Thailand Travel Guide

High Season (Nov–Mar)

A cool and dry season follows the monsoons, meaning the landscape is lush and temperatures are comfortable.

Christmas in the West and New Year’s holidays bring crowds and inflated rates.

Mid Season (Apr–Jun, Sep & Oct)

April to June is generally very hot and dry, with an average Bangkok temperature of 30°C. Sea breezes in coastal areas provide natural air-con.

September and October are ideal for the north and the gulf coast.

Low Season (Jul–Oct)

Monsoon season ranges from afternoon showers to major flooding. Rain is usually in short, intense bursts.

Some islands shut down; boat service is limited during stormy weather. Be flexible with travel plans.

CURRENCY

The currency of Thailand is the Baht.

At the time of writing (April 2018) you can get 44 Baht to the pound.

For the latest rates click here.

COSTS

If you want it to be, Thailand can be a very cheap country to travel in.

You three biggest costs will be accommodation, travel and food.

There is a broad range of accomodation, from cheap hostels to luxury hotels.

Travel will be a toss-up between speed and cost. Buses are the cheapest way to travel long distances, but also take the longest time. Planes are the fastest but cost the most and mean you skip out the beautiful landscape. Depending on where you are visiting trains are a good middle ground, and if you use sleeper trains, can save you a night's accommodation too.

Food can be incredibly cheap if you eat from street vendors or much more expensive if you choose to eat in restaurants. You will not save money by booking AirBNBs with kitchens and cooking at home as the street food is so cheap.

For a detailed guide to costs in Thailand click here.

TRAVELING IN THAILAND

Traveling in Thailand is inexpensive and efficient, if not always speedy. Unless you travel by plane, long-distance journeys in Thailand can be arduous, especially if a shoestring budget restricts you to hard seats and no air conditioning.

AIR TRAVEL

The main international airport is in Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), but there is also a smaller airport Don Mueang International Airport (DMK), which is mainly used for domestic of short-haul international flights.

There are also airports in the tourist hubs of Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi which are really convenient if you are pushed for time.

RAIL TRAVEL

Thailand has a fairly well-developed rail network, that centres in Bangkok, and will get you to all the main tourist destinations. If you have the time it is much cheaper than flying, and will allow you to stop at a host of interesting places on route.

TAXI AND BUS TRAVEL

Taxis, tuk-tuks and buses are an easy way to get around the main cities, and most will take you out to more remote locations closely. They are inexpensive by western standards.

With taxis, specify that they turn the meter on, or you may end up in a big negotiation for a ride that will be more expensive than it should have been. This is not always easy, especially in tourist areas.

Tuk-tuks are more for fun than real transport. You generally get ripped off as a tourist, and it's hard to get a decent price, especially in Bangkok. I would choose taxis wherever possible.

CAR AND MOTORBIKE RENTAL

Cars drive on the left-hand side in Thailand, which will be familiar to those of us from the UK.

We decided to take a road-trip whilst in Northern Thailand and found the roads to be well maintained and quiet. I would not have been brave enough to drive near the big cities though!

Be aware you need an international driver's license if you want to drive a car in Thailand, so make sure you purchase one in advance.