Thailand is without a doubt one of the most incredible countries we have visited. We were lucky enough to be there more than a month a few years ago and, facing an imminent return at the end of 2016, we decided to compile all the useful information to travel in Thailand in this guide. We will be completing the information on this page day by day with the aim of making it, both for you and for us, the best reference source for a trip through this country!

Basic information to travel to Thailand

Although Thailand is the most touristic and “western” of the Southeast Asian countries, it never hurts to be prepared and embark on the trip with everything you need to know. Not a few travelers are surprised by some specific event in this beautiful Asian country, so here we tell you what you should know before traveling to Thailand.

Weather in Thailand

It is correct to say that in this country there is no single climate. If the territory is so large and vertical, it goes through many microclimates that must be considered depending on which areas of the country we go to. We are going to divide Thailand into three zones: north, center (where Bangkok, its capital, is located), and south (beaches).

As we can see, in general, we have 3 seasons: cool, hot and rainy. When we talk about the cool season we refer (as we can see in the table of average temperatures) to between 20 and 35 degrees, that is, a good climate. The hot season in Thailand will await us with temperatures close to 40 degrees, at times with suffocating heat.

The rainy season, although it can frustrate us (it can rain 25 days in a month) is the most economical and quiet, since it is when fewer tourists visit Thailand.

When to travel to Thailand? What is our recommendation? Between November and February, during the cool season, the climate will be the one that most travelers will be most satisfied with (tastes are tastes). And in particular, November is, of the 4 months with cool weather, the cheapest and quietest.

Visa and documentation to travel to Thailand

If your trip will last less than 30 days, you do not need a visa to enter Thailand (entering by air, by land it is 15 days)

Single entry 2-month visa, to be used within 90 days of delivery. Price €35

Visa 6 months, with unlimited entries (you can stay 60 days per entry). Price €150

If you are going to travel to Thailand as a backpacker and you can afford it, we recommend the longer visa, since unlimited entries can be very useful!

Vaccines required to travel to Thailand

The only health requirement necessary to visit this country is to have the yellow fever vaccine, at least 10 days before our trip. Do not forget to bring the vaccination certificate! There are not a few cases in which this is requested, especially from South American tourists.

Money in Thailand

The currency of Thailand is the Baht (or Thai Baht), a currency that compared to the dollar has some fluctuations that force you to pay attention to the exchange rate before the trip. At the time of writing this guide, 1 US dollar could buy 35 baht.

For your trip to Thailand, it is practically essential to carry both cash and credit/debit cards.

Cash will be useful in street shops, towns in the interior of the country, and in some businesses to get better prices. Where to exchange silver? Although there are many exchange houses, especially in tourist cities, the ideal is to exchange money only at the airport. If our bank card gives us the possibility, the second-best option is to withdraw local money at an automated teller machine (ATM).

Using credit/debit cards in Thailand will make your life a lot easier. Especially if you are going to travel for a long time around the country, carrying many baht bills can be annoying. In almost all of Thailand, or rather, in tourist spots, most expenses can be paid by card.

In our experience, we have paid our expenses 60% by card and 40% in cash.

Budget for a trip to Thailand

We are going to try to make an estimate of the most common expenses that you are going to have on your trip to Thailand so that you can calculate how much money you are going to spend… We are not going to include plane tickets since it will depend on the place where your trip originates.

Accommodation: The cheapest option will be a hostel or guest house, for approx. USD 4 per night (room and shared bathroom); if you want a private room, calculate USD 15. Simple hotels, USD 20. Luxury resorts, USD 80 and up.

There is also the option of renting an apartment, but only if you are going to stay for a long time and without moving much (for example, a whole month in Bangkok). You can get apartments in Thailand for approximately USD 300 per month.

Food: you can eat on the street for between 1 and 3 dollars; in local restaurants for USD 5 and in international restaurants for USD 15 (we will talk about food below).

Non-alcoholic drinks, especially bottled water, are usually cheap (1USD).

Transportation: to travel between cities (eg between Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, etc.) we could estimate the cost of the ticket at USD 50 if you travel by plane, USD 25 by train, bus or boat. In all cases, you must book well in advance to get the best prices.

Tickets and basic tours: we are talking about tickets to temples and parks, which you can not miss, for USD 150 in total.

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