We have lost count of the times we travel to Thailand. In 2011 it was here precisely where we discovered our love for Asia and since then we have not stopped returning again and again ... And it is right in Chiang Mai, in the north of the country, where we wrote this post. In it, you will find 10 tips for traveling to Thailand, or in other words, we have compiled all the information we would have liked to know before our first trip.
We hope that I can help you plan your trip through the country of smiles, and if you want to tell us your tricks on your return, we invite you to leave us a comment!
Thailand is the perfect gateway to the Asian continent: there are cheap flights from Europe to Bangkok and the country is perfect for first-time travelers (it is comfortable, easy to travel, without too many dodgy cultural shocks but full of curiosities and exotic things to see and do ).
The best itinerary to know the basics of Thailand on the first trip of about 18-20 days could be the following: Bangkok (3 days), Ayutthaya (1 day), Sukhothai (2 days), Chiang Rai (2 days) , Chiang Mai (3 days), Southern Thailand (6 days), Bangkok (1 day).
If you have less time we advise you to visit Bangkok, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, and an island.
Speaking of islands ... the south of Thailand can be a disappointment for many due to the large mass of tourism (and tourists always go to the same places!). There is some destination, like Phi Phi, that has been hopelessly caught up in mass tourism (on the one hand you will get excited like crazy when you see Maya Bay for the first time, but on the other hand you will get a little screwed up in Leonardo Di Caprio and in the movie “The Beach). The good thing is that there are still MANY islands where it is not difficult to be almost alone on a paradise beach.
Some examples of islands without tourist overcrowding are Koh Mook, Koh Kradan or Koh Kood, which we wish to visit as soon as possible thanks to this Dabid post.
As for the weather, you have to know that there are 3 stations :
The hot: from March to May.
The rainy season: from May to October.
The " Mesquita”: from November to February. Cool in quotes since in Thailand it is always hot (unless you don't go north where in the winter months you can get to do some scratch.
To curl more the curl in Thailand there are two different monsoons (monsoons = rain to pitchers):
In the Gulf of Thailand it is from October to December. In this part are the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.
In the Andaman Sea it is from May to October. Here you find the islands of Trang, the Krabi area, and the part of Phuket (Phi Phi for example).
Is it necessary to book accommodation? It is up to you: on our first trip to Southeast Asia we were on a very flat backpacker plan and we were always looking for accommodation when arriving at the destination.
These are the 10 experiences that we always recommend living in Thailand.
The language: in tourist sites almost everyone splashes some English, and if not, do not worry that you will end up understanding each other. But it doesn't hurt to learn some little words in Thai, at least these two: Kop-khun-kha (thanks, if you're a girl), Kop-khun-kap (thanks, if you're a boy), Sawadi kaa (hello, if you're girl), Sawadi kap (hello, if you're a boy). With that and a smile, you are well served. And if you want to make the restaurant cook happy, she is spoiling you so much with her dishes… tell them “ aroy! ”Which means“ delicious ”.
