Welcome to my Thailand page! Back in 2019, my friend, Candace, and I traveled to Thailand, where we spent time in Chiang Mai, Khao Sok National Park, and Phuket.
Here are some of the tips we followed during our trip to Thailand. Of course, this list isn’t comprehensive, and I always recommend that you do your own research before traveling.
*P.S. this post contains some affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase.
Before Traveling to Thailand
Here are some important things to look into before traveling to Thailand:
Check out the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website for any travel advisories, cautions, vaccinations, visa/document requirements, etc. prior to traveling to Thailand.
Unlike Vietnam, you don’t have to apply for a visa prior to your trip to Thailand.
U.S. citizens can obtain a 60-day visa upon entry to the Kingdom of Thailand for the purpose of tourism, business engagements, and urgent or ad-hoc work. If needed, this can be extended for another period not exceeding 30 days.
Foreign remote workers, digital nomads, and freelancers can obtain a Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), which allows U.S. citizens to stay in Thailand for up to 180 days per visit, with a validity of 5 years.
While You’re in Thailand
Here are some key things to keep in mind for your time in Thailand:
Thailand’s currency is the Thai Baht (THB), and you’ll want to have some on hand to pay for lunches, entrance fees, and tips. We got local currency out from ATMs using our debit cards once we arrived, but it’s important to note that sometimes it’s hard to track down an ATM that will accept U.S. bank cards. We experienced some issues with this at the airports and in Chiang Mai, so be careful!
Don’t drink the water or brush your teeth with it. You’ll need to purchase water bottles throughout your trip, or some hotels might provide you with new ones each day.
Thailand’s culture is conservative, and you should dress appropriately. You shouldn’t wear short shorts or low-cut or revealing tops or dresses. Covering your shoulders (and sometimes head) is customary inside of temples, and you’re required to leave your shoes outside.
A Broad Recommendation: We carried simple, lightweight scarves like this Pashmina Shawl to cover up inside of temples and kept them tied around our purses otherwise. We didn’t have any issues leaving our shoes outside of temples but suggest wearing a cheaper pair of sandals that you aren’t too attached to if you’re worried about it.
Book any tours in advance to secure your spot and to select your pick-up time and location.
Tipping isn’t expected in Thailand and is always at your discretion. In our experience, Thai folks are quite humble and in some cases, may not accept your full tip or accept anything at all. We tipped with these guidelines in mind:
- Driver used for an entire day or excursion: 50-100 Baht
- Guide used for an entire day or excursion: 300-600 Baht
- Restaurants: A 10% service charge is typically already included, but if it’s not, 5-10% on the bill
- Massages: 100 Baht for each 30 minutes
We used the Grab app, which is similar to Lyft or Uber, to get around Thailand. It was reasonably priced and reliable in our experience. You can also hop in a tuk-tuk whenever you need to go somewhere, but be sure to negotiate the price first.
Thailand Packing List
My biggest tip for packing for Thailand is to pack light! You don’t want to have to carry around a ton of luggage (or have the hotel staff or drivers lug it around for you).
Here are some of the things that we brought on our trip to Thailand:
- HAOZI Universal Travel Adapter
- Medicine and feminine products (Thailand may not have the ones that you’re accustomed to)
- Cross-body purse, money belt, secure, RFID blocking wallet, or travel fanny pack
- It’s hot and humid in Thailand, so you’ll want some comfy pants, like these Joob Joob Boho Pants or Urban CoCo Boho Joggers, and long dresses that cover your shoulders, like these:
- Comfortable walking shoes, like these Women’s Weekend – Marble White or NAOT Footwear Sabrina Women’s Sandal
- Waterproof hiking sandals if you plan to do any hiking in Thailand (it can get very muddy in some areas!)
- TSA-approved luggage locks and Apple AirTags if you need to leave your luggage behind for excursions (or if you plan to check a bag on your flights)
- Drawstring backpack for excursions
Restrooms may not be fully stocked with toilet paper or soap/hand sanitizer, so it’s smart to bring your own.
Each day, you’ll want to carry water, snacks, bug spray, a rain jacket, tissues, sandwich baggies, hand sanitizer, lip balm, sunblock, a scarf, and sunglasses. All of these should fit in or tied around a cross-body purse or fanny pack and will likely come in handy.
Our Thailand Blog Posts
If you’re planning to visit Thailand, you can find more details specifically about Chiang Mai, Khao Sok National Park, and Phuket in the following blog posts:
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How to Explore Chiang Mai in 3 Days
Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second largest city and one of the best places to visit in Thailand! Read on to learn how to spend three days in Chiang Mai, where to stay, where to eat, and more.
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A Full Day at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand
When we started planning our trip to Thailand, my first thought was ELEPHANTS. I’ve loved elephants since I was a kid, so I knew we needed to visit an elephant sanctuary. I also knew that a lot of places exploit and abuse elephants, and it was important to me to avoid those places during our…
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An Epic Overnight Stay in a Khao Sok National Park Floating Bungalow
After our three days in Hanoi, Vietnam and an overnight layover at the Bangkok Airport, we made our way from Bangkok to Khao Sok National Park, where we’d be staying the night on a floating bungalow! I sort of stumbled upon Khao Sok when researching places to visit in Thailand, as it isn’t a well-known…
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A Relaxing 2 Days on Karon Beach in Thailand
The last leg of our Southeast Asia trip was spent on Karon Beach in Phuket, i.e. the “Pearl of the Andaman,” Thailand’s largest island, and one of the best places to visit in Thailand. We planned Phuket as our last stop, since we’d heard that it was one of the best places in Thailand to…
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The Best Places to Visit in Thailand in July
Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia, Thailand is one of the best countries to visit in July, and I’ve rounded up some of the best places to visit in Thailand in July.
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How to Plan an Incredible 2-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary
Planning a trip to Southeast Asia this summer? We’ve got you covered with our epic 2-week Southeast Asia itinerary! After our time in Delhi and Agra, India, my friend, Candace, and I visited Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Bai Tu Long Bay, Khao Sok National Park, and Phuket over the course of two weeks and had an…
I would love to hear your Thailand travel tips. Feel free to leave your ideas in a comment below, and don’t forget to pin this post, so you can refer back to it later!
XOXO Sara at Travel A-Broads