Thailand Travel Mistakes to Avoid in Your 30s

If you’re still following Thailand travel tips you heard in your 20s, you’re probably making some massive mistakes. Sleeping in sweaty hostels, wasting full days hung over, and missing out on Thailand’s best places to visit.

Well, if like me, you’re in your 30s or beyond, and you’re looking to get the most out of your time in Thailand, whilst avoiding some of the overcrowded backpacker spots that are full of kids, this video is for you. I’ll show you the mistakes I made in my 20s and the lessons I’ve learned from them, including the overcrowded areas full of kids that you need to avoid, the actual best nightlife spots for grown-ups, and the experiences worth splurging on now that you hopefully have a bit more money in the bank.

So, why does it feel so different traveling in your 20s compared to later in life? Well, I think some of the differences are going to be pretty obvious, right? These days, my hangovers last for days, and my idea of a night out has totally changed. I’d take a cool whiskey bar or a rooftop cocktail over a sweaty nightclub any day. You probably also have a bit more cash to spend, but less time to actually travel, so now it’s all about making the most of the time you’ve got in Thailand.

And then there’s who you’re traveling with. Back in the day, it was all solo trips or tagging along with a mate. Now, it’s more likely that you’re traveling with your wife, girlfriend, or partner, and even the whole extended family. That’s why coming back to Thailand, even if you’ve been here before, can feel like a completely different trip because the way that you travel completely changes. Luckily, Thailand is an awesome place to rediscover if you’re traveling when you’re a little bit older.

Mistake 1 Choose Comfort Over Hostels

Let’s talk about mistake number one, hostels. Now, in my 20s, I had some of the best travel experiences of my life staying in hostels, but I also had some of the worst. They’re definitely great for meeting people, especially if you’re traveling by yourself. But that comes at a cost: smelly feet, dodgy bathrooms, and being woken up at 2 o’clock in the morning when the guy below you has brought a girl back. Never take the top bunk.

The problem is that it only takes one person in a hostel to ruin the whole experience. If you’re watching this, you probably weren’t planning on staying in a hostel anyway, but one thing that I’ve learned traveling around the country is that Thailand has some of the best and most affordable luxury hotels in the world.

There are private villas, rooftop pools, and beachfront resorts, all for a fraction of the price of what you pay in the West. And the easiest way to upgrade your travel style is choosing an unforgettable place to stay. You don’t need to blow your budget every night. Just pick one or two nights to really treat yourself.

And I’d always recommend saving a splurge hotel for the end of the trip. There’s nothing worse than going from a five-star suite to a budget guest house. Try and end on a high.

Mistake 2 Do Not Stay on Khao San Road

But speaking about regretting where you stay, let’s talk about where not to stay in Bangkok. There’s one decision that can ruin your Bangkok trip before it even begins, and most people don’t even realize they’re making it. This place has got blaring music all night, dirty streets, and scam artists lurking on every corner. Yet somehow, it’s still the most popular place to stay in the city.

Khao San Road has been the backpacker capital of Southeast Asia for decades. But nowadays, it’s become one of the biggest tourist traps in the country. What annoys me the most isn’t even the crowds or the sketchy tuk tuk drivers. It’s the music. Each bar blasts its own music through massive speakers that are stacked right next to the speakers of the next bar. So, not only can you not hear your mates, you can’t even enjoy the music because it’s a mash of noise from the next bar.

Now, I’m not a complete snob. I’ve had nights out here myself, and I know some people might want to visit to see what it’s all about. And if that’s you, go for it. But I strongly recommend not staying in this part of town. You’re really not missing out on anything.

So, where should you stay in Bangkok? Well, the city is huge, and choosing the right area can get confusing fast. But when I have people plan their trips, there are three areas that I recommend over and over and over again, depending on what kind of trip you want. For the best nightlife, shopping, and rooftop bars, stay in the Sukhumvit area. This is where you’ll find Bangkok’s trendiest restaurants, night markets, cocktail bars, and sky bars. It’s the most modern area, and it’s super well connected on public transport, so you can easily get around.

For luxury hotels and easy access to Bangkok’s most iconic landmarks, stay in the Riverside District. You’ll get stunning views of the Chao Phraya River, and you’re just a short boat ride away from places like the Grand Palace and Wat Arun. But for authentic street food, local markets, and hidden temples, stay in Chinatown. This is one of the oldest parts of the city, packed with character, history, and some of the best places to eat in Bangkok. Choose the one that fits your vibe, and you unlock a completely different side of the city that most 20-year-old backpackers never see.

