We’re back from Thailand, where my girlfriend and I spent almost a whole month. You could read regularly on my blog how we were enjoying ourselves in Thailand and what we were doing. Now let’s take a look at the best and most practical things you should know before you head to Thailand. You’ll learn about traveling, money, places you shouldn’t miss, and other practical tips.
Travel to Thailand on your own
It’s not worth going to Thailand with a travel agency. Traveling on your own will give you a lot of freedom and, most importantly, save you a lot of money. We did a similar trip to Sri Lanka last year, where we spent a pleasant 35 days. If you’re planning to go there too, check out my article “What you should know before you go to Sri Lanka”.
Thailand vacation is one of the most searched terms related to this Asian country. It’s no wonder, as about 40,000 Czechs visit it annually. And there are countless reasons for that: from beautiful nature, great food, and favorable prices to no worries about visas (if you’re staying less than 60 days (update 2024)).
When to go to Thailand and what to bring
We flew to Thailand for a month just before Christmas. We flew from Vienna and booked the flight about a week in advance. In this case, it’s worth dealing with it a little earlier, as we had to pay extra. The ideal time to travel to Thailand is December to February, some travelers even say January to May. Between December and February is the so-called dry season, so you can expect pleasant weather (read proper heat around 30 degrees) and minimum rain. It may shower, but in the end, it’s refreshing. On Koh Samui, it rains a little more and more often. We almost didn’t use the weather app at all during the whole month.
What to bring? Bring comfortable clothing – something lightweight that doesn’t absorb too much (due to humidity), but don’t overdo it. You’ll be able to buy all sorts of things on every corner for a nice price. We brought a snorkel, and it was one of the best decisions. The best snorkeling was on Koh Tao. It’s one of the top spots for getting your diving licenses. This time, having learned from my travels in Sri Lanka, I brought lots of tissues. And it was a good thing, as I didn’t see them in stores very often, except for 7-Eleven or Watson. And don’t forget good travel insurance.
Money? When entering Thailand, you must have cash. Take euros or dollars with you and exchange them for baht (1 THB = 0.64 CZK). There are ATMs everywhere – when you use them, withdraw larger amounts, as you pay a 220 THB fee for each withdrawal. You can only use your card in larger cities, but not at markets or street food stalls.
Internet and SIM card
After your arrival, be sure to get a SIM card with the internet. If you can hold out until 7-Eleven, that’s ideal. At the airport, you’ll only buy a tourist SIM. We bought one, and then in 7-Eleven, I saw a SIM for 199 THB for 30 days with 30 GB of data. The only problem was that there was nothing in English, but it worked fine throughout our stay. The data was just slower, though. There is Wi-Fi everywhere in hotels, cafes, and restaurants, but I wouldn’t rely on it, especially if you’re avoiding touristy places. If you don’t want to deal with a local SIM card, I have a simpler solution for you. Use the Airalo platform and enter the code ANDRE5430 when registering. This will give you $3 off your first order.
Shopping and prices in Thailand. To bargain or not to bargain?
Buy fruit, vegetables, spices, and the like only at markets. You won’t find them cheaper anywhere else. You can bargain, but sometimes the price is so low that it will seem silly to you. However, when buying anything at Chatuchak or in Chinatown, of course, bargain and bargain hard! It works, and they actually expect it.
In stores with standard groceries, such as 7-Eleven, Big C, Lotus, etc., the prices are fixed, so you can forget about bargaining there. But overall, everything is much cheaper compared to us. You can also find standard hygiene products in these stores. So if you run out of something or forget it, it’s not a problem.
Accommodation only on Agoda
For accommodation, I think it’s best to look on Agoda – it’s more used in Asia and has a larger offer than Booking. You can find accommodation in Bangkok for a few hundred CZK per night. For luxury, you’ll pay up to thousands. It depends on how demanding you are and how much you want to stay in the center.
On the islands, it’s a bit more expensive, for example, Koh Tao cost us just under 8,000 CZK for 9 nights, and on Koh Samui, we stayed 6 nights for about 4,000 CZK. If you deal with it more in advance, it will definitely be cheaper. Of course, the fact that we were there during the holidays also had an impact.
If you want to go to Thailand for more than 30 days, you will need to apply for a visa, provide flight tickets, accommodation, and also prove that you have money (cash). They are supposed to process all of this within 10 working days, but it is recommended to deal with it 30 days in advance.
