Facts you should adhere to before visiting Thailand
- Facts about Thailand
- Travel Visa Requirements for Thailand
- How to Reach Thailand
- Best time to visit Thailand
- How to Travel around Thailand
- Accommodation in Thailand
- Food and Drinks in Thailand
- Festivals in Thailand
- Activities to do in Thailand
Facts about Thailand
- Country name: Thailand, divided into 77 provinces or Changwat, was formerly known as Siam until 1939 (and then again from 1945 to 1949). Some academics advise altering the name once more to more accurately reflect the country’s mix of Thai and non-Thais.
- Population: 63 million, with ethnic Thais making up 75% of the people and Chinese making up 14%; the remaining 20% is made up primarily of immigrants from nearby nations and hill tribes.
- Islam is the largest minority religion in Thailand, while Buddhism is the country’s official religion. Nearly all Thais also practice some animism (spirit worship).
- Administrative structure: Since 1932, the nation has been ruled by a constitutional monarchy.
- On Valentine’s Day in 2012, two Thai guys in Pattaya achieved the world record for the longest uninterrupted kiss, which lasted a staggering 50 hours, 25 minutes, and 1 second.
Travel Visa Requirements for Thailand
Most Westerners with valid passports, including those from South Africa, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and the UK, can quickly go to Thailand because they are not required to get visas to enter the country for brief stays.
You should always check with a Thai embassy or consulate, a trustworthy travel agency, or the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website before leaving because visa regulations for lengthy stays in Thailand are frequently changed.
How to Reach Thailand
Thailand now has seven major international airports: Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang), Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Krabi, Phuket, and Ko Samui. Suvarnabhumi Airport is used by the great majority of tourists arriving in Thailand.
The ideal times to travel to Thailand for flights are typically mid-November to mid-February when the weather is optimum and in July and August when schools are off for the summer. You must reserve well in advance to secure tickets at a reasonable price during these busy times.
Typically, purchasing a trip to Bangkok followed by a separate domestic ticket is the most affordable way to travel to most provincial Thai airports. But there are hundreds of potentially helpful, mainly seasonal, international connections into Phuket, including direct flights with several Australian airlines.
Best time to visit Thailand
The three seasons of Thailand’s climate are wet (approximately May to October), chilly (Nov to February), and hot (March to November) (March-May).
The rains typically pick up speed in June, August, September, and October. Although temperatures might still reach a scorching 30°C, the excellent season is the most enjoyable for tourism in Thailand. Going to the beach during the hot season is recommended.
The mild seasons are, therefore, the ideal times to visit Thailand since they offer waterfalls in full spate, the best upland flowers in bloom, and more tolerable temperatures and less precipitation. The busiest season is also during this time, so keep that in mind.
How to Travel around Thailand
Thailand generally offers inexpensive, simple, and practical travel; however, it can take time. For example, lengthy land trips can be exhausting, especially if a restricted budget forces you to sit in uncomfortable second-class seats with no air conditioning.
Traveling around Thailand is more straightforward than in other parts of Southeast Asia because of the variety of transportation alternatives. Buses are swift, affordable, and frequently available; some even have luxury interiors.
There is a more significant opportunity to sleep on trains during overnight trips, but they are also slower and safer. The fact that you are more likely to take the scenic route by rail than by road when traveling during the day is also not insignificant.
Shared taxis and air-conditioned minibusses, which connect many of the larger towns and cities, are a bit more pleasant as many passengers as possible are crammed into the back of open-ended vans called “songthaews,” which supplement the bus system, particularly in rural areas. Their name means “two rows” in Thai.
Accommodation in Thailand
Bungalows and guesthouses make up the majority of affordable lodging in Thailand. These are modest, traveler-friendly lodgings with wi-fi, safe storage for valuables and unclaimed luggage, and frequently a tour desk among its amenities. They almost usually have a budget restaurant.
People traveling in Thailand on business rather than for pleasure rarely stay in guesthouses; instead, they choose low-cost hotels with rooms available between B150 and B600. These practical three- or four-story establishments, which Chinese Thais typically operate, are in every sizable town and are frequently located close to the bus station or the primary market.
Food and Drinks in Thailand
One of the main factors contributing to Thailand’s popularity with travelers is its cuisine. The two largest culinary hubs in the nation are Bangkok and Chiang Mai, which have the finest Thai restaurants and the best cuisines worldwide. However, the rest of the country is far from a food wasteland, and even the smallest provincial towns offer good food at reasonable prices, many of which also have local specialties as an added draw.
If you travel to Thailand, you’ll discover that you don’t even need to go into a restaurant to get enough to eat because there are always street vendors selling hot and cold snacks in even the most remote locations and on buses and trains. There are often night markets open from dusk until dawn.
Anywhere you dine in Thailand, hygiene is a consideration, but being overly cautious will result in spending a lot of money and denying yourself some authentic regional delicacies. Avoiding excessive fresh fruit and peppers during the first few days will help you carefully wean your stomach from the new food.
Festivals in Thailand
In nearly every Thai event, there is a religious component. The most dramatic are often Brahmin (Hindu) in origin, honoring elemental spirits and deities with historical rituals and ceremonial marches in costume.
Buddhist celebrations typically center on the neighborhood temple. Makeshift stages are set up to show folk theatre, singing stars, and beauty contests. While merit-making is vital, a light-hearted atmosphere predominates as the wat grounds are overrun with food and trinket vendors.
Numerous secular celebrations, such as the elephant corrals and the Bridge over the River Kwai extravaganza, are outdoor displays of local culture targeted at Thai and foreign visitors.
Activities to do in Thailand
Many travelers’ itineraries include a few days of hill hiking, scuba diving, or snorkeling off the southern beaches. In addition, there are several national parks to visit and places to go kayaking and rock climbing. Although most trekking is done in the north, smaller, less commercialized trekking operations can be found in Kanchanaburi, Sangkhlaburi, and Umphang.
- Diving
Thailand is advantageous for diving and snorkeling thanks to its crystal-clear, warm seas (averaging 28°C), abundant marine life, and reasonable rates.
Typically, one dive shop arranges excursions on most islands and beach resorts. In general, Richelieu Rock, Ko Similan, Ko Surin, Hin Muang, and Hin Daeng, all of which are located off the Andaman coast, are regarded as Thailand’s top diving locations.
- Snorkeling
Many dive workers welcome snorkelers to tag along for a concession of thirty percent or more; however, not all diving destinations are rewarding, so check the relevant account in this book first. Boatmen and tour operators offer snorkeling trips to nearby reefs on most beaches.
- Trekking
In contrast to most other places in the globe, trekking in the mountains of north Thailand focuses more on the locals than on the surrounding landscape. While some villages are close enough to a major road to be reached in a single day from a large town, getting to the other, more traditional villages typically requires joining a guided group for a few days.
- Rock Climbing
Rock climbing has become very popular in southern Thailand over the past fifteen years thanks to the numerous limestone karsts that dot the Andaman coast. Most climbing is concentrated on the East Railay and Ton Sai beaches in Laem Phra Nang in the Krabi province, where there are hundreds of paths within easy walking distance of tourist bungalows, restaurants, and beaches.
- Sea Kayaking and Whitewater Rafting
Sea kayaking is especially popular along Thailand’s Andaman coast, where the limestone outcrops, sea caves, hongs (hidden lagoons), mangrove swamps, and gorgeous shorelines of Ao Phang Nga, in particular, provide for rewarding paddling.
