This post is full of practice Thailand travel advice that my friends and family found “actually useful”.
Since 2011, I’ve sent out the same email full of practical tips for Thailand so many times that I’ve lost count. Instead of searching through my very messy email chains to find out the last person I sent these tips to, I can now refer them to this post… whew!
These are my best tips on traveling to Thailand especially if you’re on a budget or traveling here for the first time. It was one of my favorite places to visit and I highly recommend going!
Pin these tips for Thailand on Pinterest!
From Lust Till Dawn is a reader-supported site. Purchases made through links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
The Story Behind Our Thailand Trip
It all started when my now husband and I embarked on one of the most care-free and fun adventures we’d have in our adolescent lives… if you consider being 24 still an adolescent.
This trip was a sort of symbolic ending to the chapter of college closed behind us recently and an exhilarating way to say hello to the rest of our adult lives ’cause you know, growing up doesn’t have to be boring!
Before starting our careers, we took the year off to study for our CPAs and travel the world.
We road tripped out to Arkansas for Wakarusa Music Festival, went to Chicago for a couple of weeks to eat our hearts out, and finally, flew to Thailand for three weeks as our last hurrah.
Thailand was thrilling and exhilarating yet so peaceful and soulful at the same time.
It gave me the ultimate culture shock I yearn for when traveling and filled my tummy with savory, authentic goodness and sweet, tropical fruits day after day.
And the people! This was the first country I went to where even in Bangkok, their big city, I would say hello to EVERY person on the street without getting some weird stare for being socially open and reaching out to strangers (so not NYC).
Maybe it’s because Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand or because the sun warms up people’s souls, but everyone was SO nice, and gosh, I love nice.
Anyways that trip of a lifetime led me to this– my nine practical tips for Thailand that I’ve been sharing with my friends and family since 2011.
Nine Practical Tips for Thailand
1. Buy the Thai government brand water.
Do not any under circumstance drink the tap water in Thailand.
Even when it’s boiled, you can get very sick from it, which is quite the circumstance to have in a gorgeous, adventure packed country (speaking from a very romantic experience Mike and I had in Phuket).
Since you can’t drink tap water, you have to buy bottled water, which can add up pretty quickly if you drink a lot of water like me.
The best way to save on Thailand travel costs is to buy the Thai government brand water (instead of Nestle or other brands). You’ll know which one it is because it’s usually all the way at the bottom of the color, has a flimsy matte white plastic with blue graphics on it, and is about 90% less of the big brand water’s cost.
2. Pack a pillowcase.
If you’re backpacking around Thailand, you may stay at some budget friendly places at the cost of unclean accommodations.
Pack your own pillowcase to use whenever you encounter questionable sheets on your bed.
You’ll sleep a little better at night knowing that your face isn’t rubbing onto unwashed sheets.
3. Carry hand sanitizer and toilet paper on you at all times.
Thailand’s sanitization levels are much lower than the United States’ levels, and this might not be tolerable to many people used to pristinely clean facilities.
A lot of bathrooms don’t have any soap to wash your hands, and most charge for toilet paper.
If you don’t feel like carrying toilet paper or tissues on you, then bring change to buy some, and at the very least, bring hand sanitizer.
4. Eat at food carts over restaurants.
Eating at street carts is probably was one of the best things to do in Thailand for us. It is street cart heaven there.
You can literally feel like you died and went to the type of heaven that has whole, filling, and spice-filled foods for only $1 USD.
Opt for street food over restaurants because from experience, the street food can be better than the food at restaurants.
My theory is that street cart owners spend their whole lives mastering the one or two dishes they sell at their carts daily, which makes them better than chefs at restaurants in Thailand– just a theory…
Plus, spending less money at a restaurant means you have more money to try out at a variety of food like deep fried crickets—yum!
5. Don’t take bike cabs (aka tuk tuks) or anyone else you didn’t plan on taking a ride from. If you take a cab, ask to turn on the meter.
Ok, admittedly, even though everyone is SO nice, Thailand has its sketch balls, especially in Bangkok so be alert.
Always ask the cabs to turn their meters on because they have them, and don’t take rides randomly even from official looking tuk tuks because they’ll charge you out of the wazoo or bring you somewhere unknown that’ll charge you out of the wazoo from something else.
