assuming a universal Thai spice level; regional cooking and individual vendors vary sharply.
Book before you land
Paid organized Yi Peng lantern-release events in Chiang Mai, if travelling around Loy Krathong in November · Similan Islands diving liveaboards and sought-after day trips during the November–April season · Popular ethical elephant sanctuary visits around Chiang Mai in peak season · Cheow Lan Lake raft-house stays at the more desirable properties, especially November–February
- Thailand is much bigger in travel time than it appears on a map: Bangkok plus one other region is the sensible shape of a 7–10 day first trip.
- Choose the southern coast by month, not by postcard: the Andaman side is generally stronger November–April; Samui, Phangan and Tao are usually the safer beach choice in July–August. September–October carries real rain, rough-sea and ferry-disruption risk.
- Use BTS, MRT and river boats in Bangkok rather than surrendering days to road traffic. For taxis, insist on the meter or use Grab where available.
- Dress conservatively for temples: cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes where required, and never point feet toward Buddha images or monks. Respectful behavior matters more than trying to copy local ritual.
- March–April heat is punishing for temple-hopping, and northern haze can make Chiang Mai, Pai and Chiang Rai a poor outdoor choice from late February through April. Check AQI shortly before committing.
- Songkran, April 13–15, is not a minor festival: expect water everywhere, crowded transport and disrupted city movement. Protect phones, luggage and documents accordingly.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this country.
Season by season
November–February
Thailand’s most reliable countrywide weather brings lower humidity, relatively dry days and cool mornings in the north; the Andaman coast is generally calmest, while Gulf-island rain can linger into November and December.
Bangkok and central templesChiang Mai and northern trekkingAndaman beaches and divingKhao Yai wildlife
This is the busiest and priciest period, especially Christmas–New Year and Lunar New Year, when Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak and major islands need early hotel bookings.
March–April
It is intensely hot across Bangkok, the central plain and Isan, while seasonal smoke and agricultural burning can make Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pai unpleasant or unhealthy; both southern coasts are often still good for beach stays.
Beach and pool hotelsGulf islandsAndaman coast before the monsoonMango season
Long temple days become draining, and late February through April is a poor default for northern hiking unless daily air-quality readings are clearly good.
May–June
The southwest monsoon brings greener landscapes, lower rates and often short heavy downpours rather than continuous rain, but Andaman seas begin to affect boat trips; the Gulf is often the more reliable beach choice by June.
Value stays in Bangkok and Chiang MaiGreen-season landscapesGulf-island beach timeFlexible food- and city-led trips
Andaman island-hopping can be rough or cancelled, and some marine parks and trails close seasonally; the Similan Islands close annually from May 16 to October 31.
July–August
Bangkok and the north are humid and regularly wet but lush, while Samui, Phangan and Tao usually offer better beach odds than Phuket, Krabi and the wider Andaman coast.
Gulf islandsDiving and snorkeling around Koh TaoFood, spas and city travelTravelers flexible about afternoon rain
European and school-holiday demand lifts prices, and the Andaman coast is a poor choice for a tightly timed speedboat-and-island itinerary.
September–October
This is the wettest and quietest stretch for much of the country, with potential flooding in Bangkok, the north and northeast and rough Andaman seas; the Gulf often holds up better through September before Samui’s wetter season begins.
Low hotel ratesCrowd-free Bangkok and northern citiesFlexible Gulf-island tripsTravelers prioritizing food and hotels over guaranteed sun
Do not build a once-in-a-lifetime Andaman beach trip around offshore excursions: ferry and boat disruptions are more likely, and October–December becomes wetter on Samui and Phangan.
Events worth planning around
Loy Krathong and Chiang Mai Yi Peng · Usually on the November full moon · Bangkok, Sukhothai and Chiang Mai
Hotels and transport tighten around the main celebration cities. In Chiang Mai, many lantern releases are paid organized events rather than free public walk-ins.
Songkran · April 13–15 · Nationwide, especially Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket
Thai New Year turns streets into a major water festival; expect busy transport, wet clothes, traffic disruption and high demand for accommodation.
Phuket Vegetarian Festival · Usually late September or October, following the lunar calendar · Phuket Town
It transforms Phuket Town with processions and crowds; book early if attending, or avoid the dates for quieter streets and more normal hotel pricing.
Full Moon Party · Monthly, on or near the full moon · Haad Rin, Koh Phangan
It sharply raises ferry and room demand around Koh Phangan and can make Haad Rin intensely party-focused; the official entry is sold at the gate rather than as an advance online ticket.
What to eat
Thailand is not one cuisine: eat regionally, order dishes to share, and do not mistake pad thai for the country’s everyday food. Bangkok is the best all-purpose eating base, but seek out both night markets and daytime food courts or markets; the latter are often easier, faster and just as serious.
Pad thaiBoat noodles (kuai tiao ruea)Khao man gai (Hainanese chicken rice)Khao kha mu (braised pork leg over rice)Tom yumTom khaMassaman curryCentral Thai curriesThai seafoodMango sticky rice
Bangkok and Central Thailand: Chinese-Thai cooking · Royal-influenced dishes · Noodle stalls · Seafood · Central Thai curries and Muslim food