Practical Thailand travel guides covering Bangkok, beaches, islands, transport, hotels, costs, weather, safety and trip planning. Use these guides to compare destinations and prepare for a Thailand trip.
The difference between a travel agent and me is that a travel agent will try to sell you the most expensive trip. I give you the cheapest Thailand itinerary I could think of: two weeks, three places, north, south, cities, islands, temples, culture, beaches, boats, and trains. Almost everything you want for around $325. It’s…
The most important place in Thailand is not the beach or the city or the right destination. It’s your hotel room. It has to be good. It has to be safe. It has to be clean. It has to be worth your money. The Fantastic Luxurious Five-Star Hotel Dusit Thani If you’ve been to Pattaya…
Starting in the North with Seafood and Wong Amat Beach A little further north is my favorite seafood restaurant in the area: Mum Aroi. That’s not the only restaurant in the area. You can try every one. Thais can’t cook badly. It comes directly from the fishermen and from the fish market. Naklua is basically…
You are in Bangkok. You are staying close to the Asok station and you want to have a great day around your hotel, but you don’t know what’s around you and what’s worth your time and money. This is a 16-hour blueprint for one day and night in Bangkok, built entirely around your station. Eliminate…
Long-haul flights to Thailand will wreck you if you let them. Cramped seats, dry air, screaming babies, horrible passengers, and no sleep. Then, bam, you land and the jet lag slaps you like a Muay Thai elbow. I’ve done this trip more times than I can count, and I used to land like a zombie….
Chiang Mai Food in the Old Town Starting with the weird name Blue Noodle, it’s not an injury; it’s a real noodle shop. It’s very old school and, at the same time, very modern. You order with an app and a digital menu on your smartphone, and everything works fine. There are no errors. It…
I thought bar games were harmless and free fun until I realized that Thai women are almost invincible, and I quickly regretted promising Sherry and Cartoon a drink after each round they won. Most tourists lose more than cash during their first trip. They lose confidence. With all my nights spent in Bangkok and Pattaya,…
You’re about to enter a country where seven out of 10 people are wearing what looks like simple jewelry, but is actually part of a billion-dollar magical economy that most tourists miss. Every taxi driver has them dangling from their mirror. Every street vendor wears them around their neck. Even Thailand’s former prime minister wore…
Step off the plane in Thailand, and within hours you will see them everywhere on taxi drivers, street vendors, Muay Thai fighters, and even backpackers at beach bars: Sak Yant. These aren’t random tattoos. They are ancient sacred symbols that have protected warriors for over two millennia. Don’t be a tourist with fake ink and…