On this note, there will be guys outside of big tourist sites saying that the site is closed for the day, and they can bring you to another place for good sales and shopping.
UM HELLO– don’t fall for it. We actually heard this one on the way into the Grand Palace. Almost got us… NOT!
6. Pack less to travel lightly.
There are two reasons to pack lightly. One awesome reason is that clothes in Thailand is really cheap and you’re bound to put up a handful of $3 shorts and $5 dresses.
The second reason is that getting your laundry sent out is super cheap at about 50 cents a pound, which comes back smelling nice and neatly folded, so there’s no really to pack enough clothes to get you through your vacation when you can just get your laundry done.
7. Carry a raincoat or umbrella on you.
Depending on the season, you’ll never know when it’s going to rain so either carry a raincoat or umbrella on you for random downpours.
If carrying an umbrella isn’t your thing, then try getting one of those cheap 99 cent raincoats to slip into your pocket as you walk around.
8. Wear sandals with straps at waterfalls or on hikes.
Although they’re not the average person’s choice of sandals for fashion, wearing sandals with straps are the best for waterfalls or on hikes because you need a solid grip to walk on the very slippery rocks and paths of the waterfalls.
Boots or sneakers with socks have the grip but soak your feet into wrinkly, old grandma feet whereas regular sandals can have you slipping around ‘till you fall on your back.
For example, these Merrell sandals with straps do a great job for hiking at waterfalls.
However, if you want to save money on shoes you may only wear once, then check out Target or Wal-mart for similar style shoes. I got a pair for $15 in the boys’ section. 🙂
9. Buy leather and silk.
Ok so this isn’t exactly a practical tip, but if I could go back in time and wasn’t as cheap as I used to be right after college, I would buy leather and silk in Thailand.
I bought one small leather purse back then for $12, and it still looks basically brand new ’till this day. The craftsmanship and quality is excellent, and you can even get custom jobs done for really cheap.
For those who love silk, silk’s the thing to get here too.
Well, there’s all my 9 practical tips for Thailand, which include:
- Buy the Thai government brand water
- Carry hand sanitizer and toilet paper
- Pack a pillowcase
- Eat at food carts
- Turn the meter on in cabs, and don’t take random tuk tuk or cab rides
- Pack lightly, and get your laundry sent out
- Carry a raincoat or umbrella on you
- Wear ugly sandals with straps
- Buy leather and silk
More Thailand Travel Advice
Here are some more resources on Thailand travel advice you might like:
- Tips and resources from Fodors
- Hidden beaches in Phuket
- Celebrating Makha Bucha Day in Chiang Mai, Thailand
If you’re headed to Vietnam while you’re in Thailand, check out places to visit in Vietnam as well as general travel tips!
Have any tips for tourists besides my own tips for Thailand? Please share by commenting below!
Thanks for stopping by! xo.
Like this post? Share:
Desmond says
Hi Sarah, great tips,
one of the questions I need to ask is about money & exchange rates.
Have you found Is it best to exchange cash for thai money as we need it when you arrive at the street venders in Bankok, or in local Banks or use the ATM’s or is it a better rate to get money before hand in your own country. we are traveling from England for a 5 week trip I have tried to pay upfront for accommodation whenever possible. Even so there will be significant expenses that I foresee when I am there for so long. I love planning things out and this “local exchange rates” is the only thing that I cant find out before I arrive.
Sarah says
Hi Desmond, 5 week trip sounds amazing! I don’t exactly remember how much the ATM fee when I was in Thailand, but according to this site, http://www.dontworryjusttravel.com/asiapacific/thailand/avoid-the-150-baht-atm-fee/, it’s usually 200 bahts for an ATM fee ‘cept for at Citibank ATMs (according to that site again). So basically, in GBP it’ll be around 3.70 every time you use an ATM fee.
I’m not exactly sure how it works in London but whenever I traveled abroad, I used Capital One 360, which isn’t my every day bank, but only my bank for traveling. This is because Capital One 360 doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, which is a charge from having to translate the currency from USD to where ever I am. They also didn’t charge any ATM fees except for what the holiday country’s ATM charged. So in short, I think you should find out if your bank charges a foreign transaction fee and foreign translation fee, and go from there.