Mistake 3 Do Not Leave Accommodation and Tours Until the Last Minute

But if there’s one mistake worse than picking the wrong area to stay, it’s not having anywhere to stay at all. A while back, I was traveling through the Trat Islands and we were hopping from Koh Chang to Koh Mak. And on the boat, I got chatting to a young group of lads and I asked them where they were staying on the island. One of them shrugged and said, “Well, I haven’t booked anywhere yet.”

Now, this was during high season, one of the busiest parts of the year in Thailand, and Koh Mak is a really small island with limited places to stay. So, I said, “Aren’t you worried about not finding anywhere to stay?” And he just kind of shrugged and said, “It’s fine. We’ll sleep on the beach. That’s what we did in Koh Chang.”

Now, ignoring for a second that sleeping on the beach is illegal in Thailand, this doesn’t sound like any fun at all. I’m not really sure where he kept his bags, and I don’t even want to think about the stray dogs or sand flies that would have kept him up all night. But even if you don’t end up homeless, you’re going to miss out on the best hotels, the best prices, and the top experiences, especially if you’re traveling during busy peak periods like Christmas or Songkran.

It’s not just about accommodation. Tours and activities in Thailand fill up as well. Whether it’s snorkeling trips, elephant sanctuaries, food tours, or boat rides, the good stuff gets booked out in advance. Because here’s the thing, most tours in Thailand actually suck. Most tours cram as many people as possible onto a boat or a bus, rush for every stop, and spend half your day waiting for someone to finish their 200th photo.

The problem is people assume that they’ll just book the tours when they get here. But the best tour companies aren’t out on the street trying to hustle tourists. And frankly, they don’t need to. They offer smaller, more personal experiences, and they usually have better guides with a good level of English, better timing, and fewer crowds. They do tend to cost a bit more, but they’re absolutely worth it. Take, for example, Railay Hut in Krabi. They’ll take you to secluded private beaches for lunch away from the crowds. Or Krabi Sunset Tours, who limit their pirate ship style cruises to just 12 people. These are the kind of experiences that make your trip unforgettable, but they also sell out fast. So, if you wait until you arrive, you’re gonna get stuck on a booze cruise with 50 other strangers.

And if you really want the secluded, stress-free experience, the easiest upgrade you can make is to book a private tour. Private tours let you skip the crowds, travel at your own pace, and actually enjoy the places you’re visiting instead of being rushed around with 30 strangers and a megaphone guide. One company I personally work with in Thailand is Forever Vacation. They specialize in private tours with English-speaking guides and can take you to some of Thailand’s best locations, whether it be temples, waterfalls, hidden beaches, or food tours, and help you build an experience that actually fits your vibe.

Mistake 4 Plan Downtime Into Your Thailand Trip

So, I know that for me personally, my lifestyle outside of traveling is much busier now in my 30s than it ever was in my 20s. Between running a business and raising a daughter, I have very little free time for myself to unwind. And I know that a lot of you watching will probably feel the same way.

In my 20s, when I was traveling, I’d be out every day doing new things, meeting new people, and I would also try to cover as much ground as possible, trying to see every corner of the country. And to be honest, it kind of worked. My logic was always that I could rest when I’m back home, so why not try to cram everything in now? But nowadays, it’s completely the opposite.

So, lesson five is to plan for downtime. And I know to some of you that might seem counterintuitive, right? How do you plan for downtime? Well, I very purposefully leave a few days of my trip unscheduled to make sure I have a bit of time to sit by the pool and relax, read a book, maybe grab a beer or two, or just do whatever the hell I feel like. That way, I won’t feel like I need a holiday after my holiday.

Mistake 5 Choose Safer Transportation in Thailand

Okay, but my next tip will not only make your trip much smoother, it might just save your life. When I was in my 20s, the last thing I would ever want to spend money on was transportation. Quite simply, that’s beer money just going to waste. Luckily for me, transportation in Thailand can actually be pretty damn cheap.

The problem is though that it’s absolutely mental. I have genuinely feared for my life before as I’ve taken the winding mountain road from Chiang Mai to Pai. This area is notoriously dangerous. You can see the steep drops to certain death if you go over the edge. Yet these minivans are crammed full of people and the drivers get paid by the journey, not by the hour. So they speed round the mountain passes and it’s absolutely terrifying.

Thailand has some of the most dangerous roads in the world and one of the highest road deaths per capita. Every once in a while, there are some true horror stories of these buses going over the edge. Personally, I would never take these mountain roads on public transport again. Luckily, in Thailand, you don’t have to break the bank to get private transportation to pick you up directly from your hotel and drop you off at the next one. These are much safer because they don’t need to act like F1 drivers, but it also saves you hours of your trip that could be better spent relaxing on the beach. You can easily waste whole days of your trip in bus stations trying to figure out the overly complicated Thai transport system just to save a couple of quid.