As for me, because I have a bank that doesn’t charge either, I only take out money once I get to a country through its ATMs because ATMs provide the best currency translation (except for Travelex brand ATMs… they have really bad translation rates). From my experience, ATMs have better currency translation rates than banks or the currency translation booths at airports.
So as long as your bank doesn’t charge fees, for Thailand, I would use an ATM in Thailand but take enough money out that the fee is worth it. Like only taking out 500 bahts and having to pay 200 bahts would make that 500 value so much less, but if you take out 15,000 bahts, then the 200 isn’t so bad.. you know?
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions.
Desmond says
Sarah, Thank you good advice, notoriously booths at airports are very bad for exchange rates so I wouldn’t use them, but I was wondering what the rates are like on the street vendors if I was to use cash to change money. I have a similar card to you the Halifax Clarity Card http://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/clarity-card/ this also does not charge for transactions although it does start charging you interest straight away so taking out cash from an ATM wouldn’t make any financial sense , but you can make payments for Hotels etc on the card and you have 59 days to pay it off before incurring any interest good plan for Hotels and purchases, plenty of time to do an internet Bank Transfer. so for spending money, its just whether to take cash with me and change it locally or to use a debit card for cash. its hard to work out which is best with ought knowing what the actual street rate I could expect to get.
What is the limit in Thailand an ATM will pay in one transaction.
Thank you for your help
Des
Sarah says
Ok so I would never use a credit card at an ATM, but I suggest using a debit card. You will get the same exchange rate as whatever the going exchange rate is worldwide like what you find on Oanda or YahooFinance. I find banks to have a higher rate when exchanging before hand so I always bring my debit card to get money directly from an ATM. I’ve never tried changing money with a street vendor.
Good luck!
Alejandra says
Thank you so much Sarah! This article was great, very helpful.
I’ll keep every single tip in mind for my trip. Xox
Sarah says
Awesome! I’m glad you appreciated it. If you have any questions that come up before your trip, feel free to reach out via the comments! Have fun!
Oh yah, if you have the time to go to Pai, check it out. It’s a HIPPIE village in the North (if you like that whole hippie/chill vibe). If anything, it’s really interesting to see an Asian hippie sub-culture & everyone is so nice and open. I had the best chai tea in my life there– 6-7 freshly crushed herbs in a mug, no tea bag or anything.
Chantell Collins says
Great list! I spent a month backpacking SE Asia earlier this year and did most of those things except for buying silk and leather. Also I wish I had of carried the hand wash and wipes ha ha. Luckily my boyfriend packed them. Life saver!
Sarah says
A whole month! Awesome. Where else did you go? I only went to Thailand but want to go to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Glad we were on the same page about these tips 🙂 Yah hand wash and wipes are soo key there. It’s crazy how different sanitary levels are in different countries.
justine says
Congrats on graduating girl!!
Sarah says
Thank you!
Kenza says
I keep that in mind since I’d like to visit Thailand ! 🙂
I also had a few question : do u think it’s still cool to visit the country in June ?
And also what itinary should I take ?
Thxxxxxx
Kenza from http://travelwithkenza.blogspot.fr/
Sarah says
Hi! So Thailand’s rainy season is from May to Nov. (so long…) but I went in July and it wasn’t an issue for me. If you can deal with heat, humidity, random rainfall, and totally unmanageable hair, then go for it.
I totally recommend going to Pai! It’s a 4 hour ride from Chiang Mai which is fun too.
Bangkok of course is a must because that’s where you will fly into, and some of the smaller islands are just gorgeous. So much to do depending on what you like!
Lauren says
Wonderful tips- especially the eating from the street stalls! Best food I’ve ever had.
Sarah says
Yay I’m glad you got to experience the food.
Muhammad amjad says
Very nice article on thailand good knowledge and enjoyment thanks for sharing with us.
Sarah says
I’m glad you thought it was useful. Enjoy Thailand!
stephanie says
Great tips. But i had a question about the Thai water brands.
Do you mean brands like Singha and Chang?
x