Mistake 6 Do Not Plan Your Trip Around the Full Moon Party

So the full moon parties in Koh Phangan are world famous, but are they really worth visiting? Once a month, tens of thousands of people flock to Haad Rin Beach on Koh Phangan to dance all night under the moonlight. And for years, it’s been a rite of passage for many 20-year-old backpackers.

Now, the full moon parties definitely skew younger, but there are people of all ages and all backgrounds who visit. And I’ll leave it up to you to decide if that’s your kind of thing. But what I would say is that the big mistake would be to plan your whole trip around the full moon parties. Full moon parties take place at a very specific time on a very specific part of Koh Phangan. Koh Phangan itself is a very beautiful island worth exploring. But there are plenty of other stunning islands in Thailand. And it’s not worth it to race across the country at the expense of skipping some of the best places to visit.

If you are going to plan your trip around an event, make it something truly special. Something that you’ll remember for the right reasons. In April, the world’s biggest water fight known as Songkran Festival takes place. For 3 days, the entire country turns into a streetwide party with kids, grandparents, monks, and tourists taking part. Bangkok and Chiang Mai are probably the top two hotspots for this madness.

And in November, Thailand has one of the most beautiful festivals in the world, Loy Krathong and Yi Peng. In the north, the rivers fill with candlelit krathongs and the skies light up with floating lanterns. And it’s a peaceful, meaningful, and beautiful ceremony. So, if you’re going to plan your trip around a big event, make it one that will actually leave you lasting memories, not just a massive headache.

Mistake 7 Upgrade From Cheap Thai Buckets

And speaking of hangovers, Thai buckets are absolute hangover fuel. If you’ve never heard of them, buckets are plastic sandcastle buckets turned upside down and filled with Thai rum, vodka, and energy drinks. They’re cheap, sugary, and they’ll get you blackout drunk in no time, but they’ll guarantee you a two-day hangover.

And here’s the thing that most people don’t realize about Thailand, that it has a seriously underrated craft alcohol scene that really takes pride in local flavors and traditions. Take Chalong Bay rum, for example. It’s honestly one of the best rums I’ve ever had, distilled in Phuket using pure sugarcane with no additives. You’ll find it across the country, but you can also visit the distillery itself for a tasting and cocktail-making class.

Then there’s Ean rum made with sugarcane from Northern Thailand, much better than whatever goes in the buckets. And if you’re into cocktails, cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Koh Samui all have bars that are pushing boundaries with Thai ingredients. For example, in Chiang Mai, Tub Bar serves cocktails inspired by hill tribe traditions using ingredients like wild herbs, fermented rice, and smoked spices that reflect the flavors and the rituals of Northern Thailand’s ethnic communities. You won’t find cocktails like these anywhere else in the world.

In Bangkok’s Chinatown, Soi Nana is packed with cocktail bars mixing Thai and Chinese flavors in seriously creative ways. Thailand’s craft beer scene has been a little slow to get going, but each year we’re seeing more and more craft beer bars open, especially around the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. A personal favorite of mine is Chit Beer, lying on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, although you have to travel a little bit further out of the city to get there.

Mistake 8 Escape the Crowds and Slow Down

So, when I was younger, I definitely had a fear of missing out. I always wanted to stay in places surrounded by people, making sure I hit Thailand’s most famous spots, and being around large crowds never bothered me. In fact, I enjoyed being around the energy of it all. Now, call me jaded, but I enjoy that a lot less nowadays.

During my day-to-day life, I’m very busy, and now when I take time off, I want it to be about relaxing and escaping into nature. Thailand is home to some absolutely beautiful places that most travelers never make it to. These places are far away from crowds of people. And the beauty of visiting them is just about unwinding and relaxing in nature.

Lying just to the north of Chiang Mai is the town of Chiang Dao, a beautiful little town with epic views of the mountains straight from your hotel. There’s nothing much to do here except read a book, admire the view, and maybe take a bike ride through the rice paddy fields. One of the most stunning places in the country has to be Cheow Lan Lake. You can actually spend the night in a floating hotel in the middle of the lake and just wake up to the sounds of the jungle in the morning.

This is about as far away from civilization as you can get, but you don’t necessarily even have to go that far. I recently stayed on the stunning Tubkaek Beach in Krabi. Now, Krabi is very much on the tourist trail, but Tubkaek is much less explored. What I like most is that it had an epic view of the Hong Islands in the distance, which we could admire from our hotel, and we could just enjoy sunset walks on the beach.

Put These Thailand Travel Tips Together

I don’t know about you, but as I get older, I don’t feel the need to hit the go-to places. And I found that some of the best travel experiences are just me, my family, staying somewhere beautiful with beautiful scenery. Knowing all these tips could be absolutely useless if you don’t know how to put it all